Bottle for sinus cavity rinse

• US 8,888,752 B2
• Filed: 12/16/2010
• Issued: 11/18/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 12/16/2009
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Water Pik Incorporated (Church & Dwight Company Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Water Pik Incorporated (Church & Dwight Company Incorporated)
• Inventors: Cacka, Joseph W., Taylor, Kurt M., Hair, Kenneth A., Williams, Brian R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Sirmons, Kevin C
• Assistant Examiner(s): CARPENTER, WILLIAM R
• Application Number:
  US12/970,788
• Publication Number:
  US 20110139149A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,433 Days
• Field of Search: 604/264, 604/271, 604/275, 604/278, 604/279
• US Class Current: 604/278
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 35/04 for the nose
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2210/0618 Nose
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 3/0208 before use
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 3/022 Volume; Flow rate
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 3/0245 Containers therefor, e.g. with heating means or with storage means for cannula
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 3/0262 manually, e.g. by squeezing a bulb
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 3/0279 Cannula; Nozzles; Tips; their connection means

Abstract

A vessel for use in rinsing a user'"'"'s nasal cavities includes a main body, a spout, a self-sealing nozzle, and a flow control valve actuable by the user. The spout extends off of the main body and the elastomeric nozzle attached to the spout defines an outer skirt having a deflectable free end upon contact with the walls of the user'"'"'s nasal cavity. A vacuum breaker valve is formed in a top portion of the main body for actuation by the user to control the flow of a fluid positioned in the vessel out of the nozzle. The main body may include gripping indentations along opposing sidewalls thereof. The spout may be integrally formed with the main body, and the spout and the nozzle may be detachably connected.

Claims

1. A vessel for use in rinsing a user'"'"'s nasal passage comprising

a main body having an exterior surface;

a spout extending off the main body;

an elastomeric nozzle attached to the spout, the elastomeric nozzle defining an outer skirt having a free end and being deflectable upon engagement with the walls of the user'"'"'s nasal cavity;

the main body having gripping indentations along opposing sidewalls thereof; and

a vacuum breaker valve formed in a top portion of the main body for manual actuation by the user to control the flow of a fluid positioned in the vessel out of the nozzle, the vacuum breaker valve comprising

a valve body; and

a top flange that extends downward and outward from a top potion of the valve body and engages the exterior surface of the main body to operate as a biasing mechanism for the valve body by maintaining the valve body in a closed position;

wherein

to move the vacuum breaker valve to an open position, the valve body is downwardly compressed by a user, causing the of the top flange to splay outward and slide along the exterior surface of the main body; and

in the open position the vacuum breaker valve allows airflow into the main body to provide a constant fluid flow out of the elastomeric nozzle.

2. The vessel of claim 1, wherein the outer skirt comprises a faceted outer surface.

3. The vessel of claim 2, wherein the outer skirt is comprised of at least two frustum sections stacked in series on top of one other, wherein a first frustum section has an average larger diameter than a second frustum section.

4. The vessel of claim 1, wherein the valve is in a closed position until actuation by the user.

5. The vessel of claim 1, wherein the valve comprises an aperture formed in the main body and the valve body is arranged in the aperture.

6. The vessel of claim 5, wherein the top flange defines one or more flange openings proximate the aperture, and when the vacuum breaker valve is actuated, air enters into an interior of the main body by passing through the one or more flange openings and the valve aperture.

7. The vessel of claim 5, wherein the valve body comprises a bottom flange arranged within an interior of the main body, wherein the bottom flange engages with an interior surface of the main body surrounding the aperture and forms a seal between the valve body and the main body in the closed position.

8. The vessel of claim 7, wherein the bottom flange disengages with the interior surface of the main body upon actuation of the valve and allows air to flow through the aperture into the interior of the main body.

9. The vessel of claim 5, wherein the valve body further comprises

at least two ribs extending longitudinally along an outer surface of the valve body;

and

a sealing flange extending from a lower portion of the valve body;

wherein

the valve body extends through the aperture formed in the main body; and

the sealing flange selectively engages an interior surface of the main body.

10. The vessel of claim 5, wherein the valve body further comprises

a plurality of ribs extending longitudinally along an outer surface of the valve body, wherein the plurality of ribs define channels therebetween along the valve body and assist in maintaining an alignment of the valve body within the aperture of the main body;

and

a sealing flange extending from a lower portion of the valve body and positioned in an interior of the main body;

wherein

in the closed position the sealing flange seats in a valve seat recessed into an interior surface of the main body and forms a seal between the valve body and the main body; and

in the open position the sealing flange disengages from the valve seat to define a fluid flow pathway between the sealing flange and the aperture in the main body through the channels between the ribs.

11. The vessel of claim 10, wherein when the valve body is downwardly compressed, the valve body and the sealing flange move vertically downward and the sealing flange moves further into the interior of the main body.

12. The vessel of claim 1, wherein the nozzle and the spout are detachably coupled.

13. The vessel of claim 1, wherein the spout forms a conical section that tapers down as the spout extends towards a spout portion forming a spout aperture, and the outer skirt free end is deflectable into a void space formed between the conical section and the outer skirt.

14. The vessel of claim 1, wherein the top flange has a substantially conical shape.

15. The vessel of claim 1, wherein the main body is sufficiently rigid to resist deformation when a user grips the main body.

16. The vessel of claim 1, wherein

the valve body comprises a bottom flange extending into an interior of the main body;

the main body comprises a valve seat recessed in an interior surface of the main body;

in the closed position the bottom flange seats in the valve seat and forms a seal between the valve body and the main body; and

in the open position the bottom flange disengages from the valve seat to allow airflow into the main body.

17. The vessel of claim 16, wherein the main body further comprises a raised platform defined on the exterior surface and the top flange sits on top of and engages the raised platform.

18. A vessel for use in rinsing a user'"'"'s nasal passage comprising

a main body defining an exterior surface;

a spout extending off a front portion the main body, wherein the spout is integrally formed with the main body;

an elastomeric nozzle detachably coupled to the spout, the elastomeric nozzle defining an outer skirt having a free end and being deflectable upon engagement with the walls of the user'"'"'s nasal cavity; and

a vacuum breaker valve formed in a top portion of the main body for manual actuation by the user to control the flow of a fluid positioned in the vessel out of the nozzle, the vacuum breaker valve comprising a valve body that engages the exterior of the main body, the valve body comprising

a user engagement surface;

a flange wall extending downward and outward at an angle from the user engagement surface;

wherein

to move the vacuum breaker valve to an open position, a user vertically compresses the user engagement surface, causing the valve body to move vertically relative to the main body and causing the flange wall to splay outward and slide along the exterior surface of the main body; and

in the open position the valve allows airflow into the main body and allows the fluid to flow in a constant stream from the main body through the elastomeric nozzle when a user tilts the main body.

19. The vessel of claim 18, wherein the outer skirt comprises a faceted outer surface having at least two frustum sections stacked in series on top of one another, wherein a first frustum section has an average larger diameter than a second frustum section.

20. The vessel of claim 19 wherein the spout forms a conical section that tapers down as the spout extends towards a spout portion forming a spout aperture, and the outer skirt free end is deflectable into a void space formed between the conical section and the outer skirt.

21. The vessel of claim 20, wherein the nozzle further comprises an inner collar for coupling to an external circumference of the spout portion forming the spout aperture, wherein the inner collar forms a nozzle aperture such that fluid positioned in the vessel flows from the spout aperture out the nozzle through the nozzle aperture.

22. The vessel of claim 18, further comprising an aperture formed in a back portion of the main body opposite the front portion and a cap configured to be received on the aperture, wherein the aperture is configured as a vessel inlet.

23. The vessel of claim 22, wherein when the cap is received on the aperture, the cap and the aperture form a water-tight seal.

24. The vessel of claim 18, wherein at least two apertures are defined through the flange wall and are spaced apart from each other.

25. The vessel of claim 24, wherein aperture sidewalls defining the at least two apertures are oriented substantially perpendicular with respect to a top surface of the main body.