Ear canal irrigation system and method

• US 10,525,191 B1
• Filed: 06/12/2019
• Issued: 01/07/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 06/12/2019
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: End Racism LLC
• Original Assignee: Christopher Ackerman
• Inventors: Ackerman, Christopher
• Primary Examiner(s): Marcetich, Adam
• Application Number:
  US16/438,635
• Time in Patent Office: 209 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 90/05 Splash shields for protection of the surgeon, e.g. splash guards connected to the apparatus A41D13/11 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 11/006 Ear cleaners, e.g. curettes cotton tips A61F13/38; cleaning by suction A61M1/71, by irrigation A61M3/02
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2210/0662 Ears
• 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

An ear canal irrigator system having a hand-held spray bottle and a conduit tube connected to the spray bottle by a series of components that allow the tube to be connected without being screwed on and also prevents leakage of fluid. The system further includes an insertion tube connected to the conduit tube by a connecting piece having a splash guard, whereby the insertion tube is configured to be placed at or near the ear canal of a user. The insertion tube is shorter in length that the conduit tube and has a smaller diameter than the conduit tube so that when the fluid flows through the connecting piece into the insertion tube, the fluid has a more powerful fluid stream.

Claims

1. An ear canal irrigation system, the ear canal irrigation system comprising:

a spray bottle, the spray bottle comprising a nozzle, a head, and a reservoir, the reservoir having a spray tube extending therethrough, wherein the reservoir is configured to contain a fluid;

a conduit tube, wherein the conduit tube is configured to allow the passage of the fluid from the spray bottle when connected to the spray bottle, wherein a first end of the conduit tube is configured to connect to the nozzle or a nozzle attachment that is connected to the nozzle;

a connector comprising a splash guard, a first extension piece, and a second extension piece, wherein the splash guard is disk-shaped, wherein the first extension piece and the second extension piece face outward in opposing directions from a first side and a second side of the splash guard, wherein the splash guard, the first extension piece, and the second extension piece each have an aperture therethrough in axial alignment allowing the passage of the fluid; and

an insertion tube, wherein the insertion tube is configured to be inserted into or near an ear of a user, wherein the insertion tube is separate from the conduit tube,

wherein a second end of the conduit tube is configured to connect to the first extension piece of the connector,

wherein a first end of the insertion tube is configured to connect to the second extension piece of the connector,

and further wherein the conduit tube and the insertion tube each have an aperture extending therethrough, wherein the aperture of the insertion tube is of a smaller diameter than the aperture of the conduit tube, wherein the connector allows a transition of the fluid from the conduit tube to the insertion tube while reducing the overall diameter of the fluid.

2. The ear canal irrigation system of claim 1, wherein the second end of the conduit tube is configured to be positioned over the first extension piece, and wherein the first end of the insertion tube is configured to be positioned over the second extension piece until the conduit tube and the insertion tube come into contact with the first side and the second side of the splash guard.

3. The ear canal irrigation system of claim 1, wherein the first extension piece includes a bottom part in the form of a shaft and a top part having a conical shape that inclines at an angle, wherein the first extension piece is configured to fit within the aperture of the conduit tube when connected, wherein the second extension piece is configured to fit within the aperture of the insertion tube when connected, wherein the second extension piece comprises a shaft having one or more protrusions from the shaft, wherein the insertion tube is configured to be connected and secured by the outward force of the one or more protrusions against the insertion tube when the inner diameter of the insertion tube is positioned over the outer area of the one or more protrusions.

4. The ear canal irrigation system of claim 1, wherein the second side of the splash guard is configured to impede a splash effect when fluid is expelled out of the insertion tube, wherein the splash guard is configured to shield the ear canal irrigation system and a user from splash back of the fluid.

5. The ear canal irrigation system of claim 1, wherein the insertion tube is shorter in length than the conduit tube.

6. The ear canal irrigation system of claim 1, where said conduit tube and insertion tube are comprised of a flexible material.

7. The ear canal irrigation system of claim 1, wherein the insertion tube is separately removeable from the conduit tube when connected to the connector.

8. The ear canal irrigation system of claim 1, wherein the first extension piece includes a bottom part in the form of a shaft and top part having a conical shape that inclines at an angle, wherein the first extension piece is configured to fit within the aperture of the conduit tube when connected.

9. The ear canal irrigation system of claim 1, wherein the second extension piece comprises a shaft having one or more protrusions from the shaft wherein the insertion tube is configured to be connected and secured by the outward force of the one or more protrusions against the insertion tube when the inner diameter of the insertion tube is slid or positioned over the outer area of the one or more protrusions.

10. The ear canal irrigation system of claim 1, wherein the nozzle attachment is configured to connect to a cover piece, the cover piece configured so that when connected to the nozzle attachment, the cover piece acts as a reinforcing seal to prevent any leakage of fluid as the fluid exits the nozzle into the conduit tube.

11. The ear canal irrigation system of claim 10, the cover piece having have a bottom and top component, the bottom and top component having apertures therethrough wherein the apertures in the bottom and top components of the cover piece are in axial alignment.

12. The ear canal irrigation system of claim 11, wherein the aperture of the top component of the cover piece has a diameter less than the diameter of the aperture of the bottom component of the cover piece, thereby allowing the cover piece to slide over the conduit tube until the bottom component of the cover piece comes in contact with the nozzle attachment.

13. A method of using an ear canal irrigation device, the method comprising:

connecting a nozzle attachment to a nozzle of a spray bottle;

connecting a conduit tube to the nozzle attachment;

connecting the conduit tube to a first end of a connector, wherein the connector further comprises a splash guard, a first extension piece, and a second extension piece, wherein the splash guard is disk-shaped, wherein the first extension piece and the second extension piece face outward in opposing directions from a first side and a second side of the splash guard, wherein the splash guard, the first extension piece, and the second extension piece each have an aperture therethrough in axial alignment allowing the passage of the fluid;

connecting an insertion tube to the second extension piece, wherein the conduit tube and the insertion tube have an aperture therethrough, wherein the aperture of the insertion tube is of a smaller diameter than the conduit tube, and wherein the connector allows for a transition of a fluid from the conduit tube to the insertion tube while reducing the overall diameter of the fluid; and

orienting the insertion tube at or near the ear canal of a user.

14. The method of claim 13, the method further comprising:

pulling a trigger mechanism of a spray bottle, the spray bottle comprising a reservoir to contain the fluid and a nozzle, wherein when the trigger mechanism is pulled, fluid flows from the reservoir and is then expelled out of the nozzle.

15. The method of claim 13, the method further comprising:

flowing the fluid from the nozzle to the conduit tube, the nozzle connecting to the nozzle attachment, the nozzle attachment connecting to the conduit tube, the nozzle attachment connecting to a cover piece, the cover piece when connected to the nozzle attachment acting as reinforcing seal to prevent any leakage of fluid as the fluid exits the nozzle into the conduit tube, the cover piece having a bottom and top component, the bottom and top component having apertures therethrough wherein the apertures in the bottom and top component of the cover piece are in axial alignment, the aperture of the top component having a diameter less than the diameter of the aperture of the bottom component, allowing the cover piece to slide over the conduit tube until the bottom component of the cover piece comes in contact with the nozzle attachment.

16. An ear canal irrigation system, the ear canal irrigation system comprising:

a spray bottle, the spray bottle comprising a nozzle, a head, and a reservoir, the reservoir having a spray tube extending therethrough, wherein the reservoir is configured to contain a fluid;

a nozzle attachment, wherein the nozzle attachment is configured to connect to the nozzle;

a conduit tube, wherein the conduit tube is configured to connect to the nozzle attachment at a first end of the conduit tube;

a connector comprising a splash guard, and a first extension piece, and a second extension piece, wherein the splash guard is disk-shaped, wherein the first extension piece and the second extension piece face outward in opposing directions from a first side and a second side of the splash guard, wherein the splash guard, the first extension piece, and the second extension piece each have an aperture therethrough in axial alignment allowing the passage of the fluid; and

an insertion tube, wherein the conduit tube is configured to connect to the first extension piece at a second end of the conduit tube, and wherein the insertion tube is configured to connect to the second extension piece at a first end of the insertion tube, and further wherein the conduit tube and the insertion tube each have an aperture extending therethrough, wherein the aperture of the insertion tube is of a smaller diameter than the aperture of the conduit tube, wherein the connector allows a transition of the fluid from the conduit tube to the insertion tube while reducing the overall diameter of the fluid.

17. The ear canal irrigation system of claim 16, a cover piece, wherein the nozzle attachment is configured to connect to the cover piece, the cover piece configured so that when connected to the nozzle attachment, the cover piece acts as a reinforcing seal to prevent any leakage of fluid as the fluid exits the nozzle into the conduit tube.

18. The ear canal irrigation system of claim 16, wherein the first extension piece and the second extension piece are configured such that the second end of the conduit tube and a first end of the insertion tube are configured be slid over the first extension piece and the second extension piece, respectively, until the conduit tube and insertion tube come into contact with opposite surfaces of the splash guard.

19. The ear canal irrigation system of claim 16, wherein the first extension piece includes a bottom part in the form of a shaft and top part having a conical shape that inclines at an angle, wherein the first extension piece is configured to fit within the aperture of the conduit tube when connected, wherein the second extension piece comprises a shaft having one or more protrusions from the shaft wherein the insertion tube is configured to be connected and secured by the outward force of the one or more protrusions against the insertion tube when the inner diameter of the insertion tube is slid or positioned over the outer area of the one or more protrusions.