US2569743A - Device to promote nasal breathing and prevent snoring - Google Patents

Description

Oct. 2, 1951 M.P.CARLOCK DEVICE TO PROMOTE NASAL BREATHING AND PREVENT SNORING Filed April 11, 1949 HVPYHVIZHL Patented Oct. 2, 1951 DEVICE TO PROMOTE NASAL BREATHING AND PREVENT SNORING Marion Pomeroy Carlock, Los Angeles, Calif. Application April 11, 1949, Serial No. 86,611

This invention relates to a device to promote nasal breathing and prevent snoring and which will effectively function to hold the nostril or nostrils of the user in an extended, open position so that inhaling and exhaling through the nose may be accomplished with ease thereby discouraging any tendency to breathe through the mouth while asleep thus eliminating snoring which results from mouth breathing.

More particularly, it is an aim of the present invention to provide a tube which is adapted to fit into each nostril and which is provided with a relatively large bore to afford an ample air passage for inhaling and exhaling which is frequently not provided due to deformed, defective or otherwise impaired nasal passages which are either so restricted or closed that normal breathing through the nose may be ordinarily accomplished only with difficulty and as a result mouth breathing while sleeping naturally occurs and.

which additionally causes snoring.

Still a further object of the present invention is to provide a nasal breathing device which is light in weight and will afford no discomfort to the user yet which is sufficiently rigid that it will retain the nostrils in an open position and will not collapse while in use.

Various other objects and advantages of the invention will hereinafter become more fully apparent from the following description of the drawing, illustrating a presently preferred embodiment thereof, and wherein:

Figure 1 is a side elevational view of one of the nostril engaging tubes;

Figure 2 is a plan view of a frame for supporting a pair of the nostril engaging tubes;

Figure 3 is a longitudinal central sectional view of the nostril engaging tube;

Figure 4 is a perspective view of the tube looking generally toward the inner or upper end .preventing snoring includes a nostril engaging r tube adapted to be applied to either nostril of the user which is provided with an upper or inner end portion I which is substantially frustoconical shaped in longitudinal section, as seen in Figure 3 and which tapers toward the .npperex- 5 Claims. (Cl. 128-448) tremity of the tube. The nostril engaging tube also includes a relatively long intermediate portion 2 which tapers slightly externally from end to-end thereof and which has a restrictedend which merges with the enlarged, lower end of the head portion I and which is substantially smaller in diameter than said enlarged end of thehead portion so that the head portion I defines an annular rounded shoulder at the point where the intermediate tube portion 2 merges therewith, for a purpose which will hereinafter become apparent. The nostril engaging tube is provided beyond the opposite, enlarged end of the intermediate portion 2 with an externally enlarged threaded portion 3 which is slightly larger in diameter than the largest portion of the head I. The nostril engaging tube also includes an externally enlarged lower end or base 4 which is disposed beyond the lower end of the threaded portion 3 and which provides an annular flange. The nostril engaging tube has a bore 8 which extends longitudinally and centrally therethrough and which tapers slightly from end-toend thereof so that the end 9 of the bore 8 which is formed in the head I is of smaller diameter than the outer, lower end II] which is formed in or surrounded by the threaded portion 3 and base 4.

As best illustrated in Figure 3, the diameter of the bore 8 is relatively large as compared to the external diameter of the tube to afford an air passage of ample size therethrough. The nostril engaging tube may be formed of any suitable, relatively lightweight material which is substantially rigid, such as various plastics.

While only a single nostril engaging tube has been described, it will be readily apparent that a pair of the tubes is normally utilized, one being applied to each nostril of the user. The head I which constitutes the upper or inner end of the tube is inserted as the leading end into the nostril, the tube being inserted normally sufficiently so that the two portions I and 2 are engaged in the nostril. The enlarged lower end of the head portion I and the annular shoulder which it forms with the restricted, adjacent end of the intermediate tube portion 2 functions as a stop to releasably retain the tube in position in the nasal passage and to hold such passage in a distended or open position. The relatively large diameter of the bore 8 allows the user to breathe freely through the nostril thereby discouraging mouth breathing, while sleeping, and snoring which is a common result of mouth breathing. The tube by being formed of a relatively lightweight material will not produce any discomfort to the user and is sufiiciently rigid so that any vary considerably for adults and children and also for noses of different sizes and for nasal passages of different sizes. a a

While two of the nostril engaging tubes are preferably employed without other meansfor retaining them in the nostrils than their head portions I, if found desirable or necessary a' tube supporting frame may be employed to insure the retention of the tubes in the nostrils and which frame is illustrated in Figures 2 and 5 and designated generally I. The frame l is preferably formed of a material corresponding to the material of the tubes and comprises a relatively elongated plate which in plan view is somewhat similar in shape to an eyeglass frame having corresponding end portions each of which is provided with a relatively large internally threaded opening 5. Each end portion is also provided, outwardly ofits opening 5 with an ear or extension having an opening 6 forming a cord or ribbon engaging opening. The plate 1, intermediate of the openings 5, is of. restricted width provided by concavely rounded intermediate portions of its longitudinal edges, said concavely rounded edge portions being adapted to fit conveniently against the nose and upper lip and to conform to the contour thereof. As seen in Figure 5, the frame I is bent slightly intermedate of its ends so that the end portions thereof are disposed at a slight angle to one another and as a result, when a pair of the nostril engaging tubes are mounted in the frame 1, as illustrated in Figure 5, said tubes will be disposed with their'longi- .tudinal axes in converging relationship to one another from the end portions l of the tubes to the opposite end portions 9 thereof. The

. threaded openings 5 are sized ,to threadedlyand .detachably engage the threaded tube portions 3 of the two tubes as shown in Figure 5.

In utilizing the frame I with a pair of the nasal tubes, one of said tubes is first inserted through one of the openings 5 from the convex toward the concave side of the frame 1 and its'threaded portion 3 is engaged and screwed tightly into said opening 5. The tube thus applied is then positionedin one of the nostrils and so that the frame I willthen be disposed across thelower end of the nose. The other tube I is then 'inserted through the other opening 5 and into the other nostril and its threaded portion 3 is then screwed tightly into the other opening 5. A cord,

,preferably of elastic, or'a ribbon, not shown, is engaged around the back of the head and over the ears and the end portions thereof are then secured to the frame I through its two openings 6 for securing the frame in position below the .nose and so that the two nostril engaging tubes will be retained in the nasalpassages.

Various modifications and changes are contemplated and may obviously be resorted to, without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention as hereinafter defined by the appended claims.

enlarged end being of substantially frusto-conical shape and tapering toward its extremity, said tube including an external portion of a length greater than its enlarged end adapted to be disposed in the nostril, said last mentioned portion tapering slightly toward the enlarged end and having a restricted end merging with the enlarged end of the tube, the enlarged end of the tube at its point of mergence with said last mentioned, restricted tube portion defining an annular shoulder disposed around said restricted tube portion and rounded in a direction longitudinally of the tube;

2. A device for use in promoting correct nasal breathing and to prevent snoring comprising a tube formed of a relatively light-weight rigid material adapted for insertion into a nostril having a bore of relatively large diameter extending longitudinally therethrough and forming an air passage, said tube having an externally enlarged upper, inner end forming a stop for releasably retaining the tube in an applied position, an externally enlarged externally threaded portion formed integral with and disposed beyond the opposite enlarged end of .said last mentioned'tube portion and of a larger diameter than said enlarged tube end, an annular externally enlarged portion formed integral with and disposed beyond the outer .end of said threaded portion, a rigid frame comprising an elongated plate having corresponding ends each provided with a threaded opening, a pair of said tubes being insertable through said threaded openings and positioned with the externally threaded portions of the tubes in threaded engagement with the threaded openingswhereby the two tubes are rigidly supported by the frame in properly spaced relationship to one another to engage the two nostrils.

3. A device for use in promoting 'correct'nasal breathing and to prevent snoring comprising ,a tube formed of a relatively light-weight rigid material adapted for insertion into a nostril having a bore of relatively large diameter extending longitudinally therethrough and forming an air passage, said tube having an externally enlarged upper, inner end forming a stop for releasably retaining the tube in anapplied position, anexternally enlarged externally threaded portion formed integral with and disposed beyond'the opposite enlarged end of said last mentioned tube portion and of a larger diameter than:said:en larged tube end, an annularexternally. enlarged portion formed integral with and'disposed'b'eyond the outer end of said threaded portion ,.a'rigid frame comprising an elongatedplate having corresponding ends each provided with a threaded opening, a pair of said tubes being'insertable 7 port the restricted tube portions and first mentioned enlarged tube ends which extend from the concave side of said frame in converging relationship to one another.

4. A device for use in promoting correct nasal breathing and to prevent snoring comprising a tube formed of a relatively light-weight rigid material adapted for insertion into a nostril having a bore of relatively large diameter extending longitudinally therethrough and forming an air passage, said tube having an externally enlarged upper, inner end forming a stop for releasably retaining the tube in an applied position, an eX- ternally enlarged externally threaded portion formed integral with and disposed beyond the opposite enlarged end of said last mentioned tube portion and of a larger diameter than said enlarged tube end, an annular externally enlarged portion formed integral with and disposed beyond the outer end of said threaded portion, a rigid frame comprising an elongated plate having corresponding ends each provided with a threaded opening, a pair of said tubes being insertable through said threaded openings and positioned with the externally threaded portions of the tubes in threaded engagement with the threaded openings whereby the two tubes are rigidly supported by the frame in properly spaced relationship to one another to engage the two nostrils,

the corresponding end portions of said frame being disposed at an angle to one another to support the restricted tube portions and first mentioned enlarged tube ends which extend from the concave side of said frame in converging relationship to one another, said frame having complementary longitudinal edges provided with inwardly bowed intermediate portions adapted to engage and conform to the contour of the upper lip and lower end of the nose.

5. A device for use in promoting correct nasal breathing and to prevent snoring comprising a tube formed of a relatively lightweight rigid material adapted for insertion into a nostril having a bore of relatively large diameter extending longitudinally therethrough and forming an air passage, said tube having a nostril passage engaging portion consisting of an elongated part tapered externally from end-to-end thereof and an externally enlarged terminal portion forming the leading end of the tube when applied to a nostril passage, said externally enlarged terminal portion being substantially frusto-conical in shape and tapering toward its extremity, the re stricted end of said elongated tapered part merging integrally with the enlarged end of said terminal portion and being substantially smaller in diameter than said enlarged end of the terminal portion to define therewith an annular shoulder facing away from said terminal portion, said shoulder being rounded in a direction longitudinally of the tube and forming a stop for releasably retaining the tube in an applied position within the nostril.

MARION POMEROY CARLOCK.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 669,098 Overshiner Mar. 5, 1901 921,034 Weir May 11, 1909 1,256,188 Wilson Feb. 12, 1918 1,839,606 Simmons Jan. 5, 1932 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 830,545 France of 1938

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