WO2000029066A1

WO2000029066A1 - Disposable nose filter

Info

Publication number: WO2000029066A1
Application number: PCT/NL1999/000707
Authority: WO
Inventors: Martin Johan Brinckman
Original assignee: Martin Johan Brinckman
Priority date: 1998-11-17
Filing date: 1999-11-16
Publication date: 2000-05-25
Also published as: NL1010570C2; AU1297900A

Abstract

Disposable nose filter for retaining harmful substances from the air to be breathed in by a person, which nose filter has two flexible filter elements (2, 3), which are at a slight angle with respect to one another and each of which is joined to a filter support (1) arranged between them, which filter support is provided with an adhesive layer by means of which the filter support can be attached to the nasal septum. The filter elements can be produced from a single piece of material and have been brought into the desired shape, for example by pressing, the filter support (1) being formed by a strip which is arranged on the filter material between the filter elements and which is provided with the adhesive layer. The filter support (1) can have been produced from an elastic material and parts of the filter support can extend all round the filter elements (2, 3) in order to provide these with adequate rigidity.

Description

DISPOSABLE NOSE FILTER

The invention relates to a disposable nose filter for retaining harmful substances from the air to be breathed in by a person, which filter has at least one filter element, comprising a filter material, and means for attaching said filter element to the nose.

US 5 392 773 discloses a filter of this type wherein the filter element is provided around the periphery with means for sticking said element to the outer surface of the nose. This has the disadvantage that the comfort in wearing and the effect are limited. Furthermore, an external problem is that the exhaled air usually has to issue from the mouth, since the wearer can otherwise feel short of breath. Moreover, the filter has to be stuck completely round the nose, which takes time and skill and demands a lot from the skin, especially when used regularly. Furthermore, the external appearance will be a significant reason for deciding against use and the comical appearance will also be a factor taken into account.

US 3 747 597 discloses a nose filter of the internal type. In this case there is the problem that too little space remains for the incoming and outgoing stream of air. The fact that something has to penetrate into the nose will also further intensify the sensation of shortage of breath. The aim of the invention is, now, to eliminate these disadvantages and to this end the invention provides for the nose filter to possess two flexible filter elements, which are at a slight angle with respect to one another and each of which is joined to a filter support arranged between them, which filter support is provided with an adhesive layer by means of which the filter support can be attached to the nasal septum. This provides a filter with which the flexible filter elements will ensure that the nostrils are covered when inhaling and will open on exhaling through the nose. The filter elements thus act as non-return valves. The wearer of the nose filter will thus more consciously be able to, and will, breathe through the nose, which will result in an additional beneficial effect from the biological standpoint. Breathing problems will consequently be reduced. A nose filter of this type can also be worn when sleeping.

In principle it is possible to produce the filter elements from a single piece of material if this material has a certain rigidity and can be brought into the desired shape, for example by pressing. The filter support can then be formed by a strip which is arranged on the filter material between the filter elements and which is provided with the adhesive layer.

So as to be able to make use of a very thin filter material which barely impedes breathing, provision can be made for the filter support to be produced from an elastic material and for parts of the filter support to extend all round the filter elements.

The filtering part of the filter elements can then be produced from a very thin filter material because this material is supported by the material of the filter support, which imparts a certain rigidity to the filter element.

The composition and quality of the filter material per se is then able to vary without this having an effect on the opening and closing movement of the filter elements.

The filter material can be of such composition that it can be charged with static electricity and thus attract dust particles.

The filter material can also be the support for medicaments and/or aroma substances and/or other treatment substances. The invention is explained in more detail on the basis of illustrative embodiments shown in the drawing, in which:

Fig. 1 shows a perspective view of a nose filter according to the invention which has been attached under the nose of a person by means of an adhesive layer;

Fig. 2 shows a view of an embodiment of the nose filter in Fig. 1; Fig. 3 shows an end view of the nose filter in Fig. 2; and Fig.4 shows a view corresponding to that in Fig. 2, but of a somewhat modified embodiment of the nose filter.

The nose filter shown in Figures 2 and 3 comprises the filter elements 2 and 3 which are joined to one another by means of the filter support 1, which is provided with an adhesive layer. With this nose filter the filter material has been pressed into the shape shown and the part thereof which forms the filter support 1 can have been reinforced, such as, for example, by means of a strip of elastic material.

As can be seen in particular from Fig. 3, the nose filter has an approximately butterfly shape. The filter elements 2 and 3 will have a somewhat curved shape in order to abut the nostrils as well as possible so as to prevent the inhalation of non-filtered air.

Fig. 4 shows the option where the filter elements 2 and 3 are surrounded by the material from which the filter support 1 has also been produced. With this arrangement the filter material 4 and 5, respectively, of the filter elements 2 and 3, respectively, is supported by a more rigid material, so that the filter material can be very thin and has to have little rigidity.

It will be clear that numerous modifications can be made to the construction of such a nose filter.

Claims

1. Disposable nose filter for retaining harmful substances from the air to be breathed in by a person, which filter has at least one filter element, comprising a filter material, and means for attaching said filter element to the nose, characterised in that the nose filter has two flexible filter elements (2, 3), which are at a slight angle with respect to one another and each of which is joined to a filter support (1) arranged between them, which filter support is provided with an adhesive layer by means of which the filter support can be attached to the nasal septum.

2. Nose filter according to Claim 1, characterised in that the filter elements (2,3) have been produced from a single piece of material and have been brought into the desired shape, for example by pressing, the filter support (1) being formed by a strip which is arranged on the filter material between the filter elements and which is provided with the adhesive layer. 3. Nose filter according to Claim 1, characterised in that the filter support (1) is produced from an elastic material and in that parts of the filter support extend all round the filter elements (2,

3).

4. Nose filter according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the filter material is of such composition that it can be charged with static electricity and thus attracts dust particles.

5. Nose filter according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the filter material is the support for medicaments and/or aroma substances and/or other treatment substances.