US 12,440,367 B1
Nasal EPAP dilator
Kevin J. Stock, Kirkwood, MO (US); and Bradley L. Postier, St. Charles, MO (US)
Assigned to STOCK IP HOLDINGS LLC, St. Louis, MO (US)
Filed by Stock IP Holdings LLC, St. Louis, MO (US)
Filed on Mar. 16, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/696,362.
Application 17/696,362 is a continuation in part of application No. 16/558,286, filed on Sep. 2, 2019, abandoned.
Application 16/558,286 is a continuation in part of application No. 15/260,573, filed on Sep. 9, 2016, granted, now 10,525,227, issued on Jan. 7, 2020.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/165,767, filed on Mar. 25, 2021.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/216,365, filed on Sep. 10, 2015.
Int. Cl. A61F 5/08 (2006.01); A61M 15/08 (2006.01)
CPC A61F 5/08 (2013.01) [A61M 15/08 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A nasal dilator for a nasal passageway that has a constriction therein in a baseline uninflamed state of a nasal vestibule, the nasal dilator comprising:
a first housing comprising a tubular sidewall with an interior surface, an exterior surface, an inner end, and an outer end, wherein the interior surface surrounds an interior space and extends between the inner end and the outer end, wherein the exterior surface is configured to be positioned within the nasal passageway, wherein an insertion of the first housing into the nasal passageway expands the nasal passageway from the baseline uninflamed state without the first housing inserted in the nasal passageway to a dilated state with the first housing inserted in the nasal passageway, and wherein the tubular sidewall produces a dilation of the nasal passageway in the dilated state with the interior space of the first housing being greater than the constriction of the nasal passageway in the baseline uninflamed state;
a first dial assembly comprising a dial actuator and a fitting sandwiched between the outer end of the first housing and the dial actuator, wherein the fitting comprises an inhalation port aligned with the interior space of the first housing and an exhalation aperture proximate to a perimeter of the inhalation port, wherein the dial actuator rotably connects to the fitting opposite from the first housing and comprises an aperture coaxially aligned with the inhalation port and the interior space, wherein the dial actuator rotates around a center axis of the aperture between a first position and a second position, and wherein the exhalation aperture has an unobstructed configuration in the first position and at least a partially obstructed configuration in the second position; and
a first valve comprising a fixed end connected to at least one of the outer end of the first housing and the first dial assembly and a free end coaxially aligned with the aperture, the inhalation port and the interior space, wherein the first valve has an open configuration when an inhalation airflow passes from the outer end towards the inner end and a closed configuration when an exhalation airflow passes from the inner end towards the outer end, wherein the free end of the first valve does not block the exhalation aperture in either the closed configuration and the open configuration, wherein the first valve is configured to restrict the exhalation airflow in the closed configuration, and wherein the dilation in the nasal passageway and the open configuration of the first valve allow the inhalation airflow to pass more freely through the inhalation port and aperture of the first dial assembly and the interior space of the first housing in the dilated state than an unaided inhalation airflow which passes through the nasal passageway in the baseline uninflamed state without the first housing, the first dial assembly and the first valve.