A nasal delivery device for and a method of delivering a substance to a nasal cavity of a subject, the delivery device comprising: a delivery unit for delivering a flow entraining a substance to one nostril of a subject, the delivery unit including a nosepiece for fitting to a nostril of the subject; and a flow resistor unit for fitting to the other nostril of the subject, the flow resistor unit including a progressive resistor for progressively providing an increasing flow resistance to the delivered flow.
1. A nasal delivery device for delivering a substance to a nasal cavity of a subject, comprising:
a delivery unit configured to deliver a flow entraining a substance to one nostril of a subject, around the nasal septum, and out the other nostril of the subject, the delivery unit including (i) a nosepiece adapted to fit the one nostril of the subject and (ii) a mouthpiece configured to cause substantial closure of the subject's oropharyngeal velum when the subject exhales through the mouthpiece; and
a flow resistor unit adapted to fit to the other nostril of the subject, the flow resistor unit including a progressive resistor configured to progressively provide an increasing flow resistance to the delivered flow when the device is in use by the subject.
2. The delivery device of claim 1 , wherein the progressive resistor comprises an inflatable member which provides a progressively increasing resistance to the delivered flow.
3. The delivery device of claim 1 , wherein the flow resistor unit includes a movable member which is movable under the action of a pressure developed in the nasal airway, and a biasing element for providing a progressively increasing resistance to the movement of the movable member.
4. The delivery device of claim 3 , wherein the flow resistor unit further includes a housing in which the movable member is movable, the housing including an aperture therein which is located such as to vent the housing when movable member is driven a predeterminable distance corresponding to a first predeterminable pressure, whereby the flow resistance decreases and the flow rate increases following the development of a second predeterminable pressure.
5. The delivery device of claim 4 , wherein the flow resistor unit includes a filter for collecting any vented material.
6. The delivery device of claim 1 , wherein the delivery unit includes a substance supply unit which is actuatable to supply a substance.
7. The delivery device of claim 6 , wherein the substance supply unit is configured to be actuatable by the flow resistor unit.
8. The delivery device of claim 6 , wherein the substance supply unit is configured to be actuatable to supply a substance on generation of a predetermined pressure within the device.
9. The delivery device of claim 6 , wherein the substance supply unit is configured to be actuatable to supply a substance at a predetermined flow rate.
10. The delivery device of claim 6 , wherein the substance supply unit is configured to be actuatable to supply a substance on generation of a predetermined pressure within the device and at a predetermined flow rate.
11. The delivery device of claim 1 , wherein the delivery unit further includes a flow channel fluidly connected to the nosepiece through which a gas flow, separate to an exhaled air flow from an exhalation breath of the subject, is in use delivered, and a gas supply unit for supplying a gas flow to the flow channel.
12. The delivery device of claim 1 , wherein the substance supply unit includes a dosing unit for supplying a substance.
13. The delivery device of claim 12 , wherein the dosing unit comprises a nebulizer for supplying an aerosol.
14. The delivery device of claim 12 , wherein the dosing unit comprises an aerosol canister for supplying an aerosol.
15. The delivery device of claim 12 , wherein the dosing unit comprises a delivery pump unit for supplying an aerosol.
16. The delivery device of claim 15 , wherein the dosing unit comprises a liquid pump unit for supplying a liquid aerosol.
17. The delivery device of claim 15 , wherein the dosing unit comprises a powder pump unit for supplying a powder aerosol.
18. The delivery device of claim 12 , wherein the dosing unit comprises a powder delivery unit for delivering a powder aerosol.
19. A nasal delivery device for delivering a substance to a nasal cavity of a subject, comprising:
a delivery unit for delivering a flow entraining a substance to one nostril of a subject, the delivery unit including a mouthpiece through which the subject in use exhales, a nosepiece for fitting to the one nostril of the subject and a flow channel fluidly connecting the nosepiece and the mouthpiece, whereby exhaled air from an exhalation breath is delivered through the nosepiece; and
a flow resistor unit for fitting to the other nostril of the subject, the flow resistor unit including a progressive resistor for progressively providing an increasing flow resistance to the delivered flow.
20. A method of delivering a substance to a nasal cavity of a subject, comprising the steps of:
exhaling through a mouthpiece configured to cause substantial closure of the subject's oropharyngeal velum when the subject exhales through the mouthpiece;
delivering a flow entraining a substance to one nostril of a subject, around the nasal septum, and out the other nostril of the subject; and
progressively providing an increasing flow resistance to the delivered flow.
21. The method of claim 20 , further comprising the step of:
decreasing the flow resistance on development of a predeterminable pressure.
22. The method of claim 20 , wherein the step of progressively providing an increasing flow resistance to the delivered flow is accomplished by fitting a flow resistor unit to the other nostril of the subject, the flow resistor unit including a progressive resistor for progressively providing an increasing flow resistance to the delivered flow.
23. A method of delivering a substance to a nasal cavity of a subject, comprising the steps of:
providing a mouthpiece through which the subject exhales;
providing a nosepiece to one nostril of the subject, the nosepiece being fluidly connected to the mouthpiece, whereby exhaled air from an exhalation breath is delivered through the nosepiece;
the subject exhaling through the mouthpiece to deliver an air flow entraining a substance through the nosepiece to the one nostril of the subject; and
progressively providing an increasing flow resistance to the delivered flow.
24. A nasal delivery device for delivering a substance to a nasal cavity of a subject, comprising:
a delivery unit configured to deliver a flow entraining a substance to one nostril of a subject, around the nasal septum, and out the other nostril of the subject, the delivery unit including (i) a nosepiece adapted to fit the one nostril and (ii) a mouthpiece configured to cause substantial closure of the subject's oropharyngeal velum when the subject exhales through the mouthpiece; and
a flow resistor unit adapted to fit to the other nostril of the subject, the flow resistor unit including a progressive resistor configured to progressively provide an increasing flow resistance to the delivered flow.
25. The nasal delivery device of claim 24 , wherein the delivery unit further includes a flow channel fluidly connecting the nosepiece and the mouthpiece.
26. A nasal delivery device for delivering a substance to a nasal cavity of a subject, comprising:
a delivery unit configured to deliver a flow entraining a substance to one nostril of a subject, around the nasal septum, and out the other nostril of the subject, the delivery unit including (i) a nosepiece adapted to fit the one nostril of the subject and (ii) a mouthpiece configured to cause substantial closure of the subject's oropharyngeal velum when the subject exhales through the mouthpiece; and
a flow resistor unit adapted to fit to the other nostril of the subject, the flow resistor unit including means for progressively providing an increasing flow resistance to the delivered flow.
27. The nasal delivery device of claim 26 , wherein the delivery unit further includes flow channel fluidly connecting the nosepiece and the mouthpiece.
28. A method of delivering a substance to a nasal cavity of a subject, comprising the steps of:
providing a delivery unit configured to deliver a flow entraining a substance to one nostril of a subject, around the nasal septum, and out the other nostril of the subject, the delivery unit including (i) a nosepiece adapted to fit the one nostril and (ii) a mouthpiece configured such that when the subject exhales through the mouthpiece, the mouthpiece causes substantial closure of the subject's oropharyngeal velum;
providing a flow resistor unit adapted to fit to the other nostril of the subject, the flow resistor unit including a progressive resistor configured to progressively provide an increasing flow resistance to the delivered flow; and
delivering the substance to the nasal cavity of a subject using the delivery unit and the flow resistor.
29. The method of claim 28 , wherein the delivery unit further includes a flow channel fluidly connecting the nosepiece and the mouthpiece.