NASAL DEVICES HAVING A SAFE FAILURE MODE AND REMOTELY ACTIVATABLE
Described herein are devices, methods and systems that regulate the failure of a nasal device by including a pre-determined failure mode, thereby minimizing the risk. Also described herein are nasal respiratory devices that may be remotely activated or inactivated to turn on and off an increased resistance to exhalation compared to inhalation.
1 . A system for remotely activating/inactivating a nasal device to turn on or off the increase in resistance to exhalation compared to the resistance to inhalation, the system comprising:
a nasal device configured to be sealed in communication with a subject's nasal orifice without covering the subject's mouth, the nasal device having a passive airflow resistor configured to inhibit exhalation more than inhalation through the nasal device; and
a remotely activatable control configured to remotely activates an interfering member to prevent the airflow resistor from substantially increasing resistance through the nasal device during inhalation, and that remotely inactivates the interfering member so that it does not prevent the airflow resistor from increasing the resistance through the nasal device during inhalation.
2 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the nasal device comprises an adhesive nasal respiratory device.
3 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the passive airflow resistor comprises a flap valve.
4 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the remotely activatable control is a pneumatically activatable control.
5 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the remotely activatable control is an electrically activatable control.
6 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the interfering member comprises a mechanical occluder.
7 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the interfering member comprises a Nitinol loop.
8 . The system of claim 1 further comprising a support configured to support the interfering member adjacent to the nasal respiratory device.
9 . The system of claim 1 , further comprising an over-mask support configured to support the interfering member adjacent to the nasal respiratory device.
10 . The system of claim 1 , further comprising an adapter configured to connect to the nasal device and to support the interfering member adjacent to the nasal respiratory device.
11 . A remote control device for remotely activating and inactivating a nasal device having a passive airflow resistor that increases the resistance to exhalation through the nasal device more than the resistance to inhalation through the nasal device, the remote control device comprising:
an interfering member configured to prevent the airflow resistor from substantially increasing resistance through the nasal device during inhalation;
a support member for supporting the interfering member adjacent to the nasal device so that the interfering member may engage the airflow resistor when the interfering member is activated; and
a remotely activatable control configured to remotely activate the interfering member.
12 . The device of claim 11 , wherein the interfering member comprises a mechanical occluder.
13 . The device of claim 11 , wherein the interfering member comprises a Nitinol loop.
14 . The device of claim 11 , wherein the support comprises an over-mask support configured to be worn over the nasal device to support the interfering member adjacent to the nasal respiratory device.
15 . The device of claim 11 , wherein the support comprises an adapter configured to connect to the nasal device and to support the interfering member adjacent to the nasal respiratory device.
16 . The device of claim 11 , wherein the remotely activatable control is a pneumatically activatable control.
17 . The device of claim 11 , wherein the remotely activatable control is an electrically activatable control.
18 . A method comprising: remotely activating a nasal device having a passive airflow resistor that is configure to inhibit exhalation through the device more than inhalation through the device.