IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,296,097
Granted Patent B2
US 12,296,097 · App. 17/055,526 · Granted May 13, 2025

Nasal airway device and kit

Inventors: David Adam Zopf (Ann Arbor, MI); Allison Powell (Ann Arbor, MI); Dian-Ru Li (Ann Arbor, MI); Jeffrey Stephen Plott (Algonac, MI); Albert J. Shih (Ann Arbor, MI)
Assignee: THE REGENTS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN
A61M16/0461A61M16/0688A61M2205/0216A61M2205/581A61M2205/587
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,296,097
App. No.
17/055,526
Granted
May 13, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

An example nasal airway tube includes a tubular body having a distal end and a proximal end. A surface at the distal end including an opening. The tubular body having an overall curvature with a radius of curvature defined relative to a longitudinal axis of the tube. An X-axis is defined by the longitudinal axis of the tube, and a Y-axis extends perpendicularly from the longitudinal axis and has a positive direction defined outwardly relative to the radius of curvature. At least a portion of the opening faces outwardly relative to the radius of curvature. A vector normal to a plane defined by the opening includes a positive Y-coordinate.

Claims (37)

1. A nasal airway device comprising:

a tube having a distal end and a proximal end; and

an attachment mechanism coupled to the proximal end of the tube, the attachment mechanism including:

a sliding member having a tubular shape having a top annular surface and a bottom annular surface, and an exterior circular side surface that extends between the top annular surface to the bottom annular surface;

a tube access channel comprising a top annular surface, a bottom surface, an exterior circular side surface that extends between the top annular surface of the tube access channel and the bottom surface of the tube access channel;

a plurality of fins on the exterior circular side surface of the tube access channel and each having a first end and a second end, at least one of the plurality of fins being deformable, the fins connected to the exterior circular side surface of the sliding member at the first ends and to the exterior circular side surface of the tube access channel at the second ends, wherein the top annular surface of the tube access channel faces the bottom annular surface of the sliding member, and wherein the entire top annular surface of the tube access channel is spaced from the entire bottom annular surface of the sliding member such that the sliding member is supported on the tubular access channel by only the plurality of fins; and

a bridge connected at a proximal portion of the exterior surface of the tube access channel,

wherein the sliding member is configured to slide relative to the tube to change a relative distance between the sliding member annular surface and the tube access channel annular surface to adjust a width of the fins, and

wherein the plurality of fins and the sliding member are configured to be inserted into a nostril of a patient.

2. The nasal airway device of claim 1 , wherein the tube comprises:

a tubular body having the distal end and the proximal end, wherein a surface at the distal end includes an opening,

the tubular body having an overall curvature with a radius of curvature defined relative to a longitudinal axis of the tube,

wherein an X-axis is defined by the longitudinal axis of the tube, and a Y-axis extends perpendicularly from the longitudinal axis and has a positive direction defined outwardly relative to the radius of curvature,

wherein at least a portion of the opening faces outwardly relative to the radius of curvature, and

wherein a vector normal to a plane defined by the opening includes a positive Y-coordinate.

3. The nasal airway device of claim 2 , wherein the opening includes a leading end and a trailing end, the leading end being closest, relative to the trailing end, to a lowest most point of the opening and the trailing end being closest, relative to the leading end, to a highest most point of the opening, the leading end being spaced a greater distance from an apex of the tube than the trailing end when the tube is being inserted into the nostril of the patient.

4. The nasal airway device of claim 2 , wherein the opening includes a leading end and a trailing end, and wherein a first plane bisects an apex of the tube and the leading end and the trailing end of the opening.

5. The nasal airway device of claim 2 , wherein the opening includes a leading end and a trailing end, and wherein a first plane bisects an apex of the tube and a second plane bisects the leading end and the trailing end, an angle defined between the first plane and the second plane is between about 0° and about 45°.

6. The nasal airway device of claim 2 , wherein an angle between the vector and the Y-axis is between about 0° and about positive 45° to adapt the nasal airway tube to be inserted into the nostril of the patient.

7. The nasal airway device of claim 2 , further comprising a side opening defined by the tube.

8. The nasal airway device of claim 2 , wherein the tube has a radius of curvature of between about 0.010 millimeters (mm) −1 and about 0.04 mm −1 .

9. The nasal airway device of claim 2 , wherein a lower surface of the tube adjacent the opening includes a protrusion.

10. The nasal airway device of claim 2 , wherein along an axis of the tube between a trailing end and a leading end of the opening, respective sides of the opening include associated convex portions and associated concave portions.

11. The nasal airway device of claim 2 , wherein the opening includes a leading end and a trailing end and the tube includes an outward-facing surface and an inward-facing surface, the outward-facing surface terminating at the trailing end and the inward-facing surface terminating at the leading end.

12. The nasal airway device of claim 1 , wherein the fins are semi-occluding.

13. The nasal airway device of claim 12 ,

wherein the fins are spaced around a circumference of the exterior circular side surface of the tube access channel by one or more angles, or

wherein at least one of the fins includes a cutout.

14. The nasal airway device of claim 1 , wherein the fins include at least one of an adhesive to improve securement and surface texture.

15. The nasal airway device of claim 1 , wherein the bridge includes a hook that curves or projects toward a distal end of the attachment mechanism.

16. The nasal airway device of claim 1 , wherein the tube access channel is a first tube access channel, and wherein the bridge connects the first tube access channel to a second tube access channel.

17. The nasal airway device of claim 1 , wherein the sliding member surrounds the tube.

18. An attachment mechanism for a nasal airway device, comprising:

a tube access channel comprises a top annular surface, a bottom surface, and an exterior circular side surface extending between the top annular surface and the bottom surface;

a sliding member comprising a tubular shape having a top annular surface and a bottom annular surface, and an exterior circular surface that extends from the top annular surface of the sliding member to the bottom annular surface of the sliding member; and

a plurality of fins, wherein the plurality of fins and the sliding member are configured to be inserted into a nostril of a patient and the sliding member is configured to receive a tube of the nasal airway device, each of the plurality of fins comprises a first end and a second end, the first end of each of the plurality of fins extends from the exterior circular surface of the sliding member and the second end of each of the plurality of fins extends from the exterior circular side surface of the tube access channel,

wherein the top annular surface of the tube access channel faces the bottom annular surface of the sliding member, wherein the entire top annular surface of the tube access channel is spaced from the entire bottom annular surface of the sliding member such that the sliding member is supported on the tubular access channel by only the plurality of fins.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Mar 8, 2021
From: ZOPF, DAVID ADAM; POWELL, ALLISON; LI, DIAN-RU; PLOTT, JEFFREY STEPHEN; SHIH, ALBERT J.
To: THE REGENTS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN
Reel/Frame 055518/0482 →
Continuity (2)
Provisional Application 62672327 · May 16, 2018
Related Publication 20210220590A1 · Jul 22, 2021
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