Atomizer for nasal therapy
An atomizing nozzle structured particularly for nasal therapy. Preferred embodiments include a 2-piece atomizing nozzle structured to couple with luer-locking structure carried by a syringe. Such an atomizing nozzle includes a nasal stopper and a stem. A preferred nasal stopper includes a distal tip sized for insertion into a nostril of a human child, with a proximal shield portion being structured to resist over-insertion of a discharge orifice into the nostril. A nasal stopper desirably provides a centering function to urge the discharge orifice away from a nasal wall. One operable stem is structured to couple with the stopper and desirably carries unitary thread structure at a proximal end. A second operable stem is structured as a unitary part of the nasal stopper and also desirably carries unitary thread structure at a proximal end. Certain embodiments may also include spacer structure configured to reduce a dead volume inside the atomizing nozzle. Other embodiments may also include spacer structure configured to reduce dead volume inside a syringe that is coupled to the atomizing nozzle.
1 . An apparatus comprising:
an atomizer comprising a fluid discharge orifice having a distal end being sufficiently small in cross-section as to permit entrance of the discharge orifice into a nostril opening,
a nasal stopper defining a conic surface for contact with the nostril opening, the conic surface having a conic angle in a range between 20 degrees and 60 degrees;
the discharge orifice being disposed in a wetted fluid path to conduct fluid from a turbine chamber; and
a stem structured to provide a lumen for communication of treatment fluid to the turbine chamber for discharge of the fluid substantially as a mist from the discharge orifice, the stem extending in a length direction between a proximal end and a distal end, and
a thread structure carried at the proximal end of the stem configured to couple with a luer-locking portion of a syringe,
wherein a proximal portion of the nasal stopper comprises a shield shaped as a single straight conical wall configured to resist over-insertion of the distal orifice into the opening, the shield defining the conic surface to further define an open-ended shell structure formed by the straight conical wall and having a proximal end being configured as an open cantilevered free end, and
wherein the open-ended shell structure formed by the straight conical wall defined by the shield defines an inner volume bounded at one end of the conical wall by an end plane defined by said conical wall at the proximal end of the shield, and the stem is sized in length such that, upon assembly of the apparatus, the thread structure is disposed completely inside the inner volume defined by the straight conical wall of the shield of the nasal stopper.
2 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the stem is press-fit into the atomizer.
3 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the stem and atomizer are a single unitary element.
4 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the conic surface is devoid of radial protrusions.
5 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the conic angle is about 30 degrees.
6 . The apparatus of claim 5 , wherein the stem is press-fit into the atomizer.
7 . The apparatus of claim 5 , wherein the stem and atomizer are a single unitary element.
8 . The apparatus of claim 5 , wherein the conic surface is devoid of radial protrusions.