WO1999053819A2

WO1999053819A2 - Snivel suction instrument

Info

Publication number: WO1999053819A2
Application number: PCT/KR1999/000185
Authority: WO
Inventors: Chang Yeun Lee
Original assignee: Chang Yeun Lee
Priority date: 1998-04-18
Filing date: 1999-04-19
Publication date: 1999-10-28
Also published as: WO1999053819A3; JP2002505615A; CN1266372A

Abstract

A snivel suction instrument includes a nose piece (10) insertable into a nose having a suction hole through which snivel in the nose is removed, and a snivel receiver (30) for storing the snivel from the nose piece (10), keeping the stored snivel in place. The instrument further includes a flexible hose (40) communicating with the snivel receiver (30), and a mouth piece (50) communicating with the flexible hose (40) and allowing an operator to apply a suction force necessary to remove the snivel from the nose.

Description

SNIVEL SUCTION INSTRUMENT

TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a snivel suction instrument; and, more particularly, to a snivel suction instrument capable of easily removing snivel or pus from a nose of a patient and capable of doing a Valsalva method.

BACKGROUND ART

One of the conventional snivel suction devices is shown in Fig. 1. The shown snivel suction device includes a flexible spherical ball member 100 having a projection 101 to be engaged into a nose of a patient, e.g., a baby and a cap member 102. The snivel suction device is operated on a principle that when the flexible spherical ball member 100 is released after it has been collapsed by an operator, e.g., a doctor or a nurse, etc., grasping it, the flexible spherical ball member

100 will become inflated with an air sucked through the projection 101, whereby snivel or pus from the patient's nose will be sucked through the projection

101 and gather inside the flexible spherical ball member 100.

The snivel removing device described above, however, has following shortcomings. First, it is not sanitary since it is difficult to clean with water or the like an inside of the flexible spherical ball member 100. Secondly, it is difficult for the operator to precisely control a suction force for removing the snivel from the patient's nose. DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION

It is, therefore, a primary object of the invention to provide a snivel suction instrument which can be easily cleaned and allows an operator to easily control a suction force required to remove snivel or pus out of a nose .

Another object of the invention is to provide a snivel suction instrument capable of preventing the snivel or pus sucked out of the nose from entering the mouth cavity of the operator.

Another object of the invention is to provide a snivel suction instrument capable of easily ventilating the middle ear. The above and other objects of the invention are accomplished by providing a snivel suction instrument comprising: a nose piece insertable into a nose having a suction hole through which snivel in the nose is removed and a smaller diameter extension; a snivel storing and prevention means for storing the snivel from the nose piece and for preventing the stored snivel from being introduced into other place, the snivel storing and prevention means communicating with the suction hole and connected to the nose piece through the smaller diameter extension thereof and having a storage space where the snivel from the nose is stored; a flexible hose communicating with the snivel storing and prevention means; and a mouth piece communicating with the flexible hose and allowing an operator to apply a suction force required to remove the snivel from the nose.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The above and other objects and features of the instant invention will become apparent from the following description of preferred embodiments taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 illustrates a perspective view of a prior art snivel removing device;

Fig. 2 shows an exploded perspective view of a snivel suction instrument in accordance with a first embodiment of the present invention;

Fig. 3A depicts an assembled sectional view of the snivel suction instrument shown in Fig. 2;

Fig. 3B depicts a frontal elevational view of a first transparent tube of the snivel suction instrument shown in Fig . 2 ;

Fig. 4 describes an application of the snivel suction instrument shown in Fig. 2 ;

Fig. 5 presents an exploded perspective view of a snivel suction instrument in accordance with a second embodiment of the present invention;

Fig. 6A depicts an assembled sectional view of the snivel suction instrument shown in Fig. 5;

Fig. 6B depicts a bottom view of a cap of the snivel suction instrument shown in Fig. 5;

Fig. 7 describes an application of the snivel suction instrument shown in Fig. 5, when applied as a ventilator for middle ear;

Fig. 8 represents an application of the snivel suction instrument shown in Fig. 5, when used to remove the snivel ;

Fig. 9 shows a perspective view of a mouth piece employed in the second embodiment;

Fig. 10 depicts a sectional view of the mouth piece shown in Fig . 9 ;

Fig. 11 an exploded perspective view of a snivel suction instrument in accordance with a third embodiment of the present invention; Fig. 12 depicts an assembled sectional view of the snivel suction instrument shown in Fig. 11; and

Fig. 13 illustrates a perspective view of a filter employed in the third embodiment of the present invention.

MODES OF CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

A first embodiment of the inventive snivel suction instrument is now described with reference to Figs. 2 through 4.

As shown in Figs. 2 and 3A, the snivel suction instrument includes a nose piece 10, a snivel receiver 30, a hose 40 and a mouth piece 50. The nose piece 10 insertable into a nostril has a main tube 11, a smaller diameter section 13 and a tip portion 12 with a suction hole 18. The main tube 11 has a slanted surface 11a and a rounded portion lib.

The snivel receiver 30 having a storage space for storing the snivel removed from the nose can be divided into a first transparent tube 23 and a second transparent tube 31. The first transparent tube 23 into which the smaller diameter section 13 can be closely fitted has a connecting portion 21. The connecting portion 21 has a protuberance 22 combinable into a receiving groove 32 of the second transparent tube 31.

As well defined in Figs. 3A and 3B, the connecting portion 21 also has a closed end 21a for preventing the snivel charged within the first transparent tube 23 from entering the second transparent tube 31. A plurality of holes 21b communicating with the first and the second transparent tubes 23 and 31 are formed through the closed end 21a to allow an air to pass through the closed end 21a. Preferably, the holes 21b are positioned on an upside of the closed end 21a, i.e., a side near the protuberance 22.

The second transparent tube 31 into which the connecting portion 21 is closely fitted is closed at one end, and has a hose connection 31a closely fitted into the hose 40.

The hose 40 is flexible and connects the hose connection 31a to the mouth piece 50 to communicate with each other. The mouth piece 50 is divided into a connection 51 and a main body 52 having therein a space of a predetermined shape. A top surface of the mouth piece 50 may be of a general rectangular shape or a general triangular shape.

Operations of the inventive snivel suction instrument are now described with the reference to Fig. 4.

As shown, the mouth piece 50 is held by a mouth of an operator, e.g., a doctor or a nurse, with the nose piece 10 being inserted into a nostril of a patient, e.g., a baby or a child. Then, the operator sucks through the mouth piece 50, while holding the nose piece 10 and the snivel receiver 30 in place or allowing the patient to hold them by himself. The snivel or pus is removed from the nose and is received in the second transparent tube 31 through the first transparent tube 23. At the moment, the snivel receiver 30 has to be so oriented that the hose connection 31a is on top thereof in order to avoid the snivel being removed from the nose being introduced into the hose 40 through the hose connection 31a. In order to minimize such a possibility, it is preferable that the hose connection 31a be formed on the second transparent tube 31 distanced from the closed end of the second transparent tube 31. In a case that the patient is a baby, it is most preferable that the snivel receiver 30 be in a horizontal state by laying the patient on a bed or the like or bending back a neck of the patient.

It should be understood that a plurality of the nose pieces 10 having different diameters are prepared to be used according to the patient.

A second embodiment of the inventive snivel suction instrument is now described with reference to Figs. 5 through 10. In describing the second embodiment, same reference numerals will be used to represent the same components as the components in Figs . 2 through 5.

There is shown in Figs. 5 and 6 a snivel suction instrument in accordance with the second embodiment of the present invention which can be used to treat ear problems, e.g., otitis media as well as to remove the snivel or pus from the nose. In order to treat the otitis media, the second embodiment of the snivel suction instrument may further include a balloon 70. A nose piece 10' has a tip portion 12' provided with a plurality of small guiding plates 15 for allowing the snivel to be flown unidirectionally, i.e., toward a snivel receiver 30'. A smaller diameter section 13' of a main tube 11' has a thread for ensuring an engagement between a nose piece 10' and a snivel receiver 30'.

In the second embodiment, the snivel receiver 30' is of a general vertical cylinder. The snivel receiver 30' has a protruding tube 24 engaged with the nose piece 10' through a thread engagement. Mounted opposite to the protruding tube 24 is a receiving tube 25 having a closed end and serving to receive a part of the snivel from the nose piece 10'. The rest of the snivel is mainly gathered at a bottom portion of the snivel receiver 30' and kept therein. The snivel receiver 30' is preferably made of a material transparent to allow the operator to check the snivel kept therein. To reduce the snivel flowing into a hose 40', a plurality of large guiding plates 29 are formed within the snivel receiver 30' .

A cap 28 whose skirt portion is provided with a thread 26 is engaged into the snivel receiver 30'. A hose connection 27 is formed with a top of the cap 28. As best illustrated in Figs. 6A and 6B, the cap 28 has a closed end 28a for preventing the snivel charged within the snivel receiver 30' from entering the hose 40' . The closed end 28a has a plurality of holes 28b through which the air can pass. The holes 28b are preferably positioned to be misaligned with the hose connection 27.

Within the hose connection 27, a reed 42 may be installed to sound like, e.g., a pipe whenever an air passes through the hose connection 27. The reed 42 may be mounted within the connection 51 of the mouth piece 50.

As a modification of the hose 40, the hose 40' may be provided with a bag 41 for gathering the snivel entering the hose 40' as a result of very high level of suction force being applied. Further, a filter 43 is retained within an end of the hose 40' to prevent the snivel from being introduced into the mouth piece 50, and then the operator's mouth.

There is shown in Figs. 9 and 10 a modification of the mouth piece 50' of a funnel -shape which has a connection 51, wherein a cross-section thereof becomes progressively larger and then smaller along a symmetrical axis from the connection 51 to opposite end thereto to be engaged by the operator. This change in the cross-section will improve the ease with which the operator can operate the mouth piece 50'. As shown in Fig. 7, the balloon 70 is incorporated into the second embodiment when it is used to treat the otitis media. The treatment of otitis media using balloon 70 is performed on a basis of a Valsalva method, which is well known in the art. In treating the otitis media using the second embodiment incorporating therein the balloon 70, the patient is asked to blow through one nostril into which the nose piece 10' is inserted, while the other nostril being blocked off, the mouth being shut up and the mouth piece 50 or 50' being enclosed by the balloon 70. In the method, it should be noted that blowing through the nose must be severe enough to inflate the balloon 70 to allow the middle ear to be ventilated. For that reason, a thick balloon 70 may be appropriate for an adult; and a thin to a medium thick balloon 70 may be appropriate to for children.

For a baby patient, the reed 42 may be helpful to remove his fear against the snivel suction instrument itself or a surrounding environment since it generates sounds whenever the patient blows through the nose or the operator sucks out the snivel from the nose .

After the treatment of otitis media or the removal of the snivel or pus, the snivel suction instrument can be washed and sterilized by being disassembled into the nose piece 10', the snivel receiver 30', the cap 28 and the hose 40' .

A third embodiment of the inventive snivel suction instrument is now described with reference to Figs. 11 through 13. In describing the third embodiment, same reference numerals will be used to represent the same components as the components in Figs. 2 through 5.

As shown in Figs. 11 and 12, a smaller diameter section 13'' of a nose piece 10'' in the third embodiment has a smaller diameter than the smaller diameter section 13. A funnel shaped section 14 is formed between the smaller diameter section 13'' and a tip portion 12 ' ' .

A snivel receiver 30'' has a first transparent tube 33 having a connection 33a, a second transparent tube 39 having a hose connection 39a and a separating portion 34 provided with a separation disk 37 and a separation plate 35. The first transparent tube 33 is communicated with the nose piece 10' ' through a hose 17 connected to both the smaller diameter section 13'' and the connection 33a and is closely fitted around a small diameter connection 38 of the second transparent tube 39.

The separation disk 37 is provided with a plurality of holes 36 separated from one another by a predetermined distance. The separation plate 35 is formed with the separation disk 37 to protrude toward the first transparent tube 33. The holes 36 are positioned on a portion of the separation disk 37 above the separation plate 35.

On the other hand, a hose 40'' made of rubber is connected to the hose connection 39a and the connection 51 of the mouth piece 50.

In the third embodiment of the snivel suction instrument, when the operator sucks out the snivel or pus, the snivel or pus removed from the nose is collected within an inside 33b of the first transparent tube 33 under the separation plate 35. At the same time, the air including a minute amount of snivel pass above the separation plate 35, then pass through the holes 36 and finally fall into an inside 39a of the second transparent tube 39 by sticking to an inner surface the second transparent tube 39 or by its weigh. The snivel receiver 30'' is preferably made of a material transparent to allow the operator to check out the snivel kept therein.

As a modification of the separating portion 34, there is shown in Fig. 13 a separating portion 34' wherein a plurality of holes 36' are formed through a separation disk 37' in a circle shape; and a tubular member 35' in stead of the separation plate 35 is formed with the separation disk 37' to communicate with the plurality of holes 36' .

The inventive snivel suction instrument constructed in this manner is easy to assemble or in disassembling or replacing an old or damaged component with a new one.

Although the invention has been shown and described with respect to the preferred embodiments, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the following claims.

Claims

What is claimed is:

1. A snivel suction instrument comprising: a nose piece insertable into a nose having a suction hole through which snivel in the nose is removed and a smaller diameter extension; a snivel storing and prevention means for storing the snivel from the nose piece and for preventing said stored snivel from being introduced into other place, said snivel storing and prevention means communicating with said suction hole and connected to said nose piece through said smaller diameter extension thereof and having a storage space where the snivel from the nose is stored; a flexible hose communicating with said snivel storing and prevention means; and a mouth piece communicating with said flexible hose and allowing an operator to apply a suction force required to remove the snivel from the nose .

2. The snivel suction instrument of claim 1, wherein said snivel storing and prevention means includes: a first transparent tube into which said smaller diameter extension is closely fitted, the first transparent tube having a connecting portion provided with a protuberance and a closed end through which a plurality of holes are formed in order to allow the snivel to be kept within the first transparent tube, allowing an air to pass out of the first transparent tube ; and a second transparent tube being closed at its one end and having a receiving groove into which the protuberance is engaged, and a hose connection closely fitted into the flexible hose, said hose connection arranged on the second transparent tube in such a manner that it perpendicularly protrudes from a portion of the second transparent tube being apart from the closed end.

3. The snivel suction instrument of claim 1, wherein said snivel storing and prevention means includes: a main body of a general vertical cylinder having a protruding tube engaged with the nose piece through a thread engagement, a receiving tube mounted opposite to the protruding tube and receiving the snivel being removed from the nose piece; and a cap engaged into a top portion of the main body and having a skirt portion provided with a thread, a hose connection being formed on top thereof and a closed end at its lower end through which a plurality of holes are formed in order to allow the snivel to be kept within the main body, allowing an air to entering the hose.

4. The snivel suction instrument of claim 1, wherein said snivel storing and prevention means includes: a first transparent tube having a connection connected to said nose piece to communicate therewith; a second transparent tube having a hose connection; and a separating portion having a separation disk for allowing the snivel to be kept within the first transparent tube and a separation plate being formed with the separation disk to protrude toward the first transparent tube, the separation disk provided with a plurality of holes formed therethrough, the holes being positioned on a portion of the separation disk above the separation plate.

5. The snivel suction instrument of claim 1, wherein said snivel storing and prevention means includes: a first transparent tube having a connection connected to said nose piece to communicate therewith; a second transparent tube having a hose connection; and a separating portion having a separation disk for allowing the snivel to be kept within the first transparent tube and a separation tube being formed with the separation disk to protrude toward the first transparent tube, the separation disk provided with a plurality of holes formed therethrough, the holes being so positioned on the separation disk as to communicate with an inside of the separation tube.

6. The snivel suction instrument of claim of 1, wherein said mouth piece has a funnel-shaped configuration, wherein a cross-section thereof becomes progressively smaller along a symmetrical axis toward a side from which the operator engages the mouth piece.

7. The snivel suction instrument of claim of 1, wherein said mouth piece has a top surface of a general rectangular shape.

8. The snivel suction instrument of claim of 1, wherein said mouth piece has a top surface of a general triangular shape.

9. The snivel suction instrument of claim of 1, wherein said snivel storing and prevention means is made of a material transparent to allow the operator to see the snivel stored therein.

10. The snivel suction instrument of claim of 1, further comprising a reed inserted within the hose to generate a sound whenever an air passes through the hose .

11. The snivel suction instrument of claim of 1, further comprising a reed inserted within the connection of the mouth piece.

12. The snivel suction instrument of claim of 1, further comprising a filter retained within an end of the hose to prevent the snivel from the nose from being introduced into the mouth piece.

13. The snivel suction instrument of claim of 1, further comprising a bag formed with said flexible hose.

14. The snivel suction instrument of claim of 1, further comprising a balloon used to treat otitis media by performing a Valsalva method.

15. The snivel suction instrument of claim of 3, wherein said protruding tube and the main body have a plurality of guiding plates for allowing the snivel to be flown unidirectionally.