Sanitary guard for inhalers

Aug. 16, 1938.

2,127,136

A. I. POB1RS

SANITARY GUARD FOR INHALERS

Filed March 25, 1937

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Patented Aug. 16, 1938

2,127,136

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE

2,127,136 SANITARY GUARD FOR INHALERS Albert I. Pobirs, Providence, R. I. Application March 25, 1937, Serial No. 132,887 1 Claim. (CI. 128—205)

This invention relates to sanitary guards for inhalers and the like, and more particularly to sanitary means for preventing the transmission of disease germs through the use of anaesthetic 5 administering devices and other appliances such as are so employed as to be brought into open and intimate communication with the nasal and oral passages of numerous different individuals in their ordinary use.

One object of the invention is the provision of protective means of the character such as are capable of being readily formed and easily applied to or removed from devices such as are ordinarily brought into open communication with the nasal 15 or oral cavities of different individuals and which may be furnished at a relatively low cost so as to be renewed after each use.

Another object of the invention is the provision of devices of the character described adapted to 20 fit readily within standard forms of anaesthetizing inhaler structures or other devices in such a manner as to provide substantially close contact with the face; and form a gas proof connection throughout the extent of the contact surfaces 25 whereby proper administration of the anaesthetic may be accomplished without irritation of the face of the patient.

A further object of the invention is the provision in devices of this character of guard means 30 having highly flexible portions for contact with the face throughout the contact area of an applicator structure to insure a uniform and firm contact which will be non-irritating to the face.

Other objects and advantages of the invention 35 relate to various details of construction and novel arrangements of the parts as will be more fully set forth in the detailed description to follow.

Referring to the drawing:—

Fig. 1 is a top view of one form of inhaler 40 mechanism such as is adapted for the purpose of administering nitrous oxide gas or other anaesthetic in gaseous form, showing the gas supply connections and a portion of the air outlet.

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view, taken substan^4,3 tially along the line 2—2 of Fig. 1, of the inhaler mechanism together with a perspective view, with parts broken away, of a guard member showing its position as it is in place for being inserted ₅₀ within the inhaler.

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of another form of inhaler such as may be adapted for use in the application of anaesthetic through the mouth in connection with a similar view of a guard member 55 adapted for use in connection therewith, show ing the guard member in position for insertion within the inhaler,

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of another form of guard member such as may be employed in connection with a type of inhaler such as is shown 5 in Fig. 1, or which is adapted for use in connection with a modified form of inhaler of the general type shown in Fig. 1, and,

Fig. 5 is.a perspective view of a guard structure, which may be built up from two or more parts,- 10 and which is adapted for use in connection with an inhaler structure of the type shown in Pigs. 1 and 2 of the drawing.

While the drawing discloses two separate types of inhaler structures, such as that shown in Figs. 15 1 and 2 as a nasal inhaler and the type of oral inhaler shown in Fig. 3, it is to be understood that the disclosure of the drawing is not to be considered as in any sense limiting the application of the devices described and claimed, since a ²⁰considerable variety of form and shape -exists in structures of this character as made and used, and it is obvious that devices of this type are capable of being made to fit and conform with all types of inhaler structures or other similar 25 devices used in connection, therewith or independently thereof which are adapted or intended for such use as to be brought into open communication with the nasal and oral cavities of ..different individuals whereby disease germs might ³⁰be capable of being transmitted. In this connection it is well known that certain transmissible diseases have periods of incubations when the person afflicted is entirely unaware of the presence of any illness of a contagious character 35 and when the nature of the trouble is not immediately determinable. The danger of transmitting such diseases may be materially reduced by the use of renewable guard members of this character. 40

In the embodiment of the invention illustrated herewith I designates generally the form of inhaler shown in Figs. .1 and 2, which comprises an inner chamber or cavity 2 and one or more gas supply connections 3 communicating with the chamber 2 through suitable openings 4. An air vent means is provided comprising a casing 6 having air ports 7 and a bushing 8 adapted to be threaded into the casing 6 for clamping the parts to the inhaler body. A cover 9 is threaded into ⁵⁰one end of the casing 6 and supports a coiled spring 10 bearing against a diaphragm valve i I so as to force the valve into seating engagement with a seat 12.

A supplemental air supply means may be pro- ⁵⁵

2,127,136 vided comprising a casing 14 within which a bushing 15 is adapted to be threaded for clamping the same firmly to the inhaler body, and the casing 14 may be provided with an air admission passage which may be closed by a screw 16 or other suitable means.

The inhaler may be provided with a relatively thin inturned edge 18 adapted for contact with the face of the patient in order to obtain a close contact with that portion of the face adjacent the nose in such a manner as to prevent undue leakage of the gas and at the same time provide a soft contact for the face which is readily conformable to any inequalities of the facial contour.

The guard member or cup adapted for application to an inhaler of this type as indicated generally at 20 may comprise a body portion 21 cast, shaped or otherwise formed to fit within and conform generally with the interior surface of the inhaler body, and an outturned edge portion 22 such as may fit over and conform generally with the inturned edge 18 of the inhaler. The body portion 2 i of the inhaler guard is provided with lateral openings 24 adapted to register with the oppositely positioned gas openings 4 formed in the body portion of the inhaler, and may also be provided with openings 25 and 26 formed in the base 27 of the guard member to register with the air passages controlled by the valve f I and screw 16 respectively.

The structure shown in Fig. 3 of the drawing comprises an inhaler member 30 provided with a gas supply opening 31 which may be connected with a gas supply tube by any suitable form of connecting means (not shown). The inhaler member 30 is provided with an opening 32 and a face contact edge 33 surrounding the opening and suitably shaped for contact with the face about the mouth. The guard member or removable cup 35 adapted for insertion within the inhaler body 30 is provided with an opening 36 adapted to register with the opening 3! when the parts are located in nested relation with each other, and the guard member 35 terminates in a rim 37 corresponding substantially in shape and location with the rim 33 of the inhaler member 30 when the parts are interfitted with each other. In this form of the structure an outwardly extending edge flap 38 is formed separately from the body portion 35 of the inhaler guard and has a portion 39 which may be cemented or otherwise attached to the inner surface of the rim 37 and an outwardly extending portion 40 which stands out somewhat from the adjacent portion of the guard member body and is adapted to fit over and conform closely with the outer surface of the inhaler body closely adjacent to the rim 33.

In that form of the invention shown in Fig. 4 of the drawing there is shown a guard member designated generally by 42 which comprises a body portion 43 and an outwardly projecting rim portion 44 surrounding a nasal opening 45 formed therein. This form of guard member or cup may be provided with an opening 46 formed in the body portion for registry with the gas inlet opening in an inhaler. This form of guard member differs somewhat from those previously shown in that it has a somewhat special shape adapted for fitting within and conforming with the internal shape of a modified form of inhaler member.

In that form of inhaler guard member shown in Fig. 5 of the drawing, the body portion 50 is of substantially the same shape as that of the form shown in Fig. 2, and the outwardly extending edge 51 may be integral with the body or formed of separate material and united thereto in any suitable manner as is indicated in Fig. 3 of the drawing. The body portion 50 is provided with oppositely positioned openings 52 adapted for registry with the gas supply openings 4 in the 5 inhaler 1. In this form however, the base portion 53 of the guard member is made separate from the body portion 59 and provided with an edge 54 adapted to be united to the body portion 50 in any suitable or desired manner, as by being 10 cemented or otherwise united thereto. The base portion 53 is provided with openings 55 and 56 adapted to register with the air openings in the base of the Inhaler body.

In Fig. 3 of the drawing a part of the edge 15 portion 38 is shown folded back as indicated at 41, to illustrate one method in which the various guard members may be manipulated in positioning them within or removing them from an inhaler body, that is, the edge portion may be 20 turned back as indicated at 41, throughout the entire extent of the edge portion, the body portion may then be inserted within the body portion of the inhaler, and the edge portion may then be returned to its initial position, as indi- 25 cated at 38, to overlie uniformly the edge portion of the inhaler body, and in the case where the edge portion 38 is formed of a resilient material, such as thin rubber, it grips the edge portion of the device to which it is applied to hold the guard 30 member firmly in place therein and prevent its accidental removal or displacement while in use.

In all forms of the guard member there is provided a body portion in the nature of a thin shell adapted to conform substantially in shape 35 with the interior surface of a nasal or oral applicator or other device with which it may be used in such a manner as to form a thin covering for the interior surface thereof such as is capable of maintaining its shape to a sufficient 40 extent to remain in position adjacent to the interior surface of the structure with which it is employed while the same is in use, and at the same time the guard member is capable of being readily applied to or removed from the body por- 45 tion of the protected structure.

The guard member or cup may be formed throughout its body portion from any suitable , material such as paper, rubber or other material, including cellulosic materials generally, and any ₅₀other materials such as may be capable of and adapted to be cast, shaped or otherwise formed to provide a relatively thin shell-like structure of the character shown adapted to conform substantially with the inner surface of the body por- 55 tion of the device with which it is intended to be employed as a protection against the dissemination of germs of a contagious character. It is regarded as preferable that the guard member or cup be in the nature of a thin shell capable 60 of bending, when necessary, to a sufficient extent to permit its insertion or removal from the device or structure with which it is to be used, but adapted upon insertion within a device or structure with which it is to be used to possess 65 or assume a shape conforming substantially with that of the interior surface of such device or structure.

The outturned edge portion 22 of the guard member may be formed integral with the body 70 portion thereof as shown in Fig. 2, when the material from which the body portion is made is of such a nature as to be capable of suitably conforming with the face and adapting itself to the shape of the edge portion of the applicator 75

2,127,136 body without the formation of wrinkles or otherwise permitting undue escape of gas or presenting a harsh surface against the skin. The edge portion of the guard member may, however, be formed of material different from that making up the body portion of the guard member, as is indicated by the edge portion 38 of the guard member 35, as shown in Fig. 3, wherein the body portion may be formed of paper or the like shaped to give it the desired form and wherein a separate edge portion 38 of such material as soft rubber or highly flexible cellulosic material is united to the body 35, as indicated at 39, and extended outwardly to overlie the edge portion !8 of the inhaler i and provide a contacting surface with the face. One advantage of providing a separate edge portion, for the guard member is that in this way a highly flexible material may be used in this connection and thus there may be obtained a more firm contact with the face which will provide a complete closure for preventing escape of gas or undue indrawing of air while at the same time furnishing a soft contact surface against the face. Furthermore, the provision of an edge portion formed of thin rubber provides means for gripping the edge portion of the applicator or other device to which the guard member is to be applied by the resiliency of the rubber strip so as to hold the guard member more firmly to the body portion thereof.

While I have shown a guard member in connection with various different forms of applicators, which are adapted for administering an anaesthetic, it is to be understood that the purpose and intent of the invention is not to be limited to the provision of guard members of the character described for the particular forms of in- 5 halers shown herein, but that it embraces the provision of similar guard members for any and all forms of inhaler structures or for any and all forms of applicators adapted for use in connection with the administration of anaesthetics 10 or for other purposes in which an applicator is used which is placed in direct communication with the nasal and oral cavities of different patients during the course of its employment.