Nasal delivery devices

Abstract

A nasal delivery device for delivering substance to a nasal cavity of a subject comprises: a housing ( 15 ); a nosepiece ( 17 ) for fitting to a nasal cavity of the subject; a mouthpiece ( 19 ) through which the subject in use exhales; and a flexible coupling ( 20 ) which couples the mouthpiece to the housing, wherein the flexible coupling provides for asymmetric translation of the mouthpiece relative to the nosepiece.

1 - 38 . (canceled) 
     
     
         39 . A nasal delivery device for delivering substance to a nasal cavity of a subject, the delivery device comprising:
 a housing;   a nosepiece for fitting to a nasal cavity of the subject;   a mouthpiece through which the subject in use exhales; and   a flexible coupling connecting the mouthpiece to the housing, wherein the flexible coupling comprises an annular coupling member which is attached at a first end to the housing and at a second end to the mouthpiece and fluidly connects the mouthpiece with the housing such that exhalation through the mouthpiece delivers an air flow into the housing, and the coupling member includes a hinge section about which the mouthpiece is preferentially hinged when biased upwardly or downwardly by application of a biasing force.   
     
     
         40 . The delivery device of  claim 39 , wherein the nosepiece includes an outlet from which substance is in use delivered to the nasal cavity of the subject, and a seat against which a nare of a nostril of the subject is in use seated to achieve a sealing fit between the nosepiece and the nasal cavity of the subject. 
     
     
         41 . The delivery device of  claim 39 , wherein the flexible coupling is a resilient element. 
     
     
         42 . The delivery device of  claim 39 , wherein the hinge section is disposed on a first side of the coupling member, proximate the nosepiece. 
     
     
         43 . The delivery device of  claim 42 , wherein the coupling member has a shorter dimension on the first side. 
     
     
         44 . The delivery device of  claim 43 , wherein the coupling member includes a progressively-increasing dimension on a second side of the coupling member, distal the nosepiece. 
     
     
         45 . The delivery device of  claim 44 , wherein the coupling member has an arcuate, bowed profile on the second side and is configured to stretch when the mouthpiece is biased upwardly and compress when the mouthpiece is biased downwardly. 
     
     
         46 . The delivery device of  claim 45 , wherein the arcuate, bowed profile is bowed outwardly, wherein the biasing force required to bias the mouthpiece upwardly is less than the biasing force required to bias the mouthpiece downwardly. 
     
     
         47 . The delivery device of  claim 46 , wherein the arcuate, bowed profile is formed of graded material, such that the material of the coupling member is less resilient on the first side than on the second side. 
     
     
         48 . The delivery device of  claim 42 , wherein the coupling member is formed of graded material, such that the material of the coupling member is less resilient on the first side than on a second side of the coupling member, distal the nosepiece. 
     
     
         49 . The delivery device of  claim 39 , wherein an axis of the mouthpiece is disposed at an angle of between about 45 and about 55 degrees relative to an axis of the nosepiece. 
     
     
         50 . The delivery device of  claim 49 , wherein the axis of the mouthpiece is disposed at an angle of between about 48 and about 52 degrees relative to the axis of the nosepiece. 
     
     
         51 . The delivery device of  claim 49 , wherein the coupling member is configured to permit movement of the mouthpiece upwardly through an angle of between about 7 and about 17 degrees relative to the axis of the nosepiece. 
     
     
         52 . The delivery device of  claim 51 , wherein the coupling member is configured to permit movement of the mouthpiece upwardly through an angle of between about 9 and about 15 degrees relative to the axis of the nosepiece. 
     
     
         53 . The delivery device of  claim 51 , wherein the coupling member is configured to permit movement of the mouthpiece upwardly through an angle of between about 10 and about 14 degrees relative to the axis of the nosepiece. 
     
     
         54 . The delivery device of  claim 49 , wherein the coupling member is configured to permit movement of the mouthpiece downwardly through an angle of between about 4 and about 10 degrees relative to the axis of the nosepiece. 
     
     
         55 . The delivery device of  claim 54 , wherein the coupling member is configured to permit movement of the mouthpiece downwardly through an angle of between about 5 and about 9 degrees relative to the axis of the nosepiece. 
     
     
         56 . The delivery device of  claim 54 , wherein the coupling member is configured to permit movement of the mouthpiece downwardly through an angle of between about 6 and about 8 degrees relative to the axis of the nosepiece. 
     
     
         57 . The delivery device of  claim 39 , wherein the coupling member is formed of a thermoplastic elastomer (TPE). 
     
     
         58 . The delivery device of  claim 57 , wherein the TPE has a durometer of between about 40 and about 60. 
     
     
         59 . The delivery device of  claim 58 , wherein the TPE has a durometer of between about 45 and about 55.