| abstract |
A valved nasal cannula (10) insertable in a nose of an intended user (14) and usable to selectively restrict a flow of air flowing through the valved nasal cannula (10), the nose having a nostril (12) defining a nostril inlet (15) and a nostril vestibule (16) extending inwardly into the nose from the nostril inlet 15), the valved nasal cannula (10) comprising: - a cannula body (18), the cannula body (18) defining a cannula passageway (20) extending therethrough, the cannula passageway (20) defining a passageway longitudinal axis (22), the cannula body (18) also defining a cannula proximal end (28) and a substantially longitudinally opposed cannula distal end (30), the cannula body (18) being, at least in part, insertable in the nostril with the cannula proximal end (28) positioned inside the nostril vestibule (16) substantially spaced apart from the nostril inlet (15) and the cannula distal end (30) positioned substantially adjacent the nostril inlet; - a valve operatively coupled to the cannula body (18) for selectively restricting the flow of air through the cannula passageway (20); and - a protective grid (54), the protective grid (54) extending from the cannula body (18) across the cannula passageway (20), the protective grid (54) being located closer to the cannula proximal end (28) than the valve. |