IMPROVEMENTS IN WEIGHT CONTROL

Abstract

Food scent substance for use in the treatment of obesity, wherein food scent from the food scent substance is inhaled from a device comprising the food scent substance.

Claims

1. Food scent substance for use in the treatment of obesity, wherein food scent from the food scent substance is inhaled from a device comprising the food scent substance.

2. The food scent substance for use of claim 1, wherein the device is at least partially inserted into a user's nostril whilst the food scent is being inhaled.

3. The food scent substance for use of claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the food scent is inhaled for at least two minutes.

4. The food scent substance for use of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the device comprises a device body, and wherein at least a portion of the device body has a substantially circumferential cross-sectional shape.

5. The food scent substance for use of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the device body has a first end that is inserted into a user's nostril and an opposing second end, wherein the first end has a rounded shape, for example a hemispherical shape.

6. The food scent substance for use of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the food scent is an indulgent food scent, such as vanilla, cookie, pizza, chocolate, ice cream, cake, biscuits, cupcakes, pastries, donuts, brownies, candy, sweets, popcorn, fizzy drinks, chips/fries, fried chicken, bacon, burgers or bread.

7. The food scent substance for use of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the device contains a substrate and wherein the food scent substance is disposed on the substrate.

8. The food scent substance for use of claim 7, wherein the substrate comprises cotton wool.

9. A method comprising: providing a device comprising a food scent substance; and inhaling food scent from the food scent substance.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the device is at least partially inserted into a user's nostril whilst the food scent is being inhaled.

11. The method of claim 9 or claim 10, wherein the food scent is inhaled for at least two minutes.

12. The method of any one of claims 9 to 11, wherein the device comprises a device body, and wherein at least a portion of the device body has a substantially circumferential cross-sectional shape.

13. The method of any one of claims 9 to 12, wherein the device body has a first end that is inserted into a user's nostril and an opposing second end, wherein the first end has a rounded shape, for example a hemispherical shape.

14. The method of any one of claims 9 to 13, wherein the food scent is an indulgent food scent, such as vanilla, cookie, pizza, chocolate, ice cream, cake, biscuits, cupcakes, pastries, donuts, brownies, candy, sweets, popcorn, fizzy drinks, chips/fries, fried chicken, bacon, burgers or bread.

15. The method of any one of claims 9 to 14, wherein the device contains a substrate and wherein the food scent substance is disposed on the substrate.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the substrate comprises cotton wool.

17. An inhaler comprising a food scent substance and means for inhaling a food scent from the food scent substance.

18. The inhaler of claim 17, wherein the inhaler comprises a body, and wherein at least a portion of the body has a substantially circumferential cross-sectional shape, and optionally: wherein the device body has a first end that is configured to be inserted into a user's nostril and an opposing second end, wherein the first end has a rounded shape, for example a hemispherical shape.

19. The inhaler of claim 17 or claim 18, wherein the food scent is an indulgent food scent, such as vanilla, cookie, pizza, chocolate, ice cream, cake, biscuits, cupcakes, pastries, donuts, brownies, candy, sweets, popcorn, fizzy drinks, chips/fries, fried chicken, bacon, burgers or bread.

20. The inhaler of any one of claims 17 to 19, wherein the device contains a substrate and wherein the food scent substance is disposed on the substrate.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0107] The present invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0108] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a device according to the invention in a closed configuration with a lid in place;

[0109] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the device of FIG. 1 disassembled with the contents removed.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0110] FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of a device (i.e. an inhaler) 10 according to the present invention. FIG. 2 shows a perspective view of the inhaler 10 of FIG. 1 disassembled with the contents removed.

[0111] The inhaler 10 comprises a body 102 and a lid 104. At least a portion of both the body 102 and the lid 104 have a substantially circular or circular cross-sectional shape. In other words, a portion of the body 102 and the lid 104 is substantially cylindrical or cylindrical. This shape is convenient for a user to transport (e.g. in a bag or pocket), convenient for a user to hold during use, and is a convenient shape from which to inhale the food scent substance nasally (e.g. by at least partially inserting the inhaler body 102 into a nostril).

[0112] The inhaler body 102 has a first end 106 that is configured to be inserted into a user's nostril and an opposing second end 108. It can be seen from FIG. 2 that the first end 106 has a rounded shape. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 2, the first end 106 has a hemispherical shape. This rounded shape is a comfortable and convenient shape for at least partial insertion into a nostril. In the embodiment of FIGS. 1 and 2, it can be seen that the lid 104 also has a first end 105 and a second end 107. Like the body 102, the first end 105 of the lid 104 also has a rounded e.g. hemispherical shape thereby ensuring a secure and snug fit between the first ends 106, 105 of the body 102 and the lid 104.

[0113] The second end 108 of the body 102 comprises a grip 110 that assists a user in removing the lid 104 from the body 102. The grip 110 comprises a plurality of ridges 112 extending around the circumference of the second end 108 of the body 102. The skilled person will understand that other gripping means could be used. Whilst not shown in the embodiment of FIG. 2, the second end 107 of the lid 104 may or may not also comprise a grip. In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the body 102 and the lid 104 are attached to and detached from each other by screwing. This is achieved by screw threads 111 on the exterior of the body 102 and complementary screw threads (not shown) on the interior of the lid 104. The skilled person will understand that other suitable attachment means (e.g. snap-fit, interference fit) could equally be used.

[0114] FIG. 2 shows the inhaler 10 of FIG. 1 disassembled with the contents removed. The inhaler 10 comprises a food scent substance (not shown). The food scent substance may be provided as a liquid solution (aqueous or non-aqueous), an oil, a wax, a gel, a gas (e.g. a compressed gas), a solid, a powder or any other suitable form. In the embodiment of FIG. 2, the body 102 contains a substrate 113 in the form of cotton wool onto which the food scent substance is disposed.

[0115] Alternatively, the food scent substance could be disposed on at least a portion of the interior and/or the exterior of the inhaler 10, particularly the inhaler body 102, or at least a portion of the inhaler 10, particularly the inhaler body 102, may be pre-scented with a food scent. The body 102 of the inhaler 10 shown in FIG. 2 comprises at least one aperture 114 through which the food scent is inhaled. The body 102 shown in FIG. 2 also comprises at least one pinhole 116 to allow for the interior of the body 102 to be ventilated and to assist with air passage through the body 102 and, consequently, inhalation of the food scent. The inhaler 10 also comprises a base unit 117 that comprises a cylindrical portion 118 and an annular flange 119. The base unit 117 is configured to be removably attachable to the second end 108 of the body 102 (e.g. via a snap fit or interference fit) to support the substrate 113 and seal the second end 108 of the body 102. In alternative embodiments, there may be no base unit and the second end 108 of the body 102 may simply have a wall to seal the second end 108 of the body 102.

[0116] The food scent may be an indulgent food scent, such as vanilla, cookie, pizza, chocolate, ice cream, cake, biscuits, cupcakes, pastries, donuts, brownies, candy, sweets, popcorn, fizzy drinks, chips/fries, fried chicken, bacon, burgers or bread. An indulgent food scent can be sweet or savoury and is a scent of a food that would be considered a treat, for example unhealthy foods, such as foods with a high fat, sugar and/or salt content that may be detrimental to health if consumed regularly, or in excess, or regularly in excess. For example, they may be foods that may cause a person to gain weight if consumed regularly, or in excess, or regularly in excess without counterbalancing their consumption with sufficient exercise. Indulgent foods may include “junk food”. The indulgent food scent may also be a scent often found in indulgent foods, such as vanilla. The opposite of an indulgent food scent would be a nonindulgent food scent, such as a vegetable scent or a scent associated with healthy or nutritious foods.

[0117] The skilled person will realise that any commercially available indulgent food scent could be used as long as it satisfies safety/regulatory requirements. Indulgent food scent compounds can comprise certain functional groups that are characteristic of compounds with olfactory properties. These functional groups include alcohols, aldehydes, ethers, esters, ketones, lactones and thiols. Such alternative indulgent food scent compounds would be well understood by the skilled person, and it would be readily conceived to use any of these such indulgent food scents.

[0118] One example of an indulgent food scent is vanilla, in which case the food scent may contain vanilla flavour. The flavour of vanilla results largely from the organic compound vanillin. Vanillin is a phenolic aldehyde. Its functional groups include aldehyde, hydroxyl, and ether. It is the primary component of the extract of the vanilla bean. The chemical structure of vanillin, whose chemical formula is 4-hydroxy-3-methoxybenzaldehyde, is shown below:

##STR00007##

[0119] Vanillin may be provided as a natural extract from vanilla pods. This natural extract may also contain other chemical compounds which include acetaldehyde, acetic acid, furfural, hexanoic acid, 4-hydroxybenzaldehyde, eugenol, methyl cinnamate, and isobutyric acid, which all may contribute to overall scent of vanilla.

[0120] Vanillin may alternatively be provided alone as the sole contributor to the vanillin scent. This vanillin may be isolated from natural extract or may be chemically synthesised, such as by standard industry methods that are known in the art. This vanillin may be provided in a solution, such as in an ethanolic solution.

[0121] The scent of vanilla may also be provided by ethylvanillin, a chemical compound that is related to vanillin. Ethylvanillin is approximately three times as potent as vanillin. The chemical structure of ethylvanillin, 3-ethoxy-4-hydroxybenzaldehyde, is shown below:

##STR00008##

[0122] As used herein, the term vanillin may be used interchangeably with ethylvanillin.

[0123] As well as the scented substance itself, the food scent substance may contain additional ingredients. For example, carrier substances could be included to carry the food scent. These carrier substances may perform any function that enables the food scent to be carried, such as by modifying the volatility of the food scent. Such carrier substances would be well known to the skilled person. Alternatively, other ingredients may be included in the food scent substance such as emulsifying agents, stabilizing agents, binders, lubricants, buffers, diluents, preservatives and humectants. Suitable ingredients to perform these functions would be well known to the skilled person.

[0124] In one example of a vanilla food scent substance, the breakdown of ingredients by mass is as follows:

[0125] Natural Flavouring substances (including vanillin): 20.38%

[0126] Propylene Glycol (Carrier): 16.16%

[0127] Triacetin (Carrier): 63.46%

[0128] A total mass of between 200 milligrams and 1 gram of the food scent substance may be used inside an inhaler, for example between 400 milligrams and 800 milligrams, for example between 500 milligrams and 700 milligrams, for example between 550 milligrams and 650 milligrams. In one example, a total mass of 620 milligrams of the food scent substance is used inside an inhaler.

[0129] In use, a user removes the lid 104 from the body 102 and inserts the first end 106 of the body 102 into a nostril. The user then inhales the food scent from the food scent substance (e.g. intermittently) for a sufficient duration to suppress food cravings, for example at least two minutes. It will be understood that the exact quantity of food scent that has been inhaled by the user may be variable; different amounts of the food scent might be inhaled by different users. However, importantly, the inhaler allows the user to inhale the food scent substrate over a time period sufficient to suppress cravings for indulgent foods, for example at least two minutes. The inhaler 10 (particularly the body 102) can be applied to one or both nostrils according to the user's preference. Once inhalation has been completed, the user replaces the lid 104 on the body 102 and then inhaler 10 can then be stored conveniently (e.g. in a bag or pocket) until use is required again. Inhaler 10 contains an amount of the food scent substrate sufficient for repeat inhalation. Inhalation can be repeated as often as is required by the user. For example, inhalation may be repeated whenever the user has a craving for the food scent. The user may also inhale the food scent substrate at regular intervals throughout the day.

[0130] In one embodiment, the body 102 and the lid 104 are constructed from polypropylene. The skilled person will understand that any other suitable material (e.g. plastic) could be used. Additionally, the body 102 and the lid 104 could be 3D printed or constructed using additive layer manufacturing.

[0131] The present invention has been described above in exemplary form with reference to the accompanying drawings which represent a single embodiment of the invention. It will be understood that many different embodiments of the invention exist, and that these embodiments all fall within the scope of the invention as defined by the following claims.