Surgery – Body protecting or restraining devices for patients or infants – Antisnoring device
Reexamination Certificate
1999-11-10
2001-01-09
Brown, Michael A. (Department: 3764)
Surgery
Body protecting or restraining devices for patients or infants
Antisnoring device
C602S902000, C128S859000, C128S862000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06170485
ABSTRACT:
TECHNICAL FIELD
The present invention relates to the technical field of dental devices used for alleviating snoring. More particularly, the present invention relates to a dental device that prevents snoring by forcing the person's lower jaw to protrude slightly forward from its normal position.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Snoring is problematic for many people and affects both the snorer as well as the individuals around him. Snoring is problematic not only in view of the noise, but also because it essentially interferes with the normal breathing of the snorer. It is known that snoring is caused by the tongue relaxing and, thus contributing to the blocking of the air passageway in the pharynx or lingual compartment. As the tongue relaxes, it falls backwardly blocking the breathing airway and thus, as air forcibly passes through the airway, loud vibrations are created generally between the tongue and other tissues in the air passageway.
It is known that snoring can be alleviated by pulling or otherwise forcing the individual's lower jaw forward of its normal position. This essentially pulls the tongue forwardly and away from the air passageway thereby effectively preventing blockage of the air passageway and also preventing snoring. Many different anti-snoring devices have been suggested for essentially pulling the individual's lower jaw slightly forwardly while sleeping. Several such examples are shown and disclosed in the following US patents: Samelson, U.S. Pat. No. 4,169,473; Thornton, U.S. Pat. No. 5,566,683; Frantz et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,794,627; Shapiro et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,117,816; Belfer, U.S. Pat. No. 5,810,013, Singer et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,823,193 and Hilsen, U.S. Pat. No. 5,884,628.
Although these anti-snoring devices would appear to function properly and alleviate snoring, they are not without shortcomings and drawbacks. These prior anti-snoring devices, in general, appear to be difficult to fit over a person's teeth or may required a skilled dentist for fitting, can be generally expensive to manufacture and apply, and may also generally be difficult to actually use while sleeping. Accordingly, a need exists for an improved anti-snoring device that can be manufactured and sold fairly inexpensively, typically without the need for a dentist for fitting and, further, which is fairly easily usable by the snorer and which is effective in preventing snoring and enhancing unrestricted breathing.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is the principal object of the present invention to overcome the above-discussed disadvantages associated with prior anti-snoring devices.
The present invention overcomes the disadvantages associated with prior anti-snoring devices by providing upper and lower trays having a generally rigid outer shell and an inner moldable portion adapted to fit over a person's upper and lower teeth. The outer rigid shells are generally U-shaped and are arcuate extending from a central portion adapted to fit over a person's front teeth to posterior portions on each side of the central portion. The outer rigid shells are injection molded and made of generally rigid plastic material, whereas the inner moldable portions are made of a thermoplastic material capable of being molded at temperatures greater than about 115° F. Thus, for fitting the upper and lower trays over a person's teeth, the trays are heated such as by placing in hot water greater than 115° F. and, thereafter, are placed over a person's teeth causing the inner thermoplastic moldable portions to be shaped or fitted over the person's upper and lower teeth.
To enhance and allow breathing through the person's mouth, the rigid outer shells include depressions in the posterior portions on each side of the central portion such that, when the trays are placed on a person's upper and lower teeth, the upper tray depressions are aligned with the lower tray depressions thereby providing breathing openings on each side of the central portion and between the trays. When placed on a person's teeth, although the upper and lower trays are adjacent and in contact with one another at the central portion and terminal ends of the posterior portions, breathing openings are provided between the trays on either side of the central portions wherethrough the person may easily breath through the mouth. Additionally, the posterior portions of both the upper and lower trays are sized so as to extend a distance on each side of the central portions and terminate at about the person's premolars and prior to the molars. In this manner, gagging is effectively prevented thereby making the anti-snoring device more practical and usable while yet further enhancing breathing through the person's mouth.
So as to selectively locate the lower jaw slightly forwardly from its normal position, the upper and lower trays are provided with tongues which are integrally formed with the upper and lower rigid shells and extend forwardly from the central portions. When the trays are placed on a person's teeth, the tongues are located adjacent and parallel with one another. One of the tongues is provided with a plurality of aligned holes, whereas the other tongue includes a projection adapted to selectively snap fit into any one of the other tongue holes. The holes extend generally in a line forwardly of the central portions. Thus, the upper and lower trays are detachably attachable to one another by snap fitting the projection in to any one of the plurality of holes. The lower tray can thus be detachably attached to the upper tray in a plurality of positions as may be desirable or tolerable by the person so as to shift or pull his lower jaw forwardly of its normal position.
In one form thereof, the present inventions is directed to an anti-snoring device including upper and lower trays having a generally rigid outer shell and an inner moldable portion. The trays are adapted to fit over a person's upper and lower teeth with the teeth at least partially pressed into the moldable portion. The upper and lower trays are selectively detachably attachable to one another. Each of the trays are generally arcuate shaped with a central portion adapted to fit over a person's front teeth and a posterior portion on each side of the central portion. At least one of the rigid outer shells include a depression whereby when the trays are placed on a person's upper and lower teeth, a breathing opening is provided between the trays rigid outer shells.
In one form thereof, the present invention is directed to an anti-snoring device including upper and lower trays having a generally rigid outer shell and an inner moldable portion. The trays are adapted to fit over a person's upper and lower teeth with the teeth at least partially pressed into the moldable portion. The upper and lower trays are selectively detachably attachable to one another. Each of the trays are generally arcuate shaped with a central portion adapted to fit over a person's front teeth and a posterior portion on each side of the central portions. The trays rigid outer shells include depressions in the posterior portions on each side of the central portion whereby when the trays are placed on a person's upper and lower teeth, the upper tray depressions are aligned with the lower tray depressions for thereby providing breathing openings on each side of the central portions and between the trays.
REFERENCES:
patent: 2833278 (1958-05-01), Ross
patent: 4169473 (1979-10-01), Samelson
patent: 5082007 (1992-01-01), Adell
patent: 5117816 (1992-06-01), Shapiro et al.
patent: 5365945 (1994-11-01), Halstrom
patent: 5499633 (1996-03-01), Fenton
patent: 5566683 (1996-10-01), Thornton
patent: 5794627 (1998-08-01), Frantz et al.
patent: 5810013 (1998-09-01), Belfer
patent: 5823193 (1998-10-01), Singer et al.
patent: 5884628 (1999-03-01), Hilsen
Brown Michael A.
Pappas George
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