Intraoral device holder

• US 10,588,728 B2
• Filed: 04/27/2018
• Issued: 03/17/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 10/14/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: nCase Inc.
• Original Assignee: nCase Inc.
• Inventors: Wilson, Wesley P.
• Primary Examiner(s): La, Anh V
• Application Number:
  US15/964,799
• Publication Number:
  US 20180243060A1
• Time in Patent Office: 690 Days
• Field of Search: 340540, 34053921, 34030916, 3405681, 206205, 368 10
• CPC Class Codes: A45D 44/20 Containers for storing artificial teeth
• CPC Class Codes: A61C 13/00 Dental prostheses; Making same tooth crowns for capping teeth A61C5/70; dental implants A61C8/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61C 19/02 Protective casings, e.g. boxes for instruments; Bags A61C5/44 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61C 2204/005 using chip tag or any electronic identification mean, e.g. RFID
• CPC Class Codes: A61C 7/00 Orthodontics, i.e. obtaining or maintaining the desired position of teeth, e.g. by straightening, evening, regulating, separating, or by correcting malocclusions
• CPC Class Codes: A61C 7/08 Mouthpiece-type retainers or positioners, e.g. for both the lower and upper arch arch-shaped medicament applicators for teeth or gums A61C19/063; mouthguards for protecting the teeth of sportsmen A63B71/085
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 71/0036 Accessories for stowing, putting away or transporting exercise apparatus or sports equipment A63B47/00, A63B55/00, A63B60/56 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 71/085 Mouth or teeth protectors A63B71/081 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2050/143 Alarm means
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2050/146 Display means
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 50/14 Means for informing the driver, warning the driver or prompting a driver intervention
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 43/163 the container and the lid being made separately B65D43/161 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/00 Control of position, course, altitude or attitude of land, water, air or space vehicles, e.g. using automatic pilots drive control systems specially adapted for autonomous road vehicles B60W60/00
• CPC Class Codes: G06N 3/044 Recurrent networks, e.g. Hopfield networks
• CPC Class Codes: G06N 3/045 Combinations of networks
• CPC Class Codes: G06N 3/08 Learning methods
• CPC Class Codes: G06N 3/084 Backpropagation, e.g. using gradient descent
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/56 exterior to a vehicle by using sensors mounted on the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/58 Recognition of moving objects or obstacles, e.g. vehicles or pedestrians; Recognition of traffic objects, e.g. traffic signs, traffic lights or roads
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/18 Status alarms G08B21/02 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/10 : using inductive coupling

Abstract

An intraoral device holder is provided. In some embodiments, the intraoral device holder may comprise a cavity and an occupancy configured to detect an intraoral device at least partially located within the cavity, and may further be configured to detect the absence of at least a portion of the intraoral device from the cavity. The intraoral device holder may further comprise a communication array that may be configured to transmit data corresponding to the intraoral device. In some embodiments, the occupancy sensor may be located at least partially above the floor.

Claims

1. An intraoral device holder, comprising:

a cavity structured to at least partially receive an intraoral device; and

an occupancy sensor comprising an emitter and a receiver, the occupancy sensor configured to detect the presence of the intraoral device at least partially located within the cavity, and to detect the absence of at least a portion of the intraoral device from the cavity.

2. The intraoral device holder of claim 1, further comprising a timer configured to time an amount of time at least a portion of the intraoral device is detected to be present in and/or absent from the cavity.

3. The intraoral device holder of claim 2, further comprising an alert device configured to provide an auditory, tactile, or visual alert based on the amount of time at least a portion of the intraoral device is detected to be present in and/or absent from the cavity.

4. The intraoral device holder of claim 1, further comprising:

an alert device configured to provide an auditory, tactile, or visual alert; and

a communication array configured to communicate with an external device.

5. The intraoral device holder of claim 4, wherein the alert device is configured to provide the alert after a direct or indirect signal from the external device is received by the communication array.

6. The intraoral device holder of claim 1, further comprising a communication array configured to transmit data to an external device, the data comprising instructions for an external device to provide an auditory, tactile, and/or visual alert.

7. The intraoral device holder of claim 6, wherein the communication array is configured to transmit the data when:

the occupancy sensor detects the presence of the intraoral device at least partially located within the cavity; and

a strength of a signal from the external device received by the communication array is below a threshold.

8. An intraoral device holder, comprising:

a cavity configured to at least partially receive an intraoral device;

an occupancy sensor comprising an emitter and a receiver, the occupancy sensor configured to detect whether the intraoral device is at least partially located within the cavity; and

a communication array configured to transmit data corresponding to one or more feature of the intraoral device, the one or more feature having been detected while the intraoral device was located within the cavity.

9. The intraoral device holder of claim 8, wherein the transmitted data comprises data corresponding to a feature of a time the intraoral device was in the cavity.

10. The intraoral device holder of claim 8, wherein the communication array is configured to transmit the data while the intraoral device is detected within the cavity.

11. The intraoral device holder of claim 8, wherein the communication array is configured to transmit the data after the intraoral device is detected within the cavity for a period of time.

12. The intraoral device holder of claim 11, wherein the period of time is based on a continuous period of time.

13. The intraoral device holder of claim 11, wherein the period of time is based on a cumulative period of time.

14. The intraoral device holder of claim 8, wherein the communication array is configured to transmit the data while the intraoral device is not detected within the cavity.

15. The intraoral device holder of claim 14, wherein the communication array is further configured to transmit the data at a specific time of day.

16. The intraoral device holder of claim 8, wherein the transmitted data comprises data corresponding to a feature of an amount of the intraoral device received by the cavity.

17. An intraoral device storage device, comprising:

a cavity structured to at least partially receive an intraoral device, the cavity having a floor; and

an occupancy sensor at least partially located above the floor,

wherein the cavity is structured such that at least a portion of the intraoral device may directly contact an upper surface of the floor when the intraoral device is at least partially received by the cavity.

18. The intraoral device storage device of claim 17, wherein the occupancy sensor is electrically connected to an electronic component located below the floor.

19. The intraoral device storage device of claim 17, wherein the occupancy sensor is positioned to sense the intraoral device in a direction substantially parallel to a major plane of the floor.

20. The intraoral device storage device of claim 17, wherein the occupancy sensor is structured to maintain a relative position to the floor, regardless of whether the intraoral device is at least partially located in the cavity.