Device, systems and methods having mobile ferromagnetic structures

• US 20070144531A1
• Filed: 11/03/2006
• Published: 06/28/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 09/06/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V. (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Original Assignee: Apneon, Inc.
• Inventors: Boucher, Ryan, McGill, Scott, Paraschac, Joseph, Tomas, Andres, Nelson, Lionel, Gillis, Edward
• Granted Patent: US 9,463,112 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 128/848
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 5/56 Devices for preventing snoring by influencing the respiratory system by gas treatment A61M16/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 5/566 Intra-oral devices

Abstract

A carrier is sized and configured for placement in or on a tissue region. The carrier includes at least one interior compartment. At least one ferromagnetic material is carried within the compartment. The compartment and the ferromagnetic material are mutually sized and configured to allow movement of the ferromagnetic material within the compartment in response to magnetic interaction with a magnetic material located outside the carrier. The magnetic interaction can include either a magnetic attracting force or a magnetic repelling force. The carrier can be used in association with a source of magnetism sized and configured for placement in or on a tissue region outside the carrier for magnetic interaction with the ferromagnetic material carried within the compartment, e.g., to stabilize the orientation of a tissue region within an airway.

Claims

1. A device comprising

a carrier sized and configured for placement in or on a tissue region, the carrier including at least one interior compartment, and

at least one ferromagnetic material carried within the compartment, the compartment and the ferromagnetic material being mutually sized and configured to allow movement of the ferromagnetic material within the compartment in response to magnetic interaction with a magnetic material located outside the carrier.

2. A device according to claim 1

wherein the ferromagnetic material comprises an un-magnetized material.

3. A device according to claim 1 wherein the ferromagnetic material comprises a magnetized material.

4. A device according to claim 1

wherein the magnetic interaction includes a magnetic attracting force.

5. A device according to claim 1

wherein the magnetic interaction includes a magnetic repelling force.

6. A device according to claim 1

wherein a plurality of ferromagnetic materials are carried for relative movement within the compartment.

7. A device according to claim 1

wherein the carrier includes more than one interior compartment, and

wherein each compartment carries at least one ferromagnetic material.

8. A device according to claim 7

wherein each compartment carries a plurality of ferromagnetic materials for relative movement within the respective compartment.

9. A device according to claim 1

wherein the carrier is sized and configured for placement in or on tissue in an airway.

10. A device according to claim 1

wherein the carrier is sized and configured for placement in or on tissue in a tongue and/or soft palate and/or uvula and/or pharyngeal wall.

11. A system comprising

a device as defined in claim 1, and

a source of magnetism sized and configured for placement in or on a tissue region outside the carrier for magnetic interaction with the ferromagnetic material carried within the compartment.

12. A method comprising

providing a device as defined in claim 1,

providing a source of magnetism sized and configured for placement in or on a tissue region,

placing the device in or on a first tissue region,

placing the source of magnetism in or on a second tissue spaced from the device to magnetically interact with the ferromagnetic material carried within the device,

stabilizing a desired orientation between the first and second tissue regions by magnetic interaction between the device and the source of magnetism.

13. A method according to claim 12

wherein the first tissue region comprises tissue within an airway.

14. A method according to claim 12

wherein the first tissue region comprises tissue in a tongue and/or soft palate and/or uvula and/or pharyngeal wall.

15. A method according to claim 12

wherein the second tissue region comprises tissue within an oral cavity.