Lip Closing Tool

• US 20090018582A1
• Filed: 02/10/2006
• Published: 01/15/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 02/24/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Pigeon Corporation
• Original Assignee: Pigeon Corporation
• Inventors: Ishikawa, Hikaru, Iida, Mitsuo
• Granted Patent: US 7,857,831 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 606/235
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 17/001 Baby-comforters
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 17/107 having specific orthodontic properties
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2208/12 specially adapted for children
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 23/032 for insertion in the mouth
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 23/18 for improving respiratory function

Abstract

A lip closing tool can be configured to encourage an infant or the like to close his/her mouth unconsciously and keep his/her mouth closed, thereby encouraging formation of a habit of nasal respiration. The lip closing tool can include a lip contact portion that is contacted by the outer surface of the lips during use, and a main body that is configured to be disposed inside the oral cavity during use. The main body can include a teeth contact portion that is disposed on the outer surface of the teeth during use and extends in a left-right direction. A thin lip contacting portion can connect the lip contact portion to the teeth contact portion and can be contacted by the upper and lower lips during use. The teeth contact portion can be formed entirely and integrally from a flexible material. Stimulation portions can be provided by enlarging the volume of the teeth contact portion near the end of right and left paths thereof.

Claims

1. A tool for closing upper and lower lips located adjacent an oral cavity and row of upper and lower teeth of a user, comprising:

a lip contact portion that is configured to be contacted by an outer surface of the lips of the user; and

a main body that is configured to be disposed inside the oral cavity of the user, wherein the main body includes,

a teeth contact portion that is configured to be disposed on an outer surface of the row of teeth and extends in a left-right direction, and

a thin lip contact portion that connects said lip contact portion to said teeth contact portion and is configured to be contacted by the upper and lower lips, wherein

said teeth contact portion is formed entirely and integrally from a flexible material, and includes a stimulation portion having a relatively enlarged volume of said teeth contact portion located near an end of right and left paths of the teeth contact portion.

2. The tool according to claim 1, wherein

said teeth contact portion is formed thinly in a front-rear direction, and said stimulation portion has at least one of an oval and elliptical cross-sectional form with an up-down direction dimension that is slightly longer than a front-rear direction dimension.

3. The tool according to claim 1, further comprising:

a tongue contact portion that extends from a vicinity of a center of said teeth contact portion toward the inside of the oral cavity, wherein a bite portion located between said tongue contact portion and said teeth contact portion is formed from a thin, flexible material.

5. The tool according to claim 2, further comprising:

A tongue contact portion that extends from a vicinity of a center of said teeth contact portion toward the inside of the oral cavity, wherein a bite portion located between said tongue contact portion and said teeth contact portion is formed from a thin, flexible material.

4. A tool for closing upper and lower lips located adjacent an oral cavity and row of upper and lower teeth of a user, comprising:

a lip contact portion that is configured to contact an outer surface of the lips; and

a main body portion that is configured to be disposed inside the oral cavity of the user, wherein said main body includes,

a teeth contact portion configured to be disposed on an outer surface of the row of teeth and which extends in a left-right direction, and

a thin lip contact portion that connects said lip contact portion to said teeth contact portion and is configured to be contacted by the upper and lower lips, wherein

said teeth contact portion is formed entirely and integrally from a flexible material,

said teeth contact portion takes a wide sheet form that is thin in a front-rear direction and has a relatively enlarged dimension in an up-down direction, and

said wide sheet form of the teeth contact portion has a deforming portion that is deformed easily in said up-down direction by providing large penetrating openings in an inside area of the deforming portion.