Apparatus and Method for Coupling an Oral Appliance to a Gas Delivery Device

• US 20100218773A1
• Filed: 02/25/2010
• Published: 09/02/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 02/27/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Airway Technologies LLC
• Original Assignee: Thornton W Keith
• Inventors: Thornton, W. Keith
• Granted Patent: US 8,607,796 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 128/848
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 5/566 Intra-oral devices
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/0488 Mouthpieces; Means for guiding, securing or introducing the tubes guiding or introducing with laryngoscopes A61B1/267; holding devices on the body A61M25/02
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/0493 with means for protecting the tube from damage caused by the patient's teeth, e.g. bite block
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/0497 Tube stabilizer
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/0666 Nasal cannulas or tubing devices for improving normal breathing through the nose A61F5/08; nose filters A62B23/06; outside holding devices A61M25/02

Abstract

According to one embodiment, an apparatus for coupling an oral appliance to a gas delivery device includes a post, a swivel, and first and second opposing clamps. The post includes a base configured to couple to the oral appliance; a first arm extending from the base and defining a channel extending along a portion of the first arm; and a second arm extending from the base, extending substantially parallel to the first arm, the second arm defining a channel extending along a portion of the second arm. The swivel is substantially spherical and is configured to position the gas delivery device. The first clamp is configured to engage and slide along the channel defined by the first arm and the second clamp is configured to engage and slide along the channel defined by the second arm. The first and second opposing clamps are together configured to position and secure the location and orientation of the swivel relative to the post.

Claims

1. An apparatus for improved breathing, comprising:

an oral appliance;

a gas delivery device configured to direct gas to the breathing passages of a user;

a coupler comprising a clamp, a swivel, and a post with two arms;

wherein the clamp is configured to engage the post and to slide along the length of the post and configured to position and secure the swivel to define its position and orientation relative to the post; and

wherein the gas delivery device is coupled to the oral appliance utilizing the swivel.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the oral appliance is configured to extend a user'"'"'s lower jaw forward to improve breathing.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the gas delivery device comprises nasal inserts configured to direct gas to the nasal passages of a user.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the post is integrally formed with a component of the oral appliance.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the post and the clamp comprise stainless steel and the swivel comprises ABS or polycarbonate plastic.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the post comprises a base and wherein the two arms extend substantially perpendicularly from the base.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the post comprises a base coupled to the two arms and wherein an angle formed at the junction of the two arms and the base is between sixty and eighty degrees relative to a plane extending substantially along the mating surface of the base.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the swivel is substantially spherical.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a sleeve covering at least a portion of the coupler.

10. An apparatus for coupling an oral appliance to a gas delivery device, comprising:

a post comprising;

a base configured to couple to the oral appliance;

a first arm extending from the base, the first arm defining a channel extending along a portion of the first arm; and

a second arm extending from the base and extending substantially parallel to the first arm, the second arm defining a channel extending along a portion of the second arm;

a substantially spherical swivel configured to position the gas delivery device;

first and second opposing clamps;

wherein the first clamp comprises a first protrusion shaped to engage and slide along the channel defined by the first arm and the second clamp comprises a second protrusion shaped to engage and slide along the channel defined by the second arm; and

wherein the first and second opposing clamps are together configured to position and secure the location and orientation of the swivel relative to the post.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the post is integrally formed with a component of the oral appliance.

12. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the swivel defines a substantially cylindrical opening.

13. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the post comprises stainless steel and the swivel comprises ABS plastic or polycarbonate plastic.

14. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the swivel is configured to couple to a platform for supporting the gas delivery device.

15. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the first and second aims extend substantially perpendicularly from the base.

16. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein an angle formed at the junction of the first and second arms and the base is between sixty degrees and eighty degrees relative to a plane extending substantially along the mating surface of the base.

17. The apparatus of claim 10, further comprising a sleeve covering at least a portion of the base.

18. A method for coupling an oral appliance to a gas delivery device, comprising:

coupling the gas delivery device to the oral appliance using a coupler, the coupler comprising;

a post, wherein the post comprises;

a base;

a first arm extending from the base, the first arm defining a first channel extending along a portion of the first arm; and

a second arm extending from the base and extending substantially parallel to the first arm, the second arm defining a second channel extending along a portion of the second arm;

a first clamp configured to engage and slide along the first channel;

a second clamp configured to engage and slide along the second channel; and

a substantially spherical swivel;

positioning the gas delivery device relative to the oral appliance, wherein positioning the gas delivery device comprises;

adjusting the location of the gas delivery device along the first and second channels utilizing the first and second clamps; and

adjusting the orientation of the gas delivery device utilizing the swivel; and

securing the position of the gas delivery device relative to the oral appliance utilizing the first and second clamps.

19. The method of claim of 18, wherein coupling the gas delivery device to the coupler comprises coupling a platform for supporting the gas delivery device to the swivel.

20. The method of claim 18, wherein coupling the gas delivery device to the coupler comprises inserting a portion of the gas delivery device into a substantially cylindrical opening defined by the swivel.