AUTOMATIC SALIVATION FACILITATING APPARATUS

• US 20130123677A1
• Filed: 06/02/2011
• Published: 05/16/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 07/21/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kyungpook National University
• Original Assignee: Kyungpook National University
• Inventors: Ahn, Byeong-Cheol
• Granted Patent: US 9,498,403 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 601/134
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 15/0078 power-driven
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2015/0042 Balls or spheres
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/105 with means for delivering media, e.g. drugs or cosmetics
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/1604 Head
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/1607 Holding means therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/165 Wearable interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/1669 moving along the body in a reciprocating manner
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2205/02 Head
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2205/022 Face
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2205/026 Mandible
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 23/0254 with rotary motor
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 7/001 without substantial movement between the skin and the device
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 7/007 Kneading
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 31/002 Devices for releasing a drug at a continuous and controlled rate for a prolonged period of time artificial gland structures or devices A61F2/022; intra-uterine contraceptive devices A61F6/14; tampons for introducing into the vagina A61F13/20, A61L15/00; suppositories or bougies for intra-vaginal or intra-uterine application A61K9/02; physical forms of medicinal preparations for sustained or differential drug release A61K9/20, A61K9/50

Abstract

Provided is an automatic salivation facilitating apparatus including a first parotid gland massaging device which massages user'"'"'s one-side parotid gland, a second parotid gland massaging device which massages user'"'"'s other-side parotid gland, a first fixing member which connects the first and second parotid gland massaging devices and allows the user to wear the automatic salivation facilitating apparatus, a salivation agent injection unit which is disposed to a lower portion of one of the first and second parotid gland massaging devices to periodically automatically inject salivation agent, and a controller which operates a main body. The automatic salivation facilitating apparatus utilizes a submandibular gland massaging device together with the salivation agent injection unit and the parotid gland massaging devices, so that the effect of facilitating salivation can be maximized.

Claims

1. An automatic salivation facilitating apparatus comprising:

a first parotid gland massaging device which is arranged so as to correspond to a left-side parotid gland of a user;

a second parotid gland massaging device which is arranged so as to correspond to a right-side parotid gland of the user;

a first fixing member which connects the first and second parotid gland massaging devices and allows the user to wear the automatic salivation facilitating apparatus;

a salivation agent injection unit which is disposed to a lower portion of one of the first and second parotid gland massaging devices to periodically automatically inject a salivation agent; and

a controller which includes a control unit which controls the first and second parotid gland massaging devices and the salivation agent injection unit and a power supply unit which supplies power to the first and second parotid gland massaging devices and the salivation agent injection unit.

2. The automatic salivation facilitating apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

a first submandibular gland massaging device which is arranged so as to correspond to a left-side submandibular gland of the user;

a second submandibular gland massaging device which is arranged so as to correspond to a right-side submandibular gland of the user; and

a second fixing member which connects the first and second submandibular gland massaging devices and allow the automatic salivation facilitating apparatus to be worn to a user'"'"'s chin,

wherein the first and second submandibular gland massaging devices are connected to the first and second parotid gland massaging devices, respectively, and are controlled to operate by the control unit.

3. The automatic salivation facilitating apparatus according to claim 1, wherein each of the first and second parotid gland massaging devices includes:

a first step motor;

a conveyor which is connected to the first step motor to be moved in one direction according to driving of the first step motor; and

a first massaging member which is fixed on a surface of the conveyor to be moved in one direction together with the conveyor.

4. The automatic salivation facilitating apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the first massaging member includes:

a connection bar of which the one side is connected to the surface of the conveyor; and

a rotation ball which is disposed to the other side of the connection bar.

5. The automatic salivation facilitating apparatus according to claim 3, wherein each of the first and second parotid gland massaging devices further includes a first contact portion which is disposed in front of the first massaging member and is configured with a disposable cover made of a waterproof material so that the first contact portion is replaced.

6. The automatic salivation facilitating apparatus according to claim 4,

wherein each of the first and second parotid gland massaging devices further includes a second step motor which is arranged between the first massaging member and the conveyor, and

wherein the connection bar is configured so that the one side thereof is connected to the second step motor, and the connection bar is configured to be bent at a predetermined angle so that the other side thereof is circulated while rotating in a circle having a predetermined range by driving of the second step motor.

7. The automatic salivation facilitating apparatus according to claim 4,

wherein the connection bar is configured with an elastic member, and

wherein the rotation ball is formed in one of semispherical and spherical shapes.

8. The automatic salivation facilitating apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the salivation agent injection unit includes:

a salivation agent syringe which is configured to include a cylinder which contains a salivation agent and where an outlet for ejecting the salivation agent is formed at the one side thereof and a plunger which is moved along an inner side of the cylinder;

a third step motor;

a gear mechanism which is configured to include a primary gear which is connected to the third step motor and a plurality of secondary gears which are moved in engagement with the primary gear;

a plunger moving screw which is rotated in connecting to the last secondary gear in the gear mechanism;

a plunger gasket which is disposed in an inner portion of the cylinder of the salivation agent syringe and disposed to the one side of the plunger to adjust an internal pressure of the cylinder according to the movement the plunger gasket; and

a plunger fastening nut which is disposed to the other side of the plunger opposite to the plunger gasket and is moved in engagement with the rotation of the plunger moving screw to move the plunger, so that the salivation agent injection amount can be adjusted.

9. The automatic salivation facilitating apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the salivation agent injection unit includes a salivation agent injection tube of which the one side is connected to the outlet of the salivation agent syringe and of which the other side is disposed in a user'"'"'s oral cavity and which is configured with a flexible material.

10. The automatic salivation facilitating apparatus according to claim 9,

wherein the salivation agent injection unit further includes an injection tube fastening member which which fastens the salivation agent injection tube to the user'"'"'s oral cavity, and

wherein the injection tube fastening member is fixed to user'"'"'s teeth.

11. The automatic salivation facilitating apparatus according to claim 2, wherein each of the first and second submandibular gland massaging devices includes:

a fourth step motor;

a rotation plate which is rotated in connection to the fourth step motor;

a second massaging member which massages a submandibular gland; and

a connection member of which the one side is connected to a position shifted from the center of the rotation plate and of which the other side is connected to the second massaging member.

12. The automatic salivation facilitating apparatus according to claim 11, wherein each of the first and second submandibular gland massaging devices further includes

a second contact portion which is disposed in front of the second massaging member and is configured with a disposable cover made of a waterproof material so that the second contact portion is replaced after the use of the automatic salivation facilitating apparatus.

13. The automatic salivation facilitating apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein the control unit further includes an external setting unit which can set operation conditions externally, and

wherein the control unit is operated according to the conditions set by the external setting unit.

14. The automatic salivation facilitating apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the automatic salivation facilitating apparatus further includes

a third fixing member which connects the first and second parotid gland massaging devices and is disposed at a predetermined angle with respect to the first fixing member.

15. The automatic salivation facilitating apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein each of the first and second parotid gland massaging devices includes:

a plurality of piston units which are aligned in one direction; and

a plurality of first massaging members which are fixed to the respective piston units to perform a reciprocating motion forwards by driving of the piston units, and

wherein the control unit controls the piston units to sequentially perform the reciprocating motion.

16. The automatic salivation facilitating apparatus according to claim 15, wherein the piston units are systematically connected to each other, so that the piston units are driven by using one first step motor or so that the piston units are separately driven by the respective first step motors.

17. The automatic salivation facilitating apparatus according to claim 15, wherein each of the first massaging members includes:

a connection bar of which the one side is connected to a surface of the piston unit; and

a rotation ball which is disposed to the other side of the connection bar.

18. The automatic salivation facilitating apparatus according to claim 15, wherein each of the first and second parotid gland massaging devices further includes

a first contact portion which is disposed in front of the first massaging member and is configured with a disposable cover made of a waterproof material so that the first contact portion is replaced.

19. The automatic salivation facilitating apparatus according to claim 16,

wherein the connection bar is configured with an elastic member, and

wherein the rotation ball is formed in one of semispherical and spherical shapes.