Tongue locking device to minimize effects of sleep apnea and to reduce snoring

• US 4,676,240 A
• Filed: 09/09/1985
• Issued: 06/30/1987
• Est. Priority Date: 09/09/1985
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Victor R. Gardy
• Original Assignee: Victor R. Gardy
• Inventors: Gardy, Victor R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Croyle, Carlton R.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Obee, Jane E.
• Application Number:
  US06/773,991
• Time in Patent Office: 659 Days
• Field of Search: 128/DIG. 12, 128/136, 128/204.13, 128/200.24
• 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 16/0495 with tongue depressors

Abstract

A device is provided for positioning within the mouth of a user to hold the tip of the tongue forward of the teeth so as to increase pharyngeal airflow passageway and provide oral airflow passageway and thus mimimize sleep apnea effects and signifcantly reduce snoring. The device is an integrally molded body of pliable elastomeric material universally fitted to most tongue sizes when the tongue is inserted into a rearwardly-opening central vacuum chamber, it displaces the air in the chamber. Then, when the tongue relaxes in the deep stages of sleep it is held forward in the vacuum chamber by the vacuum it automatically creates as it attempts to retract since it is sealed by means of internal ridges around all sides of the tongue and located closer to the rear of the vacuum chamber. The tongue retractive force is reacted through the device by teeth engaging portions of the device. When the tongue is thus held forward of its usual restive postion behind the dental arches, the dimension of air passage around the soft palate, the uvula, and the posterior pharyngeal wall is increased and breathing is facilitated through the naso-pharynx, and also, through the oro-pharynx by means of perforations provided alongside the vacuum chamber to provide communication between the mouth cavity and the external environment to allow oral breathing and lower breathing pressure. The device substantially improves breathing through both the nose and mouth, automatically during sleep thus minimizing the effects of sleep apnea and reducing snoring.

Claims

1. A device to minimize the effects of sleep apena and significantly reduce snoring, by holding the tongue forward of its usual resting position with a vacuum holding force and resisting the tongue'"'"'s tendency to fall back during sleep by means of a universally adaptable tongue sized vacuum chamber, internal sealing ridges, structural flexibility, and reactive force connection to the dental arches, comprising, in combination:

an elastomeric material structure of size and shape to be removably positioned in the user'"'"'s mouth, to be held therein by one of the user'"'"'s dental arches, being shaped to provide ridges on each side of either the user'"'"'s upper or lower dental arch, and a vacuum chamber of engageable means that is shaped to define a rearwardly opening vacuum chamber for receiving the tongue with oral airflow passages in parallel along both sides of the vacuum chamber to provide communication between the mouth cavity and the external environment to allow oral breathing, the vacuum chamber having a forward closed end and a rearward open end, shaped to universally fit over most tongues, therein to effect an airtight seal therewith when, upon insertion of the tongue into the vacuum chamber, air is thus displaced from the forward portion of the vacuum chamber past the tongue, such that negative pressure, created automatically, and only, when the tongue tends to withdraw during sleep relaxation, causing a vacuum, which is sealed on all sides by the internal sealing ridges near the rear end of the vacuum chamber and maintained by the flexibility of the elasotmeric material structure, which adapts to most size tongues while maintaining sufficient pressure to create a seal, aided by any slight biting pressure of the jaws that provides sealing reinforcement, whereby the tongue is then held forwardly of its usual resting position behind the teeth, thereby holding the remainder of the body of the tongue forward from its normal proximity to the soft palate, the uvula and the posterior pharyngeal wall, to form and maintain an airway of increased size through the naso- and oro-pharynx, in combination with the oral airflow passage in the body of the device, which allow passage of air through the mouth also thus lowering breathing pressure and minimizing the effects of sleep apnea and reducing snoring.

2. A device as in claim 1 wherein the vacuum chamber includes internal sealing ridges on all internal sides, such that the inserted tongue is surrounded on all sides by the sealing ridges, for the purpose of sealing the vacuum between the vacuum chamber and the tongue, located between the front and rear ends of the vacuum chamber and closer to the rear open end of the vacuum chamber.