Oropharyngeal device

• US 5,355,874 A
• Filed: 07/22/1992
• Issued: 10/18/1994
• Est. Priority Date: 11/22/1990
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Volker Bertram
• Original Assignee: Volker Bertram
• Inventors: Bertram, Volker
• Primary Examiner(s): Burr, Edgar S.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Lewis, Aaron J.
• Application Number:
  US07/915,702
• Time in Patent Office: 818 Days
• Field of Search: 128/200.26, 128/206.29, 128/207.14, 128/207.15, 128/DIG. 26
• US Class Current: 128/200.26
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/0497 Tube stabilizer

Abstract

The oropharyngeal device has an extended body including a comparatively shorter approximately straight portion and a comparatively longer curved portion adjoining the straight portion. The extended body has a substantially constant U-shaped transverse cross-section along its entire length thus providing a U-shaped opening on one side thereof; a transverse securing flange attached to an end of the straight portion remote from the curved portion, one side of the transverse securing flange being provided with a U-shaped first recess, the first recess conforming to the U-shaped transverse cross-section of the extended body and positioned to provide a mouth for the U-shaped opening, and also with a C-shaped second recess in a side of the transverse securing flange remote from the side having the U-shaped first recess, the C-shaped second recess being dimensioned so that an endotracheal tube can be snapped in the second recess and held fixed therein; and a hard bite block formed integrally with the tube body and located in the vicinity of the straight portion, the bite block being made of a material also used for making the extended body.

Claims

1. Oropharyngeal device comprising

an extended body including a comparatively shorter approximately straight portion and a comparatively longer curved portion adjoining the straight portion, said extended body having a substantially constant U-shaped transverse cross-section along the entire length of the extended body to provide a U-shaped opening on one side thereof;

a transverse securing flange attached to an end of the straight portion remote from the curved portion, one side of the transverse securing flange being provided with a U-shaped first recess, said first recess conforming to the U-shaped transverse cross-section the extended body and positioned to provide a mouth for the U-shaped opening, and also with a C-shaped second recess in a side of the transverse securing flange remote from the side having the U-shaped first recess, said C-shaped second recess being dimensioned so that an endotracheal tube can be snapped in the second recess and held fixed therein; and

a hard bite block formed integrally with the extended body and located in the vicinity of the straight portion, said bite block being made of a material also used for making the extended body.

2. Oropharyngeal device according to claim 1, wherein the curved portion has a wall thickness such that the extended body is elastic over the entire length thereof but cannot be closed by compression in operation.

3. Oropharyngeal device according to claim 1, wherein the extended body has a longitudinally extending channel on a side opposite to the U-shaped opening, said channel having a base in alignment with a base of the C-shaped second recess for the endotracheal tube.

4. Oropharyngeal device according to claim 3, wherein the channel is concave.

5. Oropharyngeal device according to 3, wherein a smallest distance between the longitudinally extending channel and the U-shaped opening of the extended body is greater than a wall thickness of the extended body.

6. Oropharyngeal device according to claim 5, wherein a height of the cross-section in the straight region of the extended body is greater in the vicinity of the smallest distance than in the vicinity of the U-shaped opening.

7. Oropharyngeal device according to claim 3, further comprising at least one perpendicularly projecting extension piece extending from the transverse securing flange oppositely from the extended body and from a position in the vicinity of the base of the C-shaped second recess.

8. Oropharyngeal device according to claim 7, wherein the extension piece has a length approximately equal to at least a width of an adhesive tape piece and has a thickened portion at a free end thereof.

9. Oropharyngeal device according to claim 1, further comprising two fastening means for insertion into a fastening band, said fastening means being attached to the transverse securing flange and extending from the transverse securing flange oppositely from the extended body.

10. Oropharyngeal device according to claim 9, wherein each of the fastening means has a projecting nipple protruding above and below a center of the transverse securing flange and the transverse securing flange is provided with two eyelets.

11. Oropharyngeal device according to claim 1, wherein a wall thickness of the straight portion is about twice as large as that of the curved portion.