Patient airway bite block
First Claim
1. A bite block for use by a human patient, comprising:
- a) a bite block portion defining a posterior portion and an anterior portion and having upper and lower non-incisor teeth engagement surfaces for engaging the patient'"'"'s upper and lower non-incisor teeth in either side of the patient'"'"'s mouth, thereby to hold the patient'"'"'s incisors apart when said bite block is positioned in the patient'"'"'s mouth at one side thereof;
b) upper and lower lateral flanges extending from said bite block portion a sufficient distance beyond the biting surface of the non-incisor teeth when said bite block is positioned in the patient'"'"'s mouth thereby to prevent the bite block from moving medially toward the patient'"'"'s tongue;
c) upper and lower medial flanges spaced apart from said upper and lower lateral flanges, respectively, and extending from said bite block portion a sufficient distance beyond the biting surface of the non-incisor teeth when said bite block is positioned in the patient'"'"'s mouth thereby to prevent said bite block from moving laterally toward the patient'"'"'s cheek; and
d) a stiff handle, for positioning said bite block within the patient'"'"'s mouth and for removing said bite block therefrom, fixedly attached to said bite block portion and operative to extend outside of the patent'"'"'s mouth when said bite block is positioned in the patient'"'"'s mouth.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A patient airway bite block which can be used together with laryngeal mask airways (LMAs), oral endotracheal tubes, and similar patient airways. The bite block includes a bite block portion which is wedge-shaped and defines a posterior portion and an anterior portion and has upper and lower non-incisor teeth engagement surfaces. The wedge-shaped bite block portion is angled such that the non-incisor teeth engagement surfaces gradually become farther apart in a direction from the posterior portion toward the anterior portion, thereby to hold a patient'"'"'s incisors apart when the bite block is positioned in the patient'"'"'s mouth at one side thereof. At least one pair of spaced apart flanges is provided. The flanges extend from the bite block portion and are dimensioned to be positioned between the patient'"'"'s non-incisor teeth and cheek and on the tongue side of the patient'"'"'s non-incisor teeth, respectively. The flanges serve to retain the bite block in place in the patient'"'"'s mouth. A handle, for positioning the bite block within the patient'"'"'s mouth and for removing the bite block therefrom, is fixedly attached to the bite block portion and operative to extend outside of the patient'"'"'s mouth when the bite block is positioned in the patient'"'"'s mouth.
100 Citations
33 Claims
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1. A bite block for use by a human patient, comprising:
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a) a bite block portion defining a posterior portion and an anterior portion and having upper and lower non-incisor teeth engagement surfaces for engaging the patient'"'"'s upper and lower non-incisor teeth in either side of the patient'"'"'s mouth, thereby to hold the patient'"'"'s incisors apart when said bite block is positioned in the patient'"'"'s mouth at one side thereof; b) upper and lower lateral flanges extending from said bite block portion a sufficient distance beyond the biting surface of the non-incisor teeth when said bite block is positioned in the patient'"'"'s mouth thereby to prevent the bite block from moving medially toward the patient'"'"'s tongue; c) upper and lower medial flanges spaced apart from said upper and lower lateral flanges, respectively, and extending from said bite block portion a sufficient distance beyond the biting surface of the non-incisor teeth when said bite block is positioned in the patient'"'"'s mouth thereby to prevent said bite block from moving laterally toward the patient'"'"'s cheek; and d) a stiff handle, for positioning said bite block within the patient'"'"'s mouth and for removing said bite block therefrom, fixedly attached to said bite block portion and operative to extend outside of the patent'"'"'s mouth when said bite block is positioned in the patient'"'"'s mouth. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A disposable bite block for use by a human patient, comprising:
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a) a bite block portion which is wedge-shaped and defines a posterior portion and an anterior portion and has upper and lower non-incisor teeth engagement surfaces, said wedge-shaped bite block portion being angled such that said non-incisor teeth engagement surfaces gradually become farther apart in a direction from the posterior portion toward the anterior portion, thereby to hold the patient'"'"'s incisors apart when said bite block is positioned in the patient'"'"'s mouth at one side thereof; b) at least one pair of spaced apart flanges extending from said bite block portion and dimensioned to be positioned between the patient'"'"'s non-incisor teeth and cheek and on the tongue side of the patient'"'"'s non-incisor teeth, respectively, said at least one pair of spaced apart flanges extending a sufficient distance beyond the biting surface of the non-incisor teeth when said bite block is positioned in the patient'"'"'s mouth thereby to retain said bite block in place in the patient'"'"'s mouth; and c) a stiff handle, for positioning said bite block within the patient'"'"'s mouth and for removing said bite block therefrom, fixedly attached to said bite block portion and operative to extend outside of the patient'"'"'s mouth when said bite block is positioned in the patient'"'"'s mouth. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A patient airway bite block for use with a patient airway including one of a laryngeal mask airway and an oral endotracheal tube, the patient airway having an exiting tube portion positioned in the mid-line of a patient'"'"'s mouth, said patient airway bite block comprising:
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a) a bite block portion which is wedge-shaped and defines a posterior portion and an anterior portion and has upper and lower non-incisor teeth engagement surfaces, said wedge-shaped bite block portion being angled such that said non-incisor teeth engagement surfaces gradually become farther apart in a direction from the posterior portion toward the anterior portion, thereby to hold the patient'"'"'s incisors apart when said bite block is positioned in the patient'"'"'s mouth at one side thereof and thus prevent the patient from biting down on the exiting tube portion of the patient airway; b) at least one pair of spaced apart flanges extending from said bite block portion and dimensioned to be positioned between the patient'"'"'s non-incisor teeth and cheek and on the tongue side of the patient'"'"'s non-incisor teeth, respectively, said at least one pair of spaced apart flanges extending a sufficient distance beyond the biting surface of the non-incisor teeth when said bite block is positioned in the patient'"'"'s mouth thereby to retain said bite block in place in the patient'"'"'s mouth; and c) a handle, for positioning said bite block within the patient'"'"'s mouth and for removing said bite block therefrom, fixedly attached to said bite block portion and operative to extend outside of the patient'"'"'s mouth when said bite block is positioned in the patient'"'"'s mouth. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33)
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Specification