Oral orthesis to reduce snoring and sleep apnea symptoms

• US 6,408,852 B2
• Filed: 01/11/2001
• Issued: 06/25/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 01/11/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Walter M.J. Tielemans
• Original Assignee: TNV Research and Development
• Inventors: Tielemans, W. M. J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Brown, Michael A.
• Application Number:
  US09/760,088
• Publication Number:
  US 20010027793A1
• Time in Patent Office: 530 Days
• Field of Search: 128/846, 128/848, 128/859-862, 602/902
• US Class Current: 128/848
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 5/56 Devices for preventing snoring by influencing the respiratory system by gas treatment A61M16/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 5/566 Intra-oral devices
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 602/902 Antisnoring or mouth closing devices

Abstract

An oral orthesis for reduction of snoring and sleep apnea symptoms.

Claims

1. Oral orthesis for reducing snoring and sleep apnea symptoms comprising a maxilla palate plate (1) and, attached thereon, fixing means (2) to fix the plate in the oral cavity and a tongue positioning device (3), characterized in that the plate (1) extents to cover and support also the soft tissue (1b) of the palate moll, the tongue positioning device (3) consists of rotatable pellotte (3b) attached to a bar (3a) mounted into the plate with a spring wire (3cand 3d) engaged to press the pellotte against the tongue.

2. Oral orthesis according to claim 1, characterized in that the plate (1) supports at least about 30% of the soft palate.

3. Oral orthesis according to claim 1, characterized in that the plate (1) extents to also support the sensitive area at which the nerve concentration is high and that the plate (1) at that locus (1c) has an opening or recess to relieve pressure to that sensitive area.

4. Oral orthesis according to claim 1, characterized in that the plate (1) has at the dorsal end part a ridge (1d) to increase the muscle tonus within the soft palate.

5. Oral orthesis according to claim 1, characterized in that the plate (1) has extensions (1c) covering the premolar and/or molar sections.

6. Oral orthesis according to claim 1, characterized in that the plate (1) is made of an acrylic polymer.

7. Oral orthesis according to claim 1, characterized in that the fixing means (2) comprises wire anchoring (2a, 2b) shaped to fix the plate to the molars.

8. Oral orthesis according to claim 1, characterized in that the bar (3a) is mounted in the middle of plate (1) and at a distance from the front part between about 0.25 and 0.8 times the length of the plate (as measured along the middle line from the front ridge to the dorsal end ridge).

9. Oral orthesis according to any one of claim 1, characterized in that the mounting position of bar (3a) in the plate and the length of the bar is chosen in combination such that, with the pellotte (3b) pressed against the tongue in rest position, the bar is at an angle of more than about 30, preferably more than 45, degrees with the plate (1).

10. Oral orthesis according to claim 1, characterized in that the movement of the pellotte (3b) operated by the spring (3c, 3d) when in contact with the tongue is predominantly horizontally.

11. Oral orthesis according to claim 1, characterized in that the pellotte (3b) is rotatably mounted on an axis (3e) on the bar (3a) to accommodate the movement of the tongue.

12. Oral orthesis according to claim 11, characterized in that the pellotte (3b) has means to block rotation of the pellotte relative to the axis (3e) of the bar (3a) over an angle of more than about +/−

45 degree such that the spring driven movement of the pellotte is essentially in a horizontal direction.

13. Oral orthesis according to claim 12, characterized in that the blocking means are provided by protuberances in the pellotte (3b) engaging side arms to axis (3e) of the bar (3a).

14. Oral orthesis according to claims 1, characterized in that the pressing force of the pellotte against the tongue is not more than about 30 g.