Device for preventing sleep apnea

• US 6,918,394 B2
• Filed: 09/26/2002
• Issued: 07/19/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 09/27/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Medical Treatment Corporate Judicial Person Matsuda Dentist's Office
• Original Assignee: Masayoshi Furuya, Medical Treatment Corporate Judicial Person Matsuda Dentist's Office
• Inventors: Matsuda, Narihiko, Furuya, Masayoshi
• Primary Examiner(s): Brown, Michael A.
• Application Number:
  US10/254,684
• Publication Number:
  US 20030056785A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,027 Days
• Field of Search: 128/846, 128/848, 128857-858, 602/902, 606/199, 606/204.25
• 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: Y10S 602/902 Antisnoring or mouth closing devices

Abstract

The present invention provides a device which prevents loud snoring and apnea during sleep so as not to cause discomfort to a user as much as possible. Stoppers 4 such as belts or straps having predetermined elasticity are attached to both right and left sides of a lower jaw fitting piece 3 which fits the both sides of the lower jaw, the lower jaw 2 is pushed forward via the lower jaw fitting piece 3 by setting and hanging the stoppers 4 on the nose or head of the face side, whereby occurrence of apnea and loud snoring during sleep is prevented.

Claims

1. A device for preventing sleep apnea, wherein

in order to prevent occurrence of apnea and snoring during sleep, stoppers having predetermined elasticity are attached to both right and left sides of a lower jaw fitting piece which fits a lower jaw,

the stoppers being hung on a nose or on a face side of a head so as to push the lower jaw forward via the lower jaw fitting piece,

wherein contact stopping portions are formed on both sides of the lower jaw fitting piece by bending rear ends of the lower jaw fitting piece into hook shapes for setting on rear edges of the lower jaws,

wherein the lower jaw fitting piece is formed into a rough U shape along the lower jaw, and at least a portion of the lower jaw fitting piece making contact with the lower jaw is formed from a soft material, and stopping portions are provided at a side circumference of the lower jaw fitting piece to stop ends of the stoppers hung from the nose or the head, and

wherein the stoppers are hung on the ears or the head through the nose via a holder so as to be tensioned.

2. The device for preventing sleep apnea according to claim 1, wherein the lower jaw fitting piece is formed to have a roughly L-shaped section so as to be set on the rear edges of the lower jaw in a fitting condition.

3. The device for preventing sleep apnea according to claim 2, wherein the stoppers having elasticity of the lower jaw fitting piece are hung on the ears or the head through the nose via a holder so as to be tensioned.

4. The device for preventing sleep apnea according to claim 1, wherein the lower jaw fitting piece includes an aluminum material, a thermoplastic resin, or an engineering plastic material.

5. The device for preventing sleep apnea according to claim 1, wherein the holder is formed into a nasal mask or a bridge surrounding the nose, slit-shaped holding portions are symmetrically provided at upper and lower portions of both sides of the holder, and the other ends of the abovementioned stoppers of the lower jaw fitting piece are connected to the lower holding portions, and soft hanging members such as rubber belts or rubber straps to be hung on the ears and the head are connected to the upper holding portions.

6. The device for preventing sleep apnea according to claim 5, wherein a soft material which is formed into a pouched shape and filled with a heat storage material, a cold insulator, or other high polymer gel materials is attached to an inner side of the lower jaw fitting piece.

7. The device for preventing sleep apnea according to claim 1, wherein ends of the stoppers of the lower jaw fitting piece are set on a mask portion of a positive pressure breathing apparatus.

8. The device for preventing sleep apnea according to claim 1, wherein the lower jaw fitting piece is formed to have a roughly L-shaped section so as to be set on the rear edges of the lower jaw in a fitting condition.

9. The device for preventing sleep apnea according to claim 1, wherein the stoppers are belts or straps.