Tongue stabilizing device

• US 7,073,506 B2
• Filed: 12/15/2000
• Issued: 07/11/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 12/15/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Innovative Health Technologies (NZ) Limited
• Original Assignee: Innovative Health Technologies (NZ) Limited
• Inventors: Whittington, James Thomas, Robertson, Christopher John
• Primary Examiner(s): Bennett, Henry
• Assistant Examiner(s): NGUYEN, CAMTU TRAN
• Application Number:
  US10/450,696
• Publication Number:
  US 20040134490A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,034 Days
• Field of Search: 128/848, 128/859, 128/860, 128/861, 128/862
• 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

Abstract

A one piece tongue stabilizing device formed of a resiliently flexible material and comprises a body having a hollow interior within which the end of a user'"'"'s tongue fits and is held by negative pressure. The body of the device comprises an entry portion having an opening to the hollow interior of the device and a bulb portion connected by a narrower diameter neck portion. Tabs extend from the bulb portion which in use engage the exterior of the user'"'"'s face around the user'"'"'s mouth or between the user'"'"'s teeth and lips, to hold the tongue forward to assist in opening user'"'"'s airway and reducing snoring. A major benefit of the device of the invention is that it does not require specialist fitting or the taking of upper and lower jaw impressions of the patient to produce a tailored device for the patient.

Claims

1. A one piece tongue stabilising device formed of a resiliently flexible material and comprising a body having a hollow interior within which the end of a user'"'"'s tongue fits and is held by negative pressure when the device is fitted on to the user'"'"'s tongue and which body comprises an entry portion having an opening to the hollow interior of the device and a squeezable expanded bulb portion connected by a narrower diameter neck portion, and having a flexible wall section whereby the expanded bulb portion may be squeezed and released in application of the device to a user'"'"'s tongue, the length dimension of the device from the opening to said entry portion to the narrowest part of said neck portion being shorter than the length dimension of the device from the narrowest part of said neck portion to the distal end of said bulb portion, said body also comprising a cut out into the side wall of the entry portion, and integrally moulded tabs extending from the bulb portion which in use engage the exterior of the user'"'"'s face or between the user'"'"'s teeth and lips, to hold the tongue forward to assist in opening user'"'"'s airway and reducing snoring, said tabs comprising a first tab extending from the exterior of said expanded bulb portion substantially perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the device.

2. A tongue stabilising device according to claim 1 wherein said entry portion is tapered with a reducing diameter from said opening to said neck portion.

3. A tongue stabilising device according to claim 2 wherein at least said opening and said entry portion have a larger cross-sectional dimension across the device.

4. A tongue stabilising device according to claim 2 wherein the hollow interior of the device has a general heart shape in cross-section at said neck portion.

6. A tongue stabilising device according to claim 1 wherein one or both of said tabs have hollow interior which communicates with the interior of the expanded bulb portion.

5. A one piece tongue stabilising device formed of a resiliently flexible material and comprising a body having a hollow interior within which the end of a user'"'"'s tongue fits and is held by negative pressure when the device is fitted on to the user'"'"'s tongue and which body comprises an opening to the hollow interior of the device, a squeezable expanded bulb portion, and a narrower diameter neck portion between said opening and said bulb portion and which is tapered with a reducing diameter from said opening to said neck portion and having a flexible wall section whereby the bulb portion may be squeezed and released in application of the device to a user'"'"'s tongue to create said negative pressure which retains the device on the user'"'"'s tongue, the length dimension of the device from the opening to said entry portion to the narrowest part of said neck portion being shorter than the length dimension of the device from the narrowest part of said neck portion to the distal end of said bulb portion, and integrally moulded tabs extending from the bulb portion which in use engage the exterior of the user'"'"'s face, said tabs comprising a first tab extending from the exterior of said bulb portion substantially perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the device and a second tab extending in substantially an opposition direction to said first tab, one or both of said tabs having a hollow interior which communicates with the interior of the expanded bulb portion, said tabs being shaped and positioned to contact a centre region of a user'"'"'s upper and lower lips but not over the user'"'"'s lips in the corner regions of the mouth on either side, to hold the tongue forward to assist in opening the user'"'"'s airway and reducing snoring.

8. A tongue stabilising device according to claim 5 wherein at least said opening and said entry portion have a larger cross-sectional dimension across the device.

9. A tongue stabilising device according to claim 8 wherein the hollow interior of the device has a general heart shape in cross-section at said neck portion.

11. A tongue stabilising device according to claim 5 wherein one of said tabs extends from a point on the exterior of said bulb portion closer to said entry portion than the other of said tabs.

12. A tongue stabilising device according to claim 11 wherein said one of said tabs is longer than the other of said tabs.

7. A one piece tongue stabilising device formed of a resiliently flexible material and comprising of a body having a hollow interior within which the end user'"'"'s tongue fits and is held by negative pressure when the device is fitted on to the user'"'"'s tongue and which body comprises an entry portion having an opening to the hollow interior of the device and a squeezable expanded bulb portion connected by a narrower diameter neck portion;

and having a flexible wall section whereby the expanded bulb portion may be squeezed and released in application of the device to a user'"'"'s tongue to create said negative pressure which retains the device on the user'"'"'s tongue, the length dimension of the device from the opening to said entry portion to the narrowest part of said neck portion being shorter than the length dimension of the device from the narrowest part of said portion to the distal end of said bulb portion, and integrally moulded tabs extending from the bulb portion which in use engage the exterior of the user'"'"'s face or between the user'"'"'s teeth and lips, to hold the tongue forward to assist in opening the user'"'"'s airway and reducing snoring, one or both of said tabs having a hollow interior which communicates with the interior of the expanded bulb portion, said tabs comprising a first tab extending from the exterior of said expanded bulb portion substantially perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the device and a second tab extending in substantially an opposite direction to said first tab, said tabs being shaped and positioned to contact the user'"'"'s lips or between the user'"'"'s teeth and lips in a centre region of a user'"'"'s upper and lower lips but not over the user'"'"'s lips or between the user'"'"'s lips and mouth in the corner regions of the mouth on either side.

14. A tongue stabilising device according to claim 7 wherein said entry portion is tapered with a reducing diameter from said opening to said neck portion.

15. A tongue stabilising device according to claim 7 wherein at least said opening and said entry portion have a larger cross-sectional dimension across the device.

16. A tongue stabilising device according to claim 7 wherein the hollow interior of the device has a general heart shape in cross-section at said neck portion.

17. A tongue stabilsing device as claimed in claim 16 including a cut out into the side wall of the entry portion.

10. A tongue stabilising device and comprising a body having a hollow interior within which the end of a user'"'"'s tongue fits and is held by negative pressure when the device is fitted on to the user'"'"'s tongue and which body comprises an entry portion having an opening to the hollow interior of the device and a squeezable expanded bulb portion having a flexible wall section whereby the expanded bulb portion may be squeezed and released in application of the device to a user'"'"'s tongue to create said negative pressure which retains the device on the user'"'"'s tongue, the device having a part which engages the user'"'"'s face to hold the tongue forward to assist in opening the user'"'"'s airway and reducing snoring wherein said part comprises a first tab extending from the exterior of said expanded bulb portion substantially perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the device and a second tab extending in substantially an opposite direction to said first tab, the device being a one piece device moulded from a resiliently flexible material with said tabs being integrally moulded with said bulb portion and shaped and positioned to contact the user'"'"'s lips or between the user'"'"'s teeth and lips in a centre region of a user'"'"'s upper and lower lips but not over the user'"'"'s lips or between the user'"'"'s lips and mouth in the corner regions of the mouth on either side, and wherein said entry portion is connected to said expanded bulb portion by a narrower diameter neck portion with said entry portion being tapered with a reducing diameter from said opening to said neck portion, said opening and said entry portion being resiliently flexible and having a larger cross-sectional dimension across the device, the hollow interior of the device having a general heart shape in cross-section at said neck portion.

13. A tongue stabilising device as claimed in claim 10 including a cut-out into the side wall of the entry portion.

18. A tongue stabilising device according to claim 13 wherein one or both of said tabs have a hollow interior which communicates with the interior of the expanded bulb portion.

19. A tongue stabilising device according to claim 18 wherein one of said tabs extends from a point on the exterior of said bulb portion closer to said entry portion than the other of said tabs.

20. A tongue stabilising device according to claim 19 wherein said one of said tabs is longer than the other of said tabs.

21. A tongue stabilising device according to claim 18 wherein one of said tabs extends from a point on the exterior of said bulb portion closer to said entry portion than the other of said tabs.