Snore-inhibiting device
US5601093A · kind A · utility
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Apr 1, 1996 |
| Grant date | Feb 11, 1997 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Apr 1, 2016 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC A)Human Necessities
- CPC primaryA63B2071/086
- WIPO fieldMedical technology
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
A snore-inhibiting device shaped and dimensioned for comfortable installation within the mouth of a user includes a pair of cooperating jaw pieces configured to cap the upper and lower teeth-and-gum structures. The jaw pieces are held together slightly ajar by their integrally molded rearward portions. The small gap between the jaw pieces is enlarged in the frontal area by a rectangular slot through which a tip portion of the tongue can be pushed. The jaw pieces are allowed to separate even more slightly under the pressure of the tongue then to resiliently close back and capture the tip of the tongue, thus keeping the tongue slightly forward from the teeth line. The upper and lower jaw pieces are asymmetrical in order to favor a stable positioning of the device against the lower jaw. The device is made from a thermal plastic having a low melting point so that it may be conformed to the user's dental structure after softening by immersion into boiling water.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.