Device, system, and method for determination of oral/lip stiffness

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9351667-B2
Application number	US-201013392064-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 26, 2010
Priority date	Aug 26, 2009
Publication date	May 31, 2016
Grant date	May 31, 2016

Abstract

A device for measuring orofacial stiffness in a subject can include: two lip saddle attachment components configured for attachment to the lip saddles of a patients mouth; two elongate members, each being coupled with one of the lip saddle attachment components; a pivot member that couples the two elongate members at a pivot point opposite from the two lip saddle attachment components; an electronic sensor configured to sense the stiffness of the lips by sensing movement of the elongate members with respect to the pivot point, where the electronic sensor is operably coupled to each of the elongate members; and a pressure component configured move with respect to the pivot point so as to provide pressure to and/or receive pressure from the lip saddle attachment components.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A device for measuring orofacial stiffness in a subject having lips, the device comprising:
two lip saddle attachment components configured for attachment to the lip saddles of the subject's mouth;
two elongate members comprised of a first elongate member and a second elongate member, each being coupled with one of the lip saddle attachment components;
a pivot member that couples the two elongate members at a pivot point at a distance from the two lip saddle attachment components;
an electronic sensor mounted between the two elongate members and configured to sense stiffness of the subject's lips by sensing movement of the elongate members with respect to the pivot point, where the electronic sensor is coupled to each of the elongate members; and
a pressure component mounted between the two elongate members and configured to move with respect to the pivot point so as to provide pressure-actuated displacement to increase a horizontal lip aperture of the subject's lips and/or receive pressure from the lip saddle attachment components,
wherein one of the electronic sensor or pressure component is directly coupled to two movable coupling members comprised of a first movable coupling member and a second movable coupling member and the other of the electronic sensor or pressure component is indirectly coupled to the two movable coupling members, wherein the first movable coupling member is coupled to the first elongate member and the second movable coupling member is coupled to the second elongate member, and the first movable coupling member and second movable coupling member being coupled to opposite ends of the one of the electronic sensor or pressure component.

2. A device as in claim 1 , further comprising:
an electrode system for measuring changes in an orbicularis oris superior (OOS) and orbicularis oris inferior (OOI) of the subject, which electrode system being configured for determining whether the subject is actively moving, holding or tensing the lips.

3. A device as in claim 2 , the electrode system further comprising an electrode pair for monitoring the OOS, an electrode pair for monitoring the OOI, and a reference electrode.

4. A device as in claim 3 , further comprising a bite block.

5. A device as in claim 4 , further comprising an anchor configured for anchoring the device to the subject.

6. A device as in claim 5 , wherein the anchor is configured as a chin anchor or nose anchor.

7. A device as in claim 6 , further comprising a computer system capable of being in communication with the sensor and the pressure component, and with the electrode system.

8. A device as in claim 7 , characterized by at least one of the following:
the two lip saddle attachment components each include a feature configured for attachment to the lip saddles of the subject's mouth;
the two elongate members form an even arm cantilever in a “X” shape or a “V” shape;
the pivot point forms an intersection of the two elongate members;
the electronic sensor is a differential variable reluctance transducer; and
the pressure component is a pressure actuator.

9. A device as in claim 8 , wherein one or more of the two lip saddle attachments components has an adjustment mechanism configured for widening or shortening distance between the features configured for attachment to the two lip saddles.

10. A device as in claim 9 , wherein the electronic sensor and the pressure component each have elongate bodies so as to extend the elongate bodies between the elongate members so that opposite ends of the elongate bodies are coupled to the elongate members through the movable coupling members.

11. A device as in claim 1 , wherein the pressure component is a pressure actuator.

12. A device as in claim 11 , further comprising a pressure generating component operably coupled to the pressure component.

13. A device as in claim 12 , wherein the sensor is mounted on the pressure component and the pressure component is directly coupled to the elongate members through the two movable coupling members.

14. A device as in claim 12 , wherein the sensor is coupled to both of the elongate members through the movable coupling members.

15. A system for measuring orofacial stiffness in a subject, the system comprising:
a device of claim 1 ;
a bite block;
an anchor coupled with the device, said anchor configured for anchoring the device to the subject;
an electrode system having an electrode pair for monitoring changes in an orbicularis oris superior (OOS) of the subject, an electrode pair for monitoring changes in an orbicularis oris inferior (OOI) of the subject, and a reference electrode; and
a computer system in communication with the pressure component, the electronic sensor, and the electrode system so as to be capable of receiving and/or transmitting data therebetween.

16. A system as in claim 15 , further comprising an adhesive member configured for adhering the anchor to the subject.

17. A system as in claim 16 , wherein the anchor is a chin anchor or a nose anchor.

18. A system as in claim 17 , characterized by one or more of the following:
the pressure component being a pressure actuator that is fluidly coupled to a pressure generating device;
the sensor being mounted on the pressure component;
the sensor being in communication with a data conditioning device;
the data conditioning device being in communication with the computer system;
the electrode system being in communication with an EMG amplifier;
the EMG amplifier being in communication with the computer system;
the pressure actuator being in communication with a pressure sensor;
the pressure generating device being in communication with the pressure sensor and;
the pressure sensor being in communication with a bridge amplifier.

19. A system as in claim 18 , further comprising a caliper measuring device.

20. A method of measuring orofacial stiffness in a subject, the method comprising:
providing the system in claim 15 ;
attaching the OOS and OOI electrodes to skin associated with the OOS and OOI, respectively;
attaching the reference electrode to the skin in a location not associated with the OOS or OOI;
measuring a mouth length between the lip saddles of the subject with a caliper measuring device;
determining a resting distance between the lip saddles of the subject;
adjusting the lip saddle attachment components to correspond with the resting distance between the lip saddles;
attaching the lip saddle attachment components to the lip saddles of the subject;
placing the bite bock in the subject's mouth;
operating the computer system to record data;
increasing pressure in the pressure component to stretch the lip saddles apart;
allowing the lip saddles to recoil; and
recording and/or manipulating data related to stretching and recoiling of the lip saddles with the computer system.

21. A method as in claim 20 , further comprising one or more of the following:
instructing the subject to remain speechless and motionless, and relax the lips without movement or pressure;
manually pressurizing the pressure component so as to stretch the lip saddles;
allowing the two elongate members of the device to return to an original resting position;
measuring an interangle oral aperture at rest;
estimating a resting muscle length of the lips;
completing measurement of lip stiffness in 2 minutes or less;
digitizing data from the pressure component and the electronic sensor;
calculating stiffness coe

Assignees

• Barlow Steven
• Kieweg Douglas S
• Univ Kansas

Inventors

• Barlow Steven
• Kieweg Douglas S

Classifications

• A61B5/6819

  Nose · CPC title

• A61B5/228

  of masticatory organs, e.g. detecting dental force · CPC title

• A61B5/4088

  Diagnosing of monitoring cognitive diseases, e.g. Alzheimer, prion diseases or dementia · CPC title

• A61B5/0488

  Human Necessities · mapped topic

• A61B5/4082

  Diagnosing or monitoring movement diseases, e.g. Parkinson, Huntington or Tourette · CPC title