Swallowing air pulse therapy mouthpiece and method for the use thereof

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9693928-B2
Application number	US-201314013470-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 29, 2013
Priority date	Apr 15, 2008
Publication date	Jul 4, 2017
Grant date	Jul 4, 2017

Abstract

An oral appliance for administering a stimulus, such as a substance, to the mouth of a user includes a flexible tube having an inlet portion, a first curved portion forming an ear loop connected to the inlet portion, a second curved portion forming a lip bend connected to the first curved portion, and an outlet portion extending from the second curved portion. Alternatively, a mouthpiece for delivering a substance to the mouth of a user includes a housing having an inlet portion, a riser portion extending upwardly from the inlet portion and a curved outlet portion. A flexible tube is coupled to the housing. A method of delivering a substance to a predetermined location in a user's mouth includes disposing a flexible tube between a row of teeth and an interior surface of a cheek. The flexible tube has an exit port positioned in a rear portion of the user's mouth. No portion of the flexible tube is disposed between the upper and lower teeth of the user such that the upper and lower teeth can be closed against each other. The method further includes dispensing a substance through the exit port.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An oral appliance for use with a subject in his/her mouth comprising:
a mouthpiece comprising an oral body configured to match the curvature of the front teeth of the subject and adapted to be positioned in the subject's oral vestibule, wherein the occlusal surfaces of the subject's teeth are substantially not covered by the mouthpiece, and wherein the mouthpiece comprises a vibratory component, wherein said vibratory component comprises a compliant tube projecting from the oral body and having an inner surface and an exterior surface, wherein said compliant tube is successively expandable and contractable in response to a pressure being applied to said inner surface, wherein said exterior surface is moveable in response to said compliant tube being expanded and contracted, and wherein said exterior surface is adapted to contact and apply a vibratory stimulus to oral tissue in the mouth of the subject.

2. The oral appliance of claim 1 further comprising a pressure source communicating with said compliant tube, wherein said pressure source applies said pressure to said inner surface of said compliant tube.

3. The oral appliance of claim 2 wherein said pressure source comprises a pressurized gas, and further comprising a regulator operable to deliver said pressurized gas in pressure pulses, wherein said compliant tube is successively expandable and contractable in response to said pressure pulses.

4. The oral appliance of claim 1 wherein said vibratory component comprises a pair of said compliant tubes.

5. The oral appliance of claim 4 wherein said mouthpiece comprises a housing having an inlet portion and a pair of spaced apart outlet portions extending laterally outwardly from said inlet portion, each of said outlet portions supporting one of said compliant tubes.

6. The oral appliance of claim 5 wherein said compliant tubes extend from said inlet portion in a side-by-side relationship.

7. The oral mouthpiece of claim 1 wherein said oral mouthpiece is coated with an oral disinfectant.

8. The oral appliance of claim 1 wherein said compliant tube is free of any through holes between said interior and exterior surfaces.

9. The oral appliance of claim 1 wherein said compliant tube comprises an end portion having a fluid output port.

10. A method of stimulating a region of a user's oral cavity comprising:
positioning a vibratory component of a mouthpiece comprising an oral body configured to match the curvature of the front teeth of the user, in the user's oral vestibule, wherein the occlusal surfaces of the user's teeth are not covered by the mouthpiece, wherein said vibratory component comprises a compliant tube projecting from the oral body and having an inner surface and an exterior surface;
applying a pressure to an inner surface of said compliant tube and expanding said compliant tube; and
applying a vibratory stimulus to an oral tissue of the user with said exterior surface of said compliant tube.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein said applying said pressure to said inner surface comprises supplying said compliant tube with a pressurized gas from a pressure source.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein said supplying said compliant tube with said pressurized gas comprises delivering said pressurized gas in pressure pulses with a regulator, and wherein said expanding said compliant tube comprises expanding and contracting said compliant tube in response to said pressure pulses.

13. The method of claim 10 wherein said vibratory component comprises a pair of said compliant tubes, wherein said applying said pressure to said inner surface of said compliant tube comprises applying said pressure to said inner surface of each of said pair of compliant tubes and expanding each of said pair of said compliant tubes.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein said mouthpiece comprises a housing having an inlet portion and a pair of spaced apart outlet portions extending laterally outwardly from said inlet portion, each of said outlet portions supporting one of said pair of said compliant tubes.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein said pair of said compliant tubes extends from said inlet portion in a side-by-side relationship.

16. The method of claim 10 wherein said oral mouthpiece is coated with an oral disinfectant.

17. The method of claim 10 wherein said compliant tube is free of any through holes between said interior and exterior surfaces.

18. The method of claim 10 further comprising dispensing a substance through an output port defined by an end portion of said compliant tube.

Assignees

• Martin Ruth E
• Nuttall Michael
• Baran Michael A
• Baran George
• Finlay Bryan
• Theurer Julie
• Trotter Sarah
• Trudell Medical Int
• Univ Western Ontario

Inventors

• Martin Ruth E
• Nuttall Michael
• Baran Michael A
• Baran George
• Finlay Bryan
• Theurer Julie
• Trotter Sarah

Classifications

• A61M2202/0208

  Oxygen · CPC title

• A61M2202/025

  Helium · CPC title

• A61H13/005

  Hydraulic gum massage · CPC title

• A61M16/0666

  Nasal cannulas or tubing (devices for improving normal breathing through the nose A61F5/08; nose filters A62B23/06; outside holding devices A61M25/02) · CPC title

• A61M2210/0625

  Mouth · CPC title