US-20260124067-A1 - Oral Positioning Device

US20260124067A1US 20260124067 A1US20260124067 A1US 20260124067A1US-20260124067-A1

Abstract

An oral positioning device is provided to solve the problem of surgical risks associated with the conventional method of improving sleep apnea. The oral positioning device includes an upper positioning cover, a lower positioning cover, and two positioning members respectively connected to the upper positioning cover and the lower positioning cover. The upper positioning cover includes a groove, and an outer sidewall and an inner sidewall are respectively located on two opposite sides of the groove of the upper positioning cover. The lower positioning cover includes a groove, and an outer sidewall and an inner sidewall are respectively located on two opposite sides of the groove of the lower positioning cover. The lower positioning cover protrudes beyond the upper positioning cover by a protruding distance. The oral positioning device can prevent the user from breathing obstruction caused by tongue base muscles during sleep.

Inventors

TUNG-LIN TSAI
Chun-Chieh Tseng
Yu-Sheng Lin
Li-Wen Weng
Bang-Sia Chen
YIN-TZU CHEN
Yue-Jun Wang
Pei-Hua Wang

Assignees

METAL INDUSTRIES RESEARCH & DEVELOPMENT CENTRE

Dates

Publication Date: 20260507
Application Date: 20241104

Claims (11)

1 . An oral positioning device comprising: an upper positioning cover including a groove, wherein an outer sidewall and an inner sidewall are respectively located on two opposite sides of the groove of the upper positioning cover; a lower positioning cover including a groove, wherein an outer sidewall and an inner sidewall are respectively located on two opposite sides of the groove of the lower positioning cover; and two positioning members respectively connected to the upper positioning cover and the lower positioning cover, wherein the lower positioning cover protrudes beyond the upper positioning cover by a protruding distance.
2 . The oral positioning device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the two positioning members are respectively connected to the outer sidewall of the upper positioning cover and the outer sidewall of the lower positioning cover.
3 . The oral positioning device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the two positioning members are respectively connected to the inner sidewall of the upper positioning cover and the inner sidewall of the lower positioning cover.
4 . The oral positioning device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein each of the two positioning members includes a first connecting section and a second connecting section, wherein the first connecting section is connected to the upper positioning cover, and wherein the second connecting section is connected to the lower positioning cover.
5 . The oral positioning device as claimed in claim 4 , wherein the first connecting section includes a coupling hole coupled with a peg on the outer sidewall of the upper positioning cover, and wherein the second connecting section includes a coupling hole coupled with a peg on the outer sidewall of the lower positioning cover.
6 . The oral positioning device as claimed in claim 4 , wherein each of the two positioning members further includes an elastic portion interconnected between the first connecting section and the second connecting section, wherein the first connecting section and the second connecting section move toward each other when the elastic portion deforms elastically, and wherein the first connecting section and the second connecting section move away from each other under an elastic returning force of the elastic portion.
7 . The oral positioning device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the upper positioning cover and the lower positioning cover have a symmetric central line in a protruding direction, and wherein the outer sidewall of the lower positioning cover on the symmetric central line is spaced from the outer sidewall of the upper positioning cover by the protruding distance along the protruding direction.
8 . The oral positioning device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the protruding distance is 3-5 mm.
9 . The oral positioning device as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising a tongue pressing member disposed on the upper positioning cover or the lower positioning cover.
10 . The oral positioning device as claimed in claim 9 , wherein the tongue pressing member includes a plurality of flow guiding holes.
11 . The oral positioning device as claimed in claim 9 , wherein the tongue pressing member is disposed on the upper positioning cover and includes a limiting portion, and wherein the tongue pressing member protrudes toward the lower positioning cover, such that the limiting portion is located in an area surrounded by the lower positioning cover.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a medical device and, more particularly, to an oral positioning device for fixing the positions of upper and lower jaws. 2. Description of the Related Art The major causes of sleep apnea include a narrow airway which is inherent or caused by obesity, or collapse of the tongue base muscles resulting from insufficient muscle tension in the airway. Thus, the airway is blocked, resulting in breathing obstruction. A patient suffering from sleep apnea snores and, thus, adversely affects the sleep quality of the patient and the person sleeping beside the patient. Therefore, the patient may suffer from drowsiness in the daytime and reduced concentration and, in severe cases, may even cause sudden death due to apnea during the sleep period. A currently available solution for treating sleep apnea is removing a portion of muscles through surgery. However, infection is apt to occur due to the surgery. Thus, it is necessary to improve the conventional methods for improving sleep apnea. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION To solve the above problems, it is an objective of the present invention to provide an oral positioning device through a non-surgical approach to avoid airway blockage caused by the tongue base muscles. As used herein, the term “a”, “an” or “one” for describing the number of the elements and members of the present invention is used for convenience, provides the general meaning of the scope of the present invention, and should be interpreted to include one or at least one. Furthermore, unless explicitly indicated otherwise, the concept of a single component also includes the case of plural components. As used herein, the term “engagement”, “coupling”, “assembly”, or similar terms is used to include separation of connected members without destroying the members after connection or inseparable connection of the members after connection. A person having ordinary skill in the art would be able to select according to desired demands in the material or assembly of the members to be connected. An oral positioning device according to the present invention includes an upper positioning cover, a lower positioning cover, and two positioning members respectively connected to the upper positioning cover and the lower positioning cover. The upper positioning cover includes a groove, and an outer sidewall and an inner sidewall are respectively located on two opposite sides of the groove of the upper positioning cover. The lower positioning cover includes a groove, and an outer sidewall and an inner sidewall are respectively located on two opposite sides of the groove of the lower positioning cover. The lower positioning cover protrudes beyond the upper positioning cover by a protruding distance. Thus, in the oral positioning device according to the present invention, by providing the upper positioning cover and the lower positioning cover respectively disposed on the upper row of teeth and the lower row of teeth of the user, the two positioning members may position the upper positioning cover and the lower positioning cover, such that the lower positioning cover protrudes beyond the upper positioning cover in the protruding direction. Thus, the lower jaw of the user protrudes beyond the upper jaw of the user, such that the tongue base muscles behind the lower jaw are remote from the airway. Therefore, by fixing the oral positioning device in the oral cavity of the user, the user is prevented from breathing obstruction caused by the tongue base muscles during sleep, thereby avoiding airway blockage resulting in breathing obstruction. In an example, the two positioning members are respectively connected to the outer sidewall of the upper positioning cover and the outer sidewall of the lower positioning cover. Therefore, the two positioning members can fix the upper positioning cover and the lower positioning cover to provide a positioning effect. In an example, the two positioning members are respectively connected to the inner sidewall of the upper positioning cover and the inner sidewall of the lower positioning cover. Therefore, the two positioning members can fix the upper positioning cover and the lower positioning cover to provide a positioning effect. In an example, each of the two positioning members includes a first connecting section and a second connecting section. The first connecting section is connected to the upper positioning cover. The second connecting section is connected to the lower positioning cover. Therefore, a predetermined spacing is maintained between the upper positioning cover and the lower positioning cover. In an example, the first connecting section includes a coupling hole coupled with a peg on the outer sidewall of the upper positioning cover. The second connecting section includes a coupling hole coupled with a peg on the outer sidewall of the lower positioning cover. Therefore, a predetermined spacing is mainta