Snoring and sleep apnea prevention devices

Abstract

The present invention provides a snoring and sleep apnea prevention device (1) for preventing snoring and sleep apnea, comprising: a preventive device body (10) extending forward and backward, with a front end portion sandwiched between a user's upper teeth (2) and lower teeth (3) and a rear end portion extending rearward along the user's tongue (6); an upper teeth stopper jaw (20) provided on the top surface of the front end portion of the preventive device body (10) and protruding upward so as to block the user's upper teeth (2) from protruding forward; a lower teeth guide inclined portion (30) provided on the bottom surface of the front end portion of the preventive device body (10) and inclined upward as it moves forward so as to protrude further forward than the upper teeth (2) caught on the upper teeth stopper jaw (20) when the user's lower teeth (3) bite the bottom surface of the preventive device body (10); and a stopper wing (50) extended forward of the upper teeth stopper jaw (20) so as to hook on the user's lips (4, 5).

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a snoring and sleep apnea prevention device, and more specifically to a snoring and sleep apnea prevention device that is simple in structure, small in volume, easy to store, and easy to use as it can be attached by simply biting it into the user's mouth, and can be inserted into the oral cavity even if the user's upper and lower teeth are spread apart, preventing the airway from becoming blocked, thereby improving safety. [Background technology]

[0002] Generally, snoring refers to the sound generated by the vibration of the soft palate, uvula, and surrounding mucous membranes when air passes through the narrowed oral cavity due to relaxation of the oral muscles during sleep. Severe snoring not only causes loud noise but also leads to serious problems such as sleep apnea. Sleep apnea is a phenomenon in which tissues around the airway sag during sleep, blocking the airway and temporarily interrupting breathing.

[0003] These sleep disorders not only reduce the quality of sleep, causing severe sleepiness and chronic fatigue despite sufficient sleep time, but also lead to symptoms such as impaired memory and concentration due to insufficient oxygen supply to the brain. Furthermore, if these symptoms are left untreated, it can lead to cardiopulmonary complications such as high blood pressure, arrhythmia, and even sudden death. In particular, severe sleepiness has attracted social attention as it can cause serious safety accidents such as traffic accidents.

[0004] Previously, intraoral snoring prevention devices have been proposed to treat snoring and sleep apnea. However, because conventional snoring prevention devices must be secured by inserting them into both the upper and lower teeth, they are bulky, inconvenient to store, difficult to manufacture, and costly. Furthermore, they can be inconvenient to wear if the user's teeth are uneven. Furthermore, because they are individually customized to fit each individual's tooth structure, they are expensive and limit the number of people who can use them. Therefore, there is a need for a snoring and sleep apnea prevention device that is easy to store, inexpensive, and can be used by anyone. Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] The present invention has been made to solve the above problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide a snoring and sleep apnea prevention device that has a simple structure, a relatively small volume, is easy to store, does not need to be clamped between the user's upper and lower teeth, and naturally secures the airway when the user simply bites it, allowing the user to move their mouth freely during sleep, improving ease of use, prevents the airway from being blocked by the upper and lower teeth being inserted into the oral cavity even when the user's upper and lower teeth are spread apart during sleep, improving safety, can be used selectively according to the user's preferences, etc., improving ease of use, can be adjusted according to the thickness and shape of the user's lips, has excellent versatility, is structurally stronger by fitting the user's upper and lower teeth together, is made in a shape similar to the oral cavity so that the user can use it without feeling any resistance, improving ease of use, is inserted deep into the user's oral cavity to prevent it from accidentally coming out due to coughing, etc., presses on the user's tongue to prevent it from being rolled up and blocking the airway, and provides more effective ventilation, thereby effectively preventing snoring and sleep apnea. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] According to a feature of the present invention, a snoring and sleep apnea prevention device (1) for preventing snoring and sleep apnea comprises a preventive device body (10) extending forward and backward, with a front end portion sandwiched between the user's upper teeth (2) and lower teeth (3) and a rear end portion extending rearward along the user's tongue (6) to press down the tongue (6), an upper teeth stop jaw (20) provided on the top surface of the front end of the preventive device body (10) and protruding upward to prevent the user's upper teeth (2) from protruding forward, and a lower teeth stop jaw (20) provided on the bottom surface of the front end of the preventive device body (10) to prevent the user's lower teeth (3) from protruding forward. When the bottom surface of the body (10) is bitten, an upwardly inclined lower tooth guide inclined portion (30) projects forward beyond the upper teeth (2) caught in the upper teeth latching jaw (20) as it moves forward, and stopper wings (50) are provided on the preventer body (10) and extend forward beyond the upper teeth (2) caught in the upper teeth latching jaw (20), and extend inward and backward on the side of the preventer body (10) to form air passages (11, 12) through which external air passes into the user's mouth.

[0007] According to another feature of the present invention, there is provided a snoring and sleep apnea prevention device, characterized in that the stopper wing (50) has an engaging hole (51) penetrating from front to back in the middle thereof, and further has a front engaging protrusion (40) extending forward from the front surface of the preventive device main body (10) and engaging detachably with the engaging hole (51) of the stopper wing (50), and the stopper wing (50) can be attached to the front engaging protrusion (40) of the preventive device main body (10) so as to be movable forward and backward. [Effects of the Invention]

[0008] As described above, according to the present invention, unlike conventional devices that are worn to enclose the entire upper and lower teeth, the present invention has an upper teeth stopper jaw (20) that engages with the user's upper teeth (2) and a lower teeth guide slope (30) that guides the lower teeth (3) so that they protrude forward of the upper teeth (2) formed integrally on the top and bottom of the front end of the protective device main body (10) of a predetermined size, and the user simply bites down on the protective device main body (10) so that the lower teeth (3) are worn so that they naturally protrude forward of the upper teeth (2), thereby securing the airway. This makes the protective device simple in structure, easy to manufacture, compact in volume, and easy to store, and it does not need to be worn to enclose the entire upper and lower teeth separately, and can be used even if the teeth are unevenly aligned, making it usable by a wider range of people, benefiting even marginalized people, and improving usability. The protector body 10 is further provided with stopper wings 50 that extend from the front end and engage with the user's lips 4, 5, so that even if the user's upper teeth 2 and lower teeth 3 spread apart while sleeping and the upper teeth 2 separate from the upper teeth-retaining jaw 20, the stopper wings 50 remain engaged with the lips 4, 5, preventing the protector body 10 from flowing into the user's throat and blocking the airway, thereby improving safety. The stopper wings 50 are formed with fitting holes 51, and the protector body 10 is provided with front fitting protrusions 40 that detachably engage with the fitting holes 51, so that the user can selectively use the stopper wings 50 according to their preference, thereby increasing user satisfaction. In addition, since the stopper wings (50) are provided so as to be movable in front and behind the front fitting protrusion (40) of the preventive device main body (10), the position of the stopper wings (50) can be adjusted with the front fitting protrusion (40) according to the thickness and shape of the lips (4, 5) which differ from user to user, making it highly versatile.

[0009] Meanwhile, in the present invention, the protector body (10) is positioned between the user's upper and lower teeth without fitting between them, allowing the user to move their mouth freely during sleep and improving sleep quality. Furthermore, the protector body (10) is shaped similarly to the shape of the oral cavity, allowing the user to use it without feeling any resistance. Meanwhile, the protector body (10) extends forward and backward to fit within the depth of the user's oral cavity, effectively preventing protrusion of the protector body (10) due to sleep apnea or coughing during sleep, and can be used effectively for various types of sleep behavior. Meanwhile, the bottom surface of the protector body (10) presses against the tongue (6), preventing the tongue (6) from being rolled up or lifted, thereby more effectively securing the airway, further enhancing the above-mentioned effects.

[0010] Furthermore, inwardly recessed air passages (11, 12) are formed on the sides of the preventive device main body (10), allowing outside air to easily flow into the user's mouth, thereby more effectively preventing snoring and sleep apnea. In other words, the shape of each user's lips varies, and when the lips wrap around the preventive device main body (10), the inflow of outside air can be blocked. However, the air passages (11, 12) allow outside air to flow in smoothly, more effectively preventing snoring and sleep apnea. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0011] [Figure 1] 1 is a perspective view showing one embodiment of a snoring and sleep apnea prevention device according to the present invention; [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a side view showing the use state of the embodiment. [Figure 3] FIG. 2 is a plan view showing the use state of the embodiment. [Figure 4] FIG. 2 is a front view showing the use state of the embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0012] The above-mentioned objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description, in which preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0013] 1 to 4 are diagrams showing a snoring and sleep apnea prevention device according to one embodiment of the present invention. As shown in the figures, the snoring and sleep apnea prevention device (1) according to one embodiment of the present invention includes a device body (10), an upper teeth stop jaw (20), a lower teeth guide slope portion (30), and a stopper wing (50).

[0014] The preventive device main body (10) has an appropriate size so that it can be positioned on the user's tongue (6) and yet be bitten by the user with the upper teeth (2) and lower teeth (3), with the front end fitting between the user's upper teeth (2) and lower teeth (3) and the rear end extending backward along the user's tongue (6). As shown in Figure (2), the preventive device main body (10) extends forward and backward and is positioned at the back of the oral cavity, so that the preventive device main body (10) will not be expelled from the oral cavity even if the user suffers from sleep apnea or coughs during sleep.

[0015] It is preferable that the protector body (10) is formed in the same manner as the inside of the oral cavity so that the user can use it without any resistance. On the other hand, it is preferable that the protector body (10) is made to an appropriate thickness so that the bottom surface of the protector body (10) can press against the user's tongue (6). In this way, when the protector body (10) presses against the user's tongue (6), the tongue (6) is prevented from being rolled up or lifted, and the airway is more effectively secured.

[0016] Meanwhile, the upper surface of the protector body 10 can be variously modified, such as convex, concave, or flat. In this case, if the upper surface of the protector body 10 is formed in an upward convex shape, the upper teeth 2 are caught by the upper latch jaw 20, restricting not only forward protrusion but also retraction, so that when the user bites the protector body 10 in the mouth, the upper teeth 2 are fixed in a fixed position on the upper latch jaw 20. As a result, the protector body 10 is prevented from wobbling between the upper teeth 2 and lower teeth 3 as the upper teeth 2 move, allowing the user to bite the protector body 10 more stably and the protector body 10 to more closely resemble the inside of the user's mouth, i.e., the palate, making it easier for the user to use it.

[0017] In addition, the bottom surface of the protector body (10) can be variously modified, such as convex, concave, or flat. In this case, as shown in Fig. 4, the bottom surface of the protector body (10) is formed with a recess (13) that is concave and extends forward and backward so that the front and rear ends are open, and this reduces the contact area between the bottom surface of the protector body (10) and the tongue (6), thereby reducing the foreign body sensation and improving wearing comfort, as well as preventing excessive saliva production by increasing the contact area with the tongue (6), thereby preventing airway clogging due to saliva.

[0018] The upper latch jaw (20) protrudes upward from the upper surface of the front end of the protector body (10) and is engaged to prevent the user's upper teeth (2) from protruding further forward. Although not shown, a portion of the upper latch jaw (20) can extend upward so as to fully engage the upper teeth (2) or gums.

[0019] The lower tooth guide inclined portion (30) is formed so as to slope upward from the bottom surface of the front end portion of the preventer main body (10) toward the front. As shown in Figure 2, the upper end of the lower tooth guide inclined portion (30) is located forward of the upper latch jaw (20). As a result, when the user bites down on the preventer main body (10), the upper teeth (2) engage with the upper latch jaw (20), and the lower teeth (3) move forward along the lower tooth guide inclined portion (30) and protrude forward beyond the upper teeth (2) engaged in the upper latch jaw (20).

[0020] The stopper wings 50 prevent the protector body 10 from flowing into the user's throat when the user's upper teeth 2 and lower teeth 3 spread apart while sleeping with the protector body 10 in their mouth. The stopper wings 50 are located at the front of the protector body 10 and expand to catch the user's lips 4, 5. As shown in Figures 1 and 3, the stopper wings 50 are curved left and right, and when the user bites the protector body 10, they wrap around the lips 4, 5.

[0021] On the other hand, the stopper blade (50) is further formed with through holes (52, 53) on both sides of the fitting hole (51), and part of the lips (4, 5) flows into these through holes (52, 53), which can prevent the lips (4, 5) from widening to some extent.

[0022] In the snoring and sleep apnea prevention device according to one embodiment of the present invention, as shown in Figure 2, the user simply bites it into their mouth, causing their upper teeth (2) to engage with the upper teeth stopper jaw (20), and their lower teeth (3) to move forward along the lower teeth guide inclined portion (30), naturally protruding forward from the upper teeth (2), thereby ensuring a sufficient airway, thereby alleviating and preventing snoring and sleep apnea. Furthermore, because the user only needs to bite the device body (10) between their upper and lower teeth, there are no problems with conventional devices, such as the unnatural, inconvenient, or startling movement of the mouth while sleeping as the device is inserted between the upper and lower teeth. This alleviates insomnia, such as persistent sleep disruption, and improves sleep quality.

[0023] 4, the bottom surface of the preventer body (10) presses the upper surface of the user's tongue (6), preventing the tongue (6) from being rolled up and lifted during sleep, effectively preventing the tongue (6) from blocking the air vent (7) formed by the lower teeth (3) protruding forward beyond the upper teeth (2). This allows the user to breathe through the mouth even if their nose is blocked, more effectively preventing sleep apnea.

[0024] In addition, since the stopper wings (50) catch on the user's lips (4, 5), even if the upper teeth (2) and lower teeth (3) spread apart while the user is asleep and the upper teeth (2) come off the upper teeth-retaining jaw (20), the preventive device main body (10) is prevented from being sucked into the user's throat and blocking the airway, further improving safety.

[0025] The snoring and sleep apnea prevention device according to one embodiment of the present invention may further include a front engagement protrusion (40) that protrudes forward from the device body (10) and to which the stopper wing (50) is detachably connected. The bottom surface of the front engagement protrusion (40) may further include a lower teeth stop jaw (41) that engages with the user's lower teeth (3).

[0026] As in Figure 1, a fitting hole (51) penetrates the middle of the stopper wing (50) from front to back, into which the front fitting protrusion (40) of the protector main body (10) fits. In this case, the protector main body (10) is made of a material such as rubber that has a certain degree of elasticity, and the front end of the front fitting protrusion (40) of the protector main body (10) is formed with an expansion part (40a) whose diameter expands toward the front, so that when pressed into the fitting hole (51) of the stopper wing (50), it will not come off arbitrarily. In this way, by providing the stopper wing (50) detachably to the protector main body (10), users who do not want the stopper wing (50) do not have to use the stopper wing (50), and the user's preference and choice can be respected.

[0027] As shown in FIG. 2, even if the user's lower teeth (3) protrude forward beyond the upper teeth (2) along the lower tooth guide inclined portion (30) of the preventive device main body (10), the lower teeth (3) are caught by the lower tooth stop jaw (41) of the front fitting protrusion (40), so the lower teeth (3) are prevented from protruding further forward, and undue strain on the temporomandibular joint due to the lower teeth (3) protruding further forward is prevented.

[0028] 3, the stopper wings (50) can be attached so as to be movable back and forth from the front fitting protrusions (40) of the protector main body (10). This allows the stopper wings (50) to be moved back and forth from the front fitting protrusions (40) of the protector main body (10) to fit the thickness and shape of the user's lips (4, 5), making it suitable for many people with different thicknesses of lips (4, 5) and providing excellent versatility.

[0029] The snoring and sleep apnea prevention device according to one embodiment of the present invention may further include air passages (11, 12) formed on the side of the device body (10). As shown in Figure 4, the air passages (11, 12) are recessed inward from the side of the device body (10) and extend forward and backward to allow external air to quickly pass into the user's mouth. This allows air to flow through the air passages (11, 12) even when the lower teeth (3) protrude forward more than the upper teeth (2) due to the thickness of the user's lips, preventing the formation of an air vent (7) by being covered by the lips, thereby further improving the above-mentioned effect.

[0030] The present invention described above is not limited to the above-mentioned embodiments and accompanying drawings, and it is clear to those skilled in the art to which the present invention pertains that various substitutions, modifications and changes are possible within the scope that does not deviate from the technical idea of ​​the present invention.

Claims

1. A snoring and sleep apnea prevention device (1) for preventing snoring and sleep apnea, a preventive device body (10) that extends forward and backward, with its front end being sandwiched between the user's upper teeth (2) and lower teeth (3) and its rear end extending backward along the user's tongue (6) to press down the tongue (6); an upper latch jaw (20) provided on the upper surface of the front end of the protector body (10) and protruding upward to prevent the protector body (10) from moving freely between the upper teeth (2) and the lower teeth (3) while blocking the user's upper teeth (2) from protruding forward; A lower teeth guide inclined portion (30) is provided on the bottom surface of the front end of the protective device main body (10), and is inclined upward toward the front so that when the user's lower teeth (3) bite the bottom surface of the protective device main body (10), the lower teeth (3) protrude forward beyond the upper teeth (2) caught on the upper teeth stop jaw (20) to secure the airway. The preventive device includes a stopper wing (50) provided on the main body (10) and extending forward of the upper latch jaw (20) so as to rest on the user's lips (4, 5); The snoring and sleep apnea prevention device is characterized in that a long, narrow recess is formed in the front-to-back direction on the side of the preventive device body (10), and air passages (11, 12) are formed through which external air that flows into the user's oral cavity flows along the recessed area, allowing the user to freely move their upper teeth (2) and lower teeth (3) relative to one another while sleeping.

2. The snoring and sleep apnea prevention device according to claim 1, characterized in that the stopper wing (50) has a fitting hole (51) penetrating from front to back in the middle thereof, and further has a front fitting protrusion (40) extending forward from the front surface of the preventer body (10) and removably fitting into the fitting hole (51) of the stopper wing (50), and the stopper wing (50) can be attached to the front fitting protrusion (40) of the preventer body (10) so as to be movable forward and backward.

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