Medical Bite Block with Protruding Lower Jaw for Airway Patency
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional medical bite blocks fail to prevent airway obstruction caused by the tongue falling back during endoscopic examinations under anesthesia, leading to risks of hypoxia, hypoventilation, and respiratory complications.
Innovation Solution
A medical bite block design that allows the user's lower jaw to protrude forward, creating a malposition between the upper and lower jaws, which prevents the tongue from obstructing the airway, and includes features such as separate biting grooves and passageways to facilitate oxygen intake and exhalation, ensuring unobstructed respiratory access.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the patient lies laterally to avoid airway obstruction, then airway patency is improved, but the patient cannot remain in a supine position which is required for certain endoscopic procedures
Solution Approach 1:
The bite block is divided into functional segments: an upper jaw receiving portion, a lower jaw receiving portion with protruding structure, and separate breathing channels. This segmentation allows the device to independently manage jaw positioning and airway maintenance functions, enabling the patient to remain supine while preventing tongue-induced airway obstruction through the lower jaw protruding structure
Solution Approach 2:
The bite block acts as an intermediary device between the patient's jaw structures and the airway. The lower jaw protruding structure serves as a mechanical intermediary that physically prevents the tongue from collapsing backward, thereby maintaining airway patency without requiring lateral positioning
2Ease of operation
If conventional bite blocks are used to hold the mouth open, then access for endoscope insertion is improved, but they fail to prevent tongue-induced airway obstruction
Solution Approach 1:
The bite block integrates multiple functions into a single device: it holds the mouth open for endoscope insertion (traditional function) and simultaneously prevents tongue-induced airway obstruction through its lower jaw protruding structure (additional protective function). This multi-functionality eliminates the need for separate positioning devices and provides comprehensive airway protection
Solution Approach 2:
The lower jaw protruding structure is designed in advance to preemptively prevent tongue collapse before it can obstruct the airway. By maintaining the lower jaw in a protruded position throughout the procedure, the device performs preliminary protection against airway obstruction rather than reacting to it after occurrence
3Reliability
If the lower jaw protrudes forward to prevent tongue obstruction, then airway safety is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The bite block applies local quality modification by adding a protruding structure specifically at the lower jaw receiving portion, while keeping the upper jaw receiving portion relatively simple. This localized structural enhancement provides the necessary airway protection function without requiring complex modifications throughout the entire device, thereby limiting the increase in overall device complexity
Data Source
AI summary
An integrated medical bite block is engaged by a user's teeth and installed into the user's mouth. The bite block includes a through passageway, an upper grove, and a lower grove. The through passageway is penetrating through the bite block. One end of the through passageway comprises an inlet opening, the other end comprises an oral opening. The oral opening is connected with the user's mouth. An upper surface of the bite block provides the upper grove configured for receiving one or more upper teeth (maxillary teeth) of the user, and a lower surface of the bite block provides a lower grove configured for receiving one or more lower teeth (mandibular teeth) of the user. One distance between the lower grove and the oral opening is greater than the other distance between the upper grove and the oral opening, thereby the invention serves to extend forward the mandible and reposition a malposition between the mandible and the maxilla of the user.