Improvements to Dental Splints for Treatment of Snoring or Sleep Apnoea
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing dental splints for treating snoring and sleep apnea face issues such as cumbersome operation, temperamental plug and socket sets, risk of disengagement, bacterial fouling, and discomfort due to protrusion, which are exacerbated by small size and material degradation.
Innovation Solution
A plug and socket set with resiliently deformable engagement portions forming a snap-fit connection, featuring a sealing abutment and drainage aperture to prevent bacterial accumulation, and adjustable mandibular advancement through interchangeable plugs.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If an interference fit system is used for plug and socket connection, then the connection is secure, but the operation becomes cumbersome and difficult for less dexterous persons
Solution Approach 1:
The connection system is divided into distinct plug and socket components with specific engagement features. The socket includes an engagement portion with resilient jaws that can independently deform to grip the plug, separating the joining and securing functions into distinct mechanical actions that are easier to operate than a monolithic interference fit.
Solution Approach 2:
The engagement portion of the socket utilizes resiliently deformable jaws that change their physical state from rigid to flexible during engagement, then return to a gripping state. This parameter change allows the socket to easily accommodate the plug during insertion while maintaining a secure grip afterward, and can be released by applying force to deform the jaws open.
2Duration of action of stationary object
If the plug and socket rely on friction to remain in interference fit, then the connection is maintainable, but material degradation causes plugs to fall out creating choking hazard
Solution Approach 1:
The engagement features utilize curved and contoured surfaces including resilient jaws that wrap around the plug. This curved geometry creates mechanical interlocking and friction-based holding that is more resistant to material degradation over time compared to simple flat interference surfaces, while maintaining secure connection.
Solution Approach 2:
The design allows for easy replacement of the plug component if it becomes worn or degraded. The simple, standardized plug and socket interface enables quick swapping without requiring complex tools or procedures, effectively managing the limited lifespan of the friction-based connection through replaceability rather than attempting indefinite durability.
3Ease of operation
If the socket has an aperture for plug insertion, then the plug can be engaged, but bacteria and foodstuffs can ingress causing foul odour and increased friction
Solution Approach 1:
The socket aperture is designed with specific local characteristics including its position, size, and orientation within the dental splint structure. The aperture is located to minimize exposure to foodstuffs while maintaining accessibility for plug insertion. The engagement portion is positioned deeper within the socket to reduce direct exposure to oral cavity contaminants.
Solution Approach 2:
The resilient engagement jaws act as flexible elements that can deform during plug insertion and then maintain a tight grip around the plug. This flexible mechanism allows for easy insertion while creating a sealed interface that prevents bacterial and foodstuff ingress around the plug-s socket interface during normal use.
4Adaptability or versatility
If the plug protrudes through the socket, then the connection is visible and can be adjusted, but it creates discomfort for the patient
Solution Approach 1:
The plug is designed to be nested within the socket aperture when engaged, with the plug head fitting inside the socket structure rather than protruding outward. This nesting arrangement maintains adjustability through the ability to remove and replace plugs of different sizes while eliminating the discomfort caused by protruding elements in the patient's mouth.
Solution Approach 2:
The adjustment mechanism operates in the dimension of plug size selection rather than plug position protrusion. Different plug head sizes are available to achieve the desired mandibular advancement, and these size variations are accommodated within the socket's internal dimensions without requiring the plug to protrude externally, thus maintaining adjustability while reducing patient discomfort.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enhances user-friendly operation, reduces bacterial fouling, and ensures secure mandibular advancement, thereby effectively treating snoring and sleep apnea while minimizing discomfort and choking hazards.
Implementation Method 1
at least one of the first and second engagement portions are resiliently deformable to enable releasable interengagement therebetween when the first engagement portion is received within the aperture
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention relates to a plug and socket set for use in a mandibular advancement splint in the treatment of snoring or sleep apnoea, the plug having a head for engagement with a mandibular abutment and the head having two prongs projecting therefrom, the socket having a substantially blind aperture configured to receive the two prongs with at least one clearance, and a crosspiece that spans the aperture for an interengagement with the two prongs, wherein the two prongs can interengage with the crosspiece to form a snap fit connection whereby a first surface and a second surface are substantially sealably mated with one another.