U-Shaped Oral Hydration Tray With Controlled Drip Delivery
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Solution Overview
Problem
Dry mouth, or xerostomia, affects a significant portion of the population, particularly the elderly, causing discomfort and increasing the risk of halitosis and cavities, and existing solutions do not effectively address the issue during sleep.
Innovation Solution
A U-shaped dry mouth hydrating device with a cavity and tubing system that delivers a hydrating liquid over the tongue at a controlled rate, mimicking saliva pH, allowing for continuous hydration during sleep.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a dry mouth hydrating device is used during sleep, then mouth hydration is maintained and xerostomia is treated, but the device complexity increases due to the need for controlled liquid delivery
Solution Approach 1:
The device is divided into distinct functional components: a reservoir for liquid storage, a delivery system with controlled aperture, and a positioning structure with teeth engagement. This segmentation allows each component to perform its specific function efficiently while keeping the overall design manageable and manufacturable.
Solution Approach 2:
The device utilizes the user's own anatomy (teeth and mouth structure) to maintain positioning and control liquid delivery. The teeth engagement features automatically position the device, and the controlled aperture uses the natural oral environment to regulate liquid flow, eliminating the need for complex external control mechanisms.
2Duration of action of moving object
If liquid is delivered at a controlled rate over several hours, then continuous hydration is achieved, but the device structure becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The liquid delivery occurs through periodic dripping at a controlled rate rather than continuous flow. The aperture size and liquid viscosity are designed to create intermittent drops that accumulate and deliver hydration over the sleep period, achieving extended duration without requiring complex pumping or timing mechanisms.
Solution Approach 2:
The device controls delivery rate by changing physical parameters of the liquid delivery system - specifically aperture size and liquid viscosity - rather than using active control mechanisms. This passive parameter-based control maintains simple device structure while achieving controlled delivery over several hours.
3Reliability
If the device is retained within the oral cavity during sleep, then effective treatment is provided, but comfort and ease of operation may be reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The device is designed to conform to the natural anatomy of the oral cavity, with the tray shape matching the dental arch and engagement features fitting between teeth. This anatomical matching creates a neutral, comfortable position that maintains device retention without requiring active user effort or causing discomfort during sleep.
Solution Approach 2:
The device utilizes a thin, flexible tray structure that can conform to the individual user's dental arch shape. This flexibility allows the device to adapt to the oral cavity geometry, providing secure retention while maintaining comfort and ease of insertion and removal.
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
The device effectively prevents and treats xerostomia by maintaining mouth hydration for several hours, reducing discomfort and risk of oral infections, and can be designed for single use or refilling.
Implementation Method 1
Tubing, e.g., macro drip tubing, can be provided between the first aperture and the cavity for allowing the liquid to flow out of the cavity at a desired rate
Data Source
AI summary
A dry mouth hydrating device includes a generally U-shaped tray having a base and two parallel arms extending from the base; a cavity defined within the tray providing a reservoir for the placement of a liquid; a first aperture defined in the base of the tray, in communication with the cavity; and tubing provided between the first aperture and the cavity for allowing the liquid to flow out of the cavity at a desired rate. The tray is adapted to surround the upper teeth of the wearer and to be retained within the oral cavity along the dental arch between the lips and gums. Once positioned on the upper teeth of the wearer, liquid can drip from the cavity over the tongue of a user wearing the device for treating or preventing xerostomia. A second, resealable aperture may be defined in communication with the cavity to allow the cavity to be refilled.