Oral Interface Appliance Collapsible Chamber for OSA
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current treatments for obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), such as CPAP machines, suffer from discomfort, side effects like dry throat and nose congestion, and low compliance due to their invasive and noisy nature, while existing negative pressure oral interface devices are bulky, cause tissue damage, and require customization.
Innovation Solution
A compact oral interface device that applies negative pressure to pull the tongue and soft palate forward, using a collapsible chamber and non-collapsible structure to maintain airway patency, with a design that minimizes space in the oral cavity and reduces discomfort, and includes features like adhesive patches to prevent mouth opening and gripping structures to stabilize tissues.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a negative pressure oral interface device is used to treat OSA, then airway patency is maintained, but the device occupies excessive space in the oral cavity causing discomfort and tissue damage
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements nesting by placing the collapsible chamber inside the patient's oral cavity, utilizing the existing anatomical space. The chamber can be collapsed to a compact size when not in use, and expands only when needed to apply negative pressure. This nested approach allows the device to occupy minimal space while maintaining airway patency during treatment.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs a collapsible chamber that dynamically changes volume based on operational needs. The chamber collapses to minimize oral cavity occupation during non-use periods and expands when negative pressure application is required. This dynamic behavior resolves the contradiction by allowing the device to be compact when not active while maintaining full functionality when needed.
2Reliability
If a large oral interface device is used to apply negative pressure, then airway patency is maintained, but it causes discomfort and damage to gums, teeth, and soft tissues
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by concentrating the negative pressure application to specific critical areas within the oral cavity that directly affect airway patency, rather than distributing force across large areas of gums and teeth. The collapsible chamber is positioned to apply pressure locally where it provides maximum therapeutic benefit while minimizing contact with and potential damage to surrounding soft tissues and dental structures.
3Reliability
If a customized oral interface device is used for each patient, then treatment effectiveness is improved, but manufacturing complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements universality by designing a standardized collapsible chamber device that can be used across multiple patients with different anatomies. The device incorporates adjustable features and flexible positioning capabilities that allow it to adapt to various oral cavity shapes and sizes without requiring complete customization for each patient. This universal design maintains treatment effectiveness while significantly simplifying manufacturing and reducing costs.
4Volume of moving object
If a compact oral interface device is used, then space in the oral cavity is minimized, but maintaining negative pressure becomes more difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces traditional mechanical vacuum pump systems with a more compact, integrated pressure maintenance mechanism within the collapsible chamber. The chamber's flexible walls and one-way valve system passively maintain negative pressure through respiratory pressure differentials, eliminating the need for large external pumps. This substitution enables compact device design while reliably maintaining the required negative pressure for airway patency.
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 maintains airway patency during sleep, reduces the discomfort and tissue damage associated with existing solutions, and improves compliance by being more energy-efficient and quieter, while being adaptable to individual anatomy.
Implementation Method 1
a collapsible chamber (120), with one end in fluid communication with the other end of the connecting tube (110) in relative to the negative pressure source
Data Source
Figure 1A~1B
Figure 2A~2E
Figure 3A~3E
AI summary
This invention provides an oral interface mainly including a connecting channel, a collapsible chamber and a non-collapsible structure disposed inside the collapsible chamber. The connecting channel communicates between the collapsible chamber and a negative source. When a negative pressure environment is generated inside the collapsible chamber via being pumped by the negative pressure source, the non-collapsible structure supports the collapsible chamber so that there are fluid channels formed inside the collapsible chamber. The air inside a user's oral cavity can be pumped out via the fluid channels and the connecting channel. A negative pressure environment is hence formed inside the user's oral cavity.