Tongue retainer

Abstract

A tongue grasping and restraining device holds the tongue securely during sleep in order to minimize the risk of the tongue slipping back and blocking the throat, a condition known as obstructive sleep apnea. Plural tongue gripping projections are coupled to upper and lower supports. The projections engage and hold the tongue. One or more of the upper and lower supports are biased together into a tongue engaging position. A tongue depressor can extend rearwardly and downwardly from the upper support to depress the user's tongue to further open the user's airway. The position of the tongue depressor can be adjustable. The upper support is coupled to the user's upper jaw, for example, to a denture, dental appliance or other form of an upper jaw coupler and can be pivoted thereto. The lower support can be hinged to, fixed to, or otherwise joined to a lower jaw coupler. A tube and rod mechanism in one embodiment couples the upper and lower jaw couplers together.

1 . An apparatus for grasping and restraining the tongue of a user, the user having a mouth, a tongue with a tongue front portion and a tongue rear portion, a tongue upper surface, a tongue lower surface, an upper jaw with first and second jaw sides with upper teeth projecting downwardly from the first and second jaw sides, and a lower jaw; the apparatus comprising:
 a first upper support;   the first upper support comprising an upper support body portion comprising an upper surface, a lower surface, a front, a rear, and first and second sides, the first upper support also comprising a first tongue gripping surface, the first tongue gripping surface comprising a plurality of first tongue engaging projections that extend from the lower surface of the upper support body portion and that are adapted to extend toward and engage the tongue upper surface when the apparatus is worn by a user;   an upper jaw coupler comprising first and second side portions each with a buccal side and a lingual side, the first side portion being shaped and adapted to receive upper teeth of a user at the first jaw side when the apparatus is worn by a user, the second side portion being shaped and adapted to receive upper teeth of the user at the second jaw side when the apparatus is worn by a user;   a pivot coupling the upper support body portion to the upper jaw coupler such that the upper support body portion is pivotal toward and away from the upper jaw coupler and thereby toward and away from the upper jaw of a user wearing the apparatus;   a second lower support comprising an upper surface, and a second tongue gripping surface, the second tongue gripping surface comprising a plurality of second tongue engaging projections that extend from the upper surface of the lower support and that are adapted to extend toward and engage the tongue lower surface when the apparatus is worn by a user;   a lower jaw coupler adapted to couple the second lower support to the lower jaw of the user; and   at least one biasing member coupled to the upper jaw coupler and to the first upper support and adapted to apply a biasing force to the first upper support to bias the movement of the first upper support and the first tongue gripping surface away from the upper jaw coupler and toward the second tongue gripping surface, the first tongue gripping surface in response to the biasing force moving toward the second tongue gripping surface and the first and second tongue gripping surfaces being adapted to grasp the tongue of a user wearing the apparatus with the tongue positioned between the first and second tongue gripping surfaces.   
     
     
         2 . An apparatus according to  claim 1  wherein the pivot comprises first and second spaced apart pivot end portions, the first pivot end portion pivotally coupled to the upper support body portion and a second end portion pivotally connected to the upper jaw coupler. 
     
     
         3 . An apparatus according to  claim 1  wherein the pivot comprises a tether pivotally coupling the upper support body portion to the upper jaw coupler, the tether comprising first and second tether end portions, the first tether end portion being connected to a portion of the front of the upper jaw coupler and the second tether end portion being connected to a portion of the first upper support at a location intermediate to the front and rear of the upper support body portion, the tether coupling the upper support body portion to the upper jaw coupler such that both the front and rear of the upper support body portion are movable upwardly and downwardly relative to the upper jaw coupler 
     
     
         4 . An apparatus according to  claim 1  comprising first and second telescoping mechanisms positioned along respective sides of the upper and lower jaw couplers, each of the first and second telescoping mechanisms comprising first and second end portions, the first end portion being coupled to the upper jaw coupler and the second end portion being coupled to the lower jaw coupler. 
     
     
         5 . An apparatus according to  claim 1  wherein the at least one biasing member comprises at least one biasing band coupled to the upper jaw coupler and coupled to the upper surface of the upper support body portion, the at least one biasing band applying a applying a biasing force to the upper surface of the upper support body portion. 
     
     
         6 . An apparatus according to  claim 5  wherein the upper jaw coupler comprises first and second side portions each with a buccal side and a lingual side and with a downwardly facing upper coupler biting surface, the upper support body portion having an upper surface and being positioned inwardly of the lingual sides of the first and second side portions, the biasing band extending from a rear portion of the buccal side of the first side portion of the upper jaw coupler, across the downwardly facing upper coupler biting surface of the first side portion of the upper jaw coupler across the upper surface of the upper support body portion, across the downwardly facing upper coupler biting surface of the second side portion of the upper jaw coupler and to a rear portion of the buccal side of the second side portion of the upper jaw coupler. 
     
     
         7 . An apparatus according to  claim 1  comprising a tongue depressor coupled to the upper support body portion and projecting rearwardly and downwardly from the upper support body portion, the tongue depressor comprising a tongue engaging portion adapted to engage the tongue upper surface when the apparatus is worn by a user. 
     
     
         8 . An apparatus according to  claim 7  wherein the tongue depressor comprises an arm comprising a first end portion slidably coupled to the upper support body portion and a second distal end portion, wherein the tongue engaging portion comprises a tongue engager mounted to the second distal end portion, the arm being slidable to a position at which the tongue engager is positioned rearwardly of the upper jaw coupler and downwardly below the lower surface of the first upper support. 
     
     
         9 . An apparatus according to  claim 7  wherein the tongue depressor comprises an arm with a first arm end portion coupled to the upper support body portion and a second distal arm end portion spaced rearwardly from the upper support body portion, and wherein the tongue engaging portion comprises a tongue engager adapted to engage the tongue upper surface when the apparatus is worn by a user, wherein the tongue engager comprises first and second tongue engaging elements offset from the center of the arm. 
     
     
         10 . An apparatus according to  claim 7  wherein the arm comprises a bendable material that retains a position to which it is bent, wherein bending the elongated arm downwardly relative to the upper support body portion shifts and positions the tongue engaging portion downwardly relative to the rear of the upper support body portion and bending the elongated arm upwardly relative to the upper support body portion shifts and positions the tongue engaging portion upwardly relative to the rear of the upper support body portion. 
     
     
         11 . An apparatus for grasping and restraining the tongue of a user, the user having a mouth, a tongue with a tongue front portion and a tongue rear portion, a tongue upper surface, a tongue lower surface, an upper jaw and a lower jaw with first and second lower jaw sides, the apparatus comprising:
 a first upper support;   the first upper support comprising a first tongue gripping surface, the first tongue gripping surface comprising a plurality of tongue engaging projections that extend downwardly from the first upper support and that are adapted to extend toward the tongue upper surface of a user wearing the apparatus;   an upper jaw coupler adapted to couple the first upper support to the upper jaw of a user wearing the apparatus;   a second lower support;   the second lower support comprising a second tongue gripping surface, the second tongue gripping surface comprising a plurality of tongue engaging projections that extend upwardly from the second lower support and that are adapted to extend toward the tongue lower surface of a user wearing the apparatus;   a lower jaw coupler adapted to couple the second lower support to the lower jaw of the user;   at least one biasing member coupled to the first upper support that applies a biasing force to the first upper support to bias the first tongue gripping surface toward the second tongue gripping surface, the first tongue gripping surface being adapted, in response to the biasing force to grasp a portion of the tongue of a user wearing the apparatus that is positioned between the first and second tongue gripping surfaces; and   a tongue depressor comprising an arm comprising a first arm end portion coupled to the upper support body portion and a second distal arm end portion, the tongue depressor comprising a tongue engagement portion carried by the second distal arm end portion, the second distal arm end portion supporting the tongue engagement portion at a location positioned rearwardly of and downwardly from the upper support body portion.   
     
     
         12 . An apparatus according to  claim 11  wherein the first arm end portion is movably coupled to the upper support body portion for respective movement of the first arm end portion relative to the first upper support in a front to rear direction, in a rear to front direction, and in upward and downward directions to thereby adjust the position of the second distal arm end portion and tongue engagement portion relative to the first upper support body portion. 
     
     
         13 . An apparatus according to  claim 11  wherein the tongue depressor wherein the first arm end portion is slidably coupled to the first upper support. 
     
     
         14 . An apparatus according to  claim 11  wherein the tongue engagement portion comprises first and second tongue engaging elements supported by the second distal arm end portion on opposite sides of the center of the second distal arm end portion. 
     
     
         15 . An apparatus according to  claim 11  wherein the arm comprises a bendable material, wherein bending the elongated arm downwardly relative to the first upper support shifts the tongue engaging portion downwardly to a first position and bending the arm upwardly relative to the upper support shifts the tongue engager upwardly to a second position spaced from the first position. 
     
     
         16 . An upper jaw assembly for an apparatus for grasping and restraining the tongue of a user, the user having a tongue with a tongue front portion, a tongue rear portion, a tongue upper surface, a tongue lower surface, an upper jaw with first and second jaw sides with upper teeth projecting downwardly from the first and second sides of the upper jaw, the assembly comprising:
 a first upper support;   the first upper support comprising an upper support body portion comprising an upper surface, a lower surface, a front, a rear, and first and second sides, the first upper support also comprising a first tongue gripping surface, the first tongue gripping surface comprising a plurality of tongue engaging projections that extend from the lower surface of the upper support body portion and are adapted to extend toward and engage the tongue upper surface when the apparatus is worn by a user;   an upper jaw coupler comprising first and second side portions each with a buccal side and a lingual side, the first side portion comprising a first upper teeth receiving portion and the second side portion comprising a second upper teeth receiving portion; and   a pivot that pivotally couples the upper support body portion to the upper jaw coupler such that the upper support body portion is movable relative to the upper jaw coupler.   
     
     
         17 . An upper jaw assembly according to  claim 16  wherein the pivot comprises first and second pivot end portions, the first pivot end portion coupled to the upper jaw coupler and the second pivot end portion coupled to the upper support body portion at a location inwardly of the lingual sides of the first and second side portions, the pivot coupling the upper support body portion to the upper jaw coupler such that both the front and rear of the upper support body portion are movable upwardly and downwardly relative to the upper jaw coupler. 
     
     
         18 . An apparatus according to  claim 16  comprising a tongue depressor coupled to the upper support body portion and projecting rearwardly and downwardly from the upper support body portion. 
     
     
         19 . An apparatus according to  claim 18  wherein the tongue depressor comprises a tongue engager and wherein the tongue depressor is slidably coupled to the first upper support. 
     
     
         20 . An apparatus according to  claim 16  wherein the upper jaw coupler comprises a front portion, wherein the pivot comprises a tether pivotally connecting the upper support body portion to the front portion of the upper jaw coupler, the tether being connected to the first upper support at a location intermediate to the front and rear of the upper support body portion.