US 12,257,176 B2
Adjustable oral devices for preventing or reducing snoring or obstructive sleep apnea (OSA)
Richard Wiffen, Ellesmere Port (GB)
Assigned to Aria Healthcare Limited, Ellesmere Port (GB)
Filed by Aria Healthcare Limited, Ellesmere Port (GB)
Filed on Jun. 21, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/352,452.
Application 17/352,452 is a continuation of application No. 15/741,699, granted, now 11,051,973, previously published as PCT/GB2016/052059, filed on Jul. 8, 2016.
Claims priority of application No. 1511916 (GB), filed on Jul. 8, 2015; application No. 1601449 (GB), filed on Jan. 26, 2016; and application No. 1602386 (GB), filed on Feb. 10, 2016.
Prior Publication US 2021/0307956 A1, Oct. 7, 2021
Int. Cl. A61F 5/56 (2006.01); A61C 7/08 (2006.01); A61F 5/58 (2006.01)
CPC A61F 5/566 (2013.01) [A61F 5/56 (2013.01); A61F 5/58 (2013.01); A61C 7/08 (2013.01)] 12 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An oral device comprising a first tray portion (16) configured for receiving at least a portion of an upper dental arch of an oral cavity of a wearer and a second tray portion (14) configured for receiving at least a portion of a lower dental arch of the oral cavity of the wearer, the first and second tray portions (14, 16) connected by two foldable flexible members or sections (18, 20) which are integrally formed with the first and second tray portions, the foldable flexible members or sections and the first and second tray portions further comprising mating means adapted to engage with each other;
wherein the first and second tray portions (14, 16) together with the foldable flexible members or sections (18, 20) are capable of assuming a folded configuration within the oral cavity; and
associated with each of the foldable flexible members or sections (18, 20) is an adjustment means (30, 32) which determine an apex of the fold of each flexible member or section (18, 20) when the oral device is in the folded configuration and thereby determine a relative position of the first tray portion (16) and the second tray portion (14) to the apex of each fold and of each tray portion to the other;
wherein a location of a fold point of the foldable flexible members or sections by the adjustment means will determine the relative position of the first and second tray portions;
wherein the first tray portion (16) at least partially overlies the second tray portion (14), wherein the adjustment means (30, 32) are capable of contacting said foldable flexible members or sections (18, 20) to determine the apex of the fold when the oral device is in the folded configuration such that the location of the apex of the fold determines the relative position of the first tray portion (16) with respect to the second tray portion (14) in the folded configuration, and wherein said adjustment means (30, 32) are capable of creating the apex of the fold at variance with the location that would otherwise be determined by the natural bite position of the wearer.