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Title: |
US5365945:
Adjustable dental applicance for treatment of snoring and obstructive sleep apnea
[ Derwent Title ]

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Country: |
US United States of America

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Inventor: |
Halstrom, Leonard W.; Lions Bay, British Columbia, Canada

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Assignee: |
None

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Published / Filed: |
1994-11-22
/ 1993-04-13

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Application Number: |
US1993000046549

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IPC Code: |
Advanced:
A61F 5/56;
Core:
more...
IPC-7:
A61F 5/56;

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ECLA Code: |
A61F5/56B;

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U.S. Class: |
Current:
128/848;
128/859;
433/006;
Original:
128/848;
128/859;
433/006;

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Field of Search: |
128/848,859,861,862,857
433/006,7,18,215
002/246

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Priority Number: |
| 1993-04-13 |
US1993000046549 |

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Abstract: |
A dentally retained intra-oral appliance worn at night for treatment of snoring and obstructive sleep apnea. The appliance maintains the patient's mandible in an anterior, protruded position to prevent obstruction of the pharyngeal airway. The appliance allows a limited degree of lateral movement of the mandible relative to the upper jaw in the protruded position to prevent aggravation of the patient's tempromandibular joint and associated muscles and ligaments. The appliance preferably consists of an upper bite block conforming to the patient's maxillary dentition, a lower bite block conforming to the patient's mandibular dentition, and a connecting assembly secured to an anterior region of the upper and lower bite blocks for adjustably coupling the upper and lower bite blocks together.

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Attorney, Agent or Firm: |
Oyen Wiggs Green & Mutala ;

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Primary / Asst. Examiners: |
Hafer, Robert A.; O'Neill, Michael

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INPADOC Legal Status: |
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Family Legal Status Report

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Designated Country: |
BB BG BR BY CZ FI HU JP KP KR KZ LK LV MG MN MW NO NZ OA PL RO BE CH DK FR GB GR IE IT LI LU MC NL PT

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Family: |
Show 15 known family members

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First Claim:
Show all 17 claims |
What is claimed is:
1. A connecting assembly for use in an intra-oral dental appliance to be worn by a patient during sleep for treatment of obstructive sleep apnea and snoring, the dental appliance comprising an upper bite block conforming to the patient's maxillary dentition and a lower bite block conforming to the patient's mandibular dentition, said connecting assembly comprising:
- (a) a first element securable to an undersurface of said upper bite block in an anterior region thereof;
- (b) a second element securable to an upper surface of said lower bite block in an anterior region thereof; and
- (c) an elongated connector for releasably coupling said first and second elements together, said connector having an upper end which is fixedly connectable to said first element and a lower end which is loosely connectable to said second element to adjustably maintain said lower bite block in an anterior, protruded position relative to said upper bite block while permitting lateral movement of said lower bite block relative to said upper bite block,
wherein said connector comprises a stylus having a threaded portion located at said upper end and an enlarged head located at said lower end; said first element comprises a retention plate having a plurality of spaced-apart internally threaded apertures for adjustably receiving said stylus threaded portion; and said second element comprises an internal cavity for capturing said stylus head, said cavity having an elongated opening formed on an upper portion of said second element through which said stylus extends.

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Background / Summary: |
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Drawing Descriptions: |
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Description: |
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Forward References: |
Show 136 U.S. patent(s) that reference this one

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