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Title: |
US5983892:
Device for improving breathing
[ Derwent Title ]

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Country: |
US United States of America

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Inventor: |
Thornton, W. Keith; Dallas, Dallas County, TX 75220

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Assignee: |
None

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Published / Filed: |
1999-11-16
/ 1997-06-19

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Application Number: |
US1997000878998

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IPC Code: |
Advanced:
A61F 5/56;
A61M 16/04;
A61M 16/06;
A62B 9/06;
A61C 7/36;
A63B 71/08;
IPC-7:
A61F 5/56;

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ECLA Code: |
A61F5/56B; A61M16/04M; A61M16/06; A62B9/06; K61C7/36; K61M16/04M; K61M16/04M1B; K61M16/06; K61M16/06S; K63B71/08M; K63B71/08M6;

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U.S. Class: |
Current:
128/201.26;
128/201.18;
128/204.18;
128/205.25;
128/206.29;
128/848;
Original:
128/201.26;
128/201.18;
128/204.18;
128/206.29;
128/205.25;
128/848;

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Field of Search: |
128/201.26,201.18,204.18,205.25,206.21,200.26,859,860,848,206.2

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Priority Number: |
| 1997-06-19 |
US1997000878998 |
| 1996-01-03 |
US1996000582526 |
| 1994-06-03 |
US1994000253949 |

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Abstract: |
A device for improving breathing is provided in which an upper arch (12) adapted to receive at least some of a user's upper teeth and a lower arch (14) adapted to receive at least some of the user's lower teeth are adjustably coupled by a connector (16). The connector (16) is operable to allow lateral motion of the lower arch (14) relative to the upper arch (12), and to adjustably position the lower arch (14) forwardly relative to the upper arch (12). The upper arch (12) is adjustably coupled by a connecting apparatus (67) to a face mask (86) that is associated with a gas supplying system (88). The connecting apparatus (67) is operable to allow universal movement of the face mask (86) relative to the upper arch (12). In another embodiment, the connector (16) is operable to adjustably position the lower arch (14) vertically, relative to the upper arch (12), and includes a hooking element operable to removably engage the lower arch (14).

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Attorney, Agent or Firm: |
Baker & Botts, L.L.P. ;

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Primary / Asst. Examiners: |
Weiss, John G.; Srivastava, V.

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INPADOC Legal Status: |
Show legal status actions
Family Legal Status Report

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Parent Case: |
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
This application is a continuation of application Ser. No. 08/582,526, filed Jan. 3, 1996, now abandoned, entitled "Device for Improving Breathing," by W. Keith Thornton, now abandoned; which is a continuation-in-part of application Ser. No. 08/253,949 filed Jun. 3, 1994, entitled "Combination Face Mask and Dental Device for Improved Breathing During Sleep" by W. Keith Thornton, now U.S. Pat. No. 5,537,994.
This application is also related to pending U.S. application Ser. No. 08/501,437, filed Jul. 12, 1995, by W. Keith Thornton and Andrew O. Jamieson and entitled "Apparatus for Adjusting a Dental Device," which is a continuation of pending U.S. application Ser. No. 08/435,277, filed May 5, 1995, by W. Keith Thornton and Andrew O. Jamieson and entitled "Method and Apparatus for Adjusting a Dental Device," which is a continuation application of abandoned U.S. application Ser. No. 08/218,719, filed Mar. 25, 1994, by W. Keith Thornton and Andrew O. Jamieson and entitled "Method and Apparatus for Adjusting a Dental Device."

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Designated Country: |
AL AM AP AT AZ BA BB BG BR BY CH CN CU CZ DK EE ES FI GE HU IL IS KE KG KP KR KZ LC LK LR LS LT DE FR GB IT

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Family: |
Show 39 known family members

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First Claim:
Show all 36 claims |
What is claimed is:
1. A device for improving the breathing of a user, comprising:
- an upper arch adapted to receive at least some of the user's upper teeth;
- a lower arch adapted to receive at least some of the user's lower teeth; and
- a connector adjustably coupling the lower arch to the upper arch, the connector operable to allow lateral motion of the lower arch relative to the upper arch, the connector operable to adjust the lower arch forwardly to a fixed forward position relative to the upper arch while the upper arch is coupled to the lower arch.

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Background / Summary: |
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Drawing Descriptions: |
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Description: |
Show description

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Forward References: |
Show 40 U.S. patent(s) that reference this one

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U.S. References: |
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All U.S. references
| Forward references (40)
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Backward references (98)
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Citation Link

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Patent |
Pub.Date |
Inventor |
Assignee |
Title |
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1990-11 |
George |
|
Nocturnal airway-patency appliance
|
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1903-12 |
Moulton |
|
DEVICE FOR PREVENTING SNORING.
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|
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1904-11 |
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DEVICE FOR PREVENTING SNORING.
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|
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1908-04 |
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1908-07 |
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|
RESPIRATOR.
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1913-10 |
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|
DENTAL INSTRUMENT.
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1915-07 |
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|
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SNORE INHIBITING DEVICE
|
|
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1969-07 |
Wolicki |
|
PROTECTIVE MOUTHPIECE
|
|
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|
TEETH PROTECTOR
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THROW-AWAY TEETH PROTECTOR
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Tongue-thrust correction appliance
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1986-02 |
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|
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1986-07 |
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|
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Breathing mouthpiece for contacting upper palate and lower jaw of user's mouth
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|
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1994-11 |
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Mandible repositioning appliance
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1995-06 |
Thornton |
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Apparatus for prevention of snoring and improved breathing during sleep
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US5537494 |
1996-07 |
Thornton |
Axiom Innovation Limited |
Video image data encoding and compression system using edge detection and luminance profile matching
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1996-07 |
Thornton |
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Combination face mask and dental device for improved breathing during sleep
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1996-10 |
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Apparatus for prevention of snoring and improved breathing during sleep
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| * some details unavailable |
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Foreign References: |
Buy PDF |
Publication |
Date |
IPC Code |
Assignee |
Title |
 |
EP0312368
|
1989-04 |
A61F 5/56
|
HAYS & MEADE, INC.
|
A device for preventing snoring |
 |
EP0359135
|
1990-03 |
A63B 71/08
|
SUNSTAR KABUSHIKI KAISHA
|
Mouthpiece |
| |
DE0156627
|
1904-12 |
|
|
|
 |
DE2320501
|
1974-11 |
A61F 5/56
|
Stockfisch, Hugo, Dr.med.dent., 7000 Stuttgart
|
Vorrichtung zur Verminderung des Schlafatemgeraeusches |
 |
DE3543931
|
1987-06 |
A61M 16/04
|
Dinse, Ruediger, Dr., 8011 Kirchheim, DE
|
Beatmungsmaske |
 |
DE3707952
|
1988-09 |
A61M 16/04
|
Hoermann, Ernst, Dipl.-Ing., 8261 Mettenheim, DE
|
Beatmungsmaske fuer Langzeit-Betrieb |
 |
DE3719009
|
1988-12 |
A61M 16/04
|
Hoermann, Ernst, Dipl.-Ing., 8261 Mettenheim, DE
|
Beatmungsmaske mit einstellbarem Mund- und Nasenformstueck |
 |
GB1569129
|
1980-06 |
A61F 5/56
|
RATA M A
|
ANTI-SNORING DEVICE |

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Other References: |
Nocturnal Airway Patency Appliance, Great Lakes Orthodontics, Ltd., Tonawanda, NY, date unknown.
"Snoring," 13 Mayo Clinic Health Letter 7, Jul. 1995.
2-piece dental device (date and source unknown).
Farrar & McCarty, "A Clinical Outline of Temporomandibular Joint Diagnosis and Treatment," Normandie Study Group for TMJ Dysfunction, 1993.
Professional Positioners brochure (date unknown).

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