GB2359490A

GB2359490A - Apparatus for abating snoring

Info

Publication number: GB2359490A
Application number: GB0004017A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Graham Brooks
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2000-02-22
Filing date: 2000-02-22
Publication date: 2001-08-29
Also published as: GB0004017D0

Abstract

Apparatus for abating snoring has a light source 10 for emitting at least one flash of light of an intensity to which someone who snores will be receptive when asleep. The triggering of the source 10 is controlled by trigger circuitry 6 which, optionally, responds to the output from sound sensing circuitry 8.

Description

2359490 1 Abating Snoring The invention relates to apparatus for abating

snoring. The invention also relates to a method of abating snoring. The invention further relates to apparatus for the treatment of, and the treatment of, depression, anxiety and other nervous disorders, seasonally affective disorder and comas.

Snoring. is thought to be caused when the muscles palate, the uvula and sometimes the tonsils relax deep sleep. The air of breathing moving across the parts induces vibrations which generate a noise. noise can reach a sianificant decibel level which of the during relaxed This J1 can be anti-social, and those that have to endure others snoring have long sought a remedy. In addition, snoring, like other sleep disorders, may lead to a lack of concentration, irritability etc. so those that snore have reasons in their own self interests for wanting to stop. Many remedies for snoring have been proposed, from surgery through to alternative therapies, but there continues to be demand for a reliable, non-invasive cure.

The invention provides apparatus for abating snoring comprising source means for emitting at least one flash of light of an intensity to which the human body will be receptive when asleep and means for triggering the source.

The triggering means may trigger the source means to produce a succession of flashes of light.

2 The triggering means may trigger the source means at a range of time intervals between flashes in a succession.

Preferably, the triggering means triggers a source means with an average power rating of 20 watts to emit a succession of flashes of light for five seconds at a rate to twelve flashes per second. This has been found to be a regime to which a person who snores is receptive when asleep, to abate any snoring, without causing the person to wake.

The apparatus may further comprise means for sensing sounds which controls the activation of the triggering means.

The sound sensing means may be adapted to produce an output in response to the detection of snoring above a predetermined decibel level, which activates the triggering means into operation.

The sound sensing means may be adapted to produce an output in response to an acoustic pattern which distinguishes snoring from other sounds so as not to produce an output spuriously in response to " non- snoring" sounds. The sound sensing means may be adapted to be programmed to produce an output in response to the acoustic pattern distinguishing the snoring of one particular person. The sound sensing means may be adapted to sample the snoring of the one particular person and use the sample as the basis upon which it operates.

3 The source means may comprise a xenon flash tube and an energy storage capacitor for discharging through the flash tube, the triggering means may comprise a discharge capacitor and a transformer for creating an ionising voltage in the proximity of the flash tube.

The apparatus according to the invention could stand alone and in use could be placed alongside a person who snores or could be worn by the user, for example, incorporated into headgear, such as a visor, glassestype arrangement or some other form of arrangement which enables it to be worn on the head or close thereto.

The apparatus according to the invention has also been successfully used to abate snoring in dogs and other animals.

The invention further provides apparatus for abating snoring comprising means for replicating lightning.

A trial has shown that someone asleep in a room may stop snoring when the room is illuminated from outside by a typical sequence of lightning flashes. It is known that there are various different states of sleep and the lightning is thought possibly to transfer a person from a V1 snoring" state to a "' non- snoring" state without waking them. Obviously, however, lightning is not available on demand and must be replicated to achieve the same effects as and when required. A strobe light of an appropriate power is one suitable means for replicating lightning.

4 The invention further provides a method of abating snoring comprising exposing someone who is snoring to at least one flash of light of an intensity to which the human body will be receptive when asleep.

The apparatus according to the invention is also thought to be useful as apparatus for the treatment of, and in the treatment of, depression, anxiety and other nervous disorders, seasonally affective disorders and comas.

The invention will now be described with reference to the following drawing in which:

Figure 1 is a schematic block diagram of elements of apparatus for abating snoring according to the invention.

With reference to figure 1 apparatus for abating snoring indicated generally at 1 comprises a power source 2, charge storage circuitry 4, trigger circuitry 6, sensor circuitry 8 and a light source 10.

The power source 2 could be a battery and an inverter (not shown) providing a high voltage, typically 30OV, output to the charge storage circuitry 4 and the trigger circuitry 6, or a rectifier and a power transformer (not shown) for mains AC power.

The light source 10 comprises a xenon flash tube (not shown) having a tubular glass vessel filled with xenon gas between two electrodes.

The charge storage circuitry 4 comprises an energy storage capacitor (not shown) which is charged up to the power source output voltage. The energy storage capacitor is connected across the electrodes of the light source 10.

The trigger circuitry 6 comprises a trigger capacitor (not shown) and a trigger transformer (not shown). The trigger capacitor is charged up to the power source output voltage and, at the appropriate time, that is, when a flash is required, the trigger capacitor is discharged through the primary coil of the trigger transformer. The secondary coil is wound so as to output from the trigger transformer a voltage of the order of one to ten times the power source voltage. This high voltage is applied to a wire or strip (not shown) close to the tubular vessel of the light source 10 which causes the xenon gas therein to ionise. As a result, the energy storage capacitor is discharged through the xenon causing it to emit a flash of white light. This triggering process is repeated to produce a succession of flashes, and the time constant of the trigger circuitry 6 may be varied to change the time interval between flashes.

The sensor circuitry 8, which is optional, acoustic sensor which, in response to a particular activating acoustic pattern, produces the trigger circuitry 6.

comprises an sound of a an output for The particular 6 acoustic pattern to which the sensor circuitry responds is that which distinguishes snoring from other sounds. Thus, the trigger circuitry 6 will trigger the light source 10 in response to snoring. The sensor circuitry 8 can be programmed to be responsive to the acoustic pattern which distinguishes the snoring of one particular person.

Programming may be achieved by sampling the snoring of the particular person to determine the acoustic pattern.

A flash of light produced by the apparatus is of an intensity to which a person p, even when asleep, is receptive such that with one flash, or several flashes in succession, the person will stop snoring, whilst continuing to remain asleep. A source with an average power rating of 20W running for 5 seconds at 12 flashes per second has been found to be sufficient, but receptivity will vary from person to person.

7

Claims

Claims

Apparatus for abating snoring comprising source means for emitting at least one flash of light of an intensity to which the human body will be receptive when asleep and means for triggering the source.

2. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the triggering means triggers the source means to produce a succession of flashes of light.

3. Apparatus according to claim 2 wherein the triggering means triggers the source means at a range of time intervals between flashes in a succession.

4 Apparatus according to claim 2 or claim 3 wherein the triggering means triggers a source means with an average power rating of 20 watts to emit a succession of flashes of light for five seconds at a rate of twelve flashes per second.

Apparatus according to claims 1 to 4 wherein the apparatus comprises means for sensing sounds, which controls the activation of the triggering means.

Apparatus according to claim 5 wherein sensing means is response to the detection of Dredetermined decibel level which the sound adapted to produce an output in snoring above a activates the triggering means into operation.

8 Apparatus according to claim 5 wherein the sound sensing means is adapted to produce an output in response to an acoustic pattern which distinguishes snoring from other sounds.

8. Apparatus according to claim 7 wherein the sound sensing means is adapted to be programmed to produce an output in response to the acoustic pattern distinguishing the snoring of one particular person.

9. Apparatus according to claim 8 wherein the sound sensing means is adapted to sample the snoring of one particular person and to use the sample as a basis upon which it operates.

10. Apparatus according to any preceding claim wherein the source means comprises a xenon flash tube and an energy storage capacitor for discharging through the flash tube, the triggering means comprises a discharge capacitor and a transformer for creating an ionising voltage in the proximity of the flash tube.

Apparatus according to any preceding claim which stands alone or is worn by the user.

12. Apparatus according to the invention abating snoring in dogs and other animals.

for use 9 13. Apparatus for abating snoring comprising means for replicating lightning.

14. Apparatus for abating snoring substantially as herein described with reference to figure 1 of the drawings.