KR102361866B1 - Device to preventing sleep apnea and snoring using a foaming wire - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a device for preventing sleep apnea and snoring. The device of the present invention includes: an upper teeth type mouthpiece; a forming wire formed by extending from an inner side of the mouthpiece to be formed to correspond to a mouth structure and supporting the lingual back side of the tongue root; and a tongue pressing part comprising an intermediate support member and a rear support member formed at the forming wire. The device of the present invention can be worn in the mouth during sleep to prevent airway stenosis or obstruction caused by sagging of the tongue root, and has an effect of preventing snoring and sleep apnea.

Description

Device for preventing sleep apnea and snoring using a foaming wire {Device to preventing sleep apnea and snoring using a foaming wire}

The present invention relates to a device for preventing snoring and sleep apnea syndrome by wearing it in the mouth. More specifically, to provide a device for preventing sleep apnea and snoring using a forming wire that supports the root of the tongue, which is one of the biggest causes of snoring during sleep, so as not to sag toward the airway.

Snoring is a breathing noise caused by vibration of body tissues such as the soft palate due to narrowing of the upper airway for various reasons during sleep. Snoring reduces the amount of coral inhaled during respiration, so symptoms such as daytime fatigue, headache, daytime sleepiness, personality changes (aggressive personality, irritability, anxiety, depressive reaction, etc.) may appear. It can cause Obstructive Sleep Apnea Syndrome (OSAS).

In particular, as one of the causes of obstructive sleep apnea syndrome, sleep apnea occurs when the back of the tongue droops toward the airway during sleep and narrows or obstructs the airway. Such sleep apnea can be very dangerous to health, and in severe cases surgical therapy is used.

1 (A) and (B) are diagrams for explaining the position of the tongue causing general sleep apnea and snoring. Fig. 1(A) shows that the tongue does not sag in the airway direction and maintains a normal state. In this case, the airway is not narrowed or blocked by the tongue. That is, because the airway maintains a normal state, it becomes a normal breathing state.

FIG. 1(B) shows a state in which the rear part of the tongue sags in the airway direction and the airway is narrowed or closed. In the lying position for sleep, most of the normal state can be maintained in the state of being conscious of the tongue or the state of applying force, but during sleep, the tongue becomes unconscious and the tongue droops in the airway direction as shown in FIG. 1(B). In severe cases of tongue sagging, airway stenosis or airway obstruction occurs, leading to snoring or sleep apnea.

Therefore, it will be possible to prevent sleep apnea only by preventing the tongue from sagging, which is the cause of sleep apnea. A technique for preventing the tongue from sagging during sleep has also been proposed in the prior art as follows.

As a technology for a conventional anti-snoring device, Korean Patent Application Laid-Open No. 10-2013-0123111 (November 12, 2013) “An oral device for preventing snoring” is a state in which the mandible is advanced anteriorly when the maxillary and mandibular mouthpieces are occluded. It is a configuration including a bonding structure that can be maintained. In addition, Korean Patent Application Laid-Open No. 10-2017-0120788 (published on November 1, 2017) "Mouthpiece for preventing snoring" has been proposed. A mouthpiece is proposed in which the lower tooth insertion portion is formed to protrude forward than the upper tooth insertion portion.

However, in the prior art as described above, the lower jaw is advanced only in a state in which the upper and lower jaws are occluded with the mouth closed, so that the tongue can maintain the advanced state. Therefore, if you sleep with your mouth open, you cannot see the effect of the tongue moving forward, so it is difficult to prevent snoring. In particular, if the advanced lower jaw is maintained during sleep in the occlusal state, the malocclusion of the jaw causes other diseases, and there is a problem in that great discomfort is generated due to the malocclusion.

Korean Patent Laid-Open Patent No. 10-2013-0123111 (2013.11.12) "Oral device for preventing snoring" Korean Patent Application Laid-Open No. 10-2017-0120788 (published on November 1, 2017) "Mouthpiece for preventing snoring"

An object of the present invention is to prevent sleep apnea and snoring using a forming wire that prevents sleep apnea and snoring by preventing the problem of the tongue root from sagging toward the airway, which is one of the biggest causes of snoring during sleep. to provide a device.

As a means for solving the above object, the device for preventing snoring according to an embodiment of the present invention,

It is configured to include a mouth piece coupled to the tooth, a front end fixed to the mouth piece, and a backside end formed to support the lingual back side of the root of the tongue.

The tongue pressing means may be composed of a plate of an elastic material having a predetermined width. A metal plate may be used as the elastic material, and when a metal plate is used, it is preferable to form the outer skin of the metal plate with a material such as a resin material or silicone material that is approved for human use.

The tongue pressing means may be formed by forming a wire. The wire is formed by bending a single strand of wire in the middle so that both ends are formed in the same direction. Hereinafter, it is referred to as a forming wire. The forming wire is preferably coated or covered with a soft material to form an outer skin.

A reinforcing plate may be further used when fixing the forming wire to the mouthpiece. The two ends of the forming wire are fixed at two spaced apart places of the reinforcing plate. The reinforcing plate to which both ends of the wire are fixed can be integrally formed in the form of embedding in the inner wall of the mouthpiece.

Meanwhile, the forming wire may further include an intermediate support member for supporting the upper surface of the tongue root and a rear support member for supporting the tongue-side back surface of the tongue root.

The intermediate support member and the back support member may be formed integrally with the forming wire, or the intermediate support member and the back support member are inserted into the forming wire so that they can be coupled and separated, respectively. A conical through hole may be formed.

The mouthpiece and the forming wire may be of a separate type. The mouthpiece may be configured to form an insertion groove on the inner wall, attach reinforcing plates corresponding to the insertion grooves to both ends of the front side of the forming wire, and insert the reinforcing plate into the insertion groove to be coupled.

In addition, the reinforcing plate and the forming wire may be configured to be detachably coupled. Each of the wire insertion portions attached to the reinforcing plate may be separated and coupled in a manner that inserts the curved end of the forming wire into the wire insertion portion.

On the other hand, the forming wire forms a non-breaking rectangular wire. Two concave grooves having a step difference are formed in the front portion, and an arc-shaped coupling portion corresponding to the insertion groove is formed in front of the two concave portions. Using this, the forming wire can be separated from the mouthpiece by inserting the arc-shaped coupling part into the insertion part.

In addition, the forming wire is formed by separating the first forming wire from the front side and the second forming wire from the rear side so that the first forming wire and the second forming wire can be connected using a connecting means. can do.

In the two-stage forming wire, the rear support member and the intermediate support member are sequentially inserted into the second forming wire in a separated state, and the first forming wire and the first forming wire are connected using the connecting means. By sliding the intermediate support member to hide the connecting means, it is possible to prevent jamming in the mouth.

On the other hand, the drug can be delivered in the mouth by using the wire-type device of the present invention. In the drug delivery method, a micropattern or a porous pattern corresponding thereto is formed on a partial surface of either or both of the intermediate support member and the rear support member to form a drug-impregnated part, impregnated with the drug, and mounted in the mouth, whereby the drug is delivered slowly make it

In addition, a drug storage unit having one side connected to the inner wall of the mouthpiece may be further formed. A plurality of hole patterns in communication with the drug reservoir are formed. In addition, a drug storage unit may be formed on the side of the first forming wire, or a drug bag for drug delivery may be combined and used.

The device of the present invention as described above is for preventing snoring during sleep, inserting the mouthpiece into the upper teeth and inserting the tail portion of the tongue presser in the throat direction to be mounted in the mouth. The tail of the tongue depressor supports the lingual back side of the tongue root. As a result, the root of the tongue is struck to prevent airway stenosis or airway obstruction. Snoring and sleep apnea are prevented.

In addition, the present invention uses a forming wire as a tongue pressing means. Since the roof of the mouth is open, the forming wire allows free movement of the tongue and does not interfere with the flow of saliva.

In addition, the present invention can effectively prevent sagging of the tongue by using the intermediate support member and the rear support member to support the upper surface and the tongue-side back surface of the tongue root.

In addition, the present invention can be configured as an integral or separate assembly type of the mouthpiece and the forming wire. The forming wire can also be configured as a two-stage separation type. It has the effect of being able to select and assemble a customized member in response to the oral structure that varies depending on the person.

In addition, the present invention can be used in parallel as an oral drug delivery device by forming a drug impregnated part on the intermediate support member. In addition, it can be used as a drug delivery device because the drug delivery drug bag can be hung on a wire and mounted under pressure.

1 is a view showing the configuration of a wire-type device for preventing sleep apnea and snoring of the present invention.
2 is a view showing an upper coupling separation configuration of the present invention wire type device.
3 is a view showing a lower coupling separation configuration of the present invention wire type device.
4 is a block diagram showing another embodiment of the wire type device of the present invention.
5 is an exemplary view for explaining a state in which the wire type device of the present invention is inserted into the mouth.
6 is a view showing the coupling state of the tongue root support member of the wire type device of the present invention.
7 is a view showing the configuration of a device using a two-stage detachable wire of the present invention.
8 is a view showing the coupling state of the tongue root support member to the two-stage detachable wire of the present invention.
9 (A) to (C) are state explanatory diagrams showing that the wire type device of the present invention is worn in the mouth to prevent snoring and sleep apnea.

The following is merely illustrative of the principles of the invention. Therefore, those skilled in the art will be able to devise various devices and methods that, although not explicitly described or shown herein, embody the principles of the present invention and are included within the spirit and scope of the present invention. In addition, all conditional terms and examples listed herein are, in principle, expressly intended only for the purpose of understanding the concept of the present invention, and it should be understood that they are not limited to the specifically enumerated embodiments and states as such. do.

Moreover, it is to be understood that all detailed description reciting the principles, aspects, and embodiments of the invention, as well as specific embodiments, are intended to cover structural and functional equivalents of such matters. It should also be understood that such equivalents include not only currently known equivalents, but also equivalents developed in the future, i.e., all devices invented to perform the same function, regardless of structure.

The above objects, features and advantages will become more apparent through the following detailed description in relation to the accompanying drawings, and accordingly, those of ordinary skill in the art to which the present invention pertains can easily implement the technical idea of the present invention. There will be. In addition, when it is determined that the detailed description of the known technology related to the present invention may unnecessarily obscure the gist of the present invention in carrying out the present invention, the detailed description thereof will be omitted.

The terms used in the present application are only used to describe specific embodiments, and are not intended to limit the present invention. The singular expression includes the plural expression unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. In the present application, terms such as “comprise” or “have” are intended to designate that a feature, number, step, operation, component, part, or combination thereof described in the specification exists, but one or more other features It should be understood that this does not preclude the existence or addition of numbers, steps, operations, components, parts, or combinations thereof.

Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. In describing the present invention, in order to facilitate the overall understanding, the same reference numerals are used for the same components in the drawings, and duplicate descriptions of the same components are omitted.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

1 is a view showing the configuration of a wire-type device for preventing sleep apnea and snoring of the present invention.

The device according to the present invention has a mouth piece 110 coupled to a tooth, a front end is fixed to the mouth piece 110, and a backside end is formed to support the lingual back side of the root of the tongue. It is configured to include a tongue pressing means.

The tongue pressing means may be composed of a plate of an elastic material having a predetermined width. A metal plate may be used as the elastic material, and when a metal plate is used, it is preferable to form the outer skin of the metal plate with a material such as a resin material or silicone material that is approved for human use.

In addition, the tongue pressing means may be formed by forming the wire 140 as shown in FIG. 1 . The wire 140 is formed by bending a single wire in the middle so that both ends are formed in the same direction. In this specification, like the wire shape of FIG. 1, a wire bent to form two lines is referred to as a 'forming wire'. In addition, the two ends of the wire coupled or fixed to the mouth piece are referred to as 'front end', and the bent back end is referred to as 'rear end'.

It is formed obliquely corresponding to the mouth structure in a vertical direction with respect to the longitudinal direction of the forming wire 140 . The rear end, which is a bent portion of the forming wire 140, is formed to support the lingual back side of the root of the tongue.

In addition, it is preferable that the forming wire 140 is configured by coating the surface with silicone or a resin material or covering the skin. When the metal wire is in direct contact with the mucous membrane of the mouth, it may cause discomfort or tingling irritation. In order to prevent this, it is preferable to apply a coating or an epidermis.

On the other hand, the forming wire, which is a tongue pressing means inserted into the mouth, is formed in a shape corresponding to the structure of the mouth. The middle portion of the forming wire 140 is in contact with the upper surface of the tongue. Accordingly, the intermediate support member 150 is formed in the middle portion of the forming wire 140 , and the rear end of the forming wire 140 is bent more inclinedly, and the rear support member 160 is further formed.

A reinforcing plate 145 may be further used when fixing the forming wire 140 to the mouthpiece 110 . The two ends of the forming wire 140 are fixed at two spaced apart places of the reinforcing plate 145 . The fixing method can be fixed by welding or forming a wire insertion part on the reinforcing plate. The reinforcing plate 145 to which both ends of the wire are fixed may be integrally formed in a buried form in the inner wall of the mouthpiece 110 .

On the other hand, when the material of the mouthpiece 110 is used as a hardening material, it is preferable to manufacture a customized mouthpiece that matches the user's tooth arrangement. However, it can be difficult to customize mouthpieces in commercial products. Accordingly, if the mouthpiece is made of a relatively soft material, if it is made in several size types, it can be easily worn even if it is not customized by selecting only the size.

However, if the forming wire is directly fixed to the soft material mouthpiece, force is applied to the tooth side at the part where the wire end is fixed, and tooth damage may occur, and the mouthpiece to which the wire is fixed is easily damaged. In order to prevent this, it is fixed to the mouthpiece using a reinforcing plate 145 . The reinforcing plate 145 is configured to have a predetermined width in a round shape such as the shape of the inner wall of the mouthpiece.

Since the force applied by the forming wire 140 is transmitted to the reinforcing plate 145 and the force is dispersed, damage to the teeth can be prevented by the dispersion of the force, and damage to the mouthpiece itself can be prevented. By using a method of fixing the forming wire to the mouthpiece using the reinforcing plate in this way, the mouthpiece may use a commercially available mouthpiece.

In this way, when the forming wire 140 is used as a tongue pressing means, the degree of freedom of the tongue can be increased compared to using a plate. The roof of the mouth is open so that the tongue can move freely.

In addition, an intermediate support member 150 and a rear support member 160 are formed in the middle portion and the end portion, respectively. The intermediate support member 150 and the rear support member 160 are formed of a soft material to reduce damage to the mucous membrane of the mouth.

In addition, the thickness or shape of the intermediate support member 150 and the rear support member 160 should be able to minimize the feeling of foreign body or discomfort when worn in the mouth. In addition, it is manufactured in an effective thickness or shape to prevent snoring and sleep apnea by supporting the upper surface of the back of the tongue and the back of the tongue side of the root of the tongue. To this end, through many tests, it is divided into different types, such as male and female, and produced and provided in various types, so that users can choose.

2 is a view showing an upper coupling separation configuration of the present invention wire type device. 3 is a view showing a lower coupling separation configuration of the present invention wire-type device.

The device according to the present invention can be configured to separate the mouthpiece 110 and the forming wire 140 . There is a method of FIG. 2 in which the upper open insertion groove 130 is formed and coupled to the inner wall 111 of the mouthpiece 110, and the method of FIG. 10 in which the lower open insertion groove 130 is formed and coupled.

In addition, the forming wire 140 further includes a reinforcing plate 145 corresponding to the insertion groove 130 . The reinforcing plate 145 may be directly fixed to both ends of the forming wire 140 by welding or the like. In addition, there is a method of attaching the wire coupling part 146 to the reinforcing plate 145 , and bending both ends of the forming wire 140 to the wire coupling part 146 .

The insertion groove 130 of the mouthpiece 110 further includes an opening 131 into which the wire coupling part 146 attached to the reinforcing plate 145 is inserted.

When configured as a separate type as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 , the mouthpiece 110 and the forming wire 140 can be selected according to a size or forming state suitable for a user. Accordingly, the type of mouthpiece and forming wire is commercialized into several types according to the size or the forming type, and there is an advantage in that the user can select and assemble a size suitable for himself or herself from among them.

4 is a block diagram showing another embodiment of a wire type device of the present invention. The forming wire 140 is formed by forming a wire without a broken portion. That is, the portion coupled to the front mouthpiece is formed with an arc-shaped coupling part 142 having a shape corresponding to the inner wall of the mouthpiece as shown in FIG. 4 , and the arc-shaped coupling part 142 and the tongue pressing part of the forming wire It is bent between the concave grooves 141 are formed. When the concave groove 141 is formed in an upper open type as shown in FIG. 4 , it can be coupled to the lower open insertion groove of the mouthpiece. When the concave groove 141 is formed in an open lower portion, the arc-shaped coupling portion 142 can be inserted into the upper open insertion groove 130 of FIG. 2 to be fixed.

In this way, when the arc-shaped coupling portion 142 is integrally formed with the forming wire 140 , it is not necessary to add the reinforcing plate 145 . That is, the manufacturing process or the assembly process becomes more convenient. Since the arc-shaped coupling part 142 is inserted into and coupled to the insertion groove in an arc shape, it is possible to maintain a stable coupling state even if the back side of the forming wire flows.

5 is an exemplary view for explaining a state in which the wire-type device of the present invention is inserted into the mouth. 5 shows a state in which the forming wire type device is worn in the mouth. The mouth piece 110 is coupled to the tooth 2 by fitting it. The forming wire 140 is fixed to the mouthpiece 110 . The forming wire 140 is formed so as to be inserted into the mouth and passed through the upper surface of the rear side of the tongue 1 to support the tongue-side back surface 1a of the tongue root. The intermediate support member 150 is coupled to support the rear upper surface of the tongue 1, and the rear support member 160 is formed to support the tongue-side back surface 1a of the tongue root. Accordingly, it is possible to prevent the tongue root from sagging in the airway direction during sleep.

The reason for further including the intermediate support member 150 is that when the tongue root sags in the airway direction, the upper surface portion of the tongue root swells upward. The intermediate support member 150 serves to press it. While the intermediate support member 150 restricts the upper surface of the tongue root from rising upward, the rear support member 160 supports the rear surface of the tongue root. It can prevent snoring and sleep apnea by preventing the tongue root from drooping back.

Since the intermediate support member 150 prevents the upper surface of the tongue root from rising upward, the rear support member 160 may be formed to have a shorter length. If the rear support member goes deep behind the root of the tongue, an adverse effect of blocking the airway space may occur, and the feeling of foreign body may increase, making it difficult to insert and install. Therefore, since the intermediate support member 150 restricts the upper surface of the tongue root from rising upward, it is possible to sufficiently prevent the tongue root from sagging backward even when the rear support member 160 is formed short and thin. The rear support member 160 is formed short and thin, but by increasing the width of the tip in a spatula shape, the effect of preventing the tongue root from sagging can be improved.

6 is a view showing the coupling state of the tongue root support member of the wire type device of the present invention.

When using the forming wire as a tongue pressing means as described above, it is preferable to form the intermediate support member 150 and the rear support member 160 . The intermediate support member 150 and the rear support member 160 may be formed integrally with the forming wire 140 . If the shape is integrally formed, the degree of freedom according to the user is reduced.

The intermediate support member 150 and the rear support member 160 may be provided as a separate type. When provided as a separate type, through holes 151 and 161 are formed in the intermediate support member 150 and the rear support member 160, respectively, and the bent end of the forming wire 140 is inserted into the through hole. to be able to put At this time, the width of the through hole is formed to be slightly narrower than the interval between the two lines of the forming wire. The forming wire 140 is inserted into the through hole of a slightly narrow width in a narrowed state by applying force between the two lines. After being inserted, the wire is tightened by the elastic restoring force, so it is not easily removed.

The intermediate support member 150 can be adjusted to a position by sliding it to a desired position after being coupled to the forming wire 140 . However, the rear support member 160 may cause a risk of blocking the throat when falling out of the mouth. Of course, there is no risk of basil because there is not enough space to fall out because it is worn bent downwards. However, falling out can be dangerous.

In order to prevent this, the through-holes 161 formed in the rear support member 160 as shown in FIG. 6 are formed of two-stage through-holes having different sizes. A two-stage through hole is formed in which the width of the upper through hole is narrow and the width of the lower through hole is wide. The bent portion of the forming wire 140 may be bent to form a normal arc shape. Hold the two lines by hand, narrow the width, and insert it into the through hole 161. The bent end of the forming wire is restored to an arc shape and is caught in the narrow inner through hole. As shown in FIG. 6 , unless the arc part is forcibly pressed by force, it cannot pass through the narrow portion of the through hole 161 and thus cannot be easily removed. Therefore, the risk of the support member falling out while the mouth is wearing the device is prevented.

On the other hand, in order to freely select and use the intermediate support member and the rear support member, it should be easy to insert and remove. To this end, the present invention proposes a two-stage separation forming wire configuration as shown in FIG. 7 .

7 is a view showing the configuration of a device using a two-stage split wire of the present invention.

A mouthpiece 110 coupled to the upper teeth, a first forming wire 140a having one end fixed to an inner wall 111 of the mouthpiece 110 at different positions, and both ends of the first forming wire 140a ) and the second forming wire (140b) formed in a predetermined shape to face the other end, respectively, the other end of the first forming wire (140)a) and both ends of the second forming wire (140b) are screwed, respectively. It is configured to include a pair of connection nuts 170 for coupling and separating by coupling.

The second forming wire 140b further includes a rear support member 160 and an intermediate support member 150 for sequentially inserting the second forming wire 140b through a pair of through-holes.

After connecting the first forming wire 140a and the second forming wire 140b using the connecting nut 170, slide the intermediate support member 170 to attach the connecting nut 170 to the intermediate support member. 170 is configured to be concealed.

The device using the two-stage separation forming wire configured as described above, when the connection nut 170 is rotated in one direction, the first forming wire 140a and the second forming wire 140b having threads in different directions are separated. and rotating the connecting nut 170 in the other direction to couple the first forming wire 140a and the second forming wire 140b.

8 is a view showing the coupling state of the tongue root support member to the two-stage detachable wire of the present invention.

The first forming wire 140a and the second forming wire 140b are separated by loosening the connecting nut 170 . The rear support member 160 and the intermediate support member 150 are sequentially inserted into the second forming wire 140b, and the rear support member 160 is inserted until the end by applying force.

7 illustrates a configuration in which the reinforcing plate 145 is embedded in the inner wall of the mouthpiece 110 while being fixed to the front end of the first forming wire 140a. However, the present invention is not limited thereto, and as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 , a pair of the first forming wire 140a is configured to be coupled and separated from the reinforcing plate 145 , respectively, and the reinforcing plate 145 is inserted into the upper open insertion groove of the mouthpiece. Alternatively, it can be fixed by inserting it into the lower open insertion groove. In addition, the first forming wire 140a is configured in a structure in which the arc-shaped coupling portion of FIG. 4 is formed, and it may be configured as a structure in which the first forming wire 140a is inserted into the insertion groove formed in the mouthpiece to be coupled.

The rear support member 160 has two through-holes separated from each other so that two wires are inserted thereinto. The wire is bent in an arc shape and returned. Accordingly, it cannot be pulled out from the back side. Two through-holes may be formed in the intermediate support member 150, or one through-hole may be formed in a long hole shape. The intermediate support member 150 does not fall back because it is caught by the rear support member 160 .

When the first forming wire 140a and the second forming wire 140b are connected using the connecting nut 170, the connecting nut 170 has a larger diameter than the wire, and thus jamming may occur. In order to hide this, the intermediate support member 150 is moved to cover the connection nut as shown in the cross-sectional diagram of FIG. 7 .

When the forming wire is configured as a two-stage separation type as described above, the second forming wire 140b, the intermediate support member 150 and the rear support member 160 can be easily replaced and inserted. Therefore, it is possible to freely select the insertion length of the forming wire, the forming inclination angle, and the size, thickness, or shape of the intermediate support member and the rear support member. As a result, it is possible to increase the degree of freedom in selecting members in response to one's own mouth structure. Since the degree of freedom in member selection is increased, there is an effect of selecting a member that can minimize the feeling of foreign body or discomfort.

On the other hand, the drug can be delivered in the mouth by using the wire-type device of the present invention. The drug delivery method forms a drug-impregnated part by forming a micropattern or a porous pattern corresponding thereto on some surfaces of either or both of the intermediate support member 150 and the rear support member 160 . Dip the drug into the drug-impregnated part or immerse it in the liquid drug to impregnate the drug. It is placed in the mouth while the drug is impregnated. The drug in the drug-impregnated part will be dissolved by the saliva and delivered into the mouth slowly.

In addition, a drug storage unit having one side connected to the inner wall of the mouthpiece 110 may be further formed. A plurality of hole patterns in communication with the drug reservoir are formed. The drug is injected into the drug reservoir and worn in the mouth. The drug can be delivered slowly by dissolving in saliva in the mouth. The drug storage unit may be integrally formed at a position close to the inner wall of the mouthpiece. Alternatively, a drug storage unit may be formed on the side of the first forming wire, or a drug bag for drug delivery may be combined and used.

The drug delivery drug bag has a shape and structure similar to that of a general tea bag, so that the drug can be filled inside to melt and flow down in saliva, or the drug can be impregnated between the fibers of the drug bag itself to slowly melt and flow out. As described above, by further including the drug delivery means in the device of the present invention, it can be used as a drug delivery means for gradually delivering drugs for a long time together with the function of preventing snoring during sleep.

9 (A) to (C) are state explanatory diagrams showing the prevention of snoring and sleep apnea by wearing the wire type device of the present invention in the mouth.

When sleeping while lying down, if the root of the tongue does not droop backward as shown in FIG. However, if the elasticity of the tongue is reduced or the root portion of the tongue sags backward due to the characteristics of the body, the airway portion is narrowed as shown in FIG. 9(B). In severe cases, the airway may be blocked, resulting in sleep apnea. When the airway is blocked, snoring occurs and sleep apnea can be a serious health problem. In order to solve this problem, the device of the present invention is provided.

The device of the present invention is inserted into the mouth by inserting the mouthpiece 110 into the upper teeth, as shown in FIG. 9C . The forming wire 140 passes over the tongue and comes into contact with the tongue-side back surface 1a of the root of the tongue. When the device 100 is worn in the mouth, the back of the tongue side of the root of the tongue is supported.

When the forming wire 140 is used, since the roof of the mouth is in an open state, the tip of the tongue can move freely. In addition, the flow of saliva to the roof of the mouth is free to prevent dry mouth or damage to the mucous membrane of the roof of the mouth.

The upper surface of the tongue root is pressed by the intermediate support member 150 to prevent it from rising upward, and the back of the tongue side of the tongue root is supported by the rear support member 160 from sagging. .

Since it does not droop toward the airway by supporting the root of the tongue, the airway normally maintains an open state as shown in FIG. 9(C). When the device 100 of the present invention is used, it is possible to prevent snoring and sleep apnea because the airway is secured by supporting the root of the tongue as shown in FIG. 9C .

In the above, preferred embodiments of the present invention have been illustrated and described, but the present invention is not limited to the specific embodiments described above, and it is common in the technical field to which the present invention pertains without departing from the gist of the present invention as claimed in the claims. Various modifications may be made by those having the knowledge of, of course, and these modifications should not be individually understood from the technical spirit or perspective of the present invention.

100: device
110: mouthpiece
120: tongue pressing part
130: insertion groove
140: forming wire
150: intermediate support member
160: rear support member

Claims (11)

delete delete a mouthpiece coupled to the teeth;
a reinforcing plate installed on the inner wall of the mouthpiece, which is formed to have a predetermined width in the same round shape as that of the inner wall of the mouthpiece;
One wire is bent with a predetermined width in the middle, and both ends are fixed to two spaced apart places of the reinforcing plate in the same direction, and inclined corresponding to the structure of the mouth so that the middle curved part of the wire is located on the tongue side of the root of the tongue a forming wire formed to support the back;
The forming wire further includes an intermediate support member in contact with the upper surface of the tongue root, and a rear support member in contact with the tongue-side back surface of the tongue root.
Device for preventing snoring and sleep apnea. 4. The method of claim 3,
The forming wire includes a skin formed by coating or covering the skin with a soft material
Device for preventing snoring and sleep apnea. delete delete 4. The method of claim 3,
The intermediate support member and the rear support member are fitted with a forming wire and have long hole-shaped through-holes formed therein so that they can be combined and separated.
Device for preventing snoring and sleep apnea. 4. The method of claim 3,
The reinforcing plate in which both ends of the mouthpiece and the forming wire are spaced apart and fixed is configured as a separate type,
An insertion groove is formed in the inner wall of the mouthpiece, and the reinforcing plate is inserted into the insertion groove to be coupled.
Device for preventing snoring and sleep apnea. a mouthpiece coupled to the teeth;
Two concave portions having a step difference are formed on one side of a non-breaking rectangular wire, and the back of the two concave portions is bent obliquely in response to the mouth structure, so that the other portion is bent and formed to support the lingual back side of the tongue root. forming wire;
an intermediate support member coupled to the forming wire and in contact with the upper surface of the tongue root;
a rear support member coupled to the rear curved end of the forming wire to support the tongue-side rear surface of the tongue root;
An insertion groove is formed in the inner wall of the mouthpiece, an arc-shaped coupling portion corresponding to the insertion groove is formed in front of the two concave portions of the forming wire, and the forming wire is inserted into the insertion groove by inserting the forming wire into the mouthpiece. coupled to
Device for preventing snoring and sleep apnea. 10. The method according to claim 3 or 9,
A micropattern or a porous pattern corresponding thereto is formed on a partial surface of either or both of the intermediate support member and the rear support member to form a drug-impregnated part to impregnate the drug so that the drug is delivered slowly in the mouth
Device for preventing snoring and sleep apnea. delete

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