US2877598A - Mouthpiece cover - Google Patents

Description

March 17, 1959 s, SERQN 2,877,598

MOUTHPIECE COVER Filed Jan. 18, 1957 United States PatentO 2,877,598 MOUTHPIECE COVER Sui-en M. Serou, Juliet, 111. Application January 18, 1957, Serial No. 635,045 3 Claims. (Cl. 46-179) This invention relates to a mouthpiece cover and in particular to a guard for protecting the mouth of a person utilizing an instrument having a mouthpiece as a whistle.

This application is a continuation-in-part of my application Serial No. 592,290, filed June 19, 1956 and now abandoned.

Where the user is involved in physical activity, such as sports, a considerable possibility of injury to the users teeth or oral region arises as the result of inadvertent jostling or striking of the users head or the instrument itself.

Another problem arising in the use of such instruments is that they are often made of metal or similar heatconducting material and, when used in a sub-freezing atmosphere, tend to cause the users lips and adjacent oral region to freeze thereto. This freezing may be both extremely painful and injurious to the user.

Another problem arising in the use of such instruments is that often a number of different people may use the same instrument without a proper cleaning thereof between uses. This may result in the transfer of bacteria and similar undesirable material.

The principal feature of this invention is the provision of a new and improved mouthpiece cover. Another feature is that the cover is arranged to protect the teeth and oral region of the user both laterally and endwise of the mouthpiece.

A further feature is that the cover is readily replaceable allowing it to be removed for cleaning or discarding and allowing a plurality thereof to be used by each of a plurality of persons, whereby each person may have his own cover for use with a common instrument.

Still another feature is that the cover is formed of resilient material for improved shock absorption and protection of the teeth and oral region of the user, the resilient nature thereof allowing a firm retention of the cover on the mouthpiece.

Yet another feature of the invention is that the cover is of simple, one-piece construction aifording economy of manufacture and simplicity of maintenance.

A still further feature of the invention is the provision of a cover for use with an instrument mouthpiece, arranged for positive retention on the instrument.

Other features and advantages of this invention will be apparent from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a mouthpiece cover embodying the invention, installed on a whistle;

Figure 2 is a side elevation thereof with portions broken away;

Figure 3 is a rear elevation thereof; and

Figure 4 is a perspective view thereof.

In the exemplary embodiment of the invention, as seen in Figures 1 to 4 of the drawings, a whistle cover 110 is shown mounted on the mouthpiece 111 of an instrument such as whistle 112. It should be understood that the inventive concept comprehends mouthpiece 'ice covers suitable for use with instruments and devices other than whistles, and the specific construction shown is illustrative of covers usable with such other instruments and devices.

Cover is preferably formed of a resilient material, such as latex rubber or soft plastic material, which is both yielda'ole and soft, and of low heat conductivity. A tubular portion 13 of the cover is arranged to conform generally to the shape of and to be yieldably disposed over mouthpiece 111 of the whistle, as best seen in Figure 2. At its inner end, portion 113 is provided with an inturned flange portion 113a which is adapted to cover the end of mouthpiece 111, with the opening 1131b defined by portion 113a having a substantial area to maintain the opening 111a through the mouthpiece completely accessible. By making portion 113 slightly smaller than the mouthpiece, when the cover is disposed on the mouthpiece, it will be held thereon by the gripping action of the resilient material, while yet allowing ready removal, when desired.

At the outer end of tubular portion 113, the cover is provided with a laterally extending portion for protecting the lips of the user from contact with the whistle body. In the embodiment of the drawings, this extension comprises a depending apron, or extension, which may be made integral with tubuiar portion 113 and which is arranged to extend a substantial distance to assure prevention of lip contact with the whistle. In instruments where contact above the mouthpiece might occur, an upstanding element (not. shown) may be provided, and similar laterally sidewardly extending elements may be used where desired.

An illustrative use of my device showing certain of the features thereof would be one wherein a whistle were employed in an athletic exercise out of doors on a cold day with several persons successively utilizing the whistle. Each of the persons could use his or her own cover by simply removing the previously installed cover and subc ituting his or her own. The whistle mouthpiece could be allowed to remain in the mouth of the user with the tubular portion 113 protecting the users teeth and mouth from contact with the whistle mouthpiece, the flange portion 113a protecting the users teeth from an inward movement of the mouthpiece thereagainst, and the extension 115 protecting the users lower lip from injurious contact with the whistle body.

Upon removal from the mouthpiece, cover 10 may be cleaned by suitable washing, the simple construction thereof allowing complete and simpl cleaning. Further, because of the simple construction, the cost of the manufacture of the cover is extremely low allowing replacement thereof whenever desired.

At the upper outer end of the tubular portion 113, is a reinforcing boss 114 which is preferably formed integrally with the tubular portion. Boss 114 acts as an improved grasping means for use in moving the tubular portion 113 over the whistle mouthpiece and further serves to reinforce the tubular portion against tearing or similar deformation.

Extension 115 is arranged to extend around a major portion of a body 116 of the whistle. Extension 115 com prises a front portion 115:: functioning to prevent contact of the users lip with the whistle body.

To improve the positive retaining action of extension 115 around whistle body 116, a pair of side walls 115b and 115s extend from tubular portion 13 to adjacent the outer end of extension 115. Extension 115 thus defines a recess 117 in which a major portion of the whistle body 116 is effectively locked, thereby positively retaining the whistle cover on the whistle. When it is desired to remove the cover from the Whistle, the resilient nature of the cover allows the ready swinging of the extension 115 about aeration 3 the outer end of tubular portion 113 to slip the extension from the whistle body and allow the longitudinal withdrawal of the tubular portion from mouthpiece 111.

The conventional whistle is provided with a connecting ring 118 secured to the whistle by means of a post 119 projecting from the rear portion of the whistle body. To permit extension 115 to surround a suificient portion of the rear of the whistle body, an indentation 1150. may be provided in the outer end of the extension.

, While the conformable nature of the cover 110 causes the external configuration of the whistle to be reproduced by the enclosing cover portions, to provide improved retaining coaction with the users front teeth, the tubular portion may be formed at 120 to present an external configuration similar to the ridge 121 conventionally formed on the whistle mouthpiece. It should be noted that the coaction between portion 120 and the ridge 12.1 serves as an additional positive cover retaining means.

In installing cover 110, reinforcement 114 provides an improved means for grasping tubular portion 113 and moving it over mouthpiece 111 of the whistle. Extension 115 may be concurrently employed in urging the tubular portion over the mouthpiece, and, when the tubular portion is fully installed the extension may be allowed to swing automatically into place around the whistle body. The improved locking retention of the cover 110 precludes the inadvertent removal of the cover from the whistle due to such a condition as a decrease in the frictional retaining force occasioned by introduction of moisture such as saliva between whistle mouthpiece 111 and cover portion 113. This positive retention, together with the yielding nature of the resilient cover, which permits the mouth muscles to contract properly, allows the retention of the whistle in the users month over protracted periods of time without discomfort to the user or accidental separation of the. cover from the whistle.

While I have shown and described certain embodiments of my invention, it is to be understood that it is capable of many modifications. Changes, therefore, in the construction and arrangement may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as disclosed in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. Means for protecting the mouth of a person utilizing an instrument having a mouthpiece arranged for normal use and a body, said means comprising a yieldable cover having a first, tubular portion readily removably disposable over the mouthpiece and another portion extending transversely from the tubular portion to preclude contact of the lower lip of the user with the instrument body, said another portion further having side walls and extending from said tubular portion to have partial surrounding relationship with the instrument body transversely of the tubular portion to lock releasably the cover on the instrument.

2. Means for protecting the mouth of a person utilizing an instrument having a mouthpiece arranged for normal use and a body provided with a supporting means extending therefrom opposite said mouthpiece, said means comprising a yieldable cover having a first portion readily removably disposable over the mouthpiece and an extension depending from the first portion for surrounding the instrument body at least to a point opposite the mouthpiece, said extension being provided with an indentation for avoiding interference by the instrument supporting means.

3. Means for protecting the mouth of a person utiliz ing an instrument having a mouthpiece and a body extending from an end of the mouthpiece, comprising a cover having a first, tubular portion readily removably disposable over the mouthpiece and a locking portion extending from one end of the tubular portion and having a transverse wall precluding contact of the mouth of the person with the body of the instrument, said locking portion further being arranged to extend around the body of the instrument to engage the body on a surface portion thereof extending transversely to and facing away from themOuthpiece portion thereby to lock the cover on the instrument. "T

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 856,813 Schultz June 11, 1907 1,152,447 Sproull Sept. 7, 1915 1,576,099 Dessau Mar. 9, 1926 1,748,460 Petrie Feb. 25, 1930 1,867,903 Wilcox July 19, 1932 2,053,982 Weiss Sept. 8, 1936 2,244,288 Colby June 3, 1941 2,696,382 Gelardin Dec. 7, 1954 FOREIGN PATENTS 1,049,236 France Aug. 12, 1953 M JU

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