US3742607A

US3742607A - Suction mouthpiece

Info

Publication number: US3742607A
Application number: US00228044A
Authority: US
Inventors: W Johnson
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1972-02-22
Filing date: 1972-02-22
Publication date: 1973-07-03
Anticipated expiration: 1990-07-03

Abstract

A body formed with a network of intercommunicating grooves is provided with an exhaust duct that communicates with all of the grooves and is adapted to be connected to a vacuum source. The network of grooves is placed against the user''s face bridging his slightly parted lips so as to receive saliva. Vacuum drawn through the exhaust duct causes a number of air streams to flow through the several grooves along and against the outer surface of the skin so that salvia positioned there by the user is entrained in these air streams and collected in the exhaust duct for remote disposal.

Description

United States Patent 11 1 Johnson 1 July 3, 1973 1 SUCTION MOUTHPIECE [76] Inventor: Wesley Grant Johnson, 3815 E. peshock Casselle Avenue, Orange, Calif. :1 Rothenberg at 92669 I [22] Filed: Feb. 22, 1972 I v ABSTRACT [2]] A l, M 228,044 A body fornjed with a network of intercommunicating I I, grooves is provided with an exhaust duct that commu- Related Application Data nicates with- 'all of the grooves and is adapted to be con- Continuation-impart 0f 5 nected to a {vacuum source. The network of grooves is 1970, abandoned, and Ser. No. 121,262, March 5, placed against the users face bridging his Slightly abandoned parted lips so as to receive saliva. Vacuum drawn through the exhaust duct causes a number of air [52] US. Cl. 32/33 streams to flow through the Several grooves along and [5 Cl. no"; g i h outer Surface of the skin so that Salvia p Field of Search tioned there h user is entrained in these air streams 56 1 R f n d and collected in the exhaust duct for remote disposal.

e ere ces I e UNITED STATES PATENTS 24 Claims. 11 Drawing Figures 3,541,583 11/1970 Deuschle 32/33 PmmEnJuLa lava sum 1 or 3 PATENTEDJUL3 1915 3,742,607

smears SUCTION MOUTHPIECE This application is a continuation-in-part of each of my co-pending applications Ser. No. 88,565, filed Nov. 12, 1970, for Dental Aerating Suction Mouthpiece Attachment, and Ser. No. 121,262, filed Mar. 5, 1971, for A Dental Aerating Suction Mouthpiece Attachment and both are now abandoned.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to external suction methods and apparatus and more particularly concerns methods and apparatus for collecting moisture and other matter from exterior skin surfaces.

2. Description-of Prior Art In the course of common dental procedures, saliva and other matter is often collected from the patients mouth by the use of a vacuum operated saliva ejector or suction nozzle that is inserted into the oral cavity and generally positioed beneath the patients tongue. Saliva and debris flowing into the lowermost portion of the oral cavity is readily extracted by the applied suction. 1

Typical of such saliva ejectors are devices shown in US. Pat. No. 2,574,135 to Ward, and No. 3,101,543 to Baughan.

However, even with the use of such saliva ejectors it is common to have the patient, (who is normally reclining during the dental procedures) move from a normal reclining position to a sitting position and rinse his month by drawing a small quantity of water into his mouth from a cup, spitting into a fixed or portable small sink or cuspidor that is provided with a continuous flow of water, and then wiping his lips with a tissue provided by the dental assistant. This procedure of having the patient sit up to rinse his mouth involves a number of disadvantages. Particularly for ill or infirm patients, it is necessary for the doctor or his assistant to raise the dental chair back in order to lift the patient to a sitting position. This entails an undesirable, and time consuming interruption in the proceedings. It is also an inconvenience to the patient who is capable of raising himself from the near total reclining to a required sitting position.

Although it is possible to rinse the patients mouth while he remains in a reclining position by projecting a stream of water into his mouth and then employing the conventional saliva ejector, this procedure is not desirable in many cases. It may not be as effective or satisfying as is spitting or rinsing performed by the patient himself.

The conventional saliva ejector is employed solely inside'the mouth. The conventional cuspidor can be employed only when it is beneath the downwardly facing mouth of the patient. Neither is fully adequate nor satisfactory. In all cases wiping by a tissue or the like is still required. Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide suction methods and apparatus that will provide a convenience of saliva removal from a reclining patient without'the use of any internal devices.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In carrying out principlesof the present invention in accordance with a preferred embodiment thereof, a network of intercommunicating air conduits, at least some of which have open sides, is placed against the exterior of the skin. A plurality of air streams are caused to flow through the conduits along and against the outer surface ofv the skin toward a common point. Air from the common point is collected for remote disposal so that the air streams flowing along the skin entrain moisture and other matter in the paths of the flow of air streams and such entrained matter and moisture is collected for remote disposal. Various devices and surface configurations that provide differently formed intercommunicating networks of air conduits may be applied against the face of the user so as to bridge slightly parted lips. Moving the conduit network along the skin achieves a wiping or drying effect. Methods and apparatus are provided for selectively ejecting a pressurized mouth wash from the external air conduit apparatus which can thus be used as either a fluid source or a means of collection.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS FIG. 1 illustrates one embodiment of a suction mouthpiece placed against the' face of a user,

FIG. 2 is a side view with parts broken away of the mouthpiece shown in FIG. 1, showing the users lips in phantom lines,

FIG. 3 is another view of the mouthpiece of FIG. 1, showing the users lips in phantom lines,

FIG. 4 is a pictorial view, with parts broken away of a modification of the mouthpiece of FIGS. 1 through 3,

FIG. 5 is a side view of the mouthpiece of FIG. 4, showing a lip of a user in phantom lines,v

FIG. 6 is a sectional view of the mouthpiece of FIGS. 4 and 5 in use against the lips of the user,

FIG. 7 shows still another modification of the mouthpiece of this invention,

FIG. 8 is a sectional view of still another embodiment of the mouthpiece of this invention,

FIG. 9 shows the suction body of FIG. 8, and

FIGS. 10 and 11 are two views of the expectorant plate of FIG. 8.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION In the embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 1, 2 and 3 a network of intercommunicating open sided conduits are formed by a plurality of grooves 10 that comprise elongated depressions molded or otherwise formed in the outer surface 12 of the body of a mouthpiece 14. In this arrangement the mouthpiece body is molded of an integral thin but substantially stiff and self supporting plate having a generally conical or dish shape configuration and a continuous peripheral flange 16 (FIG. 2) that stiffens the body and enhances appearance and convenience of use. The central portion of the mouthpiece 14 'is apertured and extends rearwardly of the surface 12 to form a common exhaust duct 18 into which a suction tube 20 of a conventional dental suction machine 22 may be inserted.

The several grooves .10 form open sided conduits having substantially continuous and closed bottoms and sides and open tops that collectively lie in the dish shape surface 12. The grooves extend radially of the mouthpiece from their communication with the central aperture thereof to the outer peripheral flange 16. The outer peripheral end of each groove, at the upper portion of flange 16 (as viewed in FIG. 2) is in free communication with ambient atmosphere at all times during use of this mouthpiece. Further, outer portions of the grooves, beyond the area of contact of the user's lips 24, 26 (which lips are shown in phantom in FIGS. 1-3), are also always open to the atmosphere. When the mouthpiece is pressed against the users skin, at least portions of the open sides of the grooves 20 may be covered. Some of these grooves may be partly occluded by skin tissue that is pressed into the groove. However, the grooves are sufficiently deep and narrow, and pressure of the mouthpiece against the skin is sufficiently light so that none of the grooves is completely occluded. Accordingly there is always a free and continuous flow of air through the grooves when the exhaust duct is connected to an operating vacuum machine even though surface 12 is pressed against the users skin.

Preferably the body of suction mouthpiece 14 of FIGS. 1 3 is integrally molded of a thin, semi-rigid plastic and may be manufactured and sold for a cost that enables the device to be used for a single patient and then discarded. Of course, if deemed necessary or desirable, the described mouthpiece is readily sterilized for repeated use. For such repeated use, the mouthpiece may be made of a considerably thicker body having a dish shape surface 12 in which the grooves are formed by cutting into the surface, as with a narrow milling cutter, saw, or the like.

In use, the vacuum operated mouthpiece 14 is placed against the lips of the user, as illustrated in FIG. 3, and is connected to a source of negative pressure or vacuum. v The described mouthpiece configuration causes the flow of a plurality of air streams along and against the outer surface of selected areas of the skin. With the mouthpiece positioned as illustrated in FIG. 3, these air streams will flow along and across both upper and

lower lips

24, 26, as indicated by the arrows. The air streams will flow so as to meet at a common point which is positioned substantially at the parting line between the lips.

With this group of air streams constantly flowing along the lips, the user merely positions saliva within his mouth at the inside of his lips and purses or puckers the lips. The venturi effect of the constantly flowing air streams draw the saliva into the air streams from the small opening that the user has formed between the lips. The saliva is thus carried to the common point to flow through the vacuum duct 20 for remote disposal. If deemed desirable or more convenient, the user may spit with a small amount of effort to forcibly eject the saliva from his mouth to the surface 12. However, even this effort is not required since the user need only part his lips slightly with the mouthpiece pressed lightly against and bridging his lips. Accordingly, use is facilitated even though full control of the mouth is hampered by effects of a local anesthetic.

The described mouthpiece may be used to wipe the moisture from the lips and other parts of the exterior surface of the patients skin simply by pressing the surface 12 gently against the selected area of the skin (with the exhaust duct connected to a suitable source of negative pressure) and moving the body over the skin with a wiping motion. In the source of this procedure moisture and other loose matter upon the surface of the skin will be swept up by the continuously flowing air streams and collected for disposal by the exhaust duct. Thus it will be apparent that neither forcible spitting nor any forcible expulsion at all is required for operation of this device which may remove moisture and matter from exterior skin surfaces as described.

Illustrated in FIGS. 4 and 5 is a modified suction mouthpiece that is formed of a body 114 having a generally saddle-shaped configuration. The body is elongated, curved concavely in longitudinal direction and convexly in transverse direction. A plurality of grooves are formed in the outer surface of the body 114 and extend transversely about the periphery of the body, being mutually spaced from each other in the direction of the longitudinal extent of the body. The transverse grooves 110 are in communication with each other by means of a longitudinally extending groove 111 that intersects all of the transversely extending grooves as best shown in FIG. 4. A common exhaust duct in the form of a bore 118 is formed in the body 114 and extends through the body into communication with the central portion of the longitudinal groove 111 and inner portions of central ones of the transverse grooves 110. The bore 118 comprises a common exhaust duct for the body 114 and is adapted to be connected to a conventional vacuum tube 120. Also formed in the body 1 14 is a conduit 133 that extends entirely through the body from an aperture 135 on the grooved front surface of the body to an aperture 137 at the rear of the body. Aperture 137 is adapted to be connected to conduit 138 that receives a selectively controlled supply of pressurized water or mouthwash. Thus a rinsing liquid may be selectively and controllably projected from the aperture 135.

The mouthpiece of FIGS. 4 and 5 is employed in much the same fashion as that of FIGS. 1, 2 and- 3. However, as illustrated in FIG. 6, the mouthpiece does not cover the lips from top to bottom, but rather is placed against and bridges the slightly parted

lips

24, 26, contacting these at points closer to the inner parting line 25 than the points of lip contact of the mouthpiece of FIG. 1. The concave longitudinal extent of the body 114 extends the point of contact of the body with the lips for a distance from one side of the mouth toward the other. Use of this device for collection of moisture from the lips or for collection of saliva from the slightly open mouth is substantially the same as that of the device of FIG. 1. The lips are slightly parted or pursed and the user allows saliva and other matter to be drawn to the body 114 which is positioned as shown in FIG. 6. The vacuum connected to exhaust duct 118 draws a group of air streams through the network of interconnected conduits formed by the

several grooves

110, 111. These air streams flow along the outer surface of the lips adjacent the parting line to the common longitudinal groove 111 and thence to the exhaust duct. As in the previously described embodiment, the flowing air streams entrain moisture either positioned on the lip-surface or expelled by the user so that this moisture and saliva may be remotely disposed.

With the apparatus of FIGS. 4 and 5, selective control of a pressurized source of water or mouthwash may be employed by the patient by operation of a valve (not shown) to project such liquid into his mouth afterplacing the aperture 135 of the body 114 at his slightly parted lips which in effect are sealed over and against the portions of the body 114 adjacent the aperture 135. Having received a suitable quantity of liquid, the patient may then remove this liquid from his mouth simply by a slight lateral displacement of the body 114 to position his lips against the network of conduits. A

quantity of liquid sufficient to fill the mouth maybe readily and rapidly disposed of in this fashion.

It is to be emphasized that the described use and application of the suction mouthpieces of FIGS. 1 through 6 and also of each of the other embodiments described hereinafter are equally well achieved in any one of a number of different positions of the patient. In fact, the described methods and apparatus may be employed with great facility by a patient lying in a totally reclining position with his head facing directly upwardly. The patient need not sit up, lift his head, nor even turn his head to the side to expectorate. He simply places the described mouthpiece against his upwardly facing lips, positions the matter to be disposed of at the front of his mouth and gently directs this matter directly upwardly against the conduit network.

The apparatus of FIGS. 4 and 5 may be simplified to some extent and provided with the cylindrical configuration as shown in FIG. 7. The arrangement of FIG. 7 is the same in function and in general configuration as that of FIGS. 4, 5, and 6 except for the fact that the body 214 is cylindrical rather than saddle-shaped. Body 214 is formed with a plurality of longitudinally spaced transversely extending grooves 210, which are interconnected by a longitudinally extending groove'2l1, all of the grooves being in communication with the exhaust duct formed as a bore 218 extending through the body. A water or mouthwash projecting bore having a projection orifice 235 is also formed to extend through the body 214. It will be apparent that the parts 210 through 235 of the embodiment of FIG. 7 are arranged bodiment of the invention wherein the suction mouth piece comprises a suction body 314 having a dished suction surface 323 and a number of peripherally spaced relief ports or notches 321. An exhaust duct 318 is formed in the suction'body for connection to a vacuum hose and communicates with the suction surface 323 of the body. A continuous peripheral groove 325 is formed in the suction body 326 to receive the depending peripheral flange 328 of an expectorant plate 324. Plate 324 is formed with a plurality of apertures 310 and a central aperture 308. The plate has a dished shape that substantially conforms with the dished shape of the suction surface 323. The peripheral flange 328 is preferably formed with a plurality of beads 329 which are a snap fit within the groove 325 of the suction body. The parts are so dimensioned and configured that when the plate 324 is snapped on and over the suction body 314 the plate is positioned close to the suction surface 323 but spaced therefrom.

The apparatus of FIGS. 8, 9, 10 and 11 is applied to the users face to bridge the slightly parted lips in a manner exactly analogous to the use and application of the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 through 3. In operation of this device, the exhaust duct'318 is connected to a vacuum conduit (not shown) and a plurality of air streams are drawn over and along the outer surface of the lips and thence through the apertures 310 and 308 to the vacuum surface 323. These air streams flow freely regardless of whether or not one or more of the apertures 310 are occluded by pressurized contact with the user's skin. A primary or relief air flow exists, continuously flowing between the flange 328 and the vacuum body 314 and thence through the relief ports 321 to the vacuum surface 323.

In a preferred manner of use of the embodiment of FIGS. 8 through 11, just as in use of the previously described embodiments, the user will force liquid contents of the mouth to a position adajcent the inside of the closed lips with the mouthpiece placed gently against and bridging the lips. The user may then simply slightly pucker the lips to provide a small opening (in a manner analogous to a configuration of the lips commonly used for whistling). The continuous air streams flow along and across the outside of the lips. The suction effect of these air streams withdraws the liquid from the month. As the liquid enters the air stream, it mixes with the air and flows more readily for exhaust purposes. After the liquid in the mouth has been disposed of,'the mouthpiece may be moved in a wiping motion along the outside suface of the lips to wipe the lips of moisture remaining thereafter. Thus no wiping tissue or the like is needed.

It will be readily appreciated that the expectorant plate embodiment of FIGS. 8-11 may be of other configurations, including those of the other embodiments described herein, and further, may be formed with a liquid projecting aperture as deemed necessary or desirable.

It will be readily understood that the several described configurations are merely exemplary of the many shapes and sizes that may be employed, it being .only necessary to insure that the mouthpiece have a transverse dimension sufficient to enable it to bridge the users lips and contact the face over an area encompassing at least part of both upper and lower lips. Further, each of the embodiments may be formed of thin molded plastic for inexpensive replacement that avoids the need for re-sterilization.

There have been described several different methods and apparatus for enabling removal of moisture and other matter from external skin surface and from an oral cavity without use of any apparatus internally of the cavity, thereby providing new and improved functions in dental and related procedures.

The foregoing detailed description is to be clearly understood as given by way of illustration and example only, the spirit and scope of this invention being limited solely by the appended caims.

I claim: 7

1. A suction mouthpiece for use adjacent to, but totally outside of the oral cavity comprising a mouthpiece body having a surface adapted to be pressed against the face of the user in a position to contact upper and lower lips when the lips are closed or slightly parted, said surface having a transverse dimension sufficient to enable said mouthpiece to bridge said lips and contact the face of the user over an area encompassing at least a part of both upper and lower lips, said surface being formed with a plurality of grooves, at least some of-said grooves extending to a portion of said body that is free-of contact with the face of the user when the said surface is placed against said face, an exhaust duct formed in said body and having fluid communication with at least a group of said grooves, said exhaust duct being adapted for connection to a source of negative pressure whereby when said surface is placed against the face in a bridging relation across the outside of the lips of the user and said exhaust duct is connected to a negative pressure source, air is drawn through said grooves over and along the exterior of the lips of the user, closely adjacent the point of contact between said lips so that matter positioned by the user between said lips is entrained in said air streams and carried to said exhaust duct.

2. The mouthpiece of claim 1 wherein said body comprises a thin plate having said grooves formed as depressions therein that extend below said surface and have open sides lying in said surface.

3. The expectorant mouthpiece of claim 2 wherein said plate is of a substantially rounded peripheral configuration, wherein said grooves extend radially from the periphery of said plate to an inwardly positioned portion thereof, and wherein said exhaust duct is formed as an integral tubular projection fromsaid'inwardly positioned portion of said plate.

4. The mouthpiece of claim 3 wherein said surface is outwardly concave.

5. The mouthpiece of claim 1 wherein said surface is outwardly convex.

6. The mouthpiece of claim 1 wherein said body is substantially saddle-shaped, being concave in a longitudinal direction and convex in a transverse direction, so that said body is adapted to substantially conform to the curvature of the lips of the user from one side of the face to the other in a longitudinal direction and is adapted to press against and contact forward portions of the lips in the transverse direction, at least some of said grooves being formed as slots in said body mutually spaced from each other in said longitudinal direc tion and extending along said convexly caved curved surface in said transverse direction, at least one of said grooves comprising a slot extending longitudinally of said body and communicating with said transversely extending slots and said exhaust duct.

7. The mouthpiece of claim 6 including a second duct formed in said body and extending therethrough to form an aperture in said surface, said second duct being adapted for connection to a source of positive pressure fluid, whereby fluid under pressure may be controllably projected from said aperture towardthe oral cavity, and the user may expel fluid from said oral cavity toward said grooves for entrainment in and collection by air-streams flowing through said grooves and through said exhaust duct.

8. The mouthpiece of claim wherein sid body is of substantially cylindrical configuration, wherein said grooves include a plurality of longitudinally spaced transversely extending grooves and a longitudinally extending groove in communication with at least a group of said transversely extending grooves, said last mentioned groove being in communication with said exhaust duct.

9. The mouthpiece of claim 8 including a fluid projecting duct extending through said body to an aperture positioned on said surface adjacent said grooves, and means for connecting said fluid projecting duct to a controllable source of pressurized fluid whereby fluid under pressure may be controllably projected from said aperture into an oral cavity and the user may expel fluid from said oral cavity toward said grooves for entrainment in and collection by air streams flowing through said grooves and through said exhaust duct.

l0. The method of collecting fluid from an oral cavity without inserting any object into said cavity comprising the steps of forming a network of intercommunicating air conduits, at least some of said conduits having sides thereof open for at least a portion of their length, said open sides collectively defining a fluid collecting surface having a transverse dimension sufficient to enable said surface to extend over and beyond the lips of said oral cavity,

placing at least a portion of said fluid collecting surface and said open conduit sides against the exterior of the lips of said oral cavity whereby parts of said open conduit sides that are in contact with and extend beyond said lips will be bridged by such contact and other parts of said open conduit sides positioned between said lips will remain open,

flowing air through said network of conduits toward an area thereof that is intermediate said portion that is adapted to be positioned against said lips, and receiving in said conduits fluid expelled from said oral cavity between said lips. 11. The method of claim 10 wherein said step of forming said network of conduits comprises the steps of forming a mouthpiece having an external surface adapted to be placed against the lips of said oral cavity to bridge an opening between said lips when the lips are slightly parted, forming a plurality of grooves in said surface, and forming exhaust duct in said mouthpiece in fluid communication with at least a group of said grooves.

12. The method of collecting matter from or upon the skin of an external portion of the human body comprising the steps of flowing a plurality of airstreams along and against the outer surface of a selected area of said skin, said area having a dimension at least equal to a dimension sufficient to encompass both upper and lower lips, directing and confining said aristreams to flow in predetermined paths substantially along the outer surface of said skin toward a common point, and

collecting air from said streams at said common point for remote disposal, whereby said airstreams flowing along said skin will entrain moisture and other matter upon said skin in the paths of flow of said airstreams and such entrained matter and moisture may be collected for remote disposal.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein said skin area comprises at least a portion of the lips of the oral cavity, and wherein at least some of said airstreams are caused to flow across one of said lips toward the other.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein said air streams are caused to flow toward a common point positioned substantially between said lips from diverse peripheral points spaced outwardly along said lips in a plurality of different directions.

15. The method of claim l2including the step of collectively moving all of said airstreams in unison over said skin in a wiping motion to thereby entrain matter and moisture into said airstreams from different portions of said skin.

16. A mouthpiece for collecting saliva and material contained therein after expulsion from the interior of an oral cavity, said mouthpiece comprising means for providing a plurality of open sided air flow conduits adapted to be positioned closely adjacent the lips of the user so that said air flow conduits will generally follow contours of said lips and are adapted to have the open sides thereof bridged at least in part by contact with said lips, said means having a concave surface of a transverse dimension considerably greater than the transverse extent of the upper and lower lips, v a common duct formed in said mouthpiece, means for providing fluid communication between said conduits and said common duct, and means for connecting said common duct to a source of negative pressure whereby air is caused to flow through said conduits and along the exterior of said lips and, as it flows, will entrain saliva expectorated from said oral cavity when said mouthpiece is placed against said lips. 17. The mouthpiece, of claim 16 wherein said means forv providing air flow conduits comprises a body adapted to bridge the space between slightly parted lips of an oral cavity, and a network of intercommunicating inward portion of said surface.

19. The mouthpiece of claim 16 wherein said means for providing air flow conduits comprises a body having an exterior surface adapted to be placed against said lips to bridge the lips when they are slightly parted.

20. A mouthpiece for collecting'saliva and material contained therein after expulsion from the interior of an oral cavity, said mouthpiece comprising means for providing a plurality of open sided air flow conduits adapted to be positioned closely adjacent the lips of the user so that said air flow conduits will generally follow contours of said lips and are adapted to have the open sides thereof bridged at least in part by contact with said lips, said means having a concave surface of a transverse dimension considerably greater than the transverse extent of the upper and lower lips, a common duct formed in said mouthpiece, means for providing fluid communication between said conduits and said common duct,

means for connecting said common duct to a source of negative pressure whereby air is caused to flow through said conduits and along the exterior of said lips and, as it flows, will entrain saliva expectorated from said oral cavity when said mouthpiece is placed against said lips, said means for providing air flow conduits comprising a body having an exterior surface adapted to be placed against said lips to bridge the lipswhen they are slightly parted, said surface being of substantially elongated saddleshape, being concavely curved in a longitudinal direction and being convexly curved in a transverse direction, said conduits comprising aplurality of longitudinally spaced grooves extending transversely about at least one side of said surface and includng means for providing fluid communication between all of said grooves and said common duct. 21. A mouthpiece for collecting saliva and material contained therein after expulsion from the interior of an oral cavity, said mouthpiece comprising means for providing a plurality of open sided air flow conduits adapted to be positioned closely adjacent the lips of the user so that said air flow conduits will generally follow contours of said lips and are adapted to have the open sides thereof bridged at least in part by contact with said lips, said means having a concave surface of a transverse dimension considerably greater than the-transverse extent of the upper and lower lips,

a common duct formed in said mouthpiece,

means for providing fluid communication between said conduits and said common duct,

means for connecting said common duct to a source of negative pressure whereby air is caused to flow through said conduits and along the exterior of said lips and, as it flows, will entrain saliva expectorated 'from said oral cavity when said mouthpiece is placed against said lips,

said means for providing air flow conduits comprising a body having an exterior surface adapted to be placed against saidlips to bridge the lips when'they are slightly parted, said surface being cylindrical, having a plurality of longitudinally spaced transversely extending peripheral therein and having a longitudinally extending groove intersecting at least a group of said transversely extending grooves, and means for coupling said common duct with said longitudinally extending groove.

22. A mouthpiece for collecting saliva and material contained therein after expulsion from the interior of an oral cavity, said mouthpiece comprising means for providing a plurality of open sided air flow conduits adapted to be positioned closely adjacent the lips of the user so that said air flow conduits will generally follow contours of said lips and are adapted to have the open sides thereof bridged at least in part by contact with said lips, said means having a concave surface of a transverse dimension considerably greater than the transverse extent of the upper and lower lips,

a common duct formed in said mouthpiece,

means for connecting said common duct to a source of negative pressure whereby air is caused to flow through said conduits and along the exterior of said lips and, as it flows, will entrain saliva expectorated from said oral cavity when said mouthpiece is placed against said lips, said means for providing air flow conduits comprising I an expectorant plate having a plurality of apertures and having an exterior surface adapted to be placed against the outside of the lips of the user to bridge said lips when the latter are slightly parted,

a suction body detachably connected to said plate member and having a suction surface mating with and positioned closely adjacent but spaced from the inner surface of said plate, said common duct comprising an exhaust duct formed in said suction body in communication with said suction surface and adapted to be connected to a source of negative pressure, said suction body including a plurality of ports providing communication between said suction surface and ambient atmosphere, whereby when said plate is placed against the lips of ,the user and said grooves formed exhaust duct is connected to a source of negative pressure a plurality of airstreams are caused to flow to said suction surface from said ambient atmosphere ports and through said expectorant plate apertures, whereby saliva positioned at or on said lips by the user will be withdrawn through the apertures of said expectorant plate, mixed with air drawn through said ambient atmosphere ports to said suction surface and exhausted through said exhaust duct for remote disposal.

23. A suction mouthpiece assembly adapted to be placed against and partly cover a users lips, said mouthpiece comprising a suction body having a dished suction surface,

a plurality of relief ports formed in said body and in communicatgon with said suction surface for providing a flow of air to said surface,

an exhaust duct formed in said body in fluid communication with said surface and adapted to be connected to a source of negative pressure,

an expectorant plate having a configuration substantially conforming to the configuration of said suction surface,

said plate being connected with said suction body and spaced from said suction surface by a relatively small distance, said plate having a plurality of apertures formed therethrough providing communication between an exterior surface of said plate and said suction surface,

said mouthpiece assembly being adapted to be placed against the outside of the lips of the user and to receive saliva ejected by the user against said plate whereby liquid on said plate is withdrawn through said plate apertures to said suction surface and mixed at said suction surface with air drawn through said relief ports for remote disposal.

24. The mouthpiece of claim 23 wherein said body and plate each have a like dimension sufficient to enable the plate to bridge the users lips and contact the face over an area encompassing both upper and lower lips, and wherein said relief ports comprise a plurality of notches formed in and mutually spaced about the peripherial edge of said dished suction surface.

Claims

1. A suction mouthpiece for use adjacent to, but totally outside of the oral cavity comprising a mouthpiece body having a surface adapted to be pressed against the face of the user in a position to contact upper and lower lips when the lips are closed or slightly parted, said surface having a transverse dimension sufficient to enable said mouthpiece to bridge said lips and contact the face of the user over an area encompassing at least a part of both upper and lower lips, said surface being formed with a plurality of grooves, at least some of said grooves extending to a portion of said body that is free of contact with the face of the user when the said surface is placed against said face, an exhaust duct formed in said body and having fluid communication with at least a group of said grooves, said exhaust duct being adapted for connection to a source of negative pressure whereby when said surface is placed against the face in a bridging relation across the outside of the lips of the user and said exhaust duct is connected to a negative pressure source, air is drawn through said grooves over and along the exterior of the lips of the user, closely adjacent the point of contact between said lips so that matter positioned by the user between said lips is entrained in said air streams and carried to said exhaust duct.

3. The expectorant mouthpiece of claim 2 wherein said plate is of a substantially rounded peripheral configuration, wherein said grooves extend radially from the periphery of said plate to an inwardly positioned portion thereof, and wherein said exhaust duct is formed as an integral tubular projection from said inwardly positioned portion of said plate.

4. The mouthpiece of claim 3 wherein said surface is outwardly concave.

5. The mouthpiece of claim 1 wherein said surface is outwardly convex.

6. The mouthpiece of claim 1 wherein said body is substantially saddle-shaped, being concave in a longitudinal direction and convex in a transverse direction, so that said body is adapted to substantially conform to the curvature of the lips of the user from one side of the face to the other in a longitudinal direction and is adapted to press against and contact forward portions of the lips in the transverse direction, at least some of said grooves being formed as slots in said body mutually spaced from each other in said longitudinal direction and extending along said convexly caved curved surface in said transverse direction, at least one of said grooves comprising a slot extending longitudinally of said body and communicating with said transversely extending slots and said exhaust duct.

7. The mouthpiece of claim 6 including a second duct formed in said body and extending therethrough to form an aperture in said surface, said second duct being adapted for connection to a source of positive pressure fluid, whereby fluid under pressure may be controllably projected from said aperture toward the oral cavity, and the user may expel fluid from said oral cavity toward said grooves for entrainment in and collection by air-streams flowing through said grooves and through said exhaust duct.

8. The mouthpiece of claim 5 wherein said body is of substantially cylindrical configuration, wherein said grooves include a plurality of longitudinally spaced transversely extending grooves and a longitudinally extending groove in communication with at least a group of said transversely extending grooves, said last mentioned groove being in communication with said exhaust duct.

10. The method of collecting fluid from an oral cavity without inserting any object into said cavity comprising the steps of forming a network of intercommunicating air conduits, at least some of said conduits having sides thereof open for at least a portion of their length, said open sides collectively defining a fluid collecting surface having a transverse dimension sufficient to enable said surface to extend over and beyond the lips of said oral cavity, placing at least a portion of said fluid collecting surface and said open conduit sides against the exterior of the lips of said oral cavity whereby parts of said open conduit sides that are in contact with and extend beyond said lips will be bridged by such contact and other parts of said open conduit sides positioned between said lips will remain open, flowing air through said network of conduits toward an area thereof that is intermediate said portion that is adapted to be positioned against said lips, and receiving in said conduits fluid expelled from said oral cavity between said lips.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein said step of forming said network of conduits comprises the steps of forming a mouthpiece having an external surface adapted to be placed against the lips of said oral cavity to bridge an opening between said lips when the lips are slightly parted, forming a plurality of grooves in said surface, and forming exhaust duct in said mouthpiece in fluid communication with at least a group of said grooves.

12. The method of collecting matter from or upon the skin of an external portion of the human body comprising the steps of flowing a plurality of airstreams along and against the outer surface of a selected area of said skin, said area having a dimension at least equal to a dimension sufficient to encompass both upper and lower lips, directing and confining said aristreams to flow in predetermined paths substantially along the outer surface of said skin toward a common point, and collecting air from said streams at said common point for remote disposal, whereby said airstreams flowing along said skin will entrain moisture and other matter upon said skin in the paths of flow of said airstreams and such entrained matter and moisture may be collected for remote disposal.

15. The method of claim 12 including the step of collectively moving all of said airstreams in unison over said skin in a wiping motion to thereby entrain matter and moisture into said airstreams from different portions of said skin.

16. A mouthpiece for collecting saliva and material contained therein after expulsion from the interior of an oral cavity, said mouthpiece comprising means for providing a plurality of open sided air flow conduits adapted to be positioned closely adjacent the lips of the user so that said air flow conduits will generally follow contours of said lips and are adapted to have the open sides thereoF bridged at least in part by contact with said lips, said means having a concave surface of a transverse dimension considerably greater than the transverse extent of the upper and lower lips, a common duct formed in said mouthpiece, means for providing fluid communication between said conduits and said common duct, and means for connecting said common duct to a source of negative pressure whereby air is caused to flow through said conduits and along the exterior of said lips and, as it flows, will entrain saliva expectorated from said oral cavity when said mouthpiece is placed against said lips.

17. The mouthpiece of claim 16 wherein said means for providing air flow conduits comprises a body adapted to bridge the space between slightly parted lips of an oral cavity, and a network of intercommunicating grooves formed in an external surface of said body.

18. The mouthpiece of claim 17 wherein said body surface is substantially dish-shaped and wherein said grooves extend substantially radially of said surface to flow air from the periphery of said surface toward a central portion thereof, said common duct being in communication with said grooves substantially at an inward portion of said surface.

20. A mouthpiece for collecting saliva and material contained therein after expulsion from the interior of an oral cavity, said mouthpiece comprising means for providing a plurality of open sided air flow conduits adapted to be positioned closely adjacent the lips of the user so that said air flow conduits will generally follow contours of said lips and are adapted to have the open sides thereof bridged at least in part by contact with said lips, said means having a concave surface of a transverse dimension considerably greater than the transverse extent of the upper and lower lips, a common duct formed in said mouthpiece, means for providing fluid communication between said conduits and said common duct, means for connecting said common duct to a source of negative pressure whereby air is caused to flow through said conduits and along the exterior of said lips and, as it flows, will entrain saliva expectorated from said oral cavity when said mouthpiece is placed against said lips, said means for providing air flow conduits comprising a body having an exterior surface adapted to be placed against said lips to bridge the lips when they are slightly parted, said surface being of substantially elongated saddle-shape, being concavely curved in a longitudinal direction and being convexly curved in a transverse direction, said conduits comprising a plurality of longitudinally spaced grooves extending transversely about at least one side of said surface and includng means for providing fluid communication between all of said grooves and said common duct.

21. A mouthpiece for collecting saliva and material contained therein after expulsion from the interior of an oral cavity, said mouthpiece comprising means for providing a plurality of open sided air flow conduits adapted to be positioned closely adjacent the lips of the user so that said air flow conduits will generally follow contours of said lips and are adapted to have the open sides thereof bridged at least in part by contact with said lips, said means having a concave surface of a transverse dimension considerably greater than the transverse extent of the upper and lower lips, a common duct formed in said mouthpiece, means for providing fluid communication between said conduits and said common duct, means for connecting said common duct to a source of negative pressure whereby air is caused to flow through said conduits and along the exterior of said lips and, as it flows, will entrain saliva expectorated from said oral cavity when said mouthpiece Is placed against said lips, said means for providing air flow conduits comprising a body having an exterior surface adapted to be placed against said lips to bridge the lips when they are slightly parted, said surface being cylindrical, having a plurality of longitudinally spaced transversely extending peripheral grooves formed therein and having a longitudinally extending groove intersecting at least a group of said transversely extending grooves, and means for coupling said common duct with said longitudinally extending groove.

22. A mouthpiece for collecting saliva and material contained therein after expulsion from the interior of an oral cavity, said mouthpiece comprising means for providing a plurality of open sided air flow conduits adapted to be positioned closely adjacent the lips of the user so that said air flow conduits will generally follow contours of said lips and are adapted to have the open sides thereof bridged at least in part by contact with said lips, said means having a concave surface of a transverse dimension considerably greater than the transverse extent of the upper and lower lips, a common duct formed in said mouthpiece, means for providing fluid communication between said conduits and said common duct, means for connecting said common duct to a source of negative pressure whereby air is caused to flow through said conduits and along the exterior of said lips and, as it flows, will entrain saliva expectorated from said oral cavity when said mouthpiece is placed against said lips, said means for providing air flow conduits comprising an expectorant plate having a plurality of apertures and having an exterior surface adapted to be placed against the outside of the lips of the user to bridge said lips when the latter are slightly parted, a suction body detachably connected to said plate member and having a suction surface mating with and positioned closely adjacent but spaced from the inner surface of said plate, said common duct comprising an exhaust duct formed in said suction body in communication with said suction surface and adapted to be connected to a source of negative pressure, said suction body including a plurality of ports providing communication between said suction surface and ambient atmosphere, whereby when said plate is placed against the lips of the user and said exhaust duct is connected to a source of negative pressure a plurality of airstreams are caused to flow to said suction surface from said ambient atmosphere ports and through said expectorant plate apertures, whereby saliva positioned at or on said lips by the user will be withdrawn through the apertures of said expectorant plate, mixed with air drawn through said ambient atmosphere ports to said suction surface and exhausted through said exhaust duct for remote disposal.

23. A suction mouthpiece assembly adapted to be placed against and partly cover a user''s lips, said mouthpiece comprising a suction body having a dished suction surface, a plurality of relief ports formed in said body and in communicatgon with said suction surface for providing a flow of air to said surface, an exhaust duct formed in said body in fluid communication with said surface and adapted to be connected to a source of negative pressure, an expectorant plate having a configuration substantially conforming to the configuration of said suction surface, said plate being connected with said suction body and spaced from said suction surface by a relatively small distance, said plate having a plurality of apertures formed therethrough providing communication between an exterior surface of said plate and said suction surface, said mouthpiece assembly being adapted to be placed against the outside of the lips of the user and to receive saliva ejected by the user against said plate whereby liquid on said plate is withdrawn through said plate apertures to said suction surface and mixed at said suction surface with air drawn through said rElief ports for remote disposal.

24. The mouthpiece of claim 23 wherein said body and plate each have a like dimension sufficient to enable the plate to bridge the user''s lips and contact the face over an area encompassing both upper and lower lips, and wherein said relief ports comprise a plurality of notches formed in and mutually spaced about the peripherial edge of said dished suction surface.