The present invention relates to a jaw support brace. More particularly, the present invention relates to a jaw angle correcting device capable of help support a user's jaw angle.
Generally, snoring and sleep apnea simply deteriorate the quality of sleep, and not only manifest various systemic diseases such as interpersonal disorders, narcolepsy, heart disease, respiratory disease, etc., but also seriously affect human life, such as attention deficit in adolescence. In particular, in the case of obstructive sleep apnea, severe snoring is accompanied.
In order to relieve such snoring, intra-oral, that is, a brace disposed in the mouth, or extra-oral, that is, a brace placed outside the mouth may be used. However, existing braces are inconvenient to use and have limitations in spatial use.
An object of the present invention provides a jaw support brace that supports a jaw angle at a desired angle and is provided in a structure suitable for individual physical structure.
Another object of the present invention provides a correction device for jaw angle support including the jaw support brace.
According to example embodiments, a jaw support brace includes a mounting portion extending from a middle region of a user's chest along a pair of collarbones and being supported on the collarbones, at least one elastic supporting portion extending upwardly from the mounting portion along at least one side surface of a neck, and a jaw resting portion extending below a mandible from the elastic supporting portion and supporting a jaw at a desired angle by an elastic supporting force of the elastic supporting portion.
In example embodiments, the jaw support brace may include a wire extending from a front chest through the side surface of the neck to a lower portion of the mandible to form one closed loop.
In example embodiments, the wire may include a material that is bendable to follow a natural curvature of the user's individual neck length and jaw angle.
In example embodiments, the jaw support brace may further include a tube that surrounds the wire and includes a material having skin affinity
In example embodiments, the tube may include silicon.
In example embodiments, the elastic supporting portion may include first and second elastic supporting portions extending upwardly from both end portions of the mounting portion along left and right side surfaces of the neck, and the jaw support brace may further include first and second auxiliary supporting portions respectively extending in a U-shape from the first and second elastic supporting portions to the mandibles under ears through depressions behind the ears to be connected to both end portions of the jaw resting portion.
In this case, both end portions of each of the first and second auxiliary supporting portions may extend parallel with each other and may be spaced apart by a predetermined distance.
In example embodiments, an angle between the mounting portion and the first and second elastic supporting portions extending therefrom may be greater than at least 90 degrees.
In example embodiments, an angle between the first elastic supporting portion connected to an end portion of the first auxiliary supporting portion and the jaw resting portion connected to another portion of the first auxiliary supporting portion and an angle between the second elastic supporting portion connected to an end portion of the second auxiliary supporting portion and the jaw resting portion connected to another portion of the second auxiliary supporting portion may be greater than at least 90 degrees.
In example embodiments, the elastic supporting portion may extend upwardly from a middle portion of the mounting portion along a front of the neck to be connected to middle portion of the jaw resting portion.
In example embodiments, an angle between the mounting portion and the elastic supporting portion extending therefrom may be less than 90 degrees. An angle between the elastic supporting portion and the jaw resting portion may be less than 90 degrees.
According to example embodiments, a correction device for jaw angle support includes a jaw support brace configured to be worn between a user's collarbone and a jaw to support the jaw at a desired angle, and a neck protector configured to be worn around the jaw support brace to surround a circumference of a neck. The jaw support brace includes a mounting portion extending from a middle region of a chest along a pair of the collarbones and being supported on the collarbones, at least one elastic supporting portion extending upwardly from the mounting portion along at least one side surface of the neck, and a jaw resting portion extending below a mandible from the elastic supporting portion and supporting the jaw by an elastic supporting force of the elastic supporting portion.
In example embodiments, the neck protector may include a first covering portion covering a portion of the neck, a second covering portion covering the rest of the neck, and a coupling member that couples the first and second covering portions to each other to be worn around the neck.
A jaw support brace according to example embodiments may include a mounting portion extending from a middle region of a chest along a pair of collarbones, at least one elastic supporting portion extending upwardly from the mounting portion along at least one side surface of a neck, and a jaw resting portion extending below a mandible from the elastic supporting portion and supporting a jaw by an elastic supporting force of the elastic supporting portion. The jaw support brace may include a wire extending from a front chest through a side surface of the neck to a lower portion of the mandible to form one closed loop.
The wire may be bent and adjusted to fit the user's individual body structure to form the components of the jaw support brace. An angle of the user's jaw may be adjusted to a desired angle, and because uncomfortable pressure does not be applied to the chin, neck and rear portions of ears, the jaw support brace may be can be worn for a long time.
The jaw support brace capable of maintaining the jaw at the desired angle may be used as a disk patient brace for a neck disk patient.
However, the effect of the invention may not be limited thereto, and may be expanded without being deviated from the concept and the scope of the present invention.
Hereinafter, preferable embodiments of the present invention will be explained in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.
In the drawings, the sizes and relative sizes of components or elements may be exaggerated for clarity.
It will be understood that, although the terms first, second, third, etc. may be used herein to describe various elements, components, regions, layers and/or sections, these elements, components, regions, layers and/or sections should not be limited by these terms. These terms are only used to distinguish one element, component, region, layer or section from another element, component, region, layer or section. Thus, a first element, component, region, layer or section discussed below could be termed a second element, component, region, layer or section without departing from the teachings of example embodiments.
The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular example embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting of example embodiments. As used herein, the singular forms “a,” “an” and “the” are intended to include the plural forms as well, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. It will be further understood that the terms “comprises” and/or “comprising,” when used in this specification, specify the presence of stated features, integers, steps, operations, elements, and/or components, but do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps, operations, elements, components, and/or groups thereof.
Unless otherwise defined, all terms (including technical and scientific terms) used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which example embodiments belong. It will be further understood that terms, such as those defined in commonly used dictionaries, should be interpreted as having a meaning that is consistent with their meaning in the context of the relevant art and will not be interpreted in an idealized or overly formal sense unless expressly so defined herein.
Example embodiments may, however, be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as limited to example embodiments set forth herein. Rather, these example embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will be thorough and complete, and will fully convey the scope of example embodiments to those skilled in the art.
Referring to
In example embodiments, the jaw support brace 100 may be used as a sleep aid for preventing snoring and sleep apnea syndrome. The jaw support brace 100 may be used as a brace for a disk patient such as a neck disk patient.
In particular, the mounting portion 110 may be configured to extend from a middle region of a user's chest along a pair of collarbones C and be supported on the collarbones. When viewed in the plan view, the mounting portion 110 may have a shape extending in a V-shape. Accordingly, both end portions of the mounting portion 110 may be seated respectively in recessed portions between a neck and the chest and adjacent to a pair of the collarbones.
In example embodiments, the jaw support brace 100 may include two first and second elastic supporting portions 120a, 120b. The first and second elastic supporting portions 120a, 120b may extend upwardly from both end portions of the mounting portion 110 along left and right side surfaces of the neck.
As illustrated in
In addition, as illustrated in
In example embodiments, the jaw support brace 100 may further include first and second auxiliary supporting portions 130a, 130b between the first and second elastic supporting portions 120a, 120b and the jaw resting portion 140. The first and second auxiliary supporting portions 130a, 130b may extend in a U-shape from the first and second elastic supporting portions 120a, 120b respectively to a mandible J under the ear through a depression behind the ear.
As illustrated in
In addition, the U-shaped first and second auxiliary supporting portions 130a, 130b may be formed to be located near a mastoid process M behind the ear. Both end portions of each of the first and second auxiliary supporting portions 130a, 130b may be arranged to be spaced apart from each other, thereby maintaining a smooth flow of blood through a blood vessel (acupoint in the anterior region of the neck, in the depression posteroinferior to the mastoid process) and relieving stress so that it may not be uncomfortable even if a user wear it for a long time.
The jaw resting portion 140 may extend below the mandible from the first and second auxiliary supporting portions 130a and 130b and support the jaw at a desired angle by the elastic supporting force of the first and second elastic supporting portions 120a, 120b and the first and second auxiliary supporting portions 130a, 130b. The jaw resting portion 140 may have a shape extending in a U-shape when viewed in the plan view. The jaw resting portion 140 may extend laterally from a lower portion of the mandible. Accordingly, the jaw resting portion 140 may apply a forward traction force to a portion of the jaw below the mandible to support the jaw at a desired angle without sagging down the mandible.
As illustrated in
Similarly, an angle between the second elastic supporting portion 130b connected to an end portion of the second auxiliary supporting portion 130b and the jaw resting portion 140 connected to another portion of the second auxiliary supporting portion 130b may be greater than at least 90 degrees. For example, the angle between the second elastic supporting portion 130b and the jaw resting portion 140 may be within an angle range of 100 degrees to 130 degrees.
As illustrated in
In example embodiments, the jaw support brace 100 may include a wire 102 extending from the front chest through the left and right sides of the neck to the lower portion of the mandible to form one closed loop. The wire 102 may be bent along the chest, the neck and the jaw to form the mounting portion 110, the first and second elastic supporting portions 120a, 120b, the first and second auxiliary supporting portions 130a, 130b and the jaw resting portion 140. The wire 102 may include a material that is bendable to follow a natural curvature of the user's individual neck length and jaw angle. A thickness and strength of the wire 102 may be determined in consideration of a required forward traction force, a user's individual body structure, etc.
As illustrated in
In addition, the jaw support brace 100 may further include a tube 104 that surrounds the wire 102 and includes a material having skin affinity. For example, the tube 104 may include silicon, plastic, or the like having skin affinity. Alternatively, the jaw support brace 100 may include a sponge-like material surrounding the wire 102 instead of the tube.
Referring to
In particular, the mounting portion 110 may be configured to extend from a middle region of a user's chest along a pair of collarbones C and be supported on the collarbones. When viewed in the plan view, the mounting portion 110 may have a shape extending in a V-shape.
The elastic supporting portion 122 may extend upwardly from a middle portion of the mounting portion 110 along a front of a neck. An end portion of the elastic supporting portion 122 may be connected to the middle portion of the mounting portion 110, and another portion of the elastic supporting portion 122 may be connected to a middle portion of the jaw resting portion 140.
As illustrated in
The jaw resting portion 140 may extend toward both sides of the neck below the mandible and support the jaw at a desired angle by an elastic supporting force of the elastic supporting portion 122. The jaw resting portion 140 may have a shape extending in a U-shape, when viewed in the plan view. The jaw resting portion 140 may extend laterally from a lower portion of the mandible. Accordingly, the jaw resting portion 140 may apply a forward traction force to a lower portion of the jaw below the mandible to support the jaw at a desired angle without sagging down the mandible.
As illustrated in
As the mandible sags or the jaw goes down, the jaw resting portion 140 may go down. At this time, since the elastic supporting portion 122 has an elastic force to return to its original position, the jaw resting portion 140 may apply a forward traction force F on the jaw to support the jaw at a desired angle without sagging down the mandible.
As illustrated in
In addition, the jaw support brace 101 may further include a tube 104 that surrounds the wire 102 and includes a material having skin affinity. For example, the tube 104 may include silicon, plastic, or the like having skin affinity. Alternatively, the jaw support brace 100 may include a sponge-like material surrounding the wire 102 instead of the tube.
The jaw support brace 101 may further include a handle portion 150 surrounding a middle portion of the elastic supporting portion 122. The user may grip the handle portion 150 and place the jaw support brace 101 at a desired position between the front chest and the chin. The handle portion 150 may also serve as a reinforcing member that enhances the elastic force of the elastic supporting portion 122.
Referring to
In particular, the neck protector 200 may include a cover portion provided to surround the neck. The cover portion may include a first covering portion 210 covering a portion of the neck and a second covering portion 220 covering the rest of the neck. Accordingly, the first and second covering portions 210, 220 may be coupled to each other so as to surround the entire circumference of the neck. The neck protector 200 may further include a coupling member 230 that couples the first and second covering portions 210, 220 to each other to be worn around the neck.
The first covering portion 210 of the cover portion may be a semi arc-shaped front cover covering a front circumference of the neck, and the second covering portion 220 of the cover portion may be a semi arc-shaped rear cover covering a rear circumference of the neck. The cover portion may be formed of a soft synthetic resin material that can be deformed by an external force when worn. For example, the cover portion may include a sponge-like material.
The coupling member 230 may include a fixing band accommodated in grooves formed on outer surfaces of the first and second covering portion 210, 220. The fixing band may be formed of an elastic material. The first and second covering portions 210, 220 may be detachable from each other by the fixing band. A hook and a hook made of adhesive clothes such as Velcro tape at both end portions of the fixing band may be paired and attached to each other. Alternatively, the coupling member may include male and female fastening clips to couple end portions of the first and second covering portions 210, 220 adjacent to each other. However, the coupling member may not be limited thereto, and it will be understood that members having various structures for wearing the cover portion around the neck may be used.
As illustrated in
The neck protector 200 may be worn together with the jaw support brace 100, 101 such that the neck protector 200 is worn around the circumference of the jaw support brace 100, 101 to surround the neck. Accordingly, it may be possible to securely fix the jaw support brace 100, 101 and protect a patient's cervical spine.
As illustrated in
The present invention has been explained with reference to preferable embodiments, however, those skilled in the art may understand that the present invention may be modified or changed without being deviated from the concept and the scope of the present invention disclosed in the following claims.
100, 101: jaw support brace 102: wire
104: tube 106: fixing clip
110: mounting portion 120a, 120b, 122: elastic supporting portion
130
a,
130
b: auxiliary supporting portion 140: jaw resting portion
200: neck protector 210: first covering portion
220: second covering portion 230: coupling member
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
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10-2018-0091357 | Aug 2018 | KR | national |
Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind |
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PCT/KR2019/009617 | 8/1/2019 | WO | 00 |