U.S. patent application number 13/131048 was filed with the patent office on 2011-09-29 for manual exercise device for toning and tightening flaccid tissue surrounding an airway.
Invention is credited to John Murray.
Application Number | 20110237402 13/131048 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 42225949 |
Filed Date | 2011-09-29 |
United States Patent
Application |
20110237402 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Murray; John |
September 29, 2011 |
MANUAL EXERCISE DEVICE FOR TONING AND TIGHTENING FLACCID TISSUE
SURROUNDING AN AIRWAY
Abstract
Manual exercise device that is comprised of a combination
mouthpiece and top cap, a soft-rubber check-valve, a hard plastic
hollow spherical bulb, and a soft plastic washer with a minuscule
hole at its center held in position by an open-faced cap. A
preferred embodiment affords a user a means through which to
manually create and maintain a slowly depleting vacuum within the
hard plastic bulb, exercising flaccid tissue and musculature in the
process.
Inventors: |
Murray; John; (San Antonio,
TX) |
Family ID: |
42225949 |
Appl. No.: |
13/131048 |
Filed: |
November 28, 2008 |
PCT Filed: |
November 28, 2008 |
PCT NO: |
PCT/US08/85058 |
371 Date: |
May 25, 2011 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
482/13 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A63B 23/18 20130101;
A63B 21/0085 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
482/13 |
International
Class: |
A63B 23/18 20060101
A63B023/18 |
Claims
1. A non-invasive exercise apparatus comprised of: a hard plastic
sphere made of santoprene and polystyrene with threaded open
orifices at opposite ends of the sphere; a rubber check-valve that
sits snugly in the larger of the two threaded orifices; a plastic
mouth piece that attaches to the larger threaded orifice by a
threaded cap corresponding with threads on the orifice, covering
the rubber check-valve; a threaded, open-face plastic cap that
corresponds with the smaller threaded orifice; a soft plastic
washer with a circumference of the inner-face of the. open-face
plastic cap; and a minuscule hole that is positioned precisely at
the center of the soft plastic washer.
2. A non-invasive exercise apparatus, as stated in claim 1,
whereas, once assembled provides repetitious exercise for tissue
surrounding the human airway by creating and maintaining a vacuum
within the hard plastic, hollow sphere.
3. A non-invasive exercise apparatus, as stated in claim 1, which
provides a safe, effective means through which to tone and tighten
tissue in human airways that is associated with and responsible for
snoring.
4. A non-invasive exercise apparatus, as stated in claim 1, that,
with continued proper use, tones and tightens flaccid obstructive
tissue along and surrounding the human airways that is associated
with and responsible for the health detriment known as Obstructive
Sleep Apnea (OSA).
5. A non-invasive exercise apparatus, as stated in claim 1 which,
when utilized in a proper and routine manner, is effective in
toning and tightening tissue surrounding, human airways allowing
for the intake and exhalation of air, unhampered by blockages
associated with otherwise flaccid and untoned tissue.
Description
CITATION TO PRIOR APPLICATION
[0001] This is a CONTINUATION-IN-PART with respect to U.S.
application Ser. No. 11/530857, filed 11 Sep. 2006 (11.09.2006)
from which priority is claimed under 35 U.S.C. .sctn.120.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0002] The primary object of the invention is to provide a
non-invasive physical exercise approach to alleviate flaccid tissue
obstructions along a human airway.
[0003] Another object of the invention is to provide an alternative
to the routine application of lubricants to the flaccid tissue of
the soft palate, uvula and surface tissue at the back of the throat
in preparation for sleep.
[0004] Another object of the invention is to provide a means
through which to tone and tighten tissue associated with OSA
beneficial to people intolerable to CPAP therapy.
[0005] Other objects and advantages of the invention will become
apparent from the following descriptions, taken in conjunction with
the accompanying drawings. By way of example and illustration, an
embodiment of the present invention is enclosed. Prototypes of the
present invention are available for further inspection.
[0006] In accordance with a preferred embodiment of the invention,
there is disclosed a manual exercise device for toning and
tightening flaccid tissue surrounding an airway (U-Firm): a
hard-plastic, hollow spherical bulb that has threaded open necks at
opposite ends; a plastic mouthpiece with threaded cap at one end of
corresponding shape and size of the top larger open neck of the
hollow bulb; a soft-rubber check-value of the circumference
compatible with the inner-perimeter of the larger of two open necks
to allow for insertion of the check-valve; an open-faced plastic
cap, threaded on its inner-surface and of a corresponding size and
shape of the smaller of two open necks of the hollow bulb; a
soft-plastic solid washer with a minuscule hole at its exact
center. This soft-plastic washer is of circumference corresponding
with that of the inner-perimeter of the underside of the face of
the open-faced threaded cap.
[0007] The present invention is intended to affect a repetitious,
manual exercise by creating and maintaining a self-sustained vacuum
within the hard-plastic hollow bulb. Slow dissipation of this
vacuum results from seepage of air into the bulb through the
minuscule hole at the center of the soft-plastic washer, secured in
position by the open-faced cap, providing an otherwise airtight
seal over the open neck. The continuous drawing of puffs of air
through the mouthpiece increases the force of the vacuum depleted
by seepage of air. The soft-rubber check-valve is drawn shut by the
sustained vacuum, opening only when puffs of air are drawn by the
user. The series of events required to maintain the vacuum flexes
and relaxes flaccid musculature and tissue, thus alleviating
obstructive tissue by toning and lifting it out of the airway.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0008] The drawings constitute a part of intended specifics and
include exemplary embodiments to the invention. It should be
understood that aspects of the invention are in correspondence with
actual "working" prototypes. In some of the drawings components may
be shown enlarged to facilitate a clear understanding of the
invention.
[0009] FIG. 1 is a plan view of the invention transparently
depicting total assembly.
[0010] FIG. 2 is a non-transparent, full assembly of the
invention.
[0011] FIG. 3 is an exploded view of the invention,
disassembled.
[0012] FIG. 4 is a section view of the invention, fully
assembled.
[0013] FIG. 5 is a transparent view, from multiple angles, of
invention's mouthpiece.
[0014] FIG. 6 shows the threaded bottom open neck and corresponding
open-faced cap.
[0015] FIG. 7 is a partial section view and bottom view of the
invention's combination mouthpiece and top cap.
[0016] FIG. 8 is a section view of the bulb and open neck at either
end, with transparent threads.
[0017] FIG. 9 shows a partial section view of the bulb revealing
its hollow interior.
[0018] FIG. 10 shows a section view of the top threaded neck, as
well as the underside of the corresponding mouthpiece cap.
[0019] FIG. 11 shows the top threaded neck and outer edge of the
top open neck.
[0020] FIG. 12 shows front, side and bottom views of invention's
check-valve.
[0021] FIG. 13 shows 3-step insertion of the check-valve down into
the top open neck, as well as all-angle views of the valve.
[0022] FIG. 14 shows the bottom open-faced cap in traparency, as
well as the inside of the cap.
[0023] FIG. 15 is a side view and section view of the bottom cap,
and top and bottom view of same, as well as side and top views of
the washer with minuscule hole.
[0024] FIGS. 16 and 17 are views of the solid washer with minuscule
hole at its center.
[0025] FIG. 18 shows a "user" of the invention with the mouthpiece
in place, in preparation for use.
[0026] FIG. 19 shows a section view of a human mouth, lips and
airway, and an open mouth revealing the uvula and other potentially
flaccid tissue.
[0027] FIG. 20 shows the invention's mouthpiece positioned for use
indicating trajectory of air.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
[0028] The present invention and prototypes of same correspond
formal and informal drawings in conjunction with descriptions
herein.
[0029] Invention 100 as shown in FIGS. 1, 2, and 3, is comprised of
five separate components including a hollow 40 hard plastic
spherical bulb 50; a combination mouthpiece 49 and threaded cap 31;
a soft rubber check-valve 25, 29, 43, 44, 45; a soft-plastic solid
washer 41 with a minuscule hole 24 at its exact center, and an
open-faced 32 threaded cap 42.
[0030] FIGS. 8 and 9 show the hard-plastic spherical bulb 50 and
its entirely hollow interior 40. At one end of the bulb 50 is a
protruding open-end neck with threads on its outward-facing surface
47, as shown in FIG. 10. At the opposite end of the bulb 50 is `a
second smaller open-end neck with an outward-facing threaded
surface 46, as shown in FIG. 10.
[0031] FIGS. 14 and 15 show the open-faced 32 threaded 28 cap 42
which is designed so as to allow the threaded 28 inner-surface to
correspond with the outward-facing threaded surface of the smaller
of two open necks 46.
[0032] FIGS. 16 and 17 show the soft-plastic, solid washer 41 with
a minuscule hole 24 at its center. The circumference of the washer
41 is compatible with the perimeter of the inside surface 27 of the
open-face 32 cap 42. When the washer 41 is positioned inside the
open-face 32 cap 42, a rim 26 along the edge of the open face
secures the washer 41 in place by turning the cap 42 clockwise and
down onto the corresponding outward facing threads of the open neck
46, at the bottom end of the bulb 50.
[0033] As shown in FIGS. 12 and 13, the soft-rubber check-valve 25,
29, 43, 44, 45 is form-fitted to slide down into the larger open
neck 47, as shown in FIG. 13, a, b, and c. This check-valve is
inserted open-end 29 first, until protruding lip 25 sits flush
against the surface 24 of the open neck 47. The check-valve 25, 29,
43, 44, 45 has a solid rubber body 45 with a hollow channel 2_9 at
its center that runs its entire length. At the top end of the
check-valve's rubber body 45 is a protruding soft-rubber, 2-sided
flap 43, positioned directly above and in line with the hollow
channel 29. The rubber lip 25 serves as an airtight washer and
seal, when the threaded cap 31 of the mouthpiece 49 is turned
clockwise down onto the threaded open neck 47 at the top end of the
bulb 50.
[0034] Once the proper assembly of the invention 100 has been
affected, as shown in FIGS. 1, 2, and 4, the user must place the
open end 30 of the mouthpiece 49 between his or her lips 39, as
shown in FIG. 18.
[0035] Lips 39 form a seal around the entire open end 30. When
mouthpiece 49 has been properly positioned, user begins to draw
puffs of air through the open end 30 of the mouthpiece 49. Air is
drawn from within the hollow 40 bulb 50 where it travels through
the hollow channel 29 of the check-valve's body 45, where the air
then passes through the soft-rubber flap-seal 43. Air passing
through the flap-seal 43 continues on through the hollow 23
mouthpiece 49 where it exits the open end 30 of the mouthpiece 49,
and enters the users mouth 21, as shown in FIGS. 19 and 20. Drawn
air is then expelled out through the user's nostrils 38.
[0036] As air is extracted from within the hollow 40 bulb 50, a
vacuum begins to occur. The force of this vacuum drawl back against
the soft-rubber seal-flap 43, pulls the two sides of the flap 43
together creating a seal that captures the vacuum within the hollow
40 bulb 50. When user draws against this entrapped vacuum, the two
sides of the rubber flap 43 are forced apart allowing for air to
pass between them as air exits the hollow 40 of the bulb 50 on its
way to the user's mouth 21, creating a one-way path for the
extracted air.
[0037] As the force of the vacuum contained within the bulb 50
increases, user must exert more strength to draw air against this
force in order to continue the procedure, thereby necessitating the
utilization of the numerous musculature within and beneath flaccid
issue surrounding the user's airway 36, as shown in FIGS. 19 and
20. The continuous repetitious flexing and relaxing of these
otherwise neglected or sparingly used muscles continues to manually
exercise these muscles for the duration of the period the user
maintains the entrapped vacuum.
[0038] The minuscule hole 34 at the center of the soft-plastic
washer 41 shown in FIGS. 4, 15, 16, and 17, positioned beneath the
bottom cap 42, allows for a constant but gradual seepage of air
into the hollow 40 interior of the bulb 50, slowly dissipating the
force of the vacuum, otherwise trapped within the bulb 50. This
dissipation of the force of the vacuum is replenished by the user's
continued drawing of air through the embodiment of the invention
100 and into his or her mouth 21.
[0039] The continuous repetitious recreation of the depleting
vacuum contained within the bulb 50 achieves the object of manually
exercising flaccid tissues surrounding an airway 36, thus providing
a means through which to tone and tighten tissue which can be
responsible for obstructing an airway 36.
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