US3800782A

US3800782A - Swallow diagnostic device

Info

Publication number: US3800782A
Application number: US00262567A
Authority: US
Inventors: A Josephson; F Fink
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1972-06-14
Filing date: 1972-06-14
Publication date: 1974-04-02
Anticipated expiration: 1991-04-02

Abstract

A device for diagnosing an abnormal human swallow comprises a support member for fitting over the teeth of the user with the shaft slidably mounted at one end in the support member and a contact member mounted at the other end of the shaft for being disposed in the mouth of the user and with resilient means acting between the support member and contact member to hold the contact member at a relatively fixed distance from the support member during a normal swallow and to permit the shaft to slidably project from the support member during an abnormal swallow by the force of the tongue against the contact member.

Description

United States Patent [1 1 Josephson et al. Apr. 2, 1974 [54] SWALLOW DIAGNOSTIC DEVICE 1,259,335 3/1918 Acton 30/368 X 3,482,324 12/1969 Samhat 30/368 X lnventors- S a-2x 133 2 i l fs g g 3,133,355 5/1964 Gordon 128/25 x 1714 Gunning Dr. Forest Hills Primary Exammerl(yle L. Howell Tgggg of wflmmgton Attorney, Agent, or FirmConn0lly and Hutz [22] Filed: June 14, 1972 [57] ABSTRACT [21] Appl. No.: 262,567 A device for diagnosing an abnormal human swallow comprises a support member for fitting over the teeth of the user with the shaft slidably mounted at one end 128/2 S,A363l/l1 in the pp member and a Contact member [58] Fie'ld 32/17 mounted at the other end of the shaft for being dis- 33/174 E posed in the mouth of the user and with resilient means acting between the support member and 5 6] References Cited contact member to hold the contact member at a relatively fixed distance from the support member during UNITED STATES PATENTS a normal swallow and to permit the shaft to slidably 2,315,660 4/1943 Sahr 32/17 project from the support member during an abnormal 2 d swallow by the force of the tongue against the contact uste 640,696 1/1900 Pearl 30/368 member. 3,721,128 3/1973 Thurman 33/174 D X 10 Claims, 8 Drawing Figures SWALLOW DIAGNOSTIC DEVICE BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to an appliance for aiding in the diagnosing of an abnormal swallow in humans. Frequently much of the beneficial work done in the field of orthodontia is later undone to some degree by adverse effects from improper swallow. These adverse effects could have been prevented, however, by correcting the swallow in accordance, for example with known exercises or training procedures for the patient. Accordingly, a need exists for an appliance in aiding the orthodonist in determining if the patient has an improper swallow which should be corrected even prior to the commencement of any orthodontic work.

Various devices exist in the prior art which are directed to sundry functions such as recording muscle movements or relating to other dental dimensioning devices. Exemplary of such prior art are U. S. Pat. Nos. 3,610,227; 3,129,510; 3,075,573; 3,557,855; 3,614,950; 2,060,555; 2,758,375; 1,944,601; 3,056,210; 2,902,769; 2,552,385 and 2,299,285. None of the above prior art, however, is concerned; with detecting the existence of an improper swallow.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of this invention is to provide a device which may be used for diagnosing an abnormal swallow.

A further object of this invention is to provide such a device which is simple in construction and use thereby lending itself to ready availability for ultimate users.

In accordance with this invention a device for diagnosing an abnormal human swallow comprises a support member for fitting over the teeth of the user with the shaft slidably mounted at one end in the support member and a contact member mounted at the other end of the shaft for being disposed in the mouth of the user and with resilient means acting between the support member and contact member to hold the contact member at a relatively fixed distance from the support member during a normal swallow and to permit the shaft to slidably project from the support member during an abnormal swallow by the force of the tongue against the contact member.

The support member may be properly positioned on the teeth by an arcuate groove on the lower surface of the support member. The contact member is advantageously disc shaped and includes a dished-out recess on its tongue contact surface with a peripheral rim or flange around the recess to assure proper positioning of the tongue against the contact member.

THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is an end elevation view of a diagnostic device in accordance with this invention;

FIG. 2 is a side elevation view of the device shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a top plan view of the device shown in FIGS. l-2;

FIG. 4 is a bottom plan view of the device shown in FIGS. l-3;

FIG. 5 is a front elevation view of the device shown in FIGS. 14;

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view taken through FIG. 4 along the line 66;

FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view in elevation similar to FIG. 6 in a different phase of operation; and

FIG. 8 is a front elevation view similar to FIG. 1 of a modified diagnostic device in accordance with this invention.

It is noted that FIGS. 1-5 and 8 are drawn to a scale enlarged 1% times full size, while FIGS. 6-7 are at a scale double full size.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION As illustrated in the drawings the diagnostic device 10 includes a support member 12 which is generally bowed shaped with the

ends

14, 14 thereof coverging toward each other and toward contact member 16 mounted on the end of shaft 18 which in turn is slidably held in support member 12. The lower surface 21 of support member 12 includes an arcuate groove 20 shaped to generally conform to the maxillary arch of the user. In practice a few different size devices may be necessary to accommodate different age groups. As indicated in FIGS. 4 and 6 tongue contact member 16 has a dished-out recess 22 on its contact surface thereby creating a peripheral rim or flange 24 to guide the tongue T into proper position against contact member 16. Resilient means such as a spring 26 reacts between support member 12 and contact member 16 to maintain the contact member a fixed distance from the support member. The end of shaft 18 has an enlarged flattened portion 28 which acts as a stop to prevent the shaft and contact member from becoming dislodged from support member 12. Shaft 18 is slidably mounted in wear sleeve 30 as best shown in FIGS. 6-7.

In practice device 10 is inserted into the mouth of the patient with the lower teeth T being positioned in groove 20 to assure proper relative positioning of the device with respect to the tongue. The distance d between the contact member and the support member as measured, for example, from the center of contact surface 22 to the center line of groove 20 is about inches or approximately 1 1/16 inches in the illustrated embodiment so that the tongue may barely contact surface 22 during a normal swallow. After device 10 has been inserted in the mouth, the patient is instructed to place the tongue against contact surface 22 and then swallow. Resilient means or spring 26 is so selected as to maintain contact member 16 and thus also shaft 18 relatively stationary during this normal swallow. If the swallow is abnormal as indicated in FIG. 7 the force created by the tongue is such to cause the contact member 16 to shift toward support member 12 which in turn causes the end of shaft 18 to project from the support member thereby providing a clear visible indication to the orthodontist that the swallow is abnormal. Advantageously, support member 12 has an arcuate inner edge 13 to accommodate disc 16 when the disc is moved outwardly by the tongue.

If desired indicia such as colored rings or spaced lines I contact member 16A is made oval or eliptical shape to more generally conform to the general configuration of the tongue. In this embodiment suitable means are provided to prevent any rotational movement of contact member 16A and thereby assure proper orientation to the contact member with respect to the tongue. Thus in the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 8 shaft 18A is made non-circular such as of square cross-section and slides in a complimentary shaped sleeve in the support member thereby preventing any rotation of the shaft and contact member while still permitting the shaft to slide in and out.

What is claimed is:

1. A device for diagnosing an abnormal human swallow comprising a support member, said support member being generally flat with an upper surface and a lower surface, said support member having an outer edge and an inner edge disposed remote from said outer edge, said inner edge being generally bowed to create an open space between the ends of said inner edge, tooth receiving positioning means on one of said upper surface and said lower surface of said support member for mounting the support member between the jaws of a user in a predetermined position, a shaft slidably mounted at one end in said support member and extending completely therethrough, a contact member mounted on the other end of said shaft and located in said open space for being disposed in the mouth of the user, and resilient means reacting between said support member and said contact member to hold said contact member at a relatively fixed distance from said support member during a normal swallow and for permitting said shaft to slide through and extend from said support member during an abnormal swallow by the force of the tongue against said contact member.

2. A device as set forth in claim 1 wherein said positioning means comprises a groove in said lower surface of said support member, said groove being arcuate shaped to correspond to the maxillary arch of the user.

3. A device as set forth in claim 2 wherein said contact member is a flat disc disposed perpendicular to said support member.

4. A device as set forth in claim 3 wherein thedistance between the centerline of said groove to the sur face of said contact member remote from said groove is approximately 34 inch.

5. A device as set forth in claim 3 wherein said remote surface of said contact member is recessed to create a peripheral flange around said surface for aiding in positioning the tongue against said remote surface.

6. A device as set forth in claim 5 wherein said remote surface is circular.

7. A device as set forth in claim 5 wherein said remote surface is non-circular, and guide means preventing rotation of said contact member while permitting said'shaft to slide in said support member.

8. A device as set forth in claim 5 wherein said outer edge of said support member is bow-shaped, and the ends of said support member converge toward said contact member.

9. A device as set forth in claim 5 including stop means on said shaft remote from said contact member for maintaining said shaft mounted in said support member.

10. A device as set forth in claim 9 wherein said resilient means comprises a spring mounted around said shaft.

Claims

4. A device as set forth in claim 3 wherein the distance between the centerline of said groove to the surface of said contact member remote from said groove is approximately 3/4 inch.

6. A device as set forth in claim 5 wherein said remote surface is circular.

7. A device as set forth in claim 5 wherein said remote surface is non-circular, and guide means preventing rotation of said contact member while permitting said shaft to slide in said support member.