DEVICE FOR DISTRIBUTION OF A LIQUID IN A USER'S MOUTH

Abstract

A mouthpiece for distribution of a liquid in a user's mouth, the mouthpiece comprising an inlet for a tube and an internal channel with at least two outlets, wherein the mouthpiece is configured to be positioned within a superior vestibule of the user's mouth apical to a gingival margin, wherein a thickness of the mouthpiece is less than 1 mm.

Claims

1.-15. (canceled)

16. A flexible mouthpiece for distribution of a liquid in a user's mouth, the mouthpiece comprising: an inlet for a tube; at least two outlets; and a single internal channel that fluidically connects the at least two outlets to each other and to the inlet, wherein the mouthpiece is configured to be positioned within a superior vestibule of the user's mouth apical to a gingival margin, wherein the mouthpiece is formed of two sheets of a flexible material that are bonded together, wherein the two sheets of flexible material are unbonded in an unfixed region that defines the internal channel.

17. The mouthpiece according to claim 16, wherein the flexible material comprises a silicone material.

18. The mouthpiece according to claim 16, wherein the mouthpiece is constructed such that, when in use, each outlet of the at least two outlets is positioned complementary to an opening of a parotid duct in the user's mouth.

19. The mouthpiece according to claim 16, wherein the mouthpiece is configured to follow the contour of a mucous membrane of the user's mouth.

20. The mouthpiece according to claim 16, wherein the mouthpiece is configured such that when the mouthpiece is positioned apical to the gingival margin it is not in contact with teeth of the user.

21. The mouthpiece according to claim 16, further comprising two flaps configured to fit within superior vestibule cavities that are present on each side of a labial frenulum in the user's mouth.

22. The mouthpiece according to claim 16, wherein a width of the mouthpiece is in the range of 0.6 cm to 1.0 cm.

23. The mouthpiece according to claim 16, wherein a width of the internal channel is in the range of 1 mm to 3 mm.

24. The mouthpiece according to claim 16, wherein the flexible material of the mouthpiece is configured to stretch such that the dimensions of the internal channel increase when filled with fluid.

25. The mouthpiece according to claim 16, wherein a width of the mouthpiece is between 2 and 6 times a thickness of the mouthpiece.

26. The mouthpiece according to claim 16, wherein each sheet of the two sheets of flexible material has a thickness of less than 0.5 mm.

27. An assembly comprising the mouthpiece according to claim 16, further comprising a tube having one end fluidly connected to the inlet of the mouthpiece.

28. The assembly according to claim 27, wherein the inlet of the mouthpiece is molded to the tube, and the tube is configured to extend out of the user's mouth.

29. The assembly according to claim 28, wherein an opposite end of the tube is connected to a second tube via a check valve.

30. A liquid distribution system comprising the mouthpiece according to claim 16, further comprising: a container for containing the liquid to be distributed to the user's mouth, a tube configured to permit liquid communication between the container and the mouthpiece, and a mechanism for conducting flow of the liquid from the container to the mouthpiece.

31. The liquid distribution system according to claim 30, wherein the container is configured for containing a liquid comprising dissolved carbon dioxide, so that the carbon dioxide stays dissolved while the liquid is inside the container.

32. A method of distributing liquid in a user's mouth, comprising: placing the mouthpiece according to claim 16 within a superior vestibule of the user's mouth apical to a gingival margin; and supplying liquid from a container through at least one tube and into the inlet of the mouthpiece.

33. A method of manufacturing the mouthpiece according to claim 16, the method comprising the steps of: providing a first half of the mouthpiece as a first sheet; providing a second half of the mouthpiece as a second sheet, wherein the second half has at least two holes; and fixing the first and second sheets together while keeping a region between the at least two holes unfixed to create the internal channel.

34. The method according to claim 33, wherein the first and second sheets comprise a silicone material.

35. The method according to claim 33, wherein the fixing of the first sheet and the second sheet together comprises vulcanization of a platinum crosslinking agent.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0051] In the following is described examples of preferred embodiments illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

[0052] FIG. 1 shows schematically a mouthpiece according to an embodiment of the invention, an injection tube, and a liquid reservoir;

[0053] FIG. 2 shows the mouthpiece from FIG. 1 positioned in the superior vestibule of a user, viewed from below;

[0054] FIG. 3 shows the mouthpiece from FIGS. 1 and 2 positioned in the superior vestibule of a user, viewed from the side;

[0055] FIG. 4 shows a sectioned view of the mouthpiece from FIGS. 1 to 3 positioned in the superior vestibule of a user, viewed from the side as in FIG. 3;

[0056] FIG. 5 shows another view of the mouthpiece; and

[0057] FIG. 6 shows another view of the mouthpiece together with the injection tube.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0058] In the drawings, the reference numeral 1 indicates a mouthpiece according to the invention. Identical reference numerals indicate identical or similar features. The drawings are presented in a simplified and schematic manner, and the features therein are not necessarily drawn to scale.

[0059] FIG. 1 shows a mouthpiece 1 according to an embodiment of the invention including an injection tube 2. The injection tube 2 is in use connected to a liquid reservoir or container 3 via a check valve 8 and a second tube 4. The liquid from the container 3 may be injected via a continuously injecting pump (not shown). The mouthpiece 1 comprises an anterior portion 14 and two posteriorly oriented side branches 15 which together form the shape of a C. An inlet 6 is positioned in the anterior portion 14. An outlet 7 is positioned laterally at the posterior end portion of each branch 15. An internal channel 5 (indicated with broken lines) connects the inlet 6 with the outlets 7, and also fluidly connects the outlets 7 to each other. The injection tube 2 is in one end portion connected to the inlet 6 and in an opposite end portion connected to the check valve 8. The internal channel 5 may distribute an injected liquid from the inlet 6 to the two outlets 7 which are positioned complementary to the user's parotid ducts when the mouthpiece 1 is in position of use. The inlet 6 may typically be positioned in the anterior portion 14 of the mouthpiece 1 for easy connection to the injection tube 2 through the mouth opening. The shown mouthpiece 1 may comprise two anterior flaps 9 which are adjusted to fit within the cavities of the superior vestibule 10 (as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3) which are present on each side of the labial frenulum. Between the flaps 9 there is a slit 16 for the labial frenulum to fit within. The flaps 9 and the slit 16 are designed to improve the fit of the mouthpiece 1 to the superior vestibule 10 (not shown in FIG. 1) for improved fixation. The flaps may be relatively minor, e.g. relatively small in relation to the width of the mouthpiece. The thickness, which may be e.g. less than 1.0 mm, 0.8 mm, or 0.6 mm, of the mouthpiece 1 is normal to the plane of the paper in FIG. 1.

[0060] FIGS. 2 and 3 show a mouthpiece 1 according to an embodiment of the invention and the position of the mouthpiece 1 relative to the teeth 12 in the superior vestibule 10 of a user, seen from below and from the side, respectively. The mouthpiece is worn higher than the gingival margins.

[0061] FIG. 4 shows a sectioned view of the mouthpiece 1 in the superior vestibule 10, cut substantially through the middle of the mouth. The internal channel 5 is visible in the mouthpiece 1. The mouthpiece 1 is thin with a thickness of less than 1.0 mm and relatively wide, resulting in a large surface to volume ratio and a large cross section of the internal channel 5 relative to the thickness. The FIGS. 2-4 demonstrate how the mouthpiece 1 is positioned in the superior vestibule 10 apical to the gingival margin 11. The teeth 12 and the oral cavity proper 13 are thus substantially clear from the mouthpiece 1 so that it is not a problem for the user to eat while wearing said mouthpiece 1. The injection tube 2 is positioned in the front, close to the mouth opening.

[0062] The thickness of the mouthpiece 1 is measured along a direction normal to the surface of the gingiva (gums), and the width of the mouthpiece is measured along a direction from the gingival margin 11 to the top of the superior vestibule 10. The width of the mouthpiece 1 is larger than the thickness. FIG. 4 demonstrates how this geometry leads to an internal channel 5 with an elongate cross-section.

[0063] FIG. 5 shows another view of the mouthpiece 1 when not worn by a user. The mouthpiece 1 comprises the slit 16 and the flaps 9. In use, the slit 16 is located at the front and top of the mouthpiece 1 and thereby accommodates the user's labial frenulum. The flaps 9 fit within cavities of the superior vestibule which are present on each side of a labial frenulum. The slit 16 and flaps 9 therefore help to correctly position the mouthpiece 1 in the user's mouth. The mouthpiece 1 may change shape (e.g. by being flexible) when worn by a user.

[0064] FIG. 6 shows the mouthpiece 1 and injection tube 2 when not worn by a user. As described with reference to FIG. 5, the slit 16 and flaps 9 are positioned so that they are at the front and top of the mouthpiece 1 when the mouthpiece 1 is worn by a user, and are therefore on an inner curve of the mouthpiece 1 when it is not worn by a user. The slit 16 therefore receives a user's labial frenulum when in use, and flaps extend either side of the labial frenulum. The injection tube 2 is fluidly connected to the single internal channel 5 and extends from the mouthpiece 1 so that in use it extends out of the user's mouth for injection of fluid into the internal channel 5.

[0065] It should be noted that the above-mentioned embodiments illustrate rather than limit the invention, and that those skilled in the art will be able to design many alternative embodiments without departing from the scope of the appended claims. In the claims, any reference signs placed between parentheses shall not be construed as limiting the claim. Use of the verb comprise and its conjugations does not exclude the presence of elements or steps other than those stated in a claim. The article a or an preceding an element does not exclude the presence of a plurality of such elements.