# US 10,500,086 B1 · Device and method for correcting obstructive sleep apnea > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,500,086 B1 - Document ID: US10500086B1 - Status: Granted - Kind: B1 - Application number: 15/600,964 - Filed: 2017-05-22 - Granted: 2019-12-10 - Earliest claimed: 2011-01-18 - Assignees: The Regents of the University of California - Applicants: The Regents of the University of California - Inventors: Michael R. Harrison; Kathryn H. Rosenbluth; Dillon A. Kwiat; Eric J. Kezirian; Richard J. Fechter; Darrell Christensen - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10500086B1 ## CPC - A61F 5/566: {Intra-oral devices} - A61F 5/56: Devices for preventing snoring - A61N 2/00: Magnetotherapy - A61N 2/004: {specially adapted for a specific therapy} - A61N 1/40: Applying electric fields by inductive or capacitive coupling (microwave apparatus A61N5/00); {Applying radio-frequency signals} - Y10S 602/902: Antisnoring or mouth closing devices - A61F: FILTERS IMPLANTABLE INTO BLOOD VESSELS; PROSTHESES; DEVICES PROVIDING PATENCY TO, OR PREVENTING COLLAPSING OF, TUBULAR STRUCTURES OF THE BODY, e.g. STENTS; ORTHOPAEDIC, NURSING OR CONTRACEPTIVE DEVICES; FOMENTATION; TREATMENT OR PROTECTION OF EYES OR EARS; BANDAGES, DRESSINGS OR ABSORBENT PADS; FIRST-AID KITS (dental prosthetics A61C) - A61N: ELECTROTHERAPY; MAGNETOTHERAPY; RADIATION THERAPY; ULTRASOUND THERAPY (measurement of bioelectric currents A61B; surgical instruments, devices or methods for transferring non-mechanical forms of energy to or from the body A61B18/00; anaesthetic apparatus in general A61M; incandescent lamps H01K; infrared radiators for heating H05B) - Y10S: TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS ## Abstract An orthotic obstructive sleep apnea treatment device is provided that includes a hyoid bone attachment element disposed to attach a ferric element to a hyoid bone, where the ferric element is disposed to face along a treatment vector from the hyoid bone, and the treatment vector is oriented relative to a sagittal plane of a human. The orthotic obstructive sleep apnea treatment device further includes an external orthotic neck device having a contoured housing with a shape disposed to conform about a neck of the human subject, where the housing includes a force delivery element disposed at an exterior-front neck region of the human subject and is disposed to provide an attractive force to the ferric element along the treatment vector. A force sensor is disposed to measure a force exerted on the hyoid bone, a skin contact pressure, tissue compression between the ferric element and the force delivery element. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An orthotic obstructive sleep apnea treatment device, comprising: a. a hyoid bone attachment element to couple a ferric element to a hyoid bone; b. an external orthotic neck device, wherein said external orthotic neck device comprises a support shaped to confirm about one or more of a neck, a head, or a chest of a human subject, wherein said support comprises a force delivery element, wherein said force delivery element is configured to be disposed at an exterior region of said human subject, wherein said force delivery element provides an attractive force to said ferric element; and c. a force sensor, wherein said force sensor measures a force selected from the group consisting of a force exerted on said hyoid bone, a skin contact pressure, tissue compression between said ferric element and said force delivery element, and a second force exerted by said force delivery element. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The sleep apnea treatment device of claim 1, wherein said support comprises a processor and a memory device, wherein said processor and said memory device are disposed to monitor data from said force sensor, wherein said processor and said memory device outputs measurement data according to time. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The obstructive sleep apnea treatment device of claim 2, wherein said support comprises a visual display, wherein said processor and said memory device outputs said measurement data to said visual display. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The obstructive sleep apnea treatment device of claim 3, wherein said visual display comprises indicator lights, wherein said indicator lights provide acceptable or unacceptable display signals according to readings from said force sensor. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The obstructive sleep apnea treatment device of claim 4, wherein said support comprises connectivity to an external computer and a data storage device, wherein said connectivity comprises wired connectivity or wireless connectivity, wherein data from said force sensor is communicated to and from said external computer and said external storage device. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The obstructive sleep apnea treatment device of claim 5, wherein said external computer comprises a cellular telephone. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The obstructive sleep apnea treatment device of claim 1, wherein said force delivery element comprises a processor and a memory device wherein data from said force sensor is processed through said processor and said memory device, wherein said adjustable force is adjusted according to instructions from said processor and memory. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The obstructive sleep apnea treatment device of claim 7, wherein said processor and memory are configured to provide pattern recognition, wherein said pattern recognition identifies a pattern associated with breathing rate of the human subject. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The obstructive sleep apnea treatment device of claim 8, wherein a recognized pattern from said pattern recognition is configured to be output for analysis. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The obstructive sleep apnea treatment device of claim 9, wherein said adjustable force is configured according to said recognized pattern. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The obstructive sleep apnea treatment device of claim 1, wherein said force delivery element comprises an electromagnet, wherein an attractive force exerted by said electromagnet is adjustable according to an electrical current. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The orthotic obstructive sleep apnea treatment device of claim 11, wherein an amperage of said electrical current is determined according to (i) data from said force sensor or (ii) to a predetermined pattern, wherein said predetermined pattern comprises data from a pattern analysis. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The obstructive sleep apnea treatment device of claim 1, wherein said force delivery element comprises an adjustable force element, wherein said adjustable force element comprises a moveable magnet. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The obstructive sleep apnea treatment device of claim 1, wherein said force delivery element comprises a removable magnet, wherein said force delivery element is disposed to receive magnets having different magnetic forces. ### Claim 15 (depends on 1) The obstructive sleep apnea treatment device of claim 1, wherein said support comprises a localized shape adjustment member, wherein said localized shape adjustment member is disposed to conform about the neck. ### Claim 16 (depends on 1) The obstructive sleep apnea treatment device of claim 1, wherein said force delivery element comprises a processor and a memory device, wherein data from said force sensor is configured to be processed through said processor and said memory device, and wherein an inflatable balloon bladder is configured to be adjusted according to said data from said force sensor. ### Claim 17 (depends on 1) The obstructive sleep apnea treatment device of claim 1, wherein said force delivery element comprises an adjustable magnet, wherein said adjustable magnet is disposed in (i) a threaded positioner or (ii) an indexed positioner. ### Claim 18 (depends on 1) The obstructive sleep apnea treatment device of claim 1, wherein said force sensor is configured to sense breathing or snoring. ### Claim 19 (depends on 1) The sleep apnea treatment device of claim 1, wherein said force delivery element comprises a processor and a memory device both configured to recognize patterns associated with breathing.