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US 12,178,608 B2Granted
Instrumented mouthguard devices and components configured for use in instrumented mouthguard devices
AssigneeHitIQ Limited
InventorsMichael Vegar, Ben Nizette, Lucas Lang, David Austin
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Instrumented mouthguards include components such as accelerometer modules that enable monitoring of head movements of a mouthguard wearer. Various embodiments that provide instrumented mouthguard devices and components configured for use in instrumented mouthguard devices, including flexible circuit board substrates. In some embodiments, the flexible circuit board substrate is configured to allow sizing irregularities resultant from customization of the mouthguard body to a specific wearer.
Claims26
An instrumented mouthguard device, comprising:
- a mouthguard body that is configured to be worn in a user's mouth, wherein the body includes a protective channel that is configured to receive and protect the user's upper and/or lower teeth;
- and
- a flexible circuit board substrate mounted to the mouthguard body, wherein the flexible circuit board substrate includes:
- at least a first and second component zone, wherein the first and second component zones are positioned at spaced apart locations on the protective channel of the mouthguard body;
- and
- one or more interconnective regions of the flexible circuit board substrate configured for enabling electronically coupling of the component zones, wherein a given one of the interconnective regions follows a meandering path having a length greater than the separation between those of the component zones connected by that interconnective region on a direct path along or within the protective channel of the mouthguard body,
- wherein the meandering path allows for mounting of the flexible circuit board substrate to those regions of the mouthguard body which define the protective channel independent of sizing irregularities resultant from customization of those regions of the mouthguard body which define the protective channel to a specific wearer in a manner which facilitates variations in relative separation and positioning of the first and second component zones on the protective channel of the mouthguard body thereby to account for mouthguard bodies having different shapes and sizes.
4 more elements
A method of forming a mouthguard device, comprising:
- (i) scanning an interior of a subject's mouth;
- (ii) forming an inner mouthguard body member based on the scanning of the subject, such that the shape and size of the inner mouthguard body member is customized for the user based on the scanning;
- (iii) mounting a plurality of component zones and a conductive member to an outer face of a protective channel provided by the inner mouthguard body in a manner which facilitates variations in relative separation and positioning of the component zones on the protective channel of the mouthguard body thereby to account for the customized shape and size of the inner mouthguard body, wherein the protective channel surrounds and protects a wearer's teeth and the conductive member is irregularly shaped such that it is configured to enable fitting of the component zones at desired locations on inner mouthguard bodies of varied shapes and sizes;
- and
- (iv) sealing an outer mouthguard body member to the inner mouthguard body member thereby to encapsulate the component zones and conductive member.
2 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.