Device for the hindrance of snoring and obstructive sleep apnea
AssigneeNitecap Inc.
InventorThomas R. Barito
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Snoring and obstructive sleep apnea are mitigated or controlled by restricting head movement during sleep. A headgear is disclosed with extensions at the rear of the headgear which impedes or blocks sleeping with the head in the supine position. Supine head position during sleep is a leading cause of snoring and obstructive sleep apnea. A sleep headgear is equipped with one or more extensions at the rear of the cap so that sleep in the supine position is uncomfortable. Straps are attached and extend from both sides of the headgear. The straps may be located in back of and/or in front of the ears and are fastened under the chin to hinder rotation, movement or removal of the headgear during sleep.
Claims19
A head-wearable device for hindering the assumption of a supine position by the wearer's the head during sleep, comprising:
- (i) A headgear support structure for wearing on the head and having a shape that at least partially encircles the cranium of the wearer;
- (ii) A band structure for securing the headgear support structure to the wearer's head, wherein the band structure encircles at least a portion of the wearer's head substantially along the cranial-caudal axis of the wearer's head, and passing under the wearer's chin for securing and holding the headgear support structure to the head of the wearer, said band structure being affixed to the headgear support structure on both sides of the sagittal plane dividing the wearer's head, such that the combination of the headgear support structure and the band structure forms a headgear superstructure;
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- (iii) A protrusion assembly affixed to the headgear superstructure for hindering the wearer's head from assuming a supine position during sleep, said protrusion assembly extending rearwardly from the headgear superstructure into the space substantially behind the occipital portion of the wearer's head.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.