Customizable mouthpiece for divers and method of manufacture
AssigneeC.G.M. S.P.A.
InventorRandall C. Moles
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A customizable scuba-diving mouthpiece having a passageway-forming front member extending from a proximal in-mouth end to a distal outside end, and a U-shaped thermoformable back member preferably formed in situ on the front member. The back member has a forward middle portion, flanges and bite portions configured to provide moldability at substantially all points of contact between mouthpiece and teeth such that the mouthpiece has a secure grip on the diver's teeth. The method for making such customizable mouthpiece.
Claims17
A scuba-diving mouthpiece for customizing for a particular diver including means for gripping the diver's teeth, such mouthpiece and gripping means comprising:
- a front member extending from a proximal in-mouth end to a distal outside end and forming a horizontal passageway from the distal end to the proximal end;
- and
- a U-shaped thermoformable back member having:
- a forward middle portion secured to the front member proximal end in position for thermoformable custom moldable engagement with the diver's forward teeth;
- and
- a pair of leg portions extending from the middle portion rearwardly to pass between the diver's molars and terminate at the rear of the mouth, each leg portion having inner and outer upstanding flanges and a substantially horizontal bite portion extending therebetween, the bite portion having thermoformable custom moldable upper and lower surfaces and the flanges having upwardly-extending and downwardly-extending flange portions with upper and lower edges, respectively, and inside surfaces spaced for thermoformable custom moldable engagement with opposite side surfaces of the user's teeth, said outer flanges extending forward to merge with the forward middle portion.
A method for making a non-customized scuba-diving mouthpiece for later customizing for a particular diver comprising:
- forming a substantially rigid front member which extends from a proximal in-mouth end forwardly toward a distal outside end and forms a horizontal passageway;
- thereafter molding a thermoformable U-shaped back member onto the front member to form the complete mouthpiece, providing said back member with a forward middle portion secured to the front member proximal end in position for thermoformable custom moldable engagement with the diver's forward teeth and a pair of leg portions extending from the middle portion rearwardly to pass between the diver's molars and terminate at the rear of the mouth providing each leg portion with an inner and an outer upstanding flange and a substantially horizontal bite portion extending therebetween, providing the bite portion with thermoformable custom moldable upper and lower surfaces and the flanges having upwardly-extending and downwardly-extending flange portions with upper and lower edges, respectively, and providing inside surfaces spaced for thermoformable custom moldable engagement with opposite side surfaces of the user's teeth, said outer flanges extending forward to merge with the forward middle portion.
The method of claim 19 wherein the front member has a groove near its proximal end.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.