# US 5,701,885 A · Pressure equalizing scuba diver mouthpiece and accessories

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- Number: US 5,701,885 A
- Document ID: US5701885A
- Status: Granted
- Kind: A
- Application number: 08/366,745
- Filed: 1994-12-30
- Granted: 1997-12-30
- Earliest claimed: 1994-12-30
- Inventors: Kelly T. Hale
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US5701885A

## CPC

- A62B 9/06: Mouthpieces; Nose-clips (for medical purposes A61M15/00)
- B63C 11/186: {Mouthpieces}
- A62B: DEVICES, APPARATUS OR METHODS FOR LIFE-SAVING (valves specially adapted for medical use A61M39/00; life-saving devices, apparatus or methods specially adapted for use in water B63C9/00; divers' equipment B63C11/00; specially adopted for use with aircraft, e.g. parachutes, ejector seats, {B64D17/00, B64D25/10}; rescue devices peculiar to mining E21F11/00)
- B63C: LAUNCHING, HAULING-OUT, OR DRY-DOCKING OF VESSELS; LIFE-SAVING IN WATER; EQUIPMENT FOR DWELLING OR WORKING UNDER WATER; MEANS FOR SALVAGING OR SEARCHING FOR UNDERWATER OBJECTS (floating nets, floating slipways, or the like for recovering aircraft from the water B63B35/52)

## Abstract

A scuba diver mouthpiece that is held in place between users' molars and bicuspids using flexible partially fluid filled retention arm segments with an offset in the mouthpiece and pressure equalizing channel between retention arm segments to allow comfortable use of the mouthpiece for prolonged periods of time. The disclosure further describes a variable sized breathing air humidifier and removable adapter for use with the mouthpiece.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A pressure equalizing scuba diver mouthpiece with accessories comprising:
a) a body means;
b) a breathing air passageway through said body means;
c) a fluid equalizing passageway and a first connector means on a first end of said passageway and a second connector means on a second end of said passageway integrally formed in said body means;
d) a first and a second sealed pressure equalizing retention arm means with each extending between the molars on each side of a mouth and partially filled with fluid and connected to said first and said second connector means to allow said fluid to flow only between said first sealed retention arm means and said second sealed retention arm means;
e) a tooth positioning offset means in said body means acting to position a user's lower incisor teeth behind users' upper incisor teeth when said scuba divers mouthpiece is held in an in-use position in said users' mouth.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

A pressure equalizing scuba diver mouthpiece with accessories as in claim 1 further comprising as air humidifier means removably connected to said body means and acting to humidify air moving through said breathing air passageway; said air humidifier means comprising a water absorbent sponge loosely held in place in a flexible corrugated tube to allow air to pass through and around said sponge; said tube being fitted with adapter means to allow fastening said humidifier means between said body of said mouthpiece and an air tube leading to a breathing air cylinder.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

A pressure equalizing scuba diver mouthpiece with accessories as in claim 1 wherein a fluid addition channel means operatively connects to said fluid equalizing passageway to allow addition to and withdrawal of said fluid in said sealed retention arm means.

### Claim 4

A pressure equalizing scuba diver mouthpiece with accessories comprising:
a) a body means that when held in a usable position inside a users' mouth with partially fluid filled sealed retention arm means with said retention arm means being in fluid communication with each other and extending the length of said molars, allow said body to be held with equal pressure by molars on each side of said users' mouth and to be held with both condyles solidly in place in glenoid fossas of both temporomandibular hinges of said user; and
b) an air humidifier means in a breathing air passageway to said body means.

### Claim 5

A pressure equalizing scuba diver mouthpiece with accessories comprising:
a) a body with breathing air passageway through a frontal portion of said body;
b) a pressure equalizing passageway and dual retention arm means, each of said retention arm means sealed on one end and with an open end fastened to said pressure equalizing passageway that extends through a front portion of said body; said retention means thereby acting to hold said scuba diver mouthpiece firmly in place when said retention arms are gripped between a users' teeth; said retention arms being fabricated from a plastic less than 1/16" in thickness and partially filled with fluid thereby conforming to a surface of users teeth when in use;
c) an air humidifier means removably connectable to said scuba diver mouthpiece;
d) a means to add and to remove said fluid from said retention arm means thereby allowing a user to adjust said retention arms' apparent thickness for most comfortable use.