Bilateral tongue base repositioner
Summary
USPTO published patent application US20260090905A1 for a bilateral tongue base repositioner invented by John Summer. The device comprises an upper oral appliance with lateral tongue base contacting pads and a wire framework that adjusts tongue position via apertured positioning plates. The invention is classified under CPC A61F 5/566 and appears intended for treatment of obstructive sleep apnea through tongue base repositioning.
What changed
The patent application describes a bilateral tongue base repositioner comprising an upper oral appliance with lateral tongue base contacting pads located at the posterior ends of a wire framework. The wire framework rotates around and slides through slots at the posterior ends of buccal walls, with pads featuring flat transverse contours and inferior/anterior-facing concavities. The gripping surfaces include transversely oriented grooves with anteriorly slanted walls to prevent posterior slippage. The two antero-posteriorly oriented arms connect posteriorly by a transverse member, with anterior ends bent medially to engage apertured positioning plates, allowing position adjustment by shifting between aperture sets.
Patent applications do not create immediate compliance obligations. Medical device manufacturers developing oral appliances for sleep apnea treatment may wish to monitor this application to understand prior art in tongue repositioning technology. No regulatory deadlines, penalties, or required filings are associated with this publication. Entities seeking patent protection on similar devices should conduct freedom-to-operate analyses once the application status changes.
Archived snapshot
Apr 2, 2026GovPing captured this document from the original source. If the source has since changed or been removed, this is the text as it existed at that time.
BILATERAL TONGUE BASE REPOSITIONER
Application US20260090905A1 Kind: A1 Apr 02, 2026
Inventors
John Summer
Abstract
A bilateral tongue base repositioner holds the lateral borders of the tongue base inferiorly and anteriorly by means of lateral tongue base contacting pads located at the posterior ends of a wire framework that rotates around and slides through slots at the posterior ends of the buccal walls of an upper oral appliance. The contour of the lateral tongue base contacting pads is flat transversely, with an inferior and anterior facing concavity. The inferiorly and anteriorly facing surfaces of the lateral tongue base contacting pads also have an intricately textured tongue gripping surface provided by transversely oriented grooves with anteriorly slanted walls that grip the tissue on top of the sides of the tongue base to prevent it from slipping posteriorly into the pharynx. The wire framework comprises two antero-posteriorly oriented arms that are connected posteriorly by a transverse member. Each arm has an anterior end that is bent sharply inward (medially) to engage an apertured positioning plate attached to the buccal wall of the upper oral appliance. The anterior ends of the arms can be forced laterally out of one set of apertures and shifted into a different set of apertures to adjust the position of the lateral tongue base contacting pads.
CPC Classifications
A61F 5/566
Filing Date
2024-10-02
Application No.
18904077
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