IP Library Granted Patent US 12667302
Granted Patent B2
US 12667302 · App. 17/969,973 · Granted Jun 30, 2026

Oral body device

Inventors: Toru Shimuta (Nagaokakyo, JP); Keisuke Danno (Nagaokakyo, JP); Kouki Ejiri (Nagaokakyo, JP); Hideki Ejima (Nagaokakyo, JP)
Assignee: MURATA MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
A61B5/4277A61B2562/08A61B2562/227
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12667302
App. No.
17/969,973
Granted
Jun 30, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

An oral body device is provided for attaching to and detaching from an oral appliance that has an electrical connection portion. The device includes a body, and an attachment/detachment operation unit that has an electrical connection conductor and is configured to detachably attach the oral appliance to the body portion by operating application and release of force to the oral appliance. Moreover, the attachment/detachment operation unit fixedly attaches the oral appliance in a state in which the electrical connection portion is electrically connected to the electrical connection conductor by applying a force to the oral appliance, and releases the fixation by releasing the force applied to the oral appliance to detach the oral appliance.

Claims (69)

1 . An oral body device that is attachable to an oral appliance having an electrical connection portion, the oral body device comprising:

a body; and

an attachment/detachment operation unit that has an electrical connection conductor and is structurally configured to detachably attach the oral appliance to the body,

wherein the attachment/detachment operation unit is configured to fixedly attach the oral appliance in a state in which the electrical connection portion of the oral appliance is electrically connected to the electrical connection conductor by applying a force to the oral appliance,

wherein the attachment/detachment operation unit is configured to release fixation and detach the oral appliance by releasing the force applied to the oral appliance,

wherein the attachment/detachment operation unit includes an arrangement surface on which the oral appliance is arranged, and a pressing member configured to apply a force in a direction intersecting the arrangement surface,

wherein the pressing member has a contact surface that comes into contact with the oral appliance, and the pressing member is configured to be slidable in an oblique direction with respect to the arrangement surface, and

wherein the pressing member includes a protrusion that protrudes from the contact surface toward the arrangement surface.

2 . The oral body device according to claim 1 , wherein the attachment/detachment operation unit is configured to detachably attach the oral appliance to the body by operating application and release of force to the attachment/detachment operation unit.

3 . The oral body device according to claim 1 ,

wherein the pressing member includes a first end disposed on the arrangement surface side and a second end disposed on a side opposite to the first end, and

wherein the pressing member is configured to be rotatable around a rotation shaft disposed between the first end and the second end.

4 . The oral body device according to claim 3 , wherein the pressing member includes a protrusion that protrudes toward the arrangement surface between the first end and the rotation shaft.

5 . The oral body device according to claim 1 ,

wherein the pressing member includes a first end disposed on the arrangement surface side and a second end disposed on a side opposite to the first end, and

wherein the pressing member is configured to bring the contact surface into contact with the oral appliance by sliding in a first oblique direction from the first end towards the second end, and further configured to release contact between the contact surface and the oral appliance while pushing out the oral appliance by sliding in a second oblique direction opposite to the first oblique direction.

6 . The oral body device according to claim 1 , further comprising a protrusion disposed on the arrangement surface and that protrudes towards the pressing member.

7 . The oral body device according to claim 1 , further comprising:

a detection unit configured to detect whether the oral appliance is attached to the attachment/detachment operation unit; and

a control unit configured to determine an operational state of the oral appliance based on a detection result of the detection unit,

wherein the control unit is configured to:

determine whether the oral appliance attached to the attachment/detachment operation unit has been used,

determine that the operational state of the oral appliance is not possible when the oral appliance is determined to have been used, and

after the operational state of the oral appliance is determined to be not possible, determine that the operational state of the oral appliance is possible when the detection unit detects that a used oral appliance has been detached and replaced with an unused oral appliance that has been attached.

8 . The oral body device according to claim 7 , further comprising a display unit configured to display information on the operational state of the oral appliance.

9 . The oral body device according to claim 7 , wherein, when the oral appliance is determined to have been used, the control unit is configured to:

stop use of the oral appliance, and

enable use of the oral appliance based on a determination that the operational state of the oral appliance is possible.

10 . The oral body device according to claim 1 , wherein the body includes:

a grip configured to be gripped by a user, and

a guard configured to protect the grip.

11 . The oral body device according to claim 1 ,

wherein the electrical connection portion of the oral appliance is an RFID tag,

wherein the electrical connection conductor of the oral body device is an antenna, and

wherein the attachment/detachment operation unit is configured to electrically connect the RFID tag to the antenna by wirelessly connecting the RFID tag and antenna.

12 . The oral body device according to claim 1 , further comprising a calculation unit configured to calculate an amount of moisture based on information acquired by the oral appliance.

13 . The oral body device according to claim 1 ,

wherein the electrical connection portion of the oral appliance includes a plurality of electrodes,

wherein the electrical connection conductor includes a plurality of connection terminals disposed on both main surfaces of a substrate,

wherein the attachment/detachment operation unit includes a plurality of pressing members that are respectively arranged on both main surfaces of the substrate and configured to apply a force in a direction that intersects both the main surfaces of the substrate, and

wherein the plurality of pressing members is configured to fix the oral appliance by applying a force in a direction that intersects both main surfaces of the substrate in a state in which the plurality of electrodes and the plurality of connection terminals are respectively in contact with each other.

14 . The oral body device according to claim 13 , wherein the plurality of pressing members each has a protrusion that protrudes towards both main surfaces of the substrate.

15 . The oral body device according to claim 1 ,

wherein the electrical connection portion of the oral appliance is at least one electrode,

wherein the electrical connection conductor of the oral body device is at least one connection terminal, and

wherein the attachment/detachment operation unit is configured to electrically connect the at least one electrode to the at least one connection terminal by bringing the at least one electrode into physical contact with the at least one connection terminal.

16 . An oral body device that is attachable to an oral appliance having an electrical connection portion, the oral body device comprising:

a body; and

an attachment/detachment operation unit that has an electrical connection conductor and is structurally configured to detachably attach the oral appliance to the body,

wherein the attachment/detachment operation unit is configured to fixedly attach the oral appliance in a state in which the electrical connection portion of the oral appliance is electrically connected to the electrical connection conductor by applying a force to the oral appliance, and

wherein the attachment/detachment operation unit is configured to release fixation and detach the oral appliance by releasing the force applied to the oral appliance,

wherein the attachment/detachment operation unit includes an arrangement surface on which the oral appliance is arranged, and a pressing member configured to apply a force in a direction intersecting the arrangement surface,

wherein the arrangement surface is curved in a concave shape or a convex shape, and

wherein the pressing member is curved in a concave shape or a convex shape along a shape of the arrangement surface.

17 . An oral body device that is attachable to an oral appliance having an electrical connection portion, the oral body device comprising:

a body; and

an attachment/detachment operation unit that has an electrical connection conductor and is structurally configured to detachably attach the oral appliance to the body,

wherein the attachment/detachment operation unit is configured to fixedly attach the oral appliance in a state in which the electrical connection portion of the oral appliance is electrically connected to the electrical connection conductor by applying a force to the oral appliance,

wherein the attachment/detachment operation unit is configured to release fixation and detach the oral appliance by releasing the force applied to the oral appliance,

wherein the electrical connection conductor includes:

a connection terminal disposed on a first main surface of a substrate; and

a movable component configured to move towards the connection terminal to come into contact with the connection terminal,

wherein the movable component is configured to contact the connection terminal by moving toward the connection terminal when contacting the electrical connection portion of the oral appliance,

wherein the attachment/detachment operation unit includes a pressing member that is arranged on one main surface of the substrate and is configured to apply a force in a direction that intersects the first main surface of the substrate, and

wherein the pressing member is configured to fix the oral appliance by applying a force in a direction that intersects the first main surface of the substrate in a state in which the electrical connection portion, the movable component, and the connection terminal are in contact with each other.

18 . The oral body device according to claim 17 , wherein:

the attachment/detachment operation unit includes an arrangement surface on which the oral appliance is arranged,

the arrangement surface is curved in a concave shape or a convex shape, and

the pressing member is curved in a concave shape or a convex shape along a shape of the arrangement surface.