IP Library Granted Patent US 11,351,377
Granted Patent B2
US 11,351,377 · App. 16/865,363 · Granted Jun 7, 2022

Intra-oral appliances and systems

Inventors: Francis A. Papay (Westlake, OH); Kelly B. Emerton (Bay Village, OH); Charles P. Steiner (Pepper Pike, OH); Anthony V. Caparso (North Ridgeville, OH)
Assignees: The Cleveland Clinic Foundation; XII Medical, Inc.
A61N1/3611A61N1/0548A61N1/36078A61N1/36128A61N1/37252A61N1/40
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,351,377
App. No.
16/865,363
Granted
Jun 7, 2022
Kind
B2
Abstract

An intra-oral appliance to power and/or communicate with a neurostimulator is provided. The intra-oral appliance can include a teeth covering configured to fit over mandibular incisor, canine and/or premolar teeth of a human being and a remote controller in the form of a housing extending posteriorly from and operably connected to the teeth covering. The housing can include a power source, a coupling coil configured to transmit power to the neurostimulator and configured to receive power from an external charger, and electrical circuitry operably connected to the coupling coil and the power source.

Claims (26)

1. An intra-oral appliance to treat sleep disordered breathing in a patient comprising:

a teeth covering shaped in an arch and configured to fit over mandibular incisor, canine and/or premolar teeth of a human being;

a remote controller comprising a substantially ellipsoidal housing extending posteriorly from a midline of the arch of the teeth covering and operably connected to the teeth covering, the remote controller sized and dimensioned to be positioned, in its entirety, in the intra-oral cavity and configured to be positioned underneath the ventral surface of the tongue in an operable configuration, the housing comprising:

a power source;

a coupling coil configured to transmit power to a neurostimulator and configured to receive power from an external charger; and

a control circuit operably connected to the coupling coil and the power source.

2. The intra-oral appliance of claim 1 , wherein the coupling coil is an induction coil.

3. A neurostimulator system comprising the intra-oral appliance of claim 1 and further comprising:

the neurostimulator comprising a stimulating electrode and an antenna or coil configured to receive power and/or stimulation parameters from the remote controller.

4. The system of claim 3 , further comprising the external charger comprising a charging coil configured to transmit power to the coupling coil of the remote controller, the coupling coil configured to charge the power source.

5. The system of claim 3 , wherein the power source is a rechargeable battery.

6. The system of claim 3 , further comprising a personal electronic device in communication with the remote controller, the personal electronic device including software to control one or more stimulation parameters associated with the neurostimulator.

7. The system of claim 6 , further comprising a programming device configured to deliver stimulation instructions to the remote controller, the programming device being in communication with the remote controller and/or the personal electronic device.

8. The system of claim 3 , wherein the system is configured to receive a sensed physiological parameter or a related symptom of sleep disordered breathing.

9. The system of claim 8 , wherein the system is configured to automatically control one or more stimulation parameters in response to the sensed physiological parameter or related symptom.

10. The system of claim 3 , wherein the neuro stimulator comprises an implant.

11. The system of claim 10 , wherein the implant comprises:

a body having a proximal end portion and a distal end portion;

a stimulating electrode connected to the body; and

an antenna or coil to receive power and/or stimulation parameters, wherein the antenna or coil is connected to the body.

12. The system of claim 11 , further comprising at least one sensor attached to the body of the implant and configured to detect a physiological parameter or a related symptom of sleep disordered breathing.

13. The system of claim 10 , further comprising a fixation structure that facilitates fixation of the body of the implant in or adjacent a target tissue.

14. The system of claim 13 , wherein the fixation structure is deployable and is housed within the body of the implant in a non-deployed configuration and, when actuated, forms a surface structure on the body that facilitates fixation in or adjacent the target tissue.

15. The intra-oral appliance of claim 1 , wherein the housing comprises a thickness of less than or equal to 5 mm.

16. The intra-oral appliance of claim 1 , wherein the housing comprises the ellipsoidal diameter of less than or equal to 3 cm.

17. The intra-oral appliance of claim 1 , wherein the teeth covering and the housing form an integral one-piece device.

Assignments (3)
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Jun 8, 2021
From: ENHALE MEDICAL, INC.
To: XII MEDICAL, INC.
Reel/Frame 056523/0094 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jul 23, 2020
From: PAPAY, FRANCIS A.; EMERTON, KELLY B.; STEINER, CHARLES P.
To: THE CLEVELAND CLINIC FOUNDATION
Reel/Frame 053292/0342 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded May 19, 2020
From: CAPARSO, ANTHONY V.
To: ENHALE MEDICAL, INC.
Reel/Frame 052702/0414 →
Continuity (2)
Provisional Application 62842890 · May 3, 2019
Related Publication 20200346010A1 · Nov 5, 2020
Cited By (6)
US 12,434,058 US 12,491,366 US 12,582,822 US 12,589,246 US 12,623,078 US 12,636,497