Patents Assigned to Apnicure, Inc.
  • Publication number: 20140014112
    Abstract: A saliva collector comprises a reservoir, a bubble barrier, and a membrane, where the bubble barrier and membrane are arranged in tandem on a flow path from an inlet to an outlet on the reservoir. Air aspirated from a patient's oral cavity enters the reservoir through the inlet, passes through the bubble barrier to remove foam and bubbles, passes through the membrane to remove entrained liquid saliva, and passes out through the outlet.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 11, 2012
    Publication date: January 16, 2014
    Applicant: Apnicure, Inc.
    Inventors: Nicholas R. Vitale, Kenneth Mejia, Michael R. Holzbaur, John Edwards Crowe, Jonathan L. Podmore
  • Publication number: 20130306080
    Abstract: A system for sizing an oral appliance comprises a right overlay, a left overlay, and a wax bite plate. A dental arch impression of a patient is taken on the wax bite plate, and indicia on the right and left overlays are aligned with the dental arch impression to provide information on both the arcuate shape and width of an oral appliance which can best fit the patient.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 21, 2012
    Publication date: November 21, 2013
    Applicant: Apnicure, Inc.
    Inventors: Jonathan L. Podmore, Kenneth Mejia, Gad Amit, Jacqui Belleau
  • Patent number: 8573223
    Abstract: An oral device for improving airway patency having a base adapted to be held between a patient's upper and lower teeth and a tongue-engaging member. The tongue-engaging member engages the tongue and displaces the tongue anteriorly when the base is held between the patient's teeth. A vacuum is applied through the base and the tongue-engaging member in order to draw the soft palate against a posterior region of the tongue in order to stabilize the soft palate and open or clear the patient's airway.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 5, 2013
    Assignee: Apnicure, Inc.
    Inventors: Jonathan L. Podmore, Matthias Vaska, John E. Crowe, Sean Christopher Daniel
  • Publication number: 20130213409
    Abstract: An oral device for improving airway patency comprises a base adapted to be held between a patient's upper and lower teeth and a tongue-engaging member. The tongue-engaging member engages the tongue and displaces the tongue anteriorly when the base is held between the patient's teeth. A vacuum is applied through the base and the tongue-engaging member in order to draw the soft palate against a posterior region of the tongue in order to stabilize the soft palate and open or clear the patient's airway.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 28, 2013
    Publication date: August 22, 2013
    Applicant: ApniCure, Inc.
    Inventors: Jonathan L. Podmore, Matthias Vaska, John E. Crowe, Sean Christopher Daniel
  • Patent number: 8505540
    Abstract: An oral device for improving airway patency comprises a tongue constraint and a negative pressure source. The tongue constraint engages the patient's tongue to maintain a clear region below the palate in an oral cavity and allow an anterior portion of the tongue to rise. By applying a negative pressure in the clear region, an airway behind the soft palate or tongue of the patient can be maintained. The tongue constraint is usually connected to an anchor. The anchor may be held between the patient's teeth or may engage the inferior surface of the palate. Another oral device for improving airway patency comprises a lateral tongue structure and a negative pressure source.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 13, 2013
    Assignee: ApniCure, Inc.
    Inventors: Matthias Vaska, Jonathan Podmore, John Edwards Crowe, Sean Christopher Daniel
  • Publication number: 20130186411
    Abstract: An oral device for temporary placement in a patient's oral cavity includes upper and lower jaw braces and a tongue-engaging member. The upper and lower jaw braces are connected so that the lower jaw brace is advanced in an anterior direction relative to the upper jaw brace when the upper and lower jaw braces are closed together. A partial vacuum is drawn in the oral cavity and the vacuum and lower jaw displacement together control the position of the tongue in order to clear the patient's airway to reduce sleep apnea or treat other conditions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 1, 2013
    Publication date: July 25, 2013
    Applicant: Apnicure, Inc.
    Inventors: Matthias Vaska, Jonathan L. Podmore, John Edwards Crowe, Sean Christopher Daniel
  • Patent number: 8402973
    Abstract: Systems for sizing oral applications include both a width measuring template or tool for determining the distance between opposed molars and an arch sizing tool for determining the size and shape of the patient's dental arch. Based on this information, individual appliances can be selected from an inventory of such appliances, where the selected appliance would best fit the patient.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 16, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2013
    Assignee: Apnicure, Inc.
    Inventors: Jonathan L. Podmore, Kenneth Mejia, Shannon Clark
  • Patent number: 8387620
    Abstract: An oral device for temporary placement in a patient's oral cavity includes a base, a tongue-engaging member and a tongue pocket. Partial vacuums are separately drawn through the tongue-engaging member and the tongue pocket in order to advance and control the position of the tongue in order to clear the patient's airway to reduce sleep apnea or treat other conditions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 23, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2013
    Assignee: Apnicure, Inc.
    Inventors: Matthias Vaska, Jonathan L. Podmore, Nicholas R. Vitale, Michael C. Hozbaur, John Edwards Crowe, Sean Christopher Daniel
  • Publication number: 20120199135
    Abstract: Systems for maintaining a vacuum in a patient's oral cavity comprises an oral device, a vacuum control system, and an assembly including first and second tubes for connecting the vacuum control system to the oral device. The oral device has an internal plenum, and a vacuum is drawn in the plenum by a vacuum pump connected by a first tube of the tubular assembly. The vacuum is maintained by an air source which is connected to the plenum by the second tube of the tubular assembly. By maintaining a constant circulating air bleed through the oral device and the connecting tubes, saliva may be removed from the system and collected in a saliva trap located before the vacuum pump.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 9, 2011
    Publication date: August 9, 2012
    Applicant: ApniCure, Inc.
    Inventors: Jonathan Podmore, Nicholas R. Vitale, John Edwards Crowe, Matthias Vaska
  • Publication number: 20120132216
    Abstract: An oral device for improving airway patency comprises a tongue constraint and a negative pressure source. The tongue constraint engages the patient's tongue to maintain a clear region below the palate in an oral cavity. By applying a negative pressure in the clear region, an airway behind the soft palate or tongue of the patient can be maintained. The tongue constraint is usually connected to an anchor. The anchor may be held between the patient's teeth or may engage the inferior surface of the palate. Another oral device for improving airway patency comprises a lateral tongue structure and a negative pressure source.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 7, 2012
    Publication date: May 31, 2012
    Applicant: Apnicure, Inc.
    Inventor: Matthias Vaska
  • Publication number: 20120132215
    Abstract: An oral device for improving airway patency comprises a tongue constraint and a negative pressure source. The tongue constraint engages the patient's tongue to maintain a clear region below the palate in an oral cavity. By applying a negative pressure in the clear region, an airway behind the soft palate or tongue of the patient can be maintained. The tongue constraint is usually connected to an anchor. The anchor may be held between the patient's teeth or may engage the inferior surface of the palate. Another oral device for improving airway patency comprises a lateral tongue structure and a negative pressure source.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 3, 2012
    Publication date: May 31, 2012
    Applicant: Apnicure, Inc.
    Inventors: Matthias Vaska, Jonathan Podmore, John Edwards Crowe, Sean Christopher Daniel
  • Patent number: 8122890
    Abstract: An oral device for improving airway patency comprises a tongue constraint and a negative pressure source. The tongue constraint engages the patient's tongue to maintain a clear region below the palate in an oral cavity. By applying a negative pressure in the clear region, an airway behind the soft palate or tongue of the patient can be maintained. The tongue constraint is usually connected to an anchor. The anchor may be held between the patient's teeth or may engage the inferior surface of the palate. Another oral device for improving airway patency comprises a lateral tongue structure and a negative pressure source.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2012
    Assignee: Apnicure, Inc.
    Inventor: Matthias Vaska
  • Patent number: 8122889
    Abstract: An oral device for improving airway patency comprises a tongue constraint and a negative pressure source. The tongue constraint engages the patient's tongue to maintain a clear region below the palate in an oral cavity. By applying a negative pressure in the clear region, an airway behind the soft palate or tongue of the patient can be maintained. The tongue constraint is usually connected to an anchor. The anchor may be held between the patient's teeth or may engage the inferior surface of the palate. Another oral device for improving airway patency comprises a lateral tongue structure and a negative pressure source.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2012
    Assignee: Apnicure, Inc.
    Inventors: Matthias Vaska, Jonathan Podmore, John Edwards Crowe, Sean Christopher Daniel
  • Publication number: 20120037166
    Abstract: Systems for sizing oral appliances comprise both a width measuring template or tool for determining the distance between opposed molars and an arch sizing tool for determining the size and shape of the patient's dental arch. Based on this information, individual appliances can be selected from an inventory of such appliances, where the selected appliance would best fit the patient.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 16, 2010
    Publication date: February 16, 2012
    Applicant: ApniCure, Inc.
    Inventors: Jonathan L. Podmore, Kenneth Mejia, Shannon Clark
  • Publication number: 20120017917
    Abstract: An oral device for improving airway patency comprises a base adapted to be held between a patient's upper and lower teeth and a tongue-engaging member. The tongue-engaging member engages the tongue and displaces the tongue anteriorly when the base is held between the patient's teeth. A vacuum is applied through the base and the tongue-engaging member in order to draw the soft palate against a posterior region of the tongue in order to stabilize the soft palate and open or clear the patient's airway.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 20, 2010
    Publication date: January 26, 2012
    Applicant: ApniCure, Inc.
    Inventors: Jonathan L. Podmore, Matthias Vaska, John E. Crowe, Sean Christopher Daniel
  • Patent number: 8074656
    Abstract: An oral device for improving airway patency comprises a tongue constraint and a negative pressure source. The tongue constraint engages the patient's tongue to maintain a clear region below the palate in an oral cavity. By applying a negative pressure in the clear region, an airway behind the soft palate or tongue of the patient can be maintained. The tongue constraint is usually connected to an anchor. The anchor may be held between the patient's teeth or may engage the inferior surface of the palate. Another oral device for improving airway patency comprises a lateral tongue structure and a negative pressure source.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2011
    Assignee: Apnicure, Inc.
    Inventors: Matthias Vaska, Jonathan Podmore, John Edwards Crowe
  • Publication number: 20110220124
    Abstract: An oral device for improving airway patency comprises a tongue constraint and a negative pressure source. The tongue constraint engages the patient's tongue to maintain a clear region below the palate in an oral cavity and allow an anterior portion of the tongue to rise. By applying a negative pressure in the clear region, an airway behind the soft palate or tongue of the patient can be maintained. The tongue constraint is usually connected to an anchor. The anchor may be held between the patient's teeth or may engage the inferior surface of the palate. Another oral device for improving airway patency comprises a lateral tongue structure and a negative pressure source.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 14, 2010
    Publication date: September 15, 2011
    Applicant: Apnicure, Inc.
    Inventors: Matthias Vaska, Jonathan Podmore, John Edwards Crowe, Sean Christopher Daniel
  • Publication number: 20090123886
    Abstract: An oral device for improving airway patency comprises a tongue constraint and a negative pressure source. The tongue constraint engages the patient's tongue to maintain a clear region below the palate in an oral cavity. By applying a negative pressure in the clear region, an airway behind the soft palate or tongue of the patient can be maintained. The tongue constraint is usually connected to an anchor. The anchor may be held between the patient's teeth or may engage the inferior surface of the palate. Another oral device for improving airway patency comprises a lateral tongue structure and a negative pressure source.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 12, 2008
    Publication date: May 14, 2009
    Applicant: Apnicure, Inc.
    Inventor: Matthias Vaska
  • Publication number: 20090120447
    Abstract: An oral device for improving airway patency comprises a tongue constraint and a negative pressure source. The tongue constraint engages the patient's tongue to maintain a clear region below the palate in an oral cavity. By applying a negative pressure in the clear region, an airway behind the soft palate or tongue of the patient can be maintained. The tongue constraint is usually connected to an anchor. The anchor may be held between the patient's teeth or may engage the inferior surface of the palate. Another oral device for improving airway patency comprises a lateral tongue structure and a negative pressure source.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 12, 2008
    Publication date: May 14, 2009
    Applicant: Apnicure, Inc.
    Inventors: Matthias Vaska, Jonathan Podmore, John Edwards Crowe
  • Publication number: 20090120446
    Abstract: An oral device for improving airway patency comprises a tongue constraint and a negative pressure source. The tongue constraint engages the patient's tongue to maintain a clear region below the palate in an oral cavity. By applying a negative pressure in the clear region, an airway behind the soft palate or tongue of the patient can be maintained. The tongue constraint is usually connected to an anchor. The anchor may be held between the patient's teeth or may engage the inferior surface of the palate. Another oral device for improving airway patency comprises a lateral tongue structure and a negative pressure source.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 12, 2008
    Publication date: May 14, 2009
    Applicant: Apnicure, Inc.
    Inventors: Matthias Vaska, Jonathan Podmore, John Edwards Crowe, Sean Christopher Daniel