Patents by Inventor William Thomas Zohlmann

William Thomas Zohlmann has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 8015975
    Abstract: A garment designed to discourage supine sleep which intensifies snoring and apnea levels in some people. Obstructive Sleep Apnea and Snoring occur when the tongue and throat muscles relax during sleep. At that point they fall back and block the airways causing the apneas and worsening snoring. A significant percentage of snoring and OSA is position related and symptoms worsen by sleeping in a supine position. Garment or other embodiments have a (partial) less than ½ of the circumference mounted pouch which allows the insert to self center and pivot on the spine and have movement between shoulders as the user is sleeping and attempts to move towards the back from his or her side. The placement at lower neck area presses slightly against the spine to influence head to tilt up and slightly close mouth while sleeping thereby increasing the airway opening.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 2006
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2011
    Assignee: Family Concepts TJH, LLC
    Inventor: William Thomas Zohlmann, Jr.
  • Publication number: 20110179573
    Abstract: A device and method for enabling an individual located on a bed to sustain a side-sleeping orientation on either a left or right side. The device comprises a light weight, elongate pillow having a longitudinal axis and being configured to concurrently rest at a back side of the individual and an adjacent surface of a bed when reclined in a side-sleeping orientation on the bed. The pillow includes a flexible attachment structure which is positioned along a longitudinal edge of the pillow to secure the pillow to the individual's bed clothing. The attachment structure provides sufficient flexibility to allow the pillow to rotate with respect to and rest against the individual's back to a laterally offset and suspended, partial captured configuration in general alignment with the individual's spine and in concurrent contact with the bed surface to prevent a supine sleeping position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 21, 2010
    Publication date: July 28, 2011
    Inventors: Vaughn W. North, William Thomas Zohlmann
  • Publication number: 20080023011
    Abstract: A garment designed to discourage supine sleep which intensifies snoring and apnea levels in some people. Obstructive Sleep Apnea and Snoring occur when the tongue and throat muscles relax during sleep. At that point they fall back and block the airways causing the apneas and worsening snoring. A significant percentage of snoring and OSA is position related and symptoms worsen by sleeping in a supine position. Garment or other embodiments have a unique circumference mounted pouch which allows the insert to self center on the spine and have slight movement between shoulders when user is sleeping on his or her side. The optional placement at lower neck area presses slightly against the spine to influence head to tilt up slightly and slightly close mouth while sleeping. The insert while very comfortable to sleep against is of enough diameter or depth to discourage supine and encourage side sleeping. The garment or other embodiments can also have frontal body fasteners for ease of putting on and taking off.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 28, 2006
    Publication date: January 31, 2008
    Inventor: William Thomas Zohlmann