HYDRATING MOUTH GUARD

Abstract

A hydrating mouth guard is provided for storing a hydrating fluid in the mouth guard to facilitate hydration of a player during game play. The mouth guard includes a mouthpiece having a bottom portion and a pair of spaced walls. The walls extend upwardly from the bottom portion forming a channel configured for receiving the upper teeth of a user. An extension segment extends from the mouthpiece. An exterior segment is coupled to a distal end of the extension segment relative to the mouthpiece. A reservoir is provided having a main portion positioned in the exterior segment. The reservoir includes a conduit portion extending from the main portion through the extension segment into the bottom portion of the mouthpiece. A plurality of perforations in mouthpiece extends into the reservoir. The perforations are configured to release fluid from the reservoir into a mouth of the user.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE DISCLOSURE

Field of the Disclosure

The disclosure relates to mouth guard devices and more particularly pertains to a new mouth guard device for storing a hydrating fluid in a mouth guard to facilitate hydration of a player during game play.

SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE

An embodiment of the disclosure meets the needs presented above by generally comprising a mouthpiece having a bottom portion and a pair of spaced walls. The walls extend upwardly from the bottom portion forming a channel configured for receiving the upper teeth of a user. An extension segment extends from the mouthpiece. An exterior segment is coupled to a distal end of the extension segment relative to the mouthpiece. A reservoir is provided having a main portion positioned in the exterior segment. The reservoir includes a conduit portion extending from the main portion through the extension segment into the bottom portion of the mouthpiece. A plurality of perforations in mouthpiece extends into the reservoir. The perforations are configured to release fluid from the reservoir into a mouth of the user.

There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, the more important features of the disclosure in order that the detailed description thereof that follows may be better understood, and in order that the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated. There are additional features of the disclosure that will be described hereinafter and which will form the subject matter of the claims appended hereto.

The objects of the disclosure, along with the various features of novelty which characterize the disclosure, are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this disclosure.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The disclosure will be better understood and objects other than those set forth above will become apparent when consideration is given to the following detailed description thereof. Such description makes reference to the annexed drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a top front side perspective view of a hydrating mouth guard according to an embodiment of the disclosure.

FIG. 2 is a top back side perspective view of an embodiment of the disclosure.

FIG. 3 is a partial cut-away top view of an embodiment of the disclosure.

FIG. 4 is a front view of an embodiment of the disclosure in use.

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of an embodiment of the disclosure taken along line 5-5 of FIG. 3.

FIG. 6 is a top front side perspective view of an embodiment of the disclosure.

FIG. 7 is a top back side perspective view of an embodiment of the disclosure.

FIG. 8 is a partial cut-away top view of an embodiment of the disclosure.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

With reference now to the drawings, and in particular to FIGS. 1 through 8 thereof, a new mouth guard device embodying the principles and concepts of an embodiment of the disclosure and generally designated by the reference numeral 10 will be described.

As best illustrated in FIGS. 1 through 5, the hydrating mouth guard 10 generally comprises a mouthpiece 12 having an arcuate bottom portion 14 and a pair of spaced arcuate walls 16,18 extending upwardly from the bottom portion 14. The walls 16,18 form a U-shaped channel 20 configured for receiving upper teeth 24 of a user 22. An extension segment 26 extends from the mouthpiece 12. An exterior segment 28 is coupled to a distal end 30 of the extension segment 26 relative to the mouthpiece 12. The exterior segment 28 extends outwardly around the extension segment 26 and opposite ends 72,32 of the exterior segment 28 are curved back towards said mouthpiece 12 extending away from the extension segment 26. Thus, the exterior segment 28 is configured for covering a mouth 34 of the user 22 when the mouth 34 is closed around the extension segment 26.

A reservoir 36 has a main portion 38 positioned in the exterior segment 28. The reservoir 36 may be filled with an absorbent material 104 such as a sponge to facilitate liquid retention in the reservoir 36 and to prevent the reservoir 36 from emptying too quickly. The reservoir 36 also has a conduit portion 40 extending from the main portion 38. The conduit portion 40 extends through the extension segment 26 into the bottom portion 14 of the mouthpiece 12. A plurality of perforations 42 is in the mouthpiece 12 extending into the reservoir 36. The perforations 42 are positioned in an upper surface 44 of the bottom portion 14 of the mouthpiece 12. The perforations 42 may cover the entire upper surface 44 between the walls 16,18. The perforations 42 are configured to release fluid from the reservoir 36 into the mouth 34 of the user 22. An arcuate duct portion 46 of the reservoir 36 extends from the conduit portion 40 of the reservoir 36 around the bottom portion 14 of the mouthpiece 12. The duct portion 46 is in fluid communication with the conduit portion 40 of the reservoir 36.

An opening 50 is positioned on a top surface 54 of the exterior segment 28. The opening 50 is in fluid communication with the reservoir 36. A plug 52 is selectively couplable to the exterior segment 28 for selectively sealing the opening 50.

The walls 16,18 are angled rearwardly extending up from the bottom portion 14 to better conform to the teeth of the user. The walls 16,18 also have, rounded upper edges 64,66 respectively, to promote comfort while in use. The device 10 is constructed of a flexible, compressible, resilient material of the type conventionally known and used to make mouth guards.

In use, the plug 52 is removed and the reservoir 36 is filled with a hydrating liquid 68 such as water or a sports drink as desired. The plug 52 is then coupled to the exterior segment 28. The mouthpiece 12 is then inserted into the mouth 34 of the user 22 who holds to mouthpiece 12 in position around the upper teeth 24 during activity requiring protection for the mouth 34 of the user 22. When the user 22 begins to dehydrate during exertion, the user may bite down or otherwise apply pressure to the reservoir 36 urging the hydrating liquid 68 out of the reservoir 36 through the perforations 42 and into the mouth 34 of the user 22.

In an embodiment shown in FIGS. 6 through 8, a hydrating mouth guard device 70 generally comprises a mouthpiece 82 having an arcuate bottom portion 74 and a pair of spaced arcuate walls 76,78 extending upwardly from the bottom portion 74. The walls 76,78 form a U-shaped channel 80 configured for receiving upper teeth 24 of a user 22.

A reservoir 86 is filled with an absorbent material 90 such as a sponge to facilitate liquid retention in the reservoir 86 and to prevent the reservoir 86 from emptying too quickly. A plurality of perforations 92 is in the mouthpiece 82 extending into the reservoir 86. The perforations 92 are positioned in an upper surface 94 of the bottom portion 74 of the mouthpiece 82. The perforations 92 may cover the entire upper surface 94 between the walls 76,78. The perforations 92 are configured to release fluid from the reservoir 86 into the mouth 34 of the user 22. The reservoir 86 extends around the bottom portion 74 of the mouthpiece 82.

An opening 96 is positioned on a top surface 98 of the bottom portion 74. The opening 96 is in fluid communication with the reservoir 86. A plug 88 is selectively couplable to the bottom portion 74 for selectively sealing the opening 96.

The walls 76,78 are angled rearwardly extending up from the bottom portion 74 to better conform to the teeth of the user. The walls 76,78 also have, rounded upper edges 100,102 respectively, to promote comfort while in use. The device 70 is constructed of a flexible, compressible, resilient material of the type conventionally known and used to make mouth guards.

In use, the embodiment of FIGS. 6 through 8 is used similarly to the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 through 6 but is positioned fully within the mouth of the user.

With respect to the above description then, it is to be realized that the optimum dimensional relationships for the parts of an embodiment enabled by the disclosure, to include variations in size, materials, shape, form, function and manner of operation, assembly and use, are deemed readily apparent and obvious to one skilled in the art, and all equivalent relationships to those illustrated in the drawings and described in the specification are intended to be encompassed by an embodiment of the disclosure.

Therefore, the foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the disclosure. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the disclosure to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the disclosure.

Claims

1. A hydrating mouth guard device comprising:

a mouthpiece having a bottom portion and a pair of spaced walls extending upwardly from said bottom portion forming a channel configured for receiving upper teeth of a user;

an extension segment extending from said mouthpiece;

an exterior segment coupled to a distal end of said extension segment relative to said mouthpiece;

a reservoir having a main portion positioned in said exterior segment, said reservoir having a conduit portion extending from said main portion through said extension segment into said bottom portion of said mouthpiece; and

a plurality of perforations in said mouthpiece extending into said reservoir, said perforations being configured to release fluid from said reservoir into a mouth of the user.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein said perforations are positioned in an upper surface of said bottom portion of said mouthpiece.

3. The device of claim 1, wherein said bottom portion of said mouthpiece is arcuate.

4. The device of claim 3, further including said reservoir having a duct portion extending around said bottom portion of said mouthpiece, said duct portion being in fluid communication with said conduit portion of said reservoir.

5. The device of claim 1, further including an opening positioned in said exterior segment, said opening being in fluid communication with said reservoir.

6. The device of claim 5, further including a plug selectively couplable to said exterior segment for selectively sealing said opening.

7. The device of claim 5, wherein said opening is positioned on a top surface of said exterior segment.

8. The device of claim 1, wherein said exterior segment extends outwardly around said extension segment whereby said exterior segment is configured for covering a mouth of the user when the mouth is closed around said extension segment.

9. A hydrating mouth guard device comprising:

a mouthpiece having an arcuate bottom portion and a pair of spaced arcuate walls extending upwardly from said bottom portion forming a U-shaped channel configured for receiving upper teeth of a user;

an extension segment extending from said mouthpiece;

an exterior segment coupled to a distal end of said extension segment relative to said mouthpiece, said exterior segment extending outwardly around said extension segment, said exterior segment being configured for covering a mouth of the user when the mouth is closed around said extension segment;

a reservoir having a main portion positioned in said exterior segment, said reservoir having a conduit portion extending from said main portion, said conduit portion extending through said extension segment into said bottom portion of said mouthpiece;

a plurality of perforations in mouthpiece extending into said reservoir, said perforations being positioned in an upper surface of said bottom portion of said mouthpiece, said perforations being configured to release fluid from said reservoir into a mouth of the user;

an arcuate duct portion of said reservoir extending from said conduit portion of said reservoir around said bottom portion of said mouthpiece, said duct portion being in fluid communication with said conduit portion of said reservoir;

an opening positioned on a top surface of said exterior segment, said opening being in fluid communication with said reservoir; and

a plug selectively couplable to said exterior segment for selectively sealing said opening.

10. A hydrating mouth guard device comprising:

a mouthpiece having a bottom portion and a pair of spaced walls extending upwardly from said bottom portion forming a channel configured for receiving upper teeth of a user;

a reservoir positioned in said mouthpiece; and

a plurality of perforations in said mouthpiece extending into said reservoir, said perforations being configured to release fluid from said reservoir into a mouth of the user.