Adjustable oropharyngeal airway apparatus

Abstract

An adjustable oropharyngeal airway apparatus includes a rigid airway portion and a flexible airway portion frictionally engaging and slidably disposed in the rigid airway portion. The overall length of the apparatus can be varied by sliding the flexible portion relative to the rigid portion.

1 . Adjustable oropharyngeal airway apparatus for maintaining an unobstructed air passageway in an individual, said airway apparatus comprising, in combination: 
 a double-ended first airway portion having a first airway portion interior and openings at the ends thereof communicating with said first airway portion interior, said first airway portion being of substantially rigid construction; and    a double-ended second airway portion having a second airway portion interior and openings at the ends thereof communicating with said second airway portion interior, said second airway portion positioned in said first airway portion interior and selectively slidably movable relative to said first airway portion, said second airway portion having a flexible distal end segment formed of yieldable material projecting outwardly from an opening of said first airway portion and including a distal end, slidable movement of said second airway portion relative to the first airway portion changing the distance between said distal end and said first airway portion.    
     
     
         2 . The adjustable oropharyngeal airway apparatus according to    claim 1    additionally including means for restricting relative slidable movement between said first airway portion and said second airway portion.  
     
     
         3 . The adjustable oropharyngeal airway apparatus according to    claim 2    wherein said means for restricting relative movement comprises a projecting member projecting outwardly from said second airway portion for abutting against said first airway portion during slidable movement of said second airway portion relative to said first airway portion.  
     
     
         4 . The adjustable oropharyngeal airway apparatus according to    claim 1    wherein at least one of the openings of said second airway portion is located at said distal end.  
     
     
         5 . The adjustable oropharyngeal airway apparatus according to    claim 1    wherein the at least two of the openings of said second airway portion are located at opposed sides of said distal end and spaced from one another.  
     
     
         6 . The adjustable oropharyngeal airway apparatus according to    claim 1    wherein said first airway portion and said second airway portion are each tubular-shaped.  
     
     
         7 . The adjustable oropharyngeal airway apparatus according to    claim 6    wherein the outer diameter of said tubular-shaped second airway portion exceeds the diameter of an inner area of said tubular-shaped first airway portion whereby frictional engagement between said tubular-shaped first and second airway portions will prevent relative movement between said first and second airway portions in the absence of outside forces of sufficient magnitude to cause relative movement being applied thereto.  
     
     
         8 . The adjustable oropharyngeal airway apparatus according to    claim 1    wherein said second airway portion is wholly formed of flexible material.  
     
     
         9 . The adjustable oropharyngeal airway apparatus according to    claim 1    wherein the ends of said first airway portion comprise an outer end accessible from outside an individual's oral cavity and an inner end positionable within the individual's oral cavity, said outer end and said inner end being close enough to one another to prevent said inner end from reaching the posterior aspect of the tongue of the individual.  
     
     
         10 . The adjustable oropharyngeal airway apparatus according to    claim 9    wherein said inner end is tapered.  
     
     
         11 . The adjustable oropharyngeal airway apparatus according to    claim 1    wherein said second airway portion is of sufficient length to enable said distal end to reach the glottic area of an individual.  
     
     
         12 . The adjustable oropharyngeal airway apparatus according to    claim 1    wherein said first airway portion interior is curved.  
     
     
         13 . Adjustable oropharyngeal airway apparatus for maintaining an unobstructed airway in an individual, said airway apparatus comprising, in combination: 
 a substantially rigid airway portion having spaced open ends and defining a hollow interior extending between said open ends, said substantially rigid airway portion for positioning in the mouth of an individual; and    a hollow, flexible airway portion having spaced open ends formed of yieldable material positioned in the hollow interior of said substantially rigid airway portion and slidably movable within said hollow interior relative to said substantially rigid airway portion upon the application of outside forces thereto to move one of the open ends of the hollow, flexible airway portion beyond the individual's tongue to a selected location within the individual's body.    
     
     
         14 . The adjustable oropharyngeal airway apparatus according to    claim 13    wherein said hollow, flexible airway portion frictionally engages and is maintained under compression by said substantially rigid airway portion, frictional engagement between said hollow, flexible airway portion and said substantially rigid airway portion resisting relative sliding movement therebetween.  
     
     
         15 . The adjustable oropharyngeal airway apparatus according to    claim 14    wherein said hollow, flexible airway portion is tubular-shaped.  
     
     
         16 . The adjustable oropharyngeal airway apparatus according to    claim 13    wherein the open end of the flexible airway portion moved beyond the individual's tongue to a selected location within the individual's body has a plurality of spaced openings formed therein.  
     
     
         17 . The adjustable oropharyngeal airway apparatus according to    claim 16    wherein two of said plurality of spaced openings are disposed on opposed sides of the flexible airway portion.  
     
     
         18 . The adjustable oropharyngeal airway apparatus according to    claim 13    wherein the open end of the flexible airway portion moved beyond the individual's tongue to a selected location within the individual's body is tapered.  
     
     
         19 . The adjustable oropharyngeal airway apparatus according to    claim 13    wherein one of the open ends of said rigid airway portion is an inner end located in the interior of an individual's mouth, said inner end being tapered.  
     
     
         20 . The adjustable oropharyngeal airway apparatus according to    claim 13    wherein said hollow interior is curved.