Oral appliance device

Abstract

An oral appliance device for use within a human mouth includes an upper appliance member, a lower appliance member, and a connector assembly. The upper appliance member selectively engages upper teeth within the human mouth. The lower appliance member selectively engages lower teeth within the human mouth. The connector assembly movably connects the upper appliance member and the lower appliance member to one another. The connector assembly includes a first connector button that is removably secured to the upper appliance member, a second connector button that is removably secured to the lower appliance member, and a connector band that is coupled to the upper appliance member with the first connector button and coupled to the lower appliance member with the second connector button.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An oral appliance device for use within a human mouth, the oral appliance device comprising:
 an upper appliance member that selectively engages upper teeth within the human mouth;   a lower appliance member that selectively engages lower teeth within the human mouth; and   a connector assembly that movably connects the upper appliance member and the lower appliance member to one another, the connector assembly including a first connector button that is removably secured to the upper appliance member, a second connector button that is removably secured to the lower appliance member, and a connector band that is coupled to the upper appliance member with the first connector button and coupled to the lower appliance member with the second connector button.   
     
     
         2 . The oral appliance device of  claim 1  wherein the connector band includes (i) a first band end that is removably coupled to the upper appliance member with the first connector button, and (ii) a second band end that is removably coupled to the lower appliance member with the second connector button, at least one of the band ends including at least two substantially linear edges that are substantially perpendicular to one another. 
     
     
         3 . The oral appliance device of  claim 1  wherein the upper appliance member has an upper edge, and the lower appliance member has a lower edge, and wherein the connector band includes (i) a first band end that is removably coupled to the upper appliance member with the first connector button, the first band end being positioned so that the first band end does not extend above the upper edge; and (ii) a second band end that is removably coupled to the lower appliance member with the second connector button, the second band end being positioned so that the second band end does not extend below the lower edge. 
     
     
         4 . The oral appliance device of  claim 1  wherein the connector band is formed from a nylon-based material. 
     
     
         5 . The oral appliance device of  claim 1  wherein the connector band is formed from an elastomeric material. 
     
     
         6 . The oral appliance device of  claim 1  wherein each of the first connector button and the second connector button is formed from a nylon-based material. 
     
     
         7 . The oral appliance device of  claim 6  wherein each of the first connector button and the second connector button is manufactured using one of a three-dimensional printer and a selective laser sintering process. 
     
     
         8 . The oral appliance device of  claim 6  wherein each of the upper appliance member and the lower appliance member are formed from a nylon-based material. 
     
     
         9 . The oral appliance device of  claim 1  wherein the connector assembly further includes (i) a first connector base that is formed on the upper appliance member, the first connector base including a first base aperture having internal threads; and (ii) a second connector base that is formed on the lower appliance member, the second connector base including a second base aperture having internal threads; and wherein the first connector button includes a first button shaft having external threads that are configured to threadingly engage the internal threads of the first base aperture; and wherein the second connector button includes a second button shaft having external threads that are configured to threadingly engage the internal threads of the second base aperture. 
     
     
         10 . The oral appliance device of  claim 9  wherein the connector band includes (i) a first band end having a first band aperture, the first button shaft being configured to extend through the first band aperture and be threaded into the first base aperture to removably couple the first band end to the upper appliance member; and (ii) a second band end having a second band aperture, the second button shaft being configured to extend through the second band aperture and be threaded into the second base aperture to removably couple the second band end to the lower appliance member. 
     
     
         11 . An oral appliance device for use within a human mouth, the oral appliance device comprising:
 an upper appliance member that selectively engages upper teeth within the human mouth;   a lower appliance member that selectively engages lower teeth within the human mouth; and   a connector assembly that movably connects the upper appliance member and the lower appliance member to one another, the connector assembly including a connector band having a first band end that is coupled to the upper appliance member and a second band end that is coupled to the lower appliance member, wherein at least one of the band ends includes at least two substantially linear edges that are at an angle relative to one another.   
     
     
         12 . The oral appliance device of  claim 11  wherein the at least one of the band ends includes at least two substantially linear edges that are substantially perpendicular to one another. 
     
     
         13 . The oral appliance device of  claim 12  wherein each of the band ends includes at least two substantially linear edges that are substantially perpendicular to one another. 
     
     
         14 . The oral appliance device of  claim 13  wherein each of the band ends is substantially rectangle-shaped. 
     
     
         15 . The oral appliance device of  claim 11  wherein the upper appliance member has an upper edge, and the lower appliance member has a lower edge, and wherein the first band end is positioned to not extend above an upper edge of the upper appliance member; and wherein the second band end is positioned to not extend below a lower edge of the lower appliance member. 
     
     
         16 . The oral appliance device of  claim 11  wherein the connector band further includes an elongated, band body that extends between the first band end and the second band end. 
     
     
         17 . The oral appliance device of  claim 11  wherein the connector band is formed from a nylon-based material. 
     
     
         18 . The oral appliance device of  claim 11  wherein the connector band is formed from an elastomeric material. 
     
     
         19 . The oral appliance device of  claim 11  wherein the upper appliance member and the lower appliance member are formed from a nylon-based material. 
     
     
         20 . The oral appliance device of  claim 11  wherein the first band end is removably coupled to the upper appliance member with a first connector button, and the second band end is removably coupled to the lower appliance member with a second connector button.