Hydrating Mouthguard

Abstract

A hydrating mouthguard is disclosed. The mouthguard has a mouthpiece and a housing that holds a container or reservoir. The container can be removed from the housing, refilled with a hydrating fluid, and reused. The mouthpiece has an internal channel that fluidly couples the interior space of the housing with the exterior of the mouthpiece. The mouthguard also includes a tube. One end of the tube is removably inserted into the container. An annular flange on the exterior of the tube fluidly seals with the opening on the container. The other end of the tube is removably inserted into the channel of the mouthpiece. The tip of the tube has a valve that opens to dispense the hydrating fluid when squeezed.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A mouthguard comprising:
 a mouthpiece sized and dimensioned to fit within the user's mouth;   a housing coupled to a front of the mouthpiece such that the housing is positioned outside the user's mouth while the mouthpiece is within the user's mouth;   a channel that extends through the housing and the mouthpiece;   a container sized and dimensioned to removably couple with the housing; and   a tube having a first end portion sized and dimensioned to removably extend through the channel and a second end portion sized and dimensioned to removable fit inside an opening of the container.   
     
     
         2 . The mouthguard of  claim 1 , wherein the channel has an inlet, an outlet, and a length extending between the inlet and the outlet. 
     
     
         3 . The mouthguard of  claim 2 , wherein the inlet of the channel is disposed on a front interior surface of the housing. 
     
     
         4 . The mouthguard of  claim 3 , wherein the outlet of the channel is disposed on a rear exterior surface of the mouthpiece. 
     
     
         5 . The mouthguard of  claim 2 , wherein the tube has an annular flange disposed between the first end portion of the tube and the second end portion of the tube. 
     
     
         6 . The mouthguard of  claim 5 , wherein the annular flange of the tube fluidly seals with an interior surface of the channel. 
     
     
         7 . The mouthguard of  claim 5 , wherein the second end portion of the tube has a reduced outer diameter section disposed adjacent to the annular flange, and a shoulder disposed adjacent to the reduced outer diameter section. 
     
     
         8 . The mouthguard of  claim 7 , wherein the opening of the container has a reduced inner diameter that fluidly seals with the reduced outer diameter and shoulder of the second end portion of the tube. 
     
     
         9 . The mouthguard of  claim 1 , wherein a length of the first end portion of the tube is sized and dimensioned to extend through the channel and protrude out of the outlet of the channel. 
     
     
         10 . The mouthguard of  claim 1 , wherein the housing comprises a cover hingeably coupled with a backing via a connector, and wherein the cover transitions between an open position and a closed position. 
     
     
         11 . The mouthguard of  claim 1 , wherein the tube is made of a flexible material, and the second end portion of the tube has sufficient elasticity to bend when inserted inside the container. 
     
     
         12 . The mouthguard of  claim 1 , wherein the first end portion of the tube is tapered, and a first end portion of the channel is tapered. 
     
     
         13 . The mouthguard of  claim 1 , wherein a tip of the first end portion of the tube has a slit that opens when the tip is squeezed. 
     
     
         14 . The mouthguard of  claim 1 , wherein the second end portion of the tube is straight. 
     
     
         15 . The mouthguard of  claim 1 , wherein the second end portion of the tube has a plurality of corrugations, ribs, or pleats to facility bending. 
     
     
         16 . A tube for a mouthguard comprising:
 a first end portion that removably couples with a channel of the mouthguard;   a second end portion that removable couples with a container;   an annular flange disposed between the first end portion and the second end portion;   a reduced outer diameter section disposed adjacent to the annular flange on the second end portion, and a shoulder disposed adjacent to the reduced outer diameter section on the second end portion and opposite to the annular flange.   
     
     
         17 . The tube of  claim 16 , wherein the reduced outer diameter section is sized and dimensioned to fluidly seal with a reduced inner diameter of an opening of the container. 
     
     
         18 . The tube of  claim 16 , wherein a tip of the first end portion comprises a slit or a duck valve that opens when the tip is squeezed. 
     
     
         19 . The tube of  claim 16 , wherein the annular flange has a tapered exterior surface that mates with a tapered interior surface of the channel of the mouthguard. 
     
     
         20 . The tube of  claim 16 , wherein the annular flange of the tube abuts an interior shoulder surface of the channel of the mouthguard.