ES2319060A1 - Stimulator of the facial musculature. (Machine-translation by Google Translate, not legally binding) - Google Patents

Abstract

Stimulator of the facial musculature, constituted by a body (1), of intra-oral application, placed between the teeth and the lips or the cheeks, of biocompatible and elastic material, flat, approximately oval oblong and open in its central part, with lateral ends (2) wider than the middle zones (3) lower and upper, counting on them with v-shaped recesses (4), corresponding to the lip braces. It incorporates, or not, small protuberances (5), fixed or removable, by means of adhesive or similar, positionable, in pairs, in any part of it or in appendices (8), obtaining different results on different muscles or groups of muscles. It can be centrally closed by a sheet (6), provided with holes (7) to regulate the passage of air through it. It is suitable to be coupled to elements of intra-oral use, such as baby bottles, pacifiers, etc. (Machine-translation by Google Translate, not legally binding)

Description

Facial muscle stimulator.

Object of the invention

As expressed in the statement herein Descriptive report, the invention relates to a stimulator of the facial muscles

More specifically, the object of the invention It consists of a prefabricated physical element of application intrabuccal, made with biocompatible and elastic materials, the which is specially developed and studied to apply stimuli on the muscles of the face, allowing to develop medium or long term effects that modify muscle tone, muscle functions and / or the expression of the user's face.

The stimulator is designed to be placed inside the mouth, between the teeth and the lips or the cheeks, and its use will be mainly nocturnal, although it can also be day.

As is known, the application of stimuli direct on certain muscles or muscle groups entails a stimulation thereof and the inhibition of the activity of antagonistic muscles

The stimulator that is recommended bases its action in said elementary physiological principle. To do this, on one basic form of it, you can add or remove items stimulants that will act at different points of the oral cavity, according to its location on the body of the stimulator, being able to come incorporated in the design of the same or be added or suppressed by means of insertion systems incorporated in a basic form of it.

In order to introduce these effects muscle stimulators at very early ages, the invention provides for the adaptation of the stimulator to commonly elements used in such ages, such as the bottle or the pacifier.

For young people or adults, the stimulator present different sizes as well as different degrees of hardness.

Field of application of the invention

The field of application of the present invention is that of dentistry (especially orthodontics), the Myofunctional reeducation, physiotherapy, otolaryngology, facial aesthetics and other medical fields.

Background of the invention

Muscle stimuli are used in certain removable orthodontic appliances, but cannot be  introduce in treatments with fixed devices, so the work based on the use of prefabricated devices that can combined with the use of fixed braces would be great benefit for muscular and functional reeducation in orthodontics.

On the other hand, the possibility of being able to apply These principles at an early age introduce a new area of action of prefabricated elements, favoring reeducation muscle early.

Also, in the adult subject, the possibility of be able to reshape the expression of your face and balance the aesthetic Facial is a field of novel application of this concept.

Moreover, at present, and as reference to the state of the art, it is worth mentioning that the existence of any stimulator is unknown from the petitioner of the facial muscles that have characteristics technical, structural and constitutive similar to those that advocates the present invention, which is intended to contribute to the field of orthodontics and myofunctional reeducation, to prevention in orthodontics and facial aesthetics the advantages previously described.

Explanation of the invention.

Thus, the facial muscle stimulator that the invention proposes configures itself as an obvious novelty within its field, since according to its application, such as mentioned above, it is achieved in a taxative way promptly stimulate certain muscles or muscle groups of the face to obtain a stimulation of them (action direct) or inhibition of antagonistic muscle activity (indirect action), performing a "remodeling" action of the expression of the face and / or its muscular functions.

To do this, and specifically, the stimulator of the facial musculature of the invention consists of element prefabricated physical, made with biocompatible materials and elastic, intended to be placed inside the mouth, between teeth and lips or cheeks, which is basically constituted from an essentially flat body that adopts an approximately oval landscape, its areas being lateral perimeters significantly wider than the zones lower and upper stockings, in the center of which presents V-shaped scallops corresponding to the inserts of the braces of the lower and upper lips respectively.

This basic form is completely open or hollow in its central part, to allow the free passage of air, being able, optionally, to be closed by a sheet that, when obliterate or hinder this step, it will be provided with holes (more or less large) to regulate said air passage.

On the other hand, it is important to note that the described basic form of the stimulator, in addition to being able to vary slightly in terms of its thickness, its perimeter shape and that of its lateral ends, you can incorporate specific stimuli in different areas of it, consisting of pairs of small bumps likely to be coupled to the described body of fixed or removable form by conventional systems of fixation, which, depending on their position will act, of according to the following actions, on different muscles or muscle groups:

- The basic body open and without stimuli punctual, directly stimulates the upper orbicular muscles and lower, getting an increase in lip tone. Indirectly (effect on antagonistic muscles) a effect of posterior positioning of the tongue.

- The open body and with specific stimuli anterior and superior stimulates the superior orbicularis muscle and favors lengthening of the upper lip.

- The open body and with specific stimuli anterior and inferior acts at the level of the muscles Labiomentonians and relaxes them when they are contracted.

- The open body and with specific stimuli anterior and superior lateral stimulates lateral muscles elevators of the upper lip and the corner of the lips.

- The open body and with specific stimuli anterior and inferior lateral stimulates lateral muscles Depressants of the lower lip and the corner of the lips.

- The open body and with specific stimuli posterior and superior laterals stimulates the risorio muscle and favors the act of smiling.

- The open body and with specific stimuli posterior and inferior lateral stimulates depressor muscles of the cheek, favoring a more serious expression of the face.

The open body depending on the design of its lateral ends stimulates the bottoms (upper and lower) of the lateral vestibules of the mouth, creating tension at the level of the muscular insertions of the area that causes (indirectly) the inhibition of the tone of the masticatory muscles. Said effect It is positive in bruxist or "squeezing" individuals. These lateral stimuli are broader (extensive) than the previously cited and more intense. They require a modification in the lateral ends of the basic body, consisting of said ends lengthen slightly so that they run at the bottom from the lobby of the mouth.

Finally, to facilitate its use in very early ages, the body described can also be coupled to other commonly used items, such as the bottle, the pacifier and others, its effects being the same as those of the body open without specific stimuli, that is, stimulate directly the upper and lower orbicular muscles, getting a increased lip tone Indirectly (effect on antagonistic muscles) a positioning effect is achieved posterior of the tongue. This second (indirect) effect would favor the suppression of the habit of the pacifier.

The new facial muscle stimulator represents, therefore, an innovative structure of structural and constitutive characteristics unknown up to now for that purpose, reasons that together with its practical utility, the provide sufficient grounds to obtain the privilege of exclusivity requested.

Description of the drawings

To complement the description that is being performing and in order to help a better understanding of the characteristics of the invention, is attached herein descriptive, as an integral part of it, of a game of planes, in which, for illustrative and non-limiting purposes, represented the following:

Figure number 1.- Shows a plan view of an example of realization of the new stimulator of the facial muscles, in which the main parts are appreciated and elements that you understand, as well as the configuration and arrangement of the same.

Figures number 2 and 3.- Show respective views in vertical and horizontal section, according to the corresponding A-A and B-B cuts indicated in the Figure 1.

Figure number 4.- Shows a plan view of another example of facial stimulator, incorporating in this case a sheet that closes its central area.

Figure number 5.- Shows another example of facial stimulator in which the stimulation points are They are arranged in external appendices.

Figure number 6.- Shows another example of stimulator in which the shape of its ends has been varied lateral to stimulate the lateral areas and muscles of the oral cavity.

Preferred Embodiment of the Invention

In view of the aforementioned figures, and following the numbering adopted in them, you can see how the facial muscle stimulator that the invention advocates it is essentially constituted from a body (1), made with biocompatible and elastic materials, intended to be placed inside the mouth, between the teeth and the lips or the cheeks, which is essentially flat, adopting a plantar form approximately landscape oval open in its central part, such as It can be seen in figures 1 to 3, its lateral ends (2) significantly wider than the lower middle areas (3) and upper, in the center of which presents scalloped or V-shaped entrees (4), more or less pronounced, according to in each case, corresponding to the insertions of the lower and upper lip braces respectively.

Also, the described body (1) can incorporate, or not, specific stimuli, intended to act on different muscles or muscle groups, depending on their positioning in it, which are constituted by small bumps (5) that can optionally be coupled to the body (1) in a fixed or removable way, by means of systems conventional fixing, such as adhesive or similar.

Thus, said bumps can be positioned,  preferably in pairs, both in the previous part and in the posterior of the middle (3) lower and / or upper body areas (1), getting different results on facial muscles based on said positioning.

As seen in the example in the figure 5, the described protuberances (5) or stimulation points they can also be attached to the body (1) of the stimulator arranged in outer appendages (8) provided for this purpose in the position that suits, thus allowing to expand the field of their performance within the oral cavity.

On the other hand, as mentioned, said body (1) is fully open in its central part, to allow the free passage of the air, being able, optionally, to be closed by means of a membrane or sheet (6) that, when obliterating or difficult said air passage is adequately provided with holes (7) (more or less large) to be able to breathe, as it has been represented in figure 4.

Also, as seen in Figure 6, the lateral areas or ends (2) of the body (1) can alternatively present different forms, such as the represented in said figure, forming an internal loop (9) that determine two rounded zones (10), which, thanks to the flexibility of the material with which the stimulator is made, will provide a stimulated massage the areas and muscles located in the part of the oral cavity with which they come into contact.

It should be noted, finally, that the body (1), which  It will generally be used in isolation, it is advantageously suitable for coupling to other intrabuccal elements, such as they can be bottles, pacifiers etc., thus facilitating their use at very early ages.

Describe sufficiently the nature of the present invention, as well as the way of putting it into practice, not it is considered necessary to extend its explanation so that any subject matter expert understands its scope and advantages that derive from it, stating that, within its essentiality, may be implemented in other forms of embodiment that differ in detail from that indicated by way of example, and which will also achieve the protection that collects as long as it does not alter, change or modify its principle fundamental.

Claims (5)

1. Stimulator of the facial musculature, intended to apply stimuli on the muscles or muscle groups of the face, allowing the development of medium or long-term effects that modify muscle tone, muscle functions and / or the expression of the user's face , characterized by the fact of being constituted from a body (1), of intrabuccal application, placed between the teeth and the lips or the cheeks, made with biocompatible and elastic materials, essentially flat, adopting an approximately open oval landscape plantar in its central part, its lateral ends (2) being substantially wider than the lower and upper middle areas (3), in the center of which it has scalloped or V-shaped recesses (4), more or less pronounced, as appropriate in each case, corresponding to the inserts of the braces of the lower and upper lips respectively. 2. Stimulator of the facial musculature according to claim 1, characterized in that the body (1) incorporates specific stimuli, intended to act on different muscles or groups of muscles, depending on their positioning therein, which are constituted by small protuberances (5); and because said protuberances (5) can be of a fixed or removable nature, by means of conventional fixing systems, such as adhesive or similar, being able to be positioned, preferably in pairs, both in the front and in the back of the middle areas (3) lower and / or upper body (1), getting different results on different muscles or muscle groups, depending on the positioning. 3. Stimulator of the facial musculature according to claims 1 and 2, characterized in that the protuberances (5) or stimulation points can optionally be coupled to the body (1) of the stimulator arranged in outer appendages (8) provided for this purpose in the position that is convenient, thus allowing to expand their field of action within the oral cavity. 4. Stimulator of the facial musculature according to claims 1, characterized in that the lateral areas or ends (2) of the body (1) can alternatively have different shapes, such as forming an internal loop (9) that determines two Rounded areas (10), which, thanks to the flexibility of the stimulator, provide a stimulated massage to the areas and muscles located in the part of the oral cavity with which they come into contact. 5. Facial musculature stimulator according to claims 1, characterized in that the body (1), optionally, can be centrally closed by incorporating a membrane or sheet (6), which is suitably provided with holes (7) (more or less large) to regulate the passage of air through it.