US3224442A - Weight repulsing and cigarette reneging appliance - Google Patents

Description

J. M. STUBBS 3,224,442

WEIGHT REPULSING AND CIGARETTE RENEGING APPLIANCE Dec. 21, 1965 Filed May 8, 1964 FIG. 2

FIG. 4

RS OB MB m W3 M S E M A J ATTORNEYS United States Patent Ofi ice 3,224,442 Patented Dec. 21, 1965 3,224,442 WEIGHT REPULSING AND CIGARETTE RENEGKNG APPLIANCE James M. Stubbs, 1111 Lancaster Lane, Rockingham, N-C. Filed May 8, 1964, Ser. No. 365,998 4 Claims. (Cl. 128-136) This invention relates to devices and appliances of various kinds applicable to parts of the body both on the interior and exterior and performing various functions including modifying contour, appearance, improving fitting, adding comfort, improving health, and supplementing or replacing portions of the body, and the like.

The invention relates particularly to a device or equipment applicable within the mouth or oral cavity and designed to supplement the normal supporting function of the lips of the mouth by the teeth and to perform to a small degree a filling function, to stimulate the flow and swallowing of saliva, and to satisfy any desire or craving for food and a cigarette or other articles to smoke.

Considerable time and effort have been given to controlling body weight and the habit of cigarette smoking, attempts to solve these problems having been directed both to the mental and the physical, but with only limited success. In undertaking to eat less, some have been led to smoke more, and in an efiort to smoke less including fewer cigarettes, gums containing sweets have been chewed, and candies and other foods have been eaten but with small desired result.

It is an object of the invention to provide a relatively simple and inexpensive device, apparatus or equipment which can be inserted in the oral cavity and function to cause a reduction both in caloric intake and cigarette and other smoking.

Another object of the invention is to provide a purely physical device including a pair of long oval relatively thin longitudinally and transversely curved members having relatively smooth external surfaces, such devices being connected by an elastic member and with a intermediate small loosely carried body, which device can be inserted in the oral cavity in front of the lower teeth against the teeth against the inside of the lips and cheeks to stimulate the flow and swallowing of saliva to satisfy the desire for food or cigarettes or other objects to smoke.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective illustrating one application of the invention and its use;

FIG. 2, an enlarged perspective illustrating the application of the invention;

FIG. 3, a plan view of the invention;

FIG. 4, a similar view at right angles to FIG. 3;

FIG. 5, an end elevation viewed from the position 55 of FIG. 3; and

FIG. 6, a section on the line 66 of FIG 3.

Briefly stated the invention comprises a pair of relatively flat generally long oval filler pieces or members being curved both lengthwise and transversely of a size and configuration to fit snugly within the mouth, such members having relatively smooth surfaces and being connected by an elastic band and such members being capable of being readily removed but serving to assist in retaining the members in place in the mouth but yieldably permitting their relative movement, with such connection also serving as a retainer for an elastic carrying a small disk or relatively fiat body which can be moved around in the mouth by the tongue, the device reminding the user of its presence, stimulating the flow of saliva, and repulsing the intake of food or the need for a cigarette.

With continued reference to the drawing, the present invention comprises a pair of bodies or members 10 each of which is curved both crosswise and lengthwise, of a size to be inserted within the oral cavity and to fit comfortably within the lips and cheeks and conform to the surfaces of the teeth and the overlying cheeks when the mouth is closed. This pair of bodies or members are in effect filler pieces or pads designed and constructed to extend the muscles of the face slightly, to stimulate the flow of saliva swallowed, and cause a repulsion to excessive intake of food as well as to the desire for cigarettes.

The body members or filler pieces 10 preferably are of acrylic plastic or other substance having smooth surfaces without recesses in which food particles and germs could be contained which could aflect the taste or cause foul breath, undermining the comfort, good health and sanitation of the individual.

The body members or filler pieces also are of a substance which will be comfortable in the mouth and not harsh, unyielding, or subject to change in shape or condition due to moisture, chemical reaction or the raising of temperature by body heat.

The members 10 each may have generally C-shaped spaced slots or openings 11 and 12 with a prong 13 for the reception and spacing of a connecting elastic 14, the elastic being looped through the openings as illustrated in FIG. 3 and with the elastic strands maintained spaced by the prong 13. Thus the elastic connection 14 may be located loosely within the lower lip 15 in front of the lower teeth 16.

The device also may include a small plastic button or tab 17 carried by an elastic strand 18 looped around the connection 14 for extension rearwardly therefrom between lower incisor teeth to the tongue area of the mouth. This small button may be flipped back on the tongue 19 or under the tongue and toyed with for use frivolously by the tongue as a satisfactory mechanism for reducing caloric intake or reneging or avoiding the use of a cigarette or other smoke.

It will be apparent from the foregoing that a relatively simple inexpensive device is provided which can be readily applied and utilized to reduce, if not avoid, the intake of excessive food and drink, as well as assist in the reduction of the smoking habit.

It will be obvious to one skilled in the art that various changes may be made in the invention without departing from the spirit and scope thereof and therefore the invention is not limited by that which is illustrated in the drawing and described in the specification, but only as indicated in the accompanying claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A device for reducing caloric intake and consequently holding down the weight of an individual and for reducing cigarette and other smoking,

said device comprising ap air of thin long oval members of acrylic plastic with relatively smooth external surfaces capable of being readily cleaned and curved both lengthwise and transversely and of a general configuration to fit between the teeth and the cheeks of the face,

means flexibly connecting said oval members together comprising aperture means in each member adjacent an end thereof and a flexible connection extending between and secured in said aperture means of each oval member and adapted to be located loosely be tween the lower lip and the lower teeth,

a tab for frivolous movement by the tongue,

means connecting said tab to said elastic connection for movement in any direction,

said last-mentioned means comprising a flexible and elastic strand loosely connected to said elastic connection extending between said oval members,

said elastic strand being adapted to extend rearwardly between the front teeth into the area of the tongue.

2. A device for use by human beings in reducing caloric intake and consequently holding down the Weight comprising:

a pair of separate and independently movable relatively thin and smooth-surfaced members of generally oval configuration curved slightly both lengthwise and transversely to fit snugly and comfortably in the mouth in spaced relation between the outer surfaces of the teeth and the respective overlying cheeks of the jaw,

means for flexibly attaching said oval members together in said spaced relation including an elastic member,

and means adjacent one end of each of said oval members for releasbly attaching said elastic member thereto whereby said oval members are resiliently connected together in said spaced relation.

3. A device as defined in claim 2 including:

a tab member separate from said oval members disposed intermediate thereof and spaced transversely therefrom,

flexible means connecting said tab member to said elastic member for freedom of movement in any direction,

said device serving to stimulate the flow and swallowing of saliva and the repulsion of excessive intake of food and of smoking including cigarettes.

4. A device as claimed in claim 3 wherein:

each of said oval members and said tab member are formed of acrylic plastic or the like,

and said means connecting said tab member to said elastic member comprises a flexible and elastic strand slidable along said elastic member and adapted to extend from in front of the incisor teeth rearwardly thereof to the tongue area of the mouth.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,142,614 1/1939 Mitchell 128136 X 3,132,647 5/1964 Corniello 128-136 FOREIGN PATENTS 874,480 8/1961 Great Britain.

r ADELE M. EAGER, Primary Examiner.

Claims (1)

1. A DEVICE FOR REDUCING CALORIC INTAKE AND CONSEQUENTLY HOLDING DOWN THE WEIGHT OF AN INDIVIDUAL AND FOR REDUCING CIGARETTE AND OTHER SMOKING, SAID DEVICE COMPRISING AP AIR OF THIN LONG OVAL MEMBERS OF ACRYLIC PLASTIC WITH RELATIVELY SMOOTH EXTERNAL SURFACES CAPABLE OF BEING READILY CLEANED AND CURVED BOTH LENGTHWISE AND TRANSVERSELY AND OF A GENERAL CONFIGURATION TO FIT BETWEEN THE TEETH AND THE CHEEKS OF THE FACE, MEANS FLEXIBLE CONNECTING SAID OVAL MEMBERS TOGETHER COMPRISING APERTURE MEANS IN EACH MEMBER ADJACENT AN END THEREOF AND A FLEXIBLE CONNECTION EXTENDING BETWEEN AND SECURED IN SAID APERTURE MEANS OF EACH OVAL MEMBER AND ADAPTED TO BE LOCATED LOOSELY BETWEEN THE LOWER LIP AND THE LOWER TEETH, A TAB FOR FRIVOLOUS MOVEMENT BY THE TONGUE, MEANS CONNECTING SAID TAB TO SAID ELASTIC CONNECTION FOR MOVEMENT IN ANY DIRECTION, SAID LAST-MENTIONED MEANS COMPRISING A FLEXIBLE AND ELASTIC STRAND LOOSELY CONNECTED TO SAID ELASTIC CONNECTION EXTENDING BETWEEN SAID OVAL MEMBERS, SAID ELASTIC STRAND BEING ADAPTED TO EXTEND REARWARDLY BETWEEN THE FRONT TEETH INTO THE AREA OF THE TONGUE.

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