Abstract:
A muscle exercise device having a nose portion of two opposing elongated thin plates and a handle portion for moving the plates to help alleviate pain associated with a users temporomandibular joint.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION  
       [0001]     This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 60/661,336, filed Mar. 14, 2005, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by this reference. 
     
    
     TECHNICAL FIELD  
       [0002]     This invention relates to devices for exercising the TMJ and more particularly to a passive, user hand-operated joint and attendant muscle exercise device.  
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0003]     There are apparatuses for exercising the temporomandibula joint (TMJ) and attendant muscles. However, these apparatuses are bulky, expensive and/or relatively complex. A non-exhaustive example includes a jaw exerciser having a body with curvilinear guide tracks which guide movement of a carriage is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,035,420 issued Jul. 30, 1991, to Reinier Beeuwkes, et al. This device is relatively bulky and expensive. Another jaw exercising device where the user works his or her jaws against resilient compressible and stretchable material is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,582,560, issued Dec. 10, 1996, to Gerald L. Magnuson. The compressible material form a pair of bite pads which have an upper surface and a lower surface that are engaged by the teeth on the opposite sides of the mouth arch. The resistance that the muscles work against is determined by and limited by the compressibility of the material used and cannot be controlled by the user. A third jaw-exercising device is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,846,212, issued Dec. 8, 1998, to Reinier Beeuwkes, et al. This device has three plates with two of them having a mouthpiece to engage either the teeth of the maxilla or the teeth of the mandible. The third plate is a control plate. This device is relatively complex in construction and operation.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0004]     It is an object of the present invention to provide a simple to operate, relatively inexpensive device for exercising the temporomandibula joint and attendant muscles. The TMJ and muscle exerciser has two identical pieces joined at a pivot point and held in place by some holding means, such as a bolt and nut. The pivot point of each elongated piece is off center to provide a short portion and a long portion. The short portion has a thin rectangular box shape that goes into the mouth of the user. The short portion is thus the mouth end of the device. The long portion of the two elongated pieces form the handle of the device. The elongated pieces have a cylinder at the pivot point that extends across approximately one-half of the width of the elongated piece. Adjacent to the cylinder, in the remaining portion of the width of the elongated piece, is a concave surface that corresponds to the exterior surface of the cylinder on the adjoining elongated piece to permit movement of the cylinder in the concave surface in operation of the device.  
         [0005]     The outside surface of the mouth end is slightly textured to provide a stable, non-slip contact with the users back molars when the device is in use. This device, unlike the apparatus discussed above, is designed to contact the back molars to give better leverage for stretching the jaw muscles.  
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0006]      FIG. 1  is a side-elevation view of the jaw exerciser device with the mouth end on the left, in accordance with the present invention;  
         [0007]      FIG. 2  is perspective view of the two identical elongated parts and the attachment means, in accordance with the present invention; and  
         [0008]      FIG. 3  is a perspective view of the device assembled, in accordance with the present invention.  
     
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT  
       [0009]     The temporomandibula joint exerciser device has two identical elongated parts  1  and  11 . These parts are preferably made from lightweight plastic, having sufficient strength and durability to exercise the jaws of a user. The device is relatively inexpensive to manufacture with the elongated pieces being molded plastic. However, these pieces may also be aluminum or some other lightweight and durable material that has the strength to withstand the pressures during the exercising of a persons jaw. The elongated pieces  1  and  11  are approximately 6 inches in length and ⅝ inches in width. The thickness of the elongated pieces is thin at the mouth end and thicker at the handle end.  
         [0010]     Elongated piece  1  has a nose or mouth portion  2  and handle portion  3 . The elongated piece also has a cylindrical portion  5  and a mating concave surface  6  that is not shown in the drawings. However, the mating concave surface  6  of elongated piece  1  is identical in configuration and position to the mating concave surface  16  of elongated piece  11 .  
         [0011]     The second elongated piece or part  11  has a nose or mouth portion  12 , a handle portion  13 , a cylindrical portion or cylinder  15  and a mating concave surface  16 .  
         [0012]     The cylinders  5  and  15  are off center, that is they are closer to one end of the elongated pieces  1  and  11 , respectfully, than the other end. This results in the short portion, the mount ends  2  and  12 , and a long portion, the handle ends  3  and  13 .  
         [0013]     The second and identical elongated piece  11  has its interior surface facing the interior surface of elongated piece  1  so that the cylindrical portion  5  of elongated piece  1  fits in and rides in the concave section or surface  16  of elongated piece  11 . The cylinders,  5  and  15  of parts  1  and  11 , are joined side-by-side and ride in the mating concave surface  16  and  6  of the opposing elongated part.  
         [0014]     The centerline of cylinders  5  and  15  is perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of its respective part and extends across approximately one-half of the width from one edge. The mating concave surfaces  6  and  16  also extend across approximately one-half of the width from the edge opposite the cylinder.  
         [0015]     The short portion or the mouth portion  2  of the elongated piece  1  has a shallow concave surface  7  on the exterior of the piece. Elongated piece  11  also has a nose or mouth portion  12  with a shallow concave section or surface  17 .  
         [0016]     The long portion  13  of elongated piece  111  cooperates with the long portion  3  of elongated piece  1  to form the handles of the jaw-exercising device. When the cylinders  5  and  15  are placed side-by-side in the respective concave surfaces  6  and  16 , the bolt  8  and nut  9  are inserted in the holes of the cylinders to hold the elongated pieces  1  and  11  together, as shown in  FIGS. 1 and 3 .  
         [0017]     A pivot point or fulcrum  10  is along the centerlines of the cylinders  5  and  15 . The distance between the center of the pivot point  10  and the end of each mouth portion  2  and  12  is approximately ⅖ the length from the center of the pivot point  10  to the ends of the handle portions  3  and  13 . As a consequence, there is a resultant leverage of approximately 2½ to 1 between the handle end and the mouth end of the jaw-exercising device.  
         [0018]     When the handles are open, as shown in  FIG. 3 , the mouth end of the device is closed and is easily inserted into the mouth of the user. The user then squeezes the handles  3  and  13  to force the mouth end open to exercise the TMJ and attendant muscles of the user.  
         [0019]     A movement inwards of the handles  3  and  13  of 2½ centimeters, measured from the ends of the handles, results in separating or spreading the tips of the nose or mouth portion  2  and  12  by approximately 1 centimeter. (The size of the device is very close to the scale of the device shown in  FIG. 1 . The distance between the tips of mouth ends  2  and  12  of 1.41 in  FIG. 1  is in inches.)  
         [0020]     The opening of the mouth portion and the force used against the jaw is determined by the user. The mouth portion of the exercising device is placed between the molars on one side of the jaw so that the concave surfaces  7  and  17  contact the rear molars and provide a non-slip contact for the exercise device in use.  
         [0021]     In usage, the user holds the passive jaw exerciser by the handles  3  and  13 , in the closed position,  FIG. 1 . The mouth portion  2 ,  12  is placed between the molars on one side of the jaw, such that the concave surfaces  7 ,  17  conform to the rear molars providing a non-slip contact. The user gently presses the handles  3 ,  13  together with either hand to provide a gentle stretch of the muscles associated with the temporomandibula joint. The user acquiesces to this pressure by relaxing the jaw muscles. This process can be repeated on the other side of the jaw.  
         [0022]     Ideally, the user performs this exercise at least twice a day for a period of at least two months in order to help alleviate stored tension and soreness in the jaw muscles. Before using the device, it is expected the user will consult with his or her dentist or other related certified health professional.  
         [0023]     In summary, the invention described herein generally relates to an improved TMJ and muscle exercise device. While certain exemplary embodiments have been described above in detail and shown in the accompanying drawings, it is to be understood that such embodiments are merely illustrative of and not restrictive of the broad invention.  
         [0024]     In view of the above, it will be understood that the invention is not limited to the particular embodiments or arrangements disclosed but is rather intended to cover any changes, adaptations or modifications which are within the scope and spirit of the invention as defined by the appended claims.