Patent Publication Number: US-2016228285-A1

Title: Bruxism sensor

Description:
FIELD 
     Disclosed embodiments relate to bruxism sensors. 
     BACKGROUND 
     Bruxism is defined as the excessive grinding of the teeth and/or excessive clenching of the jaw of an individual being unrelated to normal human functions such as eating or talking. Bruxism may cause minimal symptoms, and therefore individuals may not be aware of the condition. Symptoms commonly associated with bruxism include hypersensitive teeth, aching jaw muscles, and headaches. Bruxism can cause tooth wear, and can in extreme cases damage or break teeth and dental restorations such as crowns and fillings. 
     Bruxism can occur during sleep (sleep bruxism) and during waking hours (awake bruxism). Dental damage may be similar in both types, but the symptoms of sleep bruxism tend to worsen on waking and improve during the course of the day, and the symptoms of awake bruxism may not be present at all on waking, and then worsen over the course of the day. Several bruxism treatments are known, which generally all include a powered sensor device. 
     SUMMARY 
     This Summary is provided to introduce a brief selection of disclosed concepts in a simplified form that are further described below in the Detailed Description including the drawings provided. This Summary is not intended to limit the claimed subject matter&#39;s scope. 
     A bruxism sensor includes a diaphragm switch which provides an electrical output that includes a diaphragm separating a pressure side having a pressure side inlet and a suction side having a suction side inlet. An audible alarm having an electrical input is coupled to the electrical output of the diaphragm switch A first hose has one end is fluidically coupled to the pressure side inlet and a biting configured opposite end (biting end) for positioning between teeth of a user. Upon a contraction of a mandible of the user, the biting end is squeezed which generates air pressure that is applied to the pressure side input which generates a pressure level sufficient for activating the diaphragm switch. While the diaphragm switch is activated, the audible alarm automatically sounds an alarm for alerting the user of contraction of their mandible. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       Reference will now be made to the accompanying drawings, which are not necessarily drawn to scale, wherein: 
         FIG. 1  is a depiction of an example bruxism sensor, according to an example embodiment. 
         FIG. 2  is a depiction over an example diaphragm switch, according to an example embodiment. 
         FIG. 3  is a depiction showing the example bruxism sensor shown in  FIG. 1  positioned on the head of a user for sensing contraction of a mandible of the user and sounding an alarm for alerting the user of contraction of their mandible, according to an example embodiment. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Disclosed embodiments in this Disclosure are described with reference to the attached figures, wherein like reference numerals are used throughout the figures to designate similar or equivalent elements. The figures are not drawn to scale and they are provided merely to illustrate the disclosed embodiments. Several aspects are described below with reference to example applications for illustration. It should be understood that numerous specific details, relationships, and methods are set forth to provide a full understanding of the disclosed embodiments. 
     One having ordinary skill in the relevant art, however, will readily recognize that the subject matter disclosed herein can be practiced without one or more of the specific details or with other methods. In other instances, well-known structures or operations are not shown in detail to avoid obscuring structures or operations that are not well-known. This Disclosure is not limited by the illustrated ordering of acts or events, as some acts may occur in different orders and/or concurrently with other acts or events. Furthermore, not all illustrated acts or events are required to implement a methodology in accordance with this Disclosure. 
     Notwithstanding that the numerical ranges and parameters setting forth the broad scope of this Disclosure are approximations, the numerical values set forth in the specific examples are reported as precisely as possible. Any numerical value, however, inherently contains certain errors necessarily resulting from the standard deviation found in their respective testing measurements. Moreover, all ranges disclosed herein are to be understood to encompass any and all sub-ranges subsumed therein. For example, a range of “less than 10” can include any and all sub-ranges between (and including) the minimum value of zero and the maximum value of 10, that is, any and all sub-ranges having a minimum value of equal to or greater than zero and a maximum value of equal to or less than 10, e.g., 1 to 5. 
       FIG. 1  is a depiction of an example bruxism sensor  100 , according to an example embodiment. Bruxism sensor  100  includes a pressure-sensitive diaphragm switch (diaphragm switch)  103  which provides an electrical output  103   c  that includes a flexible diaphragm (see diaphragm  103   d  in  FIG. 2 ) for separating a pressure side  103   a ′ having a pressure side inlet  103   a  and a suction side  103   b ′ including a suction side inlet  103   b . An audible alarm  104  having an electrical input  104   a  such as a buzzer is electrically coupled to the electrical output  103   c  of the diaphragm switch  103 . A battery  108  is shown within a case  110  for the diaphragm switch  103  and alarm  104  which provides power to the diaphragm switch  103  and audible alarm  104 . Alternatively, an electrical plug can be provided to enable power to be received from an external power source (e.g., power company source). An optional on-off switch  116  is also shown. The diaphragm switch  103 , on-off switch  116  and audible alarm  104  can be seen to be configured in a series circuit with the battery  108  being the power source for the series circuit. In one embodiment the battery is a 9 V DC battery. The diaphragm switch  103 , on-off switch  116 , audible alarm  104 , and battery  108  can all be off-the-shelf commercially available components. The on-off switch  116  is optional as the diaphragm switch  103  when non-activated keeps the series circuit in an open-circuit condition. 
     A first hose  114  has one end fluidically coupled to the pressure side inlet  103   a  of the diaphragm switch  103  and a biting configured opposite end (biting end)  114 ′ shown configured as a sensor loop for positioning between teeth of a user. The first hose  114  and other hoses described herein generally comprise small diameter flexible plastic hose, such as air hoses used for aquariums. Other biting end  114 ′ configurations are possible, including a pacifier shape. 
     Upon a contraction of a mandible of the user the biting end  114 ′, air pressure is generated that is applied to the pressure side of the diaphragm switch  103  via the pressure side inlet  103   a  to a pressure level sufficient for displacing the diaphragm for activating (turning on) the diaphragm switch  103 . While the diaphragm switch  103  is activated, the audible alarm  104  shown as a buzzer sounds an alarm for alerting the user of contraction of the mandible during sleep. Unlike conventional bruxism sensors, the biting end  114 ′ is an entirely passive bite sensor and thus does not need any power supplied to it. 
     The bruxism sensor  100  is shown also including a second hose  111  coupled to the suction side inlet  103   b  including a cavity volume modulator  112  shown as a bee bee for changing the back pressure that can be used for adjusting a sensitivity of the diaphragm switch  103 . As the cavity volume modulator  112  is moved by the user further from the suction side inlet  103   b  the cavity volume of the diaphragm switch  103  decreases which increases the sensitivity of diaphragm switch  103 , and as the cavity volume modulator  112  is moved by the user closer to the suction side inlet  103   b  the cavity volume of the diaphragm switch  103  increases which decreases the sensitivity of diaphragm switch  103 . The bruxism sensor  100  is also shown including a retainer or harness  102  sized and shaped to fit over a head of the user for supporting the biting end  114 ′ of the first hose  114  which includes a loop end seal  114   a  such as a bee bee. Magnets  113  are shown for providing a magnetic latch for the retainer or harness  102 . Significant advantages of bruxism sensor  100  include an entirely passive sensing mechanism that operates without need for a power source as the contraction of the mandible of the user provides the pressured air flow used for turning on the diaphragm switch  103 . 
       FIG. 2  is a depiction over an example diaphragm switch shown as  103 ′, according to an example embodiment. The flexible diaphragm  103   d  is shown separating the pressure side and the suction side of the diaphragm switch  103 . An electrically conducting disk  103   e  is on the flexible diaphragm  103   d . Upon sufficient differential pressure being applied across the diaphragm  103   d  responsive to contraction of the mandible of the user, the electrically conducting disk  103   e  is displaced sufficiently to contact the electrical contacts  117  shown which activates the diaphragm switch  103 . 
       FIG. 3  is a depiction  300  showing the example bruxism sensor  100  positioned on the head of a user  310  for sensing contraction of a mandible of the user and sounding an alarm for alerting the user of contraction of their mandible, according to an example embodiment. The biting end  114 ′ shown as a sensor loop includes a distal closed end, provided by the bee bee shown, or by another suitable flow obstruction. The closed end results in contraction of the user&#39;s mandible directing essentially all the air flow generated toward the diaphragm switch  103 . The retainer or harness is shown as  102   a.    
     Disclosed embodiments include methods of treating bruxism. A biting end of a first hose is placed between teeth of a user having another end coupled to a pressure side inlet of a pressure side of a diaphragm switch which provides an electrical output including a diaphragm separating The pressure side and a suction side having a suction side inlet, wherein an audible alarm which has an electrical input is coupled to the electrical output of the diaphragm switch. Upon a contraction of a mandible of the user, the biting end of the first hose is squeezed which generates air pressure that is applied to the pressure side to provide a pressure level sufficient for activating the diaphragm switch, and while the diaphragm switch is activated, an audible alarm is automatically sounded to awaken the user of the contraction of their mandible. 
     While various disclosed embodiments have been described above, it should be understood that they have been presented by way of example only, and not limitation. Numerous changes to the subject matter disclosed herein can be made in accordance with this Disclosure without departing from the spirit or scope of this Disclosure. In addition, while a particular feature may have been disclosed with respect to only one of several implementations, such feature may be combined with one or more other features of the other implementations as may be desired and advantageous for any given or particular application. 
     Thus, the breadth and scope of the subject matter provided in this Disclosure should not be limited by any of the above explicitly described embodiments. Rather, the scope of this Disclosure should be defined in accordance with the following claims and their equivalents.