The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Mar. 22, 2011
Filed:
Apr. 18, 2007
Anant V. Hegde, Hayward, CA (US);
Kasey Kai-chi LI, Palo Alto, CA (US);
Nikhil D. Bhat, Fremont, CA (US);
Doyeon Kim, Fremont, CA (US);
George Y. Choi, Redwood City, CA (US);
Anant V. Hegde, Hayward, CA (US);
Kasey Kai-Chi Li, Palo Alto, CA (US);
Nikhil D. Bhat, Fremont, CA (US);
Doyeon Kim, Fremont, CA (US);
George Y. Choi, Redwood City, CA (US);
Pavad Medical, Fremont, CA (US);
Abstract
An airway implant device for maintaining and/or creating an opening in air passageways is disclosed. Methods of using the device are also disclosed. The airway implant device includes a deformable element to control the opening of an air passageway and a tether. Preferably the deformable element is an electroactive polymer element. Energizing of the electroactive polymer element provides support for the walls of an air passageway, when the walls collapse, and thus, completely or partially opens the air passageway. Also disclosed is an implant for stabilizing the tongue, the implant having an anchoring portion for securing a first end of the implant with the mandibula; a control portion connected with the anchoring portion, configured for selectively activating the implant; a flexible portion connected at its proximal end with the control portion, where the flexible portion has three-dimensional flexibility in a first state and where the flexible portion has a lesser three-dimensional flexibility in a second state, and where the flexible portion is selectively switchable between the first and second state by the control portion; and an anchoring portion for connecting the implant with the base of the tongue connected with the distal end of the flexible portion. Methods of treating airway disorders such as sleep apnea and snoring with the airway implant device are disclosed herein.