The principal causes for snoring and sleep apnea aredecreasec muscle tone of the soft palate acd/or the descent of the base of the tongue. The former leads to dorsal movement of the soft palate, and each may result in obstruction of the air passage.

An object cf the preset invention is to provide a device of relatively simple construction which may be used for preventing snoring, and sleep apnea,t and which may be applied whenever desired by the user, e.g., just before going to sleep. Another object of the invention is to provide a method of preventing snoring and sleep apnea using the novel device.

According to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided an intranasal snore preventing device comprising: a pair of tubes of a diameter to permit their insertion through the nostrils of a subject, and of a length such that when so inserted, one of the tube ends, constituting their outer wends, are located externally of the subject's nostrils and the opposite ends of the tubes, constituting their inner ends, extend through the nasopharynx region to the oropharynx region; the outer ends of the tubes being joined together by a bridge limiting the inward movement of the tubes to locate their inner ends in the oropharynx region; the tubes, except for such bridge, being unconnected to any other device to provide an unobstructed airway from the atmosphere to the oropharynx region.

Preferably, the bridge limits the inward movement of the tubes such that their inner ends are located just above the epiglottis, to permit unrestricted swallowing.

The two tubes may further be different in diameter and of different lengths. According to an optional feature in the described embodiment, one tube is short and reaches below or is at the level of the soft palate, when inserted in one of the nostrils and the other tube is longer and is located just above the epiglottis.

Furthermore, one of the tubes may be much shorter than the other tube and may have a larger diameter than the other tube's diameter. The shorter tube does not have to extend further than the nostril's opening Furthermore, the shorter tube may be so short as to consist of only a "ring" or even of part of a ring, namely an unclosed rounded half circle shaped piece. This shorter tube, or "ring", may have a diameter which is bigger than that of the nostril and may be squeezed while inserted in the nostril and expand when it is situated in the nostril, thereby widening the nostril's opening. Accordingly, only one tube is utilized for providing unobstructed airway to the oropharynx region, whereas the other tube acts as another means for increasing the airflow through the nostril, by widening the nostril's opening.

According to further preferred features in the described embodiment, the tubes are semi-rigid and elastic to permit them to conform to, and to retain themselves in, the shape of the nasopharynx and oropharynx regions of the subject when inserted therein.

According to further preferred features, the tubes inserted into the nasopharynx and oropharynx regions, contain on their inner ends, a longitudinally perforated part, or have a grooves running longitidinally along the sides of the tube,lending the tube an elasticity, allowing the tube's ends to cave in momentarily while swallowing and spring back to their regular diameter when the act of swallowing is over. For facilitating the air passage and for additional passage of air, the inner ends of these tubes may contain at least one pair of opposit openings (holes), larger than the holes on the perforated part of the tube, that are situated along side of the perforation or groove.

According to a further optional feature that may be included, the tubes and/or the bridge may be sufficiently springy, or include spring elements, to lightly bias them against each other behind the nasal septum.

According to another aspect of the invention, there is provided a method of preventing snoring in a subject comprising inserting the intranasal snore preventing device as described above through the nostrils of the subject such as to provide an unobstructed airway from the atmosphere to the oropharynx region, just above the epiglottis, of the subject while the subject is sleeping.

Further features and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the description below.

The invention is herein described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein: Fig. 1 is a diagram illustrating the nasopharynx region of a person; Fig. 2 schematically illustrates the initial condition of one form of snore preventing device constructed in accordance with the present invention; and Fig. 3 illustrates the device of Fig. 2 inserted into the nasopharynx region of the subject shown in Fig. 1 for preventing snoring.

For easier swallowing a portion of the inner end of tube is perforated 11 or has grooves0 Fig. 4 is an isometric view of one inserted tube whose inner end portion 17 is perforated 11 and which contains a pair of opposit holes 13 for facilitating the air passage and for additional passage of air.

Fig. 5 is a cross section of the inner end of an inserted tube of the device of the present invention having two opposit grooves 15 and 15a running longitidinally along the sides of the tube,for allowing the tube's ends to cave ineasily and momentarily while swallowing and spring back to their regular diameter when the act of swallowing is over.

Fig. 6 is an isometric view of the device of the present invention containing longitudinal grooves 15 along opposit sides of the tubes 12 and 14.

Fig 7. is an isometric view of the device of the present invention comprising one tube 12a shorter than the other 14.

Fig. 8 is an isometric view of the device of the present invention comprising one tube 14 long enough to reach below the soft plate, and one tube 12b is an unclosed rounded half circle shaped piece.

With reference to Fig. 1, there is diagrammatically illustrated the nasopharynx region, generally designated 2, of a person, including the nostrils 3, vestibule 4, hard palate 5, nasopharynx region 6, soft palate 7, oropharynx region 8, and epiglottis 9. The intranasal snore preventing device constructed in accordance with the present invention, generally designated 10 and particularly illustrated in Fig. 2, is adapted to be inserted through the nostrils of the subject into the oropharynx region so as to provide an unobstructed airway from the atmosphere to the oropharynx region, and thereby eliminate or substantially reduce snoring and sleep apnea, Fig. 2 diagrammatically illustrates the construction of the intranasal snore preventing device 10.

It includes a pair of tubes 12, 14 which are joined at their outer ends by a bridge 16, but are otherwise unattached to each other for their complete lengths. The two tubes 12, 14 are of a diameter to permit their insertion through the nostrils of the subject, and are of a length such that when so inserted, the outer ends of the tubes joined by bridge 16 are located externally of the person 5 nostrils to limit against the outer surface of the person 5 nose and to thereby locate the inner ends of the tubes in the oropharynx region of the subject, just above the epiglottis, as shown in Fig. 3. Except for bridge 16, the two tubes 12, 14, are unconnected to each other or to any other device to provide an unobstructed airway from the outside atmosphere to the oropharnyx region, while at the same time, they are pressed against each other just behind the nasal septum with the ends just above the epiglottis, thereby permitting swallowing while preventing outward movement of the device.

The two tubes 12, 14, are preferably made of a semi-rigid and elastic plastic material to permit them to conform to the shape of the nasopharynx and oropharynx regions of the subject when inserted therein, and to retain themselves in this shape. Preferably, they are formed with an initial curved or bowed configuration as illustrated in Fig. 2. The two tubes 12, 14, and/or the connecting bridge 16, may be sufficiently elastic or springy, or include elastic or spring elements, to lightly bias t tubes against each other just behind the nasal cet .t and thereby to restrain cutwaro movement of the device when received through the subject's nostrils.

Fig. z is an isometric view of one inserted tube whose inner end portion 17 is perforated 11 and which contains 2 pair of opposit holes 13 for facilitating the air passage and for additional passage of air.

Fig. 5 is a cross section of an inserted tube of the device of the present invention having z groove 15 running longitidinally along the sides of the tube,for allowing the tube's ends to cave in momentarily while swallowing and spring back to their regular diameter when the act of swallowing is over.

Fig. 6 is an isometric view of the device of the present invention containing longitudinal grooves 15 along opposit sides of the tubes 12 and 14.

Fig 7. is an isometric view of the device of the present invention comprising one tube 12a shorter than the other 14.

Fig. 8 is an isometric view of the device of the present invention comprising one tube 14 long enough to reach below the soft plate, and one tube 125 is an unclosed rounded half circle shaped piece, which may have 2 diameter which is bigger than that of the nostril and may be scu'eezed while inserted in the nostril and end when it is situated in the nostril, thereby widening the nostril's opening.

While the invention has been described with respect to one preferred embodiment, it will be appreciated that this is set forth merely for purposes of example, and that many other variations, modifications and applications of the invention may be made.