US1851351A - Antithumb sucking device - Google Patents

Description

: March 29, 1932 w, c; DARBY 1,851,351

ANTITHUMB SUCKING DEVICE Filed May 20, 1929 Patented 29,1932

Application "filed my 20,

whereby the objects contemplated are at- 1 tainech'as hereinafter more fully set forth, pointed out 1n my claim, and illustrated 1n the accompanying draw1ngs-, '1n-wh1ehil Figure l -sliowsa plan view of a handp:

" equipped with an anti thumbsucking device I I V i application to the thumb of anmfantand fillvnowdescribe the harm donebythumb ""rq embodyingmy invention.

it to the thumb:

. Figure 3 is a diagrammatic View showing i thenormal condition of the arch of the mouth.

' Figure 4 is asimilar. view illustrating the hi h arch and narrowed nasal assa es ret: I v i a b I sultingfrom thumb sucking.v

' Figure 5 illustrates the manner in whichth'e child sealsthe-lips to the thumb in sucking anti+thumbsucking de vice taken on the li e OfFigure'S; and I I i Figure 8 is a. similar sectional view; show-- ing the thumb in position against the side of thumb functioningv to engage the gum ofthe -mouth to prevent sealingof the lips.

, In the accompanying drawings, I have used r the reference numeral 'lOto indicate the hand of an infant. I

' My anti-thumb sucking device A consists of a central bar 12; end bars 14 and sidebars 16 spaced from I I and parallel with the'central baflQ."

tie V A plurality of lugs 18am formed on the if Q WE Si'JE Y QQDABBY, or was m me, IOWA Figure :Zis a perspective view of the devieefomitting the tape or means'for fastening 1 'Figure 7 is a detail; seetional view of they the mouth and showing mydevice 01ithe mes j gamm SUCKIING'. ar on 1 29. serial lNo; 3 64,46 81. f i

eentra lbar 12- an'd-i0ne of the-end-bars I l-is previded with lug-like extensions 20; r lhe anti-thumb sucking device A is adapt ed to'be ,positioned' on the thumb'22 (if the hand-1O in the position shown,*with theluggs '18 projecting'inwardly relative to the almer 1 the handh t f I It is adapted to he seeured'in positionby* means a strip of adhesivegtape 24- as best shown in Figure 7' 'of-itheldrawings. Airad- 60. 7

ditional pie'eeot adhesive 'taper26may be prf'o vided with the adhesive'side' outwardto furtherta c'ilitatela good eonneetion betweemt'he! iihe adhesive tape'Qe, of course hasthead- 651.

thumb. 22;

h esive :sidei thereef inwardly or against the -.r have brieflyfdeseribecl my device and its sucking and howqmy device-0perateste pre+ 5' flteterringtohi'gure 3'; a cressseetionflof the i n-Ormal mouth and. nasal pasageways' isillus- 75 'tra tedi The bottom 'ofthe mouth is 'in'dicate'd at128 and the roof thereofat 80. The lower "and upper rews of teeth are indicated at '32 and 34 respectively. Above the roof of the mouth, thena'sal passageways are indicate'd at 36. These passageways "areof: rather coma plex shape as clearly shoWn-inlligure 3. I

Referring to Figuree itwilllbe seenyhow 7 th e-fthumb sucking-habit inan infan-tihaving serts'fthethumbl22 in the mouth and presses/Q I againstgthe roof SO-theieof. This 'pressu're I causesan upwardarch-of theToofBO, as clea'rfly'. shown in Figure 4:,"whi'chpressesup {on the bottom surfacesef the nasal: passageways "36 1thereby eenstrieting them; -This effect-in so I itself is not'quiteas harmful asthe comb'iriation' bfzthe iupward pressure ofithe 'thumh 1 i on. the :roof; 3Oof the inoutlpanda; vacuum I I created in the mouth by a sucking aetion;

This-suckingacti'on is'pessibled ue toftheialips and 40 0f the infant being pre'ssedagainst the tl umb and makinganair-tightseal there around: Beeause'fof the vacuum thus formed i within the-mouth; the normal atmespher'ic' pressnrewoutside of the face -;pressesdewn on the turbinate bones (not illustrated) above the nasal passageways 36 as indicated by the arrows 42 and further causes constriction of V the passageways as clearly shown in Fig ure 4. r

The harm done by such construction is due to the fact that the passageways 36 are so small that breathing is hindered, and the child thus afflicted is much more susceptible to colds, because of the germs getting into the constricted passageways and being impossible to readily remove. Sometimes it is im possible to remove them at all and a tubinate bone operation must be performed.

The primary object of my invention is to providea device which will efiectively prevent the formation of a vacuum. This is possible as shown in Figure 6 due to the fact that the upper lip 40 which being pressed downwardly against .theanti-thumb sucking device A can not enter in between the lugs 18 sufficient to cause an air-tight seal.

In other words, the lip 40 is too thick to enter between the closely spaced projections vor lugs 18 and air can enter the mouth between the lugs as shown by the arrow 44.

I have found that when an infant can not create a vacuum within the mouth when sucking its thumb, the pleasure of sucking the thumb iseIiminated and after two or three days and. sometimes in a shorter period, of time, he completely stops the habit.

The lugs l18-efiectively prevent the formation of an air seal around the thumb when Y the thumb is thrust in the mouth as clearly illustrated in Figures 5 and 6;

, It is possible, however, to turn the thumb sidewise and engage the corner of the mouth 46 with the lugs 18 and the corner of the mouth, being sharp, could enter between the lugs 18 and form an effectual seal, if it were not for the extensions 20,which are provided to engage the gums adjacent the teeth 32 and 34 as shown in Figure 8. This section of the mouth is illustrated looking inwardly and the nail 48 of the thumb may be seen. I In the event that the infant then moves the thumb away from the corner of the mouth to prevent engagement of the extension lugs 20 with the gums, as shown, the device A will be so far removed from the corner of the mouth that he can not get the corner 46 in I ment and construction of the various parts of my anti-thumb sucking device without departing from the real spirit and purpose of my invention, and it is my intention to cover by myclaim, any modified forms of structure or use of mechanical equivalents, which may be reasonably included within their scope.

I claim as my invention:

In a device of the class described, three substantially parallel bar members, end members connecting the ends of said bar members and curved to fit the inside of the thumb of a child for maintaining the device close to the hand, the center bar having outwardly projecting lugs and one end bar having projecting lug-like extensions 20, the side bars being adapted to be engaged by adhesive tape orthe like for fastening the device on the thumb.

Des Moines, Iowa, March 12, 1929.

WESLEY C. DARBY.

Images