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:
Apr. 27, 1976
Filed:
Sep. 25, 1974
Peter S Sorce, Tonawanda, NY (US);
Earl W Clifford, Getzville, NY (US);
The Aro Corporation, Bryan, OH (US);
Abstract
A laryngeal prosthesis for a post-laryngectomy patient includes a control valve, a fitting, and a conduit operatively communicating the control valve and fitting. The control valve has a housing defining a chamber therewithin. The housing is provided with a tracheal opening adapted to communicate with the patient's trachea through a tracheal fistula, a diversion opening, and a control opening surrounded by an internal seat. A flapper is arranged within the housing to move toward and away from the seat. The fitting includes an inlet opening and an outlet opening adapted to communicate with the patient's hypopharynx through a hypopharyngeal fistula. The conduit communicates the diversion opening with the fitting inlet opening. The prosthesis enables the patient to inhale, exhale and cough through the control opening, and to speak alaryngeally by selectively diverting exhaled air from the tracheal fistula to the hypopharyngeal fistula.