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:
Jan. 22, 1985
Filed:
Aug. 22, 1983
Samir M Chaoui, Placentia, CA (US);
Bear Medical Systems, Inc., Riverside, CA (US);
Abstract
An external, self-contained laryngeal prosthesis is adapted for use by a tracheostomized patient having a surgically-formed 'pseudoglottis' separating the trachea and the hypopharynx. The prosthesis includes a housing and a fitting for attaching the housing to the tracheostoma formed in the patient's neck. The housing contains an inhalation valve to allow inhaled air to pass through a first conduit into the trachea, and an exhalation valve for directing exhaled air from the first conduit into the housing downstream from the inhalation valve toward a second conduit. The second conduit is adapted for communicating between the housing and the hypopharynx through the fitting and through an incision in the pseudoglottis. Downstream from the exhalation valve is a tone-generating mechanism responsive to air pressures in a range normally produced by a speech effort. At higher air pressures, such as produced by panting or gasping, the tone-generating mechanism is disabled, and an alternative air flow path from the exhalation valve to the second conduit is opened.