Adjustable tracheostoma valve and heat and moisture exchanger
Inventors
MARKWARDT, Neil • Day, John C.
Assignees
Interested in licensing this patent?
MTEC can help explore whether this patent might be available for licensing for your application.
Publication Number
US-11173267-B2
Publication Date
2021-11-16
Expiration Date
Abstract
An adjustable tracheostoma valve includes a housing having a first opening that is adapted to open to a tracheostoma and a second opening that opens to ambient. The housing includes a lower housing portion defining the first opening and an upper housing portion movably attached to the lower housing portion and defining the second opening. A closure member is disposed in the housing and adapted to close the second opening. A flexible membrane includes a first region connected to the closure member and a plurality of spiral shaped legs extending from the first region and connected to the housing. The upper and lower housings are axially adjustable relative to one another to adjust an amount of air flow through the valve that would cause closure of the closure member. A heat and moisture exchanger is disposed in the housing between the first opening and the second opening.
Core Innovation
A tracheostoma valve is disclosed that includes a housing having a first opening adapted to open to a tracheostoma and a second opening that opens to ambient. A closure member is disposed in the housing and is adapted to close one of the first opening and the second opening. A flexible membrane is included and connects structural regions to the closure member and the housing, where the membrane in an un-deformed state arranges plural legs coplanar with a first region and extending radially outward in a spiral shape to terminate at a free-end in an unassembled state.
In an adjustable tracheostoma valve, the housing includes a lower housing portion defining the first opening and an upper housing portion that is movably attached to the lower housing portion and defining the second opening. The closure member is adapted to close the second opening, and the flexible membrane includes a first region connected to the closure member with spiral shaped legs extending from the first region and connected to the housing. The flexible membrane arrangement maintains a coplanar relationship in an un-deformed state while the spiral shaped legs terminate at a free-end in an unassembled state.
A heat and moisture exchanger is disposed in the housing between the first opening and the second opening. In variants described, a closure function can be integrated by using an enlarged or reinforced center region of the flexible membrane to cover an opening, eliminating a separate closure member. Additional structural variants include an outer circumferential ring connected to distal ends of membrane legs for alternative mounting, and housings that are configured with a lower and an upper portion that are movably and axially adjustable relative to the lower portion to vary closure behavior.
Claims Coverage
The provided independent claims include five core claim sets that share a common structure of a tracheostoma valve with a housing having first and second openings, a flexible membrane with spiral shaped legs and an un-deformed coplanar arrangement, and in several claims an adjustable housing and/or a heat and moisture exchanger. Across the independent claims, the inventive features mainly vary by whether the closure member is specified, whether the housing is adjustable via a movable upper portion, whether the heat and moisture exchanger is included, and whether the membrane includes a center region adapted to close an opening.
Spiral coplanar legs flexible membrane with unassembled free ends
A housing having a first opening adapted to open to a tracheostoma and a second opening that opens to ambient; a closure member disposed in the housing and adapted to close one of the first opening and the second opening; and a flexible membrane including a first region connected to the closure member and a plurality of legs formed integral with and extending from the first region and connected to the housing, wherein in an un-deformed state, the plurality of legs are coplanar with the first region and extend radially outward from the first region in a spiral shape and terminate at a free-end in an unassembled state.
Closure member closing ambient opening with spiral coplanar legs
A housing having a first opening adapted to open to a tracheostoma and a second opening that opens to ambient; a closure member disposed in the housing and adapted to close the second opening; and a flexible membrane including a first region connected to the closure member and a plurality of spiral shaped legs extending from the first region and connected to the housing, wherein in an un-deformed state, the plurality of spiral shaped legs are coplanar with the first region and terminate at a free-end in an unassembled state.
Adjustable housing with movably attached upper portion and heat and moisture exchanger
An adjustable tracheostoma valve comprising a housing having a first opening adapted to open to a tracheostoma and a second opening that opens to ambient, wherein the housing includes a lower housing portion defining the first opening and an upper housing portion movably attached to the lower housing portion and defining the second opening; a closure member disposed in the housing and adapted to close the second opening; a flexible membrane including a first region connected to the closure member and a plurality of spiral shaped legs extending from the first region and connected to the housing, wherein in an un-deformed state, the plurality of spiral shaped legs are coplanar with the first region and terminate at a free-end in an unassembled state; and a heat and moisture exchanger disposed in the housing between the first opening and the second opening.
Center region adaptable closure with spiral coplanar legs
A tracheostoma valve comprising a housing having a first opening adapted to open to a tracheostoma and a second opening that opens to ambient; and a flexible membrane including a center region adapted to close one of the first opening and the second opening and a plurality of legs extending from the center region and connected to the housing, wherein in an un-deformed state, the plurality of legs are coplanar with the first region and extend radially outward from the first region in a spiral shape and terminate at a free-end in an unassembled state.
Adjustable housing with heat and moisture exchanger and center-region closure membrane
An adjustable tracheostoma valve comprising a housing having a first opening adapted to open to a tracheostoma and a second opening that opens to ambient, wherein the housing includes a lower housing portion defining the first opening and an upper housing portion movably attached to the lower housing portion and defining the second opening; a flexible membrane including a center region adapted to close one of the first opening and the second opening and a plurality of spiral shaped legs extending from the center region and connected to the housing, wherein in an un-deformed state, the plurality of spiral shaped legs are coplanar with the first region and terminate at a free-end in an unassembled state; and a heat and moisture exchanger disposed in the housing between the first opening and the second opening.
Across the independent claims, the inventive concept centers on a tracheostoma valve that uses a flexible membrane with spiral shaped legs that are coplanar with a defined region in an un-deformed state and that terminate at free-ends in an unassembled state. Several claim sets further require an adjustable housing with a movably attached upper housing portion and include a heat and moisture exchanger between the first opening and the second opening, while at least one claim set defines closure using a center region of the flexible membrane.
Stated Advantages
Not explicitly described in patent.
Documented Applications
Not explicitly described in patent.
Interested in licensing this patent?