Check-valve for tracheotomy tubes

Claim 2

A tracheotomy valve device comprising: a. an enclosed housing means having first and second flat walls arranged generally perpendicular to each other and intersecting each other along a common edge, said housing means includes means for mounting the housing on the exterior end of a tracheotomy tube suitably implanted in the throat of a user; b. an air inlet means provided in said first wall of said housing to allow air to pass into said housing; c. an air outlet means provided in said second wall of said housing and communicating with said mounting means whereby air can pass through the outlet means into said tracheotomy tube; and d. a closure means having an unattached valve element positioned within said housing, said valve element having a base edge disposed adjacent to an edge of said first wall opposite said second wall, said valve being arranged to move about said base edge from a closed position adjacent said first wall covering the air inlet means to prevent the expulsion of air from the housing through the air inlet means during exhalation by the user to an open position allowing air to pass unimpeded through the housing from the inlet means directly to the outlet means and the tracheotomy tube during inhalation.

Claim 3

A valve device as defined in claim 1, wherein: said air inlet means includes a centrally located aperture provided in the first wall of said housing; and said valve element is a flat, rectangular disc having opposing side edges and an outer edge opposite to said base edge, said valve element being sized to cover said aperture when in the closed position.

Claim 4

A valve device as defined in claim 2, wherein: the housing includes a guide means mounted within housing for guiding the disc in its movement between the closed and open positions to prevent jamming or sticking of the disc.

Claim 5

A valve device as defined in claim 3, wherein: said guide means includes a pair of flat members mounted along opposite said walls of the housing which are positioned adjacent to the opposite side edges of the disc; said flat members having arcuate cut-outs to correspond to the length of the side edges of the disc whereby the disc is free to move with respect to the housing, but is held with the base edge adjacent to the edge of the first wall of the housing.

Claim 6

A valve device as defined in claim 1, wherein: said housing means includes a stop means which is arranged to contact the valve element and limit the movement of said element in the open position.

Claim 7

A valve device as defined in claim 1, wherein: said housing includes guide means provided within the housing for guiding the valve element as it moves so as to provide free and unrestricted movement.

Claim 8

A valve device as defined in claim 1, wherein: said mounting means includes a double second wall formed in said housing means, said air outlet means being centrally disposed in the inner second wall, said second walls being arranged at a slight acute angle with respect to each other thereby forming a wedge-shaped chamber open at its widest end, the outermost second wall having an open slot extending inwardly from the edge of the wall adjacent the open side of the chamber whereby the valve assembly can be mounted on a flange provided on the exterior end of the tracheotomy tube by sliding the outer second wall over the tube with the flange being positioned in the chamber to form a seal with the air outlet means.

Claim 9

A valve device as defined in claim 1, wherein: said mounting means includes a cylindrical duct means attached to the outer surface of said housing second wall and extending outwardly from said outlet means, said cut means being arranged to be inserted into the exterior end of the tracheotomy tube to form an air seal with said tube.

Claim 10

A valve device as defined in claim 1, wherein: said valve element opens in a direction away from said second wall and said housing means includes a stop means for restricting said element to an open position not exceeding the center line of the air outlet means whereby reverse airflow during exhalation will pass behind the closure means causing it to move to the closed position.

Claim 11

A valve device as defined in claim 1, wherein: said housing means and said closure means are formed from a transparent plastic material so that operation of the closure means and cleanliness of the housing means can be observed.

Claim 12

A valve device as defined in claim 1, wherein: said housing includes an auxiliary connecting means mounted so that a gas can be continuously introduced into the housing for flow into the tracheotomy tube regardless of the valve element position.

Claim 13

A tracheotomy valve device comprising: a. housing means having at least a first wall and a second wall, said housing means further including means for mounting the housing on the exterior end of a tracheotomy tube suitably implanted in the throat of a user; b. air inlet means provided in said first wall of said housing means; c. air outlet means provided in said second wall of said housing means and communicating with said mounting means whereby air brought into the housing through said inlet means can pass through the outlet means and into the tracheotomy tube; d. said first wall of said housing means intersects said second wall and is sloped downwardly from said second wall; and e. closure means having an unattached valve element mounted within said housing for movement from a closed position adjacent said first wall covering the air inlet means preventing the expulsion of air from the air inlet means during exhalation by the user to an open position allowing passage of air from the inlet means through the outlet means and the tracheotomy tube during inhalation.

Claim 14

A tracheotomy valve device comprising: a. housing means having at least a first wall and a second wall, said housing means further including means for mounting the housing on the exterior end of a tracheotomy tube suitably implanted in the throat of a user; b. air inlet means provided in said first wall of said housing means; c. air outlet means provided in said second wall of said housing means and communicating with said mounting means whereby air brought into the housing through said inlet means can pass through the outlet means and into the tracheotomy tube; d. said first wall of said housing means intersects said second wall and is sloped downwardly from said second wall; and e. closure means having an unattached valve element mounted within said housing for movement from a closed position adjacent said first wall covering the air inlet means preventing the expulsion of air from the air inlet means during exhalation by the user to an open position allowing passage of air from the inlet means through the outlet means and the tracheotomy tube during inhalation.

Claim 15

A tracheotomy valve device comprising: a. housing means having means for mounting the housing at the exterior end of a tracheotomy tube, said housing being arranged so that the cross sectional shape of the housing is in the form of a right triangle; b. air inlet means provided in an inlet wall of said housing means and an air outlet means provided in an adjacent outlet wall positioned at right angles to the inlet wall, said outlet means communicating with said mounting means whereby air brought into the housing can pass through the outlet means and into the tracheotomy tube; c. closure means having an unattached valve element positioned within said housing means for movement from a closed position adjacent said inlet wall covering said air inlet means and preventing the expulsion of air through the air inlet means during exhalation by a user to an open position allowing passage of air from the inlet means through the outlet means and into the tracheotomy tube during inhalation; and d. said valve element being arranged to open so as to move away from and out of the path of the air passing from the inlet means to the outlet means during inhalation, said housing means including a stop means whereby said valve element is restricted to an opening whereby an edge of the valve element does not exceed the centerline of the outlet means whereby the reverse airflow during exhalation will impinge on said housing means and pass behind the closure means causing it to move to the closed position irrespective of the orientation of the housing means.

Claim 16

A tracheotomy valve device comprising: a. housing means having means for mounting the housing at the exterior end of a tracheotomy tube, said housing being arranged so that the cross sectional shape of the housing is in the form of a right triangle; b. air inlet means provided in an inlet wall of said housing means and an air outlet means provided in an adjacent outlet wall positioned at right angles to the inlet wall, said outlet means communicating with said mounting means whereby air brought into the housing can pass through the outlet means and into the tracheotomy tube; c. closure means having an unattached valve element positioned within said housing means for movement from a closed position adjacent said inlet wall covering said air inlet means and preventing the expulsion of air through the air inlet means during exhalation by a user to an open position allowing passage of air from the inlet means through the outlet means and into the tracheotomy tube during inhalation; and d. said valve element being arranged to open so as to move away from and out of the path of the air passing from the inlet means to the outlet means during inhalation, said housing means including a stop means whereby said valve element is restricted to an opening whereby an edge of the valve element does not exceed the centerline of the outlet means whereby the reverse airflow during exhalation will impinge on said housing means and pass behind the closure means causing it to move to the closed position irrespective of the orientation of the housing means.