Breath intake valve

摘要

A breath intake valve is connected to a tracheostomy tube inserted into a patient's trachea. The inner end of the valve attaches to the tracheostomy tube. An apertured disk endpiece with an O-ring around its circumference is releasably set into the outer end of the tubular valve body. A floppy diaphragm overlying the inner face of the disk endpiece functions as an intake valve to allow patient inhalation and air intake, and as a check valve to block patient exhalation, thereby to redirect it to the patient's larynx, sinuses, and mouth for normal speech. The O-ring gives way to forceful patient exhalation to release the disk endpiece from the tubular valve body. The disk endpiece is tethered to the breath intake valve body to prevent misplacement of the endpiece after such a release. The breath intake valve is itself likewise tethered to the tracheostomy tube to prevent its misplacement after any disconnection. The breath intake valve also includes a whistle to produce audible signal when exhalation is forceful.

主权项

1. A breath intake valve for connection with a tracheostomy tube inserted into a patient's trachea, said breath intake valve including:
a tubular valve body including an inner end for connection with said tracheostomy tube, and an outer end; one of a plurality of apertured disk endpieces disposed within said outer end of said valve body, each disk endpiece including a circumferential concave O-ring seat, and an O-ring disposed in said O-ring seat for sealing engagement with said tubular valve body, wherein each of the apertured disk endpieces has a different circumferential concave O-ring seat; a breath intake valve flap operatively connected to said disk endpiece on an inner side thereof, said valve flap being responsive to patient inhalation to open said disk endpiece for air intake through said tracheostomy tube into the patient's trachea, and responsive to patient exhalation to close said disk endpiece to thereby redirect said exhalation to the patient's larynx, sinuses, and mouth for normal speech; and a hinge operatively associating the breath intake valve with the tracheostomy tube such that when removed from the valve body, the breath intake tube remains attached to the tracheostomy tube yet permitting access to an interior of the tracheostomy tube; said disk endpiece and said O-ring responsive to exhalation pressure above a release pressure level to release said disk endpiece from said tubular body, thereby to permit exhalation through said intake valve.