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| United States Patent | 4809693 |
| Link to this page | http://www.wikipatents.com/4809693.html |
| Inventor(s) | Rangoni; Marco (Via delle Fragole, 45, Bologna, IT);
Rangoni; Roberto (Via Venezia, 20, S. Lazzaro Savena (Bologna), IT);
Cavalli; Dante (Via Dell'Artigiano, 9, Villanova Castenaso (Bologna), IT);
Cavalli; Walter (Via Dell'Artigiano, 11, Villanova Castenaso (Bologna), IT) |
| Abstract | This invention relates to a cannula for tracheal intubation, inserted
through the hole made in the trachea of the patient. The cannula is fitted
at the top with a mechanically operated valve which remains open during
normal breathing but which can close and consequently interrupt the flow
of air to the outside when the patient, in order to direct the air towards
the vocal cords, breathes out with greater force, sufficient to overcome
the resistance of the spring within the valve. |
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Title Information  |
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Drawing from US Patent 4809693 |
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Tracheal intubation cannula with external valve |
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| Inventor |
Rangoni; Marco (Via delle Fragole, 45, Bologna, IT);
Rangoni; Roberto (Via Venezia, 20, S. Lazzaro Savena (Bologna) Via Venezia, 20, S. Lazzaro Savena (Via Dell'Artigiano, 9, Villanova Castenaso (Bologna)
Cavalli; Dante (Via Dell'Artigiano, 11, Villanova Castenaso (Bologna) Via Dell'Artigiano, 9, Villanova Castenaso
Cavalli; Walter Via Dell'Artigiano, 11, Villanova Castenaso |
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| Publication Date |
March 7, 1989 |
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| Filing Date |
July 20, 1987 |
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| Parent Case |
This is a continuation-in-part application of U.S. Ser. No. 820,713, filed
Jan. 17, 1986, which in turn is a continuation-in-part application of U.S.
Ser. No. 563,665, filed Dec. 20, 1983, both now abandoned.
This invention relates to a tracheal tube fitted with a mechanically
operated valve intended specifically for patients who have undergone a
tracheotomy, especially where it is impossible to rebuild the upper
airways and where consequently the tracheostomy must be maintained. It is
known that by means of this procedure the air enters the lungs via the
opening made in the trachea and is expelled by the same route, thus
bypassing the upper airways. This procedure obviously does not give the
patient any possibility of speech. It is also known that these patients,
in order to produce any vocal sounds, must manually close off the opening
in the trachea, thus directing the flow of air over the vocal cords (if
these are still present). The present invention overcomes this main
disadvantage by means of a valve fixed to the external end of the tube.
This valve is able to interrupt the outflow of air depending on the force
with which this air is expelled. The present invention also reduces other
problems found with traditional tracheostomy tubes without valves, such as
the very high possibility of bacterial contamination while, in cases where
a simpler valve is fitted, this invention also manages to overcome (by
means of a spring-clip) the problem of quick valve replacement. To date,
this is a problem common to all commercially available endotracheal tubes
and is important given the fact that the valves tend to become blocked
with pulmonary secretions.
The above and other objects are achieved by the device which is the subject
of this invention, and which is essentially characterized as consisting of
a tracheostomy tube measuring 5-6 cms, slightly bent, shaped in such a way
as to facilitate entry of the lower extremity through the tracheal
opening, that is, it reduces in diameter and has a rounded end. The top
extremity has a small collar suitably shaped to fit over the opening in
the neck without causing irritation due to the unavoidable movement that
occurs between the parts in contact. At the same time, this collar
provides the recess for the valve, which is fitted to it by means of a
spring-clip. The valve consists of a cylindrical body ending with two
projections at the ends of which is fixedly secured a top plate which has
an area less than that of the cylinder end. Inside the cylinder body is a
fixedly secured circular ring which acts as the valve seat and which is
prevented from unwanted movement by means of a projecting ridge in the
cylinder body.
The said valve is kept open by a spiral compression spring placed between
the valve opening and the top plate; the top plate has a central stud with
a hole through it, which together with a second similar stud placed at the
center of the valve flap keeps the two ends of the spring in place by
engagement with said holes. The top plate can have holes drilled in it to
facilitate the passage of air, or else in order to enable a covering
ornamental medallion (which would disguise the endotracheal tube opening)
to be fixed to it by means of screws. To this end two supporting rings are
provided on the collar to enable a chain (which would go around the
patient's neck) to be fitted--this chain completes the ornamental effect
but much more importantly prevents the tube from accidentally falling down
to the floor.
These and other characteristics will now be described in greater detail
using a simple example of the device which is however intended to be
purely illustrative and does not limit in any way the scope of this
invention. |
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| Priority Data |
Dec 22, 1982[IT]3631 A/82 |
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Title Information |
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References |
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| *references marked with an asterisk below are user-added references |
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U.S. References |
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U.S. References |
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Foreign References |
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Foreign References |
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Other References |
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Other References |
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References |
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| Market Size |
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Estimate the gross annual revenues of the relevant market
sector:
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| Market Share |
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Estimate the percentage of the relevant market sector this invention will capture:
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| Reasonable Royalty |
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What percentage of gross sales should the inventor or assignee be paid?
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Public's "Guesstimation" of Royalty Value
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| Market Size | N/A | [No votes] | | x | Market Share | N/A | [No votes] | | x | Reasonable Royalty | N/A | [No votes] |
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Market Review |
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Technical Review |
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Claims |
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What is claimed is:
1. A tracheal intubation cannula with external valve for permitting speech,
comprising:
(a) a cannula having an end adapted to extend into the trachea of a patient
and a free end;
(b) means for detachably mounting said valve to the free end of said
cannula;
(c) a cylindrically-shaped valve body open at its ends and mounted at one
end to the free end of said cannula by said mounting means, said valve
body including an annular ridge on the interior thereof facing away from
said cannula;
(d) a substantially circular valve seat mounted within said valve body and
supported on the annular ridge thereof so as to prevent inadvertent
movement of said valve seat towards said cannula, said valve seat having
two ends defining a slot extending therethrough;
(e) a valve flap adapted to cooperate with said valve seat to effect
sealing against a side of said valve seat facing said cannula, said valve
flap having a peripheral extension formed to extend into the slot on said
valve seat and having a stud formed on the side face of said valve flap
facing away from said cannula and having a transverse hole therethrough;
(f) a hinge pin extending through the slot in said valve seat and the
peripheral extension of said valve flap so as to hingedly connect said
valve flap to said valve seat so that said valve flap is adapted to open
to a position toward said cannula and to close to a position sealed
against the side of said valve seat facing said cannula;
(g) a top plate mounted to the remaining open end of said
cylindrically-shaped valve body shaped so as to permit air to pass thereby
into said valve body, said top plate having a stud formed at the interior
surface thereof having a transverse hole therethrough; and
(h) a compression type spiral spring having transverse free ends received
in the holes of said studs of said top plate and said valve flap, said
spring biasing said valve flap to a normally open position toward said
cannula permitting atmospheric communication therethrough with said
cannula, the bias of said spring being overcome by predetermined positive
pressure exerted through said cannula so as to close said valve flap on
said valve seat.
2. The valve as defined in claim 1, wherein the cannula is slightly bent
and is of reducing cross-section as it approaches the end extending into
the trachea, and the edges of said end are rounded to facilitate easy
introduction of the cannula into the trachea.
3. The valve as defined in claim 1, which further includes rings provided
on the exterior thereof and a supporting chain attached thereto.
4. The valve as defined in claim 1, wherein said top plate is provided with
openings therein to improve air flow.
5. The valve as defined in claim 1, wherein the cannula is formed of
plastic and the valve is formed of metal.
6. The valve as defined in claim 1, wherein the cannula is formed of metal
and the valve is formed of metal.
7. The valve as defined in claim 1, wherein for securement of a covering
ornament thereto said top plate is provided with openings therein.
8. The valve as defined in claim 1, wherein said means for detachably
mounting said valve to the free end of said cannula comprises:
(a) a flared flange at the free end of said cannula adapted to extend into
said valve body;
(b) a pin receiving opening in said valve body adjacent the position of
said flared flange when extending into said valve body;
(c) a pin received in said pin opening and extending into said valve body
to engage said flared flange;
(d) a spring clip having a longitudinal slot therein extending around said
valve body to hold said pin against said flared flange; and
(e) a projection in said valve body opposite said pin receiving opening
which extends into engagement with said flared flange of said cannula. |
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Claims |
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Description |
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In the drawings wherein similar reference characters denote similar
elements throughout the several views:
FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of the tracheal tube according to
the present invention; and
FIG. 2 is a view showing the tracheal tube inserted in a patient.
Now turning to FIGS. 1 and 2 of the drawings, 1 shows the cannula formed of
biocompatible material such as plastic or metal, 2 is the rounded inner
edge, 3 is the collar, shaped so as to achieve a non-irritant contact, 4
are the rings to which the chain 5 is attached. Numeral 6 designates the
disc-shaped valve flap, 7 is the projection for the pin 8 which joins the
valve flap to its seat 9 which is fixedly secured as by being press fit or
frictionally held in outer casing 10 of the valve while 11 are the
projections to which the top plate 12 is fixed. Top plate 12 is
frictionally held between projections 11 wherein a ridge 23 prevents the
inadvertent movement of plate 12 towards cannula 1. Numerals 13 designate
the holes (intended for a number of uses) drilled in the top plate,
numeral 14 is the central perforated stud which takes one end of the
compression spring while the other end 16 is kept in place by a similar
stud, designated 22 located at the center of the valve flap. Ridge 21 on
the inside of casing 10 supports valve seat 9 and prevents inadvertent
movement towards cannula 1. Numeral 17 designates the pawl of the release
mechanism, which includes spring clip 24. Spring clip 24 fits around valve
body 10 and maintains pawl 17, which projects through hole 26 in valve
body 10, in frictional engagement with flared flange 25 of collar 3 and
secured in said position by a second inward projection 29, opposite hole
26, which acts against flared flange 25 of collar 3. Said projection is
introduced into flared flange 25 before the mounting of pin 17 that is in
turn locked in place by spring clip 24 set around valve body 10 so as to
prevent opening 28 from coinciding with hole 26 and pin 17 from moving out
of place. By rotating spring clip 24 to align slot 28 thereof with pawl
17, the engagement with flared flange 25 is released and the valve may
then be disengaged from collar 3. In FIG. 2, 18 is the neck of the patient
on whom a tracheostomy 19 has been carried out, while 20 shows the
trachea. The various elements of the device, apart from the cannula 1 are
formed of metal.
The device operates as follows: during respiration the patient breathes in
air through the valve which is kept open by the spring and the following
expiration is always through the same opening so that air from the lungs
does not reach the upper airways. During speech the patient, by emitting
the air with greater force, overcomes the pressure exerted by the spring
and thus closes the valve. Hence the air, since it cannot escape through
the tracheostomy opening, is directed upwards thus reaching the vocal
cords. It is also possible for the patient to regulate the closing
pressure of the valve by providing a movable top plate 12 which can be
moved to regulate the spring pressure of the spring.
In practice, details of production, dimensions and materials, the shape and
other details of the device can be varied without departing from the scope
of the present invention. In fact the device, as conceived, can undergo
numerous modifications and variations, all of which however keep the
device within the scope of the invention as originally conceived.
Additionally, all the component parts are replaceable by other technically
equivalent component parts.
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Description |
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