Patent ID: 8398711
Filing Date: 2013-03-19
Classification: A61F,A61L

Abstract:
1. A speech valve having a body and a projection, the body being at least partially insertable into a fistula between the trachea and the oesophagus so as to provide a closable passage between the trachea and the oesophagus with the projection lying outside the fistula to resist passage of the valve through the fistula, the body having a seat and the valve including a closure member which is movable between an open position and a closed position in which the closure member contacts the seat so as to close the valve and thereby close the passage between the trachea and the oesophagus, the closure member having a stem and a plurality of mutually angularly spaced fins extending outwardly from the stem, the body having a guidance surface, the fins of the closure member having respective outer edges which form a guidance surface of the closure member, the guidance surface of the body and the outer edges of the fins slidingly contacting one another to guide the closure member between the open and the closed positions so that the sliding contact tends to clean the guidance surfaces.