Patent ID: 7811235

Claim:
An apparatus for causing air flow to vibrate a vocal fold, the apparatus comprising: a tube defining a passage for guiding air flow from an inlet of the tube to an outlet of the tube and having a central axis; and a deflector disposed to receive the air flow from the outlet, wherein the deflector is sized to be inserted between human vocal folds and into a trachea, wherein the deflector is shaped to contact a lateral tracheal wall below a first vocal fold, when inserted into the trachea, such that air flow from the outlet is channeled past the first vocal fold, thereby causing phonation of the first vocal fold, and wherein the deflector comprises: an asymmetrical cup portion having a rim shaped to conform to a contour of a subglottal airway, wherein the cup portion is configured to form a seal against the tracheal wall below the first vocal fold, and a flat portion extending proximally from the cup portion and adapted to contact the first vocal fold when the deflector is inserted into the trachea, wherein a width of the flat portion perpendicular to the central axis of the tube is selected to enable the flat portion to seal against the first vocal fold and enable the first vocal fold to vibrate against the flat portion.