Electrical audio signal processing systems and devices – Artificial larynx – electrical
Reexamination Certificate
1999-06-21
2001-06-26
Mei, Xu (Department: 2644)
Electrical audio signal processing systems and devices
Artificial larynx, electrical
C623S009000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06252966
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Technical Field
This invention relates generally to mechanical and electromechanical speech aids commonly referred to as artificial larynxes, and more particularly to an improved electrically powered artificial larynx construction that significantly reduces fabrication time and expense.
2. Description of Related Art
Persons without normal use of their vocal cords or larynx often use an artificial larynx to speak. The artificial larynx produces a tone having a fundamental frequency in the speech range of the average human voice, and the user introduces this artificially generated tone into a resonant speech cavity (i.e., the mouth, nose, or pharynx). To speak, the user modulates the tone by varying the shape of the resonant speech cavity and by making the usual tongue, teeth, and lip constrictions so as to articulate the modulated tone as human speech.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,812,681 issued Aug. 28, 1998 to Clifford J. Griffin describes an ergonomically improved artificial larynx having control components that enable turn-on and frequency control with one pushbutton. Like many existing artificial larynxes, it includes a four to five-inch long cylindrically shaped case that houses a printed circuit board, a battery, an electromechanical transducer for producing vibrations (i.e., the tone), a volume control, and an on-off switch. The user grasps the case, actuates the on-off switch and volume control, and then presses the transducer against the outside of the throat so that vibrations travel through the throat tissues and into the mouth and throat. By varying pressure on the pushbutton switch, the user varies the frequency of the tone to produce a more readily comprehensible voice.
Although effective in many respects, such an artificial larynx shares a problem with other artificial larynxes. That problem is fabrication cost. Assembling all the components in the cylindrical (or other shape) case can be a time consuming and expensive task. Thus, manufacturers need an artificial larynx with details of construction designed to better reduce fabrication costs.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
This invention addresses the problem outlined above by providing an artificial larynx embodying a combination of one or more construction techniques that significantly reduce fabrication cost. A glue-on printed circuitboard support flange reduces component cost and provides a screw-less circuitboard subassembly within the artificial larynx case. One embodiment combines that aspect with (i) a circuitboard battery cover component and locking ring arrangement, (ii) a silicone, rubber, or other resiliently deformable pad between the switch actuator and the switch for cushioning contact in order to prolong switch life, (iii) a glue-on or machined diaphragm retainer flange that prevents inward diaphragm dislodgement, (iv) two symmetrically disposed grouping of protrusions on the transducer coil form for indicating symmetrically disposed solder joint sites, and (v) first and second stiff wire conductors for electrically connect the transducer coil contact pads on the circuitboard.
To paraphrase some of the more precise language appearing in the claims, an artificial larynx constructed according to the invention includes a case having a central case component, a rearward case component, and a forward case component that are connected together by threaded engagement of one another to form an artificial larynx case. The artificial larynx case extends along an axis of elongation of the case, the central case component having a cylindrically shaped interior wall that defines a central portion of the case interior, the rearward case component defining a rearward portion of the case interior, and the forward case component defining a forward portion of the case interior. The case component contains a circuitboard subassembly, a transducer subassembly, a battery subassembly, and a switch subassembly that are disposed within the case interior and interconnected to function as means for producing an artificial larynx tone. Those details may be similar in many respects to existing artificial larynxes.
The circuitboard subassembly includes a circuitboard having a forwardly facing side and a rearwardly facing side. The circuitboard subassembly also includes a set of rearwardly facing battery connectors mounted on the circuitboard. The battery subassembly is disposed within the rearward portion of the case interior. It includes a battery having two battery terminals and a spring adapted to bear rearwardly against the rearward case component and forwardly against the battery so that the two battery terminals bear against the set of rearwardly facing battery connectors on the circuitboard.
According to one aspect of the invention, the circuitboard subassembly includes a radially inwardly extending flange component that is bonded with glue or other suitable bonding agent to the cylindrically shaped interior wall of the central case component to function as means for stopping the circuitboard from moving forwardly within the central portion of the case interior in response to the two battery terminals bearing against the set of rearwardly facing battery connectors. That arrangement avoids the molding costs and assembly time of a circuitboard mounting involving screwing tiny screws through the circuitboard into a flange that is molded as part of the central case component. One artificial larynx embodiment combines the screw-less circuitboard mounting with the several other improvements mentioned above to even more significantly reduce fabrication cost and improve switch life. The following illustrative drawings and detailed description make the foregoing and other objects, features, and advantages of the invention more apparent.
REFERENCES:
patent: D. 358214 (1995-05-01), Breski
patent: 3978286 (1976-08-01), Watson
patent: 4028492 (1977-06-01), Sickel
patent: 4338488 (1982-07-01), Lennox
patent: 4691360 (1987-09-01), Bloomfield, III
patent: 4726066 (1988-02-01), Bloomfield, III
patent: 5812681 (1998-09-01), Griffin
Griffin Laboratories
Loyal McKinley Hanson
Mei Xu
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