GB1592872A - Voice creating apparatus - Google Patents

Voice creating apparatus Download PDF

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Publication number
GB1592872A
GB1592872A GB593477A GB593477A GB1592872A GB 1592872 A GB1592872 A GB 1592872A GB 593477 A GB593477 A GB 593477A GB 593477 A GB593477 A GB 593477A GB 1592872 A GB1592872 A GB 1592872A
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United Kingdom
Prior art keywords
creating apparatus
voice
voice creating
amplifier
generator means
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Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Expired
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GB593477A
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LACEY C
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LACEY C
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Publication date
Application filed by LACEY C filed Critical LACEY C
Priority to GB593477A priority Critical patent/GB1592872A/en
Publication of GB1592872A publication Critical patent/GB1592872A/en
Expired legal-status Critical Current

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Classifications

    • G—PHYSICS
    • G09—EDUCATION; CRYPTOGRAPHY; DISPLAY; ADVERTISING; SEALS
    • G09B—EDUCATIONAL OR DEMONSTRATION APPLIANCES; APPLIANCES FOR TEACHING, OR COMMUNICATING WITH, THE BLIND, DEAF OR MUTE; MODELS; PLANETARIA; GLOBES; MAPS; DIAGRAMS
    • G09B21/00—Teaching, or communicating with, the blind, deaf or mute
    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
    • A61F—FILTERS IMPLANTABLE INTO BLOOD VESSELS; PROSTHESES; DEVICES PROVIDING PATENCY TO, OR PREVENTING COLLAPSING OF, TUBULAR STRUCTURES OF THE BODY, e.g. STENTS; ORTHOPAEDIC, NURSING OR CONTRACEPTIVE DEVICES; FOMENTATION; TREATMENT OR PROTECTION OF EYES OR EARS; BANDAGES, DRESSINGS OR ABSORBENT PADS; FIRST-AID KITS
    • A61F2/00—Filters implantable into blood vessels; Prostheses, i.e. artificial substitutes or replacements for parts of the body; Appliances for connecting them with the body; Devices providing patency to, or preventing collapsing of, tubular structures of the body, e.g. stents
    • A61F2/02—Prostheses implantable into the body
    • A61F2/20—Epiglottis; Larynxes; Tracheae combined with larynxes or for use therewith

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  • Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • General Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
  • Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery (AREA)
  • Biomedical Technology (AREA)
  • Cardiology (AREA)
  • Audiology, Speech & Language Pathology (AREA)
  • Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
  • Heart & Thoracic Surgery (AREA)
  • Vascular Medicine (AREA)
  • Veterinary Medicine (AREA)
  • Animal Behavior & Ethology (AREA)
  • Prostheses (AREA)
  • Transplantation (AREA)
  • Public Health (AREA)
  • Pulmonology (AREA)
  • Business, Economics & Management (AREA)
  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Educational Administration (AREA)
  • Educational Technology (AREA)
  • General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Theoretical Computer Science (AREA)
  • Dental Tools And Instruments Or Auxiliary Dental Instruments (AREA)
  • Otolaryngology (AREA)

Description

(54) VOICE CREATING APPARATUS (71) I, CHARLES LACEY, a British subject of 138 Fan Drive, Berinsfield, Oxford, do hereby declare the invention for which I pray that a patent may be granted to me, and the method by which it is to be performed, to be particularly described in and by the following statement: This invention relates to voice creating apparatus for example for persons who have had their larynx removed.
Accordingly, this invention provides voice creating apparatus comprising electrical signal generator means, transducer means for coil- verting the electrical signals from the generator means into sound, and control means for sensing when a person using the voice creating apparatus is opening their mouth and for causing the generator means to operate only when the person's mouth is open, the transducer means and the control means being formed as part of a device for fitting in the mouth of a person using the voice creating apparatus.
The generator means may be such that a variable tone is obtained from the transducer means. Preferably, the generator means has a floating frequency control. The generator means advantageously has an instability function for enriching voice timbre and avoiding a monotone.
The transducer means may act as a speaker.
The transducer means may be an electromagnetic device having a coil and a moving diaphragm. Usually, the coil impedance will be chosen to be of suitable value to allow enough volume from a low voltage output (such as 200mA at 3.5 volts R.M.S.) but not too large so that it does not consume too much power.
Alternatively, the transducer means may include a toroidal transformer which provldes a required lift in volume.
The control means may comprise a monitor device and squelch means. The monitor device may comprise a microphone and a pre-amplifier. The squelch means may comprise an automatic gain control and squelch amplifier.
The control means is advantageously a matched to circuit miniature device.
The device for fitting in the mouth will usually be a plate. Since most persons who have their larynx removed are elderly, they will also usually have false teeth so that the plate can then easily be a dental plate. Prefer ably, the dental plate is an upper dental plate since the upper part of a person's mouth has more room to accommodate the voice creating apparatus than the lower part of the mouth.
The voice creating apparatus may include an amplifier and comparator device for ampli fying the electrical signals from the generator means, the amplifier and comparator device forming part of a feedback circuit. The voice creating apparatus may also include a buffer device and a power source. The power source will usually be a battery, for example a 6 volt battery which has an output of SOmA/Hr which may be effective to give the equivalent of 22 hours continuous speech.
It may not always be possible or convenient to include all of the voice creating apparatus in the mouth, and in some circumstances sub stantially only the transducer means and the control means may be formed as part of the device for fitting in the mouth. However, with increasing miniaturising techniques and the use of thick or thin film circuitry, it may be both possible and convenient to form a major part of the components constituting the voice creating apparatus as part of the device for fitting in the mouth. Parts of the voice creating apparatus that are to be housed outside the mouth, for example the power source and/or the generator means, can be retained on sorne other part of the body, for example in a case in a person's pocket, and connected to the parts of the voice creating apparatus in the mouth by a lead, for example a corded lead which should preferably be as fine as possible so that it does not notice substantially.
An embodiment of the invention will now be described solely by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawing.
Referring to the drawing, there is shown diagrammatically voice creating apparatus comprising a manually operable initial switch 2 for switching the entire voice creating apparatus on and off. The switch 2 is connected to electrical signal generator means 4. The generator means 4 is connected to a comparator and amplifier device 6. Thc comparator and amplifier device 6 is connected to and supplies appropriate electrical signals to transducer means in the form of a speaker 8.
The voice creating apparatus further includes control means in the form of an audio monitor 10 and squelch means 12. The monitor 10 has a microphone which senses an acoustic change in a person's mouth as the mouth is opened. The monitor 10 has a pre-amplifier, for example a field effect transistor preamplifier, for amplifying electrical signals produced by the microphone in response to the sensed acoustic change. The monitor 10 is connected to the squelch means 12 as shown.
The squelch means 12 has a squelch amplifier and an automatic gain control device. The squelch means 12 is switched on by the monitor 10 when the monitor 10 senses a person opening their mouth. The squelch means 12 connects as shown to the comparator and amplifier 6, and to a variable voltage frequency control amplifier 14. The amplifier 14 connects to the generator means 4. As shown, the comparator and amplifier 6 is connected in a feedback circuit for controlling the output of the comparator and amplifier 6 to the speaker 8.
The operation of the voice creating apparatus shown in the drawing is basically for the generator means 4 and the speaker 8 to create a sound and to thus replace the vocal chords, the generator means 4 then being controlled by the natural action of a person speaking and the control means 10, 12 being effective to turn die generator means on and off. Advan tageously, the sound control is such that con trolled variation can be achieved in volume, frequency or pitch, pause and punctuation be tween words, accentuation and cadence. With the monitor 10 and the squelch means 12 con tained in a dental plate, apparently effortless speech of an acceptable aesthetic quality can be achieved substantially without conscious control and appendages. The generator means 4 advantageously has a variable mark space ratio square pulse wave and a presently pre ferred generator means 4 is a small integrated circuit oscillator, for example a product sold as a 555 Timer chip.
The generator means 4 preferably has a floating frequency control. A suitable frequency can be set to suit the individual person who will be using the voice creating apparatus. The generator means 4 also preferably has an in stability function suitably applied to enrich the timbre of the created voice and to avoid a monotone in the fundamental. Any instability in the actual generator means 4 is not important because the automatic frequency control built into the integrated circuit makes for a natura! tone so that it is not necessary to try and avoid instability. The automatic gain control of the squelch means 12 applies the voltage appearing at the output to an automatic frequency con trol on the generator means 4. This enables the fundamental frequency to float and give cadence to the voice. With a heavier application of any word, accentuation is achieved.
The voice creating apparatus illustrated in the drawing is powered by a small power cell, for example a 6 volt cell having an output of 50mA/Hr. This gives an overall daily total of 2i- hours speech. Advantageously, the power source is rechargeable so that it can be recharged overnight.
It will be appreciated that those parts of the apparatus shown in the drawing that are included in a dental plate have to be sealed against damage by saliva and items of food and drink that will normally be consumed by a person wearing the voice creating apparatus.
This sealing should however be done such that the created voice is not unduly masked or otherwise interfered with. The various parts of the voice creating apparatus can be joined as desired to the dental plate and/or the actual teeth on the plate. As an alternative to a dental plate, it will be apparent that a separate plate may be employed, for example for fixing in the roof of the mouth.
It is to be appreciated that the embodiment of the invention described above has been given by way of example only and that modifications may be effected. Thus, for example, the invention may include a two way transceiver.
WHAT I CLAIM IS:- 1. Voice creating apparatus comprising electrical signal generator means, transducer means for converting the electrical signals from the generator means into sound, and control means for sensing when a person using the voice creating apparatus is opening their mouth and for causing the generator means to operate only when the person's mouth is open, the transducer means and the control means being formed as part of a device for fitting in the mouth of a person using the voice creating apparatus.
2. Voice creating apparatus according to claim 1 in which the generator means is such that a variable tone is obtained from the transducer means.
3. Voice creating apparatus according to claim 2 in which the generator means has a floating frequency control.
4. Voice creating apparatus according to claim 2 or claim 3 in which the generator means has an instability function for enriching voice timbre and avoiding a monotone.
5. Voice creating apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims which the transducer means is an electromagnetic device having a coil and a moving diaphragm.
6. Voice creating apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 4 in which the transducer means includes a toroidal transformer.
7. Voice creating apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims in which the control means comprises a monitor device and squelch means.
**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims (16)

  1. **WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **.
    and amplifier device 6. Thc comparator and amplifier device 6 is connected to and supplies appropriate electrical signals to transducer means in the form of a speaker 8.
    The voice creating apparatus further includes control means in the form of an audio monitor 10 and squelch means 12. The monitor
    10 has a microphone which senses an acoustic change in a person's mouth as the mouth is opened. The monitor 10 has a pre-amplifier, for example a field effect transistor preamplifier, for amplifying electrical signals produced by the microphone in response to the sensed acoustic change. The monitor 10 is connected to the squelch means 12 as shown.
    The squelch means 12 has a squelch amplifier and an automatic gain control device. The squelch means 12 is switched on by the monitor 10 when the monitor 10 senses a person opening their mouth. The squelch means 12 connects as shown to the comparator and amplifier 6, and to a variable voltage frequency control amplifier 14. The amplifier 14 connects to the generator means 4. As shown, the comparator and amplifier 6 is connected in a feedback circuit for controlling the output of the comparator and amplifier 6 to the speaker 8.
    The operation of the voice creating apparatus shown in the drawing is basically for the generator means 4 and the speaker 8 to create a sound and to thus replace the vocal chords, the generator means 4 then being controlled by the natural action of a person speaking and the control means 10, 12 being effective to turn die generator means on and off. Advan tageously, the sound control is such that con trolled variation can be achieved in volume, frequency or pitch, pause and punctuation be tween words, accentuation and cadence. With the monitor 10 and the squelch means 12 con tained in a dental plate, apparently effortless speech of an acceptable aesthetic quality can be achieved substantially without conscious control and appendages. The generator means
    4 advantageously has a variable mark space ratio square pulse wave and a presently pre ferred generator means 4 is a small integrated circuit oscillator, for example a product sold as a 555 Timer chip.
    The generator means 4 preferably has a floating frequency control. A suitable frequency can be set to suit the individual person who will be using the voice creating apparatus. The generator means 4 also preferably has an in stability function suitably applied to enrich the timbre of the created voice and to avoid a monotone in the fundamental. Any instability in the actual generator means 4 is not important because the automatic frequency control built into the integrated circuit makes for a natura! tone so that it is not necessary to try and avoid instability. The automatic gain control of the squelch means 12 applies the voltage appearing at the output to an automatic frequency con trol on the generator means 4. This enables the fundamental frequency to float and give cadence to the voice. With a heavier application of any word, accentuation is achieved.
    The voice creating apparatus illustrated in the drawing is powered by a small power cell, for example a 6 volt cell having an output of 50mA/Hr. This gives an overall daily total of 2i- hours speech. Advantageously, the power source is rechargeable so that it can be recharged overnight.
    It will be appreciated that those parts of the apparatus shown in the drawing that are included in a dental plate have to be sealed against damage by saliva and items of food and drink that will normally be consumed by a person wearing the voice creating apparatus.
    This sealing should however be done such that the created voice is not unduly masked or otherwise interfered with. The various parts of the voice creating apparatus can be joined as desired to the dental plate and/or the actual teeth on the plate. As an alternative to a dental plate, it will be apparent that a separate plate may be employed, for example for fixing in the roof of the mouth.
    It is to be appreciated that the embodiment of the invention described above has been given by way of example only and that modifications may be effected. Thus, for example, the invention may include a two way transceiver.
    WHAT I CLAIM IS:- 1. Voice creating apparatus comprising electrical signal generator means, transducer means for converting the electrical signals from the generator means into sound, and control means for sensing when a person using the voice creating apparatus is opening their mouth and for causing the generator means to operate only when the person's mouth is open, the transducer means and the control means being formed as part of a device for fitting in the mouth of a person using the voice creating apparatus.
  2. 2. Voice creating apparatus according to claim 1 in which the generator means is such that a variable tone is obtained from the transducer means.
  3. 3. Voice creating apparatus according to claim 2 in which the generator means has a floating frequency control.
  4. 4. Voice creating apparatus according to claim 2 or claim 3 in which the generator means has an instability function for enriching voice timbre and avoiding a monotone.
  5. 5. Voice creating apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims which the transducer means is an electromagnetic device having a coil and a moving diaphragm.
  6. 6. Voice creating apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 4 in which the transducer means includes a toroidal transformer.
  7. 7. Voice creating apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims in which the control means comprises a monitor device and squelch means.
  8. 8. Voice creating apparatus according to
    claim 7 in which the monitor device comprises a microphone and a preamplifier.
  9. 9. Voice creating means according to claim 7 or claim 8 in which the squelch means comprises an automatic gain control and squelch amplifier.
  10. 10. Voice creating apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims in which the control means is a matched to circuit miniature device.
  11. 11. Voice creating apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims in which the device for fitting in the mouth is a plate.
  12. 12. Voice creating apparatus according to claim 11 in which the plate is a dental plate.
  13. 13. Voice creating apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims including an amplifier and comparator device for amplifiying the electrical signals from the generator means, the amplifier and comparator device forming part of a feedback circuit.
  14. 14. Voice creating apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims including a power source.
  15. 15. Voice creating apparatus according to claim 14 in which the power source is a battery.
  16. 16. Voice creating apparatus substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawing.
GB593477A 1978-05-09 1978-05-09 Voice creating apparatus Expired GB1592872A (en)

Priority Applications (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
GB593477A GB1592872A (en) 1978-05-09 1978-05-09 Voice creating apparatus

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
GB593477A GB1592872A (en) 1978-05-09 1978-05-09 Voice creating apparatus

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
GB1592872A true GB1592872A (en) 1981-07-08

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GB593477A Expired GB1592872A (en) 1978-05-09 1978-05-09 Voice creating apparatus

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Cited By (7)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
EP0108595A2 (en) * 1982-11-01 1984-05-16 Thomas Jefferson University Artificial larynx
US4539699A (en) * 1982-11-01 1985-09-03 Thomas Jefferson University Replaceable battery pack for intra-oral larynx
US4539698A (en) * 1982-11-01 1985-09-03 Thomas Jefferson University Replaceable saliva barrier for intra-oral larynx
US4547894A (en) * 1983-11-01 1985-10-15 Xomed, Inc. Replaceable battery pack for intra-oral larynx
US4571739A (en) * 1981-11-06 1986-02-18 Resnick Joseph A Interoral Electrolarynx
US4672673A (en) * 1982-11-01 1987-06-09 Thomas Jefferson University Artificial larynx
US5326349A (en) * 1992-07-09 1994-07-05 Baraff David R Artificial larynx

Cited By (9)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US4550427A (en) * 1981-03-30 1985-10-29 Thomas Jefferson University Artificial larynx
US4571739A (en) * 1981-11-06 1986-02-18 Resnick Joseph A Interoral Electrolarynx
EP0108595A2 (en) * 1982-11-01 1984-05-16 Thomas Jefferson University Artificial larynx
EP0108595A3 (en) * 1982-11-01 1985-01-23 Thomas Jefferson University Artificial larynx
US4539699A (en) * 1982-11-01 1985-09-03 Thomas Jefferson University Replaceable battery pack for intra-oral larynx
US4539698A (en) * 1982-11-01 1985-09-03 Thomas Jefferson University Replaceable saliva barrier for intra-oral larynx
US4672673A (en) * 1982-11-01 1987-06-09 Thomas Jefferson University Artificial larynx
US4547894A (en) * 1983-11-01 1985-10-15 Xomed, Inc. Replaceable battery pack for intra-oral larynx
US5326349A (en) * 1992-07-09 1994-07-05 Baraff David R Artificial larynx

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