Speech therapy device

Claim 2

Apparatus for indicating and teaching proper tongue formation for speaking, said apparatus comprising: means for at least partially capturing the air expelled from the mouth of an individual, said capture means including means for isolating the respective air expelled from different parts of the mouth; and means for visually indicating the magnitude of air expelled from each said different part of the mouth.

Claim 3

Apparatus as recited in claim 1 wherein the means for isolating the respective air expelled from different parts of the mouth comprises means for isolating the air expelled from the center and the two sides of the mouth respectively.

Claim 4

Apparatus as recited in claim 1 wherein the capture means comprises a set of laterally spaced tubes, each said tube open at one end and having air escape means at the other end, said tubes adapted to be positioned with the open ends of said tubes adjacent the mouth of the individual so that air expelled from different parts of the mouth enters the open ends of the tubes.

Claim 5

Apparatus aS recited in claim 3 wherein the indicating means comprises a set of vertically mounted hollow cylinders having transparent sidewalls, each cylinder radially attached to the other end of one of the respective tubes and having a radial aperture providing air escape means from the tube to the associated cylinder, each such cylinder having an opening at the top so that air from the attached tube passes into the cylinder through the radial aperture, each said cylinder containing means for indicating the relative quantity of air passing into the cylinder through the radial aperture.

Claim 6

Apparatus for indicating and teaching proper tongue formation to individuals with lateral lisps or other speech problems, said apparatus comprising: a set of laterally spaced tubes including a center tube and at least one side tube on each side of the center tube, each tube open at one end and having air escape means at the other end, said tubes placeable adjacent the mouth of an individual so that the open end of the center tube is adjacent the center of said mouth and the open end of each of the side tubes is adjacent the respective sides of the mouth so that at least a portion of the air expelled from the center of the mouth enters the open end of the center tube and passes therethrough, and at least a portion of the air expelled from the respective sides of the mouth enters the open end of the associated side tube and passes therethrough; and means for visually indicating the relative quantity of air passing through each respective tube so that an improper air expellation distribution is visually displayed and can be corrected by the individual through trial and error to teach a proper air expellation distribution.

Claim 7

Apparatus for indicating and teaching proper tongue formation to individuals with lateral lisps or other speech problems, said apparatus comprising: a set of laterally spaced tubes including a center tube and at least one side tube on each side of the center tube, each tube open at one end and having air escape means at the other end, said tubes placeable adjacent the mouth of an individual so that the open end of the center tube is adjacent the center of said mouth and the open end of each of the side tubes is adjacent the respective sides of the mouth so that at least a portion of the air expelled from the center of the mouth enters the open end of the center tube and passes therethrough, and at least a portion of the air expelled from the respective sides of the mouth enters the open end of the associated side tube and passes therethrough; and means for visually indicating the relative quantity of air passing through each respective tube so that an improper air expellation distribution is visually displayed and can be corrected by the individual through trial and error to teach a proper air expellation distribution.

Claim 8

Apparatus as recited in claim 5 and wherein each said tube has an outwardly opening funnel portion at the open end thereof.

Claim 9

Apparatus as recited in claim 6 wherein the open end of the outwardly opening funnel portion of each of the side tubes is inclined with respect to the longitudinal axis of the associated tube to conform the open ends of the side tubes to the shape of the mouth of the individual.

Claim 10

Apparatus as recited in claim 5 and wherein the visual indicating means comprises a set of vertically mounted cylinders, each cylinder radially attached to the other end of one of the respective tubes and having a radial aperture providing air escape means for the tube to the associated cylinder, each said cylinder having an opening at the top so that air passing through the attached tube passes freely into the cylinder through the radial aperture therein, each cylinder containing means for visually indicating the relative quantity of air passing into the cylinder through the radial aperture.

Claim 11

Apparatus as recited in claim 7 and wherein the means for visually indicating the relative quantity of air passing into each respective cylinder comprises a flexible strip depending from the upper end of the cylinder to a position proximate the radial aperture so that air passing into the cylinder through the radial aperture deflects the flexible strip.

Claim 12

Apparatus as recited in claim 7 and additionally comprising a frame and wherein each of the cylinders mounted on the frame such that said cylinders are rotatable with respect to said frame about the longitudinal axes of said cylinders so that the tubes radially attached to the respective cylinders are pivotable to conform the open ends thereof to the mouth of the individual.

Claim 13

Apparatus as recited in claim 7 wherein the means for visually indicating the relative humidity of air passing into the center cylinder comprises a rotatable windmill disposed within said center cylinder adjacent the radial aperture therein so that air entering said center cylinder through said radial aperture causes said windmill to rotate.

Claim 14

Apparatus as recited in claim 7 wherein the length of said center tube is adjustable.

Claim 17

A method as recited in claim 13 wherein said indicating comprises the step of visually indicating the magnitude of air expelled from each said different part of the mouth.

Claim 18

A method as recited in claim 13 wherein said isolating comprises the step of isolating the air expelled from the center and the two sides of the mouth respectively.

Claim 19

Apparatus for indicating and teaching proper tongue and mouth formation for speaking, said apparatus comprising: a planar member adapted to be maintained in a substantially horizontal configuration; a set of three transparent cylinders axially mounted on the upper surface of the planar member, said cylinders being rotatable with respect to said planar member and having a radical aperture for flow of air into the cylinder and an axial aperture opposite the planar member for flow of air out of the cylinder; a set of three tubes, each said tube having one end fixedly attached to one of the cylinders respectively at the radial aperture, the other ends of said tubes being open and adapted to be placed adjacent the mouth of an individual to capture and isolate air expelled from different parts of the mouth while speaking; a set of three celluloid strips, each said strip disposed within one said respective cylinder and attached thereto adjacent the top of said cylinder, each said strip depending to a position proximate to the radial aperture in the associated cylinder and adapted to be flexed by air expelled from the mouth of the individual and captured by the associated tube as said air passes from the tube through the corresponding radial aperture to indicate the volume of air flowing through said aperture.

Claim 20

Apparatus for indicating and teaching proper tongue and mouth formation for speaking, said apparatus comprising: a planar member adapted to be maintained in a substantially horizontal configuration; a set of three transparent cylinders axially mounted on the upper surface of the planar member, said cylinders being rotatable with respect to said planar member and having a radical aperture for flow of air into the cylinder and an axial aperture opposite the planar member for flow of air out of the cylinder; a set of three tubes, each said tube having one end fixedly attached to one of the cylinders respectively at the radial aperture, the other ends of said tubes being open and adapted to be placed adjacent the mouth of an individual to capture and isolate air expelled from different parts of the mouth while speaking; a set of three celluloid strips, each said strip disposed within one said respective cylinder and attached thereto adjacent the top of said cylinder, each said strip depending to a position proximate to the radial aperture in the associated cylinder and adapted to be flexed by air expelled from the mouth of the individual and captured by the associated tube as said air passes from the tube through the corresponding radial aperture to indicate the volume of air flowing through said aperture.

Claim 21

Apparatus as recited in claim 16 and additionally comprising a handle pivotably attached to the lower surface of the planar member.