Abstract: The valve consists of a ring (1) enclosing hinged curved wings (2), the ring having diametrically opposite fixtures (1b-1c) designed to offset the means of hinging the wings so that in their maximum opened position of at least 85.degree., the latter only project beyond the plane of the ring by a small amount thus delimiting, in conjunction with the shape of the wings, three equivalent areas allowing a laminar, axial central flow, the means of hinging the said wings being integrated in the thickness of the ring so that the ends of the wings, at the level of fixtures (1b-1c), are spread apart thus delimiting a space which is completely unobstructed in order not to limit or interfere with the central flow. The ring (1) has an internal peripheral fixture (1a) suitable to provide a support surface corresponding to the external shaped edge (2b) of wings (2) in the closed position of the latter, thus creating a damping effect.

Abstract: An artificial heart valve is the combination of curved wings and a ring inside of which the curved wings are hinged. The ring extends between an inlet and an outlet end, which ends are bisected by a center plane. The ring has diametrically opposed shoulders on the inlet end, and each shoulder is formed with a pair of hemispherical cavities. Each curved wing has a pair of opposite hemispherical enlargements shaped to cooperate with the hemispherical cavities in the shoulders such that spaced pivot axes are defined for the curved wings. The hemispherical enlargements are arranged on the wings and the hemispherical cavities are correspondingly arranged on the ring such that the curved wings, when in an extreme open position of approximately at least 85 degrees to the center plane of the ring, project minimally beyond the outlet end of the ring. Preferably, any length of the curved wings that would project beyond the outlet end would be less than an axial length of the ring.