Convertibility of a bone conduction device
First Claim
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1. An external apparatus of a prosthesis, comprising:
- an external component of a passive transcutaneous bone conduction device, including;
a vibrator; and
a platform configured to transfer vibrations from the vibrator to skin of a recipient,wherein the vibrator and platform are configured to quick release and quick connect from and to, respectively, one another,wherein the vibrator is configured to quick connect to and quick release from a percutaneous bone conduction abutment, andwherein the external apparatus is configured to be located, in its entirety, on one side of the head when supported against a recipient during normal use of the external component.
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Abstract
An external component of a bone conduction device, including a vibrator and a platform configured to transfer vibrations from the vibrator to skin of the recipient, wherein the vibrator and platform are configured to quick connect and quick disconnect to and from, respectively, one another.
83 Citations
55 Claims
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1. An external apparatus of a prosthesis, comprising:
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an external component of a passive transcutaneous bone conduction device, including; a vibrator; and a platform configured to transfer vibrations from the vibrator to skin of a recipient, wherein the vibrator and platform are configured to quick release and quick connect from and to, respectively, one another, wherein the vibrator is configured to quick connect to and quick release from a percutaneous bone conduction abutment, and wherein the external apparatus is configured to be located, in its entirety, on one side of the head when supported against a recipient during normal use of the external component. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26)
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27. A method of converting a removable component of a percutaneous bone conduction device to an external component of a transcutaneous bone conduction device, the method comprising:
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obtaining a vibrator configured to connect to a percutaneous abutment implanted in a recipient; connecting a platform to the vibrator; explanting an abutment from an implanted bone fixture in a recipient; and attaching a totally implantable vibratory element to the bone fixture, thereby implanting the totally implantable vibratory element in the recipient. - View Dependent Claims (28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33)
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34. A method of converting an external component of a transcutaneous bone conduction device including a vibrator to a removable component of a percutaneous bone conduction device, the method comprising:
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obtaining the vibrator, wherein the vibrator is configured to be detachably attached to pressure plate of the transcutaneous bone conduction device; coupling the vibrator to an implanted percutaneous abutment implanted in a recipient via a quick connect/disconnect coupling; and at least one of; (i) prior to coupling the vibrator to an implanted percutaneous abutment implanted in a recipient, adding a coupling component to the vibrator, the coupling component being configured to quick connect and disconnect the vibrator to and from, respectively, the implanted percutaneous abutment, wherein the action of coupling the vibrator to the implanted percutaneous abutment comprises coupling the vibrator to the implanted percutaneous abutment via the added coupling component;
or(ii) explanting a totally implantable vibratory element from an implanted bone fixture in a recipient, and attaching an abutment to the bone fixture, thereby implanting the abutment in the recipient. - View Dependent Claims (35, 36, 37, 38, 39)
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40. A platform of a passive transcutaneous bone conduction device, comprising:
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a coupling attached to the platform, said platform configured to transfer vibrations from a vibrator to skin of a recipient, wherein the coupling is configured to releasably couple the vibrator and the platform, wherein the coupling includes a portion having a configuration such that the vibrator quick connects to and quick releases from the coupling, the coupling is configured such that the vibrator that can couple to the platform is also a vibrator that can couple to a percutaneous abutment affixed to a recipient, and the platform is configured to retain itself against the skin of the recipient. - View Dependent Claims (41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55)
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Specification