Methods and apparatus for transmitting vibrations
First Claim
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1. A bone conduction apparatus, comprising:
- a housing having a first vibrator configured to transmit vibrations to one or more first teeth, wherein the housing is comprised of a shape memory material having a pre-formed unbiased configuration and a deformed configuration whereby the housing is securable onto the one or more first teeth in the deformed configuration, and wherein when the housing is in the deformed configuration, the housing is biased to press the first vibrator against the one or more first teeth.
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Abstract
Methods and apparatus for transmitting vibrations via an electronic and/or transducer assembly through a tooth or teeth are disclosed herein. The assembly may be attached, adhered, or otherwise embedded into or upon a removable oral appliance to form a hearing aid assembly. Such an oral appliance may be a custom-made device. The electronic and transducer assembly may receive incoming sounds either directly or through a receiver to process and amplify the signals and transmit the processed sounds via a vibrating transducer element coupled to a tooth or other bone structure, such as the maxillary, mandibular, or palatine bone structure.
450 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A bone conduction apparatus, comprising:
a housing having a first vibrator configured to transmit vibrations to one or more first teeth, wherein the housing is comprised of a shape memory material having a pre-formed unbiased configuration and a deformed configuration whereby the housing is securable onto the one or more first teeth in the deformed configuration, and wherein when the housing is in the deformed configuration, the housing is biased to press the first vibrator against the one or more first teeth. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A bone conduction apparatus, comprising:
a housing having a first vibrator configured to transmit vibrations to one or more first teeth, wherein the housing has a non-deformed configuration and a deformed configuration, wherein the housing changes from the non-deformed configuration to the deformed configuration when the housing is secured to the one or more first teeth, and wherein when the housing is in the deformed configuration, the housing is biased to press the first vibrator against the one or more first teeth. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A bone conduction apparatus, comprising:
- a housing having a vibrator configured to transmit vibrations to one or more teeth, wherein the housing has a first configuration and a second configuration different from the first configuration, wherein the housing has the first configuration before the housing is placed upon or against the one or more teeth and has the second configuration after the housing is placed upon or against the one or more teeth, and wherein when the housing is in the second configuration, the housing has an occlusal opening, and when the housing is in the second configuration, the housing is biased to press the first vibrator against the one or more teeth.
- View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
Specification