Damping in contact hearing systems
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A tympanic lens, comprising:
- a chassis;
a perimeter platform connected to the chassis;
a microactuator connected to the chassis through at least one bias spring positioned at a proximal end of the microactuator;
a damper separate from and attached to the at least one bias spring;
an umbo platform attached to a distal end of the microactuator; and
a photodetector mounted on said chassis and electrically connected to the microactuator through at least one wire,wherein the damper comprises a viscoelastic material in contact with the at least one bias spring, andwherein the viscoelastic material is configured to become stiffer or more viscous as a vibration frequency of the tympanic lens increases.
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Abstract
Embodiments of the present invent include a method of controlling unwanted vibration in a tympanic lens, wherein the tympanic lens comprises a perimeter platform connected to a microactuator through at least one biasing element, the method comprising the step of: damping the motion of the at least one biasing element. In embodiments of the invention, the at least one biasing element is a spring. In embodiments of the invention, the at least one bias spring is coated in a damping material.
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Citations
36 Claims
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1. A tympanic lens, comprising:
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a chassis; a perimeter platform connected to the chassis; a microactuator connected to the chassis through at least one bias spring positioned at a proximal end of the microactuator; a damper separate from and attached to the at least one bias spring; an umbo platform attached to a distal end of the microactuator; and a photodetector mounted on said chassis and electrically connected to the microactuator through at least one wire, wherein the damper comprises a viscoelastic material in contact with the at least one bias spring, and wherein the viscoelastic material is configured to become stiffer or more viscous as a vibration frequency of the tympanic lens increases. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A method of controlling unwanted vibration in a tympanic lens, wherein the tympanic lens comprises a chassis, a perimeter platform connected to the chassis and a microactuator connected to the chassis through at least one bias spring, the method comprising the step of:
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moving at least one element of the microactuator, wherein movement of the at least one element results in movement of the at least one bias spring; damping the movement of the at least one bias spring with damping material of a damper separate from the at least one bias spring, wherein the at least one bias spring is coated in the damping material. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A tympanic lens, comprising:
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a perimeter platform; a microactuator connected to the perimeter platform through at least one biasing element positioned between the microactuator and the perimeter platform, wherein the at least one biasing element is a spring; a damper separate from and attached to the at least one biasing element, wherein the damper comprises a viscoelastic material in contact with the at least one biasing element, and wherein the at least one bias spring comprises a series of coils and the viscoelastic material fills the center of the coils; an umbo platform attached to a distal end of the microactuator; and a photodetector mounted on said chassis and electrically connected to the microactuator through at least one wire. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23)
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24. A method of controlling unwanted vibration in a tympanic lens, wherein the tympanic lens comprises a perimeter platform connected to a microactuator through at least one biasing element, wherein the at least one biasing element is at least one spring, and wherein the at least one spring is coated in a damping material of the damper, the method comprising the step of:
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moving at least one element of the microactuator, wherein movement of the at least one element results in movement of the at least one biasing element; and damping the motion of the at least one biasing element with a damper separate from the at least one biasing element. - View Dependent Claims (25, 26, 27, 28, 29)
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30. A tympanic lens, comprising:
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a perimeter platform; a microactuator connected to the perimeter platform through at least one biasing element positioned between the microactuator and the perimeter platform, wherein the at least one biasing element is a spring; a damper separate from and attached to the at least one biasing element, wherein the damper comprises a viscoelastic material in contact with the at least one biasing element; an umbo platform attached to a distal end of the microactuator; and a photodetector mounted on said chassis and electrically connected to the microactuator through at least one wire, wherein the viscoelastic material is configured to become stiffer or more viscous as a vibration frequency of the tympanic lens increases. - View Dependent Claims (31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36)
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Specification