Medical device with magnetically-responsive control switch

• US 20050033383A1
• Filed: 08/04/2004
• Published: 02/10/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 08/04/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cochlear Limited
• Original Assignee: Cochlear Limited
• Inventors: Single, Peter, Ibrahim, Ibrahim
• Granted Patent: US 7,751,898 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 607/57
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36036 of the outer, middle or inner ear
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36038 Cochlear stimulation
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/372 Arrangements in connection with the implantation of stimulators
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/37217 characterised by the communication link, e.g. acoustic or tactile

Abstract

In one embodiment of the present invention, an acoustic prosthesis is disclosed. The acoustic prosthesis comprises: an external speech processor unit comprising electronic components and a power source contained within a housing, wherein the power source provides power to the electronic components via a power line; and a magnetically-responsive switch disposed along the power line to switchingly connect the power source to the electronic components in response to the presence of a magnetic field.

Claims

1. A medical device comprising:

at least one operational component; and

a magnetically-responsive switch to select an operational status of said at least one operational component in response to a presence of a magnetic field.

2. The medical device of claim 1, wherein said at least one operational component comprises:

an external component comprising at least said magnetically-responsive switch; and

an implantable component communicably coupled to said external component.

3. The medical device of claim 2, wherein said magnetically-responsive switch controls said operational status of said implantable component.

4. The medical device of claim 2, wherein said magnetically-responsive switch controls application of power to said medical device.

5. The medical device of claim 1, wherein said magnetically-responsive switch comprises one of a group consisting of:

a reed switch;

a Hall-effect switching device; and

an LC oscillator having a resonant frequency that changes with the presence and absence of a magnetic field.

6. The medical device of claim 1, wherein said magnetically-responsive switch is mounted at least partially in a housing of said at least one operational component, wherein a first of said at least one operational component, also comprising:

a mounting formation arranged on said housing of said first operational component proximate to said magnetically-responsive switch, for detachably securing a source of said magnetic field to an exterior surface of said housing.

7. The medical device of claim 1, further comprising:

a transcutaneous transfer system comprising an external coil and an implanted coil, wherein said magnetic field is generated by said external coil positioned in electromagnetic proximity to said magnetically-responsive switch.

8. The medical device of claim 7, wherein said medical device is an acoustic prosthetic device and wherein said at least one operational component comprises an external speech processor and an internal stimulator unit, and further wherein said transcutaneous transfer system facilitates transcutaneous transmission of signals from said speech processor unit to said stimulator unit.

9. The medical device of claim 1, further comprising a magnet, wherein said magnetic field is generated by said magnet positioned in proximity to said magnetically-responsive switch.

10. The medical device of claim 1, wherein said medical device further comprises a transcutaneous transfer system comprising an external coil and an implanted coil, each having one of a pair of alignment magnets, wherein said magnetic field is generated by said alignment magnet of to said external coil when said external coil is positioned proximate to said magnetically-responsive switch.

11. The medical device of claim 6, wherein said mounting formation comprises a magnetic mounting formation.

12. The medical device of claim 11, wherein said magnetic mounting formation comprises ferromagnetic material arranged on said housing.

13. The medical device of claim 12, wherein said ferromagnetic material comprises an iron disc.

14. The medical device of claim 6, wherein said mounting formation is secured to one of either an interior surface or an exterior surface of said housing in proximity to said magnetically-responsive switch.

39. The prosthesis of claim 3, wherein said mounting formation is secured to an interior surface of said housing.

15. A medical device comprising:

an external component comprising at least one magnetically-responsive switch to select an operational status of said medical device; and

an implantable component communicably coupled to said external component.

16. The medical device of claim 15, wherein said at least one magnetically-responsive switch controls an operational status of said implantable component.

17. The medical device of claim 15, wherein said at least one magnetically-responsive switch controls application of power to said external component.

18. The medical device of claim 15, wherein said at least one magnetically-responsive switch comprises one or more of a group consisting of:

a reed switch;

a Hall-effect switching device; and

an LC oscillator having a resonant frequency that changes with the presence and absence of a magnetic field.

19. The medical device of claim 15, wherein said external component further comprises:

a mounting formation arranged proximate to said magnetically-responsive for detachably securing a source of said magnetic field to said housing.

20. The medical device of claim 15, wherein said medical device further comprises a transcutaneous transfer system comprising an external coil and an implanted coil, wherein said magnetic field is generated by said external coil positioned in electromagnetic proximity to said magnetically-responsive switch.

21. The medical device of claim 20, wherein said medical device is an acoustic prosthetic device and wherein said at least one operational component comprises an external speech processor and an internal stimulator unit, and further wherein said transcutaneous transfer system facilitates transcutaneous transmission of signals from said speech processor unit to said stimulator unit.

22. The medical device of claim 15, further comprising a magnet, wherein said magnetic field is generated by said magnet positioned in proximity to said magnetically-responsive switch.

23. The medical device of claim 15, wherein said medical device further comprises a transcutaneous transfer system comprising an external coil and an implanted coil, each having one of a pair of alignment magnets, wherein said magnetic field is generated by said magnet of to said external coil when said external coil is positioned proximate to said magnetically-responsive switch.

24. The medical device of claim 19, wherein said mounting formation comprises a magnetic mounting formation.

25. The medical device of claim 24, wherein said magnetic mounting formation comprises ferromagnetic material arranged on said housing.

26. The medical device of claim 25, wherein said ferromagnetic material comprises an iron disc.

27. The medical device of claim 19, wherein said mounting formation is secured to an exterior surface of said housing in proximity to said magnetically-responsive switch.

28. The medical device of claim 19, wherein said mounting formation is secured to an interior surface of said housing in proximity to said magnetically-responsive switch.

30. The prosthesis of claim 28, wherein said magnetically-responsive switch comprises one of a group consisting of:

a reed switch;

a Hall-effect switching device; and

an LC oscillator having a resonant frequency that changes with the presence or absence of a magnetic field.

31. The prosthesis of claim 30, further comprising:

a mounting formation arranged proximate to said housing for detachably securing an external magnet to said housing proximate to said magnetically-responsive switch to provide said magnetic field.

32. The prosthesis of claim 30, wherein said magnetic field is generated by a transmitting coil positioned in electromagnetic proximity to said magnetically-responsive switch.

33. The prosthesis of claim 32, wherein said transmitting coil comprises a coil for facilitating transcutaneous transmission of signals from said speech processor unit to an implanted component of said prosthesis.

34. The prosthesis of claim 30, wherein said magnetic field is generated by a permanent magnet positioned adjacent to said magnetically-responsive switch.

35. The prosthesis of claim 31, wherein said mounting formation comprises a magnetic mounting formation for magnetically securing said magnetic field source to said housing.

36. The prosthesis of claim 32, wherein said mounting formation comprises ferromagnetic material arranged on the housing.

37. The prosthesis of claim 36, wherein said disc is an iron disc.

38. The prosthesis of claim 31, wherein said mounting formation is secured to an exterior surface of said housing in proximity to said magnetically-responsive switch.

29. An acoustic prosthesis comprising:

an external speech processor unit comprising electronic components and a power source contained at least partially within a housing, wherein said power source provides power to said electronic components via a power tranmission means; and

a magnetically-responsive switch disposed along said power transmission means to switchingly connect said power source to said electronic components in response to the presence of a magnetic field.