Hollow tube enclosing an implantable personal sound link module
First Claim
1. A hollow tube adapted for insertion into a tunnel formed through body tissue, wherein an implantable electrical device is adapted to be removably inserted and held within said hollow tube;
- and wherein said hollow tube is made from a body compatible material selected from the group comprising Teflon, silicone, ceramic, stainless steel, titanium, and polymer materials; and
further wherein said hollow tube has a cross-sectional shape selected from the group of shapes comprising cylindrical, oval, and rectangular; and
still further wherein said hollow tube is coated with a layer of at least one of a steroid or drug adapted to minimize infection or inflammation when the tube is inserted into the tunnel.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A hollow tube device enclosing a personal sound link module is inserted into a tunnel (40) made through the soft tissue connecting the retro-auricular space (50) with the ear canal (30). The hollow tube device contains an acoustic transducer (65), located at the distal part (68) of an enclosed case, close to or inside the ear canal, an antenna (64) that receives and also potentially sends signals to a remote source, signal processing circuitry (67), telemetry circuitry (69), a power source (66) that powers the device, and possibly a microphone (63). Signals transmitted from a remote source are received through the antenna and telemetry circuitry, processed, and presented to the acoustic transducer, where they are converted to sound waves broadcast into the user'"'"'s ear canal. The remote source may be a radio station, radio receiver, CD player, DVD player, tape player, audio system, telephone, TV receiver or station, or other source of audio signals intended to be heard privately by the user.
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Citations
22 Claims
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1. A hollow tube adapted for insertion into a tunnel formed through body tissue, wherein an implantable electrical device is adapted to be removably inserted and held within said hollow tube;
- and wherein said hollow tube is made from a body compatible material selected from the group comprising Teflon, silicone, ceramic, stainless steel, titanium, and polymer materials; and
further wherein said hollow tube has a cross-sectional shape selected from the group of shapes comprising cylindrical, oval, and rectangular; and
still further wherein said hollow tube is coated with a layer of at least one of a steroid or drug adapted to minimize infection or inflammation when the tube is inserted into the tunnel. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
- and wherein said hollow tube is made from a body compatible material selected from the group comprising Teflon, silicone, ceramic, stainless steel, titanium, and polymer materials; and
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16. A hollow tube adapted for insertion into a tunnel formed through body tissue, comprising:
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a case, said case having a layer of at least one of a steroid or drug coated thereon to minimize the risk of infection or inflammation;
means within said case for receiving wireless signals from a remote source, which signals are representative of sound waves;
means within said case and connected to said receiving means for demodulating the wireless signals received at the receiving means;
means within said case and connected to said demodulating means for processing the demodulated signals representing sound waves;
means within said case and connected to said processing means for converting said processed signals to sound waves and for emitting such sound waves towards one end of the tunnel; and
means within said case and connected to at least the processing means for providing power to an implantable electrical device; and
wherein said case is made from a body compatible material selected from the group comprising Teflon, silicone, ceramic, stainless steel, titanium, and polymer materials; and
further wherein said case has a cross-sectional shape selected from the group of shapes comprising cylindrical, oval, and rectangular. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18)
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19. A hollow tube adapted for insertion into a tunnel formed through body tissue, comprising:
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an implantable electrical device enclosed within a separate case adapted to be removably inserted and held within said hollow tube;
wherein said hollow tube is made from a body compatible material selected from the group comprising Teflon, silicone, ceramic, stainless steel, titanium, and polymer materials; and
further wherein said hollow tube has a cross-sectional shape selected from the group of shapes comprising cylindrical, oval, and rectangular; and
still further wherein said hollow tube is coated with a layer of at least one of a steroid or drug adapted to minimize infection or inflammation when the tube is inserted into the tunnel; and
wherein said separate case is made from a body compatible material selected from the group comprising Teflon, silicone, ceramic, stainless steel, titanium, and polymer materials; and
further wherein said separate case has a cross-sectional shape selected from the group of shapes comprising cylindrical, oval, and rectangular adapted to fit the shape of the hollow tube. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22)
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Specification