METHODS AND APPARATUS FOR TRANSMITTING VIBRATIONS
First Claim
1. An apparatus for transmitting vibrations via at least one tooth to facilitate hearing in a patient, comprising:
- a housing having a shape which is conformable to at least a portion of the at least one tooth;
an actuatable transducer disposed within or upon the housing and in vibratory communication with a surface of the at least one tooth.
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Accused Products
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.
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Citations
47 Claims
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1. An apparatus for transmitting vibrations via at least one tooth to facilitate hearing in a patient, comprising:
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a housing having a shape which is conformable to at least a portion of the at least one tooth;
an actuatable transducer disposed within or upon the housing and in vibratory communication with a surface of the at least one tooth. - 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, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36)
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37. A method of transmitting vibrations via at least one tooth, comprising:
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positioning a housing onto at least one tooth, whereby the housing has a shape which is conformable to at least a portion of the tooth; and
maintaining contact between a surface of the at least one tooth with at least an actuatable transducer such that the surface and transducer remain in Vibratory communication. - View Dependent Claims (38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47)
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Specification