Energy Delivery and Microphone Placement Methods for Improved Comfort in an Open Canal Hearing Aid

• US 20090092271A1
• Filed: 10/02/2008
• Published: 04/09/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 10/04/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: EarLens Corporation
• Original Assignee: EarLens Corporation
• Inventors: Winstead, John H., Perkins, Rodney C., Puria, Sunil, Fay, Jonathan P., Rucker, Paul
• Granted Patent: US 8,295,523 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 381/328
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2225/0213 Constructional details of earhooks, e.g. shape, material
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 25/604 of acoustic or vibrational transducers
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 25/652 Ear tips; Ear moulds hybrid ear moulds or post-processing thereof for their customisation H04R25/659
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 25/658 Manufacture of housing parts

Abstract

A hearing aid device for placement in an ear of a user includes an elongate support and a transducer. The elongate support has a proximal portion and a distal end, and the transducer is attached to the elongate support near the distal end. The support is adapted to position the transducer near an eardrum while the proximal portion is placed at the location near an ear canal opening. The elongate support is sized to minimize contact with the ear between the proximal portion and distal end. The elongate support permits sound waves to travel along the ear canal. In some embodiments, a microphone is positioned in the ear canal along the support, for example inside the support, to provide directionally dependent sound localization cues, and the transducer on the distal end of the elongate support comprises a coil assembly coupled to a magnet positioned on the tympanic membrane.

Claims

1. A hearing aid device for placement in an ear of a user, the device comprising:

an elongate support having a proximal portion and a distal end; and

an energy delivery transducer attached to the elongate support near the distal end;

wherein the support is adapted to position the energy delivery transducer near an eardrum while the proximal portion is placed at the location near an ear canal opening and wherein an intermediate portion of the elongate support is sized to minimize contact with a canal of the ear between the proximal portion to the distal end.

2. The device of claim 1 wherein the intermediate portion extends along at least about 50% of a distance from the proximal portion to the distal end and wherein the distance corresponds to a distance of a canal of the ear.

3. The device of claim 1 wherein the elongate support is adapted to at least partially support the transducer from the proximal portion, has a cross sectional width less than a cross sectional width of the transducer, is adapted to flex in response to user movement for improved comfort, and is adapted to conduct heat from the transducer.

4. The device of claim 1 further comprising a positioner attached to the elongate support near the transducer, the positioner adapted to contact the ear in the canal near the transducer and support the transducer.

5. The device of claim 4 wherein the positioner has a width sufficient to contact the ear in the canal and support the transducer, and wherein the positioner comprises a flexible portion adapted to bend while the positioner is positioned in the canal.

6. The device of claim 4 wherein the positioner is adapted suspend and center the transducer in the canal to avoid transducer to ear contact, and includes an outer boundary that is oval or circular and adapted to engage the canal while the positioner suspends the transducer in the canal.

7. The device of claim 4 wherein the positioner includes openings formed thereon to pass sound waves through the openings, and the positioner comprises flanges that define the openings.

8. The device of claim 6 wherein the positioner is tapered proximally to facilitate insertion into the canal.

9. The device of claim 4 wherein the positioner comprises a thickness no more than a length of the transducer.

10. The device of claim 1 wherein the transducer has a cross sectional width of no more than about 4 mm.

11. The device of claim 1 wherein the transducer is adapted to transmit electromagnetic energy toward the eardrum to stimulate a magnet suspended on the eardrum and/or an ossicle.

12. The device of claim 11 wherein the transducer comprises a coil comprising a length from about 3 to 6 mm and a width from about 3 to 4 mm and adapted to drive the magnet while a distal end of the coil is positioned a distance from about 2 to 6 mm from the eardrum.

13. The device of claim 1 wherein the transducer is adapted to transmit electromagnetic energy toward the eardrum and wherein the electromagnetic energy comprises optical frequencies.

14. The device of claim 1 further comprising a microphone attachable to the support near the proximal portion to position the microphone near the opening to the ear canal.

15. The device of claim 14 wherein the microphone is adapted to generate an electrical signal in response to an audio signal, and further comprising a processor connected to the microphone, the processor adapted to modify the audio signal from the microphone with a transform function and apply the modified audio signal to the transducer to stimulate the ear.

16. The device of claim 15 wherein the processor and a battery to power the processor are adapted to be worn behind a pinna of the ear.

17. The device of claim 14 wherein the microphone is attached to the support to position the microphone within about 6 mm of the opening to the canal.

18. The device of claim 14 wherein the elongate support defines an enclosure and wherein a microphone is positioned within the enclosure wherein the elongate support comprises at least one opening and the microphone is configured to measure a sound pressure of the ear canal through the at least one opening.

19. The device of claim 18 wherein the intermediate portion comprises the enclosure and the microphone is positioned within the intermediate portion.

20. The device of claim 18 wherein the elongate support comprises a flexible tube and the enclosure comprises a lumen of the tube.

21. The device of claim 18 wherein the energy delivery transducer comprises a coil positioned within the enclosure, and wherein an opening of the microphone is positioned no more than about 12 mm from a proximal end of the coil to measure a sound pressure of the ear canal near the eardrum.

22. The device of claim 1 further comprising a microphone adapted to be worn behind a pinna of the ear with a probe tube that extends to the ear canal opening, wherein the probe tube has an opening near the ear canal opening such that the microphone detects sound from the ear canal opening.

23. A hearing aid system for use with an ear, the system comprising:

a microphone to generate a signal;

a processor connected to the microphone, the processor adapted to apply a transform function to the signal to produce a transformed signal;

a transducer adapted to receive the transformed signal and emit electromagnetic energy in response to the transformed signal; and

a flexible elongate support comprising a proximal portion and a distal end, the elongate support extending from the proximal portion to the distal end, the proximal portion adapted for placement near an opening of an ear canal, the distal end adapted to support the transducer near an eardrum while the proximal portion is placed near the opening.

24. The system of claim 23 wherein an intermediate portion of the elongate support located between the proximal portion and distal end is sized to avoid contact with the ear.

25. The system of claim 23 wherein the elongate support is adapted to suspend the transducer in the ear canal to avoid contact with the ear.

26. The system of claim 23 further comprising a positioner attached to the elongate support near the transducer, the positioner adapted to engage the canal of the ear to suspend and center the transducer in the canal to avoid transducer to ear contact while the proximal portion is placed near the opening of the canal.

27. The system of claim 23 wherein the microphone is disposed near the proximal portion to position the microphone near the opening to the ear canal when the proximal portion is placed near the opening.

28. The system of claim 23 wherein the elongate support is adapted to position the microphone within about 6 mm of the opening and position a distal end of the transducer from about 2 to 6 mm from the eardrum while the proximal portion is placed near the opening.

29. The system of claim 23 wherein the elongate support defines an enclosure and wherein a microphone is positioned within the enclosure.

30. The system of claim 29 wherein the intermediate portion comprises the enclosure and the microphone is positioned within the intermediate portion.

31. The system of claim 29 wherein the elongate support comprises at least one opening and the microphone is configured to measure a sound pressure of the ear canal through the at least one opening.

32. The system of claim 29 wherein the elongate support comprises a flexible tube and the enclosure comprises a lumen of the tube.

33. The system of claim 29 wherein the energy delivery transducer comprises a coil positioned within the enclosure, and wherein an opening of the microphone is no more than about 12 mm from a proximal end of the coil to measure a sound pressure of the ear canal near the eardrum.

34. The system of claim 23 further comprising a magnet adapted for placement on the eardrum, the magnet adapted to receive the electromagnetic energy from the transducer to drive the eardrum and stimulate the ear.

35. The device of claim 23 wherein the microphone is adapted to be worn behind a pinna of the ear with a tube having an opening within about 6 mm of the ear canal opening.

36. A method of fitting a hearing aid device to a user, the method comprising:

providing a transducer, a microphone and an elongate support for placement in an ear canal of the user;

measuring a user characteristic correlated with a distance from an opening of the ear canal to the user'"'"'s tympanic membrane; and

determining a length along the elongate support based on the measured characteristic to position the transducer near the tympanic membrane when the support is placed in the ear canal;

wherein the length is determined before the support is placed in the ear canal.

37. The method of claim 36 further comprising determining a size of a positioner for placement in the ear canal near the transducer and wherein the positioner is sized to contact the ear to support and center in the ear canal the transducer and avoid contact between the transducer and the ear.

38. The method of claim 36 wherein the length is determined to position the transducer from about 2 to 6 mm from the tympanic membrane when the support is placed in the ear.

39. The method of claim 36 wherein the length along the elongate support is determined to position the microphone near the opening of the ear canal when the support is placed in the ear canal.

40. The method of claim 36 wherein the length is determined to position the microphone within about 6 mm of the opening of the ear canal when support is placed in the ear canal.

41. The method of claim 36 wherein the elongate support defines an enclosure and wherein the microphone is positioned within the enclosure, wherein the intermediate portion comprises the enclosure and the microphone is positioned within the intermediate portion, wherein the elongate support comprises at least one opening and the microphone measures a sound pressure of the ear canal through the at least one opening, wherein the elongate support comprises a flexible tube and the enclosure comprises a lumen of the tube, and wherein the energy delivery transducer comprises a coil positioned within the enclosure.

42. The method of claim 41 wherein an opening of the microphone is no more than about 12 mm from a proximal end of the coil to measure a sound pressure of the ear canal near the eardrum.

43. The method of claim 36 wherein a microphone is positioned along the support in response to the determined length along the elongate support.

44. The method of claim 36 wherein the length along the elongate support is determined to minimize contact with the ear between the microphone and the transducer.

45. An energy delivery transducer for use in a canal of an ear with a hearing aid, the transducer comprising:

a coil assembly comprising a wire with turns adapted to generate a magnetic field, wherein the coil assembly has a length from about 3 to 6 mm and a maximum cross sectional width from about 3 to 4 mm and wherein the coil assembly is adapted for placement in the ear canal to permit sound waves to travel along the canal past the coil; and

a biocompatible coating disposed on and around the coil assembly to protect the ear.

46. The transducer of claim 45 wherein the coil assembly comprises a number of turns and the number of turns is from about 100 to about 450 turns.

47. The transducer of claim 45 wherein the wire comprises a gauge from about 36 to about 44.

48. The transducer of claim 47 wherein the wire comprises a gauge from about 38 to 42.

49. The transducer of claim 45 wherein the coil assembly comprises a length from about 3 to 6 mm.

50. The transducer of claim 45 wherein the coil assembly comprises a length from about 3.5 to 5 mm.

51. The transducer of claim 45 wherein the coil assembly comprises a width from about 1 to about 4 mm.

52. The transducer of claim 45 further comprising a core, the wire placed around the core with turns of the wire.

53. The transducer of claim 52 wherein the core comprises a maximum cross sectional width from about 0.5 to 3.3 mm.

54. A modular hearing aid assembly for use with an ear of a user, the assembly comprising:

a behind the ear component comprising a battery and a processor, the behind the ear component sized to fit at least partially behind a pinna of the user;

an elongate canal component comprising a coil assembly shaped to fit in an ear canal and adapted to transmit electromagnetic energy toward and drive a magnet suspended on an eardrum and/or an ossicle of the user, wherein the elongate canal component is adapted to flex in response to user movement; and

an elongate pinna component having a first end configured to connect to the behind the ear component and a second end configured to connect to the transducer component.

55. The assembly of claim 54 wherein the elongate canal component comprises an annular section adapted to flex in response to user movement.

56. The assembly of claim 54 wherein the elongate pinna component comprises a first connector on the first end adapted to mate with a connector on the behind the ear component and a second connector on the second end adapted to mate with a connector on the canal component.

57. The assembly of claim 54 wherein a length of the elongate pinna component and a length of the elongate canal component are each sized to fit the user.

58. The assembly of claim 54 wherein the elongate pinna component comprises a flexible tubing having wires disposed therein.

59. The assembly of claim 58 wherein the flexible tubing comprises plastic and the wires are sized to support the pinna component, and wherein the wires transmit electrical energy from the behind the ear component to the elongate transducer component.

60. The assembly of claim 54 wherein the elongate pinna component comprises a microphone located near the second end to detect sound near an opening of the ear of the user.

61. The assembly of claim 54 wherein the elongate pinna component comprises an elongate tube adapted to conduct sound from an opening in the user'"'"'s ear near the second end to a microphone positioned near the first end, such that the microphone detects sound from the opening in the user'"'"'s ear with sound conducted along the elongate tube, and wherein the microphone is located in the behind the ear component, and the elongate tube extends to the microphone.

62. A method of fitting a hearing aid device to an ear of a user, the method comprising:

selecting an elongate pinna component having a length related to a distance from an opening in the users ear to an upper portion of a pinna of the user; and

selecting an elongate ear canal component having a length related to a length of a canal of the ear of the user.

63. The method of claim 62 wherein the pinna component is selected from among at least two sizes of pinna components, and the canal component is selected from among at least two sizes of canal components.

64. The method of claim 63 wherein the pinna component is selected from among at least three sizes of pinna components, and the canal component is selected from among at least three sizes of canal components.

65. The method of claim 62 wherein the pinna component is selected based on a size of the pinna and the canal component is selected based on a size of the user'"'"'s canal.

66. A hearing aid device for placement in an ear of a user, the device comprising:

an elongate support having a proximal portion and a distal end;

an energy delivery transducer coupled to the elongate support to transmit electromagnetic energy comprising optical frequencies from the distal end; and

a positioner coupled to the elongate support and configured to position the distal end within the ear canal.

67. The device of claim 66 wherein the energy delivery transducer comprises at least one of a light emitting diode or a laser diode coupled to the proximal portion of the elongate support to transmit optical energy to the distal end and wherein the elongate support comprises at least one waveguide configured to transmit optical energy at least from the proximal portion to the distal end wherein the support is adapted to position the distal end near an eardrum when the proximal portion is placed at a location near an ear canal opening and wherein an intermediate portion of the elongate support is sized to minimize contact with a canal of the ear between the proximal portion to the distal end.