ACTUATOR SYSTEMS FOR ORAL-BASED APPLIANCES

• US 20090097685A1
• Filed: 12/11/2008
• Published: 04/16/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 05/30/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sonitus Medical, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Sonitus Medical, Inc.
• Inventors: ABOLFATHI, Amir, MENZEL, Christoph
• Granted Patent: US 8,170,242 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 381/326
• CPC Class Codes: A61C 8/0093 Features of implants not otherwise provided for
• CPC Class Codes: A61C 8/0098 Immediate loaded implants
• CPC Class Codes: B33Y 80/00 Products made by additive manufacturing
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/46 Special adaptations for use as contact microphones, e.g. on musical instrument, on stethoscope throat mountings H04R1/14
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2225/31 Aspects of the use of accumulators in hearing aids, e.g. rechargeable batteries or fuel cells
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2225/67 Implantable hearing aids or parts thereof not covered by H04R25/606
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2420/07 Applications of wireless loudspeakers or wireless microphones
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2460/01 Hearing devices using active noise cancellation
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2460/13 Hearing devices using bone conduction transducers
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 25/554 using a wireless connection, e.g. between microphone and amplifier or using Tcoils
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 25/602 of batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 25/604 of acoustic or vibrational transducers
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 25/606 acting directly on the eardrum, the ossicles or the skull, e.g. mastoid, tooth, maxillary or mandibular bone, or mechanically stimulating the cochlea, e.g. at the oval window
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 3/04 for correcting frequency response

Abstract

Actuator systems for oral-based appliances utilizing transducers which are attached, adhered, or otherwise embedded into or upon a dental or oral appliance to form a hearing aid assembly. Such oral appliances may be a custom-made device which receives incoming sounds and transmits the processed sounds via a vibrating transducer element. The transducer element may utilize electromagnetic or piezoelectric transducer mechanisms and may be positioned directly along the dentition or along an oral appliance housing in various configurations.

Claims

1. An intra-oral bone conduction appliance for placement upon a patient'"'"'s dentition, comprising:

a first housing sized for placement against a first set of one or more teeth, wherein the first housing includes a span member positioned on a posterior surface of the one or more teeth and secures the first housing to a lingual and/or buccal surface of the one or more teeth; and

at least one transducer coupled to the first housing such that the transducer provides vibratory contact against the lingual and/or buccal surface of the one or more teeth.

2. The appliance of claim 1 wherein the housing defines a volume of less than 800 cubic millimeters.

3. The appliance of claim 1 wherein the housing has a thickness of about 0.4 mm.

4. The appliance of claim 1 wherein the span member has a length of about 10 mm.

5. The appliance of claim 1 wherein the housing has a length of about 7 mm.

6. The appliance of claim 1 wherein the transducer comprises a piezoelectric transducer configured to vibrate relative to the one or more teeth.

7. The appliance of claim 6 wherein the transducer has a thickness of about 2 mm.

8. The appliance of claim 6 wherein the transducer has a height of between about 7 mm to 9 mm.

9. The appliance of claim 1 further comprising a second housing sized for placement against a second set of one or more teeth, wherein the second housing is conformable therewith and where the first housing and second housing are positioned at or along opposing regions of the patient'"'"'s dentition in a bi-lateral configuration.

10. The appliance of claim 9 further comprising a coupling member connecting the first housing and the second housing such that the coupling member is positioned adjacent to a lingual or buccal surface of the patient'"'"'s dentition.

11. The appliance of claim 1 further comprising a mass element coupled to the transducer and movable relative to the housing whereby movement of the mass element generates a force transmittable through the lingual and/or buccal surface.

12. The appliance of claim 1 further comprising an electronic assembly disposed within or upon the first housing and which is in communication with the transducer.

13. An intra-oral bone conduction appliance for placement upon a patient'"'"'s dentition, comprising:

a first housing sized for placement against a first set of one or more teeth and defining a volume suitable for intra-oral placement, wherein the first housing has a span member extending along a posterior surface of at least one tooth and extends along a lingual and buccal surface of the one or more teeth; and

at least one transducer coupled to the first housing such that the transducer provides vibratory contact against the lingual and/or buccal surface of the one or more teeth.

14. The appliance of claim 13 wherein the volume of the first housing is less than 800 cubic millimeters.

15. The appliance of claim 13 wherein the housing has a thickness of about 0.4 mm.

16. The appliance of claim 13 wherein the span member has a length of about 10 mm.

17. The appliance of claim 13 wherein the housing has a length of about 7 mm.

18. The appliance of claim 13 wherein the transducer comprises a piezoelectric transducer configured to vibrate relative to the one or more teeth.

19. The appliance of claim 18 wherein the transducer has a thickness of about 2 mm.

20. The appliance of claim 18 wherein the transducer has a height of between about 7 mm to 9 mm.

21. The appliance of claim 13 further comprising a second housing sized for placement against a second set of one or more teeth, wherein the second housing is conformable therewith and where the first housing and second housing are positioned at or along opposing regions of the patient'"'"'s dentition in a bi-lateral configuration.

22. The appliance of claim 21 further comprising a coupling member connecting the first housing and the second housing such that the coupling member is positioned adjacent to a lingual or buccal surface of the patient'"'"'s dentition.

23. The appliance of claim 13 further comprising a mass element coupled to the transducer and movable relative to the housing whereby movement of the mass element generates a force transmittable through the lingual and/or buccal surface.

24. The appliance of claim 13 further comprising an electronic assembly disposed within or upon the first housing and which is in communication with the transducer.