TRANSTYMPANIC VIBRATION DEVICE FOR IMPLANTABLE HEARING AID AND APPARATUS FOR INSTALLING THE SAME

• US 20100010628A1
• Filed: 12/11/2008
• Published: 01/14/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 07/08/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Industry-Academic Cooperation Foundation, Dankook University
• Original Assignee: Industry-Academic Cooperation Foundation, Dankook University
• Inventors: Park, Il Yong, Lee, Seung Ha
• Granted Patent: US 8,211,174 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 623/10
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/183 Ear parts
• 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

Abstract

A transtympanic vibration device for an implantable healing aid, suitable for being vibrated by magnetic flux transmitted from an outside and transferring vibration to a tympanic membrane. The device includes an outer plate having one surface on which a detachable magnet is detachably arranged; an inner plate sandwiching the tympanic membrane in cooperation with the outer plate and having a on which a fixed magnet is arranged; and at least one connection member connecting the outer plate and the inner plate with each other in such a manner that a distance between the outer plate and the inner plate can be adjusted.

Claims

1. A transtympanic vibration device for an implantable hearing aid, suitable for being vibrated by magnetic flux transmitted from an outside and transferring vibration to a tympanic membrane, the device comprising:

an outer plate having one surface on which a detachable magnet is detachably arranged;

an inner plate sandwiching the tympanic membrane in cooperation with the outer plate and having a surface on which a fixed magnet is arranged; and

at least one connection member connecting the outer plate and the inner plate with each other in such a manner that a distance between the outer plate and the inner plate can be adjusted.

2. The transtympanic vibration device according to claim 1, wherein magnetic force of the fixed magnet is applied to an external auditory canal through the tympanic membrane.

3. The transtympanic vibration device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein a mounting part is formed on the outer plate to allow the detachable magnet to be arranged thereon.

4. The transtympanic vibration device according to claim 3, wherein the connection member is installed to be securely fastened to one of the outer plate and the inner plate and to pass through the other of the outer plate and the inner plate.

5. The transtympanic vibration device according to claim 4, wherein a soft substance is provided to surfaces of the outer plate and the inner plate which come into contact with the tympanic membrane.

6. The transtympanic vibration device according to claim 5, wherein a seating part is formed on an outer surface of the inner plate to increase a contact area between the inner plate and a malleus.

7. The transtympanic vibration device according to claim 5, wherein a clip element is installed on an outer surface of the inner plate to be coupled to a malleus.

8. The transtympanic vibration device according to claim 7, wherein the clip element is kept elastically diverged by the magnetic force of the fixed plate and converges and is coupled to the malleus when the detachable magnet is arranged on the outer plate.

9. The transtympanic vibration device according to claim 7, wherein the clip element is made of a shape memory material which converges because of heat from a human body.

10. The transtympanic vibration device according to claim 6, wherein, when the tympanic membrane projects toward a middle ear cavity, the outer plate comprises a thin soft layer so as to increase adhesive force between the outer plate and the tympanic membrane having a certain surface contour.

11. The transtympanic vibration device according to claim 6, wherein, when the tympanic membrane projects toward a middle ear cavity, the outer plate comprises a spiral plate which has a diameter gradually decreasing toward a center thereof.

12. The transtympanic vibration device according to claim 8 or 9, wherein at least two connection members are provided on the outer plate and the inner plate so as to be spaced apart by a predetermined interval.

13. The transtympanic vibration device according to claim 8 or 9, wherein one connection member is provided.

15. An apparatus for installing or removing the transtympanic vibration device according to any one of claims 1 to 14 on or from a tympanic membrane, the apparatus comprising:

a hollow guide member having a length that extends from an ear hole to the tympanic membrane;

a movable member inserted into the guide member;

a magnetic force production part installed on a distal end of the movable member and producing magnetic force when electric power is applied thereto; and

a power source part supplying electric power to the magnetic force production part.

16. The apparatus according to claim 15, wherein a paramagnet is embedded in a center portion of the magnetic force production part to gather lines of magnetic force.

14. A transtympanic vibration device for an implantable hearing aid, suitable for being vibrated by magnetic flux transmitted from an outside and transferring vibration to a tympanic membrane, the device comprising:

an outer plate having one surface on which a detachable magnet is detachably arranged;

an extended part extending from the outer plate through the tympanic membrane toward a middle ear cavity; and

a clip element having one end which is coupled to the extended part such that it elastically diverges outward and the other end on which a fixed magnet is arranged such that the clip element can converge and be coupled to a malleus by attractive force produced between the detachable magnet and the fixed magnet.