Implantable hearing aid and method of improving hearing
First Claim
1. A method for improving the hearing of a hearing-impaired subject, said subject, if anatomically normal, having a tympanic membrane intended for generating mechanical tympanic vibration in response to sound waves impinging thereon, an inner ear responsive to mechanical vibrations, and an ossicular chain intended for communicating mechanical vibrations from said tympanic membrane to said inner ear, said method comprising the steps of:
- interrupting the ossicular chain to preclude transmission of mechanical vibrations between the tympanic membrane and inner ear of a subject; and
,surgically interposing an implant comprising input and output transducer means for mediating mechanical/electrical signals, having controlled amplification characteristics, within the interrupted ossicular chain to bridge the interruption therein and form an independent link between said tympanic membrane and said inner ear;
wherein said transducer means includes first transducer means operatively associated with said tympanic membrane for receiving mechanical tympanic vibrations therefrom and converting the same into electrical signals characteristic thereof, second transducer means operatively associated with said inner ear for receiving amplified electrical signals and converting the same into mechanical vibrations replicating said tympanic vibrations and transmission means for communicating between said first and second transducer means in lieu of said ossicular chain.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method and apparatus are disclosed for improving the hearing of a hearing-impaired subject who, if anatomically normal, possesses a tympanic membrane intended for generating mechanical tympanic vibration in response to sound waves impinging thereon, an inner ear responsive to mechanical vibrations, and an ossicular chain intended to communicate mechanical vibrations from the tympanic membrane to the inner ear; wherein the ossicular chain is interrupted to preclude transmission of mechanical vibrations between the tympanic membrane and the inner ear of the subject and an implant is surgically interposed to bridge the interruption in the ossicular chain to form an independent link between the tympanic membrane and the ear, which implant is comprised of input and output transducers for mediating mechanical/electrical signals to constitute that independent link.
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Citations
52 Claims
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1. A method for improving the hearing of a hearing-impaired subject, said subject, if anatomically normal, having a tympanic membrane intended for generating mechanical tympanic vibration in response to sound waves impinging thereon, an inner ear responsive to mechanical vibrations, and an ossicular chain intended for communicating mechanical vibrations from said tympanic membrane to said inner ear, said method comprising the steps of:
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interrupting the ossicular chain to preclude transmission of mechanical vibrations between the tympanic membrane and inner ear of a subject; and
,surgically interposing an implant comprising input and output transducer means for mediating mechanical/electrical signals, having controlled amplification characteristics, within the interrupted ossicular chain to bridge the interruption therein and form an independent link between said tympanic membrane and said inner ear; wherein said transducer means includes first transducer means operatively associated with said tympanic membrane for receiving mechanical tympanic vibrations therefrom and converting the same into electrical signals characteristic thereof, second transducer means operatively associated with said inner ear for receiving amplified electrical signals and converting the same into mechanical vibrations replicating said tympanic vibrations and transmission means for communicating between said first and second transducer means in lieu of said ossicular chain. - 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)
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27. An implantable apparatus for improving the hearing of a hearing impaired subject, said subject having a hearing apparatus which, if anatomically normal, comprises a tympanic membrane intended for generating mechanical tympanic vibrations in response to sound waves impinging thereon, and an ossicular chain intended to communicate said tympanic vibrations to the inner ear of said subject, said apparatus comprising
input and output transducer means for mediating mechanical/ electrical signals having controlled amplification characteristics, configured for bridging disposition in an interrupted ossicular chain of a subject as an electromechanically independent link between the tympanic membrane and inner ear of said subject, comprised of first transducer means for operative association with said tympanic membrane for receiving mechanical tympanic vibrations therefrom and converting the same into electrical signals characteristic thereof, second transducer means for operative association with said inner ear for receiving said electrical signals and converting the same into mechanical vibrations replicating said tympanic vibrations and transmission means for communicating between said first and second transducer means in lieu of said ossicular chain or portion thereof.
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52. In an apparatus of the type including means for generating electrical signals indicative of soundwaves impinging on the ears of said subject and means, responsive to said electrical signals, for generating mechanical vibrations for transmission to the inner ear of said subject, the improvement wherein said means for generating electrical signals comprises a mechanical to electrical transducer connected to the malleus of said subject such that said transducer is mechanically driven by said malleus and is responsive to vibrations effected by sound waves impinging on the tympanic membrane of the subject.
Specification