Hearing aid transducer support
First Claim
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1. A support for mounting at least two transducers within a middle ear, the support comprising:
- a first mounting portion configured for disposing within the middle ear a first transducer for contacting a first ossicle of the middle ear;
a second mounting portion configured for disposing within the middle ear a second transducer for contacting a second ossicle of the middle ear, the second portion fixedly attached to the first portion; and
an arm for adding stability to the support.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A support for input and output transducers of a hearing aid is implanted in the middle ear. The support, which is attached to the mastoid bone, can be a single component or comprise two adjustable components. In one embodiment, an arm extends from the proximal end of the support towards an access hole created behind the outer ear, where the arm is attached for further stability. In another embodiment, the arm extends outside the access hole, where it is mounted subcutaneously to the mastoid bone with a mechanical fastener. The support provides positional adjustability, stability, and is invisible externally.
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Citations
22 Claims
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1. A support for mounting at least two transducers within a middle ear, the support comprising:
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a first mounting portion configured for disposing within the middle ear a first transducer for contacting a first ossicle of the middle ear;
a second mounting portion configured for disposing within the middle ear a second transducer for contacting a second ossicle of the middle ear, the second portion fixedly attached to the first portion; and
an arm for adding stability to the support.
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2. A method of configuring an implantable hearing aid for mounting in a patient'"'"'s middle ear, the method comprising the step of:
configuring a support member, the support member including a first mounting portion for disposing within the middle ear a first transducer for contacting a first ossicle of the middle ear and a second mounting portion for disposing within the middle ear a second transducer for contacting a second ossicle of the middle ear, the support member being configured such that the support member can be passed through a surgically created access hole through the patient'"'"'s mastoid and such that the support member can be reconfigured for mounting in the patient'"'"'s middle ear proximate the patient'"'"'s mastoid.
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3. A support member for a hearing aid, the hearing aid being at least partially implantable in a patient'"'"'s middle ear proximate the patient'"'"'s ossicular chain the support member comprising:
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a fixable component for positioning within the patient'"'"'s middle ear;
a plurality of fixing portions, each fixing portion configured for receiving a transducer; and
a connector for connecting the fixable component to each portion, the support member being conformable to a first position wherein the support may be passed through an external access into the patient'"'"'s middle ear and the support member being further conformable to a second position wherein at least one transducer contacts an auditory element of the patient'"'"'s ossicular chain. - View Dependent Claims (4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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Specification