Method for rotatably securing headpiece to the human body

• US 6,560,488 B1
• Filed: 01/19/2001
• Issued: 05/06/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 01/19/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Advanced Bionics AG (Sonova Holding AG)
• Original Assignee: Advanced Bionics Corporation (Sonova Holding AG)
• Inventors: Crawford, Scott
• Primary Examiner(s): WILSON, GREGORY A
• Application Number:
  US09/766,292
• Time in Patent Office: 837 Days
• Field of Search: 607/136, 607/137, 607/379, 607/55, 607/56, 607/57, 132/276, 132/277, 132/278, 132/280, 220/9, 128/903
• US Class Current: 607/56
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/0541 Cochlear electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/37217 characterised by the communication link, e.g. acoustic or tactile
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/3787 from an external energy source

Abstract

An improved hair-clip rotatably secures a headpiece of a Implantable Cochlear Stimulation (ICS) system adjacent to an implantable device of the ICS system. The hair-clip includes three fingers to securely grasp the headpiece around the cylindrical edge of the headpiece, while allowing rotation of the headpiece relative to the hair-clip. Both power and control signals are transmitted transcutaneously from the head piece to the implantable device. Efficient transmission of these signals requires that the headpiece be securely held in close alignment to the implantable device. The improved hair-clip securely holds the headpiece in place, and allows the headpiece to be rotated to position the headpiece cable. The ability to position the cable allows a user to achieve a comfortable and inconspicuous cable routing. The hair-clip also provides: retention regardless of skin flap thickness, secure retention during physical activity, and permits magnet-less retention thus minimizing interference with MRI examination.

Claims

1. A hair-clip for rotatably retaining a headpiece on the head of a user, comprising:

a hair-clip base, wherein the hair-clip base is removably attachable to hair on the head of the user; and

means for rotatably holding the headpiece on the hair-clip base, wherein the headpiece may be rotated relative to the hair-clip base.

2. The hair-clip of claim 1 wherein the hair-clip base is removably attachable to the hair by a prong, wherein the prong disengageably engages the hair, wherein the hair is grasped between the prong and the hair-clip base.

3. The hair-clip of claim 2 wherein the prong is a waved prong.

4. The hair-clip of claim 1 wherein the means for rotatably holding the headpiece on the hair-clip base comprises a multiplicity of finger extending from the hair-clip base.

5. The hair-clip of claim 4 wherein the multiplicity of fingers comprises three fingers.

6. The hair-clip of claim 4 wherein the headpiece has a substantially cylindrical edge, and wherein the multiplicity of fingers rotatably grasp the cylindrical edge.

7. The hair-clip of claim 1 wherein the headpiece includes a substantially cylindrical edge, a front face, and a rear face, wherein the front face resides substantially parallel and adjacent to the surface of the head, and wherein the means for rotatably holding the headpiece on the hair-clip base comprises means for slideably contacting the cylindrical edge and reaching past the cylindrical edge to slideably engage the rear face to rotatably hold the headpiece on the hair-clip.

8. The hair-clip of claim 1 wherein the means for rotatably holding the headpiece comprises a rotatable member, wherein the rotatable member is rotatably attached to the hair-clip base, and wherein the headpiece is removably attachable to the rotatable member, and wherein the rotational position of the headpiece is adjustable by rotating the rotatable member relative to the hair-clip base.

9. The hair-clip of claim 1 wherein a cable is connected to the headpiece, and wherein the means for rotatably holding the headpiece on the hair-clip base comprises means for rotatably holding the headpiece on the hair-clip base such that the position of the cable relative to the head may be adjusted.

10. The hair-clip of claim 1 wherein the headpiece is part of an Implantable Cochlear Stimulation (ICS) system.

11. A method for utilizing a hair-clip to rotatably retain a headpiece on the head of a user, comprising:

attaching the headpiece to the hair-clip, wherein the hair-clip includes means for rotatably holding the headpiece wherein the attached headpiece may be rotated relative to the hair-clip; and

attaching the hair-clip to the head of the user, wherein the hair-clip includes a prong, and wherein the prong disengageably engages hair on the head of the user to attach the hair-clip on the head.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein the hair-clip includes a multiplicity of fingers, and wherein the headpiece has a substantially cylindrical edge and a rear face, wherein:

attaching the headpiece to the hair-clip comprises inserting the headpiece into the grasp of the multiplicity of fingers, wherein the multiplicity of fingers slideably contact the cylindrical edge and reach past the cylindrical edge to slideably engage the rear face.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein the multiplicity of fingers comprises three fingers, and wherein inserting the headpiece into the grasp of the multiplicity of fingers comprises inserting the headpiece into the grasp of the three fingers.

14. The method of claim 11 wherein attaching the headpiece comprises attaching the headpiece of an Implantable Cochlear Stimulation (ICS) system.

15. The method of claim 11 wherein the hair-clip includes a prong, and wherein attaching the hair-clip comprises disengageably engaging the prong with the hair of the user.

16. A removable hair-clip for rotatably holding a headpiece of an Implantable Cochlear Stimulation (ICS) system to the head of a user, comprising:

a headpiece support;

a prong springedly attached to the headpiece support, wherein the prong engages the hair of the user to secure the hair-clip to the head of the user; and

a multiplicity of fingers attached to the headpiece support, wherein the fingers rotatably grasp the headpiece, wherein the headpiece may be rotated relative to the hair-clip.

17. The hair-clip of claim 16 wherein the prong is springedly attached by a spring member.

18. The hair-clip of claim 16 wherein the prong is springedly attached by a spring and a pivot.

19. The hair-clip of claim 16 wherein the multiplicity of fingers are adapted to cooperate with a substantially cylindrical edge and a rear face of the headpiece, and wherein the multiplicity of fingers slidably grasp the headpiece at a multiplicity of points around the cylindrical edge, and the multiplicity of fingers reach behind the rear face to rotatably hold the headpiece against the headpiece support.

20. The hair-clip of claim 16 wherein the headpiece may be rotated within the hair-clip to position a cable which is attached to the headpiece.

21. The hair-clip of claim 16 wherein the headpiece may be rotated to any position between a first position and a second position, and wherein a cable is connected to the headpiece, and wherein when the headpiece is in the first position the connector resides against one of the multiplicity of fingers, and wherein when the headpiece is in the second position, the connector resides against another of the multiplicity of fingers.

22. A removable hair-clip for rotatably holding a headpiece of an Implantable Cochlear Stimulation (ICS) system to the head of a user, comprising:

a hair-clip base;

a prong springedly attached to the hair-clip base, wherein the prong engages the hair of the user to secure the hair-clip to the head of the user; and

a rotatable member, wherein the headpiece is removably attachable to the rotatable member, and wherein the rotatable member is rotatably held on the hair-clip base, wherein the headpiece and rotatable member may be rotated relative to the hair-clip base.

23. The hair-clip of claim 22 wherein the prong is springedly attached by a spring member.

24. The hair-clip of claim 22 wherein the prong is springedly attached by a spring and a pivot.