Method and apparatus for reduced feedback in implantable hearing assistance systems

• US 6,755,778 B2
• Filed: 10/18/2002
• Issued: 06/29/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 06/05/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Envoy Medical Corporation
• Original Assignee: St Croix Medical Incorporated
• Inventors: Meyerson, Scott C., Urbanski, Paul J., Bushek, Donald J., Kroll, Kai
• Primary Examiner(s): Hindenburg, Max F.
• Assistant Examiner(s): SZMAL, BRIAN SCOTT
• Application Number:
  US10/274,641
• Publication Number:
  US 20030032856A1
• Time in Patent Office: 620 Days
• Field of Search: 600/25, 607/55, 607/56, 607/57, 381/23.1, 381/312, 381/317, 381/318, 381/322-326, 381/174, 381/191
• US Class Current: 600/25
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/183 Ear parts
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 25/456 mechanically
• 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 method and apparatus assists a hearing impaired person by introducing and maintaining a mechanical feedback barrier between a microphone and a transducer of an implantable hearing assistance system. In this method, mechanical sound vibrations impinging on the person'"'"'s body habitus are received with an electromechanical device (e.g. microphone) disposed at a body habitus sound reception site. The body habitus sound reception site can be located within the external auditory canal, or external of the external auditory canal either subdermally or external of the scalp. The mechanical sound vibrations are converted with the electromechanical device to an amplified electrical signal. Next, the amplified electrical signal is delivered to the inner ear with a transducer operatively coupled between the electromechanical device and the middle ear or the inner ear. Finally, a mechanical feedback barrier is introduced and maintained between the sound reception site and the transducer to minimize acoustic feedback therebetween. Preferably, this feedback barrier is established by removing, separating, or fixing, or combinations thereof, a portion of the hearing impaired person'"'"'s ossicular chain (e.g malleus, incus, or stapes).

Claims

1. A method for assisting hearing for a sensorineurally hearing impaired person comprising:

receiving sound vibrations impinging on the person'"'"'s body habitus with an electromechanical device disposed at a body habitus sound reception site and converting the sound vibration with the electromechanical device to an amplified electrical signal, wherein the electromechanical device is a microphone located subdermally along and in contact with the external auditory canal;

delivering the amplified electrical signal to the inner ear with a transducer means operatively coupled between the electromechanical device and the inner ear;

prior to the receiving and delivering steps, inserting at least one of the electromechanical device and the transducer through the tympanic membrane for implantation in the middle ear.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the maintaining step further comprises:

maintaining a mechanical feedback barrier between the sound reception site and the inner ear to minimize feedback therebetween during the receiving and delivering steps.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the inserting step further comprises:

prior to insertion in the middle ear, affixing at least one of the electromechanical device and the transducer to a mounting bracket.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the mounting bracket includes a universal joint for adjustable mounting the electromechanical device and the transducer in contact with an auditory element of the ossicular chain.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein the inserting step further comprises:

prior to insertion in the middle ear, manipulating a first and a second portion of the mounting bracket to be aligned in an elongate configuration generally parallel along a single axis.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the manipulating step further comprises:

arranging the first and second portion of the mounting bracket alongside each other.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein the manipulating step further comprises:

arranging the first and second portion of the mounting bracket in an end-to-end relationship.

8. A method for assisting hearing for a sensorineurally hearing impaired person comprising:

receiving sound vibrations impinging on the person'"'"'s body habitus with an electromechanical device disposed at a body habitus sound rejection site and converting the sound vibration with the electromechanical device to an amplified electrical signal;

delivering the amplified electrical signal to the inner ear with transducer means operatively coupled between the electromechanical device and the inner ear;

prior to receiving and delivering steps, inserting at least one of the electromechanical device and the transducer through the tympanic membrane for implantation in the middle ear by affixing at least one of the electromechanical device and the transducer to a mounting bracket and manipulating a first and a second portion of the mounting bracket to be aligned in an elongate configuration generally parallel along a single axis.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the mounting bracket includes a universal joint for adjustable mounting the electromechanical device and the transducer in contact with an auditory element of the ossicular chain.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein the manipulating step further comprises:

arranging the first and second portion of the mounting bracket alongside each other.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein the manipulating step further comprises:

arranging the first and second portion of the mounting bracket in an end-to-end relationship.