Direct tympanic drive via a floating filament assembly
First Claim
1. A filament assembly constructed and adapted to fit within the ear canal of an individual for contacting the tympanic membrane directly and imparting audible vibrations thereto, said filament assembly being operational relative to a stationary vibration force element positioned in the ear canal at a distance from the tympanic membrane, said filament assembly comprising:
- (a) a vibratory element adapted to be laterally positioned when said filament assembly is fitted within the ear canal, and arranged to respond to dynamic forces imparted by said vibrational force element, and (b) a vibrational shaft element extending medially for transferring audible vibrations from said vibratory element to the tympanic membrane when said filament assembly is fitted within the ear canal, said filament assembly being dynamically coupled to said stationary vibration force element so as to be statically floating and freely movable within an operable range with respect to said vibration force element, thereby allowing individual adjustment and positioning of said filament assembly for contacting the tympanic membrane and imparting audible vibrations without exerting static forces thereto.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A canal hearing device has a subminiature filament assembly which vibrates and directly drives the tympanic membrane (eardrum) and imparts audible mechanical vibrations thereto. The filament assembly is partially supported by the tympanic membrane via capillary adhesion thereto and is dynamically coupled to a stationary vibration force element position at a distance from the tympanic membrane within the ear canal. The elongated filament assembly is freely movable within an operable range and is essentially floating with respect to the vibration force element. In a preferred embodiment, the vibrational filament assembly comprises a magnetic section which is insertable into the air-core of an electromagnetic coil. The filament assembly is coupled to the tympanic membrane via an articulated tympanic contact coupler.
209 Citations
92 Claims
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1. A filament assembly constructed and adapted to fit within the ear canal of an individual for contacting the tympanic membrane directly and imparting audible vibrations thereto, said filament assembly being operational relative to a stationary vibration force element positioned in the ear canal at a distance from the tympanic membrane, said filament assembly comprising:
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(a) a vibratory element adapted to be laterally positioned when said filament assembly is fitted within the ear canal, and arranged to respond to dynamic forces imparted by said vibrational force element, and (b) a vibrational shaft element extending medially for transferring audible vibrations from said vibratory element to the tympanic membrane when said filament assembly is fitted within the ear canal, said filament assembly being dynamically coupled to said stationary vibration force element so as to be statically floating and freely movable within an operable range with respect to said vibration force element, thereby allowing individual adjustment and positioning of said filament assembly for contacting the tympanic membrane and imparting audible vibrations without exerting static forces thereto. - 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, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40)
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41. A canal hearing device adapted for directly contacting the tympanic membrane and imparting audible vibrations thereto, comprising:
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(a) a floating vibrational filament assembly for contacting the tympanic membrane at its medial end, (b) a stationary vibration force element positioned in the ear canal at a distance from the tympanic membrane and operably associated with said vibrational filament assembly, said vibrational filament assembly dynamically coupled to said vibration force element so as to be statically floating relative thereto and responsive to dynamic forces imparted by said vibration force element on said filament assembly for movement freely within an operable range in at least one degree of freedom with respect to said vibration force element, thereby allowing individual adjustment and positioning of said vibrational filament assembly for contacting the tympanic membrane and imparting audible vibrations without exerting essentially any static forces thereto. - View Dependent Claims (42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66, 67, 68, 69, 70, 71, 72, 73, 74, 75, 76, 77, 78, 79, 80, 81)
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82. A hearing device constructed and adapted to fit and be worn within the ear canal of a human subject for imparting audible vibrations to the tympanic membrane of the subject, comprising:
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a microphone for receiving the incoming signals representative of audio signals and converting them to electrical signals;
an amplifier for processing and amplifying the electrical signal output of the microphone;
a vibration force element responsive to said amplified signals for conversion thereof to dynamic forces representative of said incoming signals; and
a vibrational filament assembly dynamically coupled to said vibration force element and responsive to said dynamic forces imparted by said vibration force element, said vibrational filament assembly being essentially free floating within an operable range in at least one degree of freedom with respect to said vibration force element, thereby allowing individual adjustment and positioning of said vibrational filament assembly for contacting the tympanic membrane and imparting audible vibrations without exerting essentially any static forces thereto. - View Dependent Claims (83)
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84. A method of imparting audible vibration on the tympanic membrane of an individual comprising the steps of:
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(a) attaching a vibratory filament assembly at its medial end to the tympanic membrane; and
(b) dynamically coupling said vibratory filament assembly to a vibration force element so that said vibrational filament assembly is essentially free floating within an operable range, in at least one degree of motion freedom, with respect to said vibration force element to allow individual adjustment and positioning of said vibrational filament assembly for contacting the tympanic membrane; and
(c) imparting mechanical vibrations representative of audio signals on the lateral end of said vibratory filament assembly by means of said vibration force element so as to impart audible vibrations to the tympanic membrane without exerting essentially any static forces thereon. - View Dependent Claims (85, 86, 87, 88, 89, 90, 91, 92)
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Specification