Surgically implantable hearing aid

• US 7,033,313 B2
• Filed: 12/11/2002
• Issued: 04/25/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 12/11/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Alan J. Lupin Incorporated
• Original Assignee: No. 182 Corporate Ventures Ltd.
• Inventors: Lupin, Alan J., Lupin, Ewa J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Gilbert, Samuel G.
• Application Number:
  US10/316,066
• Publication Number:
  US 20040116772A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,231 Days
• Field of Search: 600/25, 181128-137, 381 68- 692, 381312-331, 607 55- 57, 128/898
• US Class Current: 600/25
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 11/20 Ear surgery
• 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

The invention comprises a surgically implantable hearing aid for hearing impaired persons. The hearing aid includes a vibrational element which is vibrated by sound waves and attached to the skull of the person, and a connector which crosses the mastoid cavity and delivers the sound waves to the dura mater of the patient thereby vibrating the dura mater, the cerebrospinal fluids, and the brain to create a hearing percept. The invention can also be adapted to act as a tinnitus masker or used in conjunction with a cochlear implant. It can also be used in a modified form to connect directly through the skull of the person.

Claims

1. A method of enhancing the hearing of a human being, the method comprising detecting ambient sound waves exterior to the head of the human being, converting the sound waves to corresponding electrical signals, converting the electrical signals to mechanical vibrations, and transmitting the mechanical vibrations directly to the dura mater of the interior of the mastoid area of the head of the human being.

2. The method claimed in claim 1 including a member which contacts the dura mater and transmits the mechanical vibrations directly to the dura mater.