Implantable hearing aid transducer with advanceable actuator to facilitate coupling with the auditory system
First Claim
Patent Images
1. An implantable hearing aid transducer comprising:
- a transducer body having an aperture extending through a first side and a second side thereof;
an actuator extending through the aperture of the transducer body from the first side to the second side thereof, wherein a proximal end of the actuator is accessible for advancement relative to the transducer body to couple a distal end of the actuator with a middle ear component; and
a driver to drive the actuator in response to transducer drive signals.
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Abstract
A hearing aid transducer that includes an actuator advanceable relative to the transducer to couple with a middle ear component. In one aspect of the invention, the actuator is a separate structure from the transducer that is insertable into an aperture defined between a first and second end of the transducer. This permits separate connection of the actuator to the middle ear component and the transducer to improve coupling of the transducer to the middle ear component, e.g., minimizing loads on the middle ear component.
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Citations
52 Claims
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1. An implantable hearing aid transducer comprising:
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a transducer body having an aperture extending through a first side and a second side thereof; an actuator extending through the aperture of the transducer body from the first side to the second side thereof, wherein a proximal end of the actuator is accessible for advancement relative to the transducer body to couple a distal end of the actuator with a middle ear component; and a driver to drive the actuator in response to transducer drive signals. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. An implantable hearing aid transducer comprising:
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a transducer body having an aperture extending through a first side and a second side thereof; a tube connected to the transducer body within the aperture; an actuator extending through said tube and said aperture of the transducer body from said first side to said second side thereof, wherein a proximal end of the actuator is accessible for advancement relative to the transducer body to couple a distal end of the actuator with a middle ear component; and a driver to drive the actuator in response to transducer drive signals. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
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25. An implantable hearing aid transducer comprising:
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a transducer body having an aperture extending through a first side and a second side thereof; a tube within the aperture; a first bellows member connecting a first end of the tube and the first side of the transducer body; and a driver to vibrate the tube in response to transducer drive signals. - View Dependent Claims (26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36)
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37. An implantable hearing aid transducer comprising:
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a transducer body having an aperture extending through a first side thereof; an actuator advanceable relative to the transducer body through the aperture to couple with a middle ear component; and a driver operable to drive the actuator in response to transducer drive signals and thereby stimulate a middle ear component, wherein the actuator is manually advanceable relative to the transducer body independent from the operation of the driver. - View Dependent Claims (38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50)
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51. An implantable hearing aid transducer comprising:
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a transducer body having an aperture extending through a first side and a second side thereof; a tube connected within the aperture; an actuator advanceable within the tube relative to the transducer body to couple with a middle ear component; a first sealing member connected between a first end of the tube and the first side of the transducer body; a second sealing member connected between a second end of the tube and the second side of the transducer body; and a driver to drive the actuator in response to transducer drive signals. - View Dependent Claims (52)
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Specification