Totally implantable hearing system
First Claim
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1. A hearing system for improving a user'"'"'s hearing, comprising:
- a sound processing device adapted to receive and convert sound into an electrical signal;
a coil assembly for receiving the electrical signal from the sound processing device and converting the electrical signal into an electromagnetic signal and wherein the coil assembly is sized to be implanted in a trough within a bony canal wall of the user adjacent to and separate from an ear canal of the user, wherein the coil assembly comprises;
(a) a core structure constructed of a material having a high magnetic permeability, the core structure comprising a core arm having a first end and a second end, and a core tail which extends from the second end of the core arm and wherein the core tail has an outer diameter which is greater than an outer diameter of the core arm, and(b) a coiled wire structure adapted to receive the electrical signal from the sound processing device, wherein at least a portion of the coiled wire structure is positioned about at least a portion of the core arm of the core structure forming a coil portion such that when the coiled wire structure receives the electrical signal, the electromagnetic signal is induced in the coil portion; and
a magnet assembly adapted to be positioned within a middle ear of an ear of the user and in contact with at least a portion of at least one ossicle within the middle ear, wherein the magnet assembly is vibratingly responsive to the electromagnetic signal induced in the coil portion and transmitted by the coil assembly.
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Abstract
A totally implantable hearing system having a sound processing device, a coil assembly, and a magnet assembly. The magnet assembly is implanted in the middle ear of a user and is in contact with at least a portion of an ossicle of the middle ear. The sound processing device receives and converts sound into an electrical signal. The coil assembly is preferably implanted within the bony canal wall adjacent the outer ear canal of the user such that at least a portion of the coil assembly extends into the middle ear space of the user.
57 Citations
42 Claims
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1. A hearing system for improving a user'"'"'s hearing, comprising:
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a sound processing device adapted to receive and convert sound into an electrical signal; a coil assembly for receiving the electrical signal from the sound processing device and converting the electrical signal into an electromagnetic signal and wherein the coil assembly is sized to be implanted in a trough within a bony canal wall of the user adjacent to and separate from an ear canal of the user, wherein the coil assembly comprises; (a) a core structure constructed of a material having a high magnetic permeability, the core structure comprising a core arm having a first end and a second end, and a core tail which extends from the second end of the core arm and wherein the core tail has an outer diameter which is greater than an outer diameter of the core arm, and (b) a coiled wire structure adapted to receive the electrical signal from the sound processing device, wherein at least a portion of the coiled wire structure is positioned about at least a portion of the core arm of the core structure forming a coil portion such that when the coiled wire structure receives the electrical signal, the electromagnetic signal is induced in the coil portion; and a magnet assembly adapted to be positioned within a middle ear of an ear of the user and in contact with at least a portion of at least one ossicle within the middle ear, wherein the magnet assembly is vibratingly responsive to the electromagnetic signal induced in the coil portion and transmitted by the coil assembly. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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22. A method of enhancing a user'"'"'s hearing by mechanically stimulating an ossicle in a middle ear of the user, comprising:
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implanting in the user'"'"'s skull a sound processing device adapted to receive and convert sound into an electrical signal; implanting a coil assembly into an artificially created trough in a bony canal wall of the user adjacent to an ear canal of the user, the coil assembly for receiving the electrical signal from the sound processing device and converting the electrical signal into an electromagnetic signal, wherein the coil assembly comprises; (a) a core structure constructed of a material having a high magnetic permeability, the core structure comprising a core arm having a first end and a second end, and a core tail which extends from the second end of the core arm and wherein the core tail has an outer diameter which is greater than an outer diameter of the core arm, and (b) a coiled wire structure adapted to receive the electrical signal from the sound processing device, wherein at least a portion of the coiled wire structure is positioned about at least a portion of the core arm of the core structure forming a coil portion such that when the coiled wire structure receives the electrical signal, the electromagnetic signal is induced in the coil portion; and implanting in the middle ear of the user a magnet assembly and attaching the magnet assembly to at least a portion of at least one ossicle within the middle ear, wherein the magnet assembly is vibratingly responsive to the electromagnetic signal induced in the coil portion and transmitted by the coil assembly for causing vibrations in the ossicle. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42)
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Specification