Electromagnetic bone conduction hearing device

• US 8,774,930 B2
• Filed: 09/06/2012
• Issued: 07/08/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 07/22/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: MED-EL Elektromedizinische Gerate GmbH (MED-EL Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Vibrant Med-El Hearing Technology GmbH
• Inventors: Ball, Geoffrey R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Kahelin, Michael
• Assistant Examiner(s): Flory, Christopher A
• Application Number:
  US13/604,759
• Publication Number:
  US 20130035540A1
• Time in Patent Office: 670 Days
• Field of Search: 607 55- 57, 600/25, 381/312
• US Class Current: 607/57
• 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

An external component for a hearing implant is described. An external housing contains an attachment magnet configured to magnetically connect with an implant magnet of an implanted signal transducer. A pair of external electromagnetic drive coils within the external housing are adjacent to the attachment magnet for conducting electrical current to develop magnetic drive signals through the skin to the signal transducer to generate responsive vibrations of the signal transducer for perception by the patient as sound. The drive coils are configured such that their respective magnetic drive signals have opposing magnetic directions.

Claims

1. An external component for a hearing implant, the component comprising:

an external housing containing an attachment magnet configured to magnetically connect with an implant magnet of an implanted signal transducer;

a pair of external electromagnetic drive coils within the external housing adjacent to the attachment magnet for conducting electrical current to develop magnetic drive signals through the skin to the signal transducer to generate responsive vibrations of the signal transducer for perception by the patient as sound;

wherein the drive coils are configured such that their respective magnetic drive signals have opposing magnetic directions.

2. An external component according to claim 1, further comprising:

a signal processor for generating electrical drive signals for the electromagnetic drive coils.

3. An external component according to claim 2, wherein the signal processor is enclosed within the external housing.

4. An external component according to claim 2, wherein the signal processor is enclosed within a signal processor housing separate from and connected to the external housing.

5. An external component according to claim 2, further comprising:

at least one sensing microphone for developing an audio input signal to the signal processor.