CA2398092C - Hearing aid implant which is arranged in the ear - Google Patents
Hearing aid implant which is arranged in the ear Download PDFInfo
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- CA2398092C CA2398092C CA2398092A CA2398092A CA2398092C CA 2398092 C CA2398092 C CA 2398092C CA 2398092 A CA2398092 A CA 2398092A CA 2398092 A CA2398092 A CA 2398092A CA 2398092 C CA2398092 C CA 2398092C
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- housing
- actuator
- hearing aid
- implant
- aid implant
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- H—ELECTRICITY
- H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
- H04R—LOUDSPEAKERS, MICROPHONES, GRAMOPHONE PICK-UPS OR LIKE ACOUSTIC ELECTROMECHANICAL TRANSDUCERS; ELECTRIC HEARING AIDS; PUBLIC ADDRESS SYSTEMS
- H04R25/00—Electric hearing aids
- H04R25/60—Mounting or interconnection of hearing aid parts, e.g. inside tips, housings or to ossicles
- H04R25/604—Mounting or interconnection of hearing aid parts, e.g. inside tips, housings or to ossicles of acoustic or vibrational transducers
- H04R25/606—Mounting or interconnection of hearing aid parts, e.g. inside tips, housings or to ossicles of acoustic or vibrational transducers 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
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- Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
- General Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
- Otolaryngology (AREA)
- Neurosurgery (AREA)
- Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
- Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
- Acoustics & Sound (AREA)
- Signal Processing (AREA)
- Prostheses (AREA)
Abstract
The invention relates to a hearing aid implant (10) which comprises a housing having an electromechanical drive transformer that acts upon an actuator. The housing is fixed on the outer side of the ear in the area of the eardrum (22). The actuator is provided with an end that is effective in the middle ear.
Description
HEARING AND IMPLANT WHICH IS ARRANGED IN THE EAR
The present invention relates to an in-the-ear hearing device implant.
If mechanical vibration-transmitting organs of the ear are damaged and are no longer able to bring about the transmission from the eardrum via the hammer, anvil and stirrup to the oval window to an extent corresponding to a person with normal hearing, implants of the stated type are used specifically on one or more of the organs mentioned to induce the mechanical vibrations forcibly, in a way corresponding to the auditive signals received from a microphone arrangement in or outside the auditory canal. Even when there are impairments of the inner ear, implants of this type are used: in this case, mechanical vibrations that are amplified or changed in the frequency spectrum in comparison with a person with normal hearing are emitted to the oval window. This is an attempt to achieve the most optimum possible compensation for the impairment of the inner ear. It is also quite conceivable in principle for persons with normal hearing also to wear an implant, in particular whenever invasive application is only minimal. It would then be possible for audio signals from electrical audio sources, such as for example the Internet, an MP3 player, CD player or else from control systems to be fed directly as electrical signals to the individual and finally to the implant. Implants and microphones at the entry to the ear also allow prescribed, desired hearing characteristics, such as directional characteristics, to be realized both for persons with normal hearing and persons with impaired hearing, preferably adjustably in situ.
The present invention relates to an in-the-ear hearing device implant.
If mechanical vibration-transmitting organs of the ear are damaged and are no longer able to bring about the transmission from the eardrum via the hammer, anvil and stirrup to the oval window to an extent corresponding to a person with normal hearing, implants of the stated type are used specifically on one or more of the organs mentioned to induce the mechanical vibrations forcibly, in a way corresponding to the auditive signals received from a microphone arrangement in or outside the auditory canal. Even when there are impairments of the inner ear, implants of this type are used: in this case, mechanical vibrations that are amplified or changed in the frequency spectrum in comparison with a person with normal hearing are emitted to the oval window. This is an attempt to achieve the most optimum possible compensation for the impairment of the inner ear. It is also quite conceivable in principle for persons with normal hearing also to wear an implant, in particular whenever invasive application is only minimal. It would then be possible for audio signals from electrical audio sources, such as for example the Internet, an MP3 player, CD player or else from control systems to be fed directly as electrical signals to the individual and finally to the implant. Implants and microphones at the entry to the ear also allow prescribed, desired hearing characteristics, such as directional characteristics, to be realized both for persons with normal hearing and persons with impaired hearing, preferably adjustably in situ.
For example, it is known from US 5 800 339 to couple an implant of the type mentioned to one of the organs mentioned in the middle ear. The implant comprises two masses which are movable in relation to each other.
The lighter of the two masses is connected to the organ, for example one of the ossicles, while the second is suspended. The two masses are electrically made to vibrate in relation to each other, in a way corresponding to received acoustic signals.
According to US 5 558 618, it is known in the case of an in-the-ear implant of the aforementioned type to fit a permanent magnet platelet on one of the organs mentioned, in particular on one of the ossicles, and to excite it mechanically without contact, by a coil fitted directly in the region of the ossicle. In one embodiment of this it is proposed to install a microphone, manually actuated switching elements, batteries, amplifiers and a coil integrally in a housing and place them in the auditory canal in such a way that the coil is in turn resting directly against the region of a middle ear organ that is to be made to vibrate, such as in particular an ossicle, to be specific the hammer. This procedure requires the installation of a relatively voluminous apparatus in the auditory canal, which has been correspondingly prepared and exposed up to the middle ear.
US 5 906 635 also proposes the provision of a permanent magnet plate on an ossicle and inducing it to vibrate by means of a coil fitted contactlessly in its immediate vicinity.
These implants, acting on organs in the middle ear, have the major disadvantage that they require extensive surgical interventions in the middle ear region itself and in the transitional region from the outer ear to the middle ear, i.e. in the region of the eardrum, on the basis of which the respective regions are adapted to the specifically selected implant techniques. In many cases, a change from one implant technique to the other is highly problematical, because outer and middle ear regions had to be adapted specifically to the previously installed implant technique.
It is an object of the present invention to propose an in-the-ear hearing device implant of the aforementioned type with which the application region, i.e. the outer and middle ear, are adapted only minimally invasively.
According to the present invention, there is provided a hearing aid implant comprising:
a housing;
an actuator having an end, wherein the actuator is mounted in the housing so that the actuator can move in relation to the housing; and an electromechanical drive transducer working between the housing and the actuator, wherein the housing is attached on or in the wall of an auditory canal and a movement of the actuator within the housing is transmifted by the actuator to the end, and further wherein the motion of the transducer is on or about the same axis as the motion of the end.
According to the present invention, there is also provided a hearing aid implant for mounting in an ear, the implant comprising a housing, an actuator mounted in the housing so that the actuator can move in relation to the housing and an 3a electromechanical drive transducer working between the housing and the actuator, wherein the housing is attached on or in the wall of an auditory canal and a movement of the actuator within the housing is transmitted by the actuator to a substantially equal movement of an end of the actuator.
According to the present invention, there is also provided a hearing aid implant comprising a housing, an actuator mounted on it so it can move in relation to the housing, and an electromechanical drive transducer working between the housing and the actuator, characterized by the fact that the housing is designed to be tubular in shape and has an aperture on at least one of its front sides, and the actuator is 1-0 mounted so it can move in the housing and projects through the aperture, and wherein the actuator has a coupling arrangement for one of ossicles on its end facing away from the housing.
Preferably this is achieved on the in-the-ear hearing device implant of the aforementioned type by the housing being fastened on the outer ear side of the eardrum region and the actuator having an end remote from the housing that is operative in the middle ear.
This makes it possible to act effectively from the outer ear region via the eardrum region as far as into the middle ear just by means of a small passageway to 20 place a housing with a drive transformer in the outer ear region. The application intervention is normally performed in this case through the auditory canal. The installation of the housing with the drive transformer provided in it can be carried out there in a simple and yet minimally invasive manner on account of the volume of the auditory canal and the easy surgical accessibility of the wall regions of the auditory canal. The passageway into the middle ear, for the actuator, can also be realized by minimal intervention, i.e. virtually no implant-specific surgical adaptations have to be performed. Consequently, an exchange or change to another implant product also becomes readily possible.
In a preferred embodiment, the housing is in this case fitted directly on the wall of the auditory canal or immediately alongside into the wall tissue of the auditory canal.
Although it is quite possible to couple the mentioned end of the actuator effectively in the middle ear wherever mechanical vibrations ultimately act via the oval window onto the inner ear, it is proposed in a preferred embodiment to anchor the mentioned end of the actuator on one of the ossicles, whether for example by a clip bn the end of the actuator or by some other known coupling technique which allows satisfactory vibration transmission to the respective ossicle.
In a further preferred embodiment of the in-the-ear hearing device implant, the electromechanical drive transformer has an electrical input stage which is fixed to the housing. This brings about the advantage that electrical connecting leads from an acoustic-electrical transducer, which is not a subject of the invention and is fitted for example outside the ear, is mechanically stationary. This avoids the problem of such extremely thin electrical leads being subjected to loading when changes are made, and consequently also secondary acoustic interference signals caused by such mechanical vibrations.
Although, furthermore, all known principles can in fact be used for the electromechanical drive transformer, provided that they are suitable in terms of their overall size, such as for example electrodynamic drive transformers, in the embodiment preferred today the electromechanical drive transformer is designed as an electromagnetic or possibly piezoelectric drive transformer. These allow a design of an extremely small volume, which can furthermore be constructed along an axis in a rod-like manner. This is an extremely suitable formation for installation on the wall of the auditory canal or in the tissue surrounding the auditory canal. In a corresponding way, the housing is preferably designed in the form of a small tube and has on at least one of its end faces an opening from which the actuator is led out toward the middle ear.
When the preferred electromechanical transformer is realized! in the form of an electromagnetic drive transformer, a coil arrangement is preferably provided in a stationary manner on the housing, and the actuator is mounted with a permanent magnet portion in the coil in a sliding manner. Neodymium may be used, for example, as the material for the permanent magnet, allowing extremely strong permanent magnets of small overall volume to be constructed, for example Nd-Fe-B
material.
In a further preferred embodiment, the electrical supply leads are led to the implant or to its electromechanical drive transformer along the wall of the auditory canal or in the tissue or bone adjacent to the auditory canal.
In a further preferred embodiment of the implant according to the invention, its actuator is movably mounted in a resilient manner with respect to the housing.
The lighter of the two masses is connected to the organ, for example one of the ossicles, while the second is suspended. The two masses are electrically made to vibrate in relation to each other, in a way corresponding to received acoustic signals.
According to US 5 558 618, it is known in the case of an in-the-ear implant of the aforementioned type to fit a permanent magnet platelet on one of the organs mentioned, in particular on one of the ossicles, and to excite it mechanically without contact, by a coil fitted directly in the region of the ossicle. In one embodiment of this it is proposed to install a microphone, manually actuated switching elements, batteries, amplifiers and a coil integrally in a housing and place them in the auditory canal in such a way that the coil is in turn resting directly against the region of a middle ear organ that is to be made to vibrate, such as in particular an ossicle, to be specific the hammer. This procedure requires the installation of a relatively voluminous apparatus in the auditory canal, which has been correspondingly prepared and exposed up to the middle ear.
US 5 906 635 also proposes the provision of a permanent magnet plate on an ossicle and inducing it to vibrate by means of a coil fitted contactlessly in its immediate vicinity.
These implants, acting on organs in the middle ear, have the major disadvantage that they require extensive surgical interventions in the middle ear region itself and in the transitional region from the outer ear to the middle ear, i.e. in the region of the eardrum, on the basis of which the respective regions are adapted to the specifically selected implant techniques. In many cases, a change from one implant technique to the other is highly problematical, because outer and middle ear regions had to be adapted specifically to the previously installed implant technique.
It is an object of the present invention to propose an in-the-ear hearing device implant of the aforementioned type with which the application region, i.e. the outer and middle ear, are adapted only minimally invasively.
According to the present invention, there is provided a hearing aid implant comprising:
a housing;
an actuator having an end, wherein the actuator is mounted in the housing so that the actuator can move in relation to the housing; and an electromechanical drive transducer working between the housing and the actuator, wherein the housing is attached on or in the wall of an auditory canal and a movement of the actuator within the housing is transmifted by the actuator to the end, and further wherein the motion of the transducer is on or about the same axis as the motion of the end.
According to the present invention, there is also provided a hearing aid implant for mounting in an ear, the implant comprising a housing, an actuator mounted in the housing so that the actuator can move in relation to the housing and an 3a electromechanical drive transducer working between the housing and the actuator, wherein the housing is attached on or in the wall of an auditory canal and a movement of the actuator within the housing is transmitted by the actuator to a substantially equal movement of an end of the actuator.
According to the present invention, there is also provided a hearing aid implant comprising a housing, an actuator mounted on it so it can move in relation to the housing, and an electromechanical drive transducer working between the housing and the actuator, characterized by the fact that the housing is designed to be tubular in shape and has an aperture on at least one of its front sides, and the actuator is 1-0 mounted so it can move in the housing and projects through the aperture, and wherein the actuator has a coupling arrangement for one of ossicles on its end facing away from the housing.
Preferably this is achieved on the in-the-ear hearing device implant of the aforementioned type by the housing being fastened on the outer ear side of the eardrum region and the actuator having an end remote from the housing that is operative in the middle ear.
This makes it possible to act effectively from the outer ear region via the eardrum region as far as into the middle ear just by means of a small passageway to 20 place a housing with a drive transformer in the outer ear region. The application intervention is normally performed in this case through the auditory canal. The installation of the housing with the drive transformer provided in it can be carried out there in a simple and yet minimally invasive manner on account of the volume of the auditory canal and the easy surgical accessibility of the wall regions of the auditory canal. The passageway into the middle ear, for the actuator, can also be realized by minimal intervention, i.e. virtually no implant-specific surgical adaptations have to be performed. Consequently, an exchange or change to another implant product also becomes readily possible.
In a preferred embodiment, the housing is in this case fitted directly on the wall of the auditory canal or immediately alongside into the wall tissue of the auditory canal.
Although it is quite possible to couple the mentioned end of the actuator effectively in the middle ear wherever mechanical vibrations ultimately act via the oval window onto the inner ear, it is proposed in a preferred embodiment to anchor the mentioned end of the actuator on one of the ossicles, whether for example by a clip bn the end of the actuator or by some other known coupling technique which allows satisfactory vibration transmission to the respective ossicle.
In a further preferred embodiment of the in-the-ear hearing device implant, the electromechanical drive transformer has an electrical input stage which is fixed to the housing. This brings about the advantage that electrical connecting leads from an acoustic-electrical transducer, which is not a subject of the invention and is fitted for example outside the ear, is mechanically stationary. This avoids the problem of such extremely thin electrical leads being subjected to loading when changes are made, and consequently also secondary acoustic interference signals caused by such mechanical vibrations.
Although, furthermore, all known principles can in fact be used for the electromechanical drive transformer, provided that they are suitable in terms of their overall size, such as for example electrodynamic drive transformers, in the embodiment preferred today the electromechanical drive transformer is designed as an electromagnetic or possibly piezoelectric drive transformer. These allow a design of an extremely small volume, which can furthermore be constructed along an axis in a rod-like manner. This is an extremely suitable formation for installation on the wall of the auditory canal or in the tissue surrounding the auditory canal. In a corresponding way, the housing is preferably designed in the form of a small tube and has on at least one of its end faces an opening from which the actuator is led out toward the middle ear.
When the preferred electromechanical transformer is realized! in the form of an electromagnetic drive transformer, a coil arrangement is preferably provided in a stationary manner on the housing, and the actuator is mounted with a permanent magnet portion in the coil in a sliding manner. Neodymium may be used, for example, as the material for the permanent magnet, allowing extremely strong permanent magnets of small overall volume to be constructed, for example Nd-Fe-B
material.
In a further preferred embodiment, the electrical supply leads are led to the implant or to its electromechanical drive transformer along the wall of the auditory canal or in the tissue or bone adjacent to the auditory canal.
In a further preferred embodiment of the implant according to the invention, its actuator is movably mounted in a resilient manner with respect to the housing.
Furthermore, in a preferred further embodiment, the housing has, in its mentioned design in the form of a small tube with the actuator led out of an opening in the end face, a portion which narrows in diameter toward the mentioned opening. It is consequently possible in this portion of extremely small diameter to guide the actuator mechanically as far as possible toward its mentioned end, but nevertheless to construct this portion, which is not required for the installation of the electromechanical transformer, with minimal volume.
In a further preferred embodiment, the housing is still constructed in the form of a small tube, preferably as a body o:f revolution, i.e. substantially cylindrically, if appropriate with constant conical narrowed portions.
Furthermore, it is readily possible in a preferred embodiment to provide anchoring elements, such as ribs or studs, on the housing, for anchoring in body tissue or in bone material. If 1 designates the length of the implant in the direction of transmission between the effective end of the actuator on the one hand and the end of the housing remote from this end, it preferably lies in the range:
8 mm <_ 130 mm, thereby with preference in the range 8 mm <_ 115 mm, typically at around 13 mm.
Furthermore, preferably, the maximum diameter of the housing D is preferably chosen as follows:
2 mm < D_< 6 mm, thereby with preference in the range 2 mm D<_ 4 mm, typically at around 3 mm The invention is subsequently explained by way of example on the basis of figures, in which:
figure 1 shows an implant according to the invention, partly in section and schematically, in a first preferred embodiment;
figure 2 shows, in a representation analogous to that of figure 1, a further embodiment of an implant according to the invention;
figure 3 shows in turn in a representation analogous to figures 1 and 2 yet another embodiment of an implant according to the invention;
figure 4 shows, again following the representation mentioned, a further embodiment of an implant according to the invention with a piezoelectric drive transformer;
figure 5. shows an implant according to the invention with anchoring elements for soft tissue;
figure 6 shows, in a representation analogous to figure 5, an implant according to the invention with anchoring elements for bone tissue;
In a further preferred embodiment, the housing is still constructed in the form of a small tube, preferably as a body o:f revolution, i.e. substantially cylindrically, if appropriate with constant conical narrowed portions.
Furthermore, it is readily possible in a preferred embodiment to provide anchoring elements, such as ribs or studs, on the housing, for anchoring in body tissue or in bone material. If 1 designates the length of the implant in the direction of transmission between the effective end of the actuator on the one hand and the end of the housing remote from this end, it preferably lies in the range:
8 mm <_ 130 mm, thereby with preference in the range 8 mm <_ 115 mm, typically at around 13 mm.
Furthermore, preferably, the maximum diameter of the housing D is preferably chosen as follows:
2 mm < D_< 6 mm, thereby with preference in the range 2 mm D<_ 4 mm, typically at around 3 mm The invention is subsequently explained by way of example on the basis of figures, in which:
figure 1 shows an implant according to the invention, partly in section and schematically, in a first preferred embodiment;
figure 2 shows, in a representation analogous to that of figure 1, a further embodiment of an implant according to the invention;
figure 3 shows in turn in a representation analogous to figures 1 and 2 yet another embodiment of an implant according to the invention;
figure 4 shows, again following the representation mentioned, a further embodiment of an implant according to the invention with a piezoelectric drive transformer;
figure 5. shows an implant according to the invention with anchoring elements for soft tissue;
figure 6 shows, in a representation analogous to figure 5, an implant according to the invention with anchoring elements for bone tissue;
figure 7 shows a hearing device implant installed in the ear according to the invention, with actuator coupling at the end to the hammer;
figures 8a to 8c schematically show the coupling of the actuator end to the hammer, anvil or stirrup with a correspondingly mechanically guided actuator;
figure 8d shows an alternative coupling possibility and geometrical design of the actuator on the anvil, and figure 8e shows further actuator guidance and hammer coupling.
The implant 10 has a substantially cylindrical housing 1 with an axis A. A portion 3 of relatively large diameter is adjoined by actuator guiding portions 5 that are greatly narrowed by comparison, via substantially frustoconically narrowing transitional portions 7. The housing 1 is designed in the form of a small tube and has a coaxial guiding bore 9 for an actuator 11. The bore extends from a housing opening 12 at the end through virtually the entire housing 1.
The rod-shaped actuator 11 is mounted in a sliding manner in this bore 9 and is sprung by means of a spring 14 with respect to the housing 1 and at the end according to figure 1. Installed in the housing part 3, coaxially with respect to the axis A, is a coil arrangement 16, the magnetic field of which is in operative connection with a permanent magnet region 18 on the actuator 11. Electrical terminals 20 are led to the outside toward the end of the housing 1 remote from the opening 12. The end of the actuator 11 protruding out of the opening 12 is provided with a coupling device, as represented a clip 22, if it is, for example, to be coupled to an ossicle in the middle ear.
Used as the material, in particular of the housing portions which are to be embedded on or in the body tissue, as still to be explained, is a biocompatible material, such as for example titanium, platinum, tantalum, plastics such as polyethylenes, hydroxylapatites, ceramics or types of glass.
In a known manner, it is endeavored here to minimize the stray field of the coil arrangement 16, for example by embedding the coil arrangement in a casing (not represented) of ferromagnetic material.
With respect to the actuator, it must be taken into account that it should transmit mechanical vibrations, if at all possible without any distortions, in the longitudinal direction, and consequently great rigidity in this direction is required. Perpendicular to the longitudinal direction, the actuator may well be exposed to shearing forces during operation, for which reason it should have a certain elasticity and a relatively high rupture resistance in this direction.
At least that part of the actuator which is exposed with respect to body tissue should, furthermore, likewise be produced from biocompatible material.
Mainly coming into consideration as materials for the production of the actuator or parts thereof are therefore metals, such as for example titanium, tantalum, nitinol, etc.
By applying to the supply leads 20 the output-side signal of an acoustic-electrical transducer, which is attached for example outside the ear in a way similar wo 01/28288 PCT/CHOO/00691 to an out-of-ear hearing device, the coil arrangement 16 is excited and the magnetic field concentrated in the region of the axis A makes the actuator 11 undergo the corresponding vibrations via the permanent magnet portion 18. These vibrations are transmitted by the actuator 11 into the middle ear, for example and in a preferred embodiment on one of the ossicles. Before further embodiments of the implant according to the invention are presented, the implant fitted in the ear according to the invention will be explained on the basis of figure 7. In figure 7:
21 designates the region of the auditory canal on the eardrum side 22 designates the eardrum 23 designates the "hammer" ossicle designates the "anvil" ossicle.
According to the invention, the implant 10, explained in a preferred embodiment on the basis of figure 1, is 20 fitted with its housing 1 in a way according to figure 1 on the auditory canal side of the eardrum 22, i.e. on the outer ear, as represented preferably embedded in the tissue surrounding the auditory canal. The actuator, and if appropriate the provided guiding 25 portion 5 of reduced diameter, which is facing the opening 12 according to figure 1, is passed through the eardrum region, so that the end of the actuator 11 reaches into the middle ear and is operatively connected there, as represented by way of example in figure 7, to one of the ossicles, preferably the continuation of the anvil 25. The electrical supply leads 20, not represented in figure 7, are led to the outside in the auditory canal, lying on the outside along its wall, or are embedded to a small depth into the tissue surrounding the auditory canal. On account of the only small passageway for the actuator 11 according to figure 1, from the outer ear into the middle ear, and the coupling there of the actuator end to one of the ossicles, for example, and also on account of the small-volume, longitudinally extended formation of the implant housing with the drive, it is possible to install the implant with only minimal invasive interventions.
Represented in figure 2 is a further embodiment of an implant according to the invention, which differs only with respect to the arrangement of the spring 14a described on the basis of figure 1. Instead of a spring 14 which - according to figure 1 - acts on one end of the actuator 11, according to figure 2 a spring 14a is provided such that it acts along the actuator between the latter and the housing 1, in a spring receiving chamber 29 made especially for it in the housing portion 3.
Represented in figure 3 is a further embodiment of an implant according to the invention. This differs from that explained on the basis of figure 1 only in that the permanent magnet portion 18a of the actuator 11 has a greater diameter than, in particular, the actuator part led out from the opening 12 of the housing 1. The permanent magnet part 18a lies in a transmission chamber 31 that is adapted in its increased diameter and is located in the housing portion 3. It is consequently possible independently of the geometrical design of the actuator 11 led outward into the middle ear, to dimension the permanent magnet portion 18a in a way corresponding to the desired magnetic transmission conditions.
According to figure 4, not an electromagnetic drive but a piezoelectric drive is installed on the housing 1 of the implant according to the invention. The housing of the implant is shaped in substantially the same way as already explained on the basis of figures 1 to 3. In the drive part 3 of the housing 1,the piezoelectric drive 33 is installed and - as represented at 35 -coupled directly to the actuator 11.
According to figure 5, provided on an implant 10 according to the invention, as explained on the basis of figures 1 to 4, there are preferably anchoring formations 35 for soft tissue, or in figure 6 anchoring formations 37 for bone tissue.
In figures 8a to 8e, end portions of the housing part 5 of narrowed diameter are represented, with the opening 12 from which the respective actuator 11 protrudes into the middle ear MO. Also represented here in schematized form are the auditory canal 21, eardrum 22, hammer 23, anvil 25 and stirrup 40 with the oval window 42. According to figure 8a, the actuator 11 led out coaxially from the portion 5 is coupled in terms of movement, for example by a clip or in some other known manner, to the hammer 23, according to figure 8b to the anvil 25, while the actuator 11 according to figure 8c is bent away at the end and coupled in terms of movement to the stirrup 40. As can be seen from figures 8d and 8e, it is readily possible, however, to bend the end region of the narrowed housing part 5 and/or the end region of the actuator 11 away from the axis A according to figure 1, [lacuna] with the housing part 5 bent away, to make the corresponding end region of the actuator 11 of a flexible design, for example formed as a cable end piece.
Looking back at figure 1, the implant according to the invention in a preferred embodiment is dimensioned as follows: the length 1 between the coupling end 22 of the actuator 11 and the end of the housing 1 remote from said actuator is chosen in the following range:
8 mm _ 1 S 30 mm, with preference in the range 8 mm _ 1<_ 15 mm, typically at around 13 mm.
and the greatest diameter D of the housing 1 in the following range::
2 mm <_ D< 5 mm, with preference 2 mm <_ D_ 4 mm, typically at around 3 mm.
It must be emphasized here that the vibration excursion performed in practice by the actuator 11 is so small that it is negligible with respect to the mentioned length 1.
With the implant proposed according to the invention in itself, or installed in the ear, only minor surgical interventions are performed on the ear, substantially on the outer ear side just for anchoring the implant housing and on the middle ear side for anchoring the actuator at the intended place. The transmission of movement from the housing on the outer ear side to the end of the actuator on the middle ear side requires an only small passageway through the eardrum region.
figures 8a to 8c schematically show the coupling of the actuator end to the hammer, anvil or stirrup with a correspondingly mechanically guided actuator;
figure 8d shows an alternative coupling possibility and geometrical design of the actuator on the anvil, and figure 8e shows further actuator guidance and hammer coupling.
The implant 10 has a substantially cylindrical housing 1 with an axis A. A portion 3 of relatively large diameter is adjoined by actuator guiding portions 5 that are greatly narrowed by comparison, via substantially frustoconically narrowing transitional portions 7. The housing 1 is designed in the form of a small tube and has a coaxial guiding bore 9 for an actuator 11. The bore extends from a housing opening 12 at the end through virtually the entire housing 1.
The rod-shaped actuator 11 is mounted in a sliding manner in this bore 9 and is sprung by means of a spring 14 with respect to the housing 1 and at the end according to figure 1. Installed in the housing part 3, coaxially with respect to the axis A, is a coil arrangement 16, the magnetic field of which is in operative connection with a permanent magnet region 18 on the actuator 11. Electrical terminals 20 are led to the outside toward the end of the housing 1 remote from the opening 12. The end of the actuator 11 protruding out of the opening 12 is provided with a coupling device, as represented a clip 22, if it is, for example, to be coupled to an ossicle in the middle ear.
Used as the material, in particular of the housing portions which are to be embedded on or in the body tissue, as still to be explained, is a biocompatible material, such as for example titanium, platinum, tantalum, plastics such as polyethylenes, hydroxylapatites, ceramics or types of glass.
In a known manner, it is endeavored here to minimize the stray field of the coil arrangement 16, for example by embedding the coil arrangement in a casing (not represented) of ferromagnetic material.
With respect to the actuator, it must be taken into account that it should transmit mechanical vibrations, if at all possible without any distortions, in the longitudinal direction, and consequently great rigidity in this direction is required. Perpendicular to the longitudinal direction, the actuator may well be exposed to shearing forces during operation, for which reason it should have a certain elasticity and a relatively high rupture resistance in this direction.
At least that part of the actuator which is exposed with respect to body tissue should, furthermore, likewise be produced from biocompatible material.
Mainly coming into consideration as materials for the production of the actuator or parts thereof are therefore metals, such as for example titanium, tantalum, nitinol, etc.
By applying to the supply leads 20 the output-side signal of an acoustic-electrical transducer, which is attached for example outside the ear in a way similar wo 01/28288 PCT/CHOO/00691 to an out-of-ear hearing device, the coil arrangement 16 is excited and the magnetic field concentrated in the region of the axis A makes the actuator 11 undergo the corresponding vibrations via the permanent magnet portion 18. These vibrations are transmitted by the actuator 11 into the middle ear, for example and in a preferred embodiment on one of the ossicles. Before further embodiments of the implant according to the invention are presented, the implant fitted in the ear according to the invention will be explained on the basis of figure 7. In figure 7:
21 designates the region of the auditory canal on the eardrum side 22 designates the eardrum 23 designates the "hammer" ossicle designates the "anvil" ossicle.
According to the invention, the implant 10, explained in a preferred embodiment on the basis of figure 1, is 20 fitted with its housing 1 in a way according to figure 1 on the auditory canal side of the eardrum 22, i.e. on the outer ear, as represented preferably embedded in the tissue surrounding the auditory canal. The actuator, and if appropriate the provided guiding 25 portion 5 of reduced diameter, which is facing the opening 12 according to figure 1, is passed through the eardrum region, so that the end of the actuator 11 reaches into the middle ear and is operatively connected there, as represented by way of example in figure 7, to one of the ossicles, preferably the continuation of the anvil 25. The electrical supply leads 20, not represented in figure 7, are led to the outside in the auditory canal, lying on the outside along its wall, or are embedded to a small depth into the tissue surrounding the auditory canal. On account of the only small passageway for the actuator 11 according to figure 1, from the outer ear into the middle ear, and the coupling there of the actuator end to one of the ossicles, for example, and also on account of the small-volume, longitudinally extended formation of the implant housing with the drive, it is possible to install the implant with only minimal invasive interventions.
Represented in figure 2 is a further embodiment of an implant according to the invention, which differs only with respect to the arrangement of the spring 14a described on the basis of figure 1. Instead of a spring 14 which - according to figure 1 - acts on one end of the actuator 11, according to figure 2 a spring 14a is provided such that it acts along the actuator between the latter and the housing 1, in a spring receiving chamber 29 made especially for it in the housing portion 3.
Represented in figure 3 is a further embodiment of an implant according to the invention. This differs from that explained on the basis of figure 1 only in that the permanent magnet portion 18a of the actuator 11 has a greater diameter than, in particular, the actuator part led out from the opening 12 of the housing 1. The permanent magnet part 18a lies in a transmission chamber 31 that is adapted in its increased diameter and is located in the housing portion 3. It is consequently possible independently of the geometrical design of the actuator 11 led outward into the middle ear, to dimension the permanent magnet portion 18a in a way corresponding to the desired magnetic transmission conditions.
According to figure 4, not an electromagnetic drive but a piezoelectric drive is installed on the housing 1 of the implant according to the invention. The housing of the implant is shaped in substantially the same way as already explained on the basis of figures 1 to 3. In the drive part 3 of the housing 1,the piezoelectric drive 33 is installed and - as represented at 35 -coupled directly to the actuator 11.
According to figure 5, provided on an implant 10 according to the invention, as explained on the basis of figures 1 to 4, there are preferably anchoring formations 35 for soft tissue, or in figure 6 anchoring formations 37 for bone tissue.
In figures 8a to 8e, end portions of the housing part 5 of narrowed diameter are represented, with the opening 12 from which the respective actuator 11 protrudes into the middle ear MO. Also represented here in schematized form are the auditory canal 21, eardrum 22, hammer 23, anvil 25 and stirrup 40 with the oval window 42. According to figure 8a, the actuator 11 led out coaxially from the portion 5 is coupled in terms of movement, for example by a clip or in some other known manner, to the hammer 23, according to figure 8b to the anvil 25, while the actuator 11 according to figure 8c is bent away at the end and coupled in terms of movement to the stirrup 40. As can be seen from figures 8d and 8e, it is readily possible, however, to bend the end region of the narrowed housing part 5 and/or the end region of the actuator 11 away from the axis A according to figure 1, [lacuna] with the housing part 5 bent away, to make the corresponding end region of the actuator 11 of a flexible design, for example formed as a cable end piece.
Looking back at figure 1, the implant according to the invention in a preferred embodiment is dimensioned as follows: the length 1 between the coupling end 22 of the actuator 11 and the end of the housing 1 remote from said actuator is chosen in the following range:
8 mm _ 1 S 30 mm, with preference in the range 8 mm _ 1<_ 15 mm, typically at around 13 mm.
and the greatest diameter D of the housing 1 in the following range::
2 mm <_ D< 5 mm, with preference 2 mm <_ D_ 4 mm, typically at around 3 mm.
It must be emphasized here that the vibration excursion performed in practice by the actuator 11 is so small that it is negligible with respect to the mentioned length 1.
With the implant proposed according to the invention in itself, or installed in the ear, only minor surgical interventions are performed on the ear, substantially on the outer ear side just for anchoring the implant housing and on the middle ear side for anchoring the actuator at the intended place. The transmission of movement from the housing on the outer ear side to the end of the actuator on the middle ear side requires an only small passageway through the eardrum region.
Claims (25)
1. A hearing aid implant comprising:
a housing;
an actuator having an end, wherein the actuator is mounted in the housing so that the actuator can move in relation to the housing; and an electromechanical drive transducer working between the housing and the actuator, wherein the housing is attached on or in the wall of an auditory canal and a movement of the actuator within the housing is transmitted by the actuator to the end, and further wherein the motion of the transducer is on or about the same axis as the motion of the end.
a housing;
an actuator having an end, wherein the actuator is mounted in the housing so that the actuator can move in relation to the housing; and an electromechanical drive transducer working between the housing and the actuator, wherein the housing is attached on or in the wall of an auditory canal and a movement of the actuator within the housing is transmitted by the actuator to the end, and further wherein the motion of the transducer is on or about the same axis as the motion of the end.
2. A hearing aid implant for mounting in an ear, the implant comprising a housing (1), an actuator (11) mounted in the housing so that the actuator can move in relation to the housing and an electromechanical drive transducer (16, 33) working between the housing (1) and the actuator (11), wherein the housing (1) is attached on or in the wall of an auditory canal and a movement of the actuator within the housing is transmitted by the actuator to a substantially equal movement of an end of the actuator.
3. The hearing aid implant in claim 1 wherein the end of the actuator is anchored to one of ossicles.
4. The hearing aid implant in claim 1, wherein the electromechanical drive transducer has an electrical input stage (16) that is attached to the housing.
5. The hearing aid implant in claim 1, wherein the electromechanical drive transducer is an electromagnetic drive transducer.
6. The hearing aid implant in claim 1, wherein the housing is designed to be tubular in shape and has an aperture (12) on at least one of its front sides.
7. The hearing aid implant in claim 6, wherein a coil arrangement (16) is provided on the housing (1), and the actuator (11) is mounted with a slide bearing in the coil with a permanent magnet part (18).
8. The hearing aid implant in claim 7, wherein electrical input lines (20) to the electromechanical drive transducer run along the wall of the auditory canal or in an adjacent tissue or bone.
9. The hearing aid implant in claim 7, wherein the electromechanical drive transducer is a piezoelectric drive transducer.
10. The hearing aid implant in claim 7, wherein the actuator is spring-mounted (14, 14a) so it can move in relation to the housing.
11. The hearing aid implant in claim 7, wherein the housing has a part (5) whose diameter is tapered toward the aperture (12).
12. The hearing aid implant in claim 7, wherein the housing has the shape of a rotating body and is cylindrical.
13. The hearing aid implant in claim 7, wherein anchoring organs (35, 37) on the housing are provided to anchor it in the body tissue or bone.
14. The hearing aid implant in claim 7, wherein the length (1) between the effective end of the actuator and the end of the housing facing away from it lies in the range of 8 mm to 30 mm.
15. The hearing aid implant in claim 14, wherein said length is in the range of 8 mm to 15 mm.
16. The hearing aid implant in claim 15, wherein said length is approximately in the range of 13 mm.
17. The hearing aid implant in claim 7, wherein the maximum diameter of the housing (d) lies in the range of 2 mm to 5 mm.
18. The hearing aid implant in claim 17, wherein said maximum diameter is in the range of 2 mm to 4 mm,
19. The hearing aid implant in claim 18, wherein said maximum diameter is approximately in the range of 3 mm.
20. A hearing aid implant comprising a housing (1), an actuator mounted on it so it can move in relation to the housing (1), and an electromechanical drive transducer working between the housing (1) and the actuator (11), characterized by the fact that the housing is designed to be tubular in shape and has an aperture (12) on at least one of its front sides, and the actuator (11) is mounted so it can move in the housing and projects through the aperture (12), and wherein the actuator (11) has a coupling arrangement (22) for one of ossicles on its end facing away from the housing (1).
21. The hearing aid implant in claim 20, wherein the electromechanical drive transducer is an electromagnetic drive transducer.
22. The hearing aid implant in claim 20, wherein the electromechanical drive transducer is a piezo drive transducer.
23. The hearing aid implant in claim 20, wherein a coil arrangement (16) coaxial to the axis of the housing is provided on the housing (1) with electrical connections (20) that run to the outside and by the fact that the actuator (11) has a permanent magnet part (18) that is slide-mounted in the housing (1).
24. The hearing aid implant in claim 20, wherein anchoring organs (35, 37) like ribs are provided on the outside of the housing (1) to anchor the implant in a wall tissue or bone of an auditory canal.
25. The hearing aid implant of claim 23, wherein the permanent magnet is spring mounted (14, 14a) in the housing (1).
Applications Claiming Priority (1)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| PCT/CH2000/000691 WO2001028288A2 (en) | 2000-12-29 | 2000-12-29 | Hearing aid implant which is arranged in the ear |
Publications (2)
| Publication Number | Publication Date |
|---|---|
| CA2398092A1 CA2398092A1 (en) | 2001-04-19 |
| CA2398092C true CA2398092C (en) | 2010-02-16 |
Family
ID=4358165
Family Applications (1)
| Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA2398092A Expired - Fee Related CA2398092C (en) | 2000-12-29 | 2000-12-29 | Hearing aid implant which is arranged in the ear |
Country Status (3)
| Country | Link |
|---|---|
| JP (1) | JP2003511939A (en) |
| AU (1) | AU782322B2 (en) |
| CA (1) | CA2398092C (en) |
Family Cites Families (2)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| EP0936840A1 (en) * | 1998-02-16 | 1999-08-18 | Daniel F. àWengen | Implantable hearing aid |
| US6077215A (en) * | 1998-10-08 | 2000-06-20 | Implex Gmbh Spezialhorgerate | Method for coupling an electromechanical transducer of an implantable hearing aid or tinnitus masker to a middle ear ossicle |
-
2000
- 2000-12-29 CA CA2398092A patent/CA2398092C/en not_active Expired - Fee Related
- 2000-12-29 AU AU19810/01A patent/AU782322B2/en not_active Ceased
- 2000-12-29 JP JP2001529703A patent/JP2003511939A/en active Pending
Also Published As
| Publication number | Publication date |
|---|---|
| AU1981001A (en) | 2001-04-23 |
| JP2003511939A (en) | 2003-03-25 |
| CA2398092A1 (en) | 2001-04-19 |
| AU782322B2 (en) | 2005-07-21 |
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| Date | Code | Title | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| EEER | Examination request | ||
| MKLA | Lapsed |
Effective date: 20121231 |