DE102011013895B4 - Implantable sensor-actuator-converter module for hearing rehabilitation according to DE 10 2009 051 057 B4 - Google Patents

Abstract

Implantable sensor-actuator converter module for hearing rehabilitation in the middle ear according to DE 10 2009 051 057 B4, consisting of a sensor for recording vibrations from the ossicular chain and converting it into an electrical signal and an actuator for converting electrical signals into mechanical vibrations and initiating the mechanical vibrations in the ossicular chain, at least part of the sensor (11) being mechanically connected to at least part of the actuator (12), the sensor (11) for amplifying the electrical signal with an electronic processing unit (10) and for controlling the actuator (12) the electronic processing unit (10) has an electrical connection (9) with the actuator, and means are provided for decoupling the mechanical feedback effects of the actuator (12) on the sensor (11) which have a function of the actuator (12) produce the opposite effect on the sensor (11) and thereby the effect of the actuator (12 ) on the sensor (11), characterized in that a cylindrical body (11b) is provided, an open side of the cylindrical body is covered with an oscillatable membrane that is connected to a sensor element (11a), the opposite side of the cylindrical body is connected to a second housing part in the form of a cylindrical body (12b), the open side of the second cylindrical body being covered by a further oscillatable membrane which is connected to an actuator element (12a) and an active element ( 13) is arranged.

Description

The invention relates to an implantable sensor-actuator-converter module for hearing rehabilitation in the middle ear according to the preamble of claim 1 and according to DE 10 2009 051 057 B4 .

In addition to conventional hearing aids, passive or active implants are used to treat hearing impairments to reduce or compensate for the hearing loss. The active components increasingly include implantable hearing systems.

Partially and fully implantable hearing aids are used, on the one hand, to treat inner ear hearing loss and / or sound sensation disorders. Compared to conventional hearing aids, they usually offer the following advantages: no closure of the auditory canal (hindrance of the auditory canal secretion and change in hearing of one's own voice); higher gain especially in the high frequency range; no externally visible components and therefore no stigmatization. On the other hand, partially and fully implantable hearing aids, alongside bone-anchored hearing aids, are the only way to treat combined hearing disorders consisting of sound conduction and sound sensation disorders.
All known systems work with separate components for the sensor and the actuator. The sensors are z. T. microphones as used in conventional hearing aids (partially implantable systems) or sensors that are implanted under the skin or in the middle ear (fully implantable systems). In all systems with an implanted actuator, the processed and amplified signal is fed directly into the ossicular chain or transmitted to the fluid in the inner ear. The systems differ in terms of the types used and the placement of the sensors and actuators.

From the publication Huber, A. M .; Ball, G. R .; Veraguth, D .; Dillier, N .; Bodmer, D. & Sequeira, D. A new implantable middle ear hearing device for mixed hearing loss: A feasibility study in human temporal bones. Otol Neurotol, 2006, 27, 1104-1109 a partially implantable hearing aid is known. The sensor is an airborne sound microphone attached to the outside of the ear. The actuator is an electrodynamic transducer that is attached to the long process of the incus with a clip or placed on the stapes footplate or the round window and held in position with pieces of cartilage.

Another partially implantable hearing aid is from the publication Yanagihara N, Sato H, Hinohira Y, Gyo K, Hori K. Long-term results using a piezoelectric semi-implantable middle ear hearing device: the Rion Device E-type. Otolaryngol Clin North Am. Apr 2001; 34 (2): 389-400 became known. The sensor is an airborne sound microphone attached to the outside of the ear. The actuator is a piezoelectric transducer that is screwed into the bone of the tympanic cavity. The output signal of the actuator is transmitted to the stapes via a coupling element.

A fully implantable hearing aid is from the publication Zenner HP, Leysieffer H, Maassen M, Lehner R, Lenarz T, Baumann J. Human studies of a piezoelectric transducer and a microphone for a totally implantable electronic hearing device. At J Otol. Mar 2000; 21 (2): 196-204 became known. The sensor is a specially encapsulated airborne microphone that is implanted in the wall of the ear canal behind the skin. The actuator is a piezoelectric transducer that is screwed into the bone of the mastoid. The output signal of the actuator is transmitted to the ossicles (anvil body) via a coupling element.

Another fully implantable hearing aid is in the publication Chen DA, Backous DD, Arriaga MA, Garvin R, Kobylek D, Littman T. Phase 1 clinical trial results of the Envoy System: a totally implantable middle ear device for sensorineural hearing loss. Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg. Dec 2004; 131 (6): 904-16. The sensor and actuator are piezoelectric transducers, each fixed or screwed in the bone space. The sensor signal is picked up at the hammer head or anvil body. The output signal of the actuator is transmitted to the stapes via a coupling element. The ossicular chain is interrupted to reduce feedback.

In Jenkins HA, Niparko JK, Slattery WH, Neely JG, Fredrickson JM. Otologics Middle Ear Transducer Ossicular Stimulator: performance results with varying degrees of sensorineural hearing loss. Acta Otolaryngol. May 2004; 124 (4): 391-4 a fully implantable hearing aid is also described. The sensor is a specially encapsulated airborne microphone that is implanted under the scalp together with the audio processor. The actuator is a piezoelectric transducer that is attached to the bone of the skullcap. The output signal of the actuator is transmitted to the ossicles via various coupling elements.

In the applicant's patent applications DE 10 2004 038 078 A1 , DE 100 30 372 A1 and DE 103 01 723 A1 implantable piezoelectric transducers are described both as sensors and actuators.

In US 7,239,069 B2 and WO 2006/075169 A1 implantable piezoelectric actuators are described that are not anchored in the bone space. The underlying principle of action is based on these Actuators, however, on a movement of the overall actuator. By attaching the actuator to the ossicle chain, the movement of the actuator is transmitted to the ossicles. A direct connection between such an actuator and a sensor is not described.

In US 2003/0161481 A1 describes an actuator that can be implanted in the middle ear of a user and that can introduce mechanical vibrations into the ossicular chain. A compensation for the mechanical reaction of the actuator can be provided.

A sensor-actuator-converter module corresponding to the preamble of claim 1 is from DE 10 2009 051 057 B4 known.
There is an implantable sensor-actuator-converter module for hearing rehabilitation in the middle ear, consisting of a sensor for recording vibrations from the ossicular chain and converting it into an electrical signal and an actuator for converting electrical signals into mechanical vibrations and introducing the mechanical vibrations into the Ossicular chain described. The sensor-actuator converter module is characterized in that at least one part of the sensor is mechanically connected to at least one part of the actuator, the sensor for amplifying the electrical signal with an electronic processing unit and for controlling the actuator the electronic processing unit with the actuator is an electrical one Has connection, and means are provided for decoupling the mechanical reactions of the actuator on the sensor, which generate an opposite effect of the actuator on the sensor of the same size and thereby cancel the effect of the actuator on the sensor.

It is now the object of the invention, for the from DE 10 2009 051 057 B4 known transducers indicate further versions, in which sensor and actuator are combined, and the measures to avoid acoustic feedback are solved particularly effectively.

According to the invention, the object is achieved by a converter with the features mentioned in claim 1 or 2. Advantageous refinements are the subject of subclaims.

According to a first variant, the object of the invention is achieved in that a cylindrical body is provided, an open side of the cylindrical body is covered with an oscillatable membrane that is connected to a sensor, the opposite side of the cylindrical body with a second housing part in the form a cylindrical body is connected with the same base area, the open side of the second cylindrical body being covered by a further oscillatable membrane which is connected to an actuator and an active element is arranged between the two cylindrical bodies.

According to a second variant, the object of the invention is achieved in that a cylindrical body is provided, an open side of the cylindrical body is covered with an oscillatable membrane which is connected to a sensor, the opposite side is covered by a further oscillatable membrane which is connected to an actuator and an active element is arranged within the cylindrical body, which is connected to the cylindrical body and additional mass elements and, as a virtual counter-bearing, generates a dynamic counterforce to the actuator element.

Active elements as means for generating an opposite effect are advantageously designed as piezoelectric elements in the form of bending, longitudinal and thickness converters and combinations thereof and in combination with mechanical deflection elements.

Furthermore, acceleration sensors are advantageously arranged on one or both cylindrical bodies, which are provided to control the active elements to generate an opposite effect.

The active elements are controlled in such a way that they generate an effect that is opposite to the effect of the actuator on the sensor, which differs in amount by up to 20%, thereby reducing the effect of the actuator on the sensor.

The active elements are advantageously controlled in such a way that they generate an effect that is approximately the same in magnitude opposite to the effect of the actuator on the sensor and thereby reduce the effect of the actuator on the sensor.

• 1 eine schematische Darstellung eines implantierten Sensor-Aktor-Wandlerbausteins entsprechend DE 10 2009 051 057 B4
• 2 eine erste Ausführung eines implantierbaren Sensor-Aktor-Wandlerbausteins
• 3 eine zweite Ausführung eines implantierbaren Sensor-Aktor-Wandlerbausteins
• 4 eine dritte Ausführung eines implantierbaren Sensor-Aktor-Wandlerbausteins

The invention is explained in more detail below on the basis of exemplary embodiments. In the drawings show:

• 1 a schematic representation of an implanted sensor-actuator-converter module accordingly DE 10 2009 051 057 B4
• 2 a first embodiment of an implantable sensor-actuator-converter module
• 3 a second embodiment of an implantable sensor-actuator-converter module
• 4th a third embodiment of an implantable sensor-actuator-converter module

1 shows a schematic representation of an implanted sensor-actuator-converter module accordingly DE 10 2009 051 057 B4 .

The free sound from the environment reaches the eardrum 2 via the external ear canal 1 . Here the airborne sound vibrations are transformed into structural vibrations of the eardrum and the ossicles (auditory ossicles) of the middle ear. The ossicle hammer 3 , Anvil 4th and stirrups 6th transmit the vibrations in the healthy ear via the stapes footplate 7th in the oval window on the fluid in the cochlea. They take on the function of converting airborne sound into vibrations in the fluid column of the inner ear with little loss 8th while at the same time they largely keep away static pressure changes and very high sound pressures.
The sensor-actuator-converter module 5 is inserted between two ossicles or remnants of ossicles; preferably in the joint space between the anvil 4th and stirrups 6th . The sensor 11 receives the vibrations from the anvil 4th and delivers an electrical signal proportional to the received vibration amplitudes. This signal comes through an electrical connection 9 to an electronic processing unit 10 , which also contains the power supply. In this electronic processing unit 10 the signal processing, including amplification and filtering, and the electrical signals for the actuator 12 and the active elements 13 and 14th of the sensor-actuator-converter module 5 generated and via an electrical connection 9 transferred to this.

In the 2 a first embodiment of the sensor-actuator-converter module according to the invention is shown, with both the sensor-side housing part 11b as well as the actuator-side housing part 12b are designed as a cylindrical body. Sensor element 11a and actuator element 12a are connected to the respective housing parts via vibrating membranes. There is an active element between the two housing parts 13 for feedback suppression. On the two housing parts 11b and 12b are still accelerometers 15th attached to the control of the active element 13 can be used.

3 shows a second embodiment of the sensor-actuator-converter module according to the invention, wherein the sensor element 11a and actuator element 12a Via vibratory membranes with a housing part 11b are connected. Inside the housing is a with the housing 11b connected active element 14th , which is a dynamic counterforce to the actuator element 12a generated and thus acts as a virtual counter bearing or active dynamic increase in mass.

4th corresponds to the in 2 described execution of the sensor-actuator-converter module, wherein the active element 13 is designed as a surface oscillator and the force of the active element is implemented via a mechanical lever in the direction of the axis of symmetry of the converter module.

List of reference symbols

1 -

Ear canal

2 -

eardrum

3 -

hammer

4 -

anvil

5 -

Sensor-actuator-converter module

6 -

stirrup

7 -

Stirrup footplate

8th -

Fluid column of the inner ear

9 -

electrical connection

10 -

electronic processing unit

11 -

sensor

11a -

Sensor element

11b -

Housing part

11c -

Storage part

12 -

Actuator

12a -

Actuator element

12b -

Housing part

13 -

active element

14 -

active element

15 -

Accelerometer

16 -

Mass element

Claims (5)

Implantable sensor-actuator converter module for hearing rehabilitation in the middle ear according to DE 10 2009 051 057 B4, consisting of a sensor for recording vibrations from the ossicular chain and converting it into an electrical signal and an actuator for converting electrical signals into mechanical vibrations and initiating the mechanical vibrations in the ossicular chain, at least part of the sensor (11) being mechanically connected to at least part of the actuator (12), the sensor (11) for amplifying the electrical signal with an electronic processing unit (10) and for controlling the actuator (12) the electronic processing unit (10) has an electrical connection (9) with the actuator, and for decoupling the mechanical reactions of the actuator (12) on the sensor (11) means are provided which generate an effect opposite to the effect of the actuator (12) on the sensor (11) and thereby cancel the effect of the actuator (12) on the sensor (11), characterized in that a cylindrical body (11b) is provided, an open side of the cylindrical body is covered with an oscillatable membrane which is connected to a sensor element (11a), the opposite side of the cylindrical body with a second housing part in the form of a cylindrical body (12b) is connected, wherein the open side of the second cylindrical body is covered by a further oscillatable membrane which is connected to an actuator element (12a) and an active element (13) is arranged between the two cylindrical bodies. Implantable sensor-actuator converter module for hearing rehabilitation in the middle ear according to DE 10 2009 051 057 B4, consisting of a sensor for recording vibrations from the ossicular chain and converting it into an electrical signal and an actuator for converting electrical signals into mechanical vibrations and initiating the mechanical vibrations in the ossicular chain, at least part of the sensor (11) being mechanically connected to at least part of the actuator (12), the sensor (11) for amplifying the electrical signal with an electronic processing unit (10) and for controlling the actuator (12) the electronic processing unit (10) has an electrical connection (9) with the actuator, and means are provided for decoupling the mechanical feedback effects of the actuator (12) on the sensor (11) which have a function of the actuator (12) produce the opposite effect on the sensor (11) and thereby the effect of the actuator (12 ) on the sensor (11), characterized in that a cylindrical body (11b) is provided, one open side of the cylindrical body is covered with an oscillatable membrane which is connected to a sensor element (11a), the opposite side by means of another oscillatable membrane is covered, which is connected to an actuator element (12a) and an active element (14) is arranged within the cylindrical body, which is connected to the cylindrical body and additional mass elements (16) and as a virtual counter-bearing a dynamic counterforce to the actuator element (12a) generated. Implantable sensor-actuator-converter module according to Claim 1 or 2 , characterized in that active elements (13, 14) are designed as means for generating an opposite effect as piezoelectric elements in the form of bending, longitudinal and thickness converters and combinations thereof and in combination with mechanical deflection elements. Implantable sensor-actuator-converter module according to one of the Claims 1 to 3 , characterized in that acceleration sensors (15) are arranged on one or both cylindrical bodies (11b, 12b) which are provided for controlling the active elements (13, 14) to generate an opposite effect. Implantable sensor-actuator-converter module according to one of the Claims 1 to 4th , characterized in that the active elements (13, 14) generate an opposite effect to the effect of the actuator (12) on the sensor (11) which differs in amount by up to 20% and thereby the effect of the actuator (12) on the sensor (11) reduce.

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