JP2004289219A - Hearing aid and living body vibrator - Google Patents

Hearing aid and living body vibrator Download PDF

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Publication number
JP2004289219A
JP2004289219A JP2003075477A JP2003075477A JP2004289219A JP 2004289219 A JP2004289219 A JP 2004289219A JP 2003075477 A JP2003075477 A JP 2003075477A JP 2003075477 A JP2003075477 A JP 2003075477A JP 2004289219 A JP2004289219 A JP 2004289219A
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Prior art keywords
hearing aid
vibrator
drive unit
bone
skull
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JP2003075477A
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Japanese (ja)
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JP4587195B2 (en
Inventor
Yuji Hosoi
裕司 細井
Yoshiaki Watanabe
好章 渡辺
Takashi Sakaguchi
剛史 阪口
Seiji Nakagawa
誠司 中川
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National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology AIST
Nara Prefecture
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National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology AIST
Nara Prefecture
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Priority to JP2003075477A priority Critical patent/JP4587195B2/en
Priority to PCT/JP2004/003462 priority patent/WO2004084583A1/en
Publication of JP2004289219A publication Critical patent/JP2004289219A/en
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    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04R—LOUDSPEAKERS, MICROPHONES, GRAMOPHONE PICK-UPS OR LIKE ACOUSTIC ELECTROMECHANICAL TRANSDUCERS; DEAF-AID SETS; PUBLIC ADDRESS SYSTEMS
    • H04R25/00—Deaf-aid sets, i.e. electro-acoustic or electro-mechanical hearing aids; Electric tinnitus maskers providing an auditory perception
    • 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
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04R—LOUDSPEAKERS, MICROPHONES, GRAMOPHONE PICK-UPS OR LIKE ACOUSTIC ELECTROMECHANICAL TRANSDUCERS; DEAF-AID SETS; PUBLIC ADDRESS SYSTEMS
    • H04R2225/00—Details of deaf aids covered by H04R25/00, not provided for in any of its subgroups
    • H04R2225/67—Implantable hearing aids or parts thereof not covered by H04R25/606
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04R—LOUDSPEAKERS, MICROPHONES, GRAMOPHONE PICK-UPS OR LIKE ACOUSTIC ELECTROMECHANICAL TRANSDUCERS; DEAF-AID SETS; PUBLIC ADDRESS SYSTEMS
    • H04R2460/00—Details of hearing devices, i.e. of ear- or headphones covered by H04R1/10 or H04R5/033 but not provided for in any of their subgroups, or of hearing aids covered by H04R25/00 but not provided for in any of its subgroups
    • H04R2460/13—Hearing devices using bone conduction transducers

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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)
  • Headphones And Earphones (AREA)
  • Details Of Audible-Bandwidth Transducers (AREA)

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To solve the disadvantage in which a conventional hearing aid is conspicuous because an external device such as a microphone, a voice processing device or a vibrator driving section must be arranged near a head or one of ears. <P>SOLUTION: A hearing aid driving section provided with a vibrator is embedded in a skull, and the hearing aid driving section is coated with a titanium etc.to transmit a driving signal to the vibrator with a fine cord. Alternatively, the hearing aid driving section is provided with an antenna to send a transmission signal for the vibrator to the antenna by radio communication. In this case, the vibrator is constituted so as to contain bone marrow components. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2005,JPO&NCIPI

Description

【０００１】
【発明の属する技術分野】
本発明は、補聴器に関し、とくに美容に優れた補聴器およびそのための生体振動子に関する。
【０００２】
【従来の技術】
従来、補聴器としては、（ａ）外耳に挿入して音波を発生させて使用する周知のもの、（ｂ）振動子を、皮膚を介して、頭部や耳の横の骨に当てて骨導音を発生させて使用するものがある。補聴器とは異なる原理のものとしては、（ｃ）内耳の蝸牛部に電極を挿入して電気信号を神経に直接与えて使用するものがある。また、（ｄ）チタンをコーティングしたボルトを、ボルトの頭が皮膚の外部に出るように、耳の後部の骨に差し込む手術を行ない、皮膚の外に出たボルトの頭に、体外装置により振動を与えて、骨導音を発生させて使用する補聴器も知られている。以上のように、難聴者のための聴力補助には、種々のものが使用されている。
【０００３】
（ｂ）としては、（株）センサーのザ・響き（笑耳君）が知られている（非特許文献１を参照）。
【０００４】
（ｃ）としては、コクレア（ｃｏｃｈｌｅａｒ）社のＮ２４が知られている（非特許文献２を参照）。
【０００５】
（ｄ）としては、ｅｎｔｉｆｉｃ社のＢｏｎｅＡｎｃｈｏｒｅｄＨｅａｒｉｎｇＡｉｄが知られている（非特許文献３を参照）。
【０００６】
また、これらの補聴器に与える信号としては、通常の音声信号の場合もあるが、超音波信号が使用できることが分かりつつある。音声周波数領域の信号でキャリア信号を変調した超音波信号を振動として与えると、通常の音声信号を聴き取ることができない重度の難聴者が、音を検知できることが示されている（特許文献１を参照）。
【０００７】
また、音声周波数領域の信号でキャリア信号を変調した超音波信号を超音波振動子により、人の皮膚、筋肉、骨を介して脳の聴覚野に伝える補聴器が示されている（特許文献２を参照）。
【０００８】
【非特許文献１】ザ・響き（笑耳君）、（株）センサー社カタログ、「平成１４年１１月５日検索」、インターネット＜ＵＲＬ：ｈｔｔｐ：／／ｗｗｗ．ｓｅｎｓｏｒ−ｔｋ．ｃｏ．ｊｐ／ｐｒｏｄｕｃｔ／ｈｉｂｉｋｉ／ｈｉｂｉｋｉ＿ｓｉｙｏｕ．ｈｔｍ＞
【非特許文献２】野村恭也，小松崎篤，本庄巌 総編集 「ＣＬＩＥＮＴ２１ −２１世紀耳鼻咽喉科領域の臨床− ７巻．補聴器と人工内耳」 株式会社 中山書店 ２００１年６月２５日、Ｐ２０５
【非特許文献３】ＢＡＨＡ（ｔｍ），Ｐａｔｉｅｎｔ Ｉｎｆｏｒｍａｔｉｏｎ、ｅｎｔｉｆｉｃ社カタログ、「平成１４年１０月１３日検索」、インターネット＜ＵＲＬ：ｈｔｔｐ：／／ｗｗｗ．ｅｎｔｉｆｉｃ．ｃｏｍ／ｂａｈａ＿ｉｎｆｏ／ｐａｔｉｎｆｏ．ｈｔｍ＞
【特許文献１】
特開平１０−２６２９５４号公報（第４頁、図１）
【特許文献２】
特開２０００−３２０７９９号公報（第３〜５頁、図１）
【０００９】
【発明が解決しようとする課題】
これまで知られている上記のような補聴器では、いずれ例でも、マイクロフォン、音声処理回路、振動子駆動部などの外部装置を、頭や耳の付近に配置する必要があり、目立つため、美容上の改善が望まれていた。
【００１０】
【課題を解決するための手段】
上記の課題を解決するために、以下のような手段を採用する。
（１）振動子を備えた補聴駆動部を頭蓋骨に埋め込んだ補聴器とする。
（２）振動子を備えた補聴駆動部を頭蓋骨の表面に接して設けるか、頭蓋骨の表面に穴を掘って補聴駆動部を穴に設置し、補聴器駆動部が頭皮により覆われるようにした補聴器とする。
（３）補聴駆動部をコーティングした（１）または（２）に記載の補聴器とする。
（４）コーティング材料がチタンを含む材料であることを特徴とする（３）に記載の補聴器とする。
（５）振動子に超音波信号を伝達することを特徴とする（１）から（４）に記載の補聴器とする。
（６）振動子に超音波信号を細いコードにより伝達することを特徴とする（５）に記載の補聴器とする。
（７）補聴駆動部はアンテナを備え、振動子用の伝達情報を、無線通信によりアンテナに送ることを特徴とする（１）から（４）に記載の補聴器とする。
（８）振動子は骨髄の成分を含むことを特徴とする（１）から（７）いずれかに記載の補聴器とする。
（９）振動子に骨髄の成分を含ませたことを特徴とする生体振動子を用いる。
【００１１】
【発明の実施の形態】
以下、本発明の補聴器および生体振動子の実施形態について図面を参照して説明する。
【００１２】
（実施の形態１）
図１は、本発明の補聴器を装着した外観図である。本発明の補聴器は、難聴者の頭蓋骨の一部、たとえば、耳の後ろなどの骨に、補聴駆動部１０を埋め込んで使用する。補聴駆動部１０には、圧電セラミック振動子のような振動子が設けられている。ケーブル１１を介して供給される駆動信号により、振動子は振動を発生する。発生した振動は、骨に伝わり骨導音となる。骨導音は聴覚系に伝わり、難聴者は音を聴取することができる。
【００１３】
図２は、本発明の補聴器の補聴駆動部を、耳の後ろの骨に埋め込んだ断面図である。骨２０に穴２１を穿つ。補聴駆動部１０を穴２１に埋め込み、充填材２２で補聴器駆動部１０を固定し、皮膚２３で覆う。補聴駆動部１０に接続されたケーブル１１は、皮膚２３の小穴２４を通して外部に引き出される。ケーブル１１は、信号処理部１３に接続されている。補聴器駆動部１０には、振動子１２が設けられており、骨に当接している。マイクロフォン１４が取り込んだ音声信号は、信号処理部１３により駆動信号に変換され、ケーブル１１を介して補聴器駆動部１０に導かれ、振動子１２を駆動する。骨動音は、先に述べたように、聴覚系に導かれる。
【００１４】
マイクロフォン１４、信号処理部１３は、難聴者の上着の胸ポケットなどに収納する。本発明のように、振動子１２を備えた補聴駆動部１０を頭蓋骨に埋め込んだので、頭外部には、細いケーブルが出るのみであり、目立たなくなる。
【００１５】
マイクロフォン１４と信号処理部１３とその電源電池は、眼鏡のフレーム内に収納するようにしてもよい。ケーブル１１は、コネクタで眼鏡フレームに接続するようにする。また、マイクロフォン１４と信号処理部１３とその電源電池は、髪の中に収納してもよい。
【００１６】
補聴駆動部１０をチタンなどでコーティングすると、チタンと骨との親和性により、補聴駆動部１０の回りに骨が再生し、補聴駆動部１０は骨の一部のようになり、振動子１２と骨の結合度がよくなり、安定した骨導音が得られる。
【００１７】
充填材２２の一例としては、骨２０に穴２１を穿つ際に得られる難聴者自身の骨を粉末にし、これに生体接着剤であるフィブリン糊などを混ぜ、セメント状にして使用する。また、骨髄成分を混ぜてもよい。
【００１８】
振動子１０には、圧電セラミックス振動子を用いるが、セラミックスに骨髄の成分を注入した振動子を使う。セラミックスへの骨髄の成分を注入するには、セラミックスを骨髄の成分に浸しておくと、セラミックスには無数の穴があるので、そこから骨髄の成分がセラミックスに注入される。このように振動子に骨髄成分を注入した振動子は、生体振動子である。手術後、頭蓋骨の骨２０の穴２１と生体振動子の当接面が一体化されるので、振動伝達効率が良くなる。
【００１９】
圧電セラミックス振動子は、圧電セラミックスの薄板の両面に電極となる導電物質を塗付したものを金属板に貼り付けた構造とし、電極端子を設けたものを使用できる。振動子に対するチタンのコーティングは、金属板に対して行なう。また、電極となる導電物質をチタン含有材料にしてもよい。金属板や電極の一部分のみをチタン物質でコーティングしてもよい。例えば、金属板や電極の中央部に円状にコーティングする。あるいは、金属板や電極の周辺に円環状にコーティングする。これは、セラミックス振動子の全部でなく一部分を骨と一体化することにより、振動の効率をより良くするためである。骨の機械インピーダンスにあわせて、コーティング部分の直径や幅を設計すればよい。骨髄成分の注入場所についても、その大きさを設計することができる。
【００２０】
ケーブル１１に供給する駆動信号は、音声信号そのものでもよい。また、超音波周波数の搬送波を音声信号で変調した信号でもよい。変調方式は、通常の両側帯波を有する変調、単一側帯波変調、搬送波抑圧変調、平衡変調などの方式を使用する。これは、難聴者の残留聴力によって感度の良い方式を選定する。
【００２１】
図２の補聴駆動部１０は、頭蓋骨に完全に埋め込むようにしたが、頭蓋骨に浅い穴を掘って、その穴に補聴駆動部１０を設置し、補聴駆動部１０の上部は頭皮で覆うようにしてもよい。また、薄型の補聴駆動部１０を、頭蓋骨の表面に設置して補聴駆動部１０を頭皮で覆うようにしてもよい。この場合、薄い補聴駆動部１０を用いるので、頭皮の膨らみは最小限にでき、美容上殆ど目立たなくできる。
【００２２】
以上、本実施の形態によれば、
（１）頭外部には、細いケーブルなどが出るのみで、目立たなくなる。細いケーブルが見えても、イアフォンでステレオを聴いているのと外観上の差が無くなる。
（２）チタンなどのコーティングにより、骨とのなじみが良くなる。
（３）骨髄成分を注入した生体振動子により、さらに骨とのなじみが良くなる。
【００２３】
（実施の形態２）
図３は、駆動信号を無線通信で送るようにした補聴器の概念図である。図３において、補聴駆動部１０は、アンテナ３２、受信回路３３、振動子１２を有しており、電池３４からケーブル３１を通じて電力が供給される。送信部３５は、マイクロフォン１４、変調回路３６、アンテナ３７を備えており、マイクロフォン１４に入力した音声信号を、変調回路３６により、超音波周波数帯の変調信号に変調し、更に無線周波数に変調して、アンテナ３７から電波伝播させる。この電波を、アンテナ３２により受信回路３３が受信し、超音波周波数帯の信号に復調して振動子１２を駆動する。
【００２４】
送信部３５は、例えば、難聴者のポケットに収納する。補聴駆動部１０は、図２に示したと同様に、骨の中に埋め込み、ケーブル３１を皮膚の小穴２４より取り出し、電池３４は、例えば、難聴者のポケットに収納するか、髪の中に収納する。
【００２５】
電池３４は、小型のものにして、外耳道の中に収納してもよい。ケーブル３１を、皮膚の下を通して外耳道まで導くようにしてもよい。電池の交換は、耳の穴から行なう。
【００２６】
なお、アンテナ３２には、コーティングしたチタン金属をアンテナとして用いてもよい。
【００２７】
なお、血液の流れなどから体内で発電できる体内電池を使用すれば、その電力を受信回路３３に、体内で導けるので、体外の電池３４は不要になり、ケーブル３１は、体内に埋め込める。
【００２８】
頭蓋骨に浅い穴を掘って、その穴に補聴駆動部１０を設置し、補聴駆動部１０の上部は頭皮で覆うようにすれば、アンテナ３２の上部は皮膚が覆うだけになり、受信感度を上げることができる。薄型の補聴駆動部１０を、頭蓋骨の表面に設置して補聴駆動部１０を頭皮で覆うようにしても同様である。
【００２９】
以上、本実施の形態によれば、頭外部には、細いケーブルなどが出るのみで、目立たなくなる。細いケーブルが見えても、イアフォンでステレオを聴いているのと外観上の差が無くなる。
【００３０】
なお、本実施の形態において、補聴駆動部をチタンなどのコーティングすることにより、骨とのなじみが良くなる。
【００３１】
また、本実施の形態において、骨髄成分を注入した生体振動子を用いることにより、さらに骨とのなじみが良くなる。
【発明の効果】
以上のように、本発明によれば、特に、美容上良好な補聴器を得ることができる。
【図面の簡単な説明】
【図１】本発明の一実施形態による補聴器の補聴駆動部を装着した外観図
【図２】本発明の一実施形態による補聴器の補聴駆動部を装着した頭蓋骨部の断面図
【図３】本発明の一実施形態による補聴器の構成図
【符号の説明】
１０ 補聴駆動部
１１ ケーブル
１２ 振動子
１３ 信号処理部
１４ マイクロフォン
２０ 骨
２１ 穴
２２ 充填材
２３ 皮膚
２４ 小穴
３２ アンテナ
３３ 受信回路
３６ 変調回路
３７ アンテナ[0001]
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a hearing aid, and more particularly to a hearing aid excellent in beauty and a biological oscillator therefor.
[0002]
[Prior art]
Conventionally, as a hearing aid, (a) a well-known hearing aid that is used by generating sound waves by inserting it into the outer ear, and (b) applying a transducer to the bone next to the head or ear through the skin to conduct bone conduction Some are used to generate sound. As a principle different from that of a hearing aid, there is a method (c) in which an electrode is inserted into a cochlea of an inner ear and an electric signal is directly applied to a nerve. (D) An operation is performed in which a bolt coated with titanium is inserted into the bone behind the ear so that the head of the bolt comes out of the skin, and the head of the bolt that has come out of the skin is vibrated by an external device. Hearing aids that generate and use bone conduction sounds by providing the same are also known. As described above, various kinds of hearing aids are used for hearing-impaired persons.
[0003]
As (b), there is known The Sound of Sensor (Laughter-kun) (see Non-Patent Document 1).
[0004]
As (c), N24 manufactured by Cochear is known (see Non-Patent Document 2).
[0005]
As (d), BoneAnchoredHearingAid of entific Inc. is known (see Non-Patent Document 3).
[0006]
In addition, as a signal to be given to these hearing aids, there is a case where a normal audio signal is used, but it is becoming clear that an ultrasonic signal can be used. It has been shown that when an ultrasonic signal obtained by modulating a carrier signal with a signal in an audio frequency domain is given as vibration, a severely deaf person who cannot hear a normal audio signal can detect sound (see Patent Document 1). reference).
[0007]
Further, there is disclosed a hearing aid that transmits an ultrasonic signal obtained by modulating a carrier signal with a signal in a voice frequency domain to an auditory cortex of a brain through a human skin, muscle, and bone by an ultrasonic vibrator (see Patent Document 2). reference).
[0008]
[Non-Patent Document 1] The Hibiki (Laughs Mr.), Catalog of Sensor Co., Ltd., “Searched November 5, 2002”, Internet <URL: http: // www. sensor-tk. co. jp / product / hibiki / hibiki_siyou. htm>
[Non-Patent Document 2] Kyoya Nomura, Atsushi Komatsuzaki, Iwao Honjo "CLIENT21-Clinical Practice in the 21st Century Otorhinolaryngology-Volume 7, Hearing Aids and Cochlear Implants" Nakayama Shoten Co., Ltd. June 25, 2001, P205
[Non-Patent Document 3] BAHA (tm), Patent Information, catalog of entific, "Search on October 13, 2002", Internet <URL: http: // www. entific. com / baha_info / patinfo. htm>
[Patent Document 1]
JP-A-10-262954 (page 4, FIG. 1)
[Patent Document 2]
JP-A-2000-320799 (pages 3 to 5, FIG. 1)
[0009]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
In any of the above known hearing aids, external devices such as a microphone, an audio processing circuit, and a vibrator drive unit need to be arranged near the head and ears in any case, and are prominently used. Improvement was desired.
[0010]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
In order to solve the above problems, the following means are adopted.
(1) A hearing aid in which a hearing aid drive unit having a vibrator is embedded in a skull.
(2) A hearing aid provided with a transducer in contact with the surface of the skull, or a hole is dug in the surface of the skull to install the hearing aid drive in the hole so that the hearing aid drive is covered by the scalp. And
(3) The hearing aid according to (1) or (2), wherein the hearing aid driving unit is coated.
(4) The hearing aid according to (3), wherein the coating material is a material containing titanium.
(5) The hearing aid according to any one of (1) to (4), which transmits an ultrasonic signal to the vibrator.
(6) The hearing aid according to (5), wherein the ultrasonic signal is transmitted to the transducer by a thin cord.
(7) The hearing aid according to any one of (1) to (4), wherein the hearing aid driving unit includes an antenna and transmits transmission information for the vibrator to the antenna by wireless communication.
(8) The hearing aid according to any one of (1) to (7), wherein the transducer includes a component of bone marrow.
(9) A biological oscillator characterized in that a bone marrow component is included in the oscillator.
[0011]
BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
Hereinafter, embodiments of a hearing aid and a biological oscillator according to the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
[0012]
(Embodiment 1)
FIG. 1 is an external view in which the hearing aid of the present invention is mounted. The hearing aid of the present invention is used by embedding the hearing aid drive unit 10 in a part of the skull of a hearing-impaired person, for example, a bone behind the ear. The hearing aid drive unit 10 is provided with a vibrator such as a piezoelectric ceramic vibrator. The vibrator generates vibration by a drive signal supplied via the cable 11. The generated vibration is transmitted to the bone and becomes a bone conduction sound. The bone conduction sound is transmitted to the auditory system, and the deaf person can hear the sound.
[0013]
FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view in which the hearing aid drive unit of the hearing aid of the present invention is embedded in a bone behind an ear. A hole 21 is drilled in the bone 20. The hearing aid drive unit 10 is embedded in the hole 21, the hearing aid drive unit 10 is fixed with the filler 22, and covered with the skin 23. The cable 11 connected to the hearing aid drive unit 10 is drawn out through a small hole 24 in the skin 23. The cable 11 is connected to the signal processing unit 13. A vibrator 12 is provided in the hearing aid driving unit 10 and is in contact with the bone. The audio signal captured by the microphone 14 is converted into a drive signal by the signal processing unit 13, guided to the hearing aid drive unit 10 via the cable 11, and drives the vibrator 12. The bone noise is guided to the auditory system as described above.
[0014]
The microphone 14 and the signal processing unit 13 are housed in a chest pocket of a jacket of a hearing-impaired person. As in the present invention, since the hearing aid drive unit 10 including the vibrator 12 is embedded in the skull, only a thin cable comes out of the head and becomes inconspicuous.
[0015]
The microphone 14, the signal processing unit 13, and the power battery thereof may be stored in a frame of the glasses. The cable 11 is connected to the spectacle frame by a connector. Further, the microphone 14, the signal processing unit 13, and the power supply battery thereof may be stored in the hair.
[0016]
When the hearing aid drive unit 10 is coated with titanium or the like, the bone is regenerated around the hearing aid drive unit 10 due to the affinity between titanium and bone, and the hearing aid drive unit 10 becomes like a part of the bone. Bone bonding is improved, and stable bone conduction sound is obtained.
[0017]
As an example of the filler 22, the bone of the hearing-impaired person obtained when drilling the hole 21 in the bone 20 is powdered, mixed with a bioadhesive fibrin glue or the like, and used as a cement. Further, a bone marrow component may be mixed.
[0018]
As the vibrator 10, a piezoelectric ceramic vibrator is used, and a vibrator obtained by injecting a bone marrow component into ceramics is used. To inject the bone marrow component into the ceramic, if the ceramic is immersed in the bone marrow component, the ceramic has a myriad of holes, from which the bone marrow component is injected into the ceramic. The vibrator in which the bone marrow component is injected into the vibrator is a living body vibrator. After the operation, the hole 21 of the skull bone 20 and the contact surface of the living body oscillator are integrated, so that the vibration transmission efficiency is improved.
[0019]
The piezoelectric ceramic vibrator may have a structure in which a conductive material serving as an electrode is applied to both surfaces of a thin plate of a piezoelectric ceramic and attached to a metal plate, and an electrode terminal is provided. The titanium is coated on the vibrator on the metal plate. Further, the conductive substance serving as an electrode may be a titanium-containing material. Only a part of the metal plate or the electrode may be coated with a titanium material. For example, a central portion of a metal plate or an electrode is coated in a circular shape. Alternatively, the periphery of the metal plate or the electrode is coated in an annular shape. This is to improve the vibration efficiency by integrating a part, but not all, of the ceramic vibrator with the bone. The diameter and width of the coating may be designed in accordance with the mechanical impedance of the bone. The size of the injection site of the bone marrow component can also be designed.
[0020]
The drive signal supplied to the cable 11 may be the audio signal itself. Further, a signal obtained by modulating an ultrasonic frequency carrier with an audio signal may be used. As a modulation method, a method such as normal modulation having both sidebands, single sideband modulation, carrier suppression modulation, and balanced modulation is used. In this method, a method with high sensitivity is selected according to the residual hearing ability of the hearing-impaired person.
[0021]
Although the hearing aid drive unit 10 in FIG. 2 is completely embedded in the skull, a shallow hole is dug in the skull, the hearing aid drive unit 10 is installed in the hole, and the upper part of the hearing aid drive unit 10 is covered with the scalp. You may. Alternatively, the thin hearing aid drive unit 10 may be installed on the surface of the skull to cover the hearing aid drive unit 10 with the scalp. In this case, since the thin hearing aid drive unit 10 is used, the scalp swelling can be minimized, and the scalp can be almost inconspicuous.
[0022]
As described above, according to the present embodiment,
(1) Only a thin cable or the like comes out of the head, making it inconspicuous. Even if you can see a thin cable, there is no difference in appearance from listening to stereo with an earphone.
(2) The coating with titanium or the like improves the compatibility with bone.
(3) The living body oscillator into which the bone marrow component is injected further improves the adaptability to the bone.
[0023]
(Embodiment 2)
FIG. 3 is a conceptual diagram of a hearing aid in which a drive signal is transmitted by wireless communication. In FIG. 3, the hearing aid driving unit 10 includes an antenna 32, a receiving circuit 33, and the vibrator 12, and power is supplied from a battery 34 through a cable 31. The transmitting section 35 includes the microphone 14, a modulation circuit 36, and an antenna 37. The modulation circuit 36 modulates the audio signal input to the microphone 14 into a modulation signal in an ultrasonic frequency band, and further modulates the modulation signal into a radio frequency. Radio waves are propagated from the antenna 37. The radio wave is received by the receiving circuit 33 by the antenna 32, demodulated into a signal in an ultrasonic frequency band, and the vibrator 12 is driven.
[0024]
The transmitting unit 35 is housed in, for example, a pocket of a hearing-impaired person. As shown in FIG. 2, the hearing aid driving unit 10 is embedded in the bone, the cable 31 is taken out from the small hole 24 in the skin, and the battery 34 is stored in, for example, the pocket of the hearing-impaired person or in the hair. I do.
[0025]
The battery 34 may be made small and stored in the ear canal. The cable 31 may be guided under the skin to the ear canal. Replace the battery through the ear hole.
[0026]
The antenna 32 may use a coated titanium metal as the antenna.
[0027]
If an in-vivo battery that can generate power in the body from the flow of blood or the like is used, the power can be conducted to the receiving circuit 33 in the body, so that an extra-battery battery 34 becomes unnecessary, and the cable 31 can be embedded in the body.
[0028]
If a shallow hole is dug in the skull and the hearing aid driver 10 is installed in the hole, and the upper part of the hearing aid driver 10 is covered with the scalp, the upper part of the antenna 32 will only be covered by the skin, and the reception sensitivity will be increased. be able to. The same applies to the case where the thin hearing aid drive unit 10 is installed on the surface of the skull and the hearing aid drive unit 10 is covered with the scalp.
[0029]
As described above, according to the present embodiment, only a thin cable or the like comes out of the head and becomes inconspicuous. Even if you can see a thin cable, there is no difference in appearance from listening to stereo with an earphone.
[0030]
In the present embodiment, the hearing aid drive unit is coated with titanium or the like, so that the hearing aid drive unit is well adapted to bones.
[0031]
Further, in the present embodiment, the use of the living body oscillator into which the bone marrow component is injected further improves the familiarity with the bone.
【The invention's effect】
As described above, according to the present invention, it is possible to obtain a hearing aid that is particularly cosmetically favorable.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is an external view of a hearing aid according to one embodiment of the present invention with a hearing aid driving unit mounted thereon; FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of a skull part of the hearing aid according to one embodiment of the present invention with a hearing aid driving unit mounted thereon; FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram of a hearing aid according to an embodiment of the present invention.
Reference Signs List 10 hearing aid driving unit 11 cable 12 vibrator 13 signal processing unit 14 microphone 20 bone 21 hole 22 filling material 23 skin 24 small hole 32 antenna 33 reception circuit 36 modulation circuit 37 antenna

Claims (10)

振動子を有し、かつ頭蓋骨に埋め込む補聴駆動部を具備する補聴器。A hearing aid having a transducer and having a hearing aid driving unit embedded in a skull. 振動子を有する補聴駆動部であり、かつ頭蓋骨の表面に設けた穴に設置され、頭皮により覆われる補聴駆動部を具備する補聴器。A hearing aid comprising a hearing aid drive unit having a vibrator and being provided in a hole provided in a surface of a skull and being covered by a scalp. 振動子を有する補聴駆動部であり、かつ頭蓋骨の表面に接して設けられ、頭皮により覆われる補聴器駆動部を具備する補聴器。A hearing aid comprising a hearing aid drive unit having a vibrator and provided in contact with a surface of a skull and provided with a hearing aid drive unit covered by a scalp. 前記補聴駆動部をコーティングした請求項１から請求項３のいずれかに記載の補聴器。The hearing aid according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the hearing aid driver is coated. コーティング材料がチタンを含む材料である請求項４に記載の補聴器。The hearing aid according to claim 4, wherein the coating material is a material containing titanium. 前記振動子に超音波信号を伝達する請求項１から請求項５のいずれかに記載の補聴器。The hearing aid according to claim 1, wherein an ultrasonic signal is transmitted to the vibrator. 前記振動子に超音波信号を細いコードにより伝達することを特徴とする請求項６に記載の補聴器。The hearing aid according to claim 6, wherein an ultrasonic signal is transmitted to the vibrator by a thin cord. 前記補聴駆動部はアンテナを備え、振動子用の伝達情報を、無線通信によりアンテナに送ることを特徴とする請求項１から請求項５いずれかに記載の補聴器。The hearing aid according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the hearing aid driving unit includes an antenna, and transmits transmission information for the vibrator to the antenna by wireless communication. 振動子は骨髄の成分を含むことを特徴とする請求項１から請求項８いずれかに記載の補聴器。The hearing aid according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the oscillator includes a component of bone marrow. 振動子に骨髄の成分を含ませたことを特徴とする生体振動子。A biological vibrator characterized in that a vibrator contains bone marrow components.
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WO2008145409A2 (en) * 2008-08-29 2008-12-04 Phonak Ag Hearing instrument and method for providing hearing assistance to a user
WO2010035812A1 (en) 2008-09-25 2010-04-01 国立大学法人電気通信大学 Embedded audiphone
WO2016130095A1 (en) * 2015-02-12 2016-08-18 Mikro Protez Sanayi Ve Ticaret Ltd. Sti. Wireless implantable bone conduction energy harvesting hearing aid device
US10681478B2 (en) 2014-04-29 2020-06-09 Cochlear Limited Percutaneous vibration conductor

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Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
WO2008145409A2 (en) * 2008-08-29 2008-12-04 Phonak Ag Hearing instrument and method for providing hearing assistance to a user
WO2008145409A3 (en) * 2008-08-29 2009-09-11 Phonak Ag Hearing instrument and method for providing hearing assistance to a user
WO2010035812A1 (en) 2008-09-25 2010-04-01 国立大学法人電気通信大学 Embedded audiphone
US10681478B2 (en) 2014-04-29 2020-06-09 Cochlear Limited Percutaneous vibration conductor
WO2016130095A1 (en) * 2015-02-12 2016-08-18 Mikro Protez Sanayi Ve Ticaret Ltd. Sti. Wireless implantable bone conduction energy harvesting hearing aid device

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