KR20230105250A - Implantable sound link - Google Patents

Abstract

An implantable sound link is provided that is inserted into a through hole formed outside the ear canal and penetrates a part of the body to transmit external sound to an internal part of the body. An implantable sound link according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a main sound link inserted into the through hole, wherein the main sound link has one end in contact with the internal part of the body, and the internal part of the body. The external sound is transformed through the acoustic device and external sound information is transmitted to the internal part of the body, and the internal part of the body is the ossicle of the middle ear or the cochlea of the inner ear.

Description

Implantable sound link {Implantable sound link}

The present invention relates to an implantable sound link, and more particularly, to an implantable sound link capable of providing hearing to the user by directly transferring acoustic information to the user's body without using an eardrum by being implanted inside the user's body. will be.

Due to the increase in the elderly population and noise environment, the number of patients with hearing loss is on the rise. Recently, various technological advances have been made in the field of conventional hearing aids. In particular, due to the development of digital technology such as feedback cancellation technology, open-type hearing aids are widely used, and noise reduction technology has improved speech comprehension in noise situations, and as the size is reduced, hearing aids can be worn more easily by hearing-impaired patients. have been able to However, problems such as acoustic feedback, blockage effect due to ear molds, insufficient gain at high frequencies, and nonlinear distortion due to the air conduction method of sound transmission still remain. It is a difficult situation to solve.

In addition, various problems such as stimulation of the ear canal, discomfort due to wearing, and problems with wearing when accompanied by otorrhea still exist.

In order to solve these problems, research and development on various sound transmission methods such as bone conduction, eardrum conduction, and middle ear transplantation have been continued. With the experiment of vibrating the eardrum with iron particles in 1935, in the late 1950s, research on installing a cross-type magnetic field on the eardrum was carried out in earnest.

These early attempts became the basis for future studies to evaluate the clinical potential of implantable bone conduction hearing aids. As studies conducted only in the laboratory gradually moved to the clinical field, the 'direct bone conduction method' was succeeded in 1977, and a hearing aid was directly attached to the temporal lobe in 1981 to provide an auditory gain of about 15 dB. In 1995, implantable bone conduction hearing aids were inserted into the mastoid process at a depth of about 55 mm, based on the logic that implantable bone conduction hearing aids would deliver sounds more effectively as they approached the cochlea.

In 2001, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration confirmed that implantable bone conduction hearing aids were clinically very effective in recognizing sound sources or determining the location of sound sources in ambient background noise, and approved bilateral implantation, and in September 2002, the following year, unilateral Bone conduction hearing aid implantation for patients with single sided deafness (SSD) has been approved. In Korea, the number of surgeries has been steadily increasing since the first transplant in 2005.

However, implanted bone conduction hearing aids often cause discomfort such as pain, skin irritation, headache, etc. at the attachment part due to continuous pressure on the mastoid part, and often have disadvantages such as instability at the attachment part. As a solution to this problem, efforts have been made to develop a bone conduction hearing aid implanted under the skin and a hearing aid implanted in the middle ear.

Compared to conventional implantable bone conduction hearing aids, subcutaneous implantable bone conduction hearing aids are comfortable to wear, easy to use, and aesthetically superior without secondary inflammation of the outer ear. In addition, since the middle ear implantable hearing aid transmits sound by directly stimulating the ossicles without going through the skin or soft tissue, it has a great advantage in being able to hear sound relatively comfortably. That is, the sound received through the transmitter is properly amplified according to the patient's hearing threshold, and then the signal is transmitted to the vibration transducer implanted in the middle ear to generate a vibration signal so that the user recognizes the sound.

Therefore, since sound stimulation by bone conduction or middle ear transplantation is directly transmitted to the cochlea without passing through the external auditory canal, the middle ear, or a part of the middle ear, the result of hearing recovery greatly depends on the cochlear function of the patient.

In other words, there is no acoustic feedback phenomenon because the sound does not pass through the ear canal during the transmission process, and there is less sound distortion because excessive amplification is not used. In addition, since the frequency characteristics of sound are transmitted to the inner ear relatively intact, speech intelligibility is also superior to that of conductive hearing aids. Implantable bone conduction hearing aid is a means of hearing rehabilitation that aims to improve hearing by attaching a device directly to the skull. Hearing improvement can be expected regardless of the presence of the patient's eardrum and ossicles, and it has been pointed out as a disadvantage of existing bone conduction hearing aids. Since it can improve the amount of attenuation caused by skin and subcutaneous soft tissue, it has been considered as a useful alternative for patients with chronic otitis media or patients who have difficulty wearing airway conduction hearing aids due to deformities of the external ear.

In addition, implantable bone conduction hearing aids for patients with one-sided hearing loss receive sound stimulation from the side of the deaf ear and conduct bone conduction through skull vibration. It is well known for minimizing the head shadow effect.

However, such an implantable hearing aid requires a lot of time for clinical trials, and the high cost of surgery acts as a heavy burden on patients to select an implantable hearing aid. In addition, there is a disadvantage in that MRI cannot be performed because the device must be inserted into the human body through a surgical method.

In detail, the existing skin attachment method introduced by the Adhear brand is a simple bandage type method, but it is known that 20dB of attenuation occurs by the skin layer and has limitations in delivering high-quality sound. In addition, there are products of BAHA and Sound Bridge brands as implantable hearing aids, but there are medical restrictions, material stability problems, surgery is required, and it is very expensive, so it is not easy for general consumers to access. In addition, the existing bone conduction method through the external auditory canal is only a cartilage stimulation in effect, and the quality of sound transmission is poor.

Korean Patent Registration No. 10-2244676

In order to solve the above problems of the prior art, an embodiment of the present invention is capable of connecting regardless of the type of coupling with the body of the hearing aid in use, and external sound obtained from the hearing aid is transmitted without using the ear canal or the eardrum. It is intended to provide an implantable sound link capable of directly transmitting sound to the inside of a user's body so that the user's body can recognize external sound.

According to one aspect of the present invention for solving the above problems, an implantable sound link is provided that is inserted into a through hole penetrating a part of the body formed outside the ear canal to transmit external sound to the internal part of the body. . The implantable sound link includes a main sound link inserted into the through hole, and the main sound link is formed such that one end is in contact with the internal part of the body, and the external sound is transmitted to the internal part of the body. Transformed external sound information through the device is transferred to the internal part of the body, and the internal part of the body is the ossicle of the middle ear or the cochlea of the inner ear.

A contact member may be provided at one end of the main sound link to prevent damage to the internal body part.

A connection member may be further formed at the other end of the main sound link so as to be connected to the acoustic element outside the through hole.

In the main sound link, one end of the first sound link and one end of the second sound link are respectively connected to the one end and the other end, and the connecting member may be formed at the other end of the first sound link. .

Depending on the structure of the through hole, the main sound link may be formed so that the other end is exposed to the outside of the ear canal and coupled to the acoustic element, or the other end is exposed to the external auditory meatus and coupled to the acoustic element. .

The main sound link is formed of a first sound link and a second sound link so as to be connected to the acoustic element implanted in the through hole, and one end of the first sound link and one end of the second sound link, respectively. It may be formed to be connected to the acoustic element.

Depending on the structure of the through hole, the first sound link is formed so that the other end is exposed to the outside of the external auditory meatus and coupled with the acoustoelectric signal module, or the other end is exposed to the external auditory meatus and coupled to the acoustoelectric signal module. can be formed

The implantable sound link according to an embodiment of the present invention can be connected regardless of the type of coupling with the body of the hearing aid in use, and external sound obtained from the hearing aid can be directly transmitted into the user's body without using the ear canal or eardrum. There is an effect of allowing the user's body to recognize the external sound by transmitting the external sound.

1A is a schematic diagram illustrating an internal structure of a user's ear wearing a hearing aid.
Figure 1b is a diagram showing in detail a form in which the present invention is implemented in the inner ear structure.
FIG. 2A is a diagram showing an example in which one end of the implantable sound link is exposed toward the outside of the ear canal and is connected to the hearing aid, and the other end is in contact with the ossicle in the middle ear according to the first embodiment of the present invention.
2B is a diagram illustrating an example in which one end of the implantable sound link is exposed toward the outside of the external auditory meatus and connected to the hearing aid, and the other end is in contact with the inner ear cochlea in the first embodiment of the present invention.
2C is a view showing an example in which one end of the implantable sound link is exposed toward the inside of the external auditory meatus and connected to the hearing aid, and the other end contacts the ossicle of the middle ear in the first embodiment of the present invention.
2D is a diagram showing an example in which one end of the implantable sound link is exposed toward the inside of the external auditory meatus and is connected to the hearing aid, and the other end is in contact with the inner ear cochlea in the first embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 3A is a diagram showing an example in which one end of the implantable sound link is exposed toward the outside of the ear canal and is connected to the hearing aid, and the other end is in contact with the ossicle of the middle ear in the second embodiment of the present invention.
3B is a diagram showing an example in which one end of the implantable sound link is exposed toward the outside of the external auditory meatus and connected to the hearing aid, and the other end is in contact with the inner ear cochlea in the second embodiment of the present invention.
3C is a view showing an example in which one end of the implantable sound link is exposed toward the inside of the external auditory meatus and is connected to the hearing aid, and the other end is in contact with the ossicle of the middle ear in the second embodiment of the present invention.
3D is a diagram illustrating an example in which one end of the implantable sound link is exposed toward the inside of the external auditory meatus and connected to the hearing aid, and the other end is in contact with the inner ear cochlea in the second embodiment of the present invention.
Figure 4a shows that one end of the implantable sound link is exposed toward the outside of the ear canal in the third embodiment of the present invention, spring-structured sound links are further connected to both ends for flexibility of the connection part, and the other end is the middle ear ossicle. It is a diagram showing an example of contact with a part.
FIG. 4B shows that one end of the implantable sound link is exposed toward the outside of the external auditory meatus in the third embodiment of the present invention, spring-structured sound links are further connected to both ends for flexibility of the connection part, and the other end is connected to the inner ear cochlea. It is a diagram showing an example of contact with a part.
FIG. 4C shows one end of the implantable sound link in the fourth embodiment of the present invention being exposed toward the outside of the ear canal, spring-structured sound links are further connected to both ends for flexibility of the connection part, and the other end is the middle ear ossicle. It is a diagram showing an example of contact with a part.
FIG. 4d shows that one end of the implantable sound link is exposed toward the outside of the ear canal in the fourth embodiment of the present invention, spring-structured sound links are further connected to both ends for flexibility of the connection part, and the other end is connected to the inner ear cochlea. It is a diagram showing an example of contact with a part.
5 shows that one end of the implantable sound link is exposed toward the outside of the ear canal in the fifth embodiment of the present invention, spring-structured sound links are further connected to both ends for flexibility of the connection part, and the other end is connected to the inner ear cochlea. It is a diagram showing an example in which a support member is further included for contacting the part and increasing the efficiency of the implantable sound link.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings so that those skilled in the art can easily carry out the present invention. The present invention may be embodied in many different forms and is not limited to the embodiments described herein.

In order to clearly describe the present invention, parts irrelevant to the description are omitted, and the same reference numerals are assigned to the same or similar components throughout the specification.

Throughout the specification, when a part is said to be "connected" to another part, this includes not only the case where it is "directly connected" but also the case where it is "electrically connected" with another element interposed therebetween. . In addition, when a certain component is said to "include", this means that it may further include other components without excluding other components unless otherwise stated.

When a part is referred to as being “on” another part, it may be directly on top of the other part or may have other parts in between. In contrast, when a part is said to be “directly on” another part, there are no other parts in between.

Terms such as first, second and third are used to describe, but are not limited to, various parts, components, regions, layers and/or sections. These terms are only used to distinguish one part, component, region, layer or section from another part, component, region, layer or section. Accordingly, a first part, component, region, layer or section described below may be referred to as a second part, component, region, layer or section without departing from the scope of the present invention.

The terminology used herein is only for referring to specific embodiments and is not intended to limit the present invention. As used herein, the singular forms also include the plural forms unless the phrases clearly indicate the opposite. The meaning of "comprising" as used herein specifies particular characteristics, regions, integers, steps, operations, elements and/or components, and the presence or absence of other characteristics, regions, integers, steps, operations, elements and/or components. Additions are not excluded.

Terms indicating relative space, such as “below” and “above,” may be used to more easily describe the relationship of one part to another shown in the drawings. These terms are intended to include other meanings or operations of the device in use with the meaning intended in the drawings. For example, if the device in the figures is turned over, certain parts described as being “below” other parts will be described as being “above” the other parts. Thus, the exemplary term "below" includes both directions above and below. The device may be rotated 90 degrees or other angles, and terms denoting relative space are interpreted accordingly.

Although not defined differently, all terms including technical terms and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by those of ordinary skill in the art to which the present invention belongs. Terms defined in commonly used dictionaries are additionally interpreted as having meanings consistent with related technical literature and currently disclosed content, and are not interpreted in ideal or very formal meanings unless defined.

1A is a cross-sectional view of a typical user's ear. Looking at the cross section 1 of the ear in a general body structure, the external auditory meatus 13 exists, and the eardrum 14 is located on the other side of the external auditory canal. The eardrum 14 transmits vibrations of air to the middle ear ossicles 15a or the inner ear cochlea 15b so that the body can recognize external sounds. At this time, when the function of amplifying sound is weakened due to congenital or acquired problems, it is defined as hearing loss, and a hearing aid is used to assist this.

Hearing aids are devices designed to compensate for hearing loss by amplifying sound. In general, hearing aids are classified into types including behind-the-ear hearing aids 11a and implantable hearing aids 11b. When a user uses the hearing aids 11a and 11b, most of them are formed to vibrate the eardrum by amplifying external sound and outputting it to the inside of the ear canal.

However, in the case of using such general hearing aids 11a and 11b, the effect of the hearing aid may not occur in a user with a damaged eardrum 14 even though the functions of other internal organs (inner ear cochlea and middle ear ossicles) are normal. In this situation, instead of amplifying the vibration of the eardrum 14, there is a need to directly provide sound-changed information to other internal organs (inner ear cochlea, middle ear ossicle) so that the user can recognize the sound.

Therefore, the implantable sound link of the present invention directly transfers information about external sound to the middle ear ossicle 15a or the inner ear cochlea 15b without using the eardrum 14, so that the user can recognize the external sound. .

To this end, the implantable sound link of the present invention can be inserted through implantation surgery in the form shown in FIG. 1B. Looking at Figure 1b, there is a cartilage portion (A) and a hard bone portion (B) on the upper side of the external auditory meatus. The implantable sound link of the present invention basically removes or incises a part of the skin on the upper side of the ear canal, and creates a through hole formed in a small groove or the like inside the cut surface between the cartilage (A) and the bone (B) and the ear canal. The sound link may be implanted into the body by creating a sound link and inserting the sound link into the through hole.

In addition, as will be described in later embodiments of the present invention, the implantable sound link of the present invention may have one end of a through hole formed toward the outside of the external auditory meatus or the inside of the external auditory meatus in order to be coupled with an acoustic element or an acousto-electrical signal module. When one end of the through hole is formed toward the outside of the ear canal, the through hole may penetrate the cartilage portion A or be formed between the cartilage portion A and the ear canal. In addition, when one end of the through hole is formed toward the inside of the ear canal, the through hole may not be formed to the cartilage portion (A) but only to the bone portion (B).

More specifically, the implantable sound link of the present invention is a first embodiment shown in FIGS. 2A to 2D, a second embodiment shown in FIGS. 3A to 3D, and a third embodiment shown in FIGS. 4A and 4B. , may be formed as in the fourth embodiment shown in FIGS. 4C and 4D and the fifth embodiment shown in FIG. 5 .

In the following embodiments, the through hole may be formed between the skin of the external auditory meatus and the bone, as shown in the drawing.

In addition, although it is obvious that the following embodiments are performed through a procedure/surgery in the form described in FIG. Some exaggerated expression.

1) First Embodiment

2a to 2d show an implantable sound link according to a first embodiment of the present invention. In the first embodiment of the present invention, one side of the implantable sound link is combined with an acoustic device to obtain external acoustic deformation information from the acoustic device, and then transmits the external acoustic deformation information to the middle ear ossicle 15a or the inner ear cochlea 15b. formed to deliver.

The implantable sound link of the present invention is inserted into the through hole 2 penetrating a part of the body formed outside the external auditory meatus 13 to transmit external sound to the internal part of the body.

To this end, the implantable sound link of the first embodiment is formed to include a main sound link 21 inserted into the through hole 2 . The main sound link 21 may be formed in a wire shape as shown in FIGS. 2A to 2D. One end of the main sound link 21 is formed to contact the internal body part, and through this structure, external sound may be formed to be transmitted to the internal body part as external sound information transformed to the internal body part. At this time, the inner body part may be the middle ear ossicle 15a or the inner ear cochlea 15b as described above.

Describing the first embodiment in more detail, the main sound link 21 of the implantable sound link according to the first embodiment of the present invention has one end in contact with an internal part of the body as shown in FIGS. 2A to 2D and , It may be formed as the other end including a connection member 22a formed to be connected to the acoustic element from the outside of the through hole 2. The connection member 22a is provided for connection with an acoustic element, and the acoustic element may be configured to generate external acoustic transformation information by transforming external sound. For example, the acoustic device may be configured as a module independent of the hearing aids 11a and 11b, or may be basically included in the hearing aids 11a and 11b.

In addition, the main sound link 21 in the first embodiment may be formed such that a contact member 22b is preferably coupled to one end contacting an internal part of the body. When the main sound link 21 contacts an internal part of the body, there is a possibility that the internal part of the body may be damaged due to the shape of the main sound link 21 formed in a wire shape. Therefore, the main sound link 21 in the first embodiment of the present invention can be formed to prevent damage to the internal body part by contacting the internal body part using the contact member 22b.

2A to 2D are various examples of the first embodiment, and they show the implantable sound link of the first embodiment formed in different shapes according to the structure of the through hole.

Referring to FIG. 2A , the through hole 2 of FIG. 2A is formed to penetrate the inside of the body in the direction of the middle ear ossicle 15a starting from the outside of the ear canal. In the implantable sound link according to the first embodiment of the present invention, the main sound link 21 is inserted into the through hole 2, and the connecting member 22a and the contact member 22b are coupled to both ends, respectively. It can be. Using this, the implantable sound link of the first embodiment of the present invention shown in FIG. 2A connects an acoustic element included in the hearing aid 11a or an acoustic element connected to the hearing aid 11a using a connecting member 22a. Accordingly, external acoustic deformation information may be received from the acoustic device, and the received external acoustic deformation information may be transmitted to the middle ear ossicle 15a.

Referring to FIG. 2B , the through hole 2 of FIG. 2B is formed to penetrate the inside of the body in the direction of the inner ear cochlea 15b starting from the outer ear canal. In the implantable sound link according to the first embodiment of the present invention, the main sound link 21 is inserted into the through hole 2, and the connecting member 22a and the contact member 22b are coupled to both ends, respectively. It can be. Using this, the implantable sound link of the first embodiment of the present invention shown in FIG. 2B connects the acoustic element included in the hearing aid 11a or the acoustic element connected to the hearing aid 11a using the connecting member 22a. Accordingly, external acoustic deformation information may be received from the acoustic device, and the received external acoustic deformation information may be transmitted to the inner ear cochlea 15b.

Referring to FIG. 2C , the through hole 2 of FIG. 2C is formed to penetrate the inside of the body in the direction of the middle ear ossicle 15a starting from the inside of the external auditory meatus. In the implantable sound link according to the first embodiment of the present invention, the main sound link 21 is inserted into the through hole 2, and the connecting member 22a and the contact member 22b are coupled to both ends, respectively. It can be. Using this, the implantable sound link of the first embodiment of the present invention shown in FIG. 2c connects the acoustic element included in the hearing aid 11b or the acoustic element connected to the hearing aid 11b using the connecting member 22a. Accordingly, external acoustic deformation information may be received from the acoustic device, and the received external acoustic deformation information may be transmitted to the middle ear ossicle 15a.

Referring to FIG. 2D , the through hole 2 of FIG. 2D is formed to penetrate the inside of the body in the direction of the inner ear cochlea 15b starting from the outer ear canal. In the implantable sound link according to the first embodiment of the present invention, the main sound link 21 is inserted into the through hole 2, and the connecting member 22a and the contact member 22b are coupled to both ends, respectively. It can be. Using this, the implantable sound link of the first embodiment of the present invention shown in FIG. 2D connects the acoustic element included in the hearing aid 11b or the acoustic element connected to the hearing aid 11b using the connecting member 22a. Accordingly, external acoustic deformation information may be received from the acoustic device, and the received external acoustic deformation information may be transmitted to the inner ear cochlea 15b.

2) Second Embodiment

3A to 3D show an implantable sound link according to a second embodiment of the present invention. In the second embodiment of the present invention, one side of the implantable sound link is combined with the acousto-electrical signal module to obtain an external acoustic-electric signal from the acoustic-electrical signal module, and then the acoustic element 23 inserted into the through-hole 2 It is formed to transmit the external acoustic alteration signal, in which the external acoustic electrical signal is modified, to the middle ear ossicle 15a or the inner ear cochlea 15b.

The implantable sound link of the present invention is inserted into the through hole 2 penetrating a part of the body formed outside the external auditory meatus 13 to transmit external sound to the internal part of the body.

To this end, the implantable sound link of the second embodiment is formed to include a first sound link 21a and a second sound link 21b inserted into the through hole 2 unlike the first embodiment. The first sound link 21a may be formed in a wire shape as shown in FIGS. 3A to 3D, and the second sound link 21b may also be formed in a wire shape as shown in FIGS. 3A to 3D. there is. In the second embodiment of the present invention, for convenience, a sound link provided outside the body is defined as a first sound link 21a, and a sound link provided toward the inside of the body is defined as a second sound link 21b.

In the second embodiment, the acoustic element 23 exists in a form inserted into the through hole 2, and is provided to generate external acoustic deformation information by receiving an external acoustic electric signal from the inside of the through hole 2. Therefore, the implantable sound link of the second embodiment of the present invention includes a first sound link 21a that is connected to the outside based on the acoustic element 23 to obtain an external acoustic electrical signal and transmit it to the acoustic element 23; and It may be formed to include a second sound link 21b capable of transmitting external acoustic deformation information generated from the acoustic device 23 to an internal part of the body.

As shown in FIGS. 3A to 3D , the first sound link 21a is formed such that one end is connected to the acoustic element 23 and the other end can be connected to the acoustic electric signal module outside the through hole 2. . At this time, a connecting member 22a capable of performing a connection with the acoustic/electrical signal module may be further provided at the other end.

Here, the acoustic/electrical signal module may be a component for generating an external acoustic/electrical signal obtained by converting external sound into an electrical signal. The acoustic electric signal module may be configured as an independent module from the hearing aids 11a and 11b, for example, or may be basically included in the hearing aids 11a and 11b.

As shown in FIGS. 3A to 3D , the second sound link 21b is formed such that one end is connected to the acoustic element 23 and the other end passes through the through hole 2 to contact an internal part of the body. Through this structure, the second sound link 21b may be formed to transmit external sound transformation information generated by transforming external sound in the acoustic device 23 to the internal body part. At this time, the inner body part may be the middle ear ossicle 15a or the inner ear cochlea 15b as described above.

The second sound link 21b may be formed such that a contact member 22b is preferably coupled to one end contacting an internal part of the body. When the second sound link 21b contacts the inner part of the body, there is a possibility that the inner part of the body may be damaged due to the shape of the second sound link 21b formed in the form of a wire. Therefore, the second sound link 21b in the second embodiment of the present invention can be formed to prevent damage to the internal body part by contacting the internal body part using the contact member 22b.

3A to 3D are various examples of the second embodiment, and they show the implantable sound link of the second embodiment formed in different shapes according to the structure of the through hole.

Referring to FIG. 3A , the through hole 2 of FIG. 3A is formed to penetrate the inside of the body in the direction of the middle ear ossicle 15a starting from the outside of the ear canal. In the implantable sound link according to the second embodiment of the present invention, based on the acoustic element 23 inserted into the through hole 2, the first sound link 21a and the second sound link 21b are acoustic elements ( 23), the other end of the first sound link 21a is coupled with the connecting member 22a, and the other end of the second sound link 21b is coupled with the contact member 22b. It can be.

Using this, the implantable sound link of the second embodiment of the present invention shown in FIG. 3A includes an acoustic-electrical signal module included in the hearing aid 11a or an acoustic-electrical signal module connected to the hearing aid 11a and a connecting member 22a. is connected to receive an external acoustoelectric signal from the acoustoelectric signal module, and transfer the received external acoustoelectric signal to the acoustic element 23 using the first sound link 21a. When the acoustic element 23 transforms and generates external acoustic electrical signals into external acoustically modified information, the second sound link 21b can transfer the generated external acoustically modified information to the middle ear ossicle 15a, which is an internal part of the body.

Referring to FIG. 3B , the through hole 2 of FIG. 3B is formed to penetrate the inside of the body in the direction of the inner ear cochlea 15b starting from the outside of the external auditory meatus. In the implantable sound link according to the second embodiment of the present invention, based on the acoustic element 23 inserted into the through hole 2, the first sound link 21a and the second sound link 21b are acoustic elements ( 23), the other end of the first sound link 21a is coupled with the connecting member 22a, and the other end of the second sound link 21b is coupled with the contact member 22b. It can be.

Using this, the implantable sound link of the second embodiment of the present invention shown in FIG. 3B is an acoustic-electrical signal module included in the hearing aid 11a or an acoustic-electrical signal module connected to the hearing aid 11a and a connecting member 22a. is connected to receive an external acoustoelectric signal from the acoustoelectric signal module, and transfer the received external acoustoelectric signal to the acoustic element 23 using the first sound link 21a. When the acoustic element 23 transforms the external acoustic electrical signal into external acoustic transformation information and generates it, the second sound link 21b can transfer the generated external acoustic transformation information to the inner ear cochlea 15b, which is an internal part of the body.

Referring to FIG. 3C , the through hole 2 of FIG. 3C is formed to penetrate the inside of the body in the direction of the middle ear ossicle 15a starting from the inside of the external auditory meatus. In the implantable sound link according to the second embodiment of the present invention, based on the acoustic element 23 inserted into the through hole 2, the first sound link 21a and the second sound link 21b are acoustic elements ( 23), the other end of the first sound link 21a is coupled with the connecting member 22a, and the other end of the second sound link 21b is coupled with the contact member 22b. It can be.

Using this, the implantable sound link of the second embodiment of the present invention shown in FIG. 3c is an acoustic-electrical signal module included in the hearing aid 11b or an acoustic-electrical signal module connected to the hearing aid 11b and a connecting member 22a. is connected to receive an external acoustoelectric signal from the acoustoelectric signal module, and transfer the received external acoustoelectric signal to the acoustic element 23 using the first sound link 21a. When the acoustic element 23 transforms and generates external acoustic electrical signals into external acoustically modified information, the second sound link 21b can transfer the generated external acoustically modified information to the middle ear ossicle 15a, which is an internal part of the body.

Referring to FIG. 3D , the through hole 2 of FIG. 3D is formed to penetrate the inside of the body in the direction of the inner ear cochlea 15b starting from the outside of the external auditory meatus. In the implantable sound link according to the second embodiment of the present invention, based on the acoustic element 23 inserted into the through hole 2, the first sound link 21a and the second sound link 21b are acoustic elements ( 23), the other end of the first sound link 21a is coupled with the connecting member 22a, and the other end of the second sound link 21b is coupled with the contact member 22b. It can be.

Using this, the implantable sound link of the second embodiment of the present invention shown in FIG. 3D is an acoustic-electrical signal module included in the hearing aid 11b or an acoustic-electrical signal module connected to the hearing aid 11b and a connecting member 22a. is connected to receive an external acoustoelectric signal from the acoustoelectric signal module, and transfer the received external acoustoelectric signal to the acoustic element 23 using the first sound link 21a. When the acoustic element 23 transforms the external acoustic electrical signal into external acoustic transformation information and generates it, the second sound link 21b can transfer the generated external acoustic transformation information to the inner ear cochlea 15b, which is an internal part of the body.

3) Third Embodiment

Meanwhile, FIGS. 4A to 4D show an implantable sound link according to a third embodiment of the present invention. The first embodiment and the second embodiment of the present invention are embodiments showing differences that occur while acoustic elements exist outside and inside the through hole 2, respectively. The third embodiment of the present invention is a detailed embodiment for supplementing the structure of the implantable sound link of the present invention, and may be a structure applicable to the first or second embodiment. Also, in FIGS. 4A to 4D, the third embodiment is described using embodiments that can be combined with the hearing aid 11a, but this is regarded as partially limiting the structure of the through hole 2 for convenience of explanation. The third embodiment of the invention can be used in combination with the first embodiment or the second embodiment as described above.

Referring to FIG. 4A , the through hole 2 of FIG. 4A is formed to penetrate the inside of the body in the direction of the middle ear ossicle 15a starting from the outside of the ear canal. In the implantable sound link according to the third embodiment of the present invention, the main sound link 21 is inserted into the through hole 2, and the third sound link 21c and the fourth sound link 21d are provided at both ends, respectively. may be formed to be connected to each other.

The third sound link 21c is formed to be coupled to one end of both ends of the main sound link 21 located in the direction outside the body. The third sound link 21c may be formed in the form of a spring to provide flexibility at a connection portion with the main sound link 21, for example. At this time, the third sound link 21c is formed to further include a connecting member 22a provided in the above-described main sound link 21 at the other end opposite to one end coupled to the main sound link 21, and connected. It may be formed to be coupled with the acoustic element 23 using the member 22a.

The fourth sound link (21d) is formed to be coupled to one end located in the inner direction of the body of both ends of the main sound link (21). The fourth sound link 21d may be formed in the form of a spring to provide flexibility at a connection portion with the main sound link 21, for example. At this time, the fourth sound link (21d) is formed to further include a contact member (22b) provided in the above-described main sound link (21) at the other end opposite to one end coupled to the main sound link (21), contact It can be formed to prevent damage to the middle ear ossicle 15a, which is an internal part of the body, by using the member 22b.

Using the structure described above, the implantable sound link of the third embodiment of the present invention shown in FIG. 4A includes an acoustic element included in the hearing aid 11a or an acoustic element connected to the hearing aid 11a and a connecting member 22a. connected using the third sound link 21c to receive external acoustic deformation information from the acoustic element, and transmit the received external acoustic deformation information to the fourth sound link 21d using the main sound link 21; , The fourth sound link 21d may transmit external acoustic deformation information to the middle ear ossicle 15a.

Referring to FIG. 4B , the through hole 2 of FIG. 4B is formed to penetrate the inside of the body in the direction of the inner ear cochlea 15b starting from the outside of the external auditory meatus. In the implantable sound link according to the third embodiment of the present invention, the main sound link 21 is inserted into the through hole 2, and the third sound link 21c and the fourth sound link 21d are provided at both ends, respectively. may be formed to be connected to each other.

The third sound link 21c is formed to be coupled to one end of both ends of the main sound link 21 located in the direction outside the body. The third sound link 21c may be formed in the form of a spring to provide flexibility at a connection portion with the main sound link 21, for example. At this time, the third sound link 21c is formed to further include a connecting member 22a provided in the above-described main sound link 21 at the other end opposite to one end coupled to the main sound link 21, and connected. It may be formed to be coupled with the acoustic element 23 using the member 22a.

The fourth sound link (21d) is formed to be coupled to one end located in the inner direction of the body of both ends of the main sound link (21). The fourth sound link 21d may be formed in the form of a spring to provide flexibility at a connection portion with the main sound link 21, for example. At this time, the fourth sound link (21d) is formed to further include a contact member (22b) provided in the above-described main sound link (21) at the other end opposite to one end coupled to the main sound link (21), contact It may be formed to prevent damage to the inner ear cochlea 15b, which is an internal part of the body, by using the member 22b.

Using the structure described above, the implantable sound link of the third embodiment of the present invention shown in FIG. 4B includes an acoustic element included in the hearing aid 11a or an acoustic element connected to the hearing aid 11a and a connecting member 22a. connected using the third sound link 21c to receive external acoustic deformation information from the acoustic element, and transmit the received external acoustic deformation information to the fourth sound link 21d using the main sound link 21; , the fourth sound link 21d may transmit external acoustic deformation information to the inner ear cochlea 15b.

Referring to FIG. 4C , the through hole 2 of FIG. 4C is formed to penetrate the inside of the body in the direction of the middle ear ossicle 15a starting from the outside of the ear canal. In the implantable sound link according to the third embodiment of the present invention, the main sound link 21 includes a first sound link 21a and a second sound link based on the acoustic element 23 inserted into the through hole 2. (22b) is formed to be connected to both ends of the acoustic element 23, respectively, and to one end of the first sound link 21a and the second sound link 21b, a third sound link 21c and a fourth sound link, respectively. Links 21d may be formed to be connected to each other.

The third sound link 21c is formed to be coupled to the other end of the first sound link 21a, which is the side not coupled to the acoustic element 23. For example, the third sound link 21c may be formed in the form of a spring to provide flexibility at a connection portion with the first sound link 21a. At this time, the third sound link 21c is formed to further include a connecting member 22a provided in the above-described first sound link 21a at the other end opposite to one end coupled to the first sound link 21a, , It may be formed to be coupled with the acoustic element 23 using the connecting member 22a.

The fourth sound link 21d is formed to be coupled to one end located in the body inner direction among both ends of the second sound link 21b. For example, the fourth sound link 21d may be formed in the form of a spring to provide flexibility at a connection portion with the second sound link 21b. At this time, the fourth sound link 21d is formed to further include a contact member 22b provided in the above-described second sound link 21b at the other end opposite to one end coupled to the second sound link 21b, , It may be formed to prevent damage to the middle ear ossicle 15a, which is an internal part of the body, by using the contact member 22b.

Using the above-described structure, the implantable sound link of the third embodiment of the present invention shown in FIG. 4C is an acoustic element included in the hearing aid 11a or an acoustic electrical signal module connected to the hearing aid 11a and a connecting member 22a. ) to receive an external acoustoelectric signal from the acoustoelectric signal module through the third sound link 21c, and transmit the received external acoustoelectric signal to the acoustic element 23 using the first sound link 21a and transfers the external acoustic deformation information generated by transforming the external acoustic electrical signal in the acoustic element 23 to the fourth sound link 21d using the second sound link 21b, and the fourth sound link ( 21d) may transmit external acoustic deformation information to the middle ear ossicles 15a.

Referring to FIG. 4D , the through hole 2 of FIG. 4D starts from the outside of the external auditory meatus and penetrates the inside of the body in the direction of the inner ear cochlea 15b. In the implantable sound link according to the third embodiment of the present invention, the main sound link 21 includes a first sound link 21a and a second sound link based on the acoustic element 23 inserted into the through hole 2. (22b) is formed to be connected to both ends of the acoustic element 23, respectively, and to one end of the first sound link 21a and the second sound link 21b, a third sound link 21c and a fourth sound link, respectively. Links 21d may be formed to be connected to each other.

The third sound link 21c is formed to be coupled to the other end of the first sound link 21a, which is the side not coupled to the acoustic element 23. For example, the third sound link 21c may be formed in the form of a spring to provide flexibility at a connection portion with the first sound link 21a. At this time, the third sound link 21c is formed to further include a connecting member 22a provided in the above-described first sound link 21a at the other end opposite to one end coupled to the first sound link 21a, , It may be formed to be coupled with the acoustic element 23 using the connecting member 22a.

The fourth sound link 21d is formed to be coupled to one end located in the body inner direction among both ends of the second sound link 21b. For example, the fourth sound link 21d may be formed in the form of a spring to provide flexibility at a connection portion with the second sound link 21b. At this time, the fourth sound link 21d is formed to further include a contact member 22b provided in the above-described second sound link 21b at the other end opposite to one end coupled to the second sound link 21b, , It may be formed to prevent damage to the inner ear cochlea 15b, which is an internal part of the body, by using the contact member 22b.

Using the above structure, the implantable sound link of the third embodiment of the present invention shown in FIG. 4D is an acoustic element included in the hearing aid 11a or an acoustic/electrical signal module connected to the hearing aid 11a and a connecting member 22a. ) to receive an external acoustoelectric signal from the acoustoelectric signal module through the third sound link 21c, and transmit the received external acoustoelectric signal to the acoustic element 23 using the first sound link 21a and transfers the external acoustic deformation information generated by transforming the external acoustic electrical signal in the acoustic element 23 to the fourth sound link 21d using the second sound link 21b, and the fourth sound link ( 21d) may transmit external acoustic deformation information to the inner ear cochlea 15b.

4) Fourth embodiment

Meanwhile, the fourth embodiment of the present invention may be used as an embodiment for providing a more stable structure for the implantable sound link of the present invention by providing additional configurations to the first to third embodiments of the present invention.

The implantable sound link of the present invention basically obtains specific information and provides the specific information as vibration information to internal parts of the body (ear bone of the middle ear, cochlea of the inner ear) so that the user can perceive external sound. Therefore, a structure capable of preventing noise or attenuation that may cause unnecessary deformation to such vibration information may be required.

The fourth embodiment of the present invention may include a sound link housing 2 and a support member 25 as additional components for increasing the accuracy of such vibration information. In FIG. 5, for convenience of description, the sound link housing 2 is shown as the same as the through hole 2, but looking in more detail, the sound link housing 2 of the fourth embodiment of the present invention is inside the through hole 2 It is formed in, preferably, it may be formed so that the through hole 2 is in close contact with the inner surface of the through hole 2 and the implantable sound link do not come into contact.

The sound link housing 2 may be formed entirely inside the through hole 2, or may be partially provided only at a portion where the through hole 2 is bent. This is because there is a possibility that the implantable sound link may come into contact with the inner surface of the through hole 2 at a portion where the through hole 2 is bent.

The support member 25 is provided inside the through hole 2 and may be installed in a direction perpendicular to the through hole 2 . The support member 25 may be provided to prevent the implantable sound link from contacting the through hole 2 or the inner surface of the sound link housing 2 . In this case, at least one support member 25 may be provided inside the through hole 2, and in the fifth embodiment of the present invention, the implantable sound link is provided through the through hole 2 or the support member 25 using the support member 25. contact with the inner surface of the sound link housing 2 can be prevented.

Through this structure, in the fifth embodiment of the present invention, contamination of vibration information transmitted through the implantable sound link is minimized, thereby providing the user with an effect expected in the present invention.

On the other hand, in the above-described first to fifth embodiments of the present invention, the main sound link (including the first sound link and the second sound link) is limited to being formed in the form of a wire, but the present invention is not necessarily limited thereto. In another embodiment, the main sound link (including the first sound link and the second sound link) may be formed in the form of a spring, and more specifically, may be formed in a form suitable for transmitting vibration information.

To this end, in another embodiment, the main sound links (including the first sound link and the second sound link) are formed using titanium or nitinol (nickel-titanium alloy) so that they do not adversely affect the body even when inserted into the body. may be formed.

Although one embodiment of the present invention has been described above, the spirit of the present invention is not limited to the embodiments presented herein, and those skilled in the art who understand the spirit of the present invention may add elements within the scope of the same spirit. However, other embodiments can be easily proposed by means of changes, deletions, additions, etc., but these will also fall within the scope of the present invention.

1: internal structure of the ear 2: through hole, sound link housing
11a: behind-the-ear hearing aid 11b: implantable hearing aid
13 ear canal 14 eardrum
15a middle ear ossicles 15b inner ear cochlea
21: main sound link 21a: first sound link
21b: second sound link 21c: third sound link
21d: fourth sound link 22a: coupling member
22b: contact member 23: acoustic element
25: support member

Claims (7)

An implantable sound link inserted into a through hole penetrating a part of the body formed outside the ear canal to transmit external sound to an internal part of the body,
The implantable sound link,
A main sound link inserted into the through hole; includes,
The main sound link,
One end is formed to contact the internal part of the body,
Transferring external sound information in which the external sound is transformed through an acoustic device to the internal body part,
The implantable sound link of claim 1 , wherein the body internal site is an ossicle of the middle ear or a cochlea of the inner ear. According to claim 1,
An implantable sound link having a contact member provided at one end of the main sound link to prevent damage to the internal part of the body. According to claim 1,
The main sound link,
An implantable sound link further comprising a connection member formed at the other end of the through hole to be connected to the acoustic device from the outside of the through hole. According to claim 3,
The main sound link,
One end of the first sound link and one end of the second sound link are connected to the one end and the other end, respectively, and the connecting member is formed at the other end of the first sound link. According to claim 1,
The main sound link according to the structure of the through hole,
The other end is exposed to the outside of the ear canal and is formed to be coupled with the acoustic element;
An implantable sound link formed such that the other end is exposed through the external auditory meatus and coupled to the acoustic device. According to claim 1,
The main sound link,
It is formed of a first sound link and a second sound link so as to be connected to the acoustic element implanted in the through hole, and one end of the first sound link and one end of the second sound link are connected to the acoustic element, respectively. The implantable sound link being formed. According to claim 6,
The first sound link according to the structure of the through hole,
The other end is exposed to the outside of the ear canal and is formed to be coupled with an acoustic and electrical signal module;
An implantable sound link formed such that the other end is exposed through the external auditory meatus and coupled to the acoustoelectric signal module.

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