Kyungpook National University Industry-academic Cooperation Foundation

Jin-ho Cho

Hyung Gyu Lim

Ki Woong Seong

Jyung Hyun Lee

Dong Ho Shin

Ki-Woong Seong

Kyu-Yup Lee

Il-Yong Park

Hyung-Gyu Lim

Seong Tak Woo

Jyung-Hyun Lee

A hearing aid having a bellows vibration body is disclosed. The hearing aid comprises: an external unit having a microphone for converting an external voice into an electrical signal; an internal unit which can be implanted under the skin and is for communicating with the external unit; a bellows vibration body which can be connected to the auditory ossicles and comprises a non-magnetic body; and an audio transmission tube for transmitting an acoustic signal, which is output from the internal unit, to the bellows vibration body, wherein the bellows vibration body vibrates in accordance with the acoustic signal transmitted by means of the audio transmission tube and thus transmits the vibration to the auditory ossicles.

Bellows vibration body and hearing aid comprising same

Provided are a vibration transducer and an implantable hearing aid device. In one embodiment, the implantable hearing aid device includes a signal processing part implantable in a subject, the signal processing part processing a signal from a microphone to output a sound signal, a sound transmission tube configured for transmitting the sound signal to a round window of the subject, and a bellows member disposed at an end side of the sound transmission tube to transmit vibration due to the sound signal to the round window. In other embodiment, the implantable hearing aid device includes a signal processing part implantable in a subject, the signal processing part processing a signal from a microphone to output an electrical signal, a vibration generation part configured for receiving the electrical signal to generate vibration, and a bellows member disposed at an end side of the vibration generation part to transmit the vibration to a round window of the subject. In some embodiments, the vibration generation part includes a magnet member or a piezoelectric vibration member to vibrate in accordance with the electrical signal.

Vibration transducer and implantable hearing aid device

The present disclosure provides a three-coil type round window driving vibrator, which includes a permanent magnet having the same magnetic poles adjoining each other and is designed to allow electric current flowing through coils to run in opposite directions in order to increase driving force without being affected by an external magnetic field. The round window driving vibrator includes a permanent magnet having three poles of SNS or NSN, a coil member wound around an outer periphery of the permanent magnet, and a vibration member connected to one end of the permanent magnet. Here, the coil member includes a first coil wound around a middle section of the permanent magnet and second and third coils wound around upper and lower sections of the permanent magnet, respectively.

Three-coil type round window driving vibrator having excellent driving force

A microphone for an implantable hearing aid includes a body part having a cylindrical housing installed to pass through a tympanum and a microphone controller installed within the cylindrical housing to convert an acoustic signal into an electrical signal, an acoustic collection part that provides a passage for transmitting external sounds into the body part, the acoustic collection part being disposed on one end of the body part in a direction of an external auditory meatus, and a wire connection part connecting the microphone controller to the hearing aid, the wire connection part being disposed on the other end of the body part in a direction of a middle ear cavity. The microphone is easily installed on the tympanum in a noninvasive manner, and attenuation in sensibility of the microphone is prevented. Thus, the microphone may be significantly utilized for the implantable hearing aid.

Easily installable microphone for implantable hearing aid

An implantable middle ear hearing device having a tubular vibration transducer to drive a round window is designed to input sound to a round window opposite an oval window in an inner ear. The tubular vibration transducer has a unique structure that does not attenuate the magnitude of a signal, particularly, in a high frequency band. Sound delivery effect is much higher than those of conventional schemes. It is also possible to minimize difficulties associated with and problems resulting from the operation, which the conventional methods would have. Further, the transducer can have a relatively less compact than ossicle contact type transducers, and thus be easily fabricated. The hearing device can be applied to a sensorineural hearing loss patient with the ossicle damaged. Moreover, since sound is directly transmitted without through the ear drum and the ossicle, high efficiency sound delivery is achievable and hearing loss compensation are easy.

Implantable middle ear hearing device having tubular vibration transducer to drive round window

Disclosed herein is a piezoelectric type vibrator included in an implantable hearing device. The piezoelectric type vibrator comprises: a housing; a piezoelectric element portion formed at one end thereof with a free end and at the other end thereof with a non-free end, the piezoelectric element portion being at least partially disposed at the inside of the housing and including at least one piezoelectric element and terminals connected to both ends of the piezoelectric element; and a connection portion attached at one end thereof to one side of the inner wall of the housing and at the other end thereof to a non-free end of the piezoelectric element portion.

Piezoelectric type vibrator, implantable hearing aid with the same, and method of implanting the same

A middle ear hearing aid transducer is provided. The middle ear hearing aid includes: first and second permanent magnets arranged such that the same poles face each other; a coil separated a predetermined distance from the outer surfaces of the first and second permanent magnets, and surrounding the first and second permanent magnets; a case for accommodating the first and second permanent magnets and the coil; and a vibration member for supporting the first and second permanent magnets to keep a predetermined distance between the coil and the outer surfaces of the first and second permanent magnets, and for transmitting vibrations of the first and second permanent magnets to the case.

Growing community of inventors

Daegu, South Korea

Jin-ho Cho