Xomed, Inc.

Robert Y Chow

Jack V Hough

Kenneth E Barton, Jr

Kenneth J Dormer

Gordon L Richard

Paul DiCarlo

An implantable electromagnetic middle-ear bone-conduction hearing aid device is provided which is characterized by being carried entirely in the skull of the user, the absence of electrodes entering the middle-ear, and variability to meet a variety of pathological entities of the hearing impaired user. The device utilizes a sound processing component adapted to be positioned in the skull of the user and to extend from close proximity to the outside of the skull toward and within close proximity to the middle-ear of the user for receiving and converting sound into an electromagnetic signal and for transmitting the electromagnetic signal into the middle-ear of the user. A vibration generating component is adapted to be implanted in the small bones of the ossicular chain in the middle-ear for receiving the electromagnetic signal from the sound processing component and for vibrating the ossicular chain in response to such electromagnetic signal to stimulate the inner ear to create the perception of sound in the hearing impaired user.

Implantable electromagnetic middle-ear bone-conduction hearing aid device

An implantable electromagnetic middle-ear bone-conduction hearing aid device is provided which is characterized by being carried entirely in the skull of the user, the absense of electrodes entering the middle-ear, and variability to meet a variety of pathological entities of the hearing impaired user. The device utilizes a sound processing component adapted to be positioned in the skull of the user and to extend from close proximity to the outside of the skull toward and within close proximity to the middle-ear of the user for receiving and converting sound into an electromagnetic signal and for transmitting the electromagnetic signal into the middle-ear of the user. A vibration generating component is adapted to be implanted in the small bones of the ossicular chain in the middle-ear for receiving the electromagnetic signal from the sound processing component and for vibrating the ossicular chain in response to such electromagnetic signal to stimulate the inner ear to create the perception of sound in the hearing impaired user.

A direct bone conduction hearing aid device is disclosed and includes a sound processor for receiving sound and generating an amplified electromagnetic signal in response thereto. This signal is transmitted to a subcutaneously implanted vibration generating means which is secured to a skull bone of the user and which includes magnetic means. An analog signal causes the magnet to vibrate and these vibrations are transmitted to the skull bone and thence to the cochlea to create the perception of sound.

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Jacksonville, FL, United States of America

Robert Y Chow