International Business Machines Corporation

Implex Aktiengesellschaft Hearing Technology

Other

Implex Gmbh Spezialhorgerate

Implex Gmgh Spezialhorgerate

Implex Aktienegesellschaft Hearing Technology

Phonak Ag

Rolf Martin Lehner

Hans Leysieffer

Wolfgang Schmutz

Josef Gentischer

Gerd M Muller

Gabriele E Reischl

Gudrun Bohmer

Dieter Modjesch

Joachim W Baumann

Hans Peter Zenner

Dieter M{umlaut Over (u)}ller

Gabriele Reischl

Medical implant which is suitable for implantation in an artificial bone bed surgically made on the outer surface of the mastoid region of the skull, having a hermetically sealed housing in which electronic components and other components or modules are accommodated. The implant housing is provided with at least on bend in at least one plane which is dimensioned such that in a plane perpendicular to the direction of the bend, a tangential line extending from a bottom portion of one housing end forms an angle, preferably an angle between 5&deg; to 25&deg;, with a tangent extending from a bottom portion of another housing end.

Medical implant

A fixation element secures to a patient's ear an implantable microphone having a cylindrical housing part with an acoustic inlet membrane after insertion into a hole which crosses a rear bony wall of the patient's auditory canal. The fixation element has a cylindrical sleeve part which surrounds the cylindrical housing part of the microphone and which has projecting, elastic flange parts which can be placed against the side of the wall of the auditory canal which faces the skin of the auditory canal. In use, the elastic flange parts are held in a bent position against an elastic restoring force of the flange parts, before implantation, by applying a holder to the flange parts which allows insertion of the flanges through the hole of the wall of the auditory canal. After the microphone assembly has been inserted through the hole, the holder (which can be, for example, thread or a cap) is removed allowing the elastic flange parts to spring into a position in which they project essentially radially away from the cylindrical sleeve part between the wall of the auditory canal which faces skin of the auditory canal and the skin of the auditory canal.

Fixation element for an implantable microphone

Arrangement for adjusting and fixing the relative position of two components of an active or passive hearing implant. A first one of the elements is rod-shaped at least in the fixing region. The other of the elements, at least in the fixing region, is sleeve-shaped and can be plastically cold-deformed by a crimping tool or is made as a belt loop which can be tightened and in the fixed state loops around the rod-shaped part over an angle of at least 360.degree.. The two elements are joined permanently to one another without play by cold-flow deformation of the sleeve-shaped part or by force-fit and/or form fit when the belt loop is tightened.

Arrangement for adjusting and fixing the relative position of two

Implantable dosaging system

A permanently implantable, fixable positioning system (1) for stationary attachment to a human body, without play, preferably to the human skull. It has ball-and-socket joint (3), linear axle (4) fixed stationary to it, and a carriage (5) which is guided on the linear axle for accommodating an implantable actuator or sensor device (6). The combination of the axial degree of freedom of the linear axle (4) with three degrees of rotational freedom of the ball-and-socket joint (3) allows a surgeon four-axis, in-situ positioning of the implantable means especially in the middle ear and mastoid cavities. By using the positioning system, precise positioning of a free active end (16) of the implantable device (6) relative to sensitive anatomical structures of the human body is enabled while avoiding risky relative movements between the implantable device and the body of the patient. The positioning system is thus used more or less as a 'tremor-free artificial hand' of the surgeon. According to one preferred embodiment, the implantable device is an implantable piezoelectric hearing aid transducer of a partially or completely implantable hearing aid.

Implantable positioning and fixing system for actuator and sensor

Temporarily fixable positioning system (1) for secure, play-free fastening to the human body, preferably to the human skull has a base (4), a clampable ball-and-socket joint (3), a linear axis mechanism (2) fixed securely to it and a carriage (6) guided along the linear axis mechanism for receiving an actuator or sensor instrument (12). For intraoperative use, the positioning system is combined with a retractor (27). A head support (31) is provided for noninvasive diagnostic or therapeutic applications. The combination of the axial degree of freedom of linear axis (2) with the three rotational degrees of freedom of the ball-and-socket joint (3) allows four-axis, in situ positioning of the instrument on or in the skull, especially in the external auditory canal and an opened middle ear. The positioning system in combination with one of the holders enables precise positioning of an active end (14) of a guided instrument (12) relative to sensitive anatomical structures while avoiding risky relative movements.

Device for positioning and fixing of therapeutic, surgical, or

Spinning plate for substrates

Arrangement for storing and transporting substrates under clean room conditions and for loading the substrates into a clean room. The substrates are individually accommodated in cassettes which are positively stackable. By means of a lifting means, the cassettes are positioned external to a loading slot of the clean room. A lateral sealing flap in the cassette is opened and the substrate is moved into the loading slot in a substrate drawer.

Arrangement for storing, transporting and loading substrates

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Esslingen, Germany

Rolf Martin Lehner