Otologics, LLC

Cochlear Limited

Travis Rian Andrews

Scott Allan Miller

Robert Edwin Schneider

Robert F McCullough, Jr

James Roy Easter

David L Basinger

Farid Moumane

Jan Vermeiren

Bernd Waldmann

Jose′ H Bedoya

James Frank Kasic, Ii

Douglas Alan Miller

Scott Allan Miller, Iii

Peter Robert Mellers

Scott Allan Miller Iii

A vibrator including a housing, a transducer positioned within the housing such that there is a gap between the transducer and housing, and a damper assembly, disposed in the gap between the housing and at least a portion of the transducer, the damper assembly extending a sub-distance of the total distance of the gap.

Impact and resonance management

A vibratory apparatus including a lever arm apparatus including a living hinge, wherein the vibratory apparatus is configured such that at least a portion of the lever arm moves about the living hinge when the vibratory apparatus is generating vibrations.

Electromechanical transducer with mechanical advantage

A vibratory apparatus, including a housing having an internal chamber, wherein the internal chamber includes a lever having a first end and a free second end, and a piezoelectric element adapted to deform in response to an applied voltage, wherein deformation of the piezoelectric element displaces the free second end of the lever, and wherein displacement of the free second end of the lever within the internal chamber imparts a vibration to the housing.

An implantable hearing aid transducer apparatus provides a simplified approach for interface with a middle ear component. The transducer includes a transducer housing, an actuator for middle ear coupling, and a driver having a magnet or coil interconnected to the actuator to induce movement in response to driver signals. In one feature, the actuator may be advanceable through an aperture of the housing independent from operation of the driver. In another feature, a portion of the transducer may be rotatable. In another feature, a retention apparatus may function to selectively secure a rotatable portion of the housing in a selected position. In an additional feature, a seal may be disposed around a driver component and connected to the actuator.

Simplified implantable hearing aid transducer apparatus

An implanted microphone is provided that has reduced sensitivity to vibration and attendant acceleration forces to differentiate between desirable and undesirable components of a transcutaneously received signal. More specifically, the microphone utilizes an output that is indicative of acceleration forces acting on the implanted microphone to counteract and/or cancel the effects of acceleration-induced pressures in an output signal of a microphone diaphragm. In one arrangement, a microphone having two diaphragms pneumatically cancels acceleration pressures. In this arrangement, a first diaphragm receives and generates a response to commingled acoustic and acceleration forces and a second diaphragm is substantially isolated from the acoustic forces. That is, the second diaphragm generates a response to acceleration forces. The displacements of the first and second diaphragms are pneumatically combined. The result of such pneumatic combination is that the acoustic component of the first diaphragm is enhanced in a resulting output signal.

Low acceleration sensitivity microphone

An apparatus and method is provided for lateral contact loading of an implantable transducer relative to an auditory component. The apparatus may include a contact tip for directly contacting a lateral aspect of an auditory component, and a vibratory actuator adapted for axial displacement in response to the operation of an interconnected implantable hearing aid transducer. At least a portion of the vibratory actuator may be deflectable, wherein the contact tip is laterally displaceable upon lateral deflection of the vibratory actuator to apply a lateral loading force to an auditory component. In operation, the contact tip may be positioned to apply the lateral loading force upon initial placement and then automatically moved to maintain contact with the auditory component by virtue of deflection of the vibratory actuator, (e.g., responsive) post-implantation auditory component movement.

Lateral coupling of an implantable hearing aid actuator to an auditory component

A retention apparatus for a semi-implantable hearing aid. In one embodiment, the retention apparatus includes a first surface and a second surface. One of the first and second surfaces includes a first portion and a second portion having a rounded transition therebetween for interfacing with a patient's skin. The rounded transition of the interfacing surface of the retention apparatus functions to distribute pressure resulting from the mutual magnetic attraction between an externally located magnet and an implanted magnet to permit increased magnetic forces therebetween and maintenance of a desired separation between an external coil and implanted coil.

Retention apparatus for an external portion of a semi-implantable hearing aid

A transducer mounting system including a retention apparatus to provide an efficient detachable interconnection between a pivotable member and the mounting system. According. to one aspect, the retention apparatus is configured to travel along a predetermined path between an unlocked position and unlocked position to secure a transducer in a desired orientation relative to an auditory component. According to this aspect, the retention apparatus may include a compressible member to frictionally capture and positionally fix the pivotable member relative to the mounting system.

Implantable hearing aid transducer retention apparatus

A system for reducing the vibration sensitivity of an implantable microphone without an equal or greater reduction in sound sensitivity. The system reduces non-ambient vibrations by placing at least one compliant member into the path of transmission for tissue-borne vibration, but not into the path for ambient sound-induced vibration. More particularly, a compliant member is interposed along the path between a source of non-ambient vibration and an implanted microphone. In one aspect, a compliant base member is disposed between an implanted microphone and an implant wearer's skull. In another aspect, a microphone is compliantly suspended relative to an implant housing using a support membrane. In either aspect, the compliant member (i.e., base member and/or membrane) and the supported member (i.e., housing and/or microphone) define a supported system having a natural or resonant frequency. This natural frequency may be set to a value to advantageously isolate the microphone against transmitted vibration.

Passive vibration isolation of implanted microphone

An implanted microphone is provided that has reduced sensitivity to vibration and attendant acceleration forces. In this regard, the microphone differentiates between the desirable and undesirable components of a transcutaneously received signal. More specifically, the present invention utilizes an output that is indicative of acceleration forces acting on the implanted microphone (e.g., an acceleration signal) to counteract and/or cancel the effects of acceleration induced pressures in an output signal of a microphone diaphragm. This may be done in a variety of ways, including but not limited to, pneumatically, mechanically, electrical analog, or digitally, or combinations thereof. In one arrangement, the generated output may be filtered to match the an acceleration response of the output signal of the microphone diaphragm such that upon removal of the motion signal from the microphone output, the remaining signal is an acoustic signal.

An implantable hearing aid transducer interface disposable between an implantable transducer and a mounting apparatus and having at least a portion that is displaceable in response to a predeterminable range of transducer movement. According to one aspect of the invention, the predeterminable range of transducer movement includes movement in response to a physiological movement of an auditory component that results in pressure on the implantable transducer. In this case, the compliant interface permits adaptive movement of the implantable transducer in response to the pressure to maintain a desired interface between the implantable transducer and an auditory component. According to another aspect, the predeterminable range of transducer movement may be transducer vibration resulting from an acoustic stimulation of an auditory component by the implantable transducer. In this case, the compliant interface reduces the transmission of transducer vibration over a feedback path to a microphone of a hearing aid.

Implantable hearing aid transducer interface

An implantable hearing aid system that includes a transducer housing that is rotatable relative to a transducer mounting apparatus to orient the transducer for interfacing with an auditory component. According to one aspect of the invention, during rotation, a center of rotation of the transducer housing remains positionally fixed. In this regard, the transducer includes an actuator member that is advanceable relative to the transducer housing to interface with the auditory component, subsequent to orientation of the transducer housing.

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Loveland, CO, United States of America

Travis Rian Andrews