The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Apr. 30, 2002
Filed:
Mar. 02, 1999
S. George Lesinski, Cincinnati, OH (US);
Arnand P. Neukermans, Palo Alto, CA (US);
Other;
Abstract
A implantable sealed microphone ( ) includes a diaphragm ( ) having a thin central region ( ) surrounded by a thicker rim ( ). One side of sheet electret material ( ) is bonded to the diaphragm ( ) while the other side contacts a roughened plate ( ). The rim ( ) is bonded to a housing ( ) thereby hermetically enclosing the electret ( ) and the plate ( ). The microphone ( ) also includes an electrical connector ( ) that couples both the plate ( ) and the electret ( ) to an input of an amplifier ( ) included in an implantable hearing aid system ( ). Preferably, the microphone ( ) is incorporated into a sealed electronics module ( ) together with the amplifier ( ) and an energy storage device such as a battery that energizes operation of the implantable hearing aid system ( ). In such a configuration, the microphone's diaphragm ( ) forms a surface of the electronics module's housing ( ). An electrical connector ( ) couples an output signal from the amplifier ( ) to a microactuator ( ) of the implantable hearing aid system ( ).