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:
Jul. 19, 2011
Filed:
Sep. 18, 2007
Fysh Dadd, Meadowbank, AU;
Derek Ian Darley, Cromer Heights, AU;
Peter Gibson, Randwick, AU;
John Parker, Roseville, AU;
Claudiu Treaba, Englewood, CO (US);
Fysh Dadd, Meadowbank, AU;
Derek Ian Darley, Cromer Heights, AU;
Peter Gibson, Randwick, AU;
John Parker, Roseville, AU;
Claudiu Treaba, Englewood, CO (US);
Cochlear Limited, Macquarie University, NSW, AU;
Abstract
A cochlear implant electrode assembly () comprising an elongate electrode carrier member (), a bioresorbable stiffening element () and an outer layer () surrounding the stiffening element (). The carrier member () is made of a resiliently flexible first material and has a plurality of electrodes () mounted thereon and has a first configuration selected to allow it to be inserted into an implantee's cochlea, and at least a second configuration wherein it is curved to match a surface of the cochlea. The bioresorbable stiffening element () has a configuration selected for biasing the elongate member () into the first configuration and is made of a second material relatively stiffer than the first material and which dissolves or softens on exposure to cochlear fluids to permit the elongate member () to at least approach or adopt the second configuration. The outer layer () surrounding the stiffening element () is made of a material sufficiently resiliently flexible to allow the elongate member () to at least approach or adopt the second configuration. The outer layer () has a first rate of cochlear fluid ingress therethrough and has at least one fluid ingress means () formed therein. The rate of cochlear fluid ingress through the fluid ingress means () is greater than the first rate of cochlear fluid ingress through the outer layer ().