Devices and methods for hearing

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10516946-B2
Application number	US-201715706208-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 15, 2017
Priority date	Sep 22, 2008
Publication date	Dec 24, 2019
Grant date	Dec 24, 2019

Abstract

A device to transmit an audio signal to a user comprises a transducer and a support. The support is configured for placement on the eardrum to drive the eardrum. The transducer is coupled to the support at a first location to decrease occlusion and a second location to drive the eardrum. The transducer may comprise one or more of an electromagnetic balanced armature transducer, a piezoelectric transducer, a magnetostrictive transducer, a photostrictive transducer, or a coil and magnet. The device may find use with open canal hearing aids.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A device to inductively transmit an audio signal to a user, the user having an ear comprising an ear canal and an eardrum, the device comprising:
a first coil configured to fit in the ear canal; and
a transducer configured for placement at least partially against the eardrum, the transducer comprising a second coil wherein the second coil is separated from and adapted to be inductively coupled to the first coil.

2. A device according to claim 1 wherein the transducer further comprises a third coil and wherein the second coil is electrically connected to the third coil.

3. A device according to claim 2 wherein the transducer further comprises a moveable structure configured to move in response to a magnetic field.

4. A device according to claim 3 wherein the moveable structure extends along a first elongate direction and an extension structure extends along a second elongate dimension which is transverse or angled relative to the first elongate dimension.

5. A device according to claim 4 wherein the transducer is a balanced armature transducer.

6. A device according to claim 5 wherein the transducer is coupled to a support at a first location, the support being configured for placement at least partially against the eardrum.

7. A device according to claim 6 wherein the transducer is coupled to the support through at least one compression structure, the at least one compression structure configured to urge the transducer toward the eardrum when the support is positioned against the eardrum.

8. A device according to claim 7 wherein the at least one compression structure comprises one or more springs.

Assignees

• Earlens Corp

Inventors

• Puria Sunil
• Rosen Micha
• Fay Jonathan P
• Rucker Paul
• Stone James

Classifications

• H04R25/65 Primary

  Housing parts, e.g. shells, tips or moulds, or their manufacture · CPC title

• H04R25/652

  Ear tips; Ear moulds (hybrid ear moulds or post-processing thereof for their customisation H04R25/659) · CPC title

• H04R2225/025

  In the ear hearing aids [ITE] hearing aids · CPC title

• H04R2460/13

  Hearing devices using bone conduction transducers · CPC title

• H04R25/554

  using a wireless connection, e.g. between microphone and amplifier or using Tcoils · CPC title