Transducer devices and methods for hearing

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9949035-B2
Application number	US-201615042595-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 12, 2016
Priority date	Sep 22, 2008
Publication date	Apr 17, 2018
Grant date	Apr 17, 2018

Abstract

A device to transmit an audio signal to a user may comprise a mass, a piezoelectric transducer, and a support to support the mass and the piezoelectric transducer with the eardrum. The piezoelectric transducer can be configured to drive the support and the eardrum with a first force and the mass with a second force opposite the first force. The device may comprise circuitry configured to receive wireless power and wireless transmission of an audio signal, and the circuitry can be supported with the eardrum to drive the transducer in response to the audio signal, such that vibration between the circuitry and the transducer can be decreased. The transducer can be positioned away from the umbo of the ear to drive the eardrum, for example on the lateral process of the malleus.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A device configured for non-surgical placement through an ear canal to transmit an audio signal to a user, the user having an ear comprising an eardrum, the device comprising:
a mass;
a piezoelectric transducer; and
a support configured and shaped to: 1) be positioned along at least a portion of a lateral surface of the eardrum, and 2) support the mass and the piezoelectric transducer with the eardrum, the piezoelectric transducer configured for placement over the lateral surface of the eardrum spaced away from an umbo of the eardrum to face the ear canal and to drive the support and the eardrum with a first force and the mass with a second force, the second force opposite the first force.

2. The device of claim 1 wherein the piezoelectric transducer is disposed between the mass and the support.

3. The device of claim 1 further comprising at least one flexible structure disposed between the piezoelectric transducer and the mass.

4. The device of claim 1 wherein the piezoelectric transducer is magnetically coupled to the support.

5. The device of claim 1 wherein the piezoelectric transducer comprises a first portion connected to the mass and a second portion connected to the support to drive the mass opposite the support.

6. The device of claim 1 wherein the support comprises a first side shaped to conform with the eardrum.

7. The device of claim 6 wherein a protrusion is disposed opposite the first side and affixed to the piezoelectric transducer.

8. The device of claim 6 further comprising a fluid configured to be disposed between the first side and the eardrum to couple the support to the eardrum, the fluid comprising a liquid composed of at least one of an oil, a mineral oil, a silicone oil or a hydrophobic liquid.

9. The device of claim 6 wherein the support comprises a second side disposed opposite the first side, the protrusion extending from the second side to the piezoelectric transducer.

10. The device of claim 1 wherein the support comprises a first component and a second component, the first component comprising a flexible material shaped to conform to the eardrum and flex with motion of the eardrum, the second component comprising a rigid material extending from the transducer to the flexible material to transmit first force to the flexible material and the eardrum.

11. The device of claim 10 wherein the rigid material comprises at least one of a metal, titanium, a stainless steel or a rigid plastic and wherein the flexible material comprises at least one of a silicone, a flexible plastic or a gel.

12. The device of claim 1 further comprising a housing, the housing rigidly affixed to the mass to move the housing and the mass opposite the support.

13. The device of claim 12 wherein the support comprises a rigid material that extends through the housing to the transducer to move the mass and the housing opposite the support.

14. The device of claim 1 wherein the mass comprises circuitry coupled to the transducer and supported with the support and the transducer, the circuitry configured to receive wireless power and wireless transmission of the audio signal to drive the transducer in response to the audio signal.

15. The device of claim 1 wherein the piezoelectric transducer comprises at least one of a piezoelectric unimorph transducer, bimorph-bender piezoelectric transducer, a piezoelectric multimorph transducer, a stacked piezoelectric transducer with a mechanical multiplier or a ring piezoelectric transducer with a mechanical multiplier.

16. The device of claim 15 wherein the piezoelectric transducer comprises the bimorph-bender piezoelectric transducer and the mass comprises a first mass and a second mass, and wherein the bimorph bender comprises a cantilever extending from a first end supporting the first mass to a second end supporting the second mass, and wherein the support is coupled to the cantilever between the first end and the second end to drive the ear drum with the first force and drive the first mass and the second mass with the second force.

17. The device of claim 15 wherein the piezoelectric transducer comprises the stacked piezoelectric transducer with the mechanical multiplier and wherein the mechanical multiplier comprises a first side coupled to the support to drive the eardrum with the first force and a second side coupled to the mass to drive the mass with the second force.

18. The device of claim 15 wherein the piezoelectric transducer comprises the ring piezoelectric transducer with the mechanical multiplier and wherein the mechanical multiplier comprises a first side and a second side, the first side extending inwardly from the ring piezoelectric transducer to the mass, the second side extending inwardly toward a protrusion of the support, and wherein the mass moves away from the protrusion of the support when the ring contracts and toward the protrusion of the support when the ring expands.

19. The device of claim 18 , wherein the ring piezoelectric transducer defines a center having a central axis extending there through and wherein the protrusion and the mass are disposed along the central axis.

20. The device of claim 15 wherein the piezoelectric transducer comprises the bimorph bender and wherein the mass comprises a ring having a central aperture formed thereon and wherein the bimorph bender extends across the ring with a first end and a second end coupled to the ring and wherein the support extends through the aperture and connects to the piezoelectric transducer between the first end and the second end to move the support opposite the ring when the bimorph bender bends.

21. The device of claim 20 , wherein the bimorph bender is connected to the ring with an adhesive on the first end and the second end such that the first end and the second end are configured to move relative to the ring with shear motion when the bimorph bender bends to drive the support opposite the ring.

22. A device to transmit an audio signal to a user, the user having an ear comprising an eardrum, the device comprising:
a transducer;
circuitry coupled to the transducer, the circuitry configured to receive at least one of wireless power or wireless transmission of the audio signal to drive the transducer in response to the audio signal; and
a support having a length, the length of the support configured to be positioned along at least a portion of the lateral surface of the eardrum,
wherein the transducer is configured to be supported on the support in a general direction of the length of the support and along the lateral surface of the eardrum to face the ear canal, and
wherein the transducer is configured to drive the support and the eardrum with a first force and drive the circuitry with a second force, wherein the second force is opposite the first force, and wherein driving the first force and the second force causes a rotational or twisting movement of one or more of the support or the eardrum.

23. The device of claim 22 wherein the circuitry is rigidly attached to a mass and coupled to the transducer to drive the circuitry and the mass with the first force.

24. The device of claim 22 wherein the circuitry is rigidly attached to a mass and coupled to the transducer to drive the circuitry and the mass with the second force.

25. The device of claim 22 wherein the circuitry is flexibly attached to a mass and coupled to the transducer to drive the circuitry and

Assignees

• Earlens Corp

Inventors

• Rucker Paul
• Puria Sunil
• Fay Jonathan
• Rosen Micha

Classifications

• H04R2225/025

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

• H04R17/00

  Piezoelectric transducers; Electrostrictive transducers (piezoelectric or electrostrictive elements in general H10N30/00; details of piezoelectric or electrostrictive motors, generators or positioners {H10N30/00}) · CPC title

• H04R25/554

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

• H04R2460/09

  Non-occlusive ear tips, i.e. leaving the ear canal open, for both custom and non-custom tips (H04R2460/11 takes precedence) · CPC title

• H04R23/008

  using optical signals for detecting or generating sound · CPC title