Cochlear Implant Current Detection Device

Abstract

The present invention discloses a cochlear implant current detection device. There are two terminal posts provided on one side of the housing. The housing is an uncovered rectangular box shape, and the bottom surface of the housing is bent, with a bending angle of 160° - 170°. A partition plate is provided inside the housing, dividing the space inside the housing into upper and lower parts. Two grooves are provided near the terminal posts, and the two grooves are respectively in the upper and lower parts separated by the partition plate. Platinum wires are provided in the grooves, and the platinum wires are electrically connected to the terminal posts. Both ends of the reference resistor are connected to the terminal posts. The first positioning block is provided inside the housing, in the upper part separated by the partition plate, and on the horizontal plane of the bent bottom surface of the housing. The wire pressing rod is provided inside the housing, in the lower part separated by the partition plate. The second positioning block is provided below the housing, and on the surface of the bent bottom surface of the housing that forms an angle of 160° - 170° with the horizontal plane. The present invention can perform a detection that is extremely close to actual use on the stimulation current output of the cochlear implant.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The invention relates to the field of electrical detection, and in particular to a cochlear implant current detection device. Background Art

[0002] The mechanism by which people hear sound is that the sound signal is transmitted from the outer ear to the middle ear, and the middle ear converts the sound signal into a mechanical vibration signal, which is then transmitted to the cochlea in the inner ear. The cochlea then converts the mechanical vibration signal into an electrical signal, which is then transmitted to the brain through the neural pathway. Studies have found that the voltage of a complete electrical signal transmitted by the human cochlea is negative at the beginning and positive at the end. The positive potential signal is the main body of the transmitted signal, which carries the information component, while the negative potential is to neutralize the positive charge and ensure the potential balance in the brain.

[0003] A cochlear implant is a neural prosthesis that converts sound signals into electrical signals. It is implanted in the brain of a deaf patient to replace the function of the human cochlea. Based on the characteristics of the electrical signals generated by the human cochlea, since the invention of the cochlear implant, researchers have tried to use various signals with similar human signal characteristics, such as sine waves, positive and negative triangle waves, and positive and negative pulses, as the signal source of the cochlear implant. At present, most of the products on the market use a pulse signal that is negative first and then positive as the signal output of the cochlear implant.

[0004] The cochlear implant is essentially an acoustic-electric conversion device. After being implanted in the brain, it discharges directly into the human brain. Therefore, the duration of the cochlear implant's discharge into the brain, the magnitude of the current, and the amount of charge must be strictly controlled within the human safety range. The accuracy of pulse width, pulse amplitude, pulse interval, and pulse stimulation rate all affect human safety. The above parameters directly reflect the stability and reliability of the cochlear implant's current source, electronic switch, and crystal oscillator. In the process of the author's contact with some domestic cochlear implant manufacturers, it was found that all manufacturers use manual means of observing the stimulation pulse waveform through an oscilloscope to inspect the product in the product quality management before the product leaves the factory.

[0005] With the development of science and technology, the new generation of cochlear implants mostly use multi-channel methods to stimulate nerves, that is, a cochlear implant has multiple electrodes, up to 24 at most. When testing this medical product, it is theoretically necessary to test all electrode signals. When the auditory nerve fibers are stimulated by electric current, nerve impulses are generated and transmitted to the brain, forming hearing in the brain; because the position of the auditory nerve fibers stimulated by electric current is related to the frequency, the hearing generated has good frequency characteristics and is closely related to the current output.

[0006] Currently, there is no good test device to accurately measure the current during the test of artificial cochlear. Since the design of the test device cannot be well restored to the actual usage status, the test error is relatively large. Summary of the Invention

[0007] In view of this, the object of the present invention is to provide a cochlear implant current detection device for automatically, quickly and accurately detecting the current output of the cochlear implant.

[0008] To achieve the above object, the present invention provides a cochlear implant current detection device, including a terminal, a reference resistor, a platinum wire, a housing, a pressure bar, a first positioning block, a bottom plate, a second positioning block, a support column and a partition plate, wherein,

[0009] Two terminals are provided on one side of the housing; the housing is an uncovered rectangular box, and the bottom surface of the housing is bent, with a bending angle of 160° - 170°. The partition plate is arranged inside the housing, dividing the space inside the housing into upper and lower parts; two grooves are provided near the terminals, and the two grooves are respectively in the upper and lower parts separated by the partition plate. The platinum wire is arranged in the grooves and is electrically connected to the terminals; both ends of the reference resistor are connected to the terminals; the first positioning block is arranged in the upper part of the housing separated by the partition plate and on the horizontal plane of the bent bottom surface of the housing; the pressure bar is arranged in the lower part of the housing separated by the partition plate; the second positioning block is arranged below the housing and on the surface of the bent bottom surface of the housing that forms an angle of 160° - 170° with the horizontal plane; the support column connects the housing and the bottom plate, and the bottom plate is a flat rectangle.

[0010] Preferably, it further includes an oscilloscope, a connecting wire, an adapter, a USB cable and a PC terminal. The oscilloscope is connected to the terminal to detect the current output by the terminal; the PC terminal, the USB cable, the adapter and the connecting wire are connected in sequence. The connecting wire is connected to the cochlear implant speech processor. The PC terminal sends an analog sound electrical signal to the cochlear implant speech processor, which is connected to the cochlear implant transmission coil through a transmission wire. The cochlear implant transmission coil is placed in the second positioning block, and the stimulator of the cochlear implant is placed in the first positioning block. The centers of the cochlear implant transmission coil and the receiving coil of the cochlear implant are opposite to each other, respectively outside and inside the housing, and are magnetically attracted. The stimulating electrode of the cochlear implant is in the lower part of the housing separated by the partition plate, and the pressure bar presses on it.

[0011] Preferably, the platinum wire is spiral.

[0012] Preferably, the reference resistor is 1 kΩ.

[0013] Preferably, the reference resistor is 2 kΩ.

[0014] Preferably, the housing, the pressure bar, the first positioning block, the bottom plate, the second positioning block, the support column and the partition plate are all made of transparent acrylic material.

[0015] Preferably, the first positioning block is adhesively connected to the housing.

[0016] Preferably, the second positioning block is adhesively connected to the housing.

[0017] Preferably, the support column is adhesively connected to the housing.

[0018] Preferably, the support column is connected to the bottom plate by screws.

[0019] The beneficial effects of the present invention are as follows: The cochlear implant current testing device accurately positions each part of the cochlear implant and fully simulates the usage angle. The provided partition plate separates the cochlear implant loop electrode and the stimulating electrode, restoring the actual usage situation to the greatest extent, and enabling reliable connection. The testing is scientific, the operation is convenient, and the current output of the cochlear implant stimulating electrode can be accurately detected. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0020] In order to make the objectives, technical solutions, and beneficial effects of the present invention clearer, the present invention provides the following drawings for illustration:

[0021] Figure 1 It is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of the cochlear implant current detection device according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0022] Figure 2 It is an enlarged schematic diagram of the cochlear implant current detection device according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0023] Figure 3 It is a schematic diagram of the back structure of the cochlear implant current detection device according to a specific embodiment of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS

[0024] The preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings.

[0025] Referring to Figure 1 , which shows a schematic diagram of the structure of the cochlear implant current detection device according to an embodiment of the present invention, including a terminal 1, a reference resistor 2, a platinum wire 3, a housing 4, a wire pressing rod 5, a first positioning block 6, a bottom plate 8, a second positioning block 9, a support column 11, and a partition plate 51. Among them,

[0026] Two terminal posts 1 are provided on one side of the housing 4; the housing 4 is an uncovered rectangular box shape, and the bottom surface of the housing 4 is bent, with a bending angle of 160° - 170°. A partition plate 51 is provided inside the housing 4 to divide the space inside the housing 4 into upper and lower parts; two grooves are provided on the side close to the terminal post 1, and the two grooves are respectively in the upper and lower parts separated by the partition plate 51. A platinum wire 3 is provided in the grooves, and the platinum wire 3 is electrically connected to the terminal post 1; both ends of the reference resistor 2 are connected to the terminal post 1; the first positioning block 6 is provided inside the housing 4, in the upper part separated by the partition plate 51, and on the horizontal plane of the bent bottom surface of the housing 4; the wire pressing rod 5 is provided inside the housing 4, in the lower part separated by the partition plate 51; the second positioning block 9 is provided below the housing 4, and on the surface of the bent bottom surface of the housing 4 that forms an angle of 160° - 170° with the horizontal plane; the support column 11 connects the housing 4 and the bottom plate 8, and the bottom plate 8 is a flat rectangle.

[0027] It also includes an oscilloscope 12, connecting wires 15, an adapter 16, a USB cable 17 and a PC terminal 18. The oscilloscope 12 is connected to the terminal 1 to detect the current output by the terminal 1. The PC terminal 18, the USB cable 17, the adapter 16 and the connecting wires 15 are connected in sequence. The connecting wires 15 are connected to the cochlear implant speech processor 14. The PC terminal 18 sends an analog sound electrical signal to the cochlear implant speech processor 14, which is connected to the cochlear implant transmission coil 10 through the transmission wire 13. The cochlear implant transmission coil 10 is placed in the second positioning block 9, and the stimulator 72 of the cochlear implant is placed in the first positioning block 6. The centers of the cochlear implant transmission coil 10 and the receiving coil 7 of the cochlear implant are opposite to each other, respectively outside and inside the housing 4, and are magnetically attracted. The stimulating electrode 71 of the cochlear implant is inside the housing 4, in the lower part separated by the partition plate 51, and the wire pressing rod 5 presses on it. The return electrode of the cochlear implant is a chip electrode provided on the stimulator 72 and an annular electrode close to the stimulator 72. The partition plate 51 is provided to separate the return electrode and the stimulating electrode 71. During the detection, physiological saline is added to the upper and lower parts separated by the partition plate 51 respectively to simulate the human body environment, but the physiological saline in the upper and lower parts is not connected, that is, neither part exceeds the partition plate 51. This is also the significance of setting the partition plate 51 and the key of the present invention. Then, the stimulating electrode 71 is pressed under it by the wire pressing rod 5, and the return electrode forms an electrical connection relationship with the platinum wire 3 in the groove of the upper part separated by the partition plate 51. The stimulating electrode 71 forms an electrical connection relationship with the platinum wire 3 in the groove of the lower part separated by the partition plate 51. When performing current detection, the reference resistor 2 is equivalent to human tissue. The stimulating electrode 71 outputs a current stimulus, and through the platinum wire 3 in the lower part of the partition plate 51, a terminal 1, the reference resistor 2, another terminal 1, the platinum wire 3 in the upper part of the partition plate 51 and the return electrode, a complete electrical stimulation circuit is formed. The bottom surface of the housing 4 is set to be bent at an angle of 160° - 170°, which also maximally simulates the angle of the cochlear implant during use, preventing current detection errors caused by the deviation of the angles of the receiving coil 7 and the stimulator 72 from the actual use during current detection.

[0028] In a specific embodiment

[0029] The platinum wire 3 is spiral-shaped, increasing the surface area in contact with the physiological saline, reducing the impedance, and minimizing the influence.

[0030] The reference resistor 2 is 1 kΩ or 2 kΩ to simulate human tissue.

[0031] The housing 4, the wire pressing rod 5, the first positioning block 6, the bottom plate 8, the second positioning block 9, the support column 11 and the partition plate 51 are all made of transparent acrylic material. The first positioning block 6 is adhesively connected to the housing 4, the second positioning block 9 is adhesively connected to the housing 4, the support column 11 is adhesively connected to the housing 4, and the support column 11 is connected to the bottom plate 8 by screws.

[0032] Finally, it should be noted that the above preferred embodiments are only used to illustrate the technical solutions of the present invention rather than to limit them. Although the present invention has been described in detail through the above preferred embodiments, those skilled in the art should understand that various changes can be made in terms of form and details without departing from the scope defined by the claims of the present invention.

Claims

1. An artificial cochlea current detection device, characterized in that, It includes terminal posts, a reference resistor, platinum wires, a housing, a wire pressing rod, a first positioning block, a bottom plate, a second positioning block, support columns and a partition plate. Among them, two terminal posts are provided on one side of the housing; the housing is an uncovered rectangular box, and the bottom surface of the housing is bent, with a bending angle of 160°-170°. The partition plate is arranged inside the housing, dividing the space inside the housing into upper and lower parts; two grooves are provided on the side close to the terminal posts, and the two grooves are respectively in the upper and lower parts separated by the partition plate. Platinum wires are arranged in the grooves, and the platinum wires are electrically connected to the terminal posts; both ends of the reference resistor are connected to the terminal posts; the first positioning block is arranged in the upper part of the housing separated by the partition plate and on the horizontal plane of the bent bottom surface of the housing; the wire pressing rod is arranged in the lower part of the housing separated by the partition plate; the second positioning block is arranged below the housing and on the surface of the bent bottom surface of the housing that forms an angle of 160°-170° with the horizontal plane; the support columns connect the housing and the bottom plate, and the bottom plate is a flat rectangle; it also includes an oscilloscope, connecting wires, an adapter, a USB cable and a PC terminal. The oscilloscope is connected to the terminal posts to detect the current output by the terminal posts; the PC terminal, the USB cable, the adapter and the connecting wires are connected in sequence. The connecting wires are connected to the cochlear implant speech processor. The PC terminal sends an analog sound electrical signal to the cochlear implant speech processor, which is connected to the cochlear implant transmission coil through a transmission wire. The cochlear implant transmission coil is placed in the second positioning block, and the stimulator of the cochlear implant is placed in the first positioning block. The centers of the cochlear implant transmission coil and the receiving coil of the cochlear implant are opposite to each other, respectively outside and inside the housing, and are magnetically attracted. The stimulating electrode of the cochlear implant is in the lower part of the housing separated by the partition plate, and the wire pressing rod presses on it; the loop electrode of the cochlear implant is a chip electrode arranged on the stimulator and a ring electrode close to the stimulator, and the loop electrode forms an electrical connection relationship with the platinum wire in the groove in the upper part of the housing separated by the partition plate; the stimulating electrode forms an electrical connection relationship with the platinum wire in the groove in the lower part of the housing separated by the partition plate.

2. The cochlear implant current detection device according to claim 1, characterized in that The platinum wire is spiral.

3. The cochlear implant current detection device according to claim 1, characterized in that The reference resistor is 1 kΩ.

4. The cochlear implant current detection device according to claim 1, characterized in that The reference resistor is 2 kΩ.

5. The cochlear implant current detection device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The housing, the wire pressing rod, the first positioning block, the bottom plate, the second positioning block, the support columns and the partition plate are all made of transparent acrylic material.

6. The cochlear implant current detection device according to claim 5, wherein The first positioning block is adhesively connected to the housing.

7. The cochlear implant current detection device according to claim 5, characterized in that, The second positioning block is adhesively connected to the housing.

8. The cochlear implant current detection device according to claim 5, characterized in that, The support column is adhesively connected to the housing.

9. The cochlear implant current detection device according to claim 5, wherein, The support column is connected to the bottom plate by screws.

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