Bone Conduction Hearing Aid Magnetic Attachment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional bone conduction hearing aids face issues such as skin irritation, energy loss, and complexity due to the need for constant pressure against the skin, which leads to discomfort and inefficiency in sound transmission.
Innovation Solution
A bone conduction hearing aid system with a vibrator housed in a device connected via an interconnection unit featuring a contact plate with an adhesive component, allowing secure adhesion without protruding parts to apply pressure, enabling effective sound transmission without skin pressure, and a lightweight, disposable interconnection unit designed for easy replacement.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a spring arrangement is used to apply constant pressure against the skull bone, then vibration transmission is improved, but skin irritation and headaches occur
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical spring pressure system with a magnetic field-based system. The external hearing aid unit uses a magnet to attract a ferromagnetic material in the implanted device, creating a holding force without mechanical pressure on the skin. This substitution eliminates skin irritation while maintaining secure attachment and effective vibration transmission through the skull bone.
2Ease of operation
If a magnetic attachment is used to hold the external unit, then surgical intervention is avoided, but the hearing aid may easily fall off
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple attachment mechanisms: an external magnetic field provides initial holding force, while a mechanical snap-fit connection between the external unit and implanted device provides secure mechanical interlocking. This combination of magnetic and mechanical attachment methods achieves both ease of non-surgical application and reliable attachment stability.
3Volume of moving object
If pressure is applied against the skin to improve vibration transmission, then the hearing aid can be made smaller, but skin necrosis may occur
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces mechanical pressure transmission through the skin with direct magnetic coupling and vibration transmission through bone. The magnetic field passes through tissue without mechanical contact, and vibrations are transmitted through the skull bone directly, eliminating the need for skin pressure and preventing skin necrosis while maintaining compact device size.
4Reliability
If an adjustable protruding portion is used in adhesive bone conductors, then pressure force is optimized, but device complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical adjustable protruding portion with a magnetic field-based attachment system. The magnetic force provides consistent holding power without requiring mechanical adjustment mechanisms, thereby reducing device complexity and manufacturing cost while maintaining reliable attachment and optimal force application.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The system provides secure adhesion and effective sound transmission without skin irritation, allowing for a more comfortable and practical hearing aid solution with reduced risk of device fall-off and improved hygiene.
Implementation Method 1
The second side is configured to, when in use, face a skin of a user of the bone conduction hearing aid system
Implementation Method 2
Bone conduction is the conduction of sound to the inner ear through the bones of the skull, and a bone conduction hearing aid, or bone conductor, is a device that stimulates through bone conduction
Implementation Method 3
Another type of bone conductor is a type where the vibrator is placed in an external unit outside the skin and where this external unit is kept in place through a magnetic attachment to a part that is anchored to the skull bone and implanted under the skin
Data Source
AI summary
A bone conduction hearing aid system for generating bone conduction vibrations is disclosed. The bone conduction hearing aid system has a hearing aid with a vibrator. The hearing aid system includes an interconnection unit to connect the hearing aid to the user. There is a coupling between the interconnection unit and the hearing aid to connect and disconnect the hearing aid to and from the interconnection unit. The interconnection unit has connection portion and contact plate portion. The connection portion and the contact plate portion are designed in one integral piece of continuous polymer material. The interconnection unit has a concave or planar adhesive surface that can be adhered to the skin on the head of the user without applying any specific pressure against the skin. The sound vibrations are transmitted from the vibrator to the hearing organ as bone conduction sound vibrations.