Bone Conduction Device with Pierced Extensions
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Solution Overview
Problem
Individuals with conductive hearing loss, particularly those with chronic ear inflammation, malformed ears, or mixed hearing losses, often cannot benefit from traditional hearing aids or implanted devices due to size, shape, or condition of their skull, and existing bone conduction devices require surgical implantation or embedding under the skin.
Innovation Solution
A bone conduction device with a sound input element, electronics module, and transducer that generates mechanical forces, which are delivered to the skull via pierced extensions through the recipient's bone, allowing for mechanical coupling without surgical implantation, using piezoelectric elements to convert electrical signals into vibrations that stimulate the cochlea.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If traditional hearing aids are used, then hearing amplification is provided, but they cannot be worn by individuals with chronic ear inflammation, malformed ears, or single-sided deafness
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces bone conduction as an intermediary transmission path between the sound source and the cochlea. Instead of delivering sound through the air-conduction pathway (which requires a healthy ear canal and outer ear), the device transmits vibrations through the skull bone, bypassing the problematic ear structures and enabling hearing assistance for individuals with malformations or chronic inflammation.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the acoustic-mechanical system of air conduction with a direct mechanical vibration system. The transducer generates mechanical vibrations that are transmitted through the bone, eliminating the need for the ear canal and outer ear structures to function properly, thus solving the problem of unsuitability for individuals with malformed ears or chronic inflammation.
2Reliability
If implanted hearing aids are used, then hearing enhancement is achieved, but they are unsuitable due to size, shape, or particular condition of the recipient's skull
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the bone conduction device into distinct functional components: a transducer for generating vibrations, extensions for mechanical coupling to the bone, and a housing for containing the electronics. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized independently and facilitates easier adaptation to different skull shapes and sizes without compromising overall effectiveness.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs dynamic mechanical coupling through extensions that can adapt to different bone geometries. The extensions are designed to form secure mechanical connections with the skull bone while accommodating variations in skull shape and size, enabling the device to maintain reliable vibration transmission across diverse recipients without requiring surgical implantation.
3Reliability
If bone conduction devices with surgical implantation are used, then hearing enhancement is provided, but they require surgical procedure and embedding under the skin
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the invasive surgical implantation step from the bone conduction device installation process. By designing the extensions to achieve secure mechanical coupling through non-invasive means (such as external fixation or minimally invasive insertion), the patent eliminates the need for surgical procedures and skin embedding, thereby reducing installation complexity and improving ease of operation while maintaining hearing enhancement effectiveness.
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
Provides a non-invasive, pain-free method to enhance hearing by converting sound signals into mechanical vibrations that stimulate the cochlea, suitable for individuals unsuitable for traditional hearing aids or implants, offering an alternative for those with conductive hearing loss or mixed hearing impairments.
Implementation Method 1
using piezoelectric elements to convert electrical signals into vibrations that stimulate the cochlea
Implementation Method 2
a transducer configured to generate mechanical forces representing the electrical signal for delivery to the recipient's skull
Implementation Method 3
one or more extensions mechanically coupled at a first portion to the transducer and further mechanically coupled at a second portion of the one or more extensions to the recipient's bone, wherein the one or more extensions are configured to transfer the mechanical forces from the transducer to the recipient's bone
Data Source
AI summary
A bone conduction device including an external component, the external component comprising a sound processor and transducer, the transducer configured to generate mechanical forces, and the external component configured for positioning behind a recipient’s ear such that the mechanical forces are transmitted from the external component to a recipient’s bone to generate a hearing percept via bone conduction.