Bone Conductor Transducer Anchorage via Static Force
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional bone anchored hearing aids with skin-penetrating implants face issues such as discomfort, poor sound quality, infection risks, and stigmatization, while those with inductive links suffer from sensitivity loss, and screw attachments to the temporal bone's inner medial part pose surgical risks and suboptimal osseointegration.
Innovation Solution
A non-screw attachment method where the transducer housing is directly connected to the medial parts of the temporal bone using a static force, eliminating the need for screw integration and allowing for easy removal or replacement, with a design that minimizes height and reduces the risk of feedback and external damage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a screw attachment is used to anchor the transducer to the temporal bone, then stable anchorage and osseointegration are achieved, but surgical risks increase and the device height increases
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts and removes the screw attachment component from the system, replacing it with a non-screw anchoring mechanism where the transducer housing is directly connected to the temporal bone. This eliminates the surgical risks associated with screw implantation while maintaining stable anchorage through alternative means.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention replaces the mechanical screw attachment system with a different mechanical connection system that does not require screws. The transducer housing is connected directly to the bone through a non-screw mechanism, substituting the traditional screw-osseointegration system with an alternative anchoring approach that reduces surgical complexity and risk.
2Reliability
If a screw attachment is used to anchor the transducer, then stable anchorage is achieved, but the device height increases
Solution Approach 1:
The invention removes the screw attachment component that would otherwise be required to anchor the transducer, thereby eliminating the height occupied by the screw and its associated structures. This extraction of the unnecessary component directly reduces the overall device height while maintaining anchorage stability through the non-screw connection method.
3Measurement precision
If the transducer is connected to the medial parts of the temporal bone, then sensitivity is maximized, but the surgical approach becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts and removes the screw attachment step from the surgical procedure, simplifying the approach to accessing the medial temporal bone. By eliminating the need for screw implantation, the surgical pathway is streamlined while still allowing the transducer to be positioned at the optimal medial location for maximum sensitivity.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of using a screw attachment that requires creating a bone anchor first, the invention inverts the approach by directly connecting the transducer housing to the temporal bone surface. This inversion of the anchoring sequence simplifies the surgical approach while maintaining the ability to position the transducer at the sensitive medial temporal bone location.
4Ease of repair
If a skin-penetrating implant is used, then the transducer can be accessed for replacement, but infection risks and discomfort occur
Solution Approach 1:
The invention removes the skin-penetrating component from the implant system, eliminating the associated infection risks and discomfort. The transducer is anchored directly to the temporal bone without creating a skin opening, thereby removing the pathway for infection while still allowing access for replacement through the intact skin.
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
This approach maximizes sensitivity by transmitting vibrations medially, simplifies surgical procedures, reduces the risk of infection and feedback, and allows for easy removal or replacement, while maintaining stable anchorage and minimizing surgical risks.
Implementation Method 1
transmitting vibrations medially
Implementation Method 2
pressed with a static force against the bone
Implementation Method 3
electrical signal and energy are transmitted via an inductive link through intact skin
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2a~2b
Figure 3a~3d
AI summary
A method and device for connecting a bone conductor transducer contained in a housing to the skull bone for the transmission of vibrations characterized by, that the housing has at least one surface, which is placed against the bottom plane of a recess shaped in the temporal bone with a static force exceeding the dynamic signal forces.