Impulse Force Damper for Bone Conduction Transducer
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Solution Overview
Problem
Auditory prostheses, such as bone conduction devices, face damage from impulse forces due to rapid acceleration or deceleration and physical contact, which can alter the transducer's frequency response and output, leading to inadequate sound stimulation for individuals with conductive hearing loss.
Innovation Solution
Incorporating an impulse force damper with a gap between the transducer and housing, featuring a multilayer damper with an isolation layer to prevent adhesion and a force dissipation layer to absorb energy, ensuring mechanical isolation and protection of the transducer without altering its frequency response.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Stability of the object's composition
If the transducer is mechanically coupled to the housing, then structural stability is improved, but impulse forces can damage the transducer and alter its frequency response
Solution Approach 1:
The coupling apparatus is divided into multiple functional segments: a first portion that couples to the transducer and a second portion that couples to the housing, with a damping element positioned between them. This segmentation allows the transducer coupling portion to remain mechanically stable while the damping element absorbs impulse forces before they reach the transducer, resolving the contradiction between structural stability and transducer protection.
Solution Approach 2:
The damping element acts as an intermediary component between the transducer-coupling first portion and the housing-coupling second portion. This intermediary absorbs and dissipates impulse forces through deformation, preventing direct transmission of harmful forces to the transducer while maintaining the overall mechanical coupling structure, thus protecting the transducer without compromising structural stability.
2Reliability
If a damping element is added between the transducer and housing, then transducer protection is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The coupling apparatus merges multiple functions into a single integrated component structure: the first portion, second portion, and damping element are combined into one cohesive coupling apparatus that simultaneously provides mechanical coupling and impulse force damping. This integration protects the transducer from impulse forces while avoiding the complexity of separate independent damping and coupling mechanisms.
Solution Approach 2:
The coupling apparatus serves multiple functions: it mechanically couples the transducer to the housing, provides structural support, and dampens impulse forces. By making the coupling apparatus multi-functional, the invention protects the transducer without adding separate dedicated damping components, thereby reducing overall device complexity while achieving transducer protection.
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 impulse force damper effectively absorbs and dissipates impulse forces, protecting the transducer and maintaining the original frequency response and output of the auditory prosthesis, ensuring consistent sound stimulation for individuals with conductive hearing loss.
Implementation Method 1
compressing the damper in response to the impulse force, the compressing including: deforming at least one layer of the damper so as to dissipate energy of the impulse force
Implementation Method 2
deforming at least one layer of the damper so as to dissipate energy of the impulse force
Implementation Method 3
deforming at least one layer of the damper so as to dissipate energy of the impulse force
Implementation Method 4
slipping of at least one layer with respect to one of the housing and the transducer, due to there being substantially no adhesion between the at least one layer between and one of the housing and transducer
Data Source
AI summary
A vibrator including a housing, a transducer mounted in the housing such that there is a gap between the housing and transducer; and an impulse force damper that substantially fills the gap. Such a damper includes: a first layer in contact with the housing; and a second layer in contact with the transducer and the first layer; wherein substantially no adhesion is exhibited between the first and second layers or between at least one of the first and second layers and at least one of the housing and the transducer.