Segmented Piezoelectric Transducer for Round Window Coupling
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current implantable hearing aids require complex surgeries, such as mastoidectomy, and are limited by anatomical constraints, leading to high costs and variability in audiological quality, especially for patients with chronic middle ear inflammation or ossicle damage.
Innovation Solution
A sound transducer with a segmented membrane structure, utilizing a bimorph principle with piezoelectric layers, allowing for high vibration amplitude and energy density in a compact size, which can be implanted without mastoidectomy and directly coupled to the round or oval window for efficient sound transmission.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a mechanical connection to the auditory ossicles is used, then sound amplification is achieved, but the procedure requires a healthy middle ear and excludes patients with chronic middle ear inflammation or ossicle damage
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts the sound transducer from the traditional middle ear ossicle connection and relocates it to the round window membrane area. This allows the device to bypass the middle ear ossicles entirely and directly stimulate the inner ear, making it suitable for patients with middle ear pathologies who would otherwise be excluded from treatment
Solution Approach 2:
The round window membrane serves as an intermediary structure between the external sound transducer and the inner ear cochlea. By using this natural anatomical structure as a transmission interface, the invention enables sound energy transfer without requiring a healthy middle ear ossicle chain
2Use of energy by moving object
If a mastoidectomy is performed to supply electrical energy, then the sound transducer can be powered, but the operation becomes complex and cannot be performed on outpatients
Solution Approach 1:
The invention uses a wireless power transmission system that copies the function of direct electrical connection through electromagnetic field coupling. A transmitter coil placed on the skin surface wirelessly transmits power to a receiver coil near the round window, eliminating the need for complex surgical exposure and implantation of wired connections
Solution Approach 2:
The invention replaces the mechanical surgical approach (mastoidectomy for wiring) with an electromagnetic field-based wireless power transmission system. This substitution eliminates the need for complex bone surgery and allows for outpatient procedures
3Volume of moving object
If the sound transducer is made small to fit anatomical spaces, then implantation is feasible, but coupling losses occur and coupling quality becomes difficult to reproduce
Solution Approach 1:
The invention changes the operating parameters of the sound transducer, specifically using high energy density and resonant frequencies optimized for the round window membrane. This allows small transducers to achieve sufficient coupling efficiency by operating at parameters that maximize energy transfer to the specific anatomical structure
Solution Approach 2:
The invention applies local quality optimization by tailoring the transducer's acoustic and mechanical properties specifically to match the impedance and resonant characteristics of the round window membrane. This localized optimization ensures efficient coupling despite the small size of both the transducer and the membrane area
4Power
If existing sound transducer sizes are used, then adequate power is achieved, but the constructional size is suitable only for some patients and reduces versatility
Solution Approach 1:
The invention moves the sound transducer to a different anatomical location (round window area) rather than scaling existing transducers down for ossicle mounting. This dimensional relocation to a larger surface area allows for adequate power output while improving adaptability to different patient anatomies
Solution Approach 2:
The invention segments the patient population into different categories based on their anatomical suitability and hearing loss characteristics, then selects the appropriate transducer configuration and operating parameters for each segment, maximizing both power output and patient compatibility
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
Enables high audiological quality with reduced complexity and variability, allowing for outpatient procedures and improved sound amplification potential, suitable for a wider range of patients, including those with anatomical limitations.
Implementation Method 1
The sound transducer has at least one carrier layer and at least one piezoelectric layer, as a result of which a deflection via a bimorph principle is achieved
Implementation Method 2
a deflection via a bimorph principle is achieved
Data Source
AI summary
The invention relates to a sound transducer for producing sound vibrations, which can be inserted in an ear and can be used in particular for an implantable hearing aid. The sound transducer has at least one carrier layer and at least one piezoelectric layer, as a result of which a deflection via a bimorph principle is achieved, or a deflection can be detected by picking up a voltage.