Inductive Signal and Energy Transfer through the External Auditory Canal

Abstract

An inductive coil arrangement is described for an ear canal of a recipient patient. An external transmitter coil is configured for implantation in the pinna cartilage of the outer ear of a recipient patient and has transmission wire loops wound about a first radial center. An implantable receiver coil is configured for implantation behind the pinna of the outer ear under the skin atop and parallel to the underlying skull bone of the recipient patient opposite to the transmitter coil with the pinna cartilage between. The receiver coil has receiver wire loops wound about a second radial center, the loops and the second radial center all lying substantially in a common plane, and the receiver coil is adapted for receiving the communication signal from the transmitter coil.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An inductive coil arrangement for an outer ear of a recipient patient, the inductive coil arrangement comprising:
 an external transmitter coil for implantation in the pinna cartilage of the outer ear of a recipient patient and having a plurality of transmission wire loops wound about a first radial center, the loops and the first radial center all lying substantially in a common plane, and wherein the transmitting coil is adapted for transmitting an ear implant communication signal; and   an implantable receiver coil for implantation behind the pinna of the outer ear under the skin atop and parallel to the underlying skull bone of the recipient patient opposite to the transmitter coil with the pinna cartilage between, wherein the receiver coil has a plurality of receiver wire loops wound about a second radial center, the loops and the second radial center all lying substantially in a common plane, and wherein the receiver coil is adapted for receiving the communication signal from the transmitter coil.   
     
     
         2 . An inductive coil arrangement according to  claim 1 , wherein the coils are air coils without magnetic cores. 
     
     
         3 . An inductive coil arrangement according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 an encapsulation layer of biocompatible material covering at least one of the coils.   
     
     
         4 . An inductive coil arrangement according to  claim 3 , wherein the transmitter coil includes an encapsulation layer having a plurality of ventilation openings. 
     
     
         5 . An inductive coil arrangement according to  claim 4 , wherein the ventilation openings have a uniform size and shape. 
     
     
         6 . An inductive coil arrangement according to  claim 4 , wherein the ventilation openings have different sizes. 
     
     
         7 . An inductive coil arrangement according to  claim 1 , wherein the transmission wire loops are concentrated at one or more radii from a central axis of the transmitter coil. 
     
     
         8 . An implantable medical system including an inductive coil arrangement according to any of the  claims 1 - 7 .