Bone conduction device

Abstract

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.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A bone conduction device comprising:
 an external component, the external component comprising a sound processor and transducer, the transducer configured to generate mechanical forces, wherein the external component is 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.   
     
     
         2 . The bone conduction device of  claim 1  wherein
 the transducer is positioned behind the recipient’s ear and adjacent a mastoid bone of the recipient. 
 
     
     
         3 . The bone conduction device of  claim 1  wherein the bone conduction device is a totally external device. 
     
     
         4 . The bone conduction device of  claim 1  wherein the transducer is a piezoelectric element that is configured to deform in response to the application of an electrical signal. 
     
     
         5 . The bone conduction device of  claim 1  wherein the external component comprises one or more sound input elements configured to receive sound and convert sound into an electrical signal. 
     
     
         6 . The bone conduction device of  claim 5  wherein the sound processor is configured to process the electrical signal to generate an adjusted electrical signal, the transducer configured to receive the adjusted electrical signal and generate the mechanical forces to evoke a hearing percept via bone conduction, in response to the adjusted electrical signal. 
     
     
         7 . The bone conduction device of  claim 1  wherein the external component is a behind-the-ear (BTE) device. 
     
     
         8 . The bone conduction device of  claim 1  wherein the transducer is balanced electromagnetic transducer. 
     
     
         9 . The bone conduction device of  claim 1  wherein the transducer is a transcutaneous transducer. 
     
     
         10 . The bone conduction device of  claim 1  further comprising:
 a coupler coupled to the transducer and configured to output the mechanical forces. 
 
     
     
         11 . The bone conduction device of  claim 10  further comprising
 a further component coupled to the coupler and in contact with the recipient configured to deliver the mechanical forces to the recipient. 
 
     
     
         12 . The bone conduction device of  claim 10  wherein the coupler comprises a coupling module configured to deliver the mechanical forces to the recipient. 
     
     
         13 . A hearing prosthesis device comprising:
 an external component including an ear hook adapted for carrying the external component behind the ear of a recipient;   a subcutaneous magnetic material and an external magnet, the subcutaneous magnetic material and external magnet corresponding to each other and forming a magnetic coupling; and   a vibrator adapted to evoke a hearing percept by transmitting vibrations to the recipient when the external magnet and the subcutaneous magnetic material form the magnetic coupling.   
     
     
         14 . A hearing prosthesis device of  claim 13  wherein the magnetic coupling is formed by magnetic attraction between the subcutaneous magnetic material and the external magnet. 
     
     
         15 . A hearing prosthesis device of  claim 13  wherein the magnetic coupling compresses a skin portion in between the subcutaneous magnetic material and the external magnet. 
     
     
         16 . A hearing prosthesis device of  claim 13 , the vibrator is either a piezoelectric transducer or an electromagnetic transducer. 
     
     
         17 . A hearing prosthesis device of  claim 13  comprising a housing, and the housing being arranged such that at least a part of the housing is positioned behind the recipient’s ear. 
     
     
         18 . A hearing prosthesis device of  claim 17  the housing being shaped to at least partially conform to the shape of the recipient’s ear. 
     
     
         19 . A hearing prosthesis device of  claim 17  wherein the housing retains the external magnet and the vibrator within the housing. 
     
     
         20 . A hearing prosthesis device of  claim 17  wherein the device comprises a battery, a microphone and a sound processor, positioned within the housing.