US 11,910,165 B2
Removable attachment of a passive transcutaneous bone conduction device with limited skin deformation
Marcus Andersson, Gothenburg (SE); Kristian Asnes, Molndal (SE); and Erik Martin Holgersson, Gothenburg (SE)
Assigned to Cochlear Limited, Macquarie University (AU)
Filed by Marcus Andersson, Gothenburg (SE); Kristian Asnes, Molndal (SE); and Erik Martin Holgersson, Gothenburg (SE)
Filed on Aug. 9, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/397,345.
Application 14/715,735 is a division of application No. 13/596,477, filed on Aug. 28, 2012, granted, now 9,049,527, issued on Jun. 2, 2015.
Application 17/397,345 is a continuation of application No. 16/370,076, filed on Mar. 29, 2019, granted, now 11,089,413.
Application 16/370,076 is a continuation of application No. 14/715,735, filed on May 19, 2015, granted, now 10,251,003, issued on Apr. 2, 2019.
Prior Publication US 2022/0030363 A1, Jan. 27, 2022
Int. Cl. H04R 25/00 (2006.01); H04R 1/46 (2006.01); H04R 1/24 (2006.01); H04R 3/14 (2006.01); H04R 9/02 (2006.01); H04R 9/06 (2006.01)
CPC H04R 25/606 (2013.01) [H04R 1/46 (2013.01); H04R 1/24 (2013.01); H04R 3/14 (2013.01); H04R 9/025 (2013.01); H04R 9/066 (2013.01); H04R 25/556 (2013.01); H04R 25/558 (2013.01); H04R 25/607 (2019.05); H04R 2225/0213 (2019.05); H04R 2225/67 (2013.01); H04R 2460/13 (2013.01)] 24 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method of evoking a hearing percept, comprising:
removably attaching an external component including a vibrator portion of a passive transcutaneous bone conduction device, a sound processor, and a microphone, to skin of a recipient; and
generating vibrations with the vibrator portion such that the generated vibrations are transferred into skin of the recipient and into underlying bone of the recipient so as to evoke a hearing percept, wherein
the vibrator portion, the sound processor and the microphone are located proximate the area of skin of the recipient into which the generated vibrations are transferred,
the evocation of the hearing percept occurs while the external component is removably attached to the skin of the recipient,
the removable attachment of the external component is maintained while generating the vibrations without substantial static pressure on the skin contacting a first location of the external component through which vibrations are transferred to the skin, and
the external component is a behind-the-ear (BTE) device, the BTE device including a battery so that the battery is located behind an auricle of the recipient when the BTE device is attached to the recipient,
the microphone is configured to capture sound from an ambient environment of the recipient,
the vibrator portion is located between opposite sidewalls of a housing of the BTE device, which housing is contoured to the auricle, and
a first adhesive for adhering to skin is located on a first side of the housing, and a second adhesive for adhering to skin is located on the second side of the housing.