EP0104924A2 — Ear canal electrode, connector therefor, and audi…

Claim 1

Independent Claim 111 words

A non-invasive, external ear canal electrode characterised in that it comprises an electroconductive tubular electrode (2) having conductive metal on at least its surface for conducting electrical signals picked up from the ear canal surface and for transmitting a.sound stimulus to an ear canal, said electrode having a proximal end (4) and a distal end (6), the distal end having mounted thereon a resilient plastics open-celled foam means (10) impregnated with an electrolytically conductive medium for contacting the skin surface of the ear canal and picking up and conducting electrical signals therefrom, and a sound absorbing plastics foam means (8,12) for reducing the level of environmental noise in the ear canal.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 111 words

A non-invasive, external ear canal electrode characterised in that it comprises an electroconductive tubular electrode (2) having conductive metal on at least its surface for conducting electrical signals picked up from the ear canal surface and for transmitting a.sound stimulus to an ear canal, said electrode having a proximal end (4) and a distal end (6), the distal end having mounted thereon a resilient plastics open-celled foam means (10) impregnated with an electrolytically conductive medium for contacting the skin surface of the ear canal and picking up and conducting electrical signals therefrom, and a sound absorbing plastics foam means (8,12) for reducing the level of environmental noise in the ear canal.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 20 words

An ear canal electrode of claim 1 wherein the metal in the tubular electrode (2) comprises silver or stainless steel.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 17 words

An ear canal electrode of claim 2 wherein the metal in the tubular electrode (2) comprises silver.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 29 words

An ear canal electrode of any one of claims 1, 2 and 3 wherein the plastics foam means (8,10,12) are annular plastics foam members surrounding said distal end (6).

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 22 words

An ear canal electrode of claim 4 wherein the sound absorbing plastics foam means (8,12) is of closed cell, resilient plastics foam.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 26 words

An ear canal electrode of claim 5 wherein the open-cell plastics foam member (10) is positioned between two annular closed cell, resilient plastics foam members (8,12).

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 48 words

An ear canal electrode of claim 6 wherein the sound absorbing plastic foam members (8,12) are laminated to the open-cell foam member (10) and comprise a means for restraining electrolytically conductive medium movement from the open-celled foam member (10) during insertion of the electrode into an ear canal.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 40 words

An ear canal electrode of any one of the preceding claims wherein the proximal end (4) of the electrode has an annular recess (32) for engaging a retaining, electro- ' conductive metal spring means (34) in a connector housing (20).

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 44 words

An ear canal electrode of any one of the preceding claims including stop means (44) projecting therefrom for abutting the external ear surface during insertion and limiting the depth of penetration of the distal end (6) to a distance short of the ear drum.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 69 words

An auditory testing device characterised in that it comprises tubular means (2) having a distal end (6) for insertion into an ear canal, resilient plastics foam (8,10,12) on the distal end thereof, and a stop means (44) projecting from the tubular means for abutting the external ear surface during insertion and limiting the depth of penetration of the distal end (6) to a distance short of the ear drum.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 69 words

An auditory testing device characterised in that it comprises tubular means (2) having a distal end (6) for insertion into an ear canal, resilient plastics foam (8,10,12) on the distal end thereof, and a stop means (44) projecting from the tubular means for abutting the external ear surface during insertion and limiting the depth of penetration of the distal end (6) to a distance short of the ear drum.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 21 words

An auditory testing device of claim 10 wherein the resilient plastics foam includes a closed cell foam sound absorbing means (8,12).

Claim 14

Dependent Claim 36 words

An auditory testing device of claim 10 or claim 11 wherein the tubular means ( 2) comprises a metal conductor and the resilient plastics foam includes an open-cell foam element (10) impregnated with electrolytically conductive medium.

Claim 15

Dependent Claim 62 words

An ear canal electrode and connector combination, the ear canal electrode comprising a tube (2) having an annular recess (32) on the outer surface thereof for releasably engaging a retention spring means (34) of the connector (20), the connector having a housing recess (24) for receiving the electrode and retention spring means (34) associated therewith for releasably engaging the annular recess (32).

Claim 16

Dependent Claim 62 words

An ear canal electrode and connector combination, the ear canal electrode comprising a tube (2) having an annular recess (32) on the outer surface thereof for releasably engaging a retention spring means (34) of the connector (20), the connector having a housing recess (24) for receiving the electrode and retention spring means (34) associated therewith for releasably engaging the annular recess (32).

Claim 17

Dependent Claim 31 words

An ear canal electrode and connector combination of claim 13 wherein the retention spring means (34) is conductively connected with a jack (36) for transmitting electrical signals to a signal analyzer.

Claim 18

Dependent Claim 35 words

An ear canal electrode and connector combination of claim 13 or claim 14 wherein the connector (20) has an auditory signal transmitting passageway (42) for communication with the inner passageway of the electrode tube (2).

Claim 19

Dependent Claim 30 words

An ear canal electrode and connector combination of claim 15 including air sealing means (26) for providing a sealing engagement between the ear canal electrode (2) and the connector (20).

Claim 20

Dependent Claim 31 words

An ear canal electrode and connector combination of any one of claims 13 to 16 wherein the ear canal electrode is as defined in any one of claims 1 to 9.

Claim 21

Dependent Claim 114 words

An ear canal electrode connector characterised in that it comprises a housing (20) having an electrical connector means (36) for connecting with a signal analyzer, an audio signal connector means (38) for connecting with an audio signal generator, and a recess (24) for releasably engaging a tubular ear canal electrode (2), the recess (24) having an electrical contact means (34) for establishing electrical contact with the ear canal electrode (2), the electrical contact means (34) being connected to the electrical connector means (36), the recess means (24) also having an audio signal passage (42) opening in alignment with an opening of the tubular electrode (2) and communicating with the audio signal connector means (38).

Claim 22

Dependent Claim 114 words

An ear canal electrode connector characterised in that it comprises a housing (20) having an electrical connector means (36) for connecting with a signal analyzer, an audio signal connector means (38) for connecting with an audio signal generator, and a recess (24) for releasably engaging a tubular ear canal electrode (2), the recess (24) having an electrical contact means (34) for establishing electrical contact with the ear canal electrode (2), the electrical contact means (34) being connected to the electrical connector means (36), the recess means (24) also having an audio signal passage (42) opening in alignment with an opening of the tubular electrode (2) and communicating with the audio signal connector means (38).

Claim 23

Dependent Claim 31 words

An ear canal electrode connector of claim 18 wherein the electrical contact means (34) is a metal spring means for releasably engaging a recess (32) in the ear canal electrode (2).

Claim 24

Dependent Claim 56 words

An ear canal electrode connector of claim 18 or claim 19 wherein the housing (20) includes a means (26) for forming a sealing engagement with the tubular electrode (2) to prevent escape of air from the junction formed by the recess means and the tubular electrode when the tubular electrode is engaged in the recess means.

Claim 25

Dependent Claim 20 words

An ear canal electrode connector of claim 19 wherein the metal spring means is an annular garter spring means (102,144).

Claim 26

Dependent Claim 32 words

An ear canal electrode connector of claim 21 wherein electrical contact between the garter spring means (102) and the electrical connector means (100,122) is maintained by frustoconical and bent washer means (104,106).

Claim 27

Dependent Claim 49 words

An ear canal electrode connector of claim 21 wherein electrical contact between the garter spring means (144) and the electrical connector means (142,164) is maintained by a metal tang (146) connecting the garter spring and a spring retainer means (148) in electrical contact with the electrical connector means (142,164).

Ear canal electrode, connector therefor, and auditory testing device

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