EP0259906A2
Expired / Lapsed
EP
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
A system of stimulating at least one nerve and/or muscle fibre
Assignee: Antwerp Bionic Systems NV
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Filing: 1987-08-06
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2007-08-06
Abstract
Abstract A system is described for stimulating a nerve or a muscle fibre of a living body, e.g. a hearing nerve in the cochlea. The system comprises an implant (28) and an electrode (35) for stimulating the nerve or the fibre, which electrode is connected with the implant. To supply electrical power to the implant, a small sized transformer is used, of which one coil (26) is implanted into the body and the other is outside the body but in the vicinity of the implanted coil. In case of the ear, the implanted coil is around the auditory duct and the outer coil is inserted into the duct, so that both coils are substantially coaxial. For supplying information to the implant, infrared transmission through the skin is used, wherein the transmitter (39) is provided adjacent to the skin on the outside and the receiver, possibly forming a part of the implant is located on the inside of the skin and adjacent thereto.
Inventors
- 👤 Stefaan Peeters
- 👤 William A.S. Bosiers
- 👤 Jacques Kinsbergen
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-26 08:24
CPC Classifications
A; A61; A61F; A61F11/00; A61F11/04; A61N; A61N1/00; A61N1/18; A61N1/32; A61N1/36; A61N1/36036; A61N1/36038; A61N1/02; A61N1/04; A61N1/05; A61N1/0526; A61N1/0541
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 24
Claim 1
Independent Claim
102 words
System of stimulating at least one nerve and/or muscle fibre of an animate subject, comprising a receiving unit to be implanted into the subject and a transmitting unit to be mounted outside said subject, in which information is transmitted from the transmitting unit to the receiving unit for inducing stimulating electrical signals to said fibre, characterized in that said receiving unit comprises supply means to supply power to a circuit of providing said stimulating electrical signal and in that the receiving unit and the transmitting unit comprise cooperating means for supplying said information to the circuit by means of transmitted electro-magnetic waves.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
102 words
System of stimulating at least one nerve and/or muscle fibre of an animate subject, comprising a receiving unit to be implanted into the subject and a transmitting unit to be mounted outside said subject, in which information is transmitted from the transmitting unit to the receiving unit for inducing stimulating electrical signals to said fibre, characterized in that said receiving unit comprises supply means to supply power to a circuit of providing said stimulating electrical signal and in that the receiving unit and the transmitting unit comprise cooperating means for supplying said information to the circuit by means of transmitted electro-magnetic waves.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
40 words
Stimulating system of claim 1, wherein said information means comprise at the receiving unit side a detector for infrared radiation to be transmitted by the transmitting unit provided in contact with or closely spaced to the skin of the subject.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
59 words
Stimulating system of claim 1 or 2, wherein the power supply means comprise an electro-magnetic inductor to be implanted into the subject and wherein the transmitting unit comprises an electro-magnetic inductor to be coupled to said first conductor, such that said power to said receiving unit is supplied by means of induction at radio frequencies (RF e.g. 100-500 kHz)
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
20 words
Stimulating system according to anyone of the preceeding claims, wherein the information to be transmitted is encoded in time sequence.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
19 words
Stimulating system according to anyone of the preceeding claims, wherein the transmitted information is processed in a pipelined way.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
24 words
Stimulating system according to anyone of the preceeding claims, wherein the implant is provided with an antenna for transmitting back information outside the subject.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
11 words
Housing for an implant, at least partly of non-metallic, biocompatible material.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
11 words
Housing for an implant, at least partly of non-metallic, biocompatible material.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
9 words
Housing of claim 7, wherein said material is glass.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
28 words
Housing of claim 7 or 8, wherein the housing consists of at least two preformed titanium parts, one of which is provided with a transparant window of glass.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
15 words
Housing according to claim 8, wherein said housing is completely made out of biocompatible glass.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
14 words
Housing according to anyone of the claims 7-10, wherein said housing is sealed hermetically.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
16 words
Implant to be used at a stimulating system according to anyone of the preceeding claims 1-6.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
12 words
Housing for the implant of claim 12, made out of ceramic material.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
13 words
Circuit for information processing in the system of anyone of the claims 1-7.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
13 words
Circuit according to claim 14, wherein said circuit is implemented in integrated form.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
16 words
Stimulating system according to anyone of the claims 1-7, to be used for stimulating auditory nerves.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
11 words
Ear piece to be used for the system of claim 16.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
11 words
Ear mold to be used in the system of claim 17.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
17 words
Electrode to be inserted into the cochlea of a subject, characterized by a hook shaped end portion.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
17 words
Electrode to be inserted into the cochlea of a subject, characterized by a hook shaped end portion.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
20 words
Coil to be implanted around an auditory duct, wherein windings of the coil have a flexible lining, e.g. of silicon.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
20 words
Coil to be implanted around an auditory duct, wherein windings of the coil have a flexible lining, e.g. of silicon.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
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