Patents by Inventor Gert Hofmann
Gert Hofmann has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).
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Patent number: 9794702Abstract: An implantable microphone for use in hearing systems includes a housing having a sidewall, a first membrane coupled to a top portion of the housing and configured to move in response to movement from an auditory ossicle, and a second membrane coupled to the sidewall such that an interior volume of the housing is divided into a first volume and a second volume. The first volume has an opening that permits fluid to flow out from the first volume. The implantable microphone also includes a vibration sensor coupled to the second membrane and configured to measure the movement of the second membrane and to convert the measurement into an electrical signal. The vibration sensor may include a piezoelectric sensor and/or a MEMS sensor.Type: GrantFiled: December 12, 2013Date of Patent: October 17, 2017Assignee: MED-EL Elektromedizinische Geraete GmbHInventors: Alexander Hellmuth, Thomas Zahnert, Gert Hofmann, Matthias Bornitz, Hannes Seidler, Karl-Bernd Hüttenbrink
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Patent number: 8894562Abstract: An implantable microphone for use in hearing systems includes a housing having a back wall. The back wall has a recess (e.g., blind hole) configured to be coupled to an auditory ossicle. The implantable microphone also includes a membrane coupled to a top portion of the housing and a vibration sensor adjacent to the membrane. The membrane is configured to move in response to movement from the auditory ossicle, and the vibration sensor is configured to measure the movement of the membrane and to convert the measurement into an electrical signal.Type: GrantFiled: November 23, 2010Date of Patent: November 25, 2014Assignee: MED-EL Elektromedizinische Geraete GmbHInventors: Thomas Zahnert, Gert Hofmann, Matthias Bornitz, Hannes Seidler, Karl-Bernd Hüttenbrink, Alexander Hellmuth
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Patent number: 8721518Abstract: An implantable microphone for use in hearing systems includes a housing having a sidewall, a first membrane coupled to a top portion of the housing and configured to move in response to movement from an auditory ossicle, and a second membrane coupled to the sidewall such that an interior volume of the housing is divided into a first volume and a second volume. The second membrane has an opening that permits fluid to flow from the first volume to the second volume. The implantable microphone also includes a vibration sensor adjacent to the second membrane and configured to measure the movement of the second membrane and to convert the measurement into an electrical signal. The vibration sensor may include a piezoelectric sensor and/or a MEMS sensor.Type: GrantFiled: November 23, 2010Date of Patent: May 13, 2014Assignee: MED-EL Elektromedizinische Geraete GmbHInventors: Alexander Hellmuth, Thomas Zahnert, Gert Hofmann, Matthias Bornitz, Hannes Seidler, Karl-Bernd Hüttenbrink
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Publication number: 20140100415Abstract: An implantable microphone for use in hearing systems includes a housing having a sidewall, a first membrane coupled to a top portion of the housing and configured to move in response to movement from an auditory ossicle, and a second membrane coupled to the sidewall such that an interior volume of the housing is divided into a first volume and a second volume. The first volume has an opening that permits fluid to flow out from the first volume. The implantable microphone also includes a vibration sensor coupled to the second membrane and configured to measure the movement of the second membrane and to convert the measurement into an electrical signal. The vibration sensor may include a piezoelectric sensor and/or a MEMS sensor.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 12, 2013Publication date: April 10, 2014Applicant: MED-EL Elektromedizinische Geraete GmbHInventors: Alexander Hellmuth, Thomas Zahnert, Gert Hofmann, Matthias Bornitz, Hannes Seidler, Karl-Bernd Hüttenbrink
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Patent number: 8328045Abstract: An explosion-proof housing includes at least one lower housing part which is provided with a housing wall defining a housing opening that can be closed by an articulated cover. The articulated cover is mounted by an articulation device to be pivotable between an opened and a closed position. In order to allow both a closely adjacent arrangement of housings and the complete utilization of the housing interior, the articulation device includes a lower articulation part arranged in the housing wall, and an upper articulation part arranged on a lower side of the articulated cover which faces the housing opening in a closed position. The lower articulation part and the upper articulation part are pivotably interconnected.Type: GrantFiled: August 30, 2007Date of Patent: December 11, 2012Assignee: Cooper Crouse-Hinds GmbHInventors: Reiner Naumann, Gerhard Schwarz, Gert Hofmann
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Publication number: 20110144415Abstract: An implantable microphone for use in hearing systems includes a housing having a sidewall, a first membrane coupled to a top portion of the housing and configured to move in response to movement from an auditory ossicle, and a second membrane coupled to the sidewall such that an interior volume of the housing is divided into a first volume and a second volume. The second membrane has an opening that permits fluid to flow from the first volume to the second volume. The implantable microphone also includes a vibration sensor adjacent to the second membrane and configured to measure the movement of the second membrane and to convert the measurement into an electrical signal. The vibration sensor may include a piezoelectric sensor and/or a MEMS sensor.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 23, 2010Publication date: June 16, 2011Applicant: MED-EL ELEKTROMEDIZINISCHE GERAETE GMBHInventors: Alexander Hellmuth, Thomas Zahnert, Gert Hofmann, Matthias Bornitz, Hannes Seidler, Karl-Bernd Hüttenbrink
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Publication number: 20110137109Abstract: An implantable microphone for use in hearing systems includes a housing having a back wall. The back wall has a recess (e.g., blind hole) configured to be coupled to an auditory ossicle. The implantable microphone also includes a membrane coupled to a top portion of the housing and a vibration sensor adjacent to the membrane. The membrane is configured to move in response to movement from the auditory ossicle, and the vibration sensor is configured to measure the movement of the membrane and to convert the measurement into an electrical signal.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 23, 2010Publication date: June 9, 2011Applicant: MED-EL ELEKTROMEDIZINISCHE GERAETE GMBHInventors: Thomas Zahnert, Gert Hofmann, Matthias Bornitz, Hannes Seidler, Karl-Bernd Hüttenbrink, Alexander Hellmuth
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Publication number: 20090308863Abstract: A housing (1), especially an explosion-proof housing, comprises at least one lower housing part (3) which is provided with a housing wall and has a housing opening (5) that can be closed by an articulated cover (4), wherein the articulated cover (4) is mounted by means of an articulation device (6) to be pivotable between an opened and a closed position (7, 8). In order to improve such a housing to allow both a closely adjacent arrangement of housings and the complete utilization of the housing interior, the articulation device (6) comprises a lower articulation part (9) arranged in the housing wall (2), and an upper articulation part (11) arranged on a lower side (10) of the articulated cover (4) which faces the housing opening (5) in a closed position (8), which are pivotably interconnected.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 30, 2007Publication date: December 17, 2009Applicant: COOPER CROUSE-HINDS GMBHInventors: Reiner Naumann, Gerhard Schwarz, Gert Hofmann
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Patent number: 7481761Abstract: The invention relates to an implantable electromechanical converter for receiving oscillations from an ear ossicle and for converting them into an electrical voltage, for use as a microphone for a cochlea implant or an implantable hearing aid, consisting of one or more piezoelectric converter elements (11) housed in a hermetically sealed hollow body (2) made of a biocompatible material. The converter is characterized in that the hollow body has a thin shell (9) which is connected with its interior side to the piezoelectric converter elements and which can be coupled with its exterior side to an ear ossicle, and which is held by a stable edge (10), whereby the stable edge can be coupled to a counter-support in the middle ear space.Type: GrantFiled: January 14, 2004Date of Patent: January 27, 2009Assignee: Med-El Elektromedizinische Geräte Ges.m.b.H.Inventors: Matthias Blau, Matthias Bornitz, Thomas Zahnert, Gert Hofmann, Karl-Bernd Hüttenbrink
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Publication number: 20050113633Abstract: The invention relates to an implantable electromechanical converter for receiving oscillations from an ear ossicle and for converting them into an electrical voltage, for use as a microphone for a cochlea implant or an implantable hearing aid, consisting of one or more piezoelectric converter elements (11) housed in a hermetically sealed hollow body (2) made of a biocompatible material. The converter is characterized in that the hollow body has a thin shell (9) which is connected with its interior side to the piezoelectric converter elements and which can be coupled with its exterior side to an ear ossicle, and which is held by a stable edge (10), whereby the stable edge can be coupled to a counter-support in the middle ear space.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 14, 2004Publication date: May 26, 2005Applicant: MED-EL ELEKTROMEDIZINISCHE GERATE GES.M.B.H.Inventors: Matthias Blau, Matthias Bornitz, Thomas Zahnert, Gert Hofmann, Karl-Bernd Huttenbrink