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).

  • Patent number: 9794702
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2017
    Assignee: MED-EL Elektromedizinische Geraete GmbH
    Inventors: Alexander Hellmuth, Thomas Zahnert, Gert Hofmann, Matthias Bornitz, Hannes Seidler, Karl-Bernd Hüttenbrink
  • Patent number: 8894562
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: November 23, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 25, 2014
    Assignee: MED-EL Elektromedizinische Geraete GmbH
    Inventors: Thomas Zahnert, Gert Hofmann, Matthias Bornitz, Hannes Seidler, Karl-Bernd Hüttenbrink, Alexander Hellmuth
  • Patent number: 8721518
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: November 23, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 13, 2014
    Assignee: MED-EL Elektromedizinische Geraete GmbH
    Inventors: Alexander Hellmuth, Thomas Zahnert, Gert Hofmann, Matthias Bornitz, Hannes Seidler, Karl-Bernd Hüttenbrink
  • Publication number: 20140100415
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: December 12, 2013
    Publication date: April 10, 2014
    Applicant: MED-EL Elektromedizinische Geraete GmbH
    Inventors: Alexander Hellmuth, Thomas Zahnert, Gert Hofmann, Matthias Bornitz, Hannes Seidler, Karl-Bernd Hüttenbrink
  • Patent number: 8328045
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 11, 2012
    Assignee: Cooper Crouse-Hinds GmbH
    Inventors: Reiner Naumann, Gerhard Schwarz, Gert Hofmann
  • Publication number: 20110144415
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: November 23, 2010
    Publication date: June 16, 2011
    Applicant: MED-EL ELEKTROMEDIZINISCHE GERAETE GMBH
    Inventors: Alexander Hellmuth, Thomas Zahnert, Gert Hofmann, Matthias Bornitz, Hannes Seidler, Karl-Bernd Hüttenbrink
  • Publication number: 20110137109
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: November 23, 2010
    Publication date: June 9, 2011
    Applicant: MED-EL ELEKTROMEDIZINISCHE GERAETE GMBH
    Inventors: Thomas Zahnert, Gert Hofmann, Matthias Bornitz, Hannes Seidler, Karl-Bernd Hüttenbrink, Alexander Hellmuth
  • Publication number: 20090308863
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: August 30, 2007
    Publication date: December 17, 2009
    Applicant: COOPER CROUSE-HINDS GMBH
    Inventors: Reiner Naumann, Gerhard Schwarz, Gert Hofmann
  • Patent number: 7481761
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: January 14, 2004
    Date of Patent: January 27, 2009
    Assignee: Med-El Elektromedizinische Geräte Ges.m.b.H.
    Inventors: Matthias Blau, Matthias Bornitz, Thomas Zahnert, Gert Hofmann, Karl-Bernd Hüttenbrink
  • Publication number: 20050113633
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: January 14, 2004
    Publication date: May 26, 2005
    Applicant: MED-EL ELEKTROMEDIZINISCHE GERATE GES.M.B.H.
    Inventors: Matthias Blau, Matthias Bornitz, Thomas Zahnert, Gert Hofmann, Karl-Bernd Huttenbrink