Patents by Inventor Patrik Westerkull

Patrik Westerkull 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: 7670278
    Abstract: A direct bone conduction hearing aid system for generating direct bone conduction vibration includes a vibrator that is placed in an implanted vibrator unit and an implanted energy-receiving unit that has an energy-receiving inductive coil. A vibrator supply cable connects the implanted energy-receiving unit to the implanted vibrator unit. A mounting arm connects the implanted vibrator unit with an anchoring fixture that is anchored to the skull bone through the skull bone surface. The implanted vibrator unit is positioned in the mastoid cavity. The mounting arm is positioned laterally to the implanted vibrator unit and the bone fixation portion of the anchoring fixture.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 2, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 2, 2010
    Assignee: Oticon A/S
    Inventor: Patrik Westerkull
  • Publication number: 20090192345
    Abstract: The hearing aid according to the invention comprise: a skin penetrating abutment, a skin penetrating abutment, a rod with a coupling part, operative to allow releasable connection between the rod and the abutment, a hearing aid housing with an opening, where the rod extends through the opening and into the hearing aid housing, a vibrator connected to the rod in the hearing aid housing, and resiliently mounted between a distal housing wall part which faces away from the opening and a proximal housing wall part which comprises the opening, whereby the proximal wall part further comprise a relief portion which extends into the area between the vibrator and the coupling part of the rod and where, the distance between the relief portion and the coupling part of the rod is smaller than the distance between the vibrator and the inside of the distal wall part.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 26, 2008
    Publication date: July 30, 2009
    Applicant: OTICON A/S
    Inventors: Patrik Westerkull, Anton Hedstrom, Bengt Bern
  • Patent number: 7376237
    Abstract: The vibrator system is for generating bone conduction vibrations. A magnet (8a) provides a static magnetic flux (?1) that follows a first path. A bobbin (4a) is disposed at a center a vibrator (2). A housing (10) encloses the bobbin and has a coil surrounding a center of the bobbin. The coil is powered by an alternating current for providing an alternating dynamic magnetic flux (?2) following the first path through a magnetic circuit. The housing has an upper end (116). The upper end and the bobbin have a first gap (14a) formed therebetween. The housing has a lower end (118) opposite the upper end. The lower end and the bobbin have a second gap (14b) formed therebetween. The magnet is positioned so that the static magnetic flux (?1) is passing through the first and second gaps in a direction substantially parallel with an axial direction (A) of the vibrator. Suspension means (16a, 16b) are provided for suspending the bobbin in a center of the housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 2, 2004
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2008
    Assignee: Oticon A/S
    Inventor: Patrik Westerkull
  • Publication number: 20070156011
    Abstract: A direct bone conduction hearing aid system for generating direct bone conduction vibrations is disclosed. The direct bone conduction hearing aid system has a vibrator that is placed in an implanted vibrator unit and an implanted energy-receiving unit that has an energy-receiving inductive coil. A vibrator supply cable is connecting the implanted energy-receiving unit to the implanted vibrator unit. A mounting arm is connecting the implanted vibrator unit with an anchoring fixture that is anchored to the skull bone through the skull bone surface. The implanted vibrator unit is positioned in the mastoid cavity. The mounting arm is positioned laterally to the implanted vibrator unit and the bone fixation portion of the anchoring fixture.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 2, 2006
    Publication date: July 5, 2007
    Inventor: Patrik Westerkull
  • Patent number: 7198596
    Abstract: A coupling device for attaching the external hearing aid part to the skull bone anchored part in a bone conducting hearing aid apparatus. The retaining force in the coupling device is substantially established with a permanent magnet. The bone anchored part and the external hearing aid part include a magnetic part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 6, 2002
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2007
    Assignee: P & B Research AB
    Inventor: Patrik Westerkull
  • Publication number: 20070073414
    Abstract: An assembly for controlling emptying of a urine bladder, adapted to be positioned into a urethra of a female is disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 22, 2006
    Publication date: March 29, 2007
    Inventor: Patrik Westerkull
  • Publication number: 20070053536
    Abstract: A bone conduction hearing aid system for generating bone conduction vibrations is disclosed. The bone conduction hearing aid system has an external hearing aid unit with a vibrator and a skin contact pressure plate. The skin contact pressure plate is placed on an outside of the external hearing aid unit and the skin contact pressure plate is magnetically attached to an implanted unit anchored to the skull under the skin. The vibrator transforms an electrical signal into mechanical vibrations and the skin contact pressure plate allows transmission of the vibrations from the vibrator to the implanted unit when the external hearing aid unit is magnetically fixed to the implanted unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 24, 2005
    Publication date: March 8, 2007
    Inventor: Patrik Westerkull
  • Patent number: 7160244
    Abstract: The arrangement is for controlling the connection for a hearing aid (15) with a fixture (13) anchored in the skull bone. A control arm (1) extends from a connector (17), disposed between the hearing aid (15) and an abutment (9), to a handle (3) disposed at a side of the hearing aid (15) where the handle (3) is reachable by a patient. Biasing means provides a biasing force for biasing the control arm towards the connector (17). The control arm (1) is in operative engagement with the biasing means and movable in a direction to counter-act the biasing force of the biasing means to release the abutment (9) from the connector (17).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 10, 2004
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2007
    Inventor: Patrik Westerkull
  • Patent number: 7116794
    Abstract: A hearing aid anchoring fixture (104) for anchoring a direct bone conduction hearing aid (108) to the skull bone (106), comprising a threaded portion (110) that has at least one cutting edge (118). Each cutting edge (118) has an adjacent cavity (120) having a volume Vc. The threaded portion (110) has a thread depth dt being half of the difference between the maximum outer diameter d1 of the threaded portion (120) and the inner diameter d2 of the thread, where dt is at least 10% of the maximum outer diameter d1 of the threaded portion (110) and where dt is less than 20% of the maximum outer diameter d1 of the threaded portion (110). The fixture (104) may be equipped with a flange portion (114) that has an outer diameter d3 being greater than the maximum diameter d1 of the threaded portion (110).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 4, 2004
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2006
    Inventor: Patrik Westerkull
  • Publication number: 20060211910
    Abstract: A bone anchored bone conduction hearing aid system comprising two separate microphones connected to two separate inputs of a hearing aid, and a microphone processing circuit in the electronic unit, processing the signals from the two microphones to increase the sound sensitivity for sound coming from the front compared to sound coming from the rear. One of the sound inlets being the frontal sound inlet which is positioned more in the frontal direction (F) than the other sound inlet. The bone anchored bone conduction hearing aid system of the present invention has a programmable microphone processing circuit where the sensitivity for sound coming from the front compared to sound coming from the rear can be varied by programming the circuit digitally in a programming circuit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 18, 2005
    Publication date: September 21, 2006
    Inventor: Patrik Westerkull
  • Patent number: 7074222
    Abstract: A screw-shaped anchoring element for permanent anchorage of hearing aid devices or ear and eye prostheses in the skull bone. A main body including external threads has a length less than 5 mm and is operative to be inserted into a hole in a skull bone. A flange is operative to provide a stop for the anchoring element when the anchoring element is screwed down into the comparatively thin skull bone. The flange has a substantially planar bottom surface for resting against the skull bone when the anchoring element has reached a final screwed-down position. A tool engaging socket is arranged at one end of the anchoring element. An inner bore extends at least partially through the main body at the first end of the anchoring element and is operative to connect one of a hearing aid device, an eye prosthesis or an ear prosthesis to the anchoring element. A self-tapping second end of the anchoring element includes at least one cavity and a cutting edge.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2001
    Date of Patent: July 11, 2006
    Assignee: Entific Medical Systems AB
    Inventor: Patrik Westerkull
  • Patent number: 7065223
    Abstract: The hearing-aid interconnection system has a skin-penetrating hearing-aid abutment (2) and a fixture (4) anchored in a skull bone (6). A first press fit is formed between a first contact surface (8a) of the abutment and a first fixture contact surface (10a) of the fixture. The first abutment contact surface extends around the first fixture contact surface. A second press fit is formed between a second contact surface (8b) of the abutment and a second fixture contact surface (10b) of the fixture. The second fixture contact surface extends around the second abutment contact surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2004
    Date of Patent: June 20, 2006
    Inventor: Patrik Westerkull
  • Publication number: 20060126874
    Abstract: An anchoring system for anchoring a percutaneous attachment for a direct bone-conduction hearing-aid or an outer ear prosthesis to the skull bone, comprising a fixture portion, the fixture portion having a threaded portion. A flange is disposed at one end of the fixture portion. The flange has a surface facing the threaded portion and on this surface there is at least one groove to prevent bone resorption under the flange. The groove extends at least one turn on the side of the flange facing the threaded portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 10, 2006
    Publication date: June 15, 2006
    Inventor: Patrik Westerkull
  • Publication number: 20060093175
    Abstract: A hearing aid anchoring fixture (104) for anchoring a direct bone conduction hearing aid (108) to the skull bone (106), comprising a threaded portion (110) that has at least one cutting edge (118). Each cutting edge (118) has an adjacent cavity (120) having a volume Vc. The threaded portion (110) has a thread depth dt being half of the difference between the maximum outer diameter d1 of the threaded portion (120) and the inner diameter d2 of the thread, where dt is at least 10% of the maximum outer diameter d1 of the threaded portion (110) and where dt is less than 20% of the maximum outer diameter d1 of the threaded portion (110). The fixture (104) may be equipped with a flange portion (114) that has an outer diameter d3 being greater than the maximum diameter d1 of the threaded portion (110).
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 4, 2004
    Publication date: May 4, 2006
    Inventor: Patrik Westerkull
  • Patent number: 7021676
    Abstract: A connector system for interconnecting a hearing aid (3) with a fixture (5) anchored in a bone segment (7). An abutment (9) has a contact surface (21) with is a substantially circular surface. A connector plate (17) with a substantially circular connector contact surface (20) is in contact with the abutment contact surface (21) when the hearing aid (3) is connected to the abutment (9). The abutment (9) has a wide abutment coupling area and a narrow portion. The abutment coupling area is enclosable by coupling shoes (15). The coupling shoes (15) exert a pressure against the abutment coupling area disposed on a mantle surface (25) of the abutment. The coupling shoes are movable in a radial direction relative to the connector plate (17). The coupling area has an increasing diameter in a lateral direction (L).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 10, 2004
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2006
    Inventor: Patrik Westerkull
  • Publication number: 20060050913
    Abstract: The hearing-aid interconnection system has a skin-penetrating hearing-aid abutment (2) and a fixture (4) anchored in a skull bone (6). A first press fit is formed between a first contact surface (8a) of the abutment and a first fixture contact surface (10a) of the fixture. The first abutment contact surface extends around the first fixture contact surface. A second press fit is formed between a second contact surface (8b) of the abutment and a second fixture contact surface (10b) of the fixture. The second fixture contact surface extends around the second abutment contact surface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 9, 2004
    Publication date: March 9, 2006
    Inventor: Patrik Westerkull
  • Publication number: 20060045298
    Abstract: The vibrator system is for generating bone conduction vibrations. A magnet (8a) provides a static magnetic flux (?1) that follows a first path. A bobbin (4a) is disposed at a center a vibrator (2). A housing (10) encloses the bobbin and has a coil surrounding a center of the bobbin. The coil is powered by an alternating current for providing an alternating dynamic magnetic flux (?2) following the first path through a magnetic circuit. The housing has an upper end (116). The upper end and the bobbin have a first gap (14a) formed therebetween. The housing has a lower end (118) opposite the upper end. The lower end and the bobbin have a second gap (14b) formed therebetween. The magnet is positioned so that the static magnetic flux (?1) is passing through the first and second gaps in a direction substantially parallel with an axial direction (A) of the vibrator. Suspension means (16a, 16b) are provided for suspending the bobbin in a center of the housing.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 2, 2004
    Publication date: March 2, 2006
    Inventor: Patrik Westerkull
  • Publication number: 20050248158
    Abstract: A connector system for interconnecting a hearing aid (3) with a fixture (5) anchored in a bone segment (7). An abutment (9) has a contact surface (21) with is a substantially circular surface. A connector plate (17) with a substantially circular connector contact surface (20) is in contact with the abutment contact surface (21) when the hearing aid (3) is connected to the abutment (9). The abutment (9) has a wide abutment coupling area and a narrow portion. The abutment coupling area is enclosable by coupling shoes (15). The coupling shoes (15) exert a pressure against the abutment coupling area disposed on a mantle surface (25) of the abutment. The coupling shoes are movable in a radial direction relative to the connector plate (17). The coupling area has an increasing diameter in a lateral direction (L).
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 10, 2004
    Publication date: November 10, 2005
    Inventor: Patrik Westerkull
  • Publication number: 20050249366
    Abstract: The arrangement is for controlling the connection for a hearing aid (15) with a fixture (13) anchored in the skull bone. A control arm (1) extends from a connector (17), disposed between the hearing aid (15) and an abutment (9), to a handle (3) disposed at a side of the hearing aid (15) where the handle (3) is reachable by a patient. Biasing means provides a biasing force for biasing the control arm towards the connector (17). The control arm (1) is in operative engagement with the biasing means and movable in a direction to counter-act the biasing force of the biasing means to release the abutment (9) from the connector (17).
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 10, 2004
    Publication date: November 10, 2005
    Inventor: Patrik Westerkull
  • Publication number: 20040210103
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a coupling device for attaching the external hearing aid part (5) to the skull bone 810) anchored part in a bone conducting hearing aid apparatus, whereby the retaining force in the coupling device is substantially established by means of a permanent magnet. The bone anchored part as well as the external hearing aid part (5) comprises a magnetic part (4 and 6, respectively) and at least one of these magnetic parts is a permanent magnet. If only one of the two magnetic parts (4, 6) is a permanent magnet, the other magnetic part should be made of a ferro-magnetic material. The magnetic part (4) of the bone anchored art of the hearing aid is preferably made as an annular device located in the skin penetrating spacer (1) of the hearing aid.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 1, 2004
    Publication date: October 21, 2004
    Inventor: Patrik Westerkull