Noise attenuating headset
Systems and techniques are disclosed for a headset that may be used in an audio system used in a magnetic field. In one aspect, the system includes an inner set portion adapted to fit into an ear canal. A pneumatic port is disposed in the hole to couple audible sounds to the ear canal. The system may include a non-magnetic transducer coupled to the pneumatic port. The system also may include a fiber-optic microphone to couple sound from a user of the headset. Other techniques provide a stethoscope-type yoke to couple the pneumatic port and the fiber-optic antenna to the non-magnetic transducer.
This application is a divisional of U.S. Ser. No. 10/723,774, filed on Nov. 26, 2003 now U.S. Pat. No. 7,292,704, which in turn claims the benefit of priority from U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/514,482 filed Oct. 31, 2003; U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/515,041, filed Oct. 28, 2003; U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/514,802, filed Oct. 27, 2003; and U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/514,796, filed Oct. 27, 2003 all of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.
BACKGROUNDThis disclosure relates to noise-attenuating headsets for use in magnetic fields. Magnetic resonance imaging systems (MRI) produce loud noises associated with the drive pulses applied to the gradient coils. As MRI technology has advanced and the gradient coils have become more powerful, the level of the sound produced has increased to a point where it may be necessary to provide sound pressure protection for people in the vicinity of the MRI system when the system is operating.
SUMMARYThe present application describes systems and techniques relating to noise reduction headsets in a magnetic environment.
The technique includes a magnetically inert headset comprising an outer set portion disposed in an ear cup adapted to cover an ear. An ear insert having a through-hole is disposed in the outer set portion, wherein the inner set portion is adapted to fit into an ear canal. A pneumatic port is disposed in the hole in the inner set to couple audible sound waves to the ear canal.
In an implementation, the technique is facilitated by including a stethoscope-type yoke to couple the pneumatic port to a non-magnetic audio transducer.
In another implementation, the technique is facilitated by including a non-magnetic microphone to enable a user of the headset to communicate with another person. The non-magnetic microphone may be a fiber-optic microphone or a piezoelectric microphone.
In another aspect, the technique includes inserting an ear insert having a through-hole into a ear canal of a user; disposing a pneumatic port into the hole in the ear insert; coupling the pneumatic port to a pneumatic tube; and coupling the pneumatic tube to an output of an audio transducer.
Some implementations of the systems and techniques described herein may provide one or more of the following advantages. The system may reduce the sound level due to the operation of a magnetic device such as a magnetic resource imaging system from entering a user's ear canal. The technique may enable communication to a user in a noisy environment and, in some implementations, enable the user to communicate with another person.
Details of one or more implementations are set forth in the accompanying drawings and the description below. Other features and advantages may be apparent from the description and drawings, and from the claims.
These and other aspects will now be described in detail with reference to the following drawings.
Like reference symbols in the various drawings indicate like elements.
DETAILED DESCRIPTIONThe systems and techniques disclosed here relate a system for reducing noise in a headset used in a magnetic environment. For example, MRI systems can produce loud noises associated with drive pulses applied to the MRI gradient coils. A headset may be used to decrease the level of sound that a person hears while undergoing examination in, or in the vicinity of, the MRI system when the system is operating. The headset also may enable a user, such as a patient undergoing an MRI examination, to hear a MRI technologist while the MRI system is operating. The headset can be made of non-magnetic materials and includes an ear insert that may be inserted into an ear canal to reduce the sounds heard by the user.
In an implementation, a non-magnetic microphone may be coupled to the headset to enable communication between the headset wearer and another person. For example, in a MRI system, a user may wear the headset and communicate with the system operator. Non-magnetic microphones include noise-canceling fiber-optic and piezoelectric microphones. The microphone may be coupled to the headset by a non-magnetic mount. An optical fiber associated with the microphone may be routed adjacent the pneumatic tubes to provide connection to the microphone.
The pneumatic port 106 may be placed in the hole 204 of the ear insert 102. A first end of the pneumatic tubing 110 may be coupled to the pneumatic port 106. A second end of the pneumatic tubing may be coupled the output of an audio transducer (not shown). The audio transducer may be located in the magnet room of a MRI system. The ear insert 102 may be disposed in the ear canal. In an implementation, there is an adapter 104 having a conical opening on a first end. The conical adapter is disposed within the ear cup 116 such that when the headset is placed over the ears, the conical opening guides the pneumatic port 106 into the pneumatic tubing 110. The integrity of the coupling of the pneumatic port through the conical adapter to the pneumatic tubing 110 may be verified through the removable access piece 112. The removable piece then may be closed to help keep unwanted noise from the ear.
The ear inserts 102 with the pneumatic ports 106 are inserted into the ear canals of the user. The adapter 506 may be inserted into the first end of the yoke connector 502 and the pneumatic tube 404 connected to the second end of the yoke connector and secured by the yoke clamps 504. The adapter/yoke connector assembly may then be positioned onto the pneumatic port 106.
Other embodiments are within the scope of the following claims.
Claims
1. A magnetically inert headset comprising:
- an ear insert having a through-hole and adapted to fit into an ear canal;
- a pneumatic port disposed in the hole in the ear insert to receive audible sound waves and couple the sound waves to the ear canal;
- a non-magnetic microphone coupled to the headset; and
- a stethoscope-type yoke, wherein the yoke includes pneumatic tubing acoustically coupled to both the pneumatic port and a non-magnetic transducer to couple the audible sound waves from the non-magnetic transducer.
2. The headset of claim 1 wherein the non-magnetic transducer comprises an audio transducer disposed in a magnet room of a magnetic resonance imaging system.
3. The headset of claim 1 wherein the non-magnetic transducer comprises a piezoelectric transducer.
4. The headset of claim 1 wherein the non-magnetic transducer comprises an electrostatic transducer.
5. A magnetically inert headset comprising:
- an ear insert having a through-hole and adapted to fit into an ear canal;
- a pneumatic port disposed in the hole in the ear insert to receive audible sound waves and couple the sound waves to the ear canal; and
- a stethoscope-type yoke, wherein the yoke includes pneumatic tubing acoustically coupled to both the pneumatic port and a non-magnetic transducer to couple the audible sound waves from the non-magnetic transducer.
6. The headset of claim 5 wherein the non-magnetic transducer comprises an audio transducer disposed in a magnet room of a magnetic resonance imaging system.
7. The headset of claim 5 wherein the non-magnetic transducer comprises a piezoelectric transducer.
8. The headset of claim 5 wherein the non-magnetic transducer comprises an electrostatic transducer.
9. A magnetically inert, noise-attenuating headset comprising:
- an ear insert having a through-hole and adapted to fit into an ear canal;
- a pneumatic port disposed in the hole in the ear insert to receive audible sound waves and couple the sound waves to the ear canal,
- wherein the ear insert substantially conforms to the shape of the ear canal and is sized and composed of a material to attenuate noise created by a magnetic resonance imaging system by a sufficient extent as to enable a user undergoing examination by the system to hear sound waves through the pneumatic port;
- a non-magnetic microphone coupled to the headset; and
- a headset assembly, wherein the assembly includes pneumatic tubing acoustically coupled to both the pneumatic port and a non-magnetic transducer to couple the audible sound waves from the non-magnetic transducer.
10. A magnetically inert, noise-attenuating headset comprising:
- an ear insert having a through-hole and adapted to fit into an ear canal;
- a pneumatic port disposed in the hole in the ear insert to receive audible sound waves and couple the sound waves to the ear canal,
- wherein the ear insert substantially conforms to the shape of the ear canal and is sized and composed of a material to attenuate noise created by a magnetic resonance imaging system by a sufficient extent as to enable a user undergoing examination by the system to hear sound waves through the pneumatic port; and
- a headset assembly, wherein the assembly includes pneumatic tubing acoustically coupled to both the pneumatic port and a non-magnetic transducer to couple the audible sound waves from the non-magnetic transducer.
11. A magnetically inert, noise-attenuating headset comprising:
- an ear insert having a through-hole and adapted to fit into an ear canal;
- a pneumatic port disposed in the hole in the ear insert to receive audible sound waves and couple the sound waves to the ear canal,
- wherein the pneumatic port and ear insert are arranged in combination to attenuate noise created by a magnetic resonance imaging system during operation of the system by a sufficient extent as to enable a user undergoing examination by the system to hear sound waves through the pneumatic port; and
- a headset assembly, wherein the assembly includes pneumatic tubing acoustically coupled to both the pneumatic port and a non-magnetic transducer to couple the audible sound waves from the non-magnetic transducer.
12. The headset of claim 9, 10 or 11 wherein the headset assembly is a bi-aural headset assembly.
13. The headset of claim 9 or 10 wherein the pneumatic port and ear insert are arranged in combination to attenuate the noise produced by the magnetic resonance imaging system during operation of the magnetic resonance imaging system to enable the user undergoing examination by the system to hear sound waves through the pneumatic port.
14. The headset of claim 13 wherein the pneumatic port and ear insert are arranged in combination to attenuate noise produced by gradient coils of the magnetic resonance imaging system during operation of the magnetic resonance imaging system to enable the user undergoing examination by the system to hear sound waves through the pneumatic port.
15. The headset of claim 9, 10 or 11, wherein the ear insert is designed to be inserted into the ear canal to attenuate noise created by gradient coils of the magnetic resonance imaging system so as to enable the user undergoing examination by the system to hear sound waves through the pneumatic port.
16. The headset of claim 9, 10 or 11, wherein a substantial portion of the ear insert is designed to be inserted into the ear canal to attenuate noise created by gradient coils of the magnetic resonance imaging system so as to enable the user undergoing examination by the system to hear sound waves through the pneumatic port.
17. The headset of claim 9, 10 or 11, wherein the ear insert is designed to be fully inserted into the ear canal when the headset is in use.
18. The headset of claim 9 wherein the non-magnetic transducer comprises an audio transducer disposed in a magnet room of a magnetic resonance imaging system.
19. The headset of claim 9 wherein the non-magnetic transducer comprises a piezoelectric transducer.
20. The headset of claim 9 wherein the non-magnetic transducer comprises an electrostatic transducer.
21. The headset of claim 10 wherein the non-magnetic transducer comprises an audio transducer disposed in a magnet room of a magnetic resonance imaging system.
22. The headset of claim 10 wherein the non-magnetic transducer comprises a piezoelectric transducer.
23. The headset of claim 10 wherein the non-magnetic transducer comprises an electrostatic transducer.
24. The headset of claim 9, 10 or 11 wherein the ear insert is sized and shaped to be substantially fully fit within the ear canal.
25. The headset of claim 24 wherein the ear insert is sized and shaped to be fully fit within the ear canal.
26. The headset of claim 9, 10 or 11 wherein a portion of the ear insert to be placed within the ear canal is substantially cylindrical.
27. The headset of claim 9, 10 or 11 wherein an exterior shape of the surface of the ear insert configured to touch an inner surface of the ear canal, when the ear insert is in position for headset use, is approximately cylindrical or approximately tubular before insertion into the ear canal.
28. The headset of claim 9, 10 or 11 wherein an exterior shape of the surface of the ear insert configured to touch an inner surface of the ear canal, when the ear insert is in position for headset use, is cylindrical or tubular before insertion into the ear canal.
29. The headset of claim 9, 10 or 11 wherein the pneumatic port is configured to be positioned inside of the ear canal during operation of the headset.
30. The headset of claim 9, 10 or 11 wherein the pneumatic port extends through substantially the entire through-hole.
31. The headset of claim 9, 10 or 11 wherein the pneumatic port extends through substantially the entire ear insert.
32. The headset of claim 9, 10 or 11 further comprising an adapter to support the pneumatic port and to couple the pneumatic port to the pneumatic tubing.
33. The headset of claim 32 wherein the pneumatic port is retained or sealed in the adapter.
34. The headset of claim 32 wherein the adapter includes a gasket to retain or seal the pneumatic port in the adapter.
35. The headset of claim 9, 10 or 11 further comprising:
- an adapter coupled to the pneumatic port; and
- a connector coupled both to the adapter and to the pneumatic tube.
36. The headset of claim 35 wherein an end of the adapter fits into a first end of the connector, and a second end of the connector is coupled to the pneumatic tube.
37. The headset of claim 35 wherein the connector includes a right-angle bend.
38. The headset of claim 9, 10 or 11 wherein the headset is arranged to provide at least approximately 35 decibels of acoustic attenuation.
39. The headset of claim 9, 10 or 11 wherein the headset is arranged to provide a near-hermetic seal between the ear insert and an ear canal wall.
40. The headset of claim 9, 10 or 11 wherein the ear insert is an ear canal insert.
41. The headset of claim 9, 10 or 11 wherein the pneumatic port includes a hollow tube.
42. The headset of claim 9, 10 or 11 wherein the ear insert is made of compressible foam.
43. The headset of claim 9, 10 or 11 wherein the ear insert is made of compressible foam that fits fully within the ear canal.
44. The headset of claim 35 wherein the adapter includes a conical opening.
45. The headset of claim 9, 10 or 11 wherein the headset assembly comprises a stethoscope-type yoke.
46. The headset of claim 9 or 10 wherein the ear insert is sized and composed of a material to attenuate noise created by gradient coils of the magnetic resonance imaging system by a sufficient extent as to enable the user undergoing examination by the system to hear sound waves through the pneumatic port.
47. The headset of claim 11, wherein the pneumatic port and ear insert are arranged in combination to attenuate noise created by gradient coils of the magnetic resonance imaging system by a sufficient extent as to enable the user undergoing examination by the system to hear sound waves through the pneumatic port.
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Type: Grant
Filed: Feb 28, 2011
Date of Patent: Aug 21, 2012
Inventor: Wayne Lederer (Atlantic Beach, NY)
Primary Examiner: Davetta W Goins
Assistant Examiner: Matthew Eason
Attorney: Fish & Richardson P.C.
Application Number: 13/037,108
International Classification: H04R 25/00 (20060101);