Alternative mass arrangements for bone conduction devices
A bone conduction device, comprising: a sound input element configured to receive an acoustic sound signal; one or more functional components, wherein at least one of said one or more functional components is an electronics module configured to generate an electrical signal representing said acoustic sound signal; and a transducer configured to generate motion of a mass component based on said electrical signal so as to generate one or more mechanical forces resulting in one or more of motion and vibration of a recipient's skull thereby causing sound perception, wherein said mass component comprises at least one of said one or more functional components.
1. A bone conduction device, comprising:
a sound input element configured to receive an acoustic sound signal;
one or more functional components, wherein at least one of said one or more functional components is an electronics module configured to generate an electrical signal representing said acoustic sound signal; and
a transducer configured to generate motion of a mass component based on said electrical signal so as to generate one or more mechanical forces resulting in one or more of motion and vibration of a recipient's skull thereby causing sound perception,
wherein said mass component comprises at least one of said one or more functional components.
2. The device of claim 1 , wherein said at least one said one or more functional components comprise a battery, and wherein said mass component comprises said battery.
3. The device of claim 1 , further comprising a housing, wherein said at least one said one or more functional components comprise a portion of said housing.
4. The device of claim 3 , wherein said housing further comprises one or more flexible components coupled to said housing portion and configured to provide a seal for said housing.
5. The device of claim 1 , further comprising a retention component configured to receive and securely retain said mass component.
6. The device of claim 1 , further comprising one or more additional dedicated mass components attached to said transducer.
7. The device of claim 1 , wherein said at least one functional component comprising said mass component is attached to said transducer via a releasable coupling.
8. The device of claim 1 , wherein one or more of the size and shape of said at least one functional component comprising said mass component is at least partially selected based on a desired mechanical force to be generated by said transducer.
9. The device of claim 8 , wherein one or more of the size and shape of said at least one functional component is at least partially selected based on recipient characteristics.
10. A hearing rehabilitation system comprising:
a bone conduction device, comprising:
a sound input element configured to receive an acoustic sound signal,
one or more functional components, wherein at least one of said one or more functional components is an electronics module configured to generate an electrical signal representing said acoustic sound signal, and
a transducer configured to generate motion of a mass component based on said electrical signal so as to generate one or more mechanical forces resulting in one or more of motion and vibration of a recipient's skull thereby causing sound perception,
wherein said mass component comprises at least one of said one or more functional components, and
an anchor configured to be attached to the recipient's skull and further configured to transfer said mechanical forces from said transducer to the recipient's skull.
11. The system of claim 10 , wherein said at least one said one or more functional components comprise a battery, and wherein said mass component comprises said battery.
12. The system of claim 10 , further comprising a housing, wherein said at least one said one or more functional components comprise a portion of said housing.
13. The system of claim 12 , wherein said housing further comprises one or more flexible components coupled to said housing portion and configured to provide a seal for said housing.
14. The system of claim 10 , further comprising a retention component configured to receive and securely retain said mass component.
15. The system of claim 10 , further comprising one or more additional dedicated mass components attached to said transducer.
16. The system of claim 10 , wherein said at least one functional component comprising said mass component is attached to said transducer via a releasable coupling.
17. The system of claim 10 , wherein one or more of the size and shape of said at least one functional component comprising said mass component is at least partially selected based on a desired mechanical force to be generated by said transducer.
18. The system of claim 17 , wherein one or more of the size and shape of said at least one functional component is at least partially selected based on recipient characteristics.
19. A hearing prosthesis, comprising:
a bone conduction device including:
a transducer configured to receive a signal indicative of sound captured by the hearing prosthesis and output a mechanical force in response to receipt of the signal, the mechanical force resulting in one or more of motion and vibration of a recipient's skull thereby causing sound perception; and
at least one functional component having a respective mass, wherein
the transducer is mechanically coupled to at least one of the at least one functional component having the respective mass such that the outputted mechanical force generates motion of the at least one of the at least one functional component having the respective mass.
20. The hearing prosthesis of claim 19 , wherein:
the at least one functional component having the respective mass comprises at least one of a battery or a sound processor of the hearing prosthesis.