Methods and apparatus for transmitting vibrations

Abstract

Methods and apparatus for transmitting vibrations via an electronic and/or transducer assembly through a tooth or teeth are disclosed herein. The assembly may be attached, adhered, or otherwise embedded into or upon a removable oral appliance to form a hearing aid assembly. Such an oral appliance may be a custom-made device. The electronic and transducer assembly may receive incoming sounds either directly or through a receiver to process and amplify the signals and transmit the processed sounds via a vibrating transducer element coupled to a tooth or other bone structure, such as the maxillary, mandibular, or palatine bone structure.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A system for transmitting vibrations to an inner ear comprising:
 an intraoral device comprising a first side and a second side opposite the first side, wherein the first side comprises a transducer assembly having a protrusion, wherein the second side comprises an electronics assembly, and wherein when the intraoral device is worn by a user, a tooth is between the protrusion and the second side.   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the protrusion extends toward the second side. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein when the intraoral device is worn by the user, the first side is on a buccal side of the tooth and the second side is on a lingual side of the tooth. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising a liquid between the protrusion and an inner surface of the first side. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 4 , further comprising a damper between the protrusion and the inner surface of the first side. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising a microphone. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 6 , wherein the second side comprises the microphone. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 6 , wherein a watch, a necklace, a lapel, a phone, or a belt-mounted device comprises the microphone. 
     
     
         9 . A system for transmitting vibrations to an inner ear comprising:
 an intraoral device comprising a transducer assembly, an electronics assembly, a gap between the transducer assembly and the electronics assembly, and a wire,   wherein the transducer assembly is connected to the electronics assembly with the wire,   wherein a first end of the wire is closer to a first side of the intraoral device than to a second side of the intraoral device, and   wherein a second end of the wire is closer to the second side of the intraoral device than to the first side of the intraoral device.   
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein when the intraoral device is worn by a user, a tooth is between the transducer assembly and the electronics assembly. 
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein when the intraoral device is worn by a user, a tooth is in the gap and between the first end of the wire and the second end of the wire. 
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the first side of the tooth is opposite the second side of the tooth, and wherein the transducer assembly is electrically coupled to the electronics assembly with the wire. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein the transducer assembly comprises a liquid, a damper, or a liquid and a damper. 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 9 , further comprising an intraoral microphone, an extraoral microphone, or an intraoral microphone and an extraoral microphone. 
     
     
         15 . A system for transmitting vibrations to an inner ear comprising:
 an intraoral device comprising a transducer assembly, an electronics assembly, a gap between the transducer assembly and the electronics assembly, and a wire,   wherein the transducer assembly is connected to the electronics assembly with the wire, and   wherein the wire is on a first side of the gap and on a second side of the gap.   
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 15 , wherein when the intraoral device is worn by a user, a tooth is in the gap. 
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 15 , wherein when the intraoral device is worn by a user, the wire extends around a tooth. 
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 15 , wherein the intraoral device is worn by a user, a first end of the wire is on a buccal side of a tooth and a second end of the wire is on a lingual side of the tooth. 
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 15 , wherein the transducer assembly comprises a liquid, a damper, or a liquid and a damper, and wherein the transducer assembly is electrically coupled to the electronics assembly with the wire. 
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 15 , further comprising an intraoral microphone, an extraoral microphone, or an intraoral microphone and an extraoral microphone.