A transducer of the preferred embodiment including a transducer and a plurality of adjacent, tapered cantilevered beams. Each of the beams define a beam base, a beam tip, and a beam body disposed between the beam base and the beam tip. The beams are arranged such that each of the beam tips extends toward a common area. Each beam is joined to the substrate along the beam base and is free from the substrate along the beam body. A preferred method of manufacturing a transducer can include: depositing alternating layers of piezoelectric and electrode onto the substrate in block, processing the deposited layers to define cantilever geometry in block, depositing metal traces in block, and releasing the cantilevered beams from the substrate in block.

Acoustic transducer with gap-controlling geometry and method of manufacturing an acoustic transducer

Embodiments of the present invention provide improved methods and apparatus suitable for use with hearing devices. A vapor deposition process can be used to make a retention structure having a shape profile corresponding to a tissue surface, such as a retention structure having a shape profile corresponding to one or more of an eardrum, the eardrum annulus, or a skin of the ear canal. The retention structure can be resilient and may comprise an anatomically accurate shape profile corresponding to a portion of the ear, such that the resilient retention structure provides mechanical stability for an output transducer assembly placed in the ear for an extended time. The output transducer may couple to the eardrum with direct mechanical coupling or acoustic coupling when retained in the ear canal with the retention structure.

Anatomically customized ear canal hearing apparatus

An electrostatic loudspeaker comprises a membrane structure and an electrode structure. The membrane structure comprises a central membrane portion and a circumferential membrane portion. The electrode structure is configured to electrostatically interact with the membrane structure for causing a movement of the membrane structure along an axis of movement. The electrode structure comprises a circumferential electrode portion and an opening, the circumferential electrode portion being substantially aligned to the circumferential membrane portion and the opening being substantially aligned to the central membrane portion with respect to a direction parallel to the axis of movement. In an end position of the movement of the membrane structure, the central membrane portion is configured to extend at least partially through the opening. A method for operating an electrostatic loudspeaker and a method for manufacturing an electrostatic loudspeaker are also described.

Electrostatic loudspeaker with membrane performing out-of-plane displacement

A piezoelectric micromachined ultrasonic transducer (PMUT) device includes a substrate having an opening therethrough and a membrane attached to the substrate over the opening. A portion of the membrane that overlies the opening is divided into a plurality of cantilevers that are mechanically coupled so that the cantilevers resonate at a common frequency.

Micromachined ultrasonic transducers with a slotted membrane structure

The present invention comprises a system and a method thereof for identifying a specific Interdigitated Electrode pattern arrangement for piezoelectric actuators located around an aperture of a flexible lens body, wherein the Interdigitated Electrode configuration is configurable, when activated, to provide a specific definable bending force distribution, thereby providing a specific definable shaping of the flexible lens body, thereby providing specific definable optical characteristics of the flexible lens body.

Method for optimizing a piezoelectric actuator structure for a deformable lens

The invention relates to a sound transducer for producing sound vibrations, which can be inserted in an ear and can be used in particular for an implantable hearing aid. The sound transducer has at least one carrier layer and at least one piezoelectric layer, as a result of which a deflection via a bimorph principle is achieved, or a deflection can be detected by picking up a voltage.

Sound transducer for insertion in an ear

The converter has a membrane structure comprising a piezo layer with a piezoelectric material arranged on a carrier layer i.e. silicon layer, so that vibrations of the membrane structure are generated by applying voltage to the piezo layer. The structure is divided into segments (9a, 9b) in a surface of the structure by cutting lines (7) so that a membrane is mechanically coupled to the cutting lines that cut through all layers of the structure. One of the cutting lines structures the structure into a spiral segment that runs around a middle point of the structure. An independent claim is also included for a method for manufacturing a sound converter.

Sound converter for installation in an ear

Die Erfindung betrifft einen Schallwandler zur Erzeugung von Schallschwingungen, der in ein Ohr einsetzbar ist und insbesondere fur ein implantierbares Horgerat einsetzbar sein kann. Der Schallwandler weist zumindest eine Tragerschicht und zumindest eine piezoelektrische Schicht auf, wodurch eine Auslenkung uber ein Bimorph-Prinzip erreicht wird, oder eine Auslenkung durch Abgreifen einer Spannung detektierbar ist.

Janine Conde

Papers

Sound transducer for insertion in an ear

Sound converter for installation in an ear

Schallwandler zum Einsetzen in ein Ohr