# US 10,765,337 B2 · Ear canal plug for detecting bio-electrical signals > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,765,337 B2 - Document ID: US10765337B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/938,499 - Filed: 2018-03-28 - Published: 2018-07-26 - Granted: 2020-09-08 - Earliest claimed: 2015-10-01 - Assignees: T&W Engineering A/S - Applicants: T&W Engineering A/S - Inventors: Mikael Andersen - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10765337B2 ## CPC - A61B 5/6817: {Ear canal} - A61B 5/291: for electroencephalography [EEG] - A61B 5/6847: {mounted on an invasive device} - A61B 5/6867: {specially adapted to be attached or implanted in a specific body part (A61B5/6847 takes precedence)} - H04R 25/652: {Ear tips; Ear moulds (hybrid ear moulds or post-processing thereof for their customisation H04R25/659)} - H04R 25/658: {Manufacture of housing parts} - A61B 2562/125: characterised by the manufacture of electrodes - H04R 25/65: {Housing parts, e.g. shells, tips or moulds, or their manufacture} - A61B: DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION (usefulness limited to only animals A61D) - H04R: LOUDSPEAKERS, MICROPHONES, GRAMOPHONE PICK-UPS OR LIKE ACOUSTIC ELECTROMECHANICAL TRANSDUCERS; ELECTRIC HEARING AIDS; PUBLIC ADDRESS SYSTEMS (producing sounds with frequency not determined by supply frequency G10K) ## Abstract An ear plug for arrangement in an ear canal includes at least two electrodes for detecting an EEG signal from a skin surface when the ear plug is arranged in the ear canal. The ear plug further includes a housing having an outer wall made from a resilient material, and a signal acquisition circuit. The electrodes are provided with a skin contact part arranged on an outside surface of the housing and connected through the outer wall of the housing to a supporting member on the inner part of the housing. The skin contact part and the supporting member are arranged for clamping the outer wall. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An ear plug for arrangement in an ear canal, the ear plug comprising at least two electrodes prepared for detecting an EEG signal from a skin surface when the ear plug is arranged in the ear canal, a flexible connection element combining the signals from the at least two electrodes, a housing having an outer wall made from a resilient material, and at least one amplifying circuit in said housing and connected to said flexible connection element for processing said EEG signal detected by said electrodes, the electrodes being provided with a skin contact part arranged on an outside surface of the housing and connected through the outer wall of the housing to a supporting member on an inner part of the housing, the skin contact part and the supporting member being arranged for clamping the outer wall. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The ear plug according to claim 1, wherein the housing is compressible and the electrodes are arranged to follow a movement caused by a compression of the outer wall. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The ear plug according to claim 1, wherein the outer wall is provided with a shape customized to the ear canal of an intended user. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The ear plug according to claim 1, wherein the skin contact part of the electrodes is provided with a layer of iridium oxide on at least the surface intended to touch the skin surface. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The ear plug according to claim 4, wherein the layer of iridium oxide also comprises tantalum. ### Claim 6 (depends on 4) The ear plug according to claim 4, wherein the layer of iridium oxide is porous. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The ear plug according to claim 1, wherein said at least one amplifying circuit comprises a separate amplifying circuit for each one of the at least two electrodes, the amplifying circuits being shielded against electromagnetic interference. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The ear plug according to claim 1, wherein the flexible connection element comprises a flex print circuit. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The ear plug according to claim 1, wherein the skin contact part is detachably connected to the supporting member by a connecting part. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The ear plug according to claim 1, wherein the amplifying circuit is a signal acquisition circuit that comprises an A/D converter. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The ear plug according to claim 1, wherein the outer wall is adapted to exert a pressure against the ear canal wall when inserted, in order to enhance electrical contact between the skin contact parts of the at least two electrodes and the ear canal wall. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) An EEG monitor comprising an ear plug according to claim 1, and a signal processor for processing signals obtained from said at least one amplifying circuit. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The ear plug according to claim 1, wherein said flexible connection element comprises flexible wires. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The ear plug according to claim 1, wherein said skin contact part and supporting member clamp said outer wall with said skin contact part in contact with an outer surface of said outer wall and said supporting member in contact with an inner surface of said outer wall, and wherein for at least one of said electrodes, a surface of the supporting member in contact with said inner surface of said outer wall is of smaller surface area than a surface area of said skin contact part in contact with said outer surface of said outer wall. ### Claim 15 (depends on 1) The ear plug according to claim 1, wherein said skin contact part and supporting member clamp said outer wall with said skin contact part in contact with an outer surface of said outer wall and said supporting member in contact with an inner surface of said outer wall, and said ear plug further including circuit elements mounted to a back side of the supporting member opposite a side of said supporting member contacting said inner surface of said outer wall. ### Claim 16 (depends on 1) The ear plug according to claim 1, wherein said skin contact part includes a tapered portion configured to be pressed through a pre-arranged hole in said outer wall to engage said supporting member to provide said clamping. ### Claim 17 (depends on 1) A hearing aid comprising a microphone for converting sound to electrical signals, processing circuitry for processing said electrical signals to compensate for a hearing impairment, and an output transducer for producing sound based on the processed electrical signals, said hearing aid further comprising an ear plug according to claim 1. ### Claim 18 A method for manufacturing an EEG monitor comprising the steps of: providing an ear plug housing having a resilient outer wall, providing at least one EEG electrode, separated into a skin contact part and a supporting member, connecting the supporting member to an electronic circuit via a flexible connection element, arranging the supporting member with the electronic circuit inside the ear plug housing, connecting the skin contact part from the outside of the ear plug housing to the supporting member through a pre-arranged hole in the outer wall, such that the skin contact part and the supporting member are arranged for clamping the outer wall. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The method according to claim 18, wherein said step of connecting the skin contact part to the supporting member comprises supporting one of said skin contact part and supporting member while pressing the other of said skin contact and supporting member through said pre-arranged hole to engage said skin contact part and supporting member.