Title of Invention	A CRADLE FOR DETECTING HEARING DEFECTS IN CHILDREN
Abstract	A cradle with top sound proof double layered glass cover to test the hearing defects in children. It is made of ply wood and sound absorbing materials like Acoustic tiles and Glass wool. It is fitted with two speakers, Two Air drawing and two Exhaust fans for proper ventilation inside and a tube light for enough lighting inside the cradle. The cradle is mounted on a fabricated steel trolley with ball wheels for moving the cradle. The cradle is connected to an external Audiometer with sound input arrangements like Cassette players, microphone which feeds he desired sound inputs at a desired level to observe the behavioral responses of the child to the sound inputs thereby enabling the Audiologist to detect the hearing defects if any in the child subjected to the test.

Title of Invention

A CRADLE FOR DETECTING HEARING DEFECTS IN CHILDREN

Abstract

A cradle with top sound proof double layered glass cover to test the hearing defects in children. It is made of ply wood and sound absorbing materials like Acoustic tiles and Glass wool. It is fitted with two speakers, Two Air drawing and two Exhaust fans for proper ventilation inside and a tube light for enough lighting inside the cradle. The cradle is mounted on a fabricated steel trolley with ball wheels for moving the cradle. The cradle is connected to an external Audiometer with sound input arrangements like Cassette players, microphone which feeds he desired sound inputs at a desired level to observe the behavioral responses of the child to the sound inputs thereby enabling the Audiologist to detect the hearing defects if any in the child subjected to the test.

Full Text	Introduction : Some studies have shown that the sense of hearing develops in a child in the mother's womb itself during conception. The chances of child having any hearing problem and becoming prone to deafness needs to be detected at the earliest opportunity. Known Techniques and their drawbacks : In known techniques of detecting hearing loss in a person is by use of a sound treated room with Audiometer and head phones wherein the person being tested needs to respond for the sound inputs given. The responses of the patients will be in form of their speech or hand signals that would be recorded and graphically represented in an 'Audiogram'. Patients losing their hearing due to various reasons are referred to an Audiologist by ENT specialists, Physicians, Neurologists and other General practitioners. The known techniques in practice to test an infants' hearing are Brain Stem Evoked Response (BERA) or Otto Acoustic Emission Test (OAE). These tests require the infants to be sedated and tested with electrodes on the scalp using electronic clicks. However, these techniques are practically difficult to be applied as it involves sedation. These techniques are considerably costly and time consuming if the object is to screen almost all newborns. The most dangerous result of loss of hearing in children is their inability to speak as words can be learnt and spoken only by hearing. Children are referred to an Audiologist by Doctors when the parents of these children approach them complaining slow development of their children or not meeting the milestones in terms of speech and language. In some cases, due to various reasons the child will be a bom deaf having severe loss of hearing. These children depend on visual clues for communication and their development will not be on par with a child having normal hearing. This may result in the child seeking education from a school for hearing impaired. As there is no proper screening technique available, the children with hearing defects are brought to an audiologist at an age of 2 or above for treatment wherein precious time has been lost and the child's development already suffered. If a child's hearing disability if any can be detected at the stage of infancy itself and proper measures were taken up to enable the child to hear from then, the child can be saved from the problems explained above. At present, there is practically no screening of the newborns are available in the maternity homes or hospitals to detect infants with possible hearing defects which should have been a routine and mandatory test for infants similar to any other health related preventive measures like immunization and vaccination. How to diagnose a hearing defect in an infant? Though effective, the known techniques of testing explained above requires the patient to sit, wear a headphone and follow the instructions of the Audiologist and then respond to communicate back by way of speech or hand signals which can not be expected from an infant. Features of the Invention : There arose a necessity to test an infant using an Audiometer itself but in a natural setup. The object is to screen the hearing of the infants from age 0 to 6 months, which means that testing a baby in its sleeping position. Hence, the idea of a sound treated cradle as a substitute for sound treated room is implemented. As a cradle can always be smaller in size, two sound boxes (speakers) have been designed to be placed closer to the left and the right ears of the infant as a substitute for the head phone. To feed the sound inputs at a desired level (db.)r Audiometer is used with an extra arrangement to feed different sound inputs from an external device like a cassette player or a small Key board or any other desired audio system. In order to train the infants for auditory training and to stimulate their hearing through the Audiometer the sound inputs are fed using a microphone for speech. Noisy sounds and sounds of various musical instruments produced by a handy Key board and recorded vocal (male and female voices) or instrumental music, lullabies or wave sounds are played through a cassette player. For the purpose of testing and screening the infant for hearing, these sounds are fed at a level starting from 60 db. then gradually increased to 70 db. The sounds are delivered alternatively from right and left speakers. During this process, the behavbr of the child will be closely observed and recorded. The behavioral changes like eye blink, turnr smile, startle, cryr listening, grimace postures soon after the presentation of the sound will indicate the infant passing the screening. If no such behavioral responses are observed after repeated sound inputs, the Audiometer is operated to stimulate the child up to a level of 100 db. to expect behavioral changes from the child. Any level above 70 db. should be considered as a warning and a possible hearing defect in the child tested. The child then be referred for further observations and treatments. Specifications: As shown in the sheet No. 4 of the drawings enclosed, the shell of the cradle (1) is made of 12mm. thick ply wood (3) in order to prevent reverberation of sound inside and the inner surface of the side walls and the base are coated with two layers of stuffed glass wool (7) covered by acoustic tiles (6). The cradle is fitted with two hinged top opening cover doors (11) with 8 mm. thick double layered sound proof plain glass paneling (2). This facilitates for the clear view of the baby even while the doors are shut. A small tube light (14) is fitted inside for proper lighting for the baby to feel comfortable. 4 Nos. of 100 mm. dia. Silent fans (5) are fitted such a way that two of them draw fresh air from outside and the air is routed through a duct (4) to the cradle. The other two fans are fitted in reverse direction so as to exhaust the air from inside. This has been made to ensure a continuous circulation of fresh air inside the cradle. All the 4 fans are operable through a single switch. Two 160 W 150 mm. dia. Speakers (9) are fitted to both the right and left side walls of the cradle on the portion where the infants head shall be placed. These speakers are connected to the junction box (12) through a concealed wiring. The entire cradle is hung on a fabricated steel trolley (15) from its two ends. Two ball bearings (13) on each end connects the trolley and the cradle to facilitate the swing action. This has been done to calm the infant if it feels uncomfortable to adjust to a changed environment. The rocking arrangement is also made with a purpose in mind to make the infant to go to the state of natural sleep in order to test it during sleep. This non invasive method of putting the baby to sleep avoids sedation of a baby for the purpose of testing. The trolley is fitted with 4 ball wheels (16) that can turn 360 degrees in order to make the cradle portable. The trolley is also fitted with a cabinet (10) which houses the Audiometer at the top of it along with a power switch arrangement and switches for the operation of Light and the fans. The inside of this cup board houses the cassette player, the Power adapter for the same and space to store cassettes, etc., To supply power to these devices, the cradle is connected to external power points through a long wire and a plug drawn from the power switch on the cradle. The top of the cabinet can also be used to place handy Key Board or a small cassette player. As shown in sheet No .5 of the drawings enclosed, the cradle is designed in such a way that the operator can simultaneously feed two different sounds to the Audiometer and deliver to the speaker any one he desires. Option is made to instantly change over to the other sound being fed with just operating a switch. Arrangements are also made to use alternate Audiometers of different levels if necessary just by operation of a switch. The out puts of these Audio meters are directed to a junction box which contains switches to receive the desired input and to channelise them to the desired Audiometer and to receive the out puts from the Audiometers and route the out put from the desired Audiometer to the speakers. The junction box is made of a plastic box of size 150mm. x 250mm. x 50mm. fitted with a stereo and a mono input sockets and a change over switch between them. These sockets receive the sound in puts from their respective audio sources through the chords and the change over switch ensures to send the desired input to another change over switch. This switch is meant to channelise the received input to two different mono sockets which are connected through chords to their respective Audiometers. The other portion of the junction box has two sets of stereo out put sockets with a change over switch between them. These sockets receive the sound outputs from their respective Audiometers and the change over switch sends the desired output to the speakers through a concealed wiring arrangement. All the switch and socket arrangements in this junction box are soldered to function as explained above and the junction box is fitted on one side of the cupboard. The cupboard is also provided with a door and locking arrangement for the safety of its contents while not in use. The audiometers ensure the feeding of desired db. of the sound to the speakers and the change over from left speaker to right speaker or vice versa. The Audiometers are purchased ready made from manufacturers M/s. Eicon, and M/s. Arphi, Other posiible suppliers : M/s. Danavox, M/s. Lotus, etc., The audio systems are purchased ready made from market of brand Philips and Sony. Other possible brands that can be used : Pioneer, Panasonic, Kenwood, Blaupunct etc., The Handy Key Board of make Casio is purchased ready made from the market. Collection of cassettes of different sounds like Classical music both Carnatic and Hindustani, Instrumental music both western and Indian, Healing music, Music for unborn babies, Lullabies, Light music, etc., is made by purchasing from the market. Optional features proposed : Auto swing arrangement with switch operation. This will simplify the work of the operator as when the cradle is required to rocked and the operator is not required to move from his position. Switch controlled self operating doors. This will help-ttie operator in closing and opening the cover doors from his position itself. LED display board with PCB to indicate the components in operation (eg. Fan, Light, Audio system 1 or 2, Audiometer 1 or 2, etc.,). This will help the operator to know the status of each major component of the cradle like the functions on or off from his position. A CCTV camera, microphone inside the cradle with a TV monitor and speaker at the operators table for recording the visual and audio observations from inside the cradle. A wireless remote control unit with a sensor for the operation of the cradle from a distance if necessary. Possible other uses of the Cradle : The cradle can also be used in baby sitting centres and wards of maternity homes, houses to play lullabies and melodious music to make the baby to relax and to develop the sense of music from the early age itself by the interested parents. 1 Claim : 1. A sound treated cradle, with two sound boxes (speakers) placed closer to the left and right ears of the infant. 2. An Audio meter feeding different sound inputs from external devices viz., a cassette player/small key board or any other device being an audio system as claimed in claim 1. 3. A fabricated steel trolley having four ball wheels connecting the cradle as claimed in claim 1. 4. A box type cabinet having the audio meter as claimed in claim 2 with a power with a power switch arrangement, power adopter and switches for operation of fans and lights. 5. a junction box being a plastic box having a size of 150mm. x 250mm. x 50 mm. fitted with a stereo and mono input sockets, change over switches, having two sets of stereo out put and sockets connected to the audio meter. 6. a cradle for detecting hearing defects in children having all the features substantially as herein described with references to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings. Dated this the tenth day of September, Two thousand and One.

Full Text

Introduction :
Some studies have shown that the sense of hearing develops in a child in the mother's womb itself during conception. The chances of child having any hearing problem and becoming prone to deafness needs to be detected at the earliest opportunity.
Known Techniques and their drawbacks :
In known techniques of detecting hearing loss in a person is by use of a sound treated room with Audiometer and head phones wherein the person being tested needs to respond for the sound inputs given. The responses of the patients will be in form of their speech or hand signals that would be recorded and graphically represented in an 'Audiogram'. Patients losing their hearing due to various reasons are referred to an Audiologist by ENT specialists, Physicians, Neurologists and other General practitioners.
The known techniques in practice to test an infants' hearing are Brain Stem Evoked Response (BERA) or Otto Acoustic Emission Test (OAE). These tests require the infants to be sedated and tested with electrodes on the scalp using electronic clicks. However, these techniques are practically difficult to be applied as it involves sedation. These techniques are considerably costly and time consuming if the object is to screen almost all newborns.
The most dangerous result of loss of hearing in children is their inability to speak as words can be learnt and spoken only by hearing.
Children are referred to an Audiologist by Doctors when the parents of these children approach them complaining slow development of their children or not meeting the milestones in terms of speech and language.
In some cases, due to various reasons the child will be a bom deaf having severe loss of hearing. These children depend on visual clues for communication and their development will not be on par with a child having normal hearing. This may result in the child seeking education from a school for hearing impaired. As there is no proper screening technique available, the children with hearing defects are brought to an audiologist at an age of 2 or above for treatment wherein precious time has been lost and the child's development already suffered.
If a child's hearing disability if any can be detected at the stage of infancy itself and proper measures were taken up to enable the child to hear from then, the child can be saved from the problems explained above.
At present, there is practically no screening of the newborns are available in the maternity homes or hospitals to detect infants with possible hearing defects which should have been a routine and mandatory test for infants similar to any other health related preventive measures like immunization and vaccination.

How to diagnose a hearing defect in an infant?
Though effective, the known techniques of testing explained above requires the patient to sit, wear a headphone and follow the instructions of the Audiologist and then respond to communicate back by way of speech or hand signals which can not be expected from an infant.
Features of the Invention :
There arose a necessity to test an infant using an Audiometer itself but in a natural setup. The object is to screen the hearing of the infants from age 0 to 6 months, which means that testing a baby in its sleeping position. Hence, the idea of a sound treated cradle as a substitute for sound treated room is implemented. As a cradle can always be smaller in size, two sound boxes (speakers) have been designed to be placed closer to the left and the right ears of the infant as a substitute for the head phone.
To feed the sound inputs at a desired level (db.)r Audiometer is used with an extra arrangement to feed different sound inputs from an external device like a cassette player or a small Key board or any other desired audio system.
In order to train the infants for auditory training and to stimulate their hearing through the Audiometer the sound inputs are fed using a microphone for speech. Noisy sounds and sounds of various musical instruments produced by a handy Key board and recorded vocal (male and female voices) or instrumental music, lullabies or wave sounds are played through a cassette
player.
For the purpose of testing and screening the infant for hearing, these sounds are fed at a level starting from 60 db. then gradually increased to 70 db. The sounds are delivered alternatively from right and left speakers. During this process, the behavbr of the child will be closely observed and recorded.
The behavioral changes like eye blink, turnr smile, startle, cryr listening, grimace postures soon after the presentation of the sound will indicate the infant passing the screening.
If no such behavioral responses are observed after repeated sound inputs, the Audiometer is operated to stimulate the child up to a level of 100 db. to expect behavioral changes from the child.
Any level above 70 db. should be considered as a warning and a possible hearing defect in the child tested. The child then be referred for further observations and treatments.
Specifications:
As shown in the sheet No. 4 of the drawings enclosed, the shell of the cradle (1) is made of 12mm. thick ply wood (3) in order to prevent reverberation of sound inside and the inner surface of the side walls and the base are coated with two layers of stuffed glass wool (7) covered by acoustic tiles (6). The cradle is fitted with two hinged top opening cover doors (11) with 8 mm. thick double layered sound proof plain glass paneling (2). This facilitates for the clear view of the baby even while the doors are shut. A small tube light (14) is fitted inside for proper

lighting for the baby to feel comfortable. 4 Nos. of 100 mm. dia. Silent fans (5) are fitted such a way that two of them draw fresh air from outside and the air is routed through a duct (4) to the cradle. The other two fans are fitted in reverse direction so as to exhaust the air from inside. This has been made to ensure a continuous circulation of fresh air inside the cradle. All the 4 fans are operable through a single switch. Two 160 W 150 mm. dia. Speakers (9) are fitted to both the right and left side walls of the cradle on the portion where the infants head shall be placed. These speakers are connected to the junction box (12) through a concealed wiring.
The entire cradle is hung on a fabricated steel trolley (15) from its two ends. Two ball bearings (13) on each end connects the trolley and the cradle to facilitate the swing action. This has been done to calm the infant if it feels uncomfortable to adjust to a changed environment. The rocking arrangement is also made with a purpose in mind to make the infant to go to the state of natural sleep in order to test it during sleep. This non invasive method of putting the baby to sleep avoids sedation of a baby for the purpose of testing. The trolley is fitted with 4 ball wheels (16) that can turn 360 degrees in order to make the cradle portable.
The trolley is also fitted with a cabinet (10) which houses the Audiometer at the top of it along with a power switch arrangement and switches for the operation of Light and the fans. The inside of this cup board houses the cassette player, the Power adapter for the same and space to store cassettes, etc., To supply power to these devices, the cradle is connected to external power points through a long wire and a plug drawn from the power switch on the cradle. The top of the cabinet can also be used to place handy Key Board or a small cassette player.
As shown in sheet No .5 of the drawings enclosed, the cradle is designed in such a way that the operator can simultaneously feed two different sounds to the Audiometer and deliver to the speaker any one he desires. Option is made to instantly change over to the other sound being fed with just operating a switch. Arrangements are also made to use alternate Audiometers of different levels if necessary just by operation of a switch. The out puts of these Audio meters are directed to a junction box which contains switches to receive the desired input and to channelise them to the desired Audiometer and to receive the out puts from the Audiometers and route the out put from the desired Audiometer to the speakers.
The junction box is made of a plastic box of size 150mm. x 250mm. x 50mm. fitted with a stereo and a mono input sockets and a change over switch between them. These sockets receive the sound in puts from their respective audio sources through the chords and the change over switch ensures to send the desired input to another change over switch. This switch is meant to channelise the received input to two different mono sockets which are connected through chords to their respective Audiometers.
The other portion of the junction box has two sets of stereo out put sockets with a change over switch between them. These sockets receive the sound outputs from their respective Audiometers and the change over switch sends the desired output to the speakers through a concealed wiring arrangement.
All the switch and socket arrangements in this junction box are soldered to function as explained above and the junction box is fitted on one side of the cupboard. The cupboard is also provided with a door and locking arrangement for the safety of its contents while not in use.

The audiometers ensure the feeding of desired db. of the sound to the speakers and the change over from left speaker to right speaker or vice versa.
The Audiometers are purchased ready made from manufacturers M/s. Eicon, and M/s. Arphi, Other posiible suppliers : M/s. Danavox, M/s. Lotus, etc.,
The audio systems are purchased ready made from market of brand Philips and Sony. Other possible brands that can be used : Pioneer, Panasonic, Kenwood, Blaupunct etc.,
The Handy Key Board of make Casio is purchased ready made from the market.
Collection of cassettes of different sounds like Classical music both Carnatic and Hindustani, Instrumental music both western and Indian, Healing music, Music for unborn babies, Lullabies, Light music, etc., is made by purchasing from the market.
Optional features proposed :
Auto swing arrangement with switch operation. This will simplify the work of the operator as when the cradle is required to rocked and the operator is not required to move from his position.
Switch controlled self operating doors. This will help-ttie operator in closing and opening the cover doors from his position itself.
LED display board with PCB to indicate the components in operation (eg. Fan, Light, Audio system 1 or 2, Audiometer 1 or 2, etc.,). This will help the operator to know the status of each major component of the cradle like the functions on or off from his position.
A CCTV camera, microphone inside the cradle with a TV monitor and speaker at the operators table for recording the visual and audio observations from inside the cradle.
A wireless remote control unit with a sensor for the operation of the cradle from a distance if necessary.
Possible other uses of the Cradle :
The cradle can also be used in baby sitting centres and wards of maternity homes, houses to play lullabies and melodious music to make the baby to relax and to develop the sense of music from the early age itself by the interested parents.

1 Claim :
1. A sound treated cradle, with two sound boxes (speakers) placed closer to the left and
right ears of the infant.
2. An Audio meter feeding different sound inputs from external devices viz., a cassette
player/small key board or any other device being an audio system as claimed in claim 1.
3. A fabricated steel trolley having four ball wheels connecting the cradle as claimed in
claim 1.
4. A box type cabinet having the audio meter as claimed in claim 2 with a power with a
power switch arrangement, power adopter and switches for operation of fans and lights.
5. a junction box being a plastic box having a size of 150mm. x 250mm. x 50 mm. fitted with
a stereo and mono input sockets, change over switches, having two sets of stereo out put
and sockets connected to the audio meter.
6. a cradle for detecting hearing defects in children having all the features substantially as
herein described with references to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
Dated this the tenth day of September, Two thousand and One.

Documents:

780-mas-2001-abstract.pdf

780-mas-2001-claims duplicate.pdf

780-mas-2001-claims original.pdf

780-mas-2001-correspondance others.pdf

780-mas-2001-correspondance po.pdf

780-mas-2001-description complete duplicate.pdf

780-mas-2001-description complete original.pdf

780-mas-2001-drawings.pdf

780-mas-2001-form 1.pdf

780-mas-2001-form 19.pdf

780-mas-2001-form 26.pdf

780-mas-2001-form 3.pdf

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Patent Number

206300

Indian Patent Application Number

780/MAS/2001

PG Journal Number

26/2007

Publication Date

29-Jun-2007

Grant Date

23-Apr-2007

Date of Filing

20-Sep-2001

Name of Patentee

MANDYAM AJI MYTHILI

Applicant Address

A-305,SANGITA APARTMENTS,5th CROSS,MALLESHWARAM, BANGALORE-560 003

Inventors:

#	Inventor's Name	Inventor's Address
1	MANDYAM AJI MYTHILI	A-305,SANGITA APARTMENTS,5th CROSS,MALLESHWARAM, BANGALORE-560 003

PCT International Classification Number

A61 F 9/00

PCT International Application Number

N/A

PCT International Filing date

PCT Conventions:

#	PCT Application Number	Date of Convention	Priority Country
1			NA