Patent ID: 7260435

Claim:
A tuned transmitter coil device for transcutaneous RF transmission of power and information from an external component of an auditory prosthesis to an implanted receiver, the transmitter coil device comprising a first shield for reducing a skin-to-coil capacitance, wherein the transmitter coil device and the first shield are formed on a printed circuit board and wherein the transmitter coil device comprises first and second layers of the printed circuit board, each of the first and second layers comprising a respective track, each track, the respective tracks being electrically connected to each other on the printed circuit board and each track defining a spiral with a plurality of turns, the first shield being positioned relative to the first and second layers of the transmitter coil device such that, when the transmitter coil device is brought close to the user's skin for transcutaneous transmission of power and information, the first shield is positioned between the transmitter coil device and the user's skin.