Ball and socket connection with an acoustic seal and mounting interface for a hearing assistance device

• US 10,264,374 B2
• Filed: 05/08/2018
• Issued: 04/16/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 03/18/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Starkey Laboratories Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Starkey Laboratories Incorporated
• Inventors: Higgins, Sidney A., Lin, Wei Li, Tourtelotte, David
• Primary Examiner(s): Etesam, Amir H
• Application Number:
  US15/974,042
• Publication Number:
  US 20180262853A1
• Time in Patent Office: 343 Days
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/025 Arrangements for fixing loudspeaker transducers, e.g. in a box, furniture
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/1016 Earpieces of the intra-aural type
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 25/60 Mounting or interconnection of hearing aid parts, e.g. inside tips, housings or to ossicles ear wax retarders, e.g. mounting thereof H04R25/654
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 25/65 Housing parts, e.g. shells, tips or moulds, or their manufacture
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 25/652 Ear tips; Ear moulds hybrid ear moulds or post-processing thereof for their customisation H04R25/659
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49572 Hearing aid component making

Abstract

Disclosed herein, among other things, are apparatus and methods to provide improved connections for components of hearing assistance devices. Various embodiments include an apparatus including a receiver case configured to house a hearing assistance device receiver, the receiver case including a spherical receiver spout having an opening. The apparatus also includes a receptacle housing having a spherical socket adapted to mate with the spherical receiver spout to form a ball and socket connection. An insert within the spherical socket is configured to establish a retained interference fit with the opening of the receiver spout when the connection is formed so as to create an acoustic seal therebetween.

Claims

1. A method of making a hearing assistance device including a housing and a digital signal processor within the housing, the method comprising:

providing a receiver case within the housing, wherein the receiver case includes a spherical receiver spout and includes a hearing assistance device receiver, the receiver configured to be connected to the digital signal processor and further configured to play sound processed by the digital signal processor; and

providing a sound tube within the housing, wherein the sound tube includes a spherical socket configured to mate with the spherical receiver spout to form a ball and socket connection, wherein, after the receiver spout is mated with the sound tube, the receiver case is configured to be oriented at a desired angle with respect to the sound tube to conform to an inner surface of the housing, wherein the spherical receiver spout and the spherical socket are configured to provide for connection and disconnection at various degrees of on and off vertical axial alignment.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the digital signal processor is configured to process signals to correct for the hearing impairment of a wearer of the hearing assistance device.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the hearing assistance device includes a hearing aid.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the spherical socket includes an elastomeric component.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the elastomeric component is adapted to be molded inside the receptacle housing.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein the elastomeric component is adapted to be bonded inside the receptacle housing.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the receptacle housing is a polymer housing.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the receptacle housing is configured to include an interface for elastomeric ear buds.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the receptacle housing is configured to include an interface for a wax protection device.

10. The device of claim 1, wherein the hearing assistance device includes a cochlear implant.

14. The device of claim 1, wherein the hearing assistance device includes a hearing aid.

15. The device of claim 14, wherein the hearing aid includes a behind-the-ear (BTE) hearing aid.

16. The device of claim 14, wherein the hearing aid includes an in-the-ear (ITE) hearing aid.

17. The device of claim 14, wherein the hearing aid includes an in-the-canal (ITC) hearing aid.

18. The device of claim 14, wherein the hearing aid includes a completely-in-the-canal (CIC) hearing aid.

19. The device of claim 14, wherein the hearing aid includes a receiver-in-the-canal (RIC) hearing aid.

21. The device of claim 14, wherein the hearing aid includes an invisible-in-the-canal (IIC) hearing aid.

22. The device of claim 14, wherein the hearing aid includes a receiver-in-the-canal (RIC) hearing aid with a custom earmold at one end of a receiver cable.

23. The device of claim 14, wherein the hearing aid includes a receiver-in-the-ear (RITE) hearing aid with a custom earmold at one end of a receiver cable.

11. A hearing assistance device, comprising:

a first housing portion configured to house a hearing assistance device receiver, the first housing portion including a spherical receiver spout, the spherical receiver spout including an opening; and

a second housing portion including;

a spherical socket adapted to mate with the spherical receiver spout to form a ball and socket connection; and

a solid insert removably recessed within the spherical socket, the solid insert including an elastomeric component molded inside the second housing portion and configured to establish a retained interference fit with the opening of the receiver spout when the connection is formed so as to create an acoustic seal therebetween.

12. The device of claim 11, wherein the first housing portion includes a receiver case.

13. The device of claim 11, wherein the second housing portion includes a receptacle housing.

20. The device of claim 12, wherein the hearing assistance device includes a cochlear implant.