Flexible hearing aid tip with an integral receiver

• US 20020006209A1
• Filed: 03/13/2001
• Published: 01/17/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 03/13/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: K/S HIMPP
• Original Assignee: Sarnoff Corporation (SRI International, Inc.)
• Inventors: Sjursen, Walter P., Mahoney, Derek D., Fritz, Frederick J., Margicin, John M.
• Granted Patent: US 7,082,206 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 381/322
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2225/57 Aspects of electrical interconnection between hearing aid parts
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 25/456 mechanically
• 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 25/604 of acoustic or vibrational transducers
• 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: H04R 25/656 Non-customized, universal ear tips, i.e. ear tips which are not specifically adapted to the size or shape of the ear or ear canal
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 25/658 Manufacture of housing parts

Abstract

A flexible tip for a hearing aid includes a mushroom shaped tip, an inner portion having a bore and a receiver mounted within the bore. The receiver can be housing and sealed within a receiver housing. The receiver housing can include a spring having a high compliance along a longitudinal axis and transverse axis, to provide flexibility in the flexible tip. The spring can also having a high stiffness along a radial direction about the circumference of the spring to provide support of the flexible tip from radially directed loads.

Claims

1. A flexible tip for a hearing aid comprising:

a mushroom shaped tip;

an inner portion defining a bore having a proximal end and a distal end, the proximal end of the bore adapted to be disposed adjacent an eardrum; and

a receiver mounted within the bore.

2. The flexible tip of claim 1 further comprising a sealing layer formed between the receiver and the inner portion, the sealing layer minimizing the presence of an acoustical feedback path within the flexible tip.

3. The flexible tip of claim 1 further comprising a receiver housing integrally formed with the bore of the flexible tip, the receiver mounted within the receiver housing.

4. The flexible tip of claim 3 further comprising a sealing layer between the receiver and the receiver housing, the sealing layer minimizing the presence of an acoustical feedback path within the flexible tip.

5. The flexible tip of claim 1 further comprising a receiver housing and spring assembly integrally formed with the bore of the flexible tip, the receiver mounted within the receiver housing.

6. The flexible tip of claim 5 wherein the spring is compliant along a transverse axis and a longitudinal axis to provide flexibility in the tip.

7. The flexible tip of claim 5 wherein the spring comprises a radial stiffness to provide support from radial loads placed on the flexible tip.

8. The flexible tip of claim 5 wherein the spring comprises a hearing aid securing portion for securing the flexible tip to a hearing aid.

9. The flexible tip of claim 5 further comprising a sealing layer between the receiver and the receiver housing, the sealing layer minimizing the presence of an acoustical feedback path.

10. The flexible tip of claim 5 wherein the inner portion and the mushroom shaped tip are formed of a compliant material.

11. The flexible tip of claim 1 wherein the inner portion is formed of a first material and the mushroom shaped tip is formed of a second material, the second material having a greater compliance than the first material.

12. A hearing aid comprising:

a hearing aid base unit having a housing, a microphone, a battery and electronics; and

a flexible tip connected to the base unit, the flexible tip having a mushroom shaped tip, an inner portion defining a bore having a proximal end and a distal end, the proximal end adapted to be disposed adjacent an eardrum, and a receiver mounted within the bore.

13. The hearing aid of claim 12 further comprising a sealing layer formed between the receiver and the inner portion, the sealing layer minimizing the presence of an acoustical feedback path within the flexible tip.

14. The hearing aid of claim 12 further comprising a receiver housing integrally formed with the bore of the flexible tip, the receiver mounted within the receiver housing.

15. The hearing aid of claim 14 further comprising a sealing layer between the receiver and the receiver housing, the sealing layer minimizing the presence of an acoustical feedback path within the flexible tip.

16. The hearing aid of claim 12 further comprising a receiver housing and spring assembly integrally formed with the bore of the flexible tip, the receiver mounted within the receiver housing.

17. The hearing aid of claim 16 wherein the spring is compliant along a transverse axis and a longitudinal axis to provide flexibility in the tip.

18. The hearing aid of claim 16 wherein the spring comprises a radial stiffness to provide support from radial loads placed on the flexible tip.

19. The hearing aid of claim 16 wherein the spring comprises a hearing aid securing portion for securing the flexible tip to a hearing aid body.

20. The hearing aid of claim 16 further comprising a sealing layer between the receiver and the receiver housing, the sealing layer minimizing the presence of an acoustical feedback path.

21. The hearing aid of claim 16 wherein the inner portion and the mushroom shaped tip is formed of a compliant material.

22. The hearing aid of claim 12 wherein the inner portion is formed of a first material and the mushroom shaped tip is formed of a second material, the second material having a greater compliance than the first material.

23. A method for placing a receiver adjacent to an eardrum comprising:

providing a hearing aid having a flexible tip formed of a mushroom shaped tip and an inner portion defining a bore, the flexible tip having a receiver mounted within the bore;

placing the hearing aid within an ear of a user; and

placing the flexible tip adjacent to the eardrum within the ear of the user.

24. The method of claim 23 comprising decreasing the amount of power required by the receiver.

25. A flexible tip for a hearing aid comprising:

a tip portion for sealing an ear canal;

an inner portion defining a bore having a proximal end and a distal end, the inner portion formed of a flexible material adapted to conform to the geometry of an ear canal and the proximal end of the bore adapted to be disposed adjacent an eardrum; and

a receiver mounted within the bore.

26. The flexible tip of claim 25 further comprising a sealing layer formed between the receiver and the inner portion, the sealing layer minimizing the presence of an acoustical feedback path within the flexible tip.

27. The flexible tip of claim 25 further comprising a receiver housing integrally formed with the bore of the flexible tip, the receiver mounted within the receiver housing.

28. The flexible tip of claim 27 further comprising a sealing layer between the receiver and the receiver housing, the sealing layer minimizing the presence of an acoustical feedback path within the flexible tip.

29. The flexible tip of claim 25 further comprising a receiver housing and spring assembly integrally formed with the bore of the flexible tip, the receiver mounted within the receiver housing.

30. The flexible tip of claim 29 wherein the spring is compliant along a transverse axis and a longitudinal axis to provide flexibility in the tip.

31. The flexible tip of claim 29 wherein the spring comprises a radial stiffness to provide support from radial loads placed on the flexible tip.

32. The flexible tip of claim 29 wherein the spring comprises a hearing aid securing portion for securing the flexible tip to a hearing aid.

33. The flexible tip of claim 29 further comprising a sealing layer between the receiver and the receiver housing, the sealing layer minimizing the presence of an acoustical feedback path.

34. The flexible tip of claim 25 wherein the inner portion is formed of a first material and the tip portion is formed of a second material, the second material having a greater compliance than the first material.

35. A hearing aid comprising:

a hearing aid base unit having a housing, a microphone, a battery and electronics; and

a flexible tip connected to the base unit, the flexible tip having a tip portion for sealing an ear canal, an inner portion defining a bore having a proximal end and a distal end, the inner portion formed of a flexible material adapted to conform to the geometry of an ear canal and the proximal end of the bore adapted to be disposed adjacent an eardrum, and a receiver mounted within the bore.

36. The hearing aid of claim 35 further comprising a sealing layer formed between the receiver and the inner portion, the sealing layer minimizing the presence of an acoustical feedback path within the flexible tip.

37. The hearing aid of claim 35 further comprising a receiver housing integrally formed with the bore of the flexible tip, the receiver mounted within the receiver housing.

38. The hearing aid of claim 37 further comprising a sealing layer between the receiver and the receiver housing, the sealing layer minimizing the presence of an acoustical feedback path within the flexible tip.

39. The hearing aid of claim 35 further comprising a receiver housing and spring assembly integrally formed with the bore of the flexible tip, the receiver mounted within the receiver housing.

40. The hearing aid of claim 39 wherein the spring is compliant along a transverse axis and a longitudinal axis to provide flexibility in the tip.

41. The hearing aid of claim 39 wherein the spring comprises a radial stiffness to provide support from radial loads placed on the flexible tip.

42. The hearing aid of claim 39 wherein the spring comprises a hearing aid securing portion for securing the flexible tip to a hearing aid body.

43. The hearing aid of claim 39 further comprising a sealing layer between the receiver and the receiver housing, the sealing layer minimizing the presence of an acoustical feedback path.

44. The hearing aid of claim 35 wherein the inner portion is formed of a first material and the tip portion is formed of a second material, the second material having a greater compliance than the first material.