Disposable extended wear canal hearing device
First Claim
1. A hearing device adapted for extended wear entirely within an ear canal, comprising:
- a core assembly including a lateral section having a microphone and a battery assembly, and a receiver section having a receiver; and
a sealing retainer concentrically positioned over said receiver section for conforming to the walls substantially at the bony region of the ear canal, for seating the hearing device in the ear canal and for acoustical sealing against feedback within the ear canal;
said lateral section being of generally oval cross-sectional perimeter and of generally cylindrical and elongated shape along its longitudinal axis, said lateral section being adapted for at least partial lateral suspension in the ear canal without occlusion thereof when said hearing device is inserted within the ear canal.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
A disposable hearing device is adapted to be positioned entirely within an ear canal for extended wear therein. The device includes a core assembly and a sealing retainer. The core assembly includes a lateral section of generally oval cross-section and generally elongated cylindrical shape for alignment substantially along the ear canal'"'"'s longitudinal axis, and a receiver section having a receiver coupled to the lateral section for medial positioning in the ear canal'"'"'s bony region. The lateral section includes a microphone and a battery assembly, and is dimensioned to avoid occluding the ear canal while it is at least partially laterally suspended therein. The sealing retainer is concentrically positioned over the receiver section, and has a composition to conform to the ear canal'"'"'s bony region wall to seat the hearing device and acoustically seal it in the ear canal to inhibit feedback therein.
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Citations
38 Claims
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1. A hearing device adapted for extended wear entirely within an ear canal, comprising:
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a core assembly including a lateral section having a microphone and a battery assembly, and a receiver section having a receiver; and
a sealing retainer concentrically positioned over said receiver section for conforming to the walls substantially at the bony region of the ear canal, for seating the hearing device in the ear canal and for acoustical sealing against feedback within the ear canal;
said lateral section being of generally oval cross-sectional perimeter and of generally cylindrical and elongated shape along its longitudinal axis, said lateral section being adapted for at least partial lateral suspension in the ear canal without occlusion thereof when said hearing device is inserted within the ear canal. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 26, 27, 28, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37)
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25. A battery assembly for connection to a core assembly of an extended wear canal hearing device, comprising:
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an outer enclosure adapted for substantially direct exposure to the environment of an ear canal into which said hearing device is to be inserted, said battery assembly adapted to be combined with a microphone section of said core assembly to form a lateral section of generally oval cross-sectional perimeter and generally cylindrical and elongated shape along its longitudinal axis, said lateral section being adapted for at least partial lateral suspension in the ear canal without occlusion thereof when said hearing device is inserted within the ear canal.
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29. A single-use disposable hearing device adapted to be positioned entirely within an ear canal for extended wear therein, comprising:
a core assembly including;
a lateral section containing a microphone and a battery assembly, said battery assembly being non-removably integrated within said lateral section, said lateral section having a generally oval cross-sectional perimeter and a generally cylindrical and elongated shape along the longitudinal axis of said lateral section corresponding to the longitudinal axis of the ear canal within which said hearing device is to be inserted, and a receiver section containing a receiver, said receiver section coupled to said lateral section and adapted to be medially positioned in the bony region of the ear canal when said hearing device is inserted within the ear canal; and
a sealing retainer concentrically positioned over said receiver section and conforming to the walls of the ear canal at the bony region thereof, for seating said hearing device in the ear canal and providing an acoustic seal to inhibit feedback therein, and for at least partially laterally suspending said lateral section in the ear canal;
said lateral section being dimensioned to be substantially non-occluding with minimal or no contact with the walls of the ear canal when said hearing device is inserted therein.
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38. A single-use disposable hearing device adapted to be positioned entirely within an ear canal for extended wear therein, comprising:
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a core assembly with a lateral section of generally oval cross-section and generally elongated cylindrical shape for alignment substantially along the ear canal'"'"'s longitudinal axis, and with a receiver section having a receiver coupled to said lateral section for medial positioning in the ear canal'"'"'s bony region;
said lateral section being dimensioned to avoid occluding the ear canal while at least partially laterally suspended therein, with a microphone and a battery assembly incorporated in said lateral section; and
a sealing retainer concentrically positioned over said receiver section, of a composition to conform to the ear canal'"'"'s bony region wall to seat said hearing device and acoustically seal it in the ear canal to inhibit feedback therein.
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Specification