Sealing retainer for extended wear hearing devices

• US 20060050914A1
• Filed: 09/27/2005
• Published: 03/09/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 11/25/1998
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Insound Medical Incorporated (Sonova Holding AG)
• Original Assignee: Insound Medical Incorporated (Sonova Holding AG)
• Inventors: Shennib, Adnan, Ram, Sunder, Anderson, Greg, Buckley, James, Schindler, Robert, Day, Ian, Urso, Richard C.
• Granted Patent: US 7,664,282 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 381/328
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2225/023 Completely in the canal [CIC] hearing aids
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2460/11 Aspects relating to vents, e.g. shape, orientation, acoustic properties in ear tips of hearing devices to prevent occlusion
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2460/15 Determination of the acoustic seal of ear moulds or ear tips of hearing devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 25/456 mechanically
• 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

An embodiment provides a seal for retaining a hearing device within the ear canal comprising a curved shell having an opening at a shell apex portion. The shell defines a cavity for retention of a device component. An interior surface of a shell wall has a scalloped shape configured to distribute compressive forces applied to the shell perimeter such that when the shell is positioned in the canal, the shell wall conforms to the shape of the canal to maintain an acoustical seal between a shell exterior surface and the canal walls. The scalloped shape can be configured to produce a substantially constant amount of inward deformation of a shell wall independent of a force application point on a shell perimeter. The shell can include a coating to retain the seal in the canal and/or to promote asparagine growth into the coating to fastenly retain the seal in the canal.

Claims

1. A seal for retaining an extended wear hearing device within the ear canal, the seal comprising:

a curved shell having an opening at an apex portion of the shell, the shell defining a cavity for retention of a hearing device component, at least a portion of the shell comprising a resilient material having sound attenuating properties;

wherein an interior surface of a shell wall has a shape configured to distribute compressive forces applied to a shell perimeter such that when the shell is positioned in the ear canal, the shell wall conforms to the shape of the ear canal to maintain an acoustical seal between an exterior surface of the shell and the walls of the ear canal.

2. The seal of claim 1, wherein the shell wall conforms to the shape of the ear canal to prevent an acoustical leak or channel between an exterior surface of the shell and the walls of the ear canal.

3. The seal of claim 1, wherein the interior surface has a scalloped shape.

4. The seal of claim 3, wherein the shell has at least six scallops.

5. The seal of claim 3, wherein the scalloped shape is configured to substantially prevent deformation of the shell wall which could cause feedback from a microphone assembly positioned laterally with respect to the seal to a receiver assembly positioned medially with respect to the seal.

6. The seal of claim 3, wherein the scalloped shape is configured to produce a substantially constant amount of inward deformation of a shell wall independent of a force application point on a shell perimeter.

7. The seal of claim 1, wherein the shell wall hingedly conforms to the shape of the ear canal.

8. The seal of claim 1, wherein the shell has a substantially dome like, hemispherical or ovoid shape.

9. The seal of claim 1, wherein the shell has a medially decreasing taper.

10. The seal of claim 1, wherein at least a portion of a shell exterior surface includes a coating.

11. The seal of claim 10, wherein the coating is configured to promote asparagine in-growth to a selected depth into the coating to fastenly retain the seal in the ear canal.

12. The seal of claim 10, wherein the coating is an adhesive coating or a silicone coating.

13. The seal of claim 10, wherein the coating has sufficient hoop strength to substantially maintain dimensional stability of the seal when the seal is positioned in the ear canal for periods of extended wear.

14. The seal of claim 10, wherein the coating has sufficient hoop strength to overcome swelling forces of the seal caused by liquid saturation.

15. The seal of claim 10, wherein the coating has acoustical attenuation properties.

16. The seal of claim 10, wherein the coating is configured to increase the acoustical attenuation of the seal by at least about one decibel.

17. The seal of claim 1, wherein the shell is configured such that a spring force exerted by the shell on the walls of the ear canal does not to exceed a capillary venous return pressure of a canal epithelial layer.

18. The seal of claim 1, wherein at least a portion of a shell wall has a circumferentially varying thickness.

19. The seal of claim 1, wherein at least a portion of a shell wall has a gas permeability configured to reduce an incidence of ear canal infection when the seal is positioned in the canal.

20. The seal of claim 1, wherein at least a portion of a shell wall has a gas permeability configured to allow substantial equilibrium between a relative humidity in a bony portion of the ear canal when the seal is in the canal and a relative humidity of ambient air outside the ear.

21. The seal of claim 1, wherein the shell includes at least one of a vent or a pressure relief vent.

22. The seal of claim 1, wherein the shell includes at least one of an anti-microbial agent, an anti microbial silver compound or an antimicrobial coating.

23. The seal of claim 1, wherein the shell is configured to achieve at least about three decibels of attenuation in sound between a medial and lateral portion of the shell when the shell is positioned in the ear canal.

24. A multi seal system for retaining an extended wear hearing device within a bony portion of an ear canal, the system comprising:

at least a first seal and a second seal, at least one of the seals comprising a curved shell having an opening at an apex portion of the shell, the shell defining a cavity for retention of a hearing device component, at least a portion of the shell of at least one of the seals comprising a resilient material having sound attenuating properties;

an interior surface of a shell wall of least one of the seals having a scalloped shape configured to distribute compressive forces applied to a shell perimeter.

25. The system of claim 24, wherein the first seal is configured to be coupled to a first hearing device component and the second shell is configured to be coupled to a second hearing device component.

26. The system of claim 25, wherein the first component is a receiver assembly and the second component is at least one of a battery or a microphone assembly.

27. The system of claim 25, wherein the seals retain the first and second hearing device components in the ear canal at an angular offset with respect to each other.

28. The system of claim 25, wherein the first seal exerts a first spring force to retain the first device component at a first location in the ear canal and the second seal exerts a second spring force to retain the second device component at a second location in the ear canal.

29. The system of claim 25, wherein the first seal centers the first device component at a first location in the ear canal and the second seal centers the second device component at a second location in the ear canal.

30. The system of claim 24, wherein the second seal augments the acoustical attenuation of the first seal.

31. The system of claim 24, wherein the first seal attenuates sound at a first frequency range and the second seal attenuates sound a second frequency range.

32. The system of claim 24, wherein the first seal is sized to be positioned at first location in the ear canal and second seal is sized to be positioned at a second location in the ear canal.

33. A seal for retaining an extended wear hearing device within a bony portion of an ear canal, the seal comprising:

a curved shell having an opening at an apex portion of the shell, the shell defining an cavity for retention of a hearing device component, at least a portion of the shell comprising a resilient material having sound attenuating properties;

wherein an interior surface of a shell wall has a scalloped shape configured to distribute compressive forces applied to a shell perimeter such that when the shell is positioned in the ear canal, the shell does not to exert a spring force on a canal wall in excess of a capillary venous return pressure of a canal epithelial layer.

34. A seal for retaining an extended wear hearing device within a bony portion of an ear canal, the seal comprising:

a curved shell having an opening at an apex portion of the shell, the shell defining a cavity for retention of a hearing device component, at least a portion of the shell comprising a resilient material having sound attenuating properties;

the shell including a wall having a circumferentially varying thickness, an inner portion of the shell wall having a scalloped shape configured such that an amount of deformation of the shell wall in response to an applied force is substantially independent of a circumferential position of force application on the shell wall.

35. A seal for retaining an extended wear hearing device within a bony portion of an ear canal, the seal comprising:

a curved shell having an opening at an apex portion of the shell, the shell defining a cavity for retention of a hearing device component, at least a portion of the shell comprising a resilient material having sound attenuating properties;

the shell including a wall, an inner portion of the shell wall having a scalloped shape wherein scallops of the scalloped shape have a frequency and a depth configured to minimize circumferentially non uniform deformation of the shell wall in response to an externally applied force.

36. A seal for retaining an extended wear hearing device within a bony portion of an ear canal, the seal comprising:

a curved shell having an opening at an apex portion of the shell, the shell defining a cavity for retention of a hearing device component, at least a portion of the shell comprising a resilient material having sound attenuating properties;

an inner portion of the shell wall having a convoluted geometry configured to minimize circumferentially non uniform deformation of the shell wall in response to an externally applied force.

37. A seal for retaining an extended wear hearing device within a bony portion of an ear canal, the seal comprising:

a curved shell having an opening at an apex portion of the shell, the shell defining an cavity for retention of a hearing device component, at least a portion of the shell comprising a resilient material having sound attenuating properties;

wherein an external portion of the shell has a biocompatible layer having properties configured for in growth of asparagines to a selected depth into the layer to-fastenly retain the seal in the ear canal for a period of extended wear.

38. The seal of claim 37, wherein the biocompatible layer has adhesive property configured to facilitate retention of the seal in the ear canal.

39. A seal for retaining an extended wear hearing device within a bony portion of an ear canal, the seal comprising:

a curved shell having an opening at an apex portion of the shell, the shell defining a cavity for retention of a hearing device component, at least a portion of the shell comprising a resilient material; and

a coating disposed over at least a portion of the shell, the coating conferring at least about three decibels of sound attenuation to a shell wall, the coating having sufficient hoop strength to substantially maintain dimensional stability of the seal when the seal is positioned in the ear canal for periods of extended wear.

40. The seal of claim 39, wherein the coating maintains the dimensional stability of the shell for a wear period of up to about six months.

41. The seal of claim 39, wherein the coating has sufficient hoop strength to overcome swelling forces of the seal caused by liquid saturation.

42. The seal of claim 39, wherein the coating confers at least about five decibels of sound attenuation to the shell wall.

43. A method for retaining a hearing device in the ear canal of a user, the method comprising:

providing a hearing device having a retaining seal, the seal including a surface for inducing the growth of biological tissue from the walls of the ear canal into a least a portion of the surface;

positioning the seal at a location in the ear canal; and

inducing the in-growth of biological tissue into the at least a portion of the surface of the seal, wherein the hearing device is retained in the ear canal utilizing the tissue ingrown surface.

44. The method of claim 43, wherein the seal surface for inducing in-growth includes at least one of a coating or a silicone coating.

45. The method of claim 43, wherein the seal surface is configured to induce tissue in-growth to a selected depth into the surface.

46. The method of claim 43, wherein the in-grown tissue is a plurality of asparagines.

47. The method of claim 43, wherein the hearing device is retained in the canal during head or jaw motion or canal epithelial migration.

48. The method of claim 43, wherein the hearing device is retained at the location a period of up to six months.

49. The method of claim 43, wherein the hearing device is retained in the bony portion of the ear canal.

50. The method of claim 43, wherein the hearing device is retained in the canal during head motion or jaw movement.

51. A method for wearing a hearing device in the ear canal of a user, the method comprising:

providing a hearing device having a retaining seal configured to retain the device in the ear canal with a force that does not exceed the capillary venous return pressure of a canal epithelial layer;

positioning the hearing device at a location in the ear canal; and

wearing the device in the canal on a substantially continuous basis while substantially preserving a structural integrity of an epithelial layer in contact with the seal.

52. The method of claim 51, wherein the seal has a convoluted or scalloped pattern configured to retain the hearing device in the ear canal with a force that does not exceed the capillary venous return pressure of a canal epithelial layer.

53. The method of claim 51, wherein a blood flow to or from an epithelial layer in contact with the seal is substantially preserved.

54. The method of claim 51, wherein the device is worn in the canal without substantial necrosis of the epithelial layer.

55. The method of claim 51, wherein the device is worn continuously in the ear canal without substantial ulceration of the epithelial layer.

56. The method of claim 51, wherein the device is worn for a period of up to six months.

57. The method of claim 51, wherein the hearing device is worn in a bony portion of the ear canal.

58. The method of claim 51, wherein the seal retains the hearing device at the location during head motion or jaw movement.

59. The method of claim 51, wherein the seal substantially maintains an acoustical seal with the canal wall when the canal is deformed.

60. The method of claim 51, wherein the seal substantially maintains an acoustical seal with the canal wall when a portion of the seal is deformed.

61. The method of claim 51, wherein the seal substantially prevents acoustical leaks within the canal causing hearing device feedback.

62. The method of claim 51, wherein the seal allows an equilibrium in humidity between a bony portion of the ear canal and an external portion of the ear.