Acoustic enhancement for behind the ear communication devices
First Claim
1. A peripheral hearing instrument device (40, 40′
- ) comprising,a housing (54) arranged and designed for insertion in an ear canal, said housing (54) having a first tip (42) adapted to face an ear drum when said housing (54) is inserted into said ear canal, said housing (54) having a second tip (52) adapted to couple with tubing (30, 32) connected to a hearing instrument (10, 10′
), said tubing (30, 32) creating a sound path between said hearing instrument (10, 10′
) and said device (40, 40′
), anda bore (70, 80, 90) formed in said housing (54) and positioned between said first tip (42) and said second tip (52), whereby a sound path is created from said tubing (30, 32) through said bore (70, 80, 90) toward said ear drum;
said bore (70, 80, 90) having a bore geometry arranged and designed to alter amplification of sound passing therethrough, said bore geometry having a maximum inside diameter (72) between said second tip (52) and said first tip (42) which is greater than an exit inside diameter at said first tip (42).
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A device and method for tailoring the audio frequency response of a hearing instrument, such as a hearing aid, by altering the physical characteristics of the device to more accurately compensate for a user'"'"'s specific hearing loss attributes. The device has a bore formed within its housing which provides a passage for the transmission of sound from the receiver of the hearing instrument toward the user'"'"'s eardrum. The bore has a custom-designed geometric shape to emphasize desired sound frequencies and therefore produce a predetermined frequency response of sound in combination with any frequency response changes directed by the hearing instrument'"'"'s circuitry.
30 Citations
20 Claims
-
1. A peripheral hearing instrument device (40, 40′
- ) comprising,
a housing (54) arranged and designed for insertion in an ear canal, said housing (54) having a first tip (42) adapted to face an ear drum when said housing (54) is inserted into said ear canal, said housing (54) having a second tip (52) adapted to couple with tubing (30, 32) connected to a hearing instrument (10, 10′
), said tubing (30, 32) creating a sound path between said hearing instrument (10, 10′
) and said device (40, 40′
), anda bore (70, 80, 90) formed in said housing (54) and positioned between said first tip (42) and said second tip (52), whereby a sound path is created from said tubing (30, 32) through said bore (70, 80, 90) toward said ear drum;
said bore (70, 80, 90) having a bore geometry arranged and designed to alter amplification of sound passing therethrough, said bore geometry having a maximum inside diameter (72) between said second tip (52) and said first tip (42) which is greater than an exit inside diameter at said first tip (42). - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
- ) comprising,
-
10. An ancillary hearing aid device (40, 40′
- ) comprising,
a housing (54) arranged and designed for insertion in an ear canal, said housing (54) having a first tip (42) adapted to face an ear drum when said housing (54) is inserted into said ear canal, said housing (54) having a second tip (52) adapted to couple with tubing (30, 32) connected to a hearing aid (10, 10′
), said tubing (30, 32) creating a sound path between said hearing aid (10, 10′
) and said device (40, 40′
), anda bore (70, 80, 90) formed in said housing (54) and positioned between said first tip (42) and said second tip (52), whereby a sound path is created from said tubing (30, 32) through said bore (70, 80, 90) toward said ear drum;
said bore (70, 80, 90) having a bore geometry arranged and designed to alter amplification of sound passing therethrough, said bore geometry having a maximum inside diameter (72) between said second tip (52) and said first tip (42) which is greater than an exit inside diameter at said first tip (42). - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
- ) comprising,
-
18. A method of making a peripheral hearing instrument device (40, 40′
- ) which includes a shell (54) with a bore (70, 80, 90) formed therein, said method comprising the steps of;
forming said shell (54) which is arranged and designed for insertion in an ear canal, said shell (54) having a first tip (42) adapted to face an ear drum when said shell (54) is inserted into said ear canal and a second tip (52) adapted to couple with tubing (30, 32) connected to a hearing instrument (10, 10′
);selecting a geometry of said bore (70, 80, 90) to produce a predetermined frequency response of sound passing therethrough;
said geometry having a maximum inside diameter (72) between said second tip (52) and said first tip (42) which is greater than an exit inside diameter at said first tip (42); andforming said selected bore geometry in said shell (54). - View Dependent Claims (19, 20)
- ) which includes a shell (54) with a bore (70, 80, 90) formed therein, said method comprising the steps of;
Specification