SEALING DEVICES

• US 20090071487A1
• Filed: 09/12/2008
• Published: 03/19/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 09/12/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Staton Techiya, LLC
• Original Assignee: Personics Holdings, Inc.
• Inventors: Keady, John Patrick
• Application Number:
  US12/209,918
• Publication Number:
  US 20090071487A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 128/864
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 11/10 inflatable or expandable
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/1016 Earpieces of the intra-aural type
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2460/15 Determination of the acoustic seal of ear moulds or ear tips of hearing devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 25/00 Deaf-aid sets , i.e. electro-acoustic or electro-mechanical hearing aids; Electric tinnitus maskers providing an auditory perception electrical stimulation of auditory nerves to promote the auditory function A61N1/36038; optical stimulation of auditory nerves to promote the auditory function A61N5/0622

Abstract

At least one exemplary embodiment is directed to a deformable sealing section that can be inserted into an orifice causing sealing of the orifice.

Claims

1. A sealing element comprising:

a first deformable chamber, containing a first medium; and

a membrane surrounding the first deformable chamber, where the membrane is configured to expand at a first end of the deformable chamber, while a second end of the deformable chamber is compressed when inserted into an orifice.

2. The sealing element according to claim 1 further comprising:

a second deformable chamber, containing a second medium, where the first medium can transfer between the first deformable chamber and the second deformable chamber.

3. The sealing element according to claim 2, where the deformation of the second end causes at least a portion of the first medium to flow to the second deformable chamber.

4. The sealing element according to claim 3, where a second portion of the first medium enters the second deformable chamber, expanding the second deformable chamber.

5. The sealing element according to claim 4, where the expanded second deformable chamber provides a restoring force resisting expansion of the second deformable chamber.

6. The sealing element according to claim 5, where an elastic membrane surrounding the second deformable chamber provides the restoring force.

7. A sealing element comprising:

a first deformable chamber, containing a first medium;

a second deformable chamber operatively connected to the first deformable chamber;

a first membrane surrounding the first deformable chamber; and

a second membrane surrounding the second deformable chamber, where the second deformable chamber is configured to change in volume so that the first deformable chamber is moved.

8. The sealing element according to claim 7, where the second deformable chamber is inflated to increase in volume moving the second deformable chamber.

9. The sealing element according to claim 8, where fluid is injected to inflate the second deformable chamber.

10. The sealing element according to claim 9, where the fluid is at least one of air, water, oil, alcohol.

11. An earpiece comprising:

an instrument package;

a flexible acoustic coupler; and

a sealing element encasing at least a portion of the acoustic coupler, where the sealing element includes a deformable material that changes viscosity in the response to an applied energy change.

12. The earpiece according to claim 11, where the instrument package includes at least one of a microphone and a receiver.

13. The earpiece according to claim 11, where the applied energy change is related to an applied force.

14. The earpiece according to claim 13, where the applied force is the force of a user pulling the device out of an ear canal.