SEALING RETAINER FOR EXTENDED WEAR HEARING DEVICES

• US 20100098281A1
• Filed: 12/23/2009
• Published: 04/22/2010
• 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: Anderson, Greg, Buckley, James, Schindler, Robert, Day, Ian, Urso, Richard C., Shennib, Adnan, Ram, Sunder
• Granted Patent: US 8,503,707 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 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.

2. The system of claim 1, 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.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the first component is a receiver assembly and the second component is at least one of a battery or a microphone assembly.

4. The system of claim 2, wherein the seals retain the first and second hearing device components in the ear canal at an angular offset with respect to each other.

5. The system of claim 2, 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.

6. The system of claim 2, 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.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the second seal augments the acoustical attenuation of the first seal.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the first seal attenuates sound at a first frequency range and the second seal attenuates sound a second frequency range.

9. The system of claim 1, 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.

10. 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.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the seal surface for inducing in-growth includes at least one of a coating or a silicone coating.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the seal surface is configured to induce tissue in-growth to a selected depth into the surface.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein the in-grown tissue is a plurality of asparagines.

14. The method of claim 10, wherein the hearing device is retained in the canal during head or jaw motion or canal epithelial migration.

15. The method of claim 10, wherein the hearing device is retained at the location a period of up to six months.

16. The method of claim 10, wherein the hearing device is retained in the bony portion of the ear canal.

17. The method of claim 10, wherein the hearing device is retained in the canal during head motion or jaw movement.