CONTAMINATION RESISTANT PORTS FOR HEARING DEVICES
First Claim
1. A hearing device adapted to be worn entirely within an ear canal of a patient, said device comprising:
- a housing having an exterior, an interior, and an opening defining an air exchange path between the exterior and the interior; and
at least one of a receiver, a battery assembly, and a microphone assembly positioned within the housing; and
structures disposed along or across the air exchange path to inhibit the passage of liquid water or oil from the exterior to the interior of the housing.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An in-canal hearing device includes a receiver, battery, and microphone assembly with a housing. The housing has an air and sound opening which is covered with a structure to inhibit the entry of cerumen and moisture. The structure may be in the form of an end cap having passages with walls which are both hydrophobic and oleophobic to prevent the entry of water, cerumen and other liquids. The structure may also include a flexible tube or a rigid perforated shell surrounding the passages that inhibit the deposition of solid cerumen and other debris onto the passages.
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Citations
36 Claims
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1. A hearing device adapted to be worn entirely within an ear canal of a patient, said device comprising:
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a housing having an exterior, an interior, and an opening defining an air exchange path between the exterior and the interior; and at least one of a receiver, a battery assembly, and a microphone assembly positioned within the housing; and structures disposed along or across the air exchange path to inhibit the passage of liquid water or oil from the exterior to the interior of the housing. - 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, 25)
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- 26. An improved method of fabricating a hearing device of the type having a housing and at least one opening in a wall of the housing, which opening defines an air exchange path between an exterior and an interior of the housing, wherein the improvement comprises providing a barrier along the path, wherein the barrier inhibits the intrusion of water and cerumen from the exterior into the interior.
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30. A method of improving a patient'"'"'s hearing, said method comprising:
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positioning a hearing device within an ear canal of the patient, wherein at least a portion of the device resides beyond the bony junction and wherein the device has at least one opening in a wall of a housing that is susceptible to water and cerumen contamination; and providing a barrier which inhibits the intrusion of water and cerumen into said opening while permitting air exchange through said opening. - View Dependent Claims (31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36)
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Specification