SELF-ALIGNING COMFORT FIT RETENTION ARM FOR A HEARING ASSISTANCE DEVICE

• US 20160353216A1
• Filed: 05/27/2015
• Published: 12/01/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 05/27/2015
• Status: Active Application

• Current Assignee: Brian Michael Harden, Jerome C. Ruzicka, Keith Guggenberger
• Original Assignee: Brian Michael Harden, Jerome C. Ruzicka, Keith Guggenberger
• Inventors: Guggenberger, Keith, Harden, Brian Michael, Ruzicka, Jerome C.
• Application Number:
  US14/722,891
• Publication Number:
  US 20160353216A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/1016 Earpieces of the intra-aural type
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/1066 Constructional aspects of the interconnection between earpiece and earpiece support earpiece support for monophonic headphones H04R1/105; earpiece support for stereophonic headphones H04R5/0335
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2201/109 Arrangements to adapt hands free headphones for use on both ears
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2225/0213 Constructional details of earhooks, e.g. shape, material
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2225/0216 BTE hearing aids having a receiver in the ear mould
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2225/023 Completely in the canal [CIC] hearing aids
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2225/025 In the ear hearing aids [ITE] hearing aids
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 25/60 Mounting or interconnection of hearing aid parts, e.g. inside tips, housings or to ossicles ear wax retarders, e.g. mounting thereof H04R25/654
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 25/652 Ear tips; Ear moulds hybrid ear moulds or post-processing thereof for their customisation H04R25/659

Abstract

Disclosed herein, among other things, are systems and methods for in-the-ear retention for hearing assistance devices. One aspect of the present subject matter includes a hearing assistance device configured to compensate for hearing losses of a user. The hearing assistance device includes an in-the-ear portion configured to be worn in an ear of a wearer, and an adjustable detachable rigid arm configured to connect to the in-the-ear portion. According to various embodiments, the arm is configured to provide a retention fit for the in-the-ear portion using bends in an ear canal of the ear.

Claims

1. A hearing assistance device, comprising:

a conformal in-the-ear portion configured to be worn in an ear of a wearer; and

an adjustable detachable rigid arm configured to connect to the in-the-ear portion, a portion of the arm and the conformal in-the-ear portion configured to provide a retention fit for the in-the-ear portion using bends in an ear canal of the ear, and wherein in-the-ear portion is configured to be used with a plurality of adjustable detachable rigid arms such that the device is configured to be used in both left and right ears of the wearer.

2. The hearing assistance device of claim 1, wherein the adjustable detachable rigid arm is configured to adapt to a transitional angle from a concha to an external acoustic portion and provide for retention at a first bend in the ear canal.

3. The hearing assistance device of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of replacement arms for varying wearer ear canal angles.

4. The hearing assistance device of claim 1, wherein the hearing assistance device includes a hearing aid.

5. The hearing assistance device of claim 4, wherein the hearing aid includes an in-the-ear (ITE) hearing aid.

6. The hearing assistance device of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of replacement arms for varying wearer ear canal depths.

7. The hearing assistance device of claim 4, wherein the hearing aid includes an in-the-canal (ITC) hearing aid.

8. The hearing assistance device of claim 4, wherein the hearing aid includes a receiver-in-canal (MC) hearing aid.

9. The hearing assistance device of claim 1, wherein the arm is configured to rotate 360 degrees with respect to the in-the-ear portion.

10. The hearing assistance device of claim 1, wherein the adjustable detachable rigid arm is configured to self-align in the ear canal.

11. A method, comprising:

providing a hearing assistance device including a conformal portion configured to be worn in an ear of a wearer; and

providing an adjustable detachable rigid arm configured to connect to the in-the-ear portion, a portion of the arm configured to provide a retention fit for the in-the-ear portion using bends in an ear canal of the ear, and wherein in-the-ear portion is configured to be used with a plurality of adjustable detachable rigid arms such that the device is configured to be used in both left and right ears of the wearer.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the adjustable detachable rigid arm is configured to adapt to a transitional angle from a concha to an external acoustic portion and provide for retention at a first bend in the ear canal.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the adjustable detachable rigid arm is configured to self-align in the ear canal.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein the hearing assistance device includes a hearing aid.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the hearing aid includes an in-the-ear (ITE) hearing aid.

16. The method of claim 13, wherein the adjustable detachable rigid arm is configured to self-center in the ear canal to minimize contact with ear canal walls.

17. The method of claim 14, wherein the hearing aid includes an in-the-canal (ITC) hearing aid.

18. The method of claim 14, wherein the hearing aid includes a receiver-in-canal (RIC) hearing aid.

19. The method of claim 11, wherein the in-the-ear portion is configured to conform to the ear canal and use a first bend in the ear canal as an anchor point.

20. The method of claim 11, wherein the in-the-ear portion is configured to provide wax protection.