HYDRAULICALLY EXPANDABLE EARPIECE

• US 3,602,654 A
• Filed: 10/04/1968
• Issued: 08/31/1971
• Est. Priority Date: 10/04/1968
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: John A. Victoreen
• Original Assignee: John A. Victoreen
• Inventors: Victoreen, John A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Claffy, Kathleen H.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Brown, Thomas W.
• Application Number:
  US04/765,231
• Time in Patent Office: 1,061 Days
• Field of Search: 179/182,17E,1ST 128/349B,151,152 181/23
• US Class Current: 181/135
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 25/456 mechanically
• 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 25/656 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

Abstract

An earpiece is provided for insertion in the ear canal and comprises a tube for conducting sound pressures to the ear canal. The sound pressure tube has a fluid expandable means surrounding the tube and means is provided for forcing fluid into the expandable means to cause it to expand into close fitting contact with the wall of the canal.

Claims

1. An apparatus for conducting sound pressure into an ear canal and having an outlet end disposed in the canal and expandable means surrounding the conduit, said means arranged to be expanded into contact with the wall of the canal after insertion of the conduit, and said expandable means being arranged to expand radially outward and hold the sound pressure conduit away from the wall of the canal in longitudinally restricted zone near the outlet end of the sound conducting conduit, a base supporting said sound pressure conduit and being connected to fluid pressure means by a connecting means, said fluid pressure means including a fluId pressure pressure reservoir, a wall of which is movable to force fluid out of the reservoir said connecting means including valve means and also including an expandable chamber which expands when the expandable means expands.

2. An apparatus as described in claim 1 wherein said valve means includes cylindrical chamber made of distortable material having a seat on one end and a valve is disposed on the seat and said chamber may be distorted upon pressure from outside of the chamber to distort the valve seat and release the fluid.

3. An apparatus for conducting sound pressure into an ear canal including a sound pressure conduit for insertion into the canal and having an outlet end disposed in the canal and expandable means surrounding the conduit, said means arranged to be expanded into contact with the wall of the canal after insertion of the conduit, and said expandable means being arranged to expand radially outward and hold the sound pressure conduit away from the wall of the canal in a longitudinally restricted zone near the outlet end of the sound conducting conduit, said fluid pressure means comprising an envelope filled with fluid and casing means for housing said envelope and piston means in the casing operable from the outside of the casing to cause the fluid in the envelope to be displaced, said envelope being elongated with a portion of the sidewall and one end wall folded back into the other part and the end wall having a piston which includes a cylindrical portion integral with the end wall.

4. A device as described in claim 3 wherein said piston has an extension that extends toward the end of the casing and threaded cap is provided on the end of the casing arranged to contact the end of said extension.

5. A device as described in claim 4 wherein said cap is provided with an opening and said extension is provided with a base and an operator member is seated in the base and extends through the cap opening.

6. A device as described in claim 5 wherein means is provided for engagement with the operator member to hold the operator in a predetermined position.