HEARING AID WITH VALVED DUAL PORTS

• US 3,798,390 A
• Filed: 07/24/1972
• Issued: 03/19/1974
• Est. Priority Date: 07/24/1972
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Franklin A. Gage, Richard P. Muttick
• Original Assignee: Franklin A. Gage, Richard P. Muttick
• Inventors: Gage, Franklin A., Muttick, Richard P.
• Primary Examiner(s): Blakeslee, Ralph D.
• Application Number:
  US05/274,448
• Time in Patent Office: 603 Days
• Field of Search: 179/1DM,17E,17H,17S,121D,17FD
• US Class Current: 381/322
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/342 for microphones
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 25/402 using contructional means

Abstract

A hearing aid casing having a plurality of sound conducting passages, preferably a forwardly directed passage and a rearwardly directed passage, each communicating through a '"'"''"'"''"'"''"'"'mixer'"'"''"'"''"'"''"'"' valve to a microphone interiorly of said casing; the valve may be operated to close either passage leaving the other open or to reduce the effective cross-sectional input of one passage while leaving the other open. The valve may support a sound filter in the sound path to the microphone; the passages may each be provided with filter plugs.

Claims

1. A hearing aid having a casing, a microphone in said casing;

a plurality of passages in said casing each communicating with said microphone and each communicating with the exterior of said casing; and

valve means between said passages and said microphone;

said valve means comprising a stationary valve body having a port for each passage, and a movable valve rotor having a plurality of ports, said valve rotor being movable to a plurality of selected positions between opening of all ports of said valve body and closing of at least one port of said valve body.

2. The hearing aid of claim 1 in which said passages are substantially aligned with each other and directed to and open in opposite directions;

having an additional passage between the valve and the microphone.

3. The hearing aid of claim 2 in which one of the said passages is directed to and open in a forward direction;

the other of said passages is directed to and open in a rearward direction.

4. The hearing aid of claim 3 in which said valve body is circular in cross-section with valve body ports individual to and communicating with each passage;

said valve rotor being rotatable in said valve body.

5. The hearing aid of claim 4 in which each valve rotor port rotates with said valve rotor, one of said valve rotor ports having a greater radial extent than the other;

the said valve rotor ports being selectively alignable with selected valve body ports.

6. The hearing aid of claim 5 in which the valve rotor ports are spaced radially so that one of the valve body ports may be partially closed while another valve body port is fully open.

7. The hearing aid of claim 1 in which said valve rotor includes a hollow section in the path from said passages to said microphone;

a filter member in said hollow section.

8. The hearing aid of claim 6 in which said valve member is cylindrical and includes a hollow section in the path from said passages to said microphone;

a filter in said hollow section.

9. The hearing aid of claim 1 in which at least one of the passages is provided with a filter member inserted therein.

10. The hearing aid of claim 1 in which the valve rotor is also positionable to have one of said ports partially open while another port is fully open.