Acoustic coupler for use with auditory equipment

• US 3,934,100 A
• Filed: 04/22/1974
• Issued: 01/20/1976
• Est. Priority Date: 04/22/1974
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: SP Industries Limited Partnership
• Original Assignee: Seeburg Corp.
• Inventors: Harada, Mas
• Primary Examiner(s): Brown, Thomas W.
• Application Number:
  US05/462,814
• Time in Patent Office: 638 Days
• Field of Search: 179/182 R, 179/107 E, 179/107 FD, 179/107 S, 179/1 P, 179/1 S, 181/33 R
• US Class Current: 181/135
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 7/00 Instruments for auscultation
• CPC Class Codes: G10K 11/22 for conducting sound through hollow pipes, e.g. speaking tubes
• 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 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

The disclosure is directed to an elongated and tapered, bulb-like hollow housing which is constructed and arranged to fit in the outer ear of the wearer having a plurality of openings formed therein circumferentially disposed to define rib portions which are substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the housing. The tapered end has a small opening formed therein which by comparison is substantially smaller in diameter than that of the bulb-like hollow housing. A flexible conduit which has one end adapted to fit a sound transmitting device, such as a hearing aid or other acoustical device has the other end extending through the hollow housing into the small opening in an acoustic coupling relationship. An end cap in the form of a disc may be secured in the larger open end of the tapered cylindrical housing to receive the flexible conduit and may also be formed with a number of apertures therein. Two discs may also be used to control the size of the openings by using a side-by-side arrangement.

Claims

1. An acoustic coupler for use with a sound carrying tube directed into the outer ear, said coupler comprising:

a. an elongated and tapered bulb-like hollow housing constructed and arranged to fit in the outer ear of a wearer and having a plurality of openings formed therein circumferentially disposed to define rib portions in said hollow housing;

b. said tapered hollow housing having a small end portion with a first opening formed therein substantially smaller in diameter than that of said bulb-like hollow housing;

c. and a flexible conduit having a first end adapted to be fitted to a sound transmitting device and having a second end extending through said hollow housing into acoustic sealing relationship with said first opening in said end portion.

2. The structure set forth in claim 1 including:

d. an end cap releasably secured in the largest end of said tapered cylindrical hollow housing and radially disposed therein, said end cap having a central opening for receiving said flexible conduit and a plurality of apertures radially disposed around said central opening.

3. The structure set forth in claim 1 wherein said rib portions of said elongated and tapered bulb-like hollow housing are formed substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis thereof.

4. The structure set forth in claim 2 wherein said plurality of apertures in said end cap have a total area substantially larger than said central opening.

5. The structure set forth in claim 2 wherein said end cap is formed of a pair of cooperating discs, each containing a plurality of apertures in which said discs may be rotated to vary said apertures to a predetermined effective area.