Directional/non-directional hearing aid
First Claim
1. A hearing aid comprising:
- a differential transducer having first and second sound receiving ports;
a housing having at least one forwardly facing sound receiving aperture and at least one rearwardly facing sound receiving aperture;
a first sound receiving path between said rearward facing aperture and said second transducer port;
a second sound receiving path for selectably coupling said first receiving port to said forwardly or said rearwardly facing sound receiving apertures and including;
control valve means operative in a first position to couple sound energy received by said forwardly facing aperture to said first sound receiving port, and in a second position to couple sound energy received by said rearwardly facing aperture to said first sound receiving port;
electronic circuitry for amplifying and processing sound information received by said transducer;
electrical switch means for adjusting the gain of said electronic circuitry to provide substantially the same gain for both modes of operation of said transducer; and
an earpiece coupled to said circuitry and adapted to the ear of a user.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A hearing aid in which the sound reception characteristics are selectable by a user to provide a non-directional or directional reception, as desired. The hearing aid houses a differential transducer having two sound receiving ports communicating with front and rear sound receiving apertures through a network of sound conducting paths. Acoustic switching means are employed to selectably direct sound energy to the transducer through the sound conducting paths, which have equal acoustical impedance in either operating mode, and electric switching means may be associated with the acoustic switching means for adjusting the circuit gain to maintain substantially equal gain for both modes of operation. Frequency characteristics of the hearing aid response in both modes are matched so that switching from one mode to another does not materially alter the quality of sound received from the front of a user.
77 Citations
8 Claims
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1. A hearing aid comprising:
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a differential transducer having first and second sound receiving ports; a housing having at least one forwardly facing sound receiving aperture and at least one rearwardly facing sound receiving aperture; a first sound receiving path between said rearward facing aperture and said second transducer port; a second sound receiving path for selectably coupling said first receiving port to said forwardly or said rearwardly facing sound receiving apertures and including; control valve means operative in a first position to couple sound energy received by said forwardly facing aperture to said first sound receiving port, and in a second position to couple sound energy received by said rearwardly facing aperture to said first sound receiving port; electronic circuitry for amplifying and processing sound information received by said transducer; electrical switch means for adjusting the gain of said electronic circuitry to provide substantially the same gain for both modes of operation of said transducer; and an earpiece coupled to said circuitry and adapted to the ear of a user. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
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6. A hearing aid comprising;
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a differential transducer having first and second sound receiving ports; a housing having at least one first facing sound receiving aperture facing in one direction and at least one second sound receiving aperture facing in an opposite direction; a sound receiving path between said second aperture and said second transducer port; a sound receiving path for selectably coupling said first receiving port to said first or said second sound receiving apertures and including; control valve means operative in a first position to couple sound energy received by said first facing aperture to said first sound receiving port, and in a second position to couple sound energy received by said second facing aperture to said first sound receiving port; electronic circuitry for amplifying and processing sound information received by said transducer; electrical switch means integral with said valve means for adjusting the gain of said electronic circuitry to provide substantially the same gain for both modes of operation of said transducer; and an earpiece coupled to said circuitry and adapted to the ear of a user.
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7. A hearing aid comprising:
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a differential transducer having first and second sound receiving ports; a housing having at least one forwardly facing sound receiving aperture and at least two rearwardly facing sound receiving apertures; a first sound receiving path between a second of said at least two rearwardly facing apertures and said second transducer port; a second sound receiving path for selectably coupling said first receiving port to said forwardly or to a first of said at least two rearwardly facing sound receiving apertures including a first passage between said first rearwardly facing aperture and said valve means and a second passage between said forwardly facing aperture and said valve means and a third passage between said valve means and said first transducer port; said valve means being operative in its first position to provide a sound receiving path through said first and third passages and operative in its second position to provide a sound receiving path through said second and third passages; the combined acoustic impedance of said first and third passages substantially matching that of said second and third passages; electronic circuitry for amplifying and processing sound information received by said transducer; and an earpiece coupled to said circuitry and adapted to the ear of a user. - View Dependent Claims (8)
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Specification