Vented ear tip for hearing aid and adapter coupler therefore

• US 4,375,016 A
• Filed: 04/28/1980
• Issued: 02/22/1983
• Est. Priority Date: 04/28/1980
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Starkey Laboratories Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Qualitone Hearing AIDS Incorporated
• Inventors: Harada, Mas
• Primary Examiner(s): Stellar, George G.
• Application Number:
  US06/144,340
• Time in Patent Office: 1,030 Days
• Field of Search: 179/107 E, 179/107 FD, 179/107 H, 179/107 S, 179/182 R, 179/182 A, 181/128-137
• US Class Current: 181/135
• 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 25/656 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 25/658 Manufacture of housing parts

Abstract

The disclosure is directed to a vent adapter for an ear tip coupling for use with a modular "In The Ear" hearing aid. The ear tip has a bulbous distal tip portion with a sound delivering aperture and a plurality of vent apertures therein. In the assembly, the sound aperture of the ear tip is connected to a sound tube which is part of an adapter which seals the upper portion of the tip. The sound tube projects through the adapter and a separate vent tube also projects through the adapter to provide venting from the other apertures through the ear tip coupler and the vent tube. The vented ear tip and vent adapter can be formed in a number of alternative configurations for varying situations.

Claims

1. An insertable earpiece assembly for delivering sound energy into the ear canal of a wearer, said earpiece assembly comprising:

an elongated hollow housing for insertion into the ear canal of a wearer, said housing having a bulbous distal tip portion having at least one aperture formed therein, said housing is a compressible foam having a normal diameter in excess of the inner diameter of the auditory canal of a wearer and a diameter when compressed slightly less than the inner diameter of the auditory canal of a wearer;

an adapter member for sealing said housing and having a sound opening and a vent opening formed therein; and

a sound tube for connecting the sound opening of said adapter member to one of said apertures in said housing, the area of said tube being less than the combined area of said apertures to permit excess sound pressure in the ear canal to be vented through said housing and said vent opening.

2. The invention of claim 1 wherein the bulbous tip portion of said hollow housing has a single aperture with an area substantially greater than the area of said tube to permit venting of excess sound pressure between said housing and said sound tube.

3. An insertable ear tip coupler comprising, in combination:

a soft elongated hollow ear tip for insertion into the ear canal of the wearer, said ear tip having a bulbous distal tip portion with an aperture formed therein and a plurality of smaller apertures formed circumferentially around said aperture, said tip having an inner annular shoulder portion formed near the proximal end of the tip; and

a vent adapter constructed and arranged for insertion into said ear tip to form a seal against the inner annular shoulder thereof to seal the proximal end of said ear tip, said adapter including a sound tube connected at one end to said aperture and projecting through said adapter to receive sound energy, said adapter also including a vent opening through said adapter, said vent opening constructed and arranged for coupling to a vent tube to vent excess sound pressure at a location remote from said sound tube.

4. The invention of claim 3 wherein said vent opening of said vent adapter is provided with a vent fitting constructed and arranged to receive a vent tube.

5. An insertable earpiece comprising, in combination:

an elongated generally cylindrical hollow housing with a bulbous tip portion ventilated by a plurality of apertures in a distal end thereof and a flared proximal tip portion with an inner annular shoulder angled to the axis of said housing;

a flanged adapter fitting seated against the inner annular shoulder of said housing to close the proximal end of said housing, said fitting including a sound tube projecting into said housing to communicate with at least one of said apertures in the distal end of said tip portion while more than one of the plurality of said apertures communicates with a chamber in said housing; and

a vent tube projecting through said fitting into said chamber to provide a path from the auditory canal through said chamber to the outside, said vent tube portion extending into said housing being shorter than said sound tube and the other end of said vent tube being angled away from the axis of the tube delivering sound to said fitting.

6. An insertable earpiece assembly for delivering sound energy into the ear canal of a wearer, said earpiece assembly comprising:

an elongated hollow housing for insertion into the ear canal of a wearer, said housing having a bulbous distal tip portion having a plurality of smaller vent apertures disposed circumferentially around a central sound opening aperture;

an adapter member for sealing said housing and having a sound opening and a vent opening formed therein; and

a sound tube for connecting the sound opening of said adapter member to said central aperture in said housing, the area of said tube being less than the combined area of said vent apertures to permit transmission of sound through said sound tube without interference with said plurality of vent apertures thereby permitting excess sound pressure in the ear canal to be vented through said housing and said vent opening.