Apparatus and method for conveying amplified sound to the ear
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A hearing aid comprising:
- (a) amplifier means for receiving and amplifying unamplified sound and for conveying the amplified sound to the ear canal, said amplifier means not substantially preventing unamplified sound from entering the ear canal;
(b) a longitudinally rigid acoustic conduction tube for conducting amplified sound from said amplifier means to the tympanic membrane at the inner end of the ear canal, said tube having an external diameter smaller than the internal diameter of the ear canal for exposing a substantial portion of the ear canal to said unamplified sound, and having a first end affixed to said amplifier means and a second end in the ear canal between the isthmus of the canal and the tympanic membrane; and
(c) a flexible flanged tip affixed to said tube near said second end, said flanged tip having an outermost perimeter that conforms to the cross-sectional perimeter of the ear canal adjacent said second end while exerting negligible pressure on the wall of the ear canal.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An earmold and a method of manufacturing an earmold for a hearing aid that conveys amplified sound from the hearing aid into the ear canal to a closed cavity adjacent the tympanic membrane. The earmold includes an acoustic conduction tube having an external diameter smaller than the ear canal and a flexible flanged tip that exerts negligible pressure on the wall of the canal. One end of the tube is held in place in the canal by the flanged tip. The opposite end of the tube may be positioned in the ear aperture by a fitting in the ear concha that may be integral with the tube. The hearing aid and the earmold leave the canal open preferably to a point past the canal isthmus.
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Citations
81 Claims
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1. A hearing aid comprising:
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(a) amplifier means for receiving and amplifying unamplified sound and for conveying the amplified sound to the ear canal, said amplifier means not substantially preventing unamplified sound from entering the ear canal; (b) a longitudinally rigid acoustic conduction tube for conducting amplified sound from said amplifier means to the tympanic membrane at the inner end of the ear canal, said tube having an external diameter smaller than the internal diameter of the ear canal for exposing a substantial portion of the ear canal to said unamplified sound, and having a first end affixed to said amplifier means and a second end in the ear canal between the isthmus of the canal and the tympanic membrane; and (c) a flexible flanged tip affixed to said tube near said second end, said flanged tip having an outermost perimeter that conforms to the cross-sectional perimeter of the ear canal adjacent said second end while exerting negligible pressure on the wall of the ear canal. - View Dependent Claims (36, 37, 38, 39)
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2. A hearing aid comprising:
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(a) amplifier means for receiving and amplifying unamplified sound; (b) a tube for conveying amplified sounds from said amplified means to a first end of said tube at least five millimeters inside the ear canal; and (c) a flexible flanged tip affixed to said tube for positioning said tube in the canal, the outermost perimeter of said flanged tip being less than two millimeters thick at its radially outward edge and contacting the wall of the canal adjacent said first end forming a resonant cavity next to the tympanic membrane, said tube and said amplifier means leaving the portion of the canal extending from the ear aperture to said flanged tip exposed to the unamplified sound. - View Dependent Claims (3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 40)
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9. A hearing aid comprising an acoustic conduction tube for conveying amplified sound from an amplifier into the ear canal to a position near the tympanic membrane, and means for creating a resonant cavity next to the tympanic membrane, said hearing aid allowing unamplified sound to enter the canal to a position past the isthmus of the canal.
- 10. An earmold comprising an acoustic conduction tube that exposes the ear canal to unamplified sound, and a disk for creating a resonant cavity next to the tympanic membrane affixed to said tube, said disk contacting the wall of the canal only in the area of the canal between the isthmus and the tympanic membrane.
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11. An earmold comprising:
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(a) an acoustic conduction tube open at both ends for conveying amplified sound to the tympanic membrane at the inner ear of the ear canal, said tube having an external diameter smaller than the internal diameter of the canal to allow unamplified sound received at the ear to reach into the canal to a first position; and (b) a flexible disk affixed to said tube adjacent said first position, said disk having a radially outward edge less than 2 millimeters thick and a diameter that is the same as the diameter of the canal adjacent said first position, and having a hole coincident with the opening in the tube. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. A method for making an earmold comprising the steps of:
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(a) forming an open-ended hollow tube having an external circumferential surface corresponding to the shape of the ear canal of a user, said tube having a first distal end in the canal and a second distal end nearer the ear aperture; (b) reducing the external diameter of said tube; and (c) affixing to said tube in the vicinity of said first end a disk of flexible material having an outermost perimeter that conforms to the cross-sectional perimeter of the ear canal in the area of said first end. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24)
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25. A method for making a hearing aid comprising the steps of:
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(a) providing amplifier means for receiving and amplifying unamplified sound and for conveying the amplified sound to the ear canal, said amplifier means not preventing unamplified sound from entering the ear canal; (b) forming an open-ended hollow acoustic condition tube having an external diameter corresponding to the diameter of the ear canal and a first distal end in the area between the isthmus and the tympanic membrane; (c) reducing the external diameter of said tube whereby said tube does not contact the wall of the canal when inserted into the canal; (d) affixing a flexible flanged tip to said first end, said flanged tip having an outermost perimeter coincident with the wall of the ear canal; (e) forming a concavity on the face of said flanged tip facing the tympanic membrane; (f) reducing the thickness of said flange to 0.05 to 2 millimeters at the radially outward edge; and (g) affixing the second distal end of said tube to said amplifier means. - View Dependent Claims (26)
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27. A hearing aid comprising:
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(a) conduction means for conducting amplified sounds from the concha of an ear to the ear canal, said conduction means making no substantial contact with the wall of the ear canal; and (b) sealing means attached to said conduction means for creating a sealed cavity comprising said sealing means, the wall of the ear canal and the tympanic membrane, said sealing means being located between the isthmus and the tympanic membrane of the ear.
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28. A method of aiding hearing comprising the steps of:
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(a) amplifying at least a portion of the unamplified sound received adjacent the outer portion of an ear; (b) sealing, by means of a flexible membrane, a cavity within the ear adjacent the tympanic membrane; (c) conducting said amplified portion of the unamplified sound into the cavity; and (d) controlling the phase relationship of said amplified portion of the unamplified sound to the oscillation of the flexible membrane by the unamplified sound. - View Dependent Claims (29, 30, 31, 32)
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33. A method of aiding hearing comprising the steps of:
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(a) amplifying the sound received near the outer portion of an ear; (b) flexibly sealing the ear canal to create a sealed cavity adjacent the tympanic membrane; (c) vibrating the wall of said cavity formed by the flexible seal by the sound received without amplification; and (d) conducting the amplified sound to the sealed portion of the ear canal. - View Dependent Claims (34)
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- 35. In a hearing aid wherein a portion of the ear is sealed to create a closed cavity, the improvement comprising flexible means for forming a portion of the seal so that natural sound impinging on said flexible means causes the wall of said cavity formed by said flexible means to vibrate responsively.
- 55. In an earmold wherein a portion of the ear canal is blocked to form a cavity bounded on one side by the tympanic membrane, the improvement comprising flexible means for forming a portion of the block so that natural sound impinging on said flexible means causes the portion of the cavity formed by said flexible means to vibrate responsively.
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78. An earmold comprising:
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a flexible disk exposed to unamplified sound received adjacent the outer portion of the ear for creating a cavity adjacent the tympanic membrane; an acoustic conduction tube for conducting amplified sound into said cavity; and means for controlling the phase relationship of the amplified sound to the oscillation of said flexible disk by the unamplified sound. - View Dependent Claims (79, 80, 81)
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Specification