Apparatus and method for conveying amplified sound to ear
First Claim
Patent Images
1. An earmold comprising:
- (a) an acoustic conduction tube open at both ends for conveying amplified sound to the tympanic membrane at the inner end and the ear canal, said tube, when inserted into the ear canal, allowing unamplified sound received at the ear to reach into the ear canal to a first position at least as deep as the osseous portion thereof; and
(b) a flexible disk affixed to said tube so that when said tube is inserted into the ear canal, said disk is adjacent said first position, said disk generally conforming to the ear canal at said first position, and having a hole coincident with the opening in the tube.
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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
28 Claims
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1. 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 end and the ear canal, said tube, when inserted into the ear canal, allowing unamplified sound received at the ear to reach into the ear canal to a first position at least as deep as the osseous portion thereof; and (b) a flexible disk affixed to said tube so that when said tube is inserted into the ear canal, said disk is adjacent said first position, said disk generally conforming to the ear canal at said first position, and having a hole coincident with the opening in the tube. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 27)
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- 10. An earmold comprising an acoustic conduction tube adopted for insertion into the ear canal without shielding the ear canal from unamplified sound, and a disk for creating a resonant cavity next to the tympanic membrane affixed to said tube, said disk adapted to contact the wall of the canal only in the area of the canal between the isthmus and the tympanic membrane.
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11. A hearing aid comprising:
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(a) amplifier means for receiving an amplifying unamplified sound; (b) a tube adapted for conveying amplified sounds from said amplifier means to a first end of said tube inside the ear canal at least as deep as the osseous portion thereof; and (c) a flexible flanged tip affixed to said tube for positioning said tube in a canal, the radially outward edge of said flanged tip adapted for contacting the wall of the canal adjacent said first end and for forming a resonant cavity next to the tympanic membrane, said tube and said amplifier means, when inserted in the ear canal, leaving the portion of the canal extending from the ear aperture to said flanged tip exposed to the unamplified sound. - View Dependent Claims (12)
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13. 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 the user, said tube having a first distal end adapted to be positioned at least five millimeters inside the ear 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 a radially outward edge that generally conforms to the ear canal in the area of said first end. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. 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 when worn by a user; (b) forming an open-ended hollow acoustic conduction tube having an external diameter corresponding to the diameter of the ear canal and a first distal end adapted to be positioned at least five millimeters inside the ear canal; (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 a radially outward edge generally conforming to the wall of the ear canal when inserted into 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 less than about 2 millimeters at the radially outward edge; and (g) affixing the second distal end of said tube to said amplifier means.
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- 19. A hearing aid comprising a disk for creating a resonant cavity in an ear canal beyond the isthmus thereof next to the tympanic membrane, and an amplifier for conveying amplified sound into said cavity and for allowing unamplified sound to reach into the ear canal at least as far as the osseous portion thereof.
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22. A method of aiding hearing comprising the steps of:
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(a) flexibly sealing the ear canal to create a sealed cavity beyond the isthmus of the ear canal next to the tympanic membrane; (b) providing an amplifier for conveying amplified sound into said cavity; and (c) positioning said amplifier in the ear canal so that unamplified sound can reach into the ear canal at least as far as the osseous portion thereof.
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- 23. In a hearing aid comprising sealing means for creating a cavity in an ear canal and amplifying means for conveying amplified sound into said cavity, the improvement comprising placement of said sealing means and said amplifying means so that unamplified sound reaches into the ear canal at least as far as the osseous portion thereof.
Specification