Directional microphone assembly

• US 5,878,147 A
• Filed: 12/31/1996
• Issued: 03/02/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 12/31/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Etymotic Research Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Etymotic Research Incorporated
• Inventors: Monroe, Timothy S., Killion, Mead C., Stewart, Jonathan, Wilson, Don, Iseberg, Steve, Roberts, Matthew J.
• Primary Examiner(s): LE, HUYEN D
• Application Number:
  US08/775,139
• Time in Patent Office: 791 Days
• Field of Search: 381/155, 381/68.1, 381/68.6, 381/68, 381/91, 381/324, 381/329, 381/330
• US Class Current: 381/313
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/406 microphones
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2225/025 In the ear hearing aids [ITE] hearing aids
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2225/41 Detection or adaptation of hearing aid parameters or programs to listening situation, e.g. pub, forest
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2225/43 Signal processing in hearing aids to enhance the speech intelligibility
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2410/01 Noise reduction using microphones having different directional characteristics
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2410/07 Mechanical or electrical reduction of wind noise generated by wind passing a microphone
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 25/02 adapted to be supported entirely by ear
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 25/405 by combining a plurality of transducers
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 25/456 mechanically
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 25/604 of acoustic or vibrational transducers
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 25/65 Housing parts, e.g. shells, tips or moulds, or their manufacture

Abstract

A microphone capsule for an in-the-ear hearing aid is disclosed. The capsule can include a top plate having first and second spaced openings defining front and rear sound inlets, and a directional microphone cartridge enclosing a diaphragm. The diaphragm is oriented generally perpendicular to the top plate and divides the directional microphone cartridge housing into a front chamber and a rear chamber. A front sound passage communicates between the front sound inlet and the front chamber, and a rear sound passage communicates between the rear sound inlet and the rear chamber. Front and rear acoustic damping resistors having different resistance values are associated with the front and rear sound passages. The acoustic resistor pair provides a selected time delay, such as about 4 microseconds, between the front and rear sound passages. The use of two acoustic resistors instead of one levels the frequency response, compared to the frequency response provided by a rear acoustic damping resistor alone.

Claims

1. A microphone capsule for an in-the-ear hearing aid, comprising:

A. a top plate defining an exterior portion of said capsule as worn, said top plate having first and second spaced openings defining front and rear sound inlets, said top plate generally defining a plane;

B. a directional microphone cartridge comprising a directional microphone cartridge housing and a diaphragm mounted within said directional microphone cartridge housing, said diaphragm being oriented generally perpendicular to said top plate and dividing said directional microphone cartridge housing into a front chamber and a rear chamber, said directional microphone cartridge housing having a pair of opposed walls extending generally perpendicular to said top plate;

C. a front sound passage communicating between said front sound inlet and said front chamber; and

D. a rear sound passage communicating between said rear sound inlet and said rear chamber, said pair of opposed walls having a front opening communicating between said front sound passage and said front chamber and a rear opening communicating between said rear sound passage and said rear chamber, said front and rear opening dividing said pair of opposed walls into a longer upper portion and a shorter lower portion.

2. The microphone capsule of claim 1, further comprising a capsule housing joined to said top plate at an interface to contain said directional microphone cartridge housing.

3. The microphone capsule of claim 2, where in at least one of said front and rear sound passages is defined by at least one integral recess in at least one of said top plate and said housing.

4. The microphone capsule of claim 3, wherein said front and rear sound passages are defined at least in part by independent integral recesses in said top plate.

5. A microphone capsule for an in-the-ear hearing aid, comprising:

A. a top plate defining an exterior portion of said capsule as worn, said top plate having at least one spaced opening defining at least one sound inlet, said at least one spaced opening having a shoulder defined by a surface dividing the at least one spaced opening into at least two portions having different diameter dimensions;

B. a microphone cartridge comprising a microphone cartridge housing and a diaphragm mounted within said microphone cartridge housing, said diaphragm dividing said microphone cartridge housing into first and second chambers; and

C. at least one tubing having a sealing end and defining at least one sound passage, said at least one sound passage communicating between said at least one sound inlet and at least one of said first and second chambers, said top plate receiving said at least one tubing in said at least one spaced opening such that the sealing end of the at least one tubing abuts the shoulder of the at least one spaced opening providing a mechanical stop for the at least one tubing for ease of assembly of the microphone capsule.

6. The microphone capsule of claim 5 wherein said at least one tubing having a diameter dimension and the at least two portions of the at least one spaced opening comprising a first portion having a first diameter dimension and a second portion having a second diameter dimension, the second diameter dimension being smaller than the first diameter dimension and approximately equal to the diameter dimension of the at least one tubing, and said top plate receiving said at least one tubing in the first portion of the at least one spaced opening.