Disposable hearing aid

• US 5,881,159 A
• Filed: 03/12/1997
• Issued: 03/09/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 03/14/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: K/S HIMPP
• Original Assignee: Sarnoff Corporation (SRI International, Inc.)
• Inventors: Sjursen, Walter P., Leedom, Marvin A., Aceti, John G.
• Primary Examiner(s): LE, HUYEN D
• Application Number:
  US08/815,852
• Time in Patent Office: 727 Days
• Field of Search: 381/68, 381/68.2, 381/68.3, 381/68.4, 381/68.5, 381/68.6, 381/68.7, 381/69, 381/69.2, 381/312, 381/314, 381/322, 381/323, 381/328, 381/327, 381/60, 381/324, 181/129, 181/130, 181/135, 29/834, 29/841
• US Class Current: 381/328
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6817 Ear canal
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2225/023 Completely in the canal [CIC] hearing aids
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2225/31 Aspects of the use of accumulators in hearing aids, e.g. rechargeable batteries or fuel cells
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2460/03 Aspects of the reduction of energy consumption in hearing devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2460/17 Hearing device specific tools used for storing or handling hearing devices or parts thereof, e.g. placement in the ear, replacement of cerumen barriers, repair, cleaning hearing devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 25/456 mechanically
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 25/602 of batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 25/609 of circuitry of electronic switches or control elements H04R25/603
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 25/65 Housing parts, e.g. shells, tips or moulds, or their manufacture
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 25/652 Ear tips; Ear moulds hybrid ear moulds or post-processing thereof for their customisation H04R25/659
• 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

A hearing aid includes an electronic assembly mounted in a cylindrical shell with the shell being mounted in an opening in a ear mold. The electronics assembly includes a printed circuit strip having thereon a speaker, a microphone and electronic components forming a signal processing circuit for amplifying the sound. The ear mold is of a soft, durable and compliant material so that it will fit tightly in the ear of a user. The hearing aid is of optimum design having a minimum number of components and is easy to assemble on an automatic basis. This provides a hearing aid which is relatively inexpensive so as to be disposable.

Claims

1. A hearing aid which is adapted to be inserted in the ear of a user comprising:

an electronic printed circuit board;

a battery permanently mounted to the electronic printed circuit board;

signal processing circuitry electrically coupled to the battery and permanently mounted to the electronic printed circuit board for receiving and amplifying sound signals;

a removable and replaceable shell into which the electronic printed circuit board battery and signal processing circuitry are inserted; and

an ear mold of a soft pliable material surrounding the shell and adapted to fit into and mold to the ear of a user.

2. The hearing aid of claim 1 wherein the shell is a flexible, hollow cylindrical element.

3. The hearing aid of claim 2 further including:

a microphone, permanently mounted to the electronic printed circuit board and electrically coupled to the signal processing circuitry; and

a speaker, permanently mounted to the electronic printed circuit board and electrically coupled to the battery and the signal processing circuitry.

4. The hearing aid of claim 3 in which the printed circuit board is generally rectangular in shape having first and second ends, and the microphone is mounted on the first end of the printed circuit board, the speaker is mounted on the second end of the printed circuit board, and the signal processing circuitry are mounted on the printed circuit board between the speaker and the microphone.

5. The hearing aid of claim 1 wherein the shell includes means on its inside to orient and retain the electronic circuit therein.

6. The hearing aid of claim 1 in which the ear mold is of a soft pliable material selected from the group of cold-cured methacrylate, heat-cured methacrylate, heat-cured silicone, polyvinyl chloride copolymer and polyethylene co-polymer.

7. A hearing aid which is adapted to be inserted in the ear of a user comprising:

an electronic printed circuit board including signal processing circuitry for receiving and amplifying sound signals the printed circuit board having a base and upright arms at each end, wherein a speaker and a microphone are mounted respectively on the upright arms and the signal processing circuitry and a battery are mounted on the base between the upright arms and electrically connected to each other and to the speaker and the microphone;

a flexible, hollow cylindrical shell surrounding the printed circuit board;

an ear mold of a soft pliable material surrounding the shell and adapted to fit into and mold to the ear of a user.

8. The hearing aid of claim 7 in which the signal process circuitry includes an amplifier.

9. The hearing aid of claim 8 in which the amplifier is a low-cost class A amplifier.

10. The hearing aid of claim 8 in which the amplifier is a two-channel amplifier with signal compression.