In-ear-canal audio receiver and stethoscope having the same
First Claim
1. An earpiece for insertion into a user'"'"'s ear comprising:
- an ear adapter body having a first end and a second end forward of said first end and insertable into the ear canal of a user'"'"'s ear, said ear adapter body after having;
an ear canal section adjacent said second end,an outer ear section adjacent said first end, anda concha section disposed between said ear canal and outer ear sections, whereby said ear canal section is disposed in the ear canal of a user'"'"'s ear, the concha section is disposed adjacent the concha region of the user'"'"'s ear, and the outer ear section is disposed outside the user'"'"'s ear when said second end of said ear adapter body is inserted into the user'"'"'s ear canal; and
separate concha cushion means mounted to said concha section of said ear adapter body for contacting the concha region of a user'"'"'s ear and substantially preventing contact between said ear adapter body and the ear canal of the user'"'"'s ear when said ear adapter body is inserted into the user'"'"'s ear, whereby said concha cushion means is substantially the only portion of the earpiece that contacts the user'"'"'s ear when said ear adapter body is inserted into the user'"'"'s ear;
wherein said ear canal section of said ear adapter body protrudes forwardly beyond said concha cushion means such that said ear canal section is exposed; and
wherein said concha cushion means comprises a soft compressible pad that is easily compressed to conform to the shape of the concha region of the user'"'"'s ear when said second end of said ear adapter body is inserted into the user'"'"'s ear canal.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
The present invention provides an in-ear-canal audio receiver (42) comprising an in-ear-canal adapter body (96) having a tapered ear plug portion (98) that is inserted into the user'"'"'s ear canal. The adapter body (96) further has an opening (104) in the plug portion, an exterior annular indent (128), and an inner chamber (92) coupled to the opening of the plug portion. The inner chamber of the in-ear-canal adapter body holds a transducer assembly (92) comprising a transducer housing (54) and a transducer or speaker (56). The transducer (56) is positioned in a passage extending through the transducer housing. A torus-shaped cushion (106) is positioned in the annular indent of the in-ear-canal adapter body (96). The cushion provides comfort and establishes a good seal with the user'"'"'s ear.
88 Citations
14 Claims
-
1. An earpiece for insertion into a user'"'"'s ear comprising:
-
an ear adapter body having a first end and a second end forward of said first end and insertable into the ear canal of a user'"'"'s ear, said ear adapter body after having; an ear canal section adjacent said second end, an outer ear section adjacent said first end, and a concha section disposed between said ear canal and outer ear sections, whereby said ear canal section is disposed in the ear canal of a user'"'"'s ear, the concha section is disposed adjacent the concha region of the user'"'"'s ear, and the outer ear section is disposed outside the user'"'"'s ear when said second end of said ear adapter body is inserted into the user'"'"'s ear canal; and separate concha cushion means mounted to said concha section of said ear adapter body for contacting the concha region of a user'"'"'s ear and substantially preventing contact between said ear adapter body and the ear canal of the user'"'"'s ear when said ear adapter body is inserted into the user'"'"'s ear, whereby said concha cushion means is substantially the only portion of the earpiece that contacts the user'"'"'s ear when said ear adapter body is inserted into the user'"'"'s ear; wherein said ear canal section of said ear adapter body protrudes forwardly beyond said concha cushion means such that said ear canal section is exposed; and wherein said concha cushion means comprises a soft compressible pad that is easily compressed to conform to the shape of the concha region of the user'"'"'s ear when said second end of said ear adapter body is inserted into the user'"'"'s ear canal. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
-
-
12. A stethoscope comprising:
-
a stethoscope head; at least one sound transmission tube coupled to said stethoscope head; and at least one earpiece mounted to said at least one sound transmission tube, said earpiece comprising; an ear adapter body having a first end and a second end forward of said first end and insertable into the ear canal of a user'"'"'s ear, said adapter body further having; an ear canal section adjacent said second end, an outer ear section adjacent said first end, and a concha section disposed between said ear canal and outer ear sections, whereby said ear canal section is disposed in the ear canal of a user'"'"'s ear, the concha section is disposed adjacent the concha region of the user'"'"'s ear, and the outer ear section is disposed outside the user'"'"'s ear when said second end of said ear adapter body is inserted into the user'"'"'s ear canal; and separate concha cushion means mounted to said concha section of said ear adapter body for contacting the concha region of a user'"'"'s ear and substantially preventing contact between said ear adapter body and the ear canal of the user'"'"'s ear when said ear adapter body is inserted into the user'"'"'s ear, whereby said concha cushion means is substantially the only portion of the earpiece that contacts the user'"'"'s ear when said ear adapter body is inserted into the user'"'"'s ear; wherein said ear canal section of said ear adapter body protrudes forwardly beyond said concha cushion means such that said ear canal section is exposed; and wherein said concha cushion means comprises a soft compressible pad that is easily compressed to conform to the shape of the concha region of the user'"'"'s ear when said second end of said ear adapter body is inserted into the user'"'"'s ear canal.
-
-
13. An in-ear-canal audio receiver comprising:
-
an in-ear-canal adapter body having a protruding, tapered, ear portion, an opening in the ear portion, an exterior annular indent, and inner chamber coupled to the opening of the ear portion; a transducer assembly positioned in said inner chamber of said in-ear-canal adapter body, said transducer assembly comprising a transducer housing having a passage and a transducer positioned in said passage; and a cushion positioned in the annular indent of the in-ear-canal adapter body; wherein said transducer housing comprises a transducer adapter body having said passage and an end cap which covers an end of said passage of said transducer adapter body, wherein said transducer fits into the passage of the transducer adapter body.
-
-
14. An in-ear-canal audio receiver comprising:
-
an in-ear-canal adapter body having a protruding, tapered, ear portion, an opening in the ear portion, an exterior annular indent, and inner chamber coupled to the opening of the ear portion; a transducer assembly positioned in said inner chamber of said in-ear-canal adapter body, said transducer assembly comprising a transducer housing having a passage and a transducer positioned in said passage; and a cushion positioned in the annular indent of the in-ear-canal adapter body; wherein said transducer assembly further comprises a transducer adapter body having a through hole and an end cap which covers an end of said through hole of said transducer adapter body, wherein said transducer fits into the through hole of the transducer adapter body, and said transducer adapter body together with said transducer are received in said passage of said transducer housing.
-
Specification