Directional microphone assembly

• US 6,798,890 B2
• Filed: 10/05/2001
• Issued: 09/28/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 10/05/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Etymotic Research Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Etymotic Research Incorporated
• Inventors: Haapapuro, Andrew J., Schulein, Robert B., French, John S., Drambarean, Viorel, Monroe, Timothy S., Killion, Mead C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Ni, Suhan
• Application Number:
  US09/973,078
• Publication Number:
  US 20020110255A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,089 Days
• Field of Search: 381/91, 381/313, 381/322, 381/324, 381/356, 381/355, 381/357, 381/358, 381/361, 381/380, 381/381, 381/382, 381/387, 381/396, 381/369
• US Class Current: 381/313
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/083 Special constructions of mouthpieces
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/38 in which sound waves act upon both sides of a diaphragm and incorporating acoustic phase-shifting means, e.g. pressure-gradient microphone
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/406 microphones
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 25/402 using contructional means
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 25/456 mechanically

Abstract

A directional microphone assembly for a hearing aid is disclosed. The hearing aid has one or more microphone cartridge(s), and first and second sound passages. Inlets to the sound passages, or the sound passages themselves, are spaced apart such that the shortest distance between them is less than or approximately equal to the length of the microphone cartridge(s). A sound duct and at least one surface of a microphone cartridge may form each sound passage, where the sound duct is mounted with the microphone cartridge. Alternatively, each sound duct may be formed as an integral part of a microphone cartridge.

Claims

1. A hearing aid comprising:

at least one microphone cartridge having a length;

a first sound passage having a first sound inlet, the first sound inlet having a first diameter dimension, the first sound passage coupling sound energy to a first sound port of the at least one microphone cartridge; and

a second sound passage having a second sound inlet, the second sound inlet having a second diameter dimension, the second sound passage coupling sound energy to a second sound port of the at least one microphone cartridge, wherein a sum of a center to center spacing of the first and second sound inlets, the radius of the first sound inlet, and the radius of the second sound inlet, being less than or approximately equal to another sum of the length, the first diameter dimension, and the second diameter dimension.

2. The hearing aid of claim 1 wherein the first and second diameter dimensions are approximately equal.

3. The hearing aid of claim 1 wherein the first and second sound passages are created by first and second sound ducts, and wherein the first and second sound ducts are mounted with the at least one microphone cartridge.

4. The hearing aid of claim 1 wherein the first and second sound passages are created by first and second sound ducts, and wherein the first and second sound ducts are formed as integral portions of the at least one microphone cartridge.

5. The hearing aid of claim 1 wherein the first and second sound inlets have a center to center spacing of less than approximately 0.2 inches.

6. The hearing aid of claim 5 wherein the center to center spacing is approximately 0.157 inches.

7. The hearing aid of claim 1 wherein the sum of the center to center spacing of the first and second sound inlets, the radius of the first sound inlet and the radius of the second sound inlet is less than approximately 0.258 inches.

8. The hearing aid of claim 7 wherein the sum of the center to center spacing of the first and second sound inlets, the radius of the first sound inlet and the radius of the second sound inlet is approximately 0.215 inches.

9. The hearing aid of claim 1 wherein the hearing aid comprises an in-the-ear hearing aid.

10. A hearing aid comprising:

at least one microphone cartridge having a first outer surface, a first port located in the first outer surface, a second outer surface, and a second port located in the second outer surface;

a first sound duct having a first inner surface, the first sound duct operatively coupled to at least the first outer surface of the at least one microphone cartridge, the first inner surface of the first sound duct and at least the first outer surface of the at least one microphone cartridge creating a volume representative of a first sound passage to the first port; and

a second sound duct having a second inner surface, the second sound duct operatively coupled to at least the second outer surface of the at least one microphone cartridge, the second inner surface of the second sound duct and at least the second outer surface of the at least one microphone cartridge creating a volume representative of a second sound passage to the second port, wherein at least a portion of at least one of the first and second sound ducts mates a third outer surface of the at least one microphone cartridge.

11. The hearing aid of claim 10 wherein the first and second sound ducts are mounted with the at least one microphone cartridge.

12. The hearing aid of claim 10 wherein the first and second sound ducts are formed as integral portions of the at least one microphone cartridge.

13. The hearing aid of claim 10 wherein the first and second sound ducts have a center to center spacing of less than approximately 0.2 inches.

14. The hearing aid of claim 13 wherein the center to center spacing is approximately 0.157 inches.

15. The hearing aid of claim 10 wherein the sum of the center to center spacing of the first and second sound ducts, the radius of the first sound duct and the radius of the second sound duct is less than approximately 0.258 inches.

16. The hearing aid of claim 15 wherein the sum of the center to center spacing of the first and second sound ducts, the radius of the first sound duct and the radius of the second sound duct is approximately 0.215 inches.

17. The hearing aid of claim 10 wherein the hearing aid comprises an in-the-ear hearing aid.

18. A hearing aid comprising:

at least one microphone cartridge having a length;

a first sound passage communicating with the at least one microphone cartridge; and

a second sound passage communicating with the at least one microphone cartridge, the first and second sound passages having a shortest separation distance therebetween that is less than or approximately equal to the length of the at least one microphone cartridge.

19. The hearing aid of claim 18 wherein the first and second sound passages are created by first and second sound ducts, and wherein the first and second sound ducts are mounted with the at least one microphone cartridge.

20. The directional microphone of claim 18 wherein the first and second sound passages are created by first and second sound ducts, and wherein the first and second sound ducts are formed as integral portions of the at least one microphone cartridge.

21. The hearing aid of claim 18 wherein the first and second sound passages have a center to center spacing of less than approximately 0.2 inches.

22. The hearing aid of claim 21 wherein the center to center spacing is approximately 0.157 inches.

23. The hearing aid of claim 18 wherein the first and second sound passages have a shortest separation distance therebetween of less than approximately 0.142 inches.

24. The hearing aid of claim 23 wherein the shortest separation distance therebetween is approximately 0.099 inches.

25. The hearing aid of claim 18 wherein the hearing aid comprises an in-the-ear hearing aid.

26. A hearing aid comprising:

a housing having an outer surface, the outer surface having a first sound inlet and a second sound inlet;

at least one microphone cartridge having a length;

a first sound passage coupling sound energy from said first sound inlet to said at least one microphone cartridge;

a second sound passage coupling sound energy from said second sound inlet to said at least one microphone cartridge; and

the first and second sound inlets having a shortest separation distance therebetween that is less than or approximately equal to the length of the at least one microphone cartridge.

27. The hearing aid of claim 26 wherein the first and second sound passages are created by first and second sound ducts, and wherein the first and second sound ducts are mounted with the at least one microphone cartridge.

28. The hearing aid of claim 26 wherein the first and second sound passages are created by first and second sound ducts, and wherein the first and second sound ducts are formed as integral portions of the at least one microphone cartridge.

29. The hearing aid of claim 26 wherein the first and second sound inlets have a center to center spacing of less than approximately 0.2 inches.

30. The hearing aid of claim 29 wherein the center to center spacing is approximately 0.157 inches.

31. The hearing aid of claim 26 wherein the first and second sound inlets have a shortest separation distance therebetween of less than approximately 0.142 inches.

32. The hearing aid of claim 31 wherein the shortest separation distance therebetween is approximately 0.099 inches.

33. The hearing aid of claim 26 wherein the hearing aid comprises an in-the-ear hearing aid.

34. The hearing aid of claim 33 further comprising a faceplate, and wherein the faceplate comprises the outer surface.