Flexible hearing aid tip with an integral receiver

• US 7,082,206 B2
• Filed: 03/13/2001
• Issued: 07/25/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 03/13/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: K/S HIMPP
• Original Assignee: Sarnoff Corporation (SRI International, Inc.)
• Inventors: Fritz, Frederick J., Sjursen, Walter P., Margicin, John M., Mahoney, Derek D.
• Primary Examiner(s): LE, HUYEN D
• Application Number:
  US09/804,981
• Publication Number:
  US 20020006209A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,960 Days
• Field of Search: 381/322, 381/324, 381/325, 381/326, 381/327, 381/328, 381/330, 381/309, 381/380, 381/381, 381/382, 181/129, 181/130, 181/135
• US Class Current: 381/328
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2225/57 Aspects of electrical interconnection between hearing aid parts
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 25/456 mechanically
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 25/60 Mounting or interconnection of hearing aid parts, e.g. inside tips, housings or to ossicles ear wax retarders, e.g. mounting thereof H04R25/654
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 25/604 of acoustic or vibrational transducers
• 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 flexible tip for a hearing aid includes a mushroom shaped tip, an inner portion having a bore and a receiver mounted within the bore. The receiver can be housing and sealed within a receiver housing. The receiver housing can include a spring having a high compliance along a longitudinal axis and transverse axis, to provide flexibility in the flexible tip. The spring can also having a high stiffness along a radial direction about the circumference of the spring to provide support of the flexible tip from radially directed loads.

Claims

1. A flexible tip for a hearing aid comprising:

an inner portion of the tip defining a bore having a proximal end and a distal end, the proximal end of the bore adapted to be disposed adjacent an eardrum and a housing formed in the tip at the bore, the inner portion being formed of a first material having sufficient flexibility to allow the inner portion to navigate the S-shaped path of an ear canal while maintaining sufficient stability to prevent the bore from collapsing when the tip is inserted into an ear canal;

a receiver mounted within the housing; and

a mushroom shaped portion, integral with the inner portion, and extending radially from the proximal end of the inner portion, that creates a seal in the bony portion of an ear canal when the tip is inserted into an ear, the mushroom shaped portion being formed of a second material, the second material having a greater compliance than the first material.

2. The flexible tip of claim 1 further comprising a sealing layer formed between the receiver and the inner portion, the sealing layer minimizing the presence of an acoustical feedback path within the flexible tip.

3. The flexible tip of claim 1 in which the housing is integrally formed within the bore of the flexible tip.

4. The flexible tip of claim 3 further comprising a sealing layer between the receiver and the receiver housing, the sealing layer minimizing the presence of an acoustical feedback path within the flexible tip.

5. The flexible tip of claim 1 further comprising a receiver housing and spring assembly integrally formed with the bore of the flexible tip, the receiver mounted within the receiver housing.

6. The flexible tip of claim 5 wherein the spring is compliant along a transverse axis and a longitudinal axis to provide flexibility in the tip.

7. The flexible tip of claim 5 wherein the spring comprises a radial stiffness to provide support from radial loads placed on the flexible tip.

8. The flexible tip of claim 5 wherein the spring comprises a hearing aid securing portion for securing the flexible tip to a hearing aid.

9. The flexible tip of claim 5 further comprising a sealing layer between the receiver and the receiver housing, the sealing layer minimizing the presence of an acoustical feedback path.

10. A hearing aid comprising:

a hearing aid base unit having a housing, a microphone, a battery and electronics; and

a flexible tip connected to the base unit, the flexible tip having a mushroom shaped portion and an inner portion, the inner portion of the tip defining a bore having a proximal end and a distal end, the proximal end adapted to be disposed adjacent an eardrum, and a housing formed in the tip at the bore and a receiver mounted within the housing, the inner portion being formed of a first material having sufficient flexibility to allow the inner portion to navigate the S-shaped path of an ear canal while maintaining sufficient stability to prevent the bore from collapsing when the tip is inserted into an ear canal and the mushroom shaped portion being integral with the inner portion, and extending radially from the proximal end of the inner portion, the mushroom shaped portion creating a seal in the bony portion of an ear canal when the tip is inserted into an ear, the mushroom shaped portion being formed of a second material, the second material having a greater compliance than the first material.

11. The hearing aid of claim 10 further comprising a sealing layer formed between the receiver and the inner portion, the sealing layer minimizing the presence of an acoustical feedback path within the flexible tip.

12. The hearing aid of claim 10 wherein the housing is integrally formed with the bore of the flexible tip.

13. The hearing aid of claim 12 further comprising a sealing layer between the receiver and the receiver housing, the sealing layer minimizing the presence of an acoustical feedback path within the flexible tip.

14. The hearing aid of claim 10 further comprising a receiver housing and spring assembly integrally formed with the bore of the flexible tip, the receiver mounted within the receiver housing.

15. The hearing aid of claim 14 wherein the spring is compliant along a transverse axis and a longitudinal axis to provide flexibility in the tip.

16. The hearing aid of claim 14 wherein the spring comprises a radial stiffness to provide support from radial loads placed on the flexible tip.

17. The hearing aid of claim 14 wherein the spring comprises a hearing aid securing portion for securing the flexible tip to a hearing aid body.

18. The hearing aid of claim 14 further comprising a sealing layer between the receiver and the receiver housing, the sealing layer minimizing the presence of an acoustical feedback path.

19. A method for placing a receiver adjacent to an eardrum comprising:

providing a hearing aid with a flexible tip having an inner portion defining a bore and a mushroom-shaped portion integral with the inner portion, and extending radially from a proximal end of the inner portion, the flexible tip having the receiver mounted within the bore in a housing which is integrally formed in the bore, the inner portion being formed of a first material having sufficient flexibility to allow the inner portion to navigate the S-shaped path of an ear canal while maintaining sufficient stability to prevent the bore from collapsing when the tip is inserted into an ear canal, and the mushroom shaped portion being formed of a second material, the second material having a greater compliance than the first material;

placing the hearing aid within an ear of a user; and

placing the flexible tip adjacent to the eardrum within the ear of the user such that the mushroom shaped portion creaties a seal in the bony portion of an ear canal.

20. The method of claim 19 comprising decreasing the amount of power required by the receiver.