Disposable modular hearing aid

• US 7,113,611 B2
• Filed: 03/13/2001
• Issued: 09/26/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 05/05/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: K/S HIMPP
• Original Assignee: Sarnoff Corporation (SRI International, Inc.)
• Inventors: Preves, David A., Sjursen, Walter P., Margicin, John M., Mahoney, Derek D., Leedom, Marvin A., Tardugno, Michael H., Zielinski, Reuben, Meytus, Sam, Fritz, Frederick
• Primary Examiner(s): Ni, Suhan
• Application Number:
  US09/804,978
• Publication Number:
  US 20020027996A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,023 Days
• Field of Search: 381/322, 381/324, 381/325, 381/327, 381/328, 381/330, 381/380, 181129-130
• US Class Current: 381/322
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2225/023 Completely in the canal [CIC] hearing aids
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2225/57 Aspects of electrical interconnection between hearing aid parts
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2460/11 Aspects relating to vents, e.g. shape, orientation, acoustic properties in ear tips of hearing devices to prevent occlusion
• 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 25/603 of mechanical or electronic switches or control elements
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/18 Printed circuits structurally associated with non-printed electric components H05K1/0201, H05K1/023, H05K1/0243, and H05K1/16 take precedence

Abstract

A hearing aid includes a first half shell and a second shell attached to the first shell. A microphone, battery, electronics, a receiver and a flexible tip are mounted within a housing formed by the first half shell and the second half shell. A mechanical securing mechanism, located on the first half shell and the second half shell, attaches the first half shell to the second half shell. A flexible tip for a hearing aid includes a tip portion, a sound port attached to the tip portion and a vent formed in the flexible tip. The vent provides static pressure equilibrium between an ear canal and an ambient pressure.

Claims

1. A hearing aid comprising:

a first half shell;

a second half shell attached to the first half shell to form a housing that conforms to the shape of an ear canal;

a microphone, a battery, and electronics mounted within the housing formed by the first half shell and the second half shell;

a mechanical securing mechanism located on the first half shell and the second half shell, the securing mechanism attaching the first half shell to the second half shell; and

a flexible tip attached to the housing formed by the first half shell and the second half shell.

2. The hearing aid of claim 1 wherein the securing mechanism comprises an interlocking joint.

3. The hearing aid of claim 1 further comprising an aperture to allow a potting material to be introduced into the hearing aid, the potting material minimizing acoustic and mechanical feedback created by one or more components in the hearing aid.

4. The hearing aid of claim 1 further comprising a microphone retainer to secure the microphone against a faceplate of the hearing aid, the microphone retainer minimizing the space formed between the microphone and the faceplate, thereby reducing resonances in the acoustic frequency response of the hearing aid.

5. The hearing aid of claim 4 wherein the microphone retainer comprises a protrusion formed within the first half shell and the second half shell.

6. The hearing aid of claim 1 wherein the flexible tip comprises a mushroom shaped tip.

7. The hearing aid of claim 1 wherein the flexible tip comprises an isolation nest, a receiver being mounted within the isolation nest.

8. The hearing aid of claim 1 wherein the hearing aid is an in-the-canal hearing aid.

9. The hearing aid of claim 1 further comprising an adhesive seal formed between the first half shell and the second half shell.

10. The hearing aid of claim 1 wherein the battery is substantially permanently affixed within the housing formed by the first half shell and the second half shell.