Expandsible Receiver Module

• US 7,227,968 B2
• Filed: 06/24/2002
• Issued: 06/05/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 06/25/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sonion Roskilde A/S
• Original Assignee: Sonion Roskilde A/S
• Inventors: van Halteren, Aart Zeger, Videbæk, Karsten, Mocking, Dennis Jacobus Mattheus, Jørgensen, Martin Bondo, Spaanderman, Paulus Teun, Brouwer, Theodorus Gerardus Maria, Augustijn, Jeroen Pieter Johannes
• Primary Examiner(s): LE, HUYEN D
• Application Number:
  US10/177,140
• Publication Number:
  US 20020196958A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,807 Days
• Field of Search: 381/60, 381/322, 381/324, 381/326, 381/327, 381/328, 381/380, 600/25, 607/56, 607/57, 181/128, 181/129, 181/130, 181/135, 128/864, 128/865
• US Class Current: 381/328
• 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 25/652 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

Abstract

The present invention relates to a receiver module being adapted to be positioned in an ear canal, the receiver module comprising a receiver having a receiver housing, said receiver being adapted to receive a time dependent electrical signal, said receiver further being adapted to generate outgoing acoustic waves via an output port in the receiver housing in response to the received time dependent electrical signal, and expansible means surrounding at least part of the receiver housing, said expansible means having an opening aligned with the output port of the receiver housing so as to allow the generated outgoing acoustic waves to penetrate away from the receiver module and into the ear canal.

Claims

1. A receiver module being adapted to be positioned in an ear canal, the receiver module comprising

a receiver having a receiver housing, said receiver being adapted to receive a time dependent electrical signal, said receiver further being adapted to generate outgoing acoustic waves via an output port in the receiver housing in response to the received time dependent electrical signal,

expansible means comprising inflatable means, the expansible means surrounding at least part of the receiver housing, said expansible means having an opening aligned with the output port of the receiver housing so as to allow the generated outgoing acoustic waves to penetrate away from the receiver module and into the ear canal, and

a tube section having first and second end parts, the first end part being connected to the inflatable means and/or to the receiver housing, said tube section being adapted to provide to the inflatable means a medium, said medium being adapted to inflate the inflatable means,

wherein the receiver acts as a pump for providing the medium into the inflatable means so as to inflate the inflatable means.

2. A receiver module according to claim 1, wherein the tube section comprises a hollow inner section, said hollow inner section being adapted to support electrical means for providing the time dependent electrical signal to the receiver.

3. A receiver module according to claim 1, further comprising a filter positioned across the opening of the expansible means so as to cover the output port of the receiver housing.

4. A receiver module according to claim 1, further comprising a membrane positioned across the opening of the expansible means so as to cover the output port of the receiver housing.

5. A receiver module according to claim 1, further comprising a vent canal, said vent canal forming part of the inflatable means and the tube section so as to establish an unbroken vent canal from the second end part of the tube section to a point adjacent to the opening of the inflatable means.

6. A receiver module according to claim 1, wherein the second end part of the tube section is connected to a connection terminal, said connection terminal having electrical contacts connected to electrical means for providing the time dependent electrical signal to the receiver.

7. A receiver module according to claim 1, wherein the medium to inflate the inflatable means is air.

8. A receiver module according to claim 1, wherein the medium to inflate the inflatable means is a gel.

9. A receiver module according to claim 1, wherein the medium to inflate the inflatable means is a foam.

10. A receiver module according to claim 1, wherein the medium to inflate the inflatable means is a liquid.

11. A receiver module according to claim 1, wherein the receiver is connected to the inflatable means so that a back volume of the receiver inflates the inflatable means.

12. A receiver according to claim 1, further comprising a layer of soft and flexible material surrounding the expansible means.

13. A receiver according to claim 1, wherein the expansible means, in a cross-sectional profile, takes an elliptically shaped profile.

14. A hearing aid comprising a receiver module according to claim 1.

15. A hearing aid according to claim 14, wherein the hearing aid is selected from the group hearing aids consisting of Behind-The-Ear (BTE), In-The-Ear(ITE), In-The-Canal (ITC) or Complete-In-Canal (CIC).