Hearing aid mechanism

• US 7,471,805 B2
• Filed: 12/07/2006
• Issued: 12/30/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 12/20/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: SoundStarts, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Central Coast Patent Agency, Inc.
• Inventors: Goldberg, Josh
• Primary Examiner(s): Ensey; Brian
• Application Number:
  US11/567,915
• Publication Number:
  US 20070104344A1
• Time in Patent Office: 754 Days
• Field of Search: 381/396, 381/400, 381/401, 381/407, 381/413, 381/415
• US Class Current: 381/415
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/42 Combinations of transducers with fluid-pressure or other non-electrical amplifying means
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 11/02 Loudspeakers
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2225/021 Behind the ear [BTE] hearing aids
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2225/025 In the ear hearing aids [ITE] hearing aids
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2400/00 Loudspeakers
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 25/00 Deaf-aid sets , i.e. electro-acoustic or electro-mechanical hearing aids; Electric tinnitus maskers providing an auditory perception electrical stimulation of auditory nerves to promote the auditory function A61N1/36038; optical stimulation of auditory nerves to promote the auditory function A61N5/0622
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 25/43 Electronic input selection or mixing based on input signal analysis, e.g. mixing or selection between microphone and telecoil or between microphones with different directivity characteristics H04R25/407 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 25/554 using a wireless connection, e.g. between microphone and amplifier or using Tcoils
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 9/027 Air gaps using a magnetic fluid

Abstract

A hearing aid includes a sound input device, and a speaker, wherein the speaker includes a compartment with magnet suspended in a fluid containing magnetic particles and wherein a coil wrapped around the compartment or in close proximity thereto excites the magnet to vibrate causing pressure waves to vibrate a diaphragm proximal to the magnet.

Claims

1. A hearing aid comprising:

a sound input device; and

a speaker;

wherein the speaker includes a compartment with a magnet freely suspended in a fluid containing magnetic particles and wherein a coil wrapped around the compartment excites the magnet to vibrate causing pressure waves to vibrate a diaphragm proximal to the magnet.

2. The hearing aid of claim 1 having a form factor of a behind-the-ear (BTE) device.

3. The hearing aid of claim 1 having a form factor of an in-the-ear (ITE) device.

4. The hearing aid of claim 1 having a form factor of an in-the-canal (ITC) device.

5. The hearing aid of claim 1 having a form factor of a completely-in-the-canal (CIC) device.

6. The hearing aid of claim 1, wherein the sound input device is a microphone.

7. The hearing aid of claim 1, wherein the sound input device is a telecoil.

8. The hearing aid of claim 1, further including:

an amplifier connected in between the sound input device and the speaker.

9. The hearing aid of claim 1, wherein the fluid containing the magnetic particles is a ferrofluid.

10. The hearing aid of claim 1, wherein the diaphragm is a ferrous metal composite.

11. In a hearing aid, a method for aiding hearing comprising the steps of:

(a) capturing sound with a sound input device integral to the hearing aid and converting the sound into a sound signal;

(b) amplifying the sound signal and feeding the signal onto a coil;

(c) exciting a magnet freely suspended in a fluid containing magnetic particles to vibrate; and

(d) reproducing the vibrations of the magnet at a diaphragm having contact with the fluid.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein in step (a), the input device is a microphone.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein in step (a), the input device is a telecoil.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein in step (c), excitation of the magnet is accomplished by voltage carried through the coil.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein in step (c), the fluid is ferrofluid.

16. The method of claim 11, wherein in step (d), the diaphragm is a ferrous metal.

17. The method of claim 11, wherein a further step (e), is provided to carry the vibrations from the diaphragm over a tube to a resonator placed in the ear.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the resonator is the ear piece.

19. The method of claim 15, wherein, in step (c), the magnetic particles are ferrous particles.