BTE/CIC auditory device and modular connector system therefor

• US 7,606,382 B2
• Filed: 11/17/2006
• Issued: 10/20/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 08/10/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Hear-Wear Technologies LLC
• Original Assignee: Hear-Wear Technologies LLC
• Inventors: Feeley, Jim, Feeley, Mike
• Primary Examiner(s): Ensey; Brian
• Application Number:
  US11/601,057
• Publication Number:
  US 20070064966A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,068 Days
• Field of Search: 381/312, 381/315, 381/322, 381/324, 381/328, 381/330, 381/380, 381/381, 381/382, 381/FOR.132, 381/FOR.133, 381/FOR.135
• US Class Current: 381/330
• CPC Class Codes: B33Y 80/00 Products made by additive manufacturing
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/10 Earpieces; Attachments therefor ; Earphones; Monophonic headphones H04R1/28 takes precedence; stereophonic headphones H04R5/033
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2201/10 Details of earpieces, attachments therefor, earphones or monophonic headphones covered by H04R1/10 but not provided for in any of its subgroups
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2225/0213 Constructional details of earhooks, e.g. shape, material
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2225/57 Aspects of electrical interconnection between hearing aid parts
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 25/554 using a wireless connection, e.g. between microphone and amplifier or using Tcoils
• 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 25/607 of earhooks

Abstract

An earpiece auditory device is described which includes a behind-the-ear component shaped to fit behind the ear of a user. The behind-the-ear component can also have at least one microphone and processing circuitry, where the processing-circuitry is used to processes audio signal from the microphone. The device also includes a speaker sized to fit in the ear canal of a user, and an ear mold holding the speaker in place. The ear mold can also be position to touch the bony portion of the ear canal and provide sound attenuation in the ear canal. A connector physically and electrically connects the behind-the-ear component to the speaker. The connector is capable of being used to insert and remove the speaker and ear mold from the ear canal of the user.

Claims

1. A modular system for assembling an earpiece auditory device tailored to a user, the system comprising:

a plurality of behind-the-ear components from which a behind-the-ear component may be selected, wherein each of the behind-the-ear components comprises a module including processing circuitry including a communications port operable to communicate with an external device; and

a plurality of connectors from which a connector of sufficient length may be selected to physically couple a selected behind-the-ear component, when the selected behind-the-ear component is placed behind the ear of the user, to a in-canal component when the in-canal component is placed inside the ear canal of the user, wherein the in-canal component provides substantial attenuation of ambient sounds in the ear canal of the user and includes a speaker, and at least a portion of the connector of sufficient length is sufficiently rigid so as to allow the connector of sufficient length to be used to insert and remove the in-canal component from the ear canal of the user.

2. The modular system of claim 1 wherein the selected behind the ear component is chosen based on an intended application for the earpiece auditory device.

3. The modular system of claim 2 wherein the intended application is one of a broadcast reception application, a media playback application, or a communications application.

4. The modular system of claim 2 wherein the communications port of each of the plurality of behind-the-ear devices is selected for the intended application.

5. The modular system of claim 4 wherein the communications port is one of a wireless port, or a wired port.

6. The modular system of claim 1 further comprising a plurality of ear molds of varying sizes connectable to the in-canal component, from which a selected ear mold can be chosen, the selected ear mold chosen to fit the user'"'"'s ear canal.