Adjustment and cleaning tool for a hearing assistance device

• US 8,693,719 B2
• Filed: 12/30/2010
• Issued: 04/08/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 10/08/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Starkey Laboratories Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Starkey Laboratories Incorporated
• Inventors: Higgins, Sidney A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Kuntz, Curtis
• Assistant Examiner(s): Joshi, Sunita
• Application Number:
  US12/982,267
• Publication Number:
  US 20120087528A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,195 Days
• Field of Search: 381/321, 381/324, 381/325, 381/326, 381/328
• US Class Current: 381/329
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2225/023 Completely in the canal [CIC] hearing aids
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2460/17 Hearing device specific tools used for storing or handling hearing devices or parts thereof, e.g. placement in the ear, replacement of cerumen barriers, repair, cleaning hearing devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 25/554 using a wireless connection, e.g. between microphone and amplifier or using Tcoils
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 25/602 of batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 25/604 of acoustic or vibrational transducers
• 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 25/654 Ear wax retarders
• 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 hearing aid kit includes a standard fit, completely-in-canal (CIC) hearing aid and a hearing aid tool set. The CIC hearing aid is for extended use and includes a core module inserted into a sleeve. The core module and the sleeve each include various features providing for a minimum overall size, ease of insertion, removal, and cleaning, and enhanced sound transmission. The tool set is configured to be stored and carried in a single piece and provides for adjustment and cleaning of the CIC hearing aid. Open ear fits and occlusive ear fits are possible using different sleeves.

Claims

1. A hearing aid tool for use with a hearing aid having a magnetically adjustable circuit, a receiver port for sound transmission, and a battery, the hearing aid tool comprising:

a magnetic wand allowing for adjusting the magnetically adjustable circuit and including a shaft and a handle, the magnetic wand including a cleaning tool adapted for cleaning the receiver port, wherein the handle is rotatable about the shaft to expose a built-in cleaning tool.

2. The hearing aid tool set of claim 1, wherein the built-in cleaning tool comprises a brush.

3. The hearing aid tool set of claim 1, further comprising a wand shield configured to accommodate a portion of the magnetic wand, the wand shield being fork-shaped and sized to allow a positive grip of the battery.

4. The hearing aid tool set of claim 3, wherein the wand shield is metal injection molded.

5. The hearing aid tool set of claim 4, wherein the wand shield is made of a material having magnetic shielding properties.

6. The hearing aid tool set of claim 5, wherein the wand shield is made of stainless steel.

7. A hearing aid tool set for use with a hearing aid having a magnetically adjustable circuit, a receiver port for sound transmission, and a battery, comprising:

a magnetic wand allowing for adjusting the magnetically adjustable circuit; and

a wand shield configured to accommodate a portion of the magnetic wand, the wand shield fork-shaped and sized to allow for a positive grip of the battery.

8. The hearing aid tool set of claim 7, wherein the magnetic wand comprises a built-in cleaning tool adapted for cleaning the receiver port.

9. The hearing aid tool set of claim 8, wherein the magnetic wand comprises a shaft and a handle, and the handle is rotatable about the shaft to expose the cleaning tool.

10. The hearing aid tool set of claim 9, wherein the cleaning tool comprises a brush.

11. The hearing aid tool set of claim 7, wherein the wand shield is made of a material having magnetic shielding properties.

12. The hearing aid tool set of claim 11, wherein the wand shield is made of stainless steel.

13. The hearing aid tool set of claim 11, wherein the wand shield is metal injection molded.

14. A hearing aid kit, comprising

a completely-in-canal (CIC) hearing aid including a magnetically adjustable hearing aid circuit and a battery;

and

a hearing aid tool assembly including;

a magnetic wand adapted to adjust the hearing aid circuit; and

a wand shield configured to accommodate a portion of the magnetic wand, the wand shield made of a material having magnetic shielding properties and fork-shaped and sized to allow for a positive grip of the battery.

15. The hearing aid kit of claim 14, wherein the wand shield is metal injection molded.

16. The hearing aid kit of claim 15, wherein the wand shield is made of stainless steel.

17. The hearing aid kit of claim 15, wherein the hearing aid comprises a button battery and a battery cradle configured to hold the button battery, and the wand shield is fork-shaped and sized to provide for a position grip of the button battery to allow removal of the button battery from the battery cradle by retracting the wand shield.

18. The hearing aid kit of claim 14, wherein the hearing aid comprises a core module and a sleeve, the core module configured to be at least partially inserted into the sleeve and including a case housing the hearing aid circuit including a receiver, the sleeve including a receiver port for sound transmission from the receiver, and wherein the magnetic wand comprises a built-in cleaning tool for removing earwax clogging the receiver port.

19. The hearing aid kit of claim 18, wherein the receiver port comprises a plurality of boomerang ports.

20. The hearing aid kit of claim 19, wherein the sleeve is made of a soft rubber material.

21. The hearing aid kit of claim 14, wherein the hearing aid circuit comprises a magnetically sensitive switch configured to allow for cycling through various sound volume settings for the hearing aid circuit using the magnetic wand.

22. The hearing aid kit of claim 14, wherein the magnetic wand comprises a shaft, a handle, and a built-in cleaning tool including a brush, wherein the handle is rotatable about the shaft to expose the built-in cleaning tool.