Standard fit hearing assistance device with removable sleeve

• US 8,848,956 B2
• Filed: 12/30/2010
• Issued: 09/30/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 10/08/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Starkey Laboratories Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Starkey Laboratories Incorporated
• Inventors: Higgins, Sidney A., Schroeder, Aaron Jon
• Primary Examiner(s): Kuntz, Curtis
• Assistant Examiner(s): Joshi, Sunita
• Application Number:
  US12/982,215
• Publication Number:
  US 20120087527A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,370 Days
• Field of Search: 381/312, 381/326, 381/321, 381/324, 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 for use in an ear canal, comprising:

a main axis;

a core module including a front end surface approximately centered on the main axis, a rear end surface approximately centered on the main axis, a lateral surface coupled between the front end surface and the rear end surface, a hearing aid circuit including a receiver, a case housing the hearing aid circuit, and a first receiver port on the case, the first receiver port including an opening providing for acoustic communication with the receiver, the opening on the lateral surface and remote from the main axis; and

a soft sleeve configured to accommodate at least a portion of the core module, the sleeve including a wall and a second receiver port on the wall on or near the main axis when at least the portion of the core module is placed in the sleeve such that the core module and the sleeve are approximately coaxial about the main axis, the second receiver port providing for transmission of sound from the receiver through the first receiver port and including a plurality of boomerang ports.

2. The hearing aid of claim 1, wherein the sleeve comprises a wall having an interior surface including retention ribs to keep the core module embedded in the sleeve.

3. The hearing aid of claim 2, wherein the case comprises an exterior surface including raised ribs creating an acoustic and environmental seal between the case and the sleeve.

4. The hearing aid of claim 1, wherein the sleeve comprises a removal strand including a handle, the removal strand allowing for removal of the hearing aid from the ear canal by pulling the handle.

5. The hearing aid of claim 4, wherein the handle comprises raised bulbs.

6. The hearing aid of claim 1, wherein the sleeve comprises flanges configured to provide for occlusion of the ear canal.

7. The hearing aid of claim 1, wherein the sleeve comprises anchors configured to secure the hearing aid in the ear canal.

8. A hearing aid for use in an ear canal, comprising:

a core module including a core axis, a hearing aid circuit including a receiver having a receiver diaphragm approximately parallel to the core axis, and a case housing the hearing aid circuit; and

a sleeve including a sleeve axis and configured to accommodate at least a portion of the core module such that the sleeve and the core module are approximately coaxial, the sleeve including a front end, an opposite open rear end, and a wall, the front end including a sound slit or sound hole for transmission of sound from the receiver, the rear end including an opening allowing for insertion of the core module into the sleeve.

9. The hearing aid of claim 8, wherein the sleeve has a diameter of approximately 7 mm at the front end and a diameter of approximately 9 mm at the rear end.

10. The hearing aid of claim 9, wherein core module has a core front end and an opposite core rear end and has a diameter of approximately 6.1 mm at the core front end and a diameter of approximately 7.4 mm at the core rear end.

11. The hearing aid of claim 10, having a hearing aid front end and an opposite hearing aid rear end and a diameter of approximately 6.7 mm at the hearing aid front end and a diameter of approximately 8.25 mm at the hearing aid rear end.

12. The hearing aid of claim 8, wherein the sleeve is liquid injection molded and made of silicon rubber.

13. The hearing aid of claim 8, wherein the core module and the sleeve are coaxial when the core module is inserted into the sleeve.

14. The hearing aid of claim 8, wherein the sleeve comprises a removal strand configured to allow for removal of the hearing aid from the ear canal.

15. The hearing aid of claim 14, wherein the core module has a length of approximately 14.55 mm, and the sleeve has a length of approximately 24.55 with the removal strand and of approximately 15.1 mm without the removal strand.

16. The hearing aid of claim 8, wherein the sleeve comprises flanges configured to provide for occlusion of the ear canal.

17. The hearing aid of claim 8, wherein the sleeve comprises anchors configured to secure the hearing aid in the ear canal.

18. A method for providing a hearing aid for deep insertion into a wearer'"'"'s ear canal, comprising:

providing a core module including a hearing aid circuit and a core axis, the hearing aid circuit including a receiver having a receiver diaphragm approximately parallel to the core axis;

providing a plurality of sleeves having different sizes and each configured to accommodate at least a portion of the core module and including a sleeve axis and a receiver port on or near the sleeve axis;

selecting a sleeve from the plurality of sleeves according to a size of the wearer'"'"'s ear canal; and

inserting the core module into the selected sleeve such that the core axis and the sleeve axis approximately become a common axis.

19. The method of claim 18, comprising determining a depth of insertion into the wearer'"'"'s ear canal using the size of the selected sleeve.

20. The method of claim 18, wherein providing the plurality of sleeves comprises providing sleeves of at least a large size, a medium size, and a small size.

21. The method of claim 18, wherein providing the plurality of sleeves comprises providing sleeves including anchors for securing the hearing aid in the wearer'"'"'s ear canal without occluding the wearer'"'"'s ear canal.

22. The method of claim 18, wherein providing the plurality of sleeves comprises providing sleeves including flanges for occluding the wearer'"'"'s ear canal.

23. The method of claim 18, wherein providing the plurality of sleeves comprises providing sleeves made of soft rubber material.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein providing the plurality of sleeves comprises providing sleeves each having a front end including a plurality of boomerang ports for transmission of sound from a receiver of the hearing aid circuit.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein providing the plurality of sleeves comprises providing sleeves each including a removal strand including a handle, the removal strand allowing for removal of the hearing aid from the wearer'"'"'s ear canal by pulling the handle.