Peritympanic hearing instrument

• US 6,205,227 B1
• Filed: 06/26/1998
• Issued: 03/20/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 01/31/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: K/S HIMPP
• Original Assignee: Sarnoff Corporation (SRI International, Inc.)
• Inventors: Sjursen, Walter Paul, Margicin, John Michael, Mahoney, Derek Dwayne, Leedom, Marvin Allan
• Primary Examiner(s): Chan, Wing F.
• Assistant Examiner(s): DABNEY, PHYLESHA LARVINIA
• Application Number:
  US09/105,729
• Time in Patent Office: 998 Days
• Field of Search: 381/312, 381/380, 381/381, 381/328, 381/330, 381/322, 381/324, 381/325, 381/FOR.133, 381/FOR.135, 381/FOR.138
• 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 25/604 of acoustic or vibrational transducers
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 25/609 of circuitry of electronic switches or control elements H04R25/603
• 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 instrument is adapted for positioning in the external auditory canal of a human proximal to the tympanic membrane. It includes a substantially rigid shell and a relatively flexible tip member. The tip member includes a hollow body portion defining a elongated passage for the communication of acoustic signals through the tip member. The hollow body portion of the tip member is sufficiently deformable so that an axis of the passage substantially conforms to an axis of the external auditory canal upon insertion. The hollow body is also significantly rigid to resist substantial collapse of the passage upon such insertion. The axis of the passage defined by the hollow body portion is moveable at an angle with respect to the axis of the shell so that the hearing instrument can navigate the canal during insertion. Wax guard and receiver mounting configurations as well as a method of assembly are also described.

Claims

1. A hearing instrument positionable in the external auditory canal proximal to the tympanic membrane, wherein the external auditory canal includes a proximal bend and a distal bend located between said proximal bend and the tympanic membrane, said hearing instrument comprising:

a substantially rigid shell shaped to enclose a microphone and a receiver, said shell having a distal end portion positionable to extend toward the tympanic membrane;

a relatively flexible tip member connected adjacent to said distal end portion of said shell, said tip member comprising a hollow body portion defining an elongated passage extending between proximal and distal end portions of said hollow body portion for permitting the communication of acoustic signals through said tip member between said shell and the tympanic membrane, wherein said hollow body portion of said tip member is sufficiently deformable so that an axis of said elongated passage substantially conforms to an axis of the external auditory canal upon insertion therein, and wherein said hollow body portion of said tip member is sufficiently rigid to resist substantial collapse of said elongated passage upon said insertion, said tip member further comprising an outer surface positioned to create a seal against an inner surface of the external auditory canal;

wherein said axis of said elongated passage defined by said hollow body portion of said tip member is moveable at an angle with respect to an axis of said shell such that said hearing instrument can navigate the path of the external auditory canal during insertion of a distal end of said tip member toward the tympanic membrane and beyond the distal bend of the external auditory canal.

2. The hearing instrument defined in claim 1, further comprising a joint positioned for connection between said distal end portion of said shell and a proximal end portion of said tip member, said joint permitting rotation of said axis of said elongated passage defined by said hollow body portion of said tip member with respect to said axis of said shell, wherein said rotation is about a rotation axis that is predefined by said joint.

3. The hearing instrument defined in claim 1, wherein said receiver comprises a motor and a diaphragm and wherein said shell comprises an interior surface shaped to enclose said motor and said diaphragm, thereby eliminating a separate receiver housing for enclosing said motor and said diaphragm.

4. The hearing instrument defined in claim 1, said outer surface of said tip member comprising a plurality of protrusions attached adjacent to said hollow body portion and extending radially outwardly from said hollow body portion, wherein a perimeter portion of each of said protrusions is positionable against said inner surface of the external auditory canal to center said tip member in the external auditory canal as it is inserted.

5. The hearing instrument defined in claim 1, said shell comprising shell portions each having an engagement surface extending toward said distal end portion of said shell, wherein said shell portions are assembled along said engagement surface to enclose said microphone and said receiver.

6. The hearing instrument defined in claim 1, said tip member further comprising a surface positioned adjacent to said distal end portion of said hollow body portion and traversing said elongated passage to prevent undue ingress of cerumen from the external auditory canal into said elongated passage.

7. The hearing instrument defined in claim 1, said hollow body portion of said tip member comprising a support positioned adjacent to said elongated passage for resisting said substantial collapse of said elongated passage upon said insertion.

8. A hearing instrument positionable in the external auditory canal of a human proximal to the tympanic membrane, wherein the external auditory canal includes a proximal bend and a distal bend located between said proximal bend and the tympanic membrane, said hearing instrument comprising:

a flexible tip comprising a hollow body portion defining an elongated passage extending between proximal and distal end portions of said hollow body portion for the communication of acoustic signals through said tip, said tip comprising an outer surface positioned to create a seal against an inner surface of the external auditory canal, said tip further comprising a plurality of protrusions attached adjacent to said hollow body portion and extending radially outwardly from said hollow body portion;

wherein a perimeter portion of each of said protrusions is positionable against said inner surface of the external auditory canal to center said tip in the external auditory canal and to help navigate said hearing said hearing instrument through the path of the external auditory canal during insertion of a distal end of said tip toward the tympanic membrane and beyond the distal bend of the external auditory canal.

9. The hearing instrument defined in claim 8, wherein said protrusions are positioned in a plane about a circumference of said tip.

10. The hearing instrument defined in claim 8, wherein said protrusions are positioned in planes axially spaced along the length of said tip.

11. The hearing instrument defined in claim 8, wherein said hollow body portion of said tip comprises a circumferential fin extending radially outwardly from said hollow body portion, and wherein said protrusions extend radially outwardly from a perimeter portion of said circumferential fin.

12. The hearing instrument defined in claim 8, wherein said tip is at least partially formed from an elastic material having a durometer of about 5 on a Shore A scale and a modulus of elasticity less than about 500 psi.

13. A hearing instrument positionable in the external auditory canal of a human, said hearing instrument comprising:

a flexible tip comprising a hollow body portion defining an elongated passage extending between proximal and distal end portions of said hollow body portion for the communication of acoustic signals through said tip, said tip further comprising a surface positioned adjacent to said distal end portion of said hollow body portion and traversing said elongated passage to resist ingress of cerumen from the external auditory canal into said elongated passage.

14. The hearing instrument defined in claim 13, said surface comprising a thin and flexible membrane extending across said elongated passage to prevent said ingress of cerumen, said membrane being of a thickness to permit transmission of acoustic signals across said membrane between the external auditory canal and the interior of said elongated passage.

15. The hearing instrument defined in claim 14, wherein said membrane is substantially acoustically transparent.

16. The hearing instrument defined in claim 13, further comprising a compliant surround for connection of said surface to said distal end portion of said hollow body portion.

17. The hearing instrument defined in claim 13, wherein said surface provides an acoustic filter.

18. A hearing instrument positionable in the external auditory canal of a human proximal to the tympanic-membrane, wherein the external auditory canal includes a proximal bend and a distal bend located between said proximal end and the tympanic membrane, said hearing instrument comprising:

a substantially rigid shell having a distal end portion positionable to extend toward the tympanic membrane; and

a relatively flexible tip member connected adjacent to said distal end portion of said shell, said tip member comprising a hollow body portion defining an elongated passage extending between proximal and distal end portions of said hollow body portion for permitting the communication of acoustic signals through said tip member between said shell and the tympanic membrane, wherein said hollow body portion of said tip member is sufficiently deformable so that an axis of said elongated passage substantially conforms to an axis of the external auditory canal upon insertion therein, said tip member further comprising a support positioned along a length of said hollow body portion and extending adjacent to said elongated passage for resisting substantial collapse of said elongated passage upon said insertion.

19. The hearing instrument defined in claim 18, wherein said support is selected from a group consisting of a spring and a ring positioned adjacent to a wall of said elongated passage.

20. The hearing instrument defined in claim 18, wherein said hollow body portion is molded around said support.

21. A tip adapted for use with a hearing instrument and intended to be positioned in the external auditory canal of a human proximal to the tympanic membrane, said tip comprising:

a hollow body defining an elongated passage extending between proximal and distal end portions thereof for permitting the communication of acoustic signals through said tip, said hollow body being sufficiently deformable to permit an axis of said elongated passage to conform to an axis of the external auditory canal along the length of said hollow body upon insertion;

a spring extending at least partially along a length of said hollow body and positioned adjacent to said elongated passage, said spring being sufficiently flexible to permit said axis of said elongated passage to conform to said axis of the external auditory canal and sufficiently rigid to resist substantial collapse of said elongated passage upon said insertion.

22. The tip defined in claim 21, wherein said spring is selected from a group consisting of a compression spring and a cantilever spring.

23. A method of assembling a hearing instrument having a shell shaped to fit comfortably into the external auditory canal of a human and sized to enclose internal hearing instrument components, said method comprising the steps of:

(a) providing shell portions each having a proximal and distal end portion and an engagement surface extending between said proximal and distal end portions along a length of said shell portions, said shell portions each having internal surfaces positioned to define internal compartments when said shell portions are aligned with one another;

(b) inserting said internal hearing instrument components into at least one of said shell portions;

(c) aligning said shell portions with one another to match said internal surfaces and to define said internal compartments; and

(d) mating said shell portions along said engagement surfaces to enclose said internal hearing instrument components.

24. The method defined in claim 23, wherein said internal hearing instrument components include a receiver comprising a motor and a diaphragm, and wherein said inserting step further comprises inserting said motor and said diaphragm in different shell portions.

25. The method defined in claim 24, wherein said aligning step further comprises aligning said motor and said diaphragm for connection to one another.