US3414685A - In-the-ear hearing aid - Google Patents

Description

R. L. GEIB ETAL INTHEEAR HEARING AID Dec. 3, 1968 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. ROBERT L. GE/B -R/CHARD TI MART/N 7%Mjwd Filed Sept. 25, 1965 AT TORNEYS Dec. 3, 1968 R. GEIB ETAL IN-THE-EAR HEARING AID Filed Sept. 23, 1965 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 GE RD 7: MA R7 United States Patent 3,414,685 IN-THE-EAR HEARING AID Robert L. Geib, Wayzata, and Richard T. Martin, Minneapolis, Minn., assignor to Dahlberg Electronics, Inc., Minneapolis, Minn., a corporation of Minnesota Filed Sept. 23, 1965, Ser. No. 489,513 8 Claims. (Cl. 179107) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A hearing aid apparatus having an acoustic receiver member extending outwardly from the upper portion of a front face of a housing, the upper portion of the housing being angulated so that the receiver angle approximates the normal angle of the ear canal with the ear concha. The lower portion of the housing front face being angulated to approximate the angle of the ear concha. The receiver is mounted with respect to the housing by means of a cupshaped retainer supporting one end of the receiver 'while a hollow cap member encloses the remainder of the receiver.

This invention pertains to improvements in hearing" aids, and more particularly to improvements in an in-theear hearing aid which is designed to be worn in the external ear of the user.

A generally similar prior art in-the-ear hearing aid is disclosed in US. Patent, Martin, 3,197,576, which is assigned to the same assignee as the present invention.

The in-the-ear hearing aid disclosed in US. Patent No. 3,197,576 comprises generally a housing which includes a microphone, amplifier, and a source of energizing potential for the amplifier, preferably a battery. A receiver which has an electrical input and produces an acoustic output has its electrical input connected to the output of the amplifier, and the receiver is mounted within a soft resilient boot, usually of a soft rubber material, and is flexibly attached to the hearing aid housing, the receiver normally extending outwardly from the front face of the housing at a 90 angle. The end of the soft resilient boot has an aperture therethrough adjacent the acoustic output of the receiver so that the acoustic output energy of the receiver always travels in the same acoustic medium, that is, air. In order to prevent earwax from clogging or plugging the output aperture of the receiver, thereby preventing proper operation of the hearing aid, a wax guard such as the wax guard shown in United States Patent, Kuklock, 3,197,577, is mounted in the aperture of the boot to prevent earwax from entering the receiver output.

In the prior art in-the-ear hearing aid, several problems were encountered in the use of the hearing aid by the wearer, many of these problems resulting from improper treatment or handling of the hearing aid by the wearer. For example, in replacing the wax guard baflle or cleaning the earwax from the baffle, the wearer frequently tears or cuts the soft resilient rubber boot, thereby causing the boot to peel away or split to expose the receiver. In addition, the flexible or resilient neck of the boot which attaches to the housing sometimes is split or broken due to excessive bending or flexing of the receiver when inserting the receiver into the ear canal or when flexing the receiver upwards out of the way of the battery compartment during battery replacement. Furthermore, in order to provide a covering for the receiver which is adequately strong, the resilient boot must be fairly thick so as to provide suflicient mechanical strength. It has been discovered that the thickness of the boot preventsthis hearing aid being used by certain people with hearing deficiencies, since their ear canal is too small to receive the "ice boot covered receiver. It has also been found that insertion of the hearing aid housing in the outer ear of the wearer sometimes causes an irritation or soreness due to engagement of the edge of the housing with the concha of the ear.

The present invention provides an in-the-ear hearing aid which, because of its novel construction, is much less susceptible to damage even when mistreated or mishandled by the wearer.

Basically, the present invention comprises a housing which, when the hearing aid is being used, is fitted in the external ear of the user. The housing has a front face having an upper portion which extends downwardly and inwardly toward a vertical plane, and a lower portion which extends downwardly away from the vertical plane. The housing also has a battery compartment door which forms a part of the front face and which is located between the upper and lower portions of the housing face. An elongated receiver is flexibly mounted to the face of the housing and extends outwardly therefrom, the longitudinal axis of the receiver being generally perpendicular to the upper portion of the housing face. The mounting for the receiver comprises a cup-shaped retainer which has a flexible link extending outwardly from the base of the retainer in the direction of the longitudinal axis of the retainer. The receiver member has an electrical input and an acoustic output end, and the electrical input end is mounted within the cup-shaped retainer with the acoustic output end of the receiver extending out of the retainer. The flexible link of the retainer is mounted or connected to the upper face of the housing. An elongated hollow cap member, preferably of plastic, is placed over the portion of the receiver which extends out of the cup-shaped retainer, the hollow cap thereby enclosing the exposed portion of the receiver. The end of the hollow cap adjacent the acoustic output end of the receiver has a plurality of apertures therethrough to allow transfer of the acoustic energy output from the receiver to the users eardrum. A generally umbrella-shaped tip is mounted in spaced relation to the end of the cap member to cover the apertures through the end of the'cap and prevent earwax from plugging the cap apertures, however, as mentioned previously, the tip is spaced from the end of the cap so as to allow transfer of acoustic energy. The hollow cap which encloses the hearing aid receiver, is readily removable so that the entire cap may be replaced in the event of damage. In the event the cap-apertures become plugged with earwax, the cap is readily removable for cleaning.

Since the elongated receiver is mounted such that its longitudinal axis is perpendicular to the an-gulated upper face of the hearing aid housing, the receiver extends outwardly from the housing at an angle. The angle at which the receiver extends from the housing is chosen to closely approximate the approach angle of the human ear canal so as to facilitate insertion of the receiver into the ear canal, and also to minimize any strain on the flexible link or mounting between the retainer and the hearing aid housig. In addition, the amount of angulation of the lower portion of the hearing aid face is chosen to closely approximate the angle of the concha of the ear so as to prevent or minimize engagement of the housing with the ear concha, thereby preventing any soreness of the ear which may be occasioned by the wearing of the hearing aid.

It is one object of the present invention to provide an improved in-the-ear hearing aid.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an in-the-ear hearing aid, wherein the hearing aid receiver is mounted at an angle closely approximating the approach angle of the human ear canal.

A further object of the present invention is to provide an in-the-ear hearing aid having an improved receiver mounting and cover.

These and other objects of the present invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon consideration of the accompanying specification, claims, and drawings.

Referring to the drawings, wherein like characters indicate like parts throughout the several views:

FIG. 1 is a side elevation of a hearing aid of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a front elevation of a hearing aid of the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a rear elevation of a hearing aid of the present invention;

FIG. 4 is an exploded view in perspective of the structure of the present invention;

FIG. 5 is a view in vertical section as seen from theline 55 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the retainer mounting plate utilized in the present invention;

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the retainer housing utilized in the present invention for mounting the receiver and receiver cap;

FIG. 8 is a sectional view as seen from theline 88 of FIG. 5;

FIG. 9 is a sectional view as seen from the line 9-9 of FIG. 1; and

FIG. 10 is a View showing the hearing aid of the present invention in operable position within the ear of the user.

Referring to the drawings, there is shown an in-the-ear hearing aid comprising ahousing 21 adapted to be worn in the external ear of the user,housing 21 having a front face with anupper portion 22, anintermediate portion 23, and alower portion 24. Theintermediate portion 23 of the front face ofhousing 21 is generally parallel to a vertical plane, while theupper portion 22 of the front face ofhousing 21 extends downwardly and inwardly toward the vertical plane, and thelower portion 24 of the front face ofhousing 21 extends downwardly and away from the vertical plane. Theupper portion 22 of the front face ofhousing 21 is at an angle of approximately 7 with the vertical plane of theintermediate portion 23 of the front face, while thelower portion 24 is at an angle of approximately 15 with the vertical plane through theintermediate portion 23 of the front face ofhousing 21.

Thehousing 21 is divided into afirst end compartment 25, acenter compartment 26, and asecond end compartment 27.End compartment 25 is separated fromcenter compartment 26 by awall 30; whileend compartment 27 is separated fromcenter compartment 26 by a wall 31.

An aperture 32 extends through an outer wall ofhousing 21 intoend compartment 25, aperture 32 having a grommet 33 fitted therein. Grommet 33 in turn has anaperture 34 therethrough. Amicrophone grill plate 35 is positioned over aperture 32 on the outside ofhousing 21 and is held in place by means of acap 36.

Anaperture 37 extends through a wall ofhousing 21 intoend compartment 25,aperture 37 having avolume control potentiometer 40 fitted therein. Aseal ring 41 and anadjustment wheel 42 are attached topotentiometer 40 by means of ascrew 43, as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, and acap 44 is fastened to theadjustment wheel 42 to cover the end of thescrew 43.

Amicrophone 45 having an acoustic output aperture 46, is shock-mounted by means of rubber or other suitable resilient supportingmembers 47 and is positioned inend compartment 25 so that the microphone aperture 46 isadjacent aperture 34 of grommet 33.End compartment 25 is sealed by means of thelower portion 24 of the front face ofhousing 21.

A first conductingplate 50 is clipped overwall 30 and extends along the face ofwall 30 incenter compartment 26, while a second conductingplate 51 is clipped over wall 31 and extends along wall 31 in thecenter compartment 26. A generally arcuate, wafer-type battery holder 52 is pivotally mounted betweenwalls 30 and 31 and swings closed intocenter compartment 26 ofhous ing 21.Battery holder 52 is adapted to hold a wafer-type battery (not shown) which makes electrical contact with the conductingplates 50 and 51 when thebattery compartment 52 is in a closed position within thecenter compartment 26 ofhousing 21. The front face of thebattery holder 52 forms the intermediate portion 23- of the front face of thehousing 21.

An amplifier circuit shown generally at 53 is mounted on a printedcircuit board 54.Amplifier 53 can be of any conventional audio-amplifier design and the details of a particular amplifier design are not shown.Amplifier 53 and printedcircuit board 54 are mounted inend compartment 27 and are insulated from the conductingplate 51 by means of an insulatingspacer 55. Suitable conducting means (not shown) connect themicrophone 45 to the input ofamplifier 53, and in addition connect thebattery plates 50 and 51 toamplifier 53 to provide an energizing source for the amplifier.

A hollow generally cup-shaped retainer 56 is formed from soft drawn brass, or other suitable material, and has alip 57. Afirst finger 60 extends outwardly from one side of thelip 57 of retainer 56 in generally the same direction as the longitudinal or depth axis of the retainer 56. Similarly, asecond finger 61 extends outwardly from an opposite side of thelip 57 of retainer 56;finger 61 being generally parallel tofinger 60.

The retainer 56 is covered by any suitable softresilient material 62, such as silicone rubber, which is vulcanized directly to the retainer 56 itself. Retainer 56 has a plurality ofapertures 64 therethrough which improves the vulcanizing bond between the silicone rubber covering and the retainer 56.

A portion of the silicone rubber covering of the retainer 46 extends outwardly from the base of retainer 56 in generally the same direction as the longitudinal axis of the retainer and forms a flexible link 65. The end of the flexible link 65 is vulcanized to ananchor plate 66 which has a plurality ofapertures 67 therethrough to increase the bonding between the silicone rubber of link 65 and theanchor plate 66.

Theupper portion 22 of the front face ofhousing 21 comprises acover 68 and aclamp 70. Thecover 68 has agroove 71 therein, groove 71 having generally straight side walls and a generally semicircular bottom. Theclamp 70 has a generallysemicircular groove 72 therein, while the width of theclamp 70 is approximately the same as the distance between the generally straight side walls of thegroove 71 incover 68.

The flexible link 65 is positioned in the semicircular bottom of thegroove 71 ofcover 68 and theclamp 70 is then inserted into thegroove 71 of thecover 68 adjacent the straight side walls thereof, and is sealed to thecover 68, the semicircular bottom ofgroove 71 and thesemicircular groove 72 of theclamp 70 thereby forming a generally circular aperture through theupper portion 22 of the front face ofhousing 21, the generally circular aperture containing the flexible link 65. Removal of the flexible link 65 from the generally circular aperture in theupper portion 22 of the front face ofhousing 21 is prevented by theanchor plate 66 which is bonded to the end of the flexible link 65. Theupper portion 22 is then sealed to thehousing 21 and thereby encloses thecompartment 27 ofhousing 21. A suitable insulatingmaterial 73 is positioned between theamplifier 53 and printedcircuit board 54 and theupper portion 22 of the front face ofhousing 21.

Anelongated receiver member 74 has anacoustic output aperture 75 at one end thereof;receiver member 74 being capable of producing an acoustic output when energized.

The electrical input end ofreceiver 74 is located opposite the acoustic output end, and containselectrical input terminals 76 and 77.Receiver 74 further hasopposite side walls 80 and 81. The electrical input end of theelongated receiver 74 is mounted in the cup-shaped retainer 56 with thefinger 60 of retainer 56 contactingside 80 ofreceiver 74 andfinger 61 of retainer 56 contactingside 81 ofreceiver 74 to hold the electrical input end ofreceiver 74 within retainer 56.

An elongated thin-walledhollow cap member 82 is positioned over thereceiver 74 and encloses the portion ofreceiver 74 which extends out of retainer 56. Opposite inside walls of thecap 82 are provided withgrooves 69 which receive each one of thefingers 60 and 61 of retainer 56 and thereby hold thecap 82 inposition enclosing receiver 74.Cap 82 has a double taperedcentral aperture 83 in the end thereof adjacent theacoustic output 75 ofreceiver 74, and further has a plurality ofapertures 84 spaced radially outwardly from thecentral aperture 83.

A generally umbrella-shaped, or spherical segmentshaped,tip 85 has astud 86 extending outwardly from one face thereof,stud 86 being centrally located on the axis oftip 85. The end ofstud 86 terminates in a ball 87 which is frictionally held in the double taperedcentral aperture 83 in the end ofcap 82. Thetip 85 is held in a spaced relationship from the end ofcap 82 by means of a plurality of uniformly spacedprotrusions 88 formed on the surface oftip 85 facing the end ofcap 82. A pair ofelectrical leads 90 are connected from the output ofamplifier 53 to theelectrical input terminals 76 and 77 ofreceiver 74.

FIG. shows a view of thehearing aid 20 mounted in the ear A of a user. As shown in FIG. 10, thehousing 21 is worn in the exterior ear while the angulatedreceiver 74 covered by thecap 82 is in the ear canal B of the user. As can be seen in FIG. 10, the angle of the receiver closely approximates the approach angle of the ear canal B so that a minimum amount of stress or flexing is imparted to the flexible link 65 thereby preventing excessive flexing to the link 65 and also reducing the pressure applied to the users ear canal. It can also be seen from FIG. 10 that the angulatiou of thelower portion 24 ofhousing 21 closely approximates the angle of the concha C of the car A so that any contact of the hearing aid housing with the external ear A which is distributed over the lower portion of thefront face 24 ofhousing 21 is not concentrated at a relatively sharp corner of the housing. This prevents soreness of the users ear A due to contact of thehearing aid housing 21 with the ear concha C.

It is to be understood that while we have shown a specific embodiment of our invention, that this is for the purpose of illustration only, and that our invention is to be limited by the scope of the appended claims.

We claim as our invention:

1. In an in-the-ear hearing aid the improvement comprising:

(a) a housing adapted to be fitted into the ear of the user and having a front face;

(b) said front face having an upper portion extending downwardly and inwardly toward a perpendicular plane, said front face having a lower portion extending downwardly and away from said perpendicular plane;

(c) a cup-shaped retainer having a flexible link extending outwardly from the base thereof in the direction of the longitudinal axis of said retainer, said retainer further having fingers extending outwardly from opposite sides of the lip of the cup-shaped retainer in generally the same direction as said longitudinal axis;

(d) means connecting the flexible link of said retainer to said housing with the longitudinal axis of said retainer generally perpendicular to the upper portion of the front face of said housing;

(e) an elongated received member having an acoustic output end and an electrical input end, said electrical input end being positioned in said cup-shaped retainer with the fingers of said retainer contacting opposite sides of said receiver member;

(f) an elongated hollow cap member enclosing the portion of said receiver extending out of said retainer, said hollow cap member having opposite inner walls engaging the fingers of said retainer; and

(g) said hollow cap member having at least one aperture through an end thereof adjacent the acoustic output of said receiver.

2. In an in-the-ear hearing aid the improvement comprising:

(a) a housing adapted to be fitted into the ear of the user and having a front face;

(b) said front face having an upper portion extending downwardly and inwardly toward a perpendicular plane;

(c) a cup-shaped retainer having a flexible link extending outwardly from the base thereof in the direction of the longitudinal axis of said retainer, said retainer further having fingers extending outwardly from opposite side of the lip of the cup-shaped retainer in generally the same direction as said longitudinal axis;

(d) means connecting the flexible link of said retainer to said housing with the longitudnal axis of said retainer generally perpendicular to the upper portion of the front face of said housing;

(e) an elongated receiver member having an acoustic output end and an electrical input end, said electrical input end being positioned in said cup-shaped retainer with the fingers of said retainer contacting opposite sides of said receiver member;

(f) an elongated hollow cap member enclosing the portion of said receiver extending out of said retainer, said hollow cap member having opposite inner walls engaging the fingers of said retainer; and

(g) said hollow cap member having at least one aperture through an end thereof adjacent the acoustic output of said receiver.

3. In an in-the-ear hearing aid the improvement comprising.

(a) a housing adapted to be fitted into the ear of the user and having a front face;

(b) said front face having an upper portion extending downwardly and inwardly toward a perpendicular plane;

(c) a cup-shaped retainer having a flexible link extending outwardly from the base thereof in the direction of the longitudinal axis of said retainer;

((1) means connecting the flexible link of said retainer to said housing with the longitudinal axis of said retainer generally perpendicular to the upper portion of the front face of said housing;

(e) an elongated receiver member having an acoustic output end and an electrical input end, said electrical input end being mounted in said cup-shaped retainer;

(f) an elongated hollow cap member enclosing the portion of said receiver extending out of said retainer;

(g) said hollow cap member having at least one aperture through an end thereof adjacent the acoustic output of said receiver.

4. In an in-the-ear hearing aid the improvement comprising:

(a) a housing adapted to be fitted into the ear of the user, said housing having a front face;

(b) said front face having an upper portion and a lower portion, said lower portion extending downwardly and away from a perpendicular plane; and

(c) an elongated receiver member flexibly mounted to said housing and extending outwardly therefrom, the longitudinal axis of said elongated receiver being generally perpendicular to the upper portion of the front face of said housing.

5. In an in-the-ear hearing aid the improvement comprising:

(a) a housing adapted to be fitted into the ear of the user and having a front face;

(b) said front face having an upper portion extending downwardly and inwardly toward a perpendicular plane, said front face having a lower portion extending downwardly and away from said perpendicular plane;

( c) a cup-shaped retainer having a flexible link extending outwardly from the base thereof in the direction of the longitudinal axis of said retainer;

(d) means connecting the flexible link of said retainer to said housing with the longitudinal axis of said retainer generally perpendicular to the upper portion of the front face of said housing;

(e) an elongated receiver member having an acoustic output end and an electrical input end, said electrical input end being mounted in said cup-shaped retainer;

(f) an elongated hollow cap member enclosing the portion of said receiver extending out of said retainer;

(g) said hollow cap member having at least one aperture through an end thereof adjacent the acoustic output of said receiver.

6. In an in-the-ear hearing aid the improvement comprising:

(a) a housing adapted to be fitted into the ear of the user, said housing having a front face;

(b) said front face having an upper portion extending downwardly and inwardly toward a perpendicular plane; and

(c) an elongated receiver member mounted to extend outwardly from said housing, the longitudinal axis of said elongated receiver being generally perpendicular to the upper portion of the front face of said housing.

7. In an in-the-ear hearing aid the improvement comprising:

(a) a housing adapted to be fitted into the ear of the user;

(b) a cup-shaped retainer having a flexible link extending outwardly from the base thereof in the direction of the longitudinal axis of said retainer, said retainer further having fingers extending outwardly from opposite side of the lip of the cup-shaped retainer in generally the same direction as said longitudinal axis;

(0) means connectig the flexible link of said retainer to said housing;

(d) an elongated receiver member having an acoustic output end and an electrical input end, said electrical input end being positioned in said cup-shaped retainer with the fingers of said retainer contacting opposite sides of said receiver member;

(e) an elongated hollow cap member enclosing the portion of said receiver extending out of said retainer, said hollow cap member having opposite inner walls engaging the fingers of said retainer; and

(f) said hollow cap member having at least one aperture through an end thereof adjacent the acoustic output of said receiver.

8. In an in-the-ear hearing aid the improvement comprising:

(a) a housing adapted to be fitted into the ear of the user and having a front face;

(b) said front face having an upper portion extending downwardly and inwardly toward a perpendicular plane, said front face having a lower portion extending downwardly and away from said perpendicular plane; and

(c) an elongated receiver member mounted to extend outwardly from the front face of said housing, the longitudinal axis of said elongated receiver being generally perpendicular to the upper portion of the front face of said housing.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,197,576 7/1965 Martin. 3,197,577 7/1965 Kuklock. 3,312,789 4/1967 Lewis et al.

KATHLEEN H. CLAFFY, Primary Examiner. A. A. McGILL, Assistant Examiner.

Images