An embodiment of the invention provides a wireless in-ear utility device that rests in the user's ear canal near the user's eardrum. The in-ear utility device may be configured in a variety of ways, including, but in no way limited to a smart in-ear utility device, a flexible personal sound amplification product, a personal music player, a “walkie-talkie” and the like.

An ear tip includes a body configured to be mounted onto an earbud. The body includes a first end, a second end opposite the first end, and a first wall extending between the first and second ends. The first wall defines and surrounds a hollow passage that is configured to conduct sound waves. The first wall is configured to engage a nozzle on the earbud. The first wall includes a ring that is formed of a rigid material and engages the nozzle. The ring includes at least one C-shaped member with at least one gap and a compliant material is molded around the ring and fills the gap.

A hearing aid assembly comprising a receiver comprising a front chamber and a back chamber being acoustically coupled to respective front and back chamber openings, and acoustical guiding means for guiding air from at least one of the front and back chamber openings to an air mixing zone for mixing air from the front and back chamber openings. The mixing of air from the front and back chambers enhances the low-frequency response of the hearing aid assembly.

Various embodiments of an acoustic tube and a hearing device system that includes an acoustic tube are disclosed. The acoustic tube includes a body, a lumen disposed within the body that extends along a lumen axis between a first end and a second end of the body, and a magnetic coupler disposed adjacent to the first end and adapted to connect the acoustic tube to a housing of a hearing device. The acoustic tube further includes an outlet disposed adjacent to the first end and acoustically connected to the lumen, where the outlet is adapted to be acoustically connected to a microphone of the hearing device; and an inlet disposed adjacent to the second end and acoustically connected to the lumen. The acoustic tube is adapted to direct acoustic energy received by the inlet through the lumen and the outlet to the microphone of the hearing device.

A dome for a personal audio device. The dome forms a first flexible circumferential member and comprising a guiding structure extending in a longitudinal direction and forming an interface for guiding sound from or to the personal audio device. The guiding structure comprises a least one sound opening configured for passage of sound from or to the personal audio device in a direction transverse to the longitudinal direction of the guiding structure. The first flexible member is configured to at least partly close the sound opening during insertion of the dome into an ear canal of a user.

An ear tip device for padding an in-ear headphone includes a cylinder, which comprises silicone and viscoelastic polyurethane foam so that the cylinder is resiliently compressible. A channel is axially positioned in and extends through the cylinder. The channel is configured to expand to allow insertion of a headphone and to contract to couple the cylinder to the headphone. The cylinder is configured to be compressed between digits of a hand of a user, positioning the user to at least partially insert the cylinder into an ear canal of the user. The cylinder is positioned to expand to conform to the ear canal and to couple the cylinder to the ear. The cylinder is configured to attenuate ambient noise and to direct a sound transmitted by the headphone to an eardrum of the user.

A hearing aid for placement in an ear canal of a user, includes: a shell; a faceplate comprising an upper face, and a lower face, and a circumference, the upper face being exposed when the shell is placed in an ear of the user; a coil arranged at the faceplate; and a button arrangement comprising a plunger configured to control an integrated circuit arranged below the coil, the coil comprising one or more windings, the one or more windings being circumferential of an inner cavity of the coil with respect to a center or longitudinal axis of the coil, the button arrangement being configured such that the plunger in at least one position extends through the inner cavity of the coil for engaging the integrated circuit.

An apparatus for a hearing instrument, the hearing instrument being configured to be at least partially placed in an ear canal of a wearer of the hearing instrument, the apparatus comprising: a sealing element configured to seal off the ear canal when the hearing instrument with the apparatus is at least partially positioned in the ear canal, wherein operation of the sealing element is controlled by an electric control signal, the sealing element being at least partially made from an electroactive material.

An ear plug having a pressure-adjusting compartment and a formation method. The ear plug is mounted on an earphone so as to be placed into a human auditory canal. The ear plug employs a first formation step for forming an outer main body, the ear plug further employs a second formation step for forming an inner main body, such that the inner main body has formed thereon a mounting portion and an umbrella portion having at least one second air conducting hole, and the ear plug further employs an integration step to make at least one pressure-adjusting compartment between the mounting portion, the audio out portion, the umbrella portion and the outer wall portion, which is respectively and mutually communicated with the first air conducting hole and the second air conducting hole, thereby balancing air pressures in the human auditory canal and outside the earphone via the pressure-adjusting compartment.

An assembly of a sound generator having a sound output, a spout connected to the receiver, the spout having a sound channel having a first opening connected to the sound output and a second opening from which sound may be output. The spout has one or more third openings blocked by fastening portions of a dome, and a sensor positioned in the sound channel at the third opening(s). Sound may pass the sensor in the sound channel while travelling in the third opening(s). The assembly may be a personal hearing instrument and the sensor may be a microphone.