Patent classifications
H04R25/656
HEARING AID WITH SPEAKER UNIT AND DOME
A hearing aid with an earpiece for placement in the ear canal, and a dome, are disclosed. The earpiece comprises a speaker unit comprising: a receiver extending along an axis between an outlet surface perpendicular to the axis and a bottom surface perpendicular to the axis, a receiver outlet directed towards the ear canal of the user when the earpiece is mounted in the ear canal, a microphone having an inlet surface and a bottom surface, wherein the microphone is placed in connection with the receiver, a microphone inlet directed towards the ear canal of the user when the earpiece is mounted in the ear canal, wherein the receiver outlet is placed side by side with the microphone inlet, and wherein the microphone inlet and receiver outlet are separated by a wall, the earpiece further comprising a dome for placement on the speaker unit, the dome comprising: a speaker unit interface connecting a tip of the speaker unit to the dome such that when connected, the microphone inlet and receiver outlet are separated all the way into the ear canal, and an outer dome portion, wherein the dome comprises a two-component material in which the interface comprises a harder material, and the outer dome portion comprises a softer material.
Ear tips and related devices and methods
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 an inner wall extending between the first and second ends. The inner wall defines and surrounds a hollow passage that is configured to conduct sound waves. The body also includes an outer wall that is connected to the inner wall at the first end and extends away from the inner wall toward the second end. The inner wall has an oblong cross-sectional shape that is configured to accommodate a corresponding nozzle on the earbud. The inner wall includes a ring that is formed of a rigid material and engages and conforms to the oblong shape of the nozzle, which inhibits improper mounting and rotation of the ear tip relative to the nozzle.
ERGONOMIC EARPIECE WITH ATTACHMENT MOUNT
Various techniques are provided to implement and use an earpiece having an attachment mount. In one example, an earpiece includes an arcuate rib having a lobe disposed on an upper end thereof and configured to engage with a crus of a helix and an antihelix of a user's ear. The earpiece also includes a mount extending from the arcuate rib and comprising a snap clip configured to engage and position an audio device in contact with the user's ear. Other implementations and related methods are also provided.
METHOD FOR PROVIDING VISUAL MARKINGS ON A CONNECTOR FOR A HEARING DEVICE
A method of providing a custom visual marking on a earing device includes: providing a hearing device comprising a behind-the-ear (BTE) component, an in-the-ear (ITE) component, and a connector having a proximal end connected to the ITE component and a distal end connected to the BTE component, the connector comprising a flexible member extending between the proximal and distal ends; arranging the BTE component behind the ear of the user, and arranging the ITE component in the ear canal of the user so that the connector has a covered portion inserted in the ear canal and an exposed portion outside the ear canal; and providing a visual marking on the connector, wherein the visual marking distinguishes the covered portion from the exposed portion. Further disclosed is a connector and a hearing device.
IN-EAR AUDIO OUTPUT DEVICE HAVING A STABILITY BAND DESIGNED TO MINIMIZE ACOUSTIC PORT BLOCKAGE
Aspects describe an in-ear audio output device. The in-ear audio output device includes an acoustic chamber defined by an earbud housing shaped to fit in the lower concha of an ear of a wearer of the in-ear audio output device, the earbud housing comprising: a resistive port located on a first side of the earbud housing creating an opening in a wall of the earbud housing and a first feedforward microphone located on a second side of the earbud housing, the second side substantially opposite the first side of the earbud housing; and a stability band. The stability band includes at least one attachment feature that couples the stability band to the earbud housing and a first side substantially opposite the attachment feature that only partially covers the resistive port when the in-ear audio output device is positioned in the ear of the wearer.
FLOW RELIEF FEATURES EMBEDDED IN COSMETIC SURFACE OF WEARABLES
Aspects describe air flow relief features in the cosmetic surface of the housing of an in-ear audio output device. Due to design constraints based, at least in part, on the limited space available in the acoustic chamber and ear geometry, ports coupling the acoustic chamber with an area outside the housing are susceptible to full blockage when placed in-ear. Air flow relief channels for ports, extending from the port aligned in the concha cymba, over the helix crus, to the cymba cavum minimize complete blockages of the port as compared to current designs.
Personal Communication Device
A Personal Communication Device (PCD) is provided and includes a microphone, a speaker, and a PCD body, wherein the PCD body is configured as an ear cuff and includes a body first end, a body second end and a body middle portion. The PCD body further includes sound processing electronics, such that when a sound is received by the microphone, the sound processing electronics process the sound to generate a processed sound and communicates the processed sound to the speaker and outputs the processed sound into the user's ear canal, wherein the PCD is configured to be securely associated with an ear of a user such that when the PCD is associated with the ear of the user, and wherein the PCD is configured for wireless connectivity.
Ear Tips and Related Devices and Methods
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 an inner wall extending between the first and second ends. The inner wall defines and surrounds a hollow passage that is configured to conduct sound waves. The body also includes an outer wall that is connected to the inner wall at the first end and extends away from the inner wall toward the second end. The inner wall has an oblong cross-sectional shape that is configured to accommodate a corresponding nozzle on the earbud. The inner wall includes a ring that is formed of a rigid material and engages and conforms to the oblong shape of the nozzle, which inhibits improper mounting and rotation of the ear tip relative to the nozzle.
Earpiece
The present disclosure relates to an earpiece for an ear. The ear comprises a concha cavity at least partially delimited by a concha floor, a concha side wall and a concha ceiling. The earpiece comprises a peripheral skirt comprising a positioning skirt portion which in turn comprises an outer skirt surface and an inner skirt surface, wherein a transition from the outer skirt surface to the inner skirt surface occurs at a skirt edge. The skirt edge extends at least partially circumferentially around a central axis of the earpiece, wherein the earpiece is adapted to be moved to a use position, at least partially within the concha cavity, in a direction parallel to the central axis, during insertion of the earpiece into the ear. When the peripheral skirt is in a non-influenced condition, at least a portion of the inner skirt surface faces the central axis.
MULTIPLE FLEXIBLE TIPS FOR A HEARING ASSISTANCE DEVICE
The flexible attachable tip is manufactured to repeatedly connect as well as disconnect to a body of a hearing assistance device. The flexible attachable tip is manufactured to have two or more offset layers of flexible earmolds. The tip has a dome-shaped earmold that is separated by an air gap from offset layers of inner earmolds. Each layer of ear mold has multiple bendable members with an air vent constructed into the bendable members for that earmold. Air space is formed in between each of the individual bendable members making up the flexible earmold for a given layer of the offset layers. The flexible earmolds including their bendable members bend to a deformed state in order to secure the hearing assistance device in position inside an ear canal, which prevents the device from falling out of an ear, while still providing both a sound path and an airflow path through the ear canal.