Methods and mechanisms for inflation

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10009677-B2
Application number	US-201314109954-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 17, 2013
Priority date	Jul 9, 2007
Publication date	Jun 26, 2018
Grant date	Jun 26, 2018

Abstract

A device includes a balloon inflation module having an involuted balloon housed within a lumen, an integrated reservoir in fluid communication with the involuted balloon where the balloon inflation module is configured to selectively displace a volume of fluid from the integrated reservoir into the involuted balloon and from the involuted balloon into the integrated reservoir. The device also includes a port configured to receive an accessory module. In one embodiment, the accessory module is a communication module having a logic circuit coupled to an ambient microphone configured to pick up ambient audio content, an ear canal microphone configured to pick up audio in the proximity of an ear canal, and an ear canal receiver configured to provide audio content in the proximity of the ear canal. In some embodiments, the integrated reservoir is formed within portions of a push button spring-loaded pump assembly. Other embodiments are disclosed.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A device comprising:
a balloon inflation module comprising:
an involuted balloon housed within a lumen;
an integrated reservoir in fluid communication with the involuted balloon configured to selectively displace a volume of fluid from the integrated reservoir into the involuted balloon and from the involuted balloon into the integrated reservoir and where the involuted balloon is coupled to a distal end of the lumen;
a pushrod within the lumen for laterally displacing the involuted balloon, wherein the involuted balloon is retractable within the lumen; and

an electronic module selectively coupled to the balloon inflation module, wherein the electronic module is a communication module comprising a logic circuit coupled to at least an ear canal microphone configured to pick up audio within an ear canal wherein the electronic module further comprises the logic circuit coupled to an ambient microphone configured to pick up ambient audio content and a canal receiver configured to deliver audio content, and wherein the ear canal microphone is configured to pick up at least the audio content from the canal receiver, wherein the balloon inflation module further comprises a multi-lumen structure having the lumen for the involuted balloon, a ribbed lumen for an ear canal microphone port, and a ribbed lumen for a canal receiver port wherein the ribbed lumen for the canal microphone port and the ribbed lumen for the canal receiver port forms bellow flex ports that contract and expand.

2. The device of claim 1 , wherein the balloon inflation module is replaceable.

3. The device of claim 1 , wherein the electronic module is replaceable.

4. The device of claim 1 , wherein the electronic module is an acoustic management module.

5. The device of claim 4 , wherein the acoustic management module comprises a logic circuit coupled to an ambient microphone.

6. The device of claim 1 , wherein the balloon inflation module further comprises a multi-lumen structure having a lumen for the involuted balloon, and a lumen for an ear canal microphone port and a lumen for a canal receiver port.

7. The device of claim 1 , wherein the balloon inflation module further comprises a balloon plug coupled to a distal end of the pushrod and a distal end of the involuted balloon, wherein a lateral retrieval of the pushrod causes the involuted balloon to retract within the lumen.

8. The device of claim 1 , w herein the lumen comprises a sharpened tip at a distal end of the lumen.

9. The device of claim 1 , wherein the pushrod laterally displaces the involuted, balloon through the lumen during inflation or deflation.

10. The device of claim 9 , wherein the pushrod is in fluid communication with the involuted balloon and provides a via between the integrated reservoir and the balloon.

11. The device of claim 10 , wherein the pushrod is attached to a distal portion of the involuted balloon.

12. A balloon inflation module comprising:
an involuted balloon housed within a lumen of a multi-lumen structure;
an integrated reservoir in fluid communication with the involuted balloon configured to selectively displace a volume of fluid from the integrated reservoir into the involuted balloon and from the involuted balloon into the integrated reservoir and wherein the involuted balloon is coupled to a distal end of the lumen; and
a pushrod within the lumen for laterally displacing the involuted balloon, wherein the involuted balloon is retractable within the lumen wherein the multi-lumen structure includes a ribbed lumen for an ear canal microphone port, and a ribbed lumen for a canal receiver port wherein the ribbed lumen for the canal microphone port and the ribbed lumen for the canal receiver port forms bellow flex ports that contract and expand.

13. The device of claim 12 wherein the balloon inflation module comprises a spring loaded pump that displaces fluid to the involuted balloon in a mounted state and displaces fluid to the integrated reservoir in a dismounted state.

14. The device of claim 12 , wherein the lumen and the at least the second lumen of the multi-lumen structure are independent lumens within the multi-lumen structure.

15. A balloon inflation module comprising:
an involuted balloon housed within a multi-lumen structure, the involuted balloon is retractable by moving the involuted balloon in and out of at least one of the lumens and where the involuted balloon is coupled to a distal end of the at least one lumen;
an integrated reservoir in fluid communication with the involuted balloon configured to selectively displace a volume of fluid from the integrated reservoir into the involuted balloon and from the involuted balloon into the integrated reservoir wherein the integrated reservoir is formed within portions of a push button spring-loaded pump assembly;
an electronic module selectively coupled to the balloon inflation module, wherein the electronic module is a communication module comprising a logic circuit coupled to at least an ear canal microphone configured to pick up audio within an bar; and
at least one of the lumens is ribbed wherein the ribbed lumen forms a bellows flex port that is configured to contract and expand.

16. The balloon inflation module of claim 15 , wherein the communication module logic circuit coupled to an ambient microphone configured to pick up ambient audio content and an ear canal receiver configured to provide audio content in the proximity of the ear canal.

Assignees

• Staton Techiya Llc

Inventors

• Goldstein Steven W
• Perez Moises

Classifications

• H04R1/1041 Primary

  Mechanical or electronic switches, or control elements (switches in general H01H) · CPC title

• H04R2420/07

  Applications of wireless loudspeakers or wireless microphones · CPC title

• H04R2460/17

  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 title

• H04R1/1016

  Earpieces of the intra-aural type · CPC title

• H04R25/554

  using a wireless connection, e.g. between microphone and amplifier or using Tcoils · CPC title