Sealing earpiece

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10735875-B2
Application number	US-201615234178-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 11, 2016
Priority date	Sep 8, 2015
Publication date	Aug 4, 2020
Grant date	Aug 4, 2020

Abstract

An earpiece configured to be worn in an ear canal of a user is disclosed. The earpiece includes an adaptor having an interface configured to receive at least a part of a speaker unit and hereby be attached to the speaker unit. The earpiece includes an adaptable part, preferably a part made of a foam material or a gel material shapeable to fit the ear canal of the user. The adaptable part at least partly surrounds the adaptor. The adaptor has a sound outlet channel and at least one vent.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An earpiece configured to be worn in an ear canal of a user, the earpiece comprising:
an adaptor having a locking interface configured to receive at least a part of a speaker unit and lock the adaptor to the speaker unit,
an adaptable part, made of a foam material or a gel material shapeable to fit the ear canal of the user, wherein
the adaptable part at least partly surrounds the adaptor, and
the adaptor comprises a sound outlet channel and at least one vent, wherein
the at least one vent is separated from the sound outlet channel when the speaker unit is attached to the earpiece,
the at least one vent is separated from the sound outlet channel by a barrier structure, wherein the barrier structure at least partly surrounds the sound outlet channel,
the vent comprises a first section and a second section connected to the first section by one or more additional sections, wherein the first section is connected to the end of the earpiece that is intended to face the eardrum when inserted into the ear canal, wherein the second section is connected to the opposite end of the earpiece, wherein at least the distal portion of the second section has a larger cross-sectional area than the first section, and
the second section is connected to the first section by an additional section comprising:
a first structure having a smaller cross-sectional area than the first section, and
a second structure extending basically perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the first section of the vent and to the longitudinal axis of the first structure, wherein the length of the second structure exceeds the width of the first structure.

2. An earpiece according to claim 1 , wherein the adaptor comprises a snout element provided in a first portion (I) of the earpiece, wherein the barrier structure is provided in a different second portion of the earpiece.

3. An earpiece according to claim 1 , wherein the interface comprises a groove portion configured to receive the speaker unit.

4. An earpiece according to claim 1 , wherein the adaptable part is essentially symmetric with respect to its longitudinal axis.

5. An earpiece according to claim 1 , wherein the adaptor and the adaptable part is made as a single one-piece body.

6. An earpiece according to claim 1 , wherein the adaptable part is made in a first material having a first hardness, wherein the adaptor is made in another material having another hardness.

7. An earpiece according to claim 1 , wherein the central region of the earpiece, in which the adaptor is arranged, has a first flexibility, wherein the edge end portion of the earpiece has a second flexibility that is larger than the first flexibility.

8. An earpiece configured to be worn in an ear canal of a user, the earpiece comprising:
an adaptor having an interface configured to receive at least a part of a speaker unit and hereby be attached to the speaker unit,
an adaptable part, made of a foam material or a gel material shapeable to fit the ear canal of the user, wherein
the adaptable part at least partly surrounds the adaptor,
the adaptor comprises a sound outlet channel and at least one vent,
the at least one vent includes a first section and a second section connected to the first section by one or more additional sections, the first section being connected to an end of the earpiece that is intended to face the eardrum when inserted into the ear canal, and the second section is connected to the opposite end of the earpiece, wherein at least the distal portion of the second section has a larger cross-sectional area than the first section, and
the second section is connected to the first section by an additional section comprising
a first structure having a smaller cross-sectional area than the first section, and
a second structure extending basically perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the first section of the vent and to the longitudinal axis of the first structure, wherein the length of the second structure exceeds the width of the first structure.

Assignees

• Oticon As

Inventors

• Møller Kenneth Rueskov
• Petersen Svend Oscar
• Thule Anders
• Pedersen Troels Holm

Classifications

• H04R25/658

  Manufacture of housing parts · CPC title

• H04R25/652 Primary

  Ear tips; Ear moulds (hybrid ear moulds or post-processing thereof for their customisation H04R25/659) · CPC title

• H04R2460/11

  Aspects relating to vents, e.g. shape, orientation, acoustic properties in ear tips of hearing devices to prevent occlusion · CPC title

• H04R25/656

  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 title

• H04R1/1016

  Earpieces of the intra-aural type · CPC title