Eartips for in-ear listening devices

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11012770-B2
Application number	US-201916584940-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 26, 2019
Priority date	Mar 25, 2019
Publication date	May 18, 2021
Grant date	May 18, 2021

Abstract

Embodiments describe an eartip including an eartip body having an attachment end and an interfacing end opposite from the attachment end, and including an inner eartip body and an outer eartip body. The inner eartip body has a sidewall that extends between the interfacing end and the attachment end, and includes a groove formed in an outer surface of the sidewall. The outer eartip body is sized and shaped to be inserted into an ear canal and extends from the interfacing end toward the attachment end of the eartip.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An eartip, comprising:
an eartip body having an attachment end and an ear interfacing end opposite from the attachment end, the eartip body formed from a compliant material and comprising:
an inner eartip body having a sidewall that defines a sound channel extending through the eartip body between the ear interfacing end and the attachment end; and
an outer eartip body integrally formed with the inner eartip body at the ear interfacing end and extending towards the attachment end around at least a portion of and in a spaced apart relationship with the inner eartip body, wherein the outer eartip body is sized and shaped to be inserted into an ear canal; and
wherein the inner eartip body includes a plurality of grooves formed in an outer surface of the sidewall with each groove in the plurality of grooves facing an inner surface of the outer eartip body.

2. The eartip of claim 1 , wherein at least one groove in the plurality of grooves is defined by a base wall extending between two sidewalls.

3. The eartip of claim 2 , wherein the base wall and at least one sidewall of the two sidewalls are arranged perpendicular to one another.

4. The eartip of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of grooves includes a first groove and the inner eartip body includes a second groove spaced apart from the first groove along a length of the inner eartip body.

5. The eartip of claim 1 , wherein the inner eartip body further comprises a boundary positioned between the interfacing end and the attachment end, and wherein the sidewall gradually changes in thickness from the first thickness to the second thickness from the boundary to the interfacing end.

6. The eartip of claim 5 , wherein at least one groove in the plurality of grooves is defined by a base wall extending between two sidewalls having different lengths.

7. The eartip of claim 1 , wherein at least one groove in the plurality of grooves extends around a circumference of the inner eartip body.

8. The eartip of claim 1 , further comprising an internal sound sealing structure extending from the inner eartip body and positioned between the plurality of grooves and the attachment end.

9. The eartip of claim 8 , wherein the internal sound sealing structure is a flange that extends toward the outer eartip body.

10. The eartip of claim 1 , further comprising a support structure extending from the inner eartip body toward the outer eartip body.

11. The eartip of claim 10 , wherein the support structure comprises a shell and an inner region filled with air.

12. The eartip of claim 1 , further comprising an attachment structure coupled to the inner eartip body at the attachment end of the eartip body.

13. The eartip of claim 1 , further comprising:
a rigid attachment structure coupled to the inner eartip body at the attachment end, the rigid attachment structure defining a plurality of recesses and including a mesh extending across the sound channel.

14. The eartip of claim 13 , wherein the plurality of grooves are positioned closer to the attachment end than the interfacing end.

15. The eartip of claim 1 wherein the plurality of grooves form a bend region that mitigates potential kinking or buckling when the eartip is inserted into an ear canal.

16. The eartip of claim 1 wherein a deflection zone is formed between the inner eartip body and the outer eartip body and wherein each groove in the plurality of grooves is open to the deflection zone.

17. The eartip of claim 1 wherein at least one groove in the plurality of grooves formed in the outer surface of the sidewall extends around an entire perimeter of the inner eartip body.

18. An eartip, comprising:
an eartip body having an attachment end and an interfacing end opposite from the attachment end, the eartip body comprising:
an inner eartip body having a sidewall extending between the interfacing end and the attachment end, the inner eartip body including a groove formed in an outer surface of the sidewall; and
an outer eartip body sized and shaped to be inserted into an ear canal and extending from the interfacing end toward the attachment end of the eartip;
wherein the groove is a first groove and the inner eartip body includes a second groove spaced apart from the first groove along a length of the inner eartip body and wherein the first groove and the second groove are positioned closer to the attachment end than the interfacing end.

19. An eartip, comprising:
an eartip body having an attachment end and an ear interfacing end opposite from the attachment end, the eartip body formed from a compliant material and comprising:
an inner eartip body having a sidewall that defines a sound channel extending through the eartip body between the ear interfacing end and the attachment end; and an outer eartip body integrally formed with the inner eartip body at the ear interfacing end and extending towards the attachment end around at least a portion of and in a spaced apart relationship with the inner eartip body, wherein the outer eartip body is sized and shaped to be inserted into an ear canal;
a support structure extending from the inner eartip body toward the outer eartip body; and
wherein the inner eartip body includes a groove formed in an outer surface of the sidewall facing an inner surface of the outer eartip body; and
wherein the support structure comprises a plurality of flanges, each extending around the circumference of the inner eartip body and positioned across a majority of the length of the inner eartip body.

20. An in-ear listening device, comprising:
a housing defining a cavity and an acoustic opening;
a driver positioned within the housing and operatively coupled to emit sound through the acoustic opening; and
an eartip removably attached to the housing and aligned with the acoustic opening, the eartip comprising:
an eartip body having an attachment end and an ear interfacing end opposite from the attachment end, the eartip body formed from a compliant material and comprising:
an inner eartip body having a sidewall that defines a sound channel extending through the eartip body between the ear interfacing end and the attachment end; and
an outer eartip body integrally formed with the inner eartip body at the ear interfacing end and extending towards the attachment end surrounding at least a portion of and in a spaced apart relationship with the inner eartip body, wherein the outer eartip body is sized and shaped to be inserted into an ear canal; and
wherein the inner eartip body includes a plurality of grooves formed in an outer surface of the sidewall with each groove in the plurality of grooves facing an inner surface of the outer eartip body.

21. The in-ear listening device of claim 20 , wherein the eartip further comprises a rigid attachment structure coupled to the inner eartip body at the attachment end, the rigid attachment structure defining a plurality of recesses and including a mesh extending across the channel.

22. The in-ear listening device of claim 20 , wherein at least one groove in the plurality of grooves is defined by a base wall extending between two sidewalls.

23. An eartip, comprising:
an eartip body having an attachment end and an ear interfacing end opposite from the attachment end, the eartip body formed from a compliant material and comprising:
an inner eartip body having a sidewall that defines a sound channel extending through the eartip body between the ear interfacing end and the attachment end;

Assignees

• Apple Inc

Inventors

• Hatfield Dustin A
• Aoyagi Shota
• Emmott Timothy E
• Huwe Ethan L
• Lerner Mitchell R
• Mcintosh Sean T
• Tsai Yi-Fang D
• Della Rosa Jason C
• Sheppard Patrick W
• Parker Samuel G
• Feathers David J
• Twehues Brian R
• Strongwater Daniel

Classifications

• H04R2460/11

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

• H04R1/1058

  Manufacture or assembly · CPC title

• H04R1/1016 Primary

  Earpieces of the intra-aural type · CPC title

• H04R1/023

  Screens for loudspeakers · CPC title