Cerumen filter applicator

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11190888-B2
Application number	US-201716767082-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 28, 2017
Priority date	Nov 28, 2017
Publication date	Nov 30, 2021
Grant date	Nov 30, 2021

Abstract

A tool for replacing a cerumen filter in a sound conduit of a hearing aid. The tool is designed to position a cerumen filter along the sound conduit and to couple with and remove a cerumen filter that has been positioned along the sound conduit. The tool comprises an insertion tip and an removal tip, both configured to fit inside the sound conduit and to couple or engage with an engagement body extending centrally from the cerumen filter. The tool may be in the form of a stylus with the insertion tip on one and the removing tip on the other end. The tool may also be in the form of a disc dispenser with a plurality of insertion and removal tips attached to the dispenser and accessible for use by rotating plates making up the disc dispenser.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A cerumen filter applicator for replacing a cerumen filter in a sound conduit of a hearing device, the cerumen filter applicator comprising:
an insertion tip configured to fit inside the sound conduit of the hearing device, and comprising an insertion mechanism configured to engage with an engagement body of the cerumen filter to provide for inserting and/or positioning the cerumen filter in the sound conduit; and
a removal tip configured to fit inside the sound conduit of the hearing device, and comprising a removal mechanism configured to adapt in size and couple with the engagement body of the cerumen filter to provide for removing the cerumen filter from the sound conduit,
wherein:
the removal mechanism includes a removal cavity that extends centrally along a longitudinal axis of the removal tip; and
the removal mechanism is configured to receive at least a portion of the engagement body within the removal cavity while the removal mechanism is coupled with the engagement body.

2. The cerumen filter applicator of claim 1 , wherein the insertion mechanism comprises an insertion cavity.

3. The cerumen filter applicator of claim 2 , wherein the insertion cavity comprises a shoulder section configured to butt against a section of the engagement body to provide for pushing the cerumen filter into the sound conduit.

4. The cerumen filter applicator of claim 2 , wherein a section of the insertion cavity has an internal diameter that is less than or equal to an external diameter of a part of the engagement body such that in use the section of the insertion cavity holds the engagement body in the insertion cavity.

5. The cerumen filter applicator of claim 2 , wherein the insertion cavity comprises a plurality of ridges disposed around an inner-surface of the insertion cavity and configured to produce a contact force to couple the insertion tip with the engagement body.

6. The cerumen filter applicator of claim 1 , wherein the insertion tip is configured to position the cerumen filter along the sound conduit such that a portion of an inner-wall of the sound conduit extends between the cerumen filter and a sound opening of the sound conduit.

7. The cerumen filter applicator of claim 1 , wherein the insertion tip comprises an outer diameter that is only slightly less than an internal diameter of the sound conduit to provide for guiding the insertion tip along the sound conduit.

8. The cerumen filter applicator of claim 1 , wherein:
the removal cavity comprises a cavity wall and the cavity wall defines a cavity opening and an internal cavity volume;
at least a portion of the cavity wall comprises an elastic material and/or the cavity wall is elastically coupled with an applicator body such that the cavity opening comprises an elastic opening.

9. The cerumen filter applicator of claim 8 , wherein the cavity opening is configured in use to clamp onto the engagement body.

10. The cerumen filter applicator according to claim 8 , wherein the cavity opening is configured in use to elastically adapt to an outer-surface of the engagement body to provide for clamping a part of the engagement body within the internal cavity volume.

11. The cerumen filter applicator according to claim 8 , wherein the cavity opening comprises a lip configured to clamp onto the engagement body.

12. The cerumen filter applicator according to claim 8 , wherein the removal tip comprises a collar configured to slide over an outer-surface of the sound conduit.

13. The cerumen filter applicator of claim 12 , wherein the collar provides for guiding the removal cavity centrally along the sound conduit to couple with the engagement body.

14. The cerumen filter applicator of claim 1 , wherein the cerumen filter applicator comprises a stylus having a first end and a second end, and wherein the insertion tip is disposed at the first end and the removal tip is disposed at the second end.

15. The cerumen filter applicator according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a base plate rotatably coupled with a top plate;
a plurality of the insertion tips coupled with and arranged in a circle around the base plate at a first distance from a center of the cerumen filter applicator;
a plurality of the removal tips coupled with and arranged in a circle around base plate at a second distance from the center of the cerumen filter applicator;
wherein:
the first and second distances are different; and
the top plate comprises a first opening through the top plate at the first diameter distance and a second opening through the top plate at the second distance.

16. The cerumen filter applicator according to claim 15 , wherein the first opening and the second opening are arranged on a same diameter of the top plate to provide for simultaneously aligning the first opening with one of the plurality of insertion tips and aligning the second opening with one of the plurality of removal tips.

17. The cerumen filter applicator according to claim 15 , wherein one or more of the plurality of insertion tips are coupled with a new replaceable cerumen filter ready for insertion into the sound conduit.

18. The cerumen filter applicator according to claim 15 , wherein the first opening is configured to guide the sound conduit over one of the insertion tips included in the plurality of insertion tips.

19. A method for removing a cerumen filter from a sound conduit of a hearing device using a cerumen filter applicator, comprising:
inserting a removal tip of the applicator into a sound opening of the sound conduit, the removal tip comprising a removal mechanism including a removal cavity that extends centrally along a longitudinal axis of the removal tip;
coupling the removal tip with an engagement part of the cerumen filter, wherein the engagement part of the filter extends centrally from the cerumen filter and at least partially within the removal cavity of the removal mechanism; and
removing the removal tip coupled with the cerumen filter from the sound conduit.

20. The method of claim 19 , wherein coupling the removal tip with the engagement part of the cerumen filter comprises pushing the removal tip along the sound conduit such that the removal cavity in the removal tip adjusts to accommodate at least part of the engagement part within the removal cavity.

Assignees

• Sonova Ag

Inventors

• Beedham Martyn
• Dittli Erich
• Ochsenbein Andre
• Meier George
• Bosshard Christoph
• MüLLER JOSEF
• Ruefenacht Marius
• Karamuk Erdal
• Muller Markus

Classifications

• 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

• H04R25/654 Primary

  Ear wax retarders · CPC title