Eartip venting in a contact hearing system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11375321-B2
Application number	US-202117159493-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 27, 2021
Priority date	Jul 31, 2018
Publication date	Jun 28, 2022
Grant date	Jun 28, 2022

Abstract

In one embodiment, the present invention is directed to an ear tip having a proximal end and a distal end, the eartip including: a transmit coil, the transmit coil including a core of a ferromagnetic material, the ferromagnetic core having a central channel there through, a distal end of the ferromagnetic core positioned at a first opening in a distal end of the ear tip; a passage extending from an opening at a proximal end of the ear tip to the distal end of the ear tip, the passage ending at a second opening in the distal end of the ear tip, wherein a proximal end of the central channel is connected to the passage.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An ear tip having a proximal end and a distal end, the eartip comprising:
a transmit coil, the transmit coil comprising a core of a ferromagnetic material, the ferromagnetic core having a central channel there through, a distal end of the ferromagnetic core positioned at a first opening in a distal end of the ear tip; and
a passage extending from an opening at a proximal end of the ear tip to the distal end of the ear tip, the passage ending at a second opening in the distal end of the ear tip, wherein a proximal end of the central channel is connected to the passage.

2. An ear tip according to claim 1 , wherein the combination of the central channel and the passage act as an acoustic vent, allowing air and sound to pass through the ear tip.

3. An ear tip according to claim 2 , wherein the acoustic vent has a predetermined acoustic mass.

4. An ear tip according to claim 3 , wherein the predetermined acoustic mass of the ear tip is less than 2000 kilograms per meter to the fourth power.

5. An ear tip according to claim 1 , wherein the transmit coil comprises a coil wound around the ferromagnetic material.

6. A method of acoustically connecting a proximal end of an ear tip to a distal end of an ear tip wherein the ear tip comprises a transmit coil wrapped around a core, the core having an central channel extending from a proximal end of the core to a distal end of the core, and the ear tip having a passage extending from a proximal end of the ear tip to a distal end of the ear tip, the method comprising the steps of:
passing an electrical current through the transmit coil;
passing acoustic signals through the central channel; and
passing acoustic signals through the passage,
wherein a proximal end of the central channel connects to the passage at a point within the ear tip, and
wherein a distal end of the central channel is connected to a first opening in the distal end of the ear tip and the distal end of the passage is connected to a second opening in the distal end of the ear tip.

7. A method according to claim 6 , wherein the acoustic signals comprise sound.

Assignees

• Earlens Corp

Inventors

• Prusick Lindsay M
• Ho Patricia H
• Dundas Drew
• Rucker Paul

Classifications

• H04B5/266

  One coil at each side, e.g. with primary and secondary coils · CPC title

• H04B5/45

  Transponders · CPC title

• H04R25/606

  acting directly on the eardrum, the ossicles or the skull, e.g. mastoid, tooth, maxillary or mandibular bone, or mechanically stimulating the cochlea, e.g. at the oval window · CPC title

• H04R2225/025

  In the ear hearing aids [ITE] hearing aids · CPC title

• H01F38/14

  Inductive couplings {(for wireless supply or distribution of electric power using inductive coupling H02J50/10)} · CPC title