Hearing Aid Comprising An Insert Member

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016286324-A1
Application number	US-201615079325-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Mar 24, 2016
Priority date	Mar 25, 2015
Publication date	Sep 29, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A hearing aid comprises a housing with a sound channel in a longitudinal direction and terminating in a sound opening, a transducer for transducing sound at the sound opening, and an insert member having an insert part for insertion into the sound channel and a support part arranged against the housing. The insert member forms a sound path from a first sound opening to a second sound opening. The first sound opening is arranged in the insert part and the second sound opening is arranged in the support part outside the sound channel. The insert part comprises a retention member for retaining wax. The retention member includes an opening and is arranged so that a part hereof extends transverse to the longitudinal direction. The support part forms a protruding engagement member which facilitates catching of the insert member without engaging the sound path during removal of the insert member.

First claim

1 . A hearing aid comprising:
a housing for positioning in or at an ear canal of a user, the housing having a sound channel extending in a longitudinal direction and terminating in a sound opening; a transducer located in the housing and configured for transducing sound at the sound opening; and an insert member comprising an insert part for insertion into the sound channel and a support part for arrangement against the housing, the insert member forming a sound path from a first sound opening to a second sound opening, the first sound opening being arranged in the insert part and the second sound opening being arranged in the support part outside the sound channel; wherein the insert part comprises a retention member for retention of wax, the retention member comprising at least one opening and being arranged so that at least a part hereof extends transverse to the longitudinal direction, and wherein the support part forms a protruding engagement member which facilitates catching of the insert member without engaging the sound path during removal of the insert member.

2 . A hearing aid according to claim 1 , wherein the protruding engagement member forms a first flange extending radially outwardly for arrangement against the housing.

3 . A hearing aid according to claim 1 , wherein the sound channel is formed in an elongated member extending outwardly form the housing, and wherein the protruding engagement member is formed by the support part having a radial dimension being larger than a radial dimension at an outer end of the elongated member.

4 . A hearing aid according to claim 1 , wherein the protruding engagement member is formed as an extension to the support part.

5 . A hearing aid according to claim 1 , wherein the sound channel defines a centre axis extending in a longitudinal direction between the housing and the sound opening, and wherein a first radial dimension of the housing relative to the centre axis, and a second radial dimension of the sound channel relative to the centre axis facilitates arrangement of the sound channel and the housing against a plane surface such that the angle of the centre axis to the plane surface is below 60 degrees.

6 . A hearing aid according to claim 1 , wherein the insert part is configured to be retained in the sound channel by friction between an outer surface of the insert part and an inner surface of the sound channel.

7 . A hearing aid according to claim 1 , wherein an outer circumference of the insert member is substantially symmetrically in the longitudinal direction.

8 . A hearing aid according to claim 1 , wherein the sound channel has a length in the longitudinal direction in the range of 0.5-80 mm.

9 . A hearing aid according to claim 1 , wherein the sound channel comprises a radially outwardly extending edge forming an outer end.

10 . A hearing aid according to claim 1 , wherein the insert member comprises a second flange extending radially outwardly.

11 . A hearing aid according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one opening in the retention member is transverse to the longitudinal direction.

12 . A hearing aid according to claim 1 , wherein the retention member comprises at least one of a membrane and a retention part made from a porous material.

13 . A hearing aid according to claim 1 , further comprising an enclosure to retain wax.

14 . A hearing aid according to claim 1 , wherein the retention member is substantially disc-shaped and is arranged substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal direction.

15 . A hearing aid according to claim 1 , wherein the retention member comprises at least two parts being symmetrically arranged in the insert member.

16 . A hearing aid according to claim 15 , wherein the symmetrically arranged parts are parallel along at least a part hereof

17 . (canceled)

18 . A hearing aid according to claim 1 , wherein the insert part comprises at least one outwardly extending edge configured to be arranged in contact with an inner surface of the sound channel.

19 . A hearing aid according to claim 1 , further comprising a connector housing configured to be connected to a behind-the-ear part of the hearing aid, and an elongated tube configured for transfer of a signal from the connector housing to the housing, wherein the housing and the connector housing are attached to opposite ends of the elongated tube.

20 . An insertion tool for insertion of an insert member into a hearing aid, the hearing aid comprising a housing for positioning in or at an ear canal of a user and a transducer, the housing having a sound channel extending in a longitudinal direction and terminating in a sound opening, the transducer located in the housing and configured for transducing sound at the sound opening, the insertion tool comprising:
a holding member to retain the insert members; and a guide configured to engage an outer surface of the housing to facilitate alignment of the insert member and the sound channel.

21 - 36 . (canceled)

37 . An insert member for insertion into a sound channel of a hearing aid, the insert member comprising:
an insert part for insertion into the sound channel; and a support part for arrangement against an outer surface of the hearing aid, the insert member forming a sound path from a first sound opening to a second sound opening, the first sound opening being arranged in the insert part and the second sound opening being arranged in the support part outside the sound channel, and wherein the insert part comprises a retention member for retention of wax, the retention member comprising at least one opening, and wherein the support part forms an engagement member which facilitates catching of the insert member without engaging the sound path during removal of the insert member from the hearing aid.

38 - 41 . (canceled)

Assignees

• Sonion Nederland Bv

Inventors

• Van Den Berg Konrad
• Hijman Jan
• Cohen-Stuart Thomas A
• Vos Ewian
• Cabrera Andrés Alberto Alvarez
• Brouwer Theodorus Geradus Maria
• Andersen Asger Soelberg

Classifications

• H04R25/65

  Housing parts, e.g. shells, tips or moulds, or their manufacture · CPC title

• H04R25/654 Primary

  Ear wax retarders · CPC title

• H04R2460/09

  Non-occlusive ear tips, i.e. leaving the ear canal open, for both custom and non-custom tips (H04R2460/11 takes precedence) · 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

• H04R25/60

  Mounting or interconnection of hearing aid parts, e.g. inside tips, housings or to ossicles (ear wax retarders, e.g. mounting thereof H04R25/654) · CPC title