Hearing prosthesis accessory

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9398384-B2
Application number	US-201414546030-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 18, 2014
Priority date	Dec 11, 2013
Publication date	Jul 19, 2016
Grant date	Jul 19, 2016

Abstract

Embodiments presented herein are generally directed to a protective sleeve for an external component of a hearing prosthesis. The protective sleeve comprises a base plug configured to be inserted into a main body. The main body and base plug are each primarily formed from a substantially flexible material and each comprises one or more substantially rigid members. When the base plug is inserted into the main body the substantially rigid members operate to deform a portion of substantially flexible material forming part of the main body or base plug to seal the base plug to the main body.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A protective sleeve for a hearing prosthesis sound processor, comprising:
a shell formed from a substantially flexible material;
a plug port in the shell that is surrounded by a portion of the substantially flexible material; and
a substantially rigid port ring disposed around the portion of the substantially flexible material surrounding the plug port,
wherein when a plug is inserted into the plug port, the port ring operates with the plug to deform the portion of the substantially flexible material surrounding the plug port to seal the plug in the shell.

2. The protective sleeve of claim 1 , wherein the shell comprises:
a main body formed from the flexible material having the rigid port ring integrated therein; and
a base plug formed from the substantially flexible material and configured to be inserted into a base opening of the main body to seal the sound processor in the main body.

3. The protective sleeve of claim 2 , wherein the main body includes a substantially rigid base ring surrounding the base opening, and wherein the base plug comprises a substantially rigid plug ring surrounded by a portion of the substantially flexible material such that when the base plug is inserted into the main body, the base ring operates with the plug ring to deform the portion of substantially flexible material surrounding the plug ring to seal the base plug to the main body.

4. The protective sleeve of claim 1 , wherein the shell comprises:
a substantially rigid ear hook integrated with the shell.

5. The protective sleeve of claim 1 , wherein the shell is shaped so as to be substantially form fitting to a behind-the-ear sound processor.

6. The protective sleeve of claim 1 , wherein an inner surface of the main body includes a plurality of dimples.

7. The protective sleeve of claim 6 , wherein the plurality of dimples and areas of the inner surface of the main body between the plurality of dimples are textured.

8. A protective sleeve for a behind-the-ear sound processor of a hearing prosthesis, comprising:
a main body formed from a substantially flexible material having a base opening configured to receive the behind-the-ear sound processor;
a substantially rigid ear hook integrated with the main body; and
a base plug formed from the substantially flexible material and configured to be inserted into the base opening to seal the behind-the-ear sound processor in the main body,
wherein an inner surface of the main body includes a plurality of dimples.

9. The protective sleeve of claim 8 , wherein the main body includes a substantially rigid base ring surrounding the base opening, and wherein the base plug comprises a substantially rigid plug ring surrounded by a portion of the substantially flexible material such that when the base plug is inserted into the main body, the base ring operates with the plug ring to deform the portion of substantially flexible material surrounding the plug ring to seal the base plug to the main body.

10. The protective sleeve of claim 8 , wherein the main body comprises:
a plug port surrounded by a portion of the substantially flexible material; and
a substantially rigid port ring disposed around the portion of the substantially flexible material surrounding the plug port,
wherein when a plug is inserted into the plug port, the port ring operates with the plug to deform the portion of the substantially flexible material surrounding the plug port to seal the plug in the main body.

11. The protective sleeve of claim 8 , wherein the main body is shaped so as to be substantially form fitting to the behind-the-ear sound processor.

12. The protective sleeve of claim 8 , wherein the plurality of dimples and areas of the inner surface of the main body between the plurality of dimples are textured.

13. A protective sleeve for a hearing prosthesis sound processor, comprising:
a substantially flexible main body having a base opening and integrated with a rigid base ring disposed around the base opening; and
a substantially flexible base plug integrated with a rigid plug ring and configured to be inserted into the base opening,
wherein when the base plug is inserted into the base opening, the rigid plug ring operates with the rigid base ring to compress one or more of the main body or the base plug to seal the sound processor in the protective sleeve.

14. The protective sleeve of claim 13 , wherein the main body includes an elongate first section shaped to receive a behind-the-ear sound processor.

15. The protective sleeve of claim 14 , wherein the first elongate section is shaped so as to be substantially form fitting to the behind-the-ear sound processor.

16. The protective sleeve of claim 14 , wherein the main body further includes a second section in which a substantially rigid ear hook is permanently disposed.

17. The protective sleeve of claim 13 , wherein the main body and base plug comprise first and second mating halves, respectively, configured to enclose a button processor.

18. The protective sleeve of claim 13 , wherein the main body comprises:
a plug port surrounded by a portion of substantially flexible material forming the main body; and
a substantially rigid port ring disposed around the portion of the substantially flexible material surrounding the plug port,
wherein when a plug is inserted into the plug port, the port ring operates with the plug to deform the portion of the substantially flexible material surrounding the plug port to seal the plug in the main body.

19. The protective sleeve of claim 13 , wherein inner surfaces of one or more of the main body and base plug include a plurality of dimples.

Assignees

• Cochlear Ltd

Inventors

• Harte David
• Jurkiewicz Taduesz
• Ilic Slobodan
• Yoo Hans

Classifications

• H04R25/658

  Manufacture of housing parts · CPC title

• H04R2225/49

  Reducing the effects of electromagnetic noise on the functioning of hearing aids, by, e.g. shielding, signal processing adaptation, selective (de)activation of electronic parts in hearing aid · CPC title

• H04R2225/53

  Hearing aid for unilateral hearing impairment using Contralateral Routing Of Signals [CROS] · CPC title

• H04R2225/0213

  Constructional details of earhooks, e.g. shape, material · CPC title

• H04R25/65 Primary

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