GB2070890A

GB2070890A - Hearing aids

Info

Publication number: GB2070890A
Application number: GB8101781A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1980-02-13
Filing date: 1981-01-21
Publication date: 1981-09-09
Also published as: IT8030644V0; FR2475389B3; FR2475389A3

Abstract

The invention discloses a hearing aid adapted to be received within or substantially within the outer ear cavity of the wearer, comprising a housing (2, 4) of non-corrodible metal, shaped so as to follow the contours of the outer ear cavity, said housing containing amplification means and a power source (10), at least part of said amplification means being enclosed within the housing by means of an end place (8) of moulded plastics material. A method of manufacturing the housing by forming a shell (2) of metallic silver upon a wax impression with subsequent plating in gold (4) is described. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIr-ICATION Improvements in cr uelatilpj BBP heanng aids The :n%?ntion is concerned with improvements in or relating io hearing aids.

The invention provides a hearing aid adapted to be received within or substantially within the outer ear cavity of the wearer, comprising a housing of non corrodible metal, shaped so as to follow the con tours of the outer ear cavity, said housing containing sound amplification means including a microphone, a receiver, and a power source, at least part of said amplification means being enclosed within the hous ing by means of an end plate of moulded plastics material.

Conveniently, the housing may also comprise ventilation means and includes means to prevent the ingress of cerumen. Advantageously, the housing is formed from a gold-plated shell of metallic silver.

Conveniently the power source is a battery which may be replaceably received in a recess in said end plate.

The invention further provides a method of man ufacturing the housing comprised in the hearing aid, comprising the steps of taking a wax impression of the outer ear cavity of the wearing and forming around the wax impression a layer of silver metal by an electrolytic technique, removing the wax impres sion to leave a silver shell and coating the silver shell with a layer of gold deposited by an electrolytic plat ing technique.

There will now be described an example of a hear ing aid according to the invention. It will be under stood that the description, which is to be read with reference to the accompanying drawings, is given by way of example only and not by way of limitation.

In the drawings: Figure 1 is perspective view of a hearing aid according to the invention; Figure 2 is a perspective view of the aid ready for use; and Figure 3 is a sectional view showing the hollow chamber within the hearing aid.

The hearing aid comprises a housing comprising a shell 2 of silver metal having an outer gold-plated surface 4. The contours of the shell 2 corresponding with those of the outer ear cavity of the intended wearer.

A moulded end plate 6 of flesh-coloured plastics material in the present example, a cold-formed acrylic resin is received in the mouth ofthe housing and is provided with a recess 8, to receive a power source in the form of a battery 10, and a pivotable cover 12, which when closed into its dotted line posi tion, retains the battery in place, and prevents the ingress of cerumen wax. A potentiometer is pro vided at 14, for use as a volume control.

The shell 2 and end plate 6 define a hollow chamber 16 in which are received sound amplifica tion means (not shown) and as shown in Figure 2, a microphone 18 is secured to the plate 6 at 20 so as to collect sounds to be amplified by the hearing aid.

The method of p.- d3ucing the housing will now be described. A wax impression of the wearer's outer ear cavity is placed in an electrolytic silver plating bath until a deposit of sufficient strength and thickness is formed to retain its shape and rigidity when the wax impression is removed. The shell 2 so formed is then buffed and polished and placed in an electrolytic gold plating bath and silver receives a plating layer of gold 4. It will be understood that the selection of the metals gold and silver in the example is merely for convenience and other noble (i.e.

non-corrodible) metals may be used as required.

Various modifications may be made within the scope of the invention as defined in the following

claims.

CLAIMS 1. A hearing aid adapted to be received within or substantially within the outer ear cavity of the wearer, comprising a housing of non-corrodible metal, shaped so as to follow the contours of the outer ear cavity, said housing containing sound amplification means including a microphone, a receiver and a power source, at least part of said amplification means being enclosed within the housing by means of an end plate of moulded plastics material.

2. An aid as claimed in claim 1 wherein the housing is a gold-plated shell of metallic silver.

3. An aid as claimed in either of the receding claims wherein the end-plate includes a recess to receive the power source.

4. An aid as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein there is provided ventilation means.

5. A method of manufacturing the housing of the hearing aid as claimed in claim 1, comprising the steps of taking a wax impression of the outer ear cavity of the wearing and forming around the wax impression a layer of silver metal by an electrolytic technique, removing the wax impression to leave a silver shell and coating the silver shell with a layer of gold deposited by an electrolytic plating technique.

6. A method according to claim 5 wherein the metallic silver shell is buffed and polished priorto receiving the plated layer of gold.

7. A hearing aid constructed and arranged sub stantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the drawings.

8. A method of manufacturing a housing for incorporation into the hearing aid of claim 7, substantially as hereinbefore described.

The drawings originally filed were informal and the print here reproduced is taken from a later filed formal copy.

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. SPECIr-ICATION Improvements in cr uelatilpj BBP heanng aids The :n%?ntion is concerned with improvements in or relating io hearing aids. The invention provides a hearing aid adapted to be received within or substantially within the outer ear cavity of the wearer, comprising a housing of non corrodible metal, shaped so as to follow the con tours of the outer ear cavity, said housing containing sound amplification means including a microphone, a receiver, and a power source, at least part of said amplification means being enclosed within the hous ing by means of an end plate of moulded plastics material. Conveniently, the housing may also comprise ventilation means and includes means to prevent the ingress of cerumen. Advantageously, the housing is formed from a gold-plated shell of metallic silver. Conveniently the power source is a battery which may be replaceably received in a recess in said end plate. The invention further provides a method of man ufacturing the housing comprised in the hearing aid, comprising the steps of taking a wax impression of the outer ear cavity of the wearing and forming around the wax impression a layer of silver metal by an electrolytic technique, removing the wax impres sion to leave a silver shell and coating the silver shell with a layer of gold deposited by an electrolytic plat ing technique. There will now be described an example of a hear ing aid according to the invention. It will be under stood that the description, which is to be read with reference to the accompanying drawings, is given by way of example only and not by way of limitation. In the drawings: Figure 1 is perspective view of a hearing aid according to the invention; Figure 2 is a perspective view of the aid ready for use; and Figure 3 is a sectional view showing the hollow chamber within the hearing aid. The hearing aid comprises a housing comprising a shell 2 of silver metal having an outer gold-plated surface 4. The contours of the shell 2 corresponding with those of the outer ear cavity of the intended wearer. A moulded end plate 6 of flesh-coloured plastics material in the present example, a cold-formed acrylic resin is received in the mouth ofthe housing and is provided with a recess 8, to receive a power source in the form of a battery 10, and a pivotable cover 12, which when closed into its dotted line posi tion, retains the battery in place, and prevents the ingress of cerumen wax. A potentiometer is pro vided at 14, for use as a volume control. The shell 2 and end plate 6 define a hollow chamber 16 in which are received sound amplifica tion means (not shown) and as shown in Figure 2, a microphone 18 is secured to the plate 6 at 20 so as to collect sounds to be amplified by the hearing aid. The method of p.- d3ucing the housing will now be described. A wax impression of the wearer's outer ear cavity is placed in an electrolytic silver plating bath until a deposit of sufficient strength and thickness is formed to retain its shape and rigidity when the wax impression is removed. The shell 2 so formed is then buffed and polished and placed in an electrolytic gold plating bath and silver receives a plating layer of gold 4. It will be understood that the selection of the metals gold and silver in the example is merely for convenience and other noble (i.e. non-corrodible) metals may be used as required. Various modifications may be made within the scope of the invention as defined in the following claims. CLAIMS

1. A hearing aid adapted to be received within or substantially within the outer ear cavity of the wearer, comprising a housing of non-corrodible metal, shaped so as to follow the contours of the outer ear cavity, said housing containing sound amplification means including a microphone, a receiver and a power source, at least part of said amplification means being enclosed within the housing by means of an end plate of moulded plastics material.