FR2560520A1 - ANTI-CERUMEN BARRIER SYSTEM FOR INDIVIDUAL EARPHONES - Google Patents

Abstract

THE INVENTION RELATES TO A SYSTEM FORMING ANTI-CERUMEN BARRIER, FOR PERSONAL HEADPHONES. THIS SYSTEM 10 IS INTENDED TO PREVENT DAMAGE FLOW OF CERUMEN TO THE INTERNAL COMPONENTS OF AN INDIVIDUAL EARPHONE. THIS SYSTEM INCLUDES A SOUND PASSAGE DUCT 28, A SOFT PROTECTOR 36 AND A RETAINING RING 38. THE SOFT PROTECTOR IS HELD AT HOME BY THE RETAINING RING NEAR THE SOUND PASSING DUCT. THIS PROTECTOR 36 ALLOWS SOUNDS TO SPREAD OUT OF THE EARPHONE, BUT EFFECTIVELY PREVENTS CERUMEN FROM ENTERING THE PASSAGE DUCT 28. APPLICATION TO PORTABLE RECEIVERS AND HEARING AIDS.

Description

The present invention relates generally to

  to a system for retaining a flow of wax and, more particularly, to a system for preventing ear wax from entering the sound path and the individual earphone receiver engaged.

in the ear.

  Many individual auxiliary headphones include

  a shell that contains the components of the

  and remain inside the ear canal of a user. These components consist of a receiver and a sound path that connects

  receiver to said shell. Electrical signals represent

  the sounds are delivered to the receiver by other components incorporated in the earpiece and, accordingly, said receiver restores the sounds. While walking through the conduit and the shell, the sound spreads the receiver

  to the ear canal and the eardrum of the user.

  The ears of most users secrete

  naturally, a substance termed "ear wax" or "cerumen". Although this cerumen has the function of cleaning the internal structure of the ear, it also tends to flow into the duct of the ear.

  passage of sounds and in the receiver of the earpiece indi-

  vidual. When it reaches the receiver, this ear wax hinders or even prevents proper operation of said receiver. Therefore, the individual earpiece may require complete disassembly for its receiver to be cleaned or replaced. Of course, the fact of entrusting the individual earpiece to a specialized store for such disassembly involves both inconvenience and expense

for the user.

  Unfortunately, the systems currently available

  are insufficiently adequate to prevent accumu-

  Earwax in the sound path and in the receiver of an individual earpiece. For example,

  some individual earphones do not have any

  wax protection. Other conventional systems may include a rigid metal screen which is not able to effectively stop the flow of cerumen into the receiver and which must be periodically cleaned.

  carefully using a special tool.

  The main object of the present invention is to provide an anti-wax system fitted to an individual earpiece. This earpiece has a shell having an inner surface that surrounds a cavity defined by

  said shell, as well as an outer surface which is exposed

  to a region relegated to the outside of the earpiece.

  The shell also has an orifice between the outer and inner surfaces. In addition, a receiver pierced with an outlet orifice is housed in said cavity. A sound path connects the receiver output port and the earphone port, so that the sound

  can propagate from said receiver to the outer region.

  The sound path has a longitudinal axis

  nal and a substantially perpendicular transverse zone

to this axis.

  The anti-wax system is equipped with a structure

  described as "protective", which is

  inserted into the earphone hole. This auto protector

  for the most part the sound to propagate from his leads

  crossing to the outer region. In addition, the

  tector significantly prevents earwax from flowing back from

  outer region into said conduit.

  The section of the flexible protector is larger than the section of the passageway

  sounds. In addition, a retaining ring is attached to the original

  the earpiece between the soft protector and the outer region. This retaining ring defines an opening whose section has a smaller dimension than that of the section of the protector. As a result, this ring holds

  the flexible protector inside the mouth of the ear

tor.

25605 0

  Thus, an object of the present invention is a

  advanced anti-wax system for individual headphones

  duels. Another object of this invention is to provide an anti-eruption system that is more effective and less expensive.

  The invention also aims to propose an anti-

  earwax equipped with a softer and safer protector that collects earwax and can then be easily removed,

  discarded and replaced by another protector.

  The invention will now be described in more detail by way of non-limiting example, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the shell and the receiver of the individual earphone used in the present invention; Figure 2 is a vertical section of the preferred embodiment of the invention, taken along line 2-2 of Figure 1; and FIG. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary longitudinal section showing the sound path, the flexible protector and the retaining ring of the preferred embodiment illustrated in FIG.

figure 2.

  In FIGS. 1 to 3, the preferred embodiment

  of the invention is represented as a system

  perfected me anti-cerumen barrier, designated generally by 10 and equipping an individual earphone

  engaged in the ear and identified by reference 12.

  Such individual earphones often have a

  shell or shell 14 made of plastic. This shell

  the 14 comprises an inner surface 16, an outer surface 18 and an orifice 20. The inner surface 16 delimits a

  internal cavity 22 in the shell 14.

  The outer surface 18 is exposed to a region 24 relegated to the outside of the earpiece 12. The orifice 20 of this earpiece extends between the inner surfaces 16 and

  18 of the shell 14. This orifice 20 is

  cylindrical figuration, its length between said surfaces

  internal 16 and outer 18 is about 1.5 mm and its di-

meter measures approximately 2.8 mm.

  In the preferred embodiment, cavitation

  The inner portion 22 of the casing 14 encloses the components of the earpiece 12, such as a receiver 26, a sound passage 28 and a packing material 30. The

  receiver 26 has a protruding outlet port 32.

  The sound is propagated from the receiver 26 through its outlet port 32. The packing material 30 substantially fills a portion of the internal cavity 22 and

  it gently receives the receiver 26.

  The conduit 28 for the passage of sounds is a hollow channel of substantially cylindrical shape. This conduit 28 connects the outlet port 32 of the receiver 26 to the port 20 of the earpiece. This duct may, for example, be constituted by a tube or, as in the preferred embodiment, by a discontinuity of the packing material 30 between the outlet orifice 32 and the orifice 20.

of the earpiece.

  The sound passage 28 has a longitudinal axis 34 between the outlet orifice 32 of the receiver 26 and the orifice 20 of the earpiece. This axis passes exactly through the center of the duct 28 and is shown to be rectilinear. Naturally, said duct 28 can be of any non-rectilinear configuration and, in this case, the axis 34 extending from top to bottom at

  center of said duct 28 would be non-rectilinear.

  In the preferred embodiment illus-

  in FIG. 3, the transverse zone of the duct 28

  sound is perpendicular to the longitudinal axis.

  dinal 34 and it has a predetermined circular shape.

  The diameter of this circular zone is about 1.3 mm.

  The anti-wax system also includes a structure

  soft and porous structure hereinafter referred to as' protective

  flexible "36, and a cup or retaining ring 38.

  The flexible protector 36 consists of a cylindrical disc

  in open-cell polyurethane. Although the use

  A large variety of foams of this type are suitable for the present invention. The Applicant has found that "Scott Industrial Foam", manufactured by the "Foam Division" of the "Scott Paper Company", 1500 East

  Second Street, Chester, Pennsylvania 19013, gives satisfactory

  tion. Such a foam having a density of about 80 pores per 25.4 mm unit has been found to be adequate. This

  foam can allow the sound to pass through without

  noticeable difference, while resisting the flow of

  men crossing it. In addition, the softness, lightness and flexibility of this foam make it well suited for use inside the human ear. same

  if it "falls" into the auditory canal, its flexibility

  noticeably irritate or skin the skin or organs of the inner ear. In addition, this foam is "chemically inert". Therefore, she is not

  negatively affected by body acids, trans-

piration or mild soaps.

  In the preferred embodiment, the

  Flexible cylindrical nozzle 36 has, between the inner 16 and outer 18 surfaces of the shell 14, a thickness of about 0.8 mm. The diameter of the cross section of this flexible protector 36 is approximately 2 mm. The flexible protector 36 is introduced into the orifice 20 of the earpiece by abutting both against the conduit 28 for the passage of sounds and tale the packing material 30 inside the internal cavity 22 of the shell 14. Since the diameter of this protector 36 is about 0.8 mm larger than the cross sectional dimension (diameter)

  duct 28, said protector 36 is prevented from

  in said conduit 28 or in the outlet port 32

receiver 26.

  The total outer diameter of the retaining ring 38 is about 2.8 mm and this ring is subject to

  the port 20 of the earpiece mainly between the

  flexible tector 36 and the outer region 2A. Fixing this ring 38 can be permanent by sticking said ring, in the orifice 20 of the earpiece, with a

  strong glue 40, such as cyanacrylate.

  In the preferred embodiment, the retaining ring 38 consists of a single piece

  of substantially annular configuration. As an illustration

  However, this ring 38 may be considered to comprise an upper zone 42 adjacent to the sound passage 28 and to the lining material 30, as well as an inner zone 44 contiguous to the region.

  24. The thickness of the upper zone 42 is approximately

  about 0.8 mm, which roughly corresponds to the

  thickness of the flexible protector 36, and this area defines a central opening 46 whose diameter is about 2 mm, which roughly corresponds to the diameter of said protector 36. Thus, this protector 36 is housed in the central opening 46 of the zone superior 42 of the

retaining ring 38.

  The lower zone 44 of the retaining ring 38 abuts against its upper zone 42 and its thickness is also about 0.8 mm. However, said lower zone 44 defines at least one central opening 48 whose diameter is only about 1.5 mm. In this way, the upper 42 and lower 44 zones of the ring 38 can jointly define a retaining recess 50 for

  prevent the flexible protector 36 from slipping out of the ear

  12 to reach the outer region 24.

  In addition, the lower zone 44 of the ring 38 also has a frustoconical outer edge 52 which decreases in section away from the longitudinal axis 34 of the passage 28 of sounds. This frustoconical edge 52 forms a progressive transition between the central opening and the

external region 24.

  In use, the individual earpiece 12 is introduced into the ear canal of the user's ear with its orifice 20 facing the eardrum. The sound comes from the receiver 26 via its output port

  32. This sound travels through line 28 and passes through the

  flexible driver 36 to reach the outer region 24

  corresponding to the ear canal and the eardrum of the

sateur.

  Earwax can flow into port 20 of

  headphone, but the flexible protector 36 effectively prevents it

  to enter the passage 28 of sound

  and in the outlet port 32 of the receiver 26.

  che, this flexible protector 36 collects cerumen.

  After the flexible protector 36 has collected the

  men, the individual earpiece 12 can be removed from the ear.

  An instrument such as simple tweezers (not shown

  tees) can then be engaged in the orifice 20 of said

  earphone to grab the protector.souple 36 and remove it.

  The soiled protector can then be discarded and a new

  Immaculate protective calf 36 can be inserted into the upper zone 42 of the retaining ring 38. The earpiece 12 is then ready for further use, without fear of earwax intruding into the receiver.

  26 to obstruct or damage it.

  A preferred embodiment of the present invention has been described herein. However, it goes without saying that many modifications can be made to the system described and shown, without leaving the

framework of the invention.

  For example, the thickness and density of the flexible protector 36 may vary so that the protector modifies or attenuates, in a predetermined desired manner, the sound

  from the earphone 12. In addition, the embodiment

  described above illustrates the shell 14 and the retaining ring 38 as separate elements. It will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art that, for example, said shell 14 and said ring 38 could also

  constitute a single one-piece assembly.

Claims (5)

  1. Wax barrier system and equipping an individual earpiece, the earpiece having a shell which includes an inner surface surrounding an inner cavity of said shell, and an outer surface adjacent to an outer region of said earpiece,   characterized in that it comprises, in combination with   naison, an orifice (20) between said outer (18) and inner (16) surfaces of said shell (14), said orifice having a longitudinal axis (34) extending from said internal cavity (22) and gaining said outer region (24). )   and a substantially perpendicular transverse zone   re auditing longitudinal axis; a receiver (26) housed in said internal cavity (22) of said shell (14), said receiver being pierced with an acoustic output port (32); a sound passage (28) which connects said output port (32) of said receiver (26) to said earphone port (20), the sound being propagatable from said output port (32) to said external region (24) by traversing said duct (28) and said orifice (20) of the earpiece, said outlet orifice, said sound passage and said earpiece orifice defining a longitudinal axis and said duct having a transverse zone substantially perpendicular to said longitudinal axis (34); a flexible protector (36) inserted into said earphone port (20) to substantially allow sound to propagate from said receiver (26) and said conduit (28) to said outer region (24), and to effectively preventing cerumen from flowing from said outer region (24) into said conduit (28) and into said receiver (26), said flexible protector (36) having a larger cross-sectional area than that of the cross section of said passage conduit (28); 10 and a retaining ring (38) attached to said earpiece port (20) between said flexible shield (36) and said outer region (24) for retaining the flexible shield within the the earpiece, said retaining ring defining a first opening (48) having a first transverse dimension smaller than said   transverse dimension of said flexible protector (36).   2. System according to claim 1, characterized in that the retaining ring (38) comprises upper (42) and lower (44) zones, said lower zone (44) being substantially adjacent to the outer region (24) and defining the first opening (48) having the aforementioned first transverse dimension, while said upper zone (42) is substantially adjacent to the internal cavity (22) and delimits a second opening (46) having a second transverse dimension, this second   transverse dimension being larger than said first   transverse dimension, and said upper and lower zones   lower part (42, 44) of said retaining ring (38) defining   together with a retaining recess (50) for holding the flexible protector (36) within the orifice (20) of the earphone.   3. System according to one of claims 1 and 2,   characterized by the fact that the flexible protector (36)   consists of an open cell polyurethane foam.   4. System according to one of claims 1 and 2,   characterized in that the retaining ring (38) is   glued inside the orifice (20) of the earphone.   5. System according to one of claims 1 and 2,   characterized in that the retaining ring (38) is formed by the shell (14).