US3374318A - Wax guard for hearing aids - Google Patents

Wax guard for hearing aids Download PDF

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Publication number
US3374318A
US3374318A US444551A US44455165A US3374318A US 3374318 A US3374318 A US 3374318A US 444551 A US444551 A US 444551A US 44455165 A US44455165 A US 44455165A US 3374318 A US3374318 A US 3374318A
Authority
US
United States
Prior art keywords
boot
sound
aperture
cover member
receiver
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Expired - Lifetime
Application number
US444551A
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English (en)
Inventor
Richard T Martin
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Miracle Ear Inc
Original Assignee
Dahlberg Electronics Inc
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Dahlberg Electronics Inc filed Critical Dahlberg Electronics Inc
Priority to US444551A priority Critical patent/US3374318A/en
Priority to DED48739A priority patent/DE1259951B/de
Priority to CH1675365A priority patent/CH444916A/de
Priority to ES0320326A priority patent/ES320326A1/es
Priority to DK646365AA priority patent/DK130610B/da
Priority to NL6603664A priority patent/NL6603664A/xx
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of US3374318A publication Critical patent/US3374318A/en
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical
Expired - Lifetime legal-status Critical Current

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Classifications

    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04R—LOUDSPEAKERS, MICROPHONES, GRAMOPHONE PICK-UPS OR LIKE ACOUSTIC ELECTROMECHANICAL TRANSDUCERS; DEAF-AID SETS; PUBLIC ADDRESS SYSTEMS
    • H04R25/00—Deaf-aid sets, i.e. electro-acoustic or electro-mechanical hearing aids; Electric tinnitus maskers providing an auditory perception
    • H04R25/65—Housing parts, e.g. shells, tips or moulds, or their manufacture
    • H04R25/652—Ear tips; Ear moulds
    • H04R25/654—Ear wax retarders

Definitions

  • Emmett N. Kuklock assigned to the.
  • Both the co-pending K-uklock invention, as well as the present invention, are used in conjunction with in-the-ear hearing aids which comprise a housing containing a microphone and an amplifier and which is adapted to be fitted into the ear of the user.
  • a soft resilient hollow boot extends outwardly from the housing and is inserted in the ear canal of the user with the extended end of the boot adjacent to the users eardrum.
  • An elongated receiver member which is connected to the output of the amplifier and which produces an acoustic output at its extended end.
  • a sound-emitting aperture extends through the extended end of the resilient boot so that the acoustic output of the receiver is always travelling in the same acoustic medium, that is, air.
  • the wax-retarder baifle disclosed in the co-pending 'Kuklock invention solved the problem of earwax clogging the receiver output; however, the cleaning or replacing of the baflle of the co-pending Kuklock invention was rather troublesome, and in addition, due to the small size of the bafile, the users often lost the baflie when it was removed for cleaning.
  • the present invention provides a novel wax guard cover for the sound-emitting aperture of the hearing aid boot, the novel cover allowing acoustic transmission entirely in air under normal hearing aid use, and yet which completely seals off the sound-emitting aperture of the boot when the cover is under pressure by any obstruction, such as compacted earwax, within the ear canal of the user.
  • the invention comprises a generally U- shaped cover retainer, the base of the 'U forming a head member which is positioned in the sound-emitting aperture of the hearing aid resilient boot.
  • the sides, or arms, of the U-shaped cover retainer are mounted inside of the hollow boot with each of the arms contacting'opposite exterior surfaces of the hearing aid receiver and opposite interior surfaces of the hollow resilient boot. In this manner the head portion of the U-shaped retainer is held in the sound-emitting aperture of the resilient boot.
  • the head member of the retainer has a central aperture extending along an axis therethrough, the walls of the central aperture forming a double taper; that is, the walls of the central aperture taper inwardly from the outer surface thereof to a minimum dimension within the aper- Patented Mar. 19, 1968 ice ture, and then taper outwardly from the minimum dimension to the aperture output.
  • the head member has sound-emitting apertures extending therethrough, one sound-emitting aperture being positioned on each side of the central aperture.
  • a cover member generally in the shape of a spherical segment, has a stud centrally mounted to the flat side thereof, the stud extending outwardly from the flat side of the cover.
  • the extended end of the stud is formed generally inthe shape of a ball having a diameter slightly greater than the minimum dimension of the central aperture of the head member formed by the double tapered aperture walls.
  • the cover member has four quadrantly spaced ridges mounted to the flat side thereof, each of the ridges extending outwardly from the stud.
  • the ball portion of the stud When in use, the ball portion of the stud is snapped into the central aperture of the retainer head member.
  • the length of the stud is designed so that there is axial movement of the stud within the central aperture of the retainer head member, and the ridges on the flat face of the cover member rest on the outer surface of the hearing aid resilient boot adjacent the sound-emitting aperture.
  • the cover member When an obstruction in the users ear canal presses against the outer surface of the cover member, the cover member is moved toward the resilient boot until it comes in contact therewith and completely closes the soundemitting aperture.
  • Another object of this invention is to provide a wax guard for an in-the-ear hearing aid which is easy to clean.
  • a further object of this invention is to provide a wax guard for an in-the-ear hearing aid which includes a cover member mounted so as to overlie the sound-emitting aperture of the hearing aid boot and which is spaced from the output end thereof to allow the acoustic energy from the hearing aid receiver to travel in an air medium; the cover member being movable to a position where it completely closes the sound-emitting aperture.
  • FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an in-the-ear hearing aid embodying the present invention
  • FIG. 2 is an exploded view of the present invention shown in perspective
  • FIG. 3 is an enlarged view in perspective of the cover member of the present invention.
  • FIG. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary view in side elevation of the boot and cover member of the present invention.
  • FIG. 5 is an enlarged sectional View as seen from the line 5-5 of FIG. 1;
  • FIG. 6 is an enlarged sectional view as seen from the line 6- 6 of FIG. 1, parts thereof being broken away and shown in section.
  • a hearing aid 10 comprising a housing 11 adapted to be worn in the external ear of the user.
  • Housing 11 has a microphone, an amplifier, and a source of energizing potential, such as a battery (not shown), mounted therein, the microphone being mounted adjacent a microphone grill opening 12 in housing 11.
  • An elongated resilient hollow boot 13 extends outward- 1y from the interior of housing 11, boot 13 being formed from rubber, or other suitable soft resilient material and having a sound-emitting aperture 14 in the extended end thereof.
  • An elongated receiver member has an acoustic output aperture 16 at one end thereof, receiver 15 being capable of producing an acoustic output when energized.
  • Receiver 15 further has opposite side surfaces 17 and 18.
  • a generally U-shaped cover retainer member is indicated by the numeral 20.
  • the base portion of the generally U-shaped retainer member 20 forms a head member 21, which has a central aperture 22 extending along an axis therethrough.
  • the walls of the central aperture 22 are double tapered; that is, the portion of the aperture wall 23 tapers inwardly to a minimum dimension at 24 Within the central aperture, while the aperture wall portion 25 tapers outwardly from the minimum dimension 24 to the output end of aperture 22.
  • Head member 21 further has sound-emitting apertures 26 and 27 extending therethrough, sound-emitting apertures 26 and 27 being located on opposite sides of the central aperture 22.
  • the generally 'U-shaped retainer member 20 has sides, or arms, 30 and 31.
  • the retainer member 20 is positioned around receiver 15 so that the sides or arms 30 and 31 of the retainer member 20 contact the side walls 17 and 18, respectively, of receiver 15, the head member 21 of retainer member 20 being adjacent the acoustic output aperture 16 of receiver 15.
  • the receiver 15 and the retainer member 20 are mounted inside of the hollow resilient boot 13 with the head member 21 of the retainer member 20 being positioned in the sound-emitting aperture 14 of boot 13.
  • the resilient boot-covered receiver is adapted to be inserted in the ear canal of the user so that the sound-emitting apertures 26 and 27 of the retainer member 20 and the acoustic output aperture 16 of receiver 15 are adjacent the users eardrum.
  • a cover member 32 generally in the shape of a spherical segment, has a stud 33 mounted to the flat side of the spherical segment-shaped cover member, the stud extending outwardly therefrom.
  • the extended end of the stud 33 is generally in the shape of a ball 34 having a diameter slightly greater than the minimum dimension at the point 24 of the central aperture 22 of the head member 21.
  • the diameter of the flat side of the spherical segmentshaped cover 32 is slightly greater than the maximum dimension of the sound-emitting aperture 14 of the resilient hollow boot 13.
  • the ball-shaped portion 34 of stud 33 is snapped, or frictionally held, in the central aperture 22 of the head member 21.
  • the length of stud 33 is such that the ball 34 and stud 33 are axially movable in the central aperture 22, and in normal use the ridges 35 on the fiat face of the cover member 32 rest on the surface of the resilient boot 13 adjacent the sound-emitting aperture 14.
  • the ridges 35 hold the cover member 32 in an overlying spaced relationship with respect to the sound-emitting aperture 14 of boot 13, so that the acoustic output from the aperture 16 of receiver 15 travels through the soundemitting apertures 26 and 27 of head member 21 and out around the cover member 32 to the users eardrum.
  • the cover member 32 meets an obstruction, such as compacted earwax, indicated by dotted lines in FIG. 4, in the ear canal of the user, the pressure on the cover 32 will force the ridges 35 to compress the resilient boot 13 adjacent the sound-emitting aperture 14 and cause the cover 32 to bottom or contact the surface of boot 13. Since the diameter of the fiat side of the cover 32 is greater than the maximum dimension of the sound-emitting aperture 14, the sound-emitting aperture 14 will be completely closed thereby preventing earwax or other foreign matter from entering the sound-emitting aperture 14 and clogging the receiver output 16.
  • an obstruction such as compacted earwax, indicated by dotted lines in FIG. 4
  • the pressure on the cover 32 will force the ridges 35 to compress the resilient boot 13 adjacent the sound-emitting aperture 14 and cause the cover 32 to bottom or contact the surface of boot 13. Since the diameter of the fiat side of the cover 32 is greater than the maximum dimension of the sound-emitting aperture 14, the sound-emitting aperture 14 will be
  • the cover member 32 may be cleaned by pressing the cover member against the boot 13 and simultaneously wiping the external surface of the cover member 32.
  • An in-the-ear hearing aid comprising:
  • an elongated receiver member capable of produc ing an acoustic output from one end thereof, said receiver being mounted inside of said hollow boot so that the acoustic output end of said receiver is adjacent the sound-emitting aperture of said boot, said boot and receiver adapted for insertion in the ear canal of the user with the sound-emitting aperture adjacent the eardrum of the user;
  • a head member mounted within the sound-emitting aperture of said hollow boot and having a doubletapered central aperture extending along an axis therethrough, said head member further having a sound-emitting aperture therethrough;
  • An in-the-ear hearing aid comprising:
  • an elongated receiver member capable of producing an acoustic output from one end thereof, said receiver being mounted inside of said hollow boot so that the acoustic output end of said receiver is adjacent the sound-emitting aperture of said boot, said boot and receiver adapted for insertion in the ear canal of the user with the sound-emitting aperture adjacent the eardrum of the user;
  • a head member mounted within the sound-emitting aperture of said hollow boot, said head member having a central aperture and at least one sound-emitting aperture therethrough;
  • an in-the-ear hearing aid having an elongated hollow boot with a sound-emitting aperture in one end thereof and having an elongated receiver member capable of producing an acoustic output from one end thereof, mounted inside of said hollow boot so that the acoustic output end of said receiver is adjacent the sound-emitting aperture of said boot, said boot and receiver adapted for insertion in the .ear of a user with the sound-emitting aperture adjacent the eardrum of the user, the improvement comprising:
  • said ball being 'frictionally held in the doubletapered central aperture of said head member and being axially movable therein;
  • said ball being removably held in the doubletapered central aperture of said head member and being axially movable therein.
  • an in-the-ear hearing aid having an elongated boot with a sound-emitting aperture in one end thereof, said boot adapted for insertion in the ear canal of a user with the sound-emitting aperture adjacent the users eardrum, the improvement comprising:
  • An in-the-ear hearing aid wax guard assembly comprising:
  • said ball being frictionally held in the central aperture of said head member and being axially movable therein.
  • An in-the-ear hearing aid wax guard assembly comprising:
  • An in-the-ear hearing aid comprising:
  • an elongated receiver member capable of producing an acoustic output from one end thereof, said receiver being mounted inside of said hollow boot so that the acoustic output end of said receiver is adjacent the sound-emitting aperture of said boot, said boot and receiver adapted for insertion in the ear canal of the user with the sound-emitting aperture adjacent the eardrum of the user;
  • a head member mounted within the sound-emitting aperture of said hollow boot, said head member having a central aperture and at least one soundemitting aperture therethrough;
  • An in-the-ear hearing aid comprising:
  • a sound-emitting aperture an elongated receiver member capable of producing an acoustic output from one end thereof, said receiver being mounted inside of said hollow boot so that the acoustic output end of said receiver is adjacent the sound-emitting aperture of said boot, said boot and receiver adapted for insertion in the ear canal of the user with the sound-emitting aperture adjacent the eardrum of the user;
  • a head member mounted within the sound-emitting aperture of said hollow boot and having a central aperture extending along an axis therethrough, the walls of said central aperture tapering inwardly to a minimum dimension and then outwardly, said head member further having a sound-emitting aperture therethrou-gh;

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  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Manufacturing & Machinery (AREA)
  • Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
  • General Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
  • Neurosurgery (AREA)
  • Otolaryngology (AREA)
  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Acoustics & Sound (AREA)
  • Signal Processing (AREA)
  • Headphones And Earphones (AREA)
  • Toys (AREA)
US444551A 1965-04-01 1965-04-01 Wax guard for hearing aids Expired - Lifetime US3374318A (en)

Priority Applications (6)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US444551A US3374318A (en) 1965-04-01 1965-04-01 Wax guard for hearing aids
DED48739A DE1259951B (de) 1965-04-01 1965-11-24 Hoerhilfsgeraet mit Massnahmen zur Verhinderung des Eindringens von Cerumen
CH1675365A CH444916A (de) 1965-04-01 1965-12-02 Im Ohr zu tragender Hörapparat
ES0320326A ES320326A1 (es) 1965-04-01 1965-12-03 Un aparato auditivo u otofono de tipo directo.
DK646365AA DK130610B (da) 1965-04-01 1965-12-16 Høreapparat.
NL6603664A NL6603664A (enrdf_load_stackoverflow) 1965-04-01 1966-03-21

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US444551A US3374318A (en) 1965-04-01 1965-04-01 Wax guard for hearing aids

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
US3374318A true US3374318A (en) 1968-03-19

Family

ID=23765382

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
US444551A Expired - Lifetime US3374318A (en) 1965-04-01 1965-04-01 Wax guard for hearing aids

Country Status (6)

Country Link
US (1) US3374318A (enrdf_load_stackoverflow)
CH (1) CH444916A (enrdf_load_stackoverflow)
DE (1) DE1259951B (enrdf_load_stackoverflow)
DK (1) DK130610B (enrdf_load_stackoverflow)
ES (1) ES320326A1 (enrdf_load_stackoverflow)
NL (1) NL6603664A (enrdf_load_stackoverflow)

Cited By (22)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
USD263253S (en) 1979-09-07 1982-03-02 Reynolds Clarence W Combined hearing aid volume control knob and adapter ring
US4870689A (en) * 1987-04-13 1989-09-26 Beltone Electronics Corporation Ear wax barrier for a hearing aid
US4879750A (en) * 1984-12-15 1989-11-07 Siemens Aktiengesellschaft Hearing aid with cerumen trapping gap
US4972488A (en) * 1987-04-13 1990-11-20 Beltone Electronics Corporation Ear wax barrier and acoustic attenuator for a hearing aid
US4984277A (en) * 1987-10-14 1991-01-08 Gn Danovox A/S Protection element for all-in-the-ear hearing aid
US5131128A (en) * 1987-10-14 1992-07-21 Gn Danavox A/S Protection element for all-in-the-ear hearing aid and tool for use in the replacement hereof
US5748743A (en) * 1994-08-01 1998-05-05 Ear Craft Technologies Air conduction hearing device
US5970157A (en) * 1995-01-27 1999-10-19 Beltone Electronics Corporation Press-fit ear wax barrier
US6585075B1 (en) * 2000-10-23 2003-07-01 Edouard A. Gauthier Hearing aid having hard mounted speaker and energy absorbing tip
USD627759S1 (en) * 2009-10-06 2010-11-23 Peller Richard J Ear bud cover
US8538061B2 (en) 2010-07-09 2013-09-17 Shure Acquisition Holdings, Inc. Earphone driver and method of manufacture
US8548186B2 (en) 2010-07-09 2013-10-01 Shure Acquisition Holdings, Inc. Earphone assembly
US8549733B2 (en) 2010-07-09 2013-10-08 Shure Acquisition Holdings, Inc. Method of forming a transducer assembly
CN103369445A (zh) * 2012-03-30 2013-10-23 奥迪康有限公司 耳垢过滤器及其处理工具和分配器
USD705198S1 (en) * 2013-05-24 2014-05-20 Etymotic Research, Inc. Electronic earplug
USD705196S1 (en) * 2013-05-24 2014-05-20 Etymotic Research, Inc. Electronic earplug
USD705197S1 (en) * 2013-05-24 2014-05-20 Etymotic Research, Inc. Electronic earplug
USD705759S1 (en) * 2013-05-24 2014-05-27 Etymotic Research, Inc. Electronic earplug
USD705760S1 (en) * 2013-05-24 2014-05-27 Etymotic Research, Inc. Electronic earplug
USD705758S1 (en) * 2013-05-24 2014-05-27 Etymotic Research, Inc. Electronic earplug
USD865722S1 (en) * 2019-08-23 2019-11-05 Guangzhou Lanshidun Electronic Limited Company Earphone
US20190356996A1 (en) * 2018-05-17 2019-11-21 Oticon A/S Wax filter solution for a speaker of hearing aid

Families Citing this family (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
JPH0312000Y2 (enrdf_load_stackoverflow) * 1981-04-20 1991-03-22
FR2543431A1 (fr) * 1983-03-30 1984-10-05 Cafa Appareil auditif tel qu'une prothese
DE3828934A1 (de) * 1988-08-26 1990-03-01 Toepholm & Westermann Cerumenfaenger fuer schwerhoerigengeraete
US8693719B2 (en) 2010-10-08 2014-04-08 Starkey Laboratories, Inc. Adjustment and cleaning tool for a hearing assistance device

Non-Patent Citations (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Title
None *

Cited By (25)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
USD263253S (en) 1979-09-07 1982-03-02 Reynolds Clarence W Combined hearing aid volume control knob and adapter ring
US4879750A (en) * 1984-12-15 1989-11-07 Siemens Aktiengesellschaft Hearing aid with cerumen trapping gap
US4870689A (en) * 1987-04-13 1989-09-26 Beltone Electronics Corporation Ear wax barrier for a hearing aid
EP0287315A3 (en) * 1987-04-13 1990-03-14 Beltone Electronics Corp Ear wax barriers for hearing aids
US4972488A (en) * 1987-04-13 1990-11-20 Beltone Electronics Corporation Ear wax barrier and acoustic attenuator for a hearing aid
US4984277A (en) * 1987-10-14 1991-01-08 Gn Danovox A/S Protection element for all-in-the-ear hearing aid
US5131128A (en) * 1987-10-14 1992-07-21 Gn Danavox A/S Protection element for all-in-the-ear hearing aid and tool for use in the replacement hereof
US5748743A (en) * 1994-08-01 1998-05-05 Ear Craft Technologies Air conduction hearing device
US5970157A (en) * 1995-01-27 1999-10-19 Beltone Electronics Corporation Press-fit ear wax barrier
US6585075B1 (en) * 2000-10-23 2003-07-01 Edouard A. Gauthier Hearing aid having hard mounted speaker and energy absorbing tip
USD627759S1 (en) * 2009-10-06 2010-11-23 Peller Richard J Ear bud cover
US8548186B2 (en) 2010-07-09 2013-10-01 Shure Acquisition Holdings, Inc. Earphone assembly
US8549733B2 (en) 2010-07-09 2013-10-08 Shure Acquisition Holdings, Inc. Method of forming a transducer assembly
US8538061B2 (en) 2010-07-09 2013-09-17 Shure Acquisition Holdings, Inc. Earphone driver and method of manufacture
CN103369445B (zh) * 2012-03-30 2018-01-12 奥迪康有限公司 耳垢过滤器及其处理工具和分配器
CN103369445A (zh) * 2012-03-30 2013-10-23 奥迪康有限公司 耳垢过滤器及其处理工具和分配器
USD705198S1 (en) * 2013-05-24 2014-05-20 Etymotic Research, Inc. Electronic earplug
USD705197S1 (en) * 2013-05-24 2014-05-20 Etymotic Research, Inc. Electronic earplug
USD705759S1 (en) * 2013-05-24 2014-05-27 Etymotic Research, Inc. Electronic earplug
USD705760S1 (en) * 2013-05-24 2014-05-27 Etymotic Research, Inc. Electronic earplug
USD705758S1 (en) * 2013-05-24 2014-05-27 Etymotic Research, Inc. Electronic earplug
USD705196S1 (en) * 2013-05-24 2014-05-20 Etymotic Research, Inc. Electronic earplug
US20190356996A1 (en) * 2018-05-17 2019-11-21 Oticon A/S Wax filter solution for a speaker of hearing aid
US10728680B2 (en) * 2018-05-17 2020-07-28 Oticon A/S Wax filter solution for a speaker of hearing aid
USD865722S1 (en) * 2019-08-23 2019-11-05 Guangzhou Lanshidun Electronic Limited Company Earphone

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
NL6603664A (enrdf_load_stackoverflow) 1966-10-03
DE1259951B (de) 1968-02-01
ES320326A1 (es) 1966-09-01
DK130610B (da) 1975-03-10
CH444916A (de) 1967-10-15
DK130610C (enrdf_load_stackoverflow) 1975-08-18

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