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Description  |
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BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is directed to an apparatus for closing openings of a
hearing aid or ear adaptor for hearing aids.
German Gebrauchsmuster No. 19 51 165 discloses an in-the-ear hearing aid,
wherein a cylindrical member can be placed on a sound exit nozzle. The
interior of this member has a chamber-like expansion of a bore in which a
layer of porous, sound-permeable material is arranged. The sound
proceeding from the earphone of the hearing aid into the bore can, thus,
easily pass the layer of porous material. Earwax, or cerumen, that is
secreted inside of the auditory channel or canal, however, cannot proceed
into the inside of the hearing aid in the reverse direction, due to this
porous layer of material.
Over and above the disclosures of the above-mentioned German
Gebrauchsmuster, German Gebrauchsmusters No. 84 36 783 and 85 04 765 both
disclose perforated caps that can be attached to a sound exit nozzle,
either directly in an in-the-ear hearing aid or in an ear adaptor of a
behind-the-ear hearing aid, which adaptor can then be introduced into the
ear, for example by being pluggable or screwable therein. The perforated
caps guarantee unimpeded sound exit. Earwax that is secreted in the
auditory channel or canal is largely kept out by the openings, since
relatively long creeping distances are present due to the formation of
niches therein.
The solutions presented in the above-mentioned prior art for preventing
earwax from creeping in, however, still is relatively undesirable. At the
very least, the protective devices must be replaced or cleaned relatively
frequently. Another disadvantage in these proposed solutions is that there
is no protection against the penetration of moisture, particularly
perspiration which will occur in the interior of the auditory channel and
move in the direction of the earphone. Keeping out perspiration or sweat
is of particular significance, especially given the in-the-ear hearing
aids, because the path from the sound exit location to the earphone is
relatively short and, as experience has taught, the extremely aggressive
or salty sweat will quickly damage the earphone. However, such a
protection is also needed, given behind-the-ear hearing aids, since damage
to the earphone occurs over and over despite the relatively long path to
the earphone.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus for closing
an opening in an earphone for a hearing aid or the like, which is simpler
to clean to remove contamination, such as earwax, and which simultaneously
prevents moisture, particularly perspiration, from the auditory channel or
ear canal from proceeding through the respective openings and into the
hearing aid.
To accomplish these objects, the present invention is directed to an
apparatus for closing openings for an ear adaptor for hearing aids, in
particularly the openings for sound entry and/or sound exit, or for
aeration. The apparatus comprises a micro-porous membrane of anti-adhesive
or anti-adherent material, which is hydrophobic and is introducible into
the respective opening.
A micro-porous membrane of an anti-adhesive or an anti-adhesive adherent
material will prevent both the penetration of the earwax, because of the
extremely small pores, and of moisture, particularly sweat, into the
interior of the hearing aid because of the formation of the membrane of
the anti-adhesive material or hydrophobic material. A hydrophobic
material, namely, does not allow drops of sweat to become flat so that the
drops can, likewise, not penetrate into the micro-pores. Due to the
anti-adhering effect, however, the coating of earwax that has attached to
the membrane can also be more easily removed than herebefore, for example
with the assistance of ultrasonic cleaning.
A preferred development utilizes a micro-porous membrane which is composed
of polytetrafluorethylene. A membrane of such a material is proven
particularly suitable for the present purposes.
Other advantages and details of the invention will be readily apparent from
the following description of the preferred embodiments with reference to
the drawings and claims.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a side view with portions broken away for purposes of
illustration of an in-the-ear hearing aid utilizing the present invention;
FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a behind-the-ear hearing aid having an ear
adaptor which utilizes the present invention;
FIG. 3 is a cross sectional view with portions in elevational for purposes
of illustration of a separate earphone for a behind-the-ear or pocket-type
hearing aid utilizing the present invention;
FIGS 4-15 are various views of six modifications of a cap employing the
present invention, with FIG. 4 being a cross sectional view of a first
embodiment, FIG. 5 being a plan view of the first embodiment, FIG. 6 being
a cross sectional view of a second embodiment, FIG. 7 being a plan view of
the second embodiment, FIG. 8 being a cross sectional view of a third
embodiment, FIG. 9 being a plan view of a third embodiment, FIG. 10 being
a cross sectional view of a fourth embodiment, FIG. 11 being a plan view
of the fourth embodiment, FIG. 12 being a cross sectional view of a fifth
embodiment, FIG. 13 being a plan view of the fifth embodiment, FIG. 14
being a cross sectional view of a sixth embodiment, and FIG. 15 being a
plan view of the sixth embodiment;
FIG. 16 is a cross sectional view of a portion of a hearing aid having a
sound opening and an aeration opening simultaneously closed by a cap
member; and
FIG. 17 is a plan view of the cap member of FIG. 16.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
The principles of the present invention are particularly useful for an
in-the-ear hearing aid, illustrated in FIG. 1. The hearing aid has a
housing 1 which has a sound exit nozzle 2 at one end and is covered at the
opposite end by a end cover 3. An earphone 4 that has its output side
connected to the sound exit nozzle 2 is partially shown in the cut-away
housing of FIG. 1. The housing also has a battery compartment 5, which is
illustrated without the battery being inserted therein and which
compartment can be swivelled out of the hearing aid through a door or a
hatch 6 in the end cover 3. The hearing aid housing, in addition, includes
a microphone 7 and an amplifier electronics 8. On the cover 3 is a rotary
knob 9 for setting the volume and a matching actuator 10.
The cover 3 has a sound entrance opening 11, which is covered by a cap 13
which, preferably, is constructed in accordance with the present
invention. The nozzle 2 is illustrated as being covered or closed by a
screwable cap 12, whereas the cap 13, as illustrated, is a snap-in-type
cap, which is seated in the sound entry opening 11.
Both the caps 12 and 13 each have a micro-porous polytetrafluorethylene
membrane 14, which membrane material is commercially available under the
registered Trademark GORE-TEX. This membrane forms means for sealing the
respective openings against earwax and sweat, which are both secreted in
the auditory or ear canal. The membrane 14, respectively, however, is
extremely transmissive for the sound respectively emerging or,
respectively, entering the hearing aid. Various embodiments of the cap are
shown in FIGS. 4-17 and shall be set forth in greater detail. The
polytetraflourethylene membrane, which are sold by W. L. Gore &
Associates, Inc., Newark, Del., U.S.A., are described, for example, in the
perspectus "GORE-TEX PTFE Membranes and Laminates", 1986, W. L. Gore & Co.
GmbH, D-8011 Putzbrunn and also in the European Published Patent
Application No. 0160,473. G0RE-TEX.RTM. expanded PTFE is chemically inert
and not affected by any common chemical. It has a low friction
coefficient, functions within a wide temperature range, does not age, and
is weather durable. It is also porous, air permeable, extremely strong,
hydrophobic, and biocompatible.
The present invention is also particularly useful when embodied into a
behind-the-ear hearing aid comprising a housing 14' (FIG. 2) that can be
secured behind the ear with a carrying hook 15. The housing 14' has a
rotary knob 16 for volume adjustment and also is illustrated as having a
cover 17 for a battery compartment that can be swivelled out of the
housing. The carrying hook 15 is connected to an ear adaptor 19 via a
sound hose 18. A cap 12 of the present invention is, again, seated on its
outer exit opening 20 of the adaptor 19.
The present invention is also useful in a separate earphone 21, which is
mounted in the housing 22 (FIG. 3) that can be introduced into the
auditory canal. The output of the dislocated or separate earphone 21 is
connected to the sound exit nozzle 23, whose opening 24 is, in turn,
covered by a cap 12 of the present invention. Electrical connecting lines
25 extend' from the housing of the earphone 21, either to a behind-the-ear
hearing aid or to a hearing aid which is received in a pocket of the user.
Of the six embodiments of the caps illustrated in FIGS. 4-15, the first
four embodiments of FIGS. 4-11 are adapted to be screwed onto the sound
exit nozzle. The fifth embodiment of FIGS. 12 and 13 is arranged to be put
in place or snapped on an undercut of a sound exit nozzle, such as
disclosed by the two German Gebrauchsmusters No. 84 36 783 and 85 04 765.
The sixth embodiment of FIGS. 14 and 15 shows an arrangement for a cap 13
for insertion into a sound entry opening for the microphone on a face
cover 3 of a hearing aid of FIG. 1. A seventh embodiment of FIGS. 16 and
17 finally shows a corresponding arrangement wherein a cap 30 of the
invention can be snapped onto an undercut and the cap 30 also,
simultaneously, protects both a sound exit nozzle 35 and an aeration bore
or opening 36.
As illustrated in FIGS. 4-11, each of the caps 12.1, 12.2, 12.3 and 12.4
have internal threads 31. The caps 12.1, 12.2, and 12.3 of FIGS. 4-9 also
have a single central opening 32 on an end face of the cap. In addition,
the cap 13 of FIGS. 14 and 15 also has a single central opening 32. The
caps 12.4 and 12.5 of FIGS. 10-13 have a plurality of individual small
openings 33 which are illustrated as being in two different patterns, with
the pattern of openings of the cap 12.5 of FIG. 13 all having the same
size openings, while the pattern of FIG. 11 for the cap 12.4 has two
different size openings 33. The cap 12.5 of FIG. 12 does not have inside
threads but is provided with a round annular bead 34 that will fit onto a
respective undercut of the sound exit nozzle of the respective hearing aid
or ear adaptor. In the embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 16 and 17, the
sound exit nozzle 35 and an aeration bore 36 are surrounded by an annular
bead or undercut 39. A cap 30, which has a group of holes 37 for covering
the sound exit nozzle 35 and a group of holes 38 for the aeration pore 36,
is provided with an annular bead 40 for engaging the undercut 39. The cap
13 of FIGS. 14 and 15 has an outer annular groove 41 which will engage in
the opening edge upon introduction of the cap into a sound entry opening,
such as the opening 11 of FIG. 1.
In each of the above arrangements or embodiments of the cap, a micro-porous
polytetrafluorethylene membrane 14 obtainable under the Trademark
"GORE-TEX" is utilized. Individual membranes are identified as 14.1-14.7
for each of the seven embodiments.
In the first embodiment of FIGS. 4 and 5, the membrane 14.1 is inserted or
secured on the interior of the cap 12.1, as illustrated. The difference
between the first embodiment and the second embodiment is that the
membrane 14.2 of the second embodiment of FIGS. 6 and 7 is secured on the
end face of the cap 12.2, as illustrated.
In the third embodiment of FIGS. 8 and 9, a membrane 14.3 is received in a
groove in the opening 32, such as being molded in place in the cap 12.3.
In the embodiments illustrated by the caps 12.4 and 12.5, the membrane
14.4 and 14.5, respectively, are secured on each of the caps in a fashion
similar to the arrangement of the first embodiment of FIGS. 4 and 5. This
is also true with the sixth embodiment which has a membrane 14.6 secured
on the interior of the cap 13. In addition, the membrane 14.7 of the cap
30 is secured on the interior of the cap, as illustrated in FIG. 16.
As already previously described, the membrane 14 respectively provides a
good sound transmissivity but, nonetheless, protects the respectively
utilized hearing aid against the penetration both of earwax as well as
moisture, particularly sweat, from the auditory canal. Since the sweat is
kept away, sensitive component parts of the hearing aid are not exposed to
the risk of damage due to corrosion or the like. As experience has shown,
the utilized membrane material is water-tight up to 0.65 bar and can,
thus, also be cleaned in an ultrasonic bath as needed without the
sensitive electronic component parts of the hearing aid, particularly the
earphone, being damaged. It is, thus, no longer required to completely
replace the cap, as hereinbefore. The cerumen-contaminated cap can, thus,
remain on the hearing aid. It is merely necessary to partially immerse the
hearing aid or the ear adaptor that, of course, is made water-tight by the
utilization of the membrane of the present invention into an ultrasound
bath and to clean the membrane of the earwax. After cleaning the
respective hearing aid with the cap still screwed on it again available in
a functional fashion and optimally cleaned without further manipulations.
Although various minor modifications may be suggested by those versed in
the art, it should be understood that I wish to embody within the scope of
the patent granted hereon all such modifications as reasonably and
properly come within the scope of my contribution to the art.
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