Patent ID: 6205227
Filing Date: 2001-03-20
Classification: H04R

Abstract:
A hearing instrument positionable in the external auditory canal proximal to the tympanic membrane, wherein the external auditory canal includes a proximal bend and a distal bend located between said proximal bend and the tympanic membrane, said hearing instrument comprising:a substantially rigid shell shaped to enclose a microphone and a receiver, said shell having a distal end portion positionable to extend toward the tympanic membrane;a relatively flexible tip member connected adjacent to said distal end portion of said shell, said tip member comprising a hollow body portion defining an elongated passage extending between proximal and distal end portions of said hollow body portion for permitting the communication of acoustic signals through said tip member between said shell and the tympanic membrane, wherein said hollow body portion of said tip member is sufficiently deformable so that an axis of said elongated passage substantially conforms to an axis of the external auditory canal upon insertion therein, and wherein said hollow body portion of said tip member is sufficiently rigid to resist substantial collapse of said elongated passage upon said insertion, said tip member further comprising an outer surface positioned to create a seal against an inner surface of the external auditory canal;wherein said axis of said elongated passage defined by said hollow body portion of said tip member is moveable at an angle with respect to an axis of said shell such that said hearing instrument can navigate the path of the external auditory canal during insertion of a distal end of said tip member toward the tympanic membrane and beyond the distal bend of the external auditory canal.