Patent ID: 6327370
Filing Date: 2001-12-04
Classification: H04R

Abstract:
An in-the ear hearing aid apparatus comprising:a faceplate having first, second and third faceplate sound openings;a directional microphone having a single directional microphone housing, first and second microphone sound openings located in said directional microphone housing, and a diaphragm located in said housing dividing said directional microphone housing into a first chamber and a second chamber;an omnidirectional microphone having a single omnidirectional microphone housing, a third microphone sound opening located in said omnidirectional microphone housing, and a diaphragm located in said omnidirectional microphone housing, said omnidirectional microphone housing being independent of said directional microphone housing;a first sound passage acoustically coupling sound energy from said first faceplate sound opening in said faceplate to said first chamber of said directional microphone housing via said first microphone sound opening in said directional microphone housing;a second sound passage acoustically coupling sound energy from said second faceplate sound opening in said faceplate to said second chamber of said directional microphone housing via said second microphone sound opening in said directional microphone housing;a third sound passage acoustically coupling sound energy from said third faceplate sound opening in said faceplate to said diaphragm located in said omnidirectional microphone housing via said third microphone sound opening in said omnidirectional microphone housing, said third sound passage being independent of both said first and second sound passages;a switch for selecting between an output generated by said directional microphone and an output generated by said omnidirectional microphone; anda housing having said faceplate mounted thereon, said housing being sized to fit within the ear of a hearing aid wearer and containing said omnidirectional microphone, said directional microphone and at least a portion of said switch.