Abstract:
This invention relates to a hearing device and earpiece therefore. The hearing device comprises a BTE unit for converting and processing sound to an electrical signal and a tubular element communicating the electrical signal to an earpiece. The earpiece comprises a canal element providing a tight fit of the earpiece in an ear canal, and a speaker element rotate-ably mounted in the canal element.

Description:
This Nonprovisional application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. §119(e) on U.S. Provisional Application No(s). 60/848,011 filed on Sept. 29, 2006 the entire contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference. 
    
    
     FIELD OF INVENTION 
     This invention relates to a hearing device, such as a behind-the-ear (BTE) hearing aid, and to an earpiece for a hearing device. In this context an earpiece may be an in-the-ear part or a mould to be used in a hearing aid, and the earpiece may be provided with or without a speaker. 
     BACKGROUND OF INVENTION 
     Generally, a state of the art hearing aid, such as, for example, disclosed in US patent application no.: 2005/0244026, comprises a flexible earpiece to be inserted into the outer part (sometimes referred to as cartilaginous or softer region) of the ear canal and connected to a BTE device through a connecting tubular element. The flexible earpiece may comprise a receiver, i.e. a hearing aid speaker, mounted on to the earpiece so as to inject sound into the ear canal. This configuration is general known as receiver-in-the-ear (RITE) hearing aid. Alternatively, the BTE comprises the receiver and the sound is injected into the tubular connector communicating the sound to the earpiece. 
     The flexible earpiece may additionally comprise a vent so as to provide an open ear configuration thereby reducing occlusion effects but significantly reducing the allowable gain at which acoustical feedback occurs. Hence the flexible earpiece is particularly for use when hearing impairment of the user of the hearing aid is mild. 
     Further, U.S. Pat. No. 5,606,621 discloses a hybrid BTE and completely-in-canal (CIC) hearing aid, where the earpiece is implemented as a CIC element shaped to into the ear canal in such a manner to touch the bony region of the ear canal. By inserting the CIC element deep into the bony region of the ear canal occlusion effect may be avoided while a high gain still may be maintained, since sound communicated through the tissue into the ear canal (instead of from ear opening) may freely escape the ear canal. Hence this hybrid BTE/CIC hearing aid provides benefits for users having a greater hearing impairment. 
     In addition, US patent application no.: 2004/0010181 discloses another hybrid BTE/CIC hearing aid comprising a connector for communicating the processed sound from a processor in the BTE to a speaker in the CIC part. The connector is detachably connected to either the BTE or CIC part and is designed to be inserted in ear canal so deep as to touch the bony part of the ear canal. The connector therefore must be sufficiently rigid to allow the connector to be used to insert and remove the CIC part from the ear canal of the user. 
     The U.S. Pat. No. 5,606,621 and US patent application no.: 2004/0010181 basically describe closed systems, i.e. systems, which when positioned in the outer region of the ear canal causes severe occlusion effects, which are caused by encapsulating sound conducted via tissue to the residual space between the tympanic member and closed system earpiece. Hence the purpose of the hearing aids described in these U.S. patent documents is to position the CIC parts in the bony part or the inner most part of the ear canal thereby avoiding occlusion effect, which is not transmitted to the bony part of the ear canal. However, for users the insertion into the bony part of the ear canal may seem rather intrusive. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     An object of the present invention is therefore to provide a hearing aid earpiece for insertion in the outer part of the ear canal, which accomplishes sufficient gain for users. 
     A particular advantage of the present invention relates to the fact that the earpiece presents an open configuration to the user thus avoiding occlusion, while maintaining a firm fixture for the earpiece in the ear canal. 
     A particular feature of the present invention relates to the designed shape of the earpiece providing the possibility of decreasing the vent diameter, while prohibiting the occlusion effects, and thus enabling greater gain. 
     The above object, advantage and feature together with numerous other objects, advantages and features, which will become evident from below detailed description, are obtained according to a first aspect of the present invention by a hearing device comprising a BTE unit adapted to convert and process sound to an electrical signal and a tubular element adapted to communicate said electrical signal to an earpiece, wherein said earpiece comprises a canal element adapted to provide a tight fit of said earpiece in an ear canal, and a speaker element rotate-ably mounted in said canal element. 
     The term “hearing device” should in this context be construed as a hearing aid, such as a BTE possibly with a receiver-in-the-ear RITE solution (receiver is a general term for a speaker within the hearing device technology), a hearing apparatus, or an assistive listening device. 
     By rotate-ably mounting the speaker element in the canal element enables the user of the hearing device to adjust the earpiece relative to the tubular element and BTE unit so as to obtain the best fit for the user. 
     The speaker is adapted to receive an electrical signal and convert this to a sound pressure in the ear canal so as to improve the hearing of the user. 
     The earpiece according to the first aspect of the present invention may comprise a vent extending axially through the canal element. The vent, advantageously, allows sound pressure equalisation between ambient surroundings and the residual space between the tympanic membrane and the canal element, thus removing the occlusion effect experienced by the user of the hearing device. 
     The canal element according to the first aspect of the present invention may comprise snapping means for engaging said speaker element to said canal element. The snapping means may be an integral part of the canal element or may be separately mounted in the canal element. The term “snapping” is this context to be construed as detachably engaging, clicking on or locking together of two parts. 
     The speaker element according to the first aspect of the present invention may comprise a wax filter adapted to protect the speaker element from earwax entering. Alternatively, or in addition the snapping means may comprise an expendable wax filter adapted to further protect the speaker element from earwax entering. The expendable wax filter may, advantageously, be replaced whenever the wax filter is blocked. The earpiece having an outer expendable and an inner wax filter significantly increases the ability for a user to secure the operation of the hearing device. That is, the user may when experiencing decreased sound quality change the expendable wax filter and try the hearing device earpiece with a new expendable wax filter. Obviously, if the user still experiences decreased sound quality, the user may further check the wax filter in the speaker. 
     The canal element according to the first aspect of the present invention may comprise an axial bore for receiving said speaker element, said bore having an axial length in the range between 3 and 10 mm such as in the ranges between 3 and 6 mm, 6 and 9 mm, 9 and 12 mm, or 4 and 11 mm, 5 and 10 mm, 7 and 8 mm, or any combination thereof. The axial length of the bore, in fact, may express the axial length of the canal element, i.e. the bore extends through the whole length of the canal element. 
     The vent according to the first aspect of the present invention may have an axial length shorter than the axial length of the bore. By reducing the axial length of the vent advantageously enables a smaller vent diameter to be implemented for achieving the same results. Hence greater gain may be applied in the BTE unit. The canal element may thus comprise a proximal surface, which extends on one plane substantially perpendicular to said ear canal, and a distal surface facing towards the tympanic member, which extends on a plurality of planes substantially perpendicular to said ear canal. The terms “distal” and “proximal” should in this context be construed in relation to the BTE unit. 
     The canal element according to the first aspect of the present invention may further comprise a pull-out string extending from the proximal surface at least partly parallel to the tubular element. The pull-out string provides a means for the user to safely pull out the earpiece from the ear, i.e. without pulling the elements apart. 
     The speaker element according to the first aspect of the present invention may further comprise a hole for receiving a flexible member adapted to support said earpiece in said ear canal. The flexible member or ear-grip may be adapted to abut a surface of the outer ear. 
     The canal element according to the first aspect of the present invention may be manufactured by means of rapid manufacturing techniques such as stereo-lithographic manufacturing, selective laser sintering, shape deposition manufacturing or laminated object manufacturing. By using a SLA any customer fit is significantly simplified and customer variances may be incorporated in any earpiece. 
     The above object, advantage and feature together with numerous other objects, advantages and features, which will become evident from below detailed description, are obtained according to a second aspect of the present invention by a hearing device earpiece for connecting to a BTE unit adapted to convert and process sound to an electrical signal through a tubular element adapted to communicate said electrical signal to said earpiece, wherein said earpiece comprises a canal element adapted to provide a tight fit of said earpiece in an ear canal, and a speaker element rotate-ably mounted in said canal element. 
     The earpiece according to the second aspect of the present invention may comprise any features of the hearing device according to the first aspect of the present invention. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The patent or application file contains at least one drawing executed in color. Copies of this patent or patent application publication with color drawing(s) will be provided by the office upon request and payment of the necessary fee. 
       The above, as well as additional objects, features and advantages of the present invention, will be better understood through the following illustrative and non-limiting detailed description of preferred embodiments of the present invention, with reference to the appended drawing, wherein: 
         FIG. 1 , shows a perspective view of a hearing device according to a first embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 2 , shows an exploded view of a hearing device earpiece according to the first embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 3 , shows a side view of the hearing device earpiece according to the first embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 4 , shows a cross-sectional view of the hearing device earpiece according to the first embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 5 , shows a perspective view of the hearing device earpiece according to the first embodiment of the present invention; and 
         FIG. 6 , shows a side view of a hearing device earpiece according to a second embodiment of the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     In the following description of the various embodiments, reference is made to the accompanying figures, which show by way of illustration how the invention may be practiced. It is to be understood that other embodiments may be utilized and structural and functional modifications may be made without departing from the scope of the present invention. 
       FIG. 1  shows a hearing device according to the first embodiment of the present invention and designated in entirety by reference numeral  10 . The hearing device  10  comprises a BTE unit  12  converting sound recorded at the BTE unit  12  and processing said sound in accordance with a particular hearing loss, a connector  14  for communicating an electric processed signal to an earpiece  16 . The earpiece  16  is adapted to be inserted into an ear canal of a user and converts the electric processed signal back in to sound pressure. 
       FIG. 2  shows an exploded view of the earpiece  16  and part of the connector  14  described with reference to  FIG. 1 . The earpiece  16  comprises a speaker  20  connected to the connector  14 , which speaker  20  is adapted to convert electrical signals representing processed sound into a sound pressure to be provided in the ear canal of the user of the hearing device. The speaker  20  may advantageously comprise an O-ring  22  for providing a tight fit between the speaker  20  and a canal element  24 . The canal element  24  is to be inserted into the outer part of the ear canal of the user of the hearing device  10 . 
     The canal element  24  comprises a proximal surface  26 , which faces towards the BTE unit  12 , and a distal surface  28 , which faces towards the tympanic member when the earpiece  16  is placed in the ear canal. 
     The speaker  20  comprises a circumferential ridge section  30 , which is adapted to snap into engagement with the snapping element  32  thereby maintaining the speaker  20  in the canal element  24  in an axially fixed position within a bore  34  of the canal element  24 , while allowing rotational movement of the speaker  20  in the canal element  24 . By enabling rotation of the speaker  20  within the canal element  24  an advantageous fitting of the BTE unit  12  relative to the earpiece  16  may be achieved. 
     The snapping element  32  may be an integral part of the canal element  24  or an independent part inserted into the bore  34  from the distal surface  28 . In case the snapping element  32  is an independent part it may comprise a flange  36  axially locking the snapping element  32  against further axial movement towards the proximal surface  26 . 
     Hence the speaker  20  is inserted into the bore  34  from the proximal surface  26  of the canal element  24 , and the snapping element  32  as an independent part is inserted from distal surface  28  of the canal element  24 , where the ridge section  30  on the speaker  20  snaps into the snapping element  32  thus locking the speaker  20  in the canal element  24 . In case the snapping element  32  is an integral part of the canal element  24 , the speaker  20  is simply inserted from the distal surface  28 , where the ridge section  30  on the speaker  20  snaps into the snapping element  32 . 
     The speaker  20  comprises a wax filter  38  for protecting the speaker  20  from ear wax produced by the user of the hearing device  10 , when the earpiece  16  is inserted into the outer ear canal of the user. 
     In addition, the earpiece  16  comprises a second wax filter  40 , which may be expendable so that when ever the user experience that the hearing device  10  has reduced operations then the use may exchange the wax filter  40  by simply removing second wax filter  40  and inserting a new wax filter  40 . This functionality is, particularly, advantageous since the user may perform a first test of the operability of the hearing device  10  without needing to travel to an audiologist or hearing aid dispenser. 
     The earpiece  16  further comprises a vent  42  for allowing the sound pressure variations in the outer ear canal caused by sound travelling to the ear canal through the tissue and cartilage of the user. Hence the occlusion experienced by the user is significantly reduced. The diameter and length of the vent  42  are determined in accordance with the required gain for compensating a particular hearing impairment. However, by providing a shortened axial length of the vent  42  a smaller diameter may be used achieving the required effects, i.e. occlusion and gain. 
     The earpiece  16  further comprises a pull out string  44  for enabling the user to pull the earpiece  16  out of the ear canal of the user. When inserting the earpiece  16  into the outer ear canal of the user, the user may hold on the part of the speaker  20  extending out of the canal element  24  and gently insert the earpiece into the ear canal. 
     The speaker  20  further comprises a bore  46  for receiving a retention means holding the earpiece  16  in position in the outer ear canal of the user. The retention means, also called an ear grip, provides support to the earpiece  16  by flexing round the edges of the cavum concha. 
       FIG. 3  shows a side view of the earpiece  16  having the speaker  20  inserted into the bore  34  and snapped into the snapping element  32 . The second wax filter  40  is shown as inserted into the snapping element  32 . The earpiece  16  in  FIG. 3  shows the pull out string  44 , whereas the earpiece according to the second embodiment of the present invention shown in  FIG. 4  does not have a pull out string. 
       FIG. 5 , shows the canal element  24  according to the first embodiment of the present invention in a cross-sectional view where the snapping element  32  is inserted into the bore  34  and the second wax filter  40  is inserted into the snapping element  32 . The bore  34  according to the first embodiment of the present invention has an axial length of 8 mm. However, the axial length of the bore  34  may be the range between 3 and 10 mm such as in the ranges between 3 and 6 mm, 6 and 9 mm, 9 and 12 mm, or 4 and 11 mm, 5 and 10 mm, 7 and 8 mm, or any combination thereof. The axial length of the bore  34 , in fact, may express the axial length of the canal element, i.e. the bore  34  extends through the whole length of the canal element  24 . 
     The axial length of the bore  34  is greater than the axial length of the vent  42 . As described above with reference to  FIG. 2  by shortening the axial length of the vent  42  the diameter of the vent  42  may be reduced. The axial length of the vent  42  according to the first embodiment of the present invention is 5.5 mm. However, the vent  42  may be in the range between 2 and 9 mm, such as in the ranges between 2 and 4 mm, 4 and 6 mm, 6 and 9 mm, or 3 and 8 mm, 4 and 7 mm, 5 and 6 mm, or any combination thereof. 
       FIG. 6 , shows the canal element  24  according to the first embodiment of the present invention in a perspective view, where the second wax filter  40  is to be inserted into the snapping element  32 .