Abstract:
A receiver for a receiver-in-the-canal hearing instrument can be securely held by a dome comprising a receiver receptacle that selectively receives and holds the receiver. After the dome has been assembled, pulling on the electrical cable connected to the receiver will not dislodge the receiver from the dome.

Description:
BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     A receiver-in-the-canal hearing instrument comprises a receiver inserted into the ear canal, an electronics module, comprising a microphone, amplifier, and battery, and an interconnecting electrical cable. The receiver is held in a dome. 
     To remove the receiver from the canal, users typically pull on the electrical cable, occasionally dislodging the receiver from the dome. To prevent this from happening, a receptacle that securely holds the receiver is created within the dome. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a drawing of a receiver-in-the-canal hearing instrument, comprising a receiver, an electronics module, and an interconnecting electrical cable; 
         FIG. 2  is a schematic drawing of a dome with a receptacle for the receiver of  FIG. 1  and the interconnecting electrical cable; 
         FIG. 3  is a partial cross-sectional view of the dome of  FIG. 2 ; 
         FIGS. 4 and 5  are elevation and end views of one-half of a dome; 
         FIGS. 6 and 7  are cross-sectional and end views of a dome comprising anterior tip and posterior sections; 
         FIG. 8  is a drawing of a closure element for the posterior section of  FIGS. 6 and 7 ; and 
         FIG. 9  is an end view of the posterior section of  FIGS. 6 and 7 , where the posterior section is subdivided into complementary halves. 
     
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     A receiver-in-the-canal hearing instrument, comprising an electronics module  10 , a receiver  20  (without a dome), and an interconnecting electrical cable  30 , is shown in  FIG. 1 . The electronics module  10  may be configured as a behind-the-ear device, a helix-type device (for the helix of the ear), or any other suitable arrangement. A schematic representation of a dome  50  residing adjacent the walls  40  of the ear canal and holding the receiver  20  within a receptacle  52  is shown in  FIG. 2 . 
     The receiver  20  and cable  30  are shown again in a conforming receptacle  52  in a dome  50  in the partial cross-sectional view of  FIG. 3 , the dome  50  comprising an anterior portion  54  and a posterior portion  56 . The dome  50  also comprises a dome-shaped tip  60  and a posterior face  62 . In this figure, the receptacle  52  is located within the anterior portion  54  of the dome  50 , although it could be located elsewhere in the dome  50 , such as the geometric center  58  of the dome  50  (determined, e.g., as a function of length and diameter), as depicted schematically by the crossed, dashed lines. The size and shape of the receptacle  52  may be selected to conform to the size and shape of the receiver  20 , such that the latter is held securely. The outer surface  66  of the dome  50  is selected to conform to at least a portion of the user&#39;s ear canal walls  40 . 
     A receiver outlet channel  70 , allowing the sound from the outlet  22  (depicted schematically) of the receiver  20  to travel to the tympanic membrane, is located in the anterior portion  54  of the dome  50 . The receiver outlet channel  70  connects the receptacle  52  to the opening  64  in the tip  60  of the dome  50 . 
     An electrical cable channel  72  is located in the posterior portion  56  of the dome  50 , connecting the receptacle  52  with the posterior face  62  of the dome  50 . The electrical cable channel  72  provides a pathway for the interconnecting electrical cable  30  attached to the receiver  20 . The diameter or width  74  of the electrical cable channel  72  is selected to conform to or accommodate the outer diameter or width  32  of the electrical cable  30 , but is shown much larger in the figures for clarity of presentation (see  FIG. 4  for elements  32  and  74 , indicated by the opposing arrows). As possible design choices, the diameter or width  74  of the electrical cable channel  72  may be approximately equal to or slightly larger than the outer diameter or width  32  of the electrical cable  30 . 
     The dome  50  may be constructed in two complementary halves  150  (or unequal, but complementary, portions), each comprising a receptacle portion  152  and an electrical cable channel portion  172 , as illustrated by the elevation and end views of  FIGS. 4 and 5 , respectively, showing one half  150  of the dome  50 . After the receiver  20  is placed in the receptacle portion  152 , the two halves  150  are brought together and secured. Any known technique may be utilized to insure proper registration and securement of the two halves  150 . 
     As an alternative to the two halves  150 , the dome  50  may be fashioned as an anterior tip section  200  and a posterior section  210 , shown in  FIGS. 6 and 7 . To assemble the dome, the receiver  20  is placed first in a receptacle portion  212  in the posterior section  210 , while the interconnecting electrical cable  30  is inserted into a slot  214 . The anterior tip section  200  is then placed over the receiver  20 , securing it in place. Again, any known technique may be utilized to insure proper registration and securement of the anterior tip and a posterior sections  200  and  210 . The slot  214  may be closed by inserting a removable closure element  216 , illustrated in  FIGS. 7 and 8 . 
     As yet a further alternative to the configuration of  FIGS. 6 and 7 , the posterior section  210  could be divided into two complementary halves  300  and  302 , shown in  FIG. 9 , obviating the need for the slot  214 . Instead, a channel  304  (comprising two complementary channel portions) would be provided to accommodate and hold the interconnecting electrical cable  30 . 
     If desired, the dome  50  may be fabricated utilizing known techniques for sizing, modeling, and fabricating the outer surfaces of a hearing instrument shell, such as described in U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2002/0196954 A1, published Dec. 26, 2002 and titled, “Modeling and fabrication of three-dimensional irregular surfaces for hearing instruments,” incorporated here by reference. Further, the dome  50  may be fabricated using materials that result in hardness ratings ranging from 50 on the Shore A scale to 80-85 on the Shore D scale. A commercially-available apparatus that may be employed for fabrication of the dome  50  is the Connex500 printing system manufactured by Objet Geometries Ltd., Rehovot, Israel.