Abstract:
An earpiece ( 2 ) for a hearing aid ( 12 ) comprises a plug ( 20 ) for contacting the meatus of the users ear canal, a contact element ( 13 ) for resting against an inside of the users tragus and or the ear canal, and a fixture for holding the plug and the contact element together, the fixture having means for adjusting the spacing between the plug and the contact element. The invention further provides a hearing aid.

Description:
RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     The present application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60/661,917, filed Mar. 16, 2005, which is incorporated herein by reference. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates generally to hearing aids. The invention further relates to an earpiece for a hearing aid. The invention, more particularly, relates to behind-the-ear hearing aids. 
     2. The Prior Art 
     Behind-the-ear (BTE) hearing aids generally comprise a housing, a tube and an earpiece. The housing accommodates electronics, a microphone and a miniature loudspeaker, which serve to pick up sounds, amplify them and produce an amplified acoustic output signal. The tube provides a conduit for conveying the acoustic signal from the housing to the earpiece, and the earpiece couples acoustic energy from the tube into the ear canal. In use, the housing is placed behind the external ear, partially concealed. The tube, or at least a part of it, is semi-rigid or resilient in order that the tube may also serve the purpose of resting the hearing aid on the external ear of the user. The earpiece is adapted, e.g. through resilience or customization, to the users ear, to rest in the meatus of the ear canal. 
     EP-A-1448014 provides an earpiece adapted to allow sounds from outside the ear to propagate to the tympanic membrane. This earpiece comprises a resilient fiber for abutting a lower part of the concha when the earpiece is inserted in the ear canal. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     It is an object of the invention to provide a hearing aid that is easily adapted to different users. 
     It is a further object of the invention to provide a hearing aid that is simple in manufacture. 
     It is a still further object to provide a hearing aid with excellent and comfortable retention on the user. 
     It is yet a further object of the invention to provide a hearing aid that provides a good acoustical coupling to the users ear canal. 
     It is another object of the invention to provide a hearing aid that is partially open to permit sounds to reach the users tympanic membrane, alongside feeding amplified sounds to also reach the users tympanic membrane. 
     It is still another object of the invention to provide an earpiece for a hearing aid that is simple in manufacture and that is easily adapted to different users and types of hearing aids. 
     These and other objects are fulfilled, according to a first aspect of the invention, by an earpiece for a hearing aid, the ear piece comprising a plug for contacting the meatus of the users ear canal, a contact element for resting against at least one of an inside of the users tragus and the ear canal, means for adjusting the contact element, and a fixture for holding the plug and the contact element together. 
     The plug provides a comfortable, partial support for the earpiece and is adapted to direct sounds amplified by the hearing aid towards the users ear canal. The support is complemented by the contact element, which rests against another part of the ear. According to the invention, the fixture permits adjusting the contact element and thereby permits adapting the hearing aid to different sizes of ears and ear canals, or to different preferences regarding pretension. The adjustment facility permits customizing the hearing aid in order that it may accommodate a wide variety of users. 
     In an embodiment of the invention, the contact element may be partially shaped as an ellipse. It may have any other shape adapted for resting against an inside of the users tragus, thereby holding the earpiece in a fixed position when the earpiece is in use, e.g. it may be essentially circular, elliptic or triangular. The contact element may be produced in different sizes for different sizes of ears. 
     In a further embodiment of the invention, the fixture comprises a number of guideways. The number may be between 1 and 50. The guideways may be grooves, flutes or protrusions. Further the contact element may comprise a number of guideways adapted for interaction with the guideways on the fixture. The number of guideways may be between 1 and 50. The guideways may be grooves or protrusions. The guideways allow the contact element to be rotated into a selected orientation relative to the earplug, thereby enabling a fitter to select the most comfortable position of resting against an inside of the user&#39;s tragus and the ear canal. Furthermore the rotational capability allows for adjusting and fixing the position of the contact element in the ear for a variety of users. 
     According to an embodiment, the fixture comprises resilient means in order to improve user comfort and to enhance the fit. 
     According to a further embodiment, the earpiece is adapted for incremental adjustment. The incremental adjustment permits adaptation and simple securing of the size, once decided by the fitter or the end user. 
     The adjustment may be provided by providing a flexible beam, such as a branch or a rod, with a plurality of grooves and a catch means for selectively engaging one of the grooves. 
     The beam may comprise a pair of opposing, generally flat faces, wherein the plurality of grooves is positioned on a first one of the faces. The flat opposing faces adapt the beam for bending, e.g. into a loop. 
     The fixture may comprise catch means to retain an end of the beam. 
     According to an embodiment, the catch means comprises a rib and a resilient strand, the rib being adapted for engaging one of the grooves. This design is simple in manufacturing and it provides easy adaptation and securing. 
     According to a further embodiment, the beam is provided with a plurality of grooves on both of the faces. This permits looping the beam either way, e.g. for the purpose of using it for a left ear version and a right ear version, e.g. in combination with the retainer being adapted to accept the end of the beam when entered from either one of two sides. In a further embodiment the beam may be provided with a plurality of grooves on all of the faces, this provides for a better fixation of the beam. The grooves may be placed with increments varying between 0.5 mm and 5 mm and preferably between 1.5 mm and 2.5 mm. 
     According to an embodiment, the earpiece comprises a body with an axis and a through axial bore, wherein the flexible beam extends from the body at an angle from the axis within a range of 45 to 90 degrees, and preferably within a range of 55 to 80 degrees from the axis. This permits adapting the earpiece for deep recession into the ear canal as the beam may partially protrude to engage the users concha behind tragus and the ear canal. The body may be generally cylindrical. Provided the beam is flexible, the retainer may simply be arranged to accept the beam end when introduced tangentially to the cylindrical body from either one of two sides, the beam being twisted due to the angled extension of the cantilevered base end. 
     According to an embodiment, the fixture is made of a material selected from the group consisting of polyamide, silicone, polyurethane, polytetrafluoroethylene, ethylvinylacetate, polyacetal, thermoplastic elastomer, polymer, elastomer, and polyoxymethylene. 
     According to a further embodiment, the earpiece comprises a plug for contacting the wall of the users ear canal, in order to guide the amplified sound signal into the users auditory canal. 
     According to still another embodiment, the plug is adapted to support a sound conduit tube, while it is adapted to permit exterior sounds to bypass the plug in order to reach the users inner ear. This avoids uncomfortable occlusion effects. The sound bypass is further a substantial advantage to users with a mild hearing deficiency, e.g. users with a hearing deficiency in only part of the frequency range, as they may then still directly hear such sounds as they are able to hear unaided. 
     According to another embodiment the plug may be adapted to fit the ear canal, thereby not allowing external sounds to bypass the plug. This may be an advantage for moderate to high hearing loss. 
     The invention, in a second aspect, provides a hearing aid comprising an earpiece, a housing, and a sound conduit tube, wherein said ear piece has a plug for contacting the meatus of the users ear canal; a contact element for resting against at least one of an inside of the users tragus and the ear canal; means for adjusting the contact element; and a fixture for holding the plug and the contact element together. 
     Further embodiments appear from the dependent claims. 
     Further objects, embodiments and advantages will appear from the detailed part of the specification. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The invention will now be described in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings, where 
         FIG. 1  illustrates the outer ear as seen from the side; 
         FIG. 2  shows a hearing aid according to a first embodiment of the invention, in side view; 
         FIG. 3  shows a hearing aid according to a first embodiment of the invention, in rear view; 
         FIG. 4  shows a hearing aid according to a first embodiment of the invention, in perspective; 
         FIG. 5  shows a fixture for the earpiece according to a first embodiment of the invention, in a first state; 
         FIG. 6  shows a fixture for the earpiece according to a first embodiment of the invention, in a second state; 
         FIG. 7  shows a fixture for the earpiece according to a first embodiment of the invention, in a third state; 
         FIG. 8  shows a hearing aid according to a first embodiment of the invention, in the use position on the ear; 
         FIG. 9  shows a tube with a fixture according to a first embodiment of the invention, the fixture being in a second state; 
         FIG. 10  shows a contact element according to a second embodiment of the invention, in a second state; 
         FIG. 11  shows part of a hearing aid with a fixture according to a second embodiment of the invention; 
         FIG. 12  shows part of a hearing aid with an earpiece according to a second embodiment of the invention; 
         FIG. 13  shows a hearing aid according to the second embodiment of the invention, in the use position on the ear; 
         FIG. 14  shows a contact element according to a third embodiment of the invention; 
         FIG. 15  shows an exploded view of a hearing aid with an earpiece according to a third embodiment of the invention; 
         FIG. 16  shows a contact element according to a fourth embodiment of the invention; 
         FIG. 17  shows an exploded view of a hearing aid with an earpiece according to a fourth embodiment of the invention. 
         FIG. 18  shows a hearing aid with an earpiece according to the fourth embodiment of the invention, in the use position on the ear. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     Reference is first made to  FIG. 1 , which shows the outer ear. In the figure the ear canal  10  and tragus  8  are shown. The outer portion of the ear canal is relatively soft.  FIG. 1  further shows Helix  1 , Fossa of Helix  2 , Antihelix  3 , Crus Antihelix  4 , Concha (cavuum)  5 , Antitragus  6 , Lobule  7 , and Crus helices  9 . 
     Reference is now made to  FIGS. 2-5 , which show a hearing aid  12  with an earpiece  11 , according to a first embodiment of the invention. The hearing aid comprises a behind-the-ear housing  29  and a tube  26  transferring sound from the housing to the earpiece  11 . The tube  26  has a first bend  27  and a second bend  28 . The tube  26  is connected at one end with the housing and at the other end with the earpiece  11   
     The earpiece generally comprises a peg  15 , an earplug  20  and a body  21 . The cross section of the body may be circular, elliptic, rectangular or any other form allowing sound from the tube to pass through to the earplug. The earplug  20  allows sound from the surroundings to pass through to the tympanic membrane by one, two or more apertures  31 . The body  21 , a rim  22 , and a number of spokes  23  define the apertures. The peg engages the earplug  20  by threading into a through bore of the plug, the peg having a bead  19  for securing the position. 
       FIG. 5  shows a branch  13  connected with the peg  15 , in a first state. The branch comprises a beam-like structure protruding generally radially from the peg. The branch is flexible in order that it may be formed into a loop, an exterior side of the loop providing support against the users ear when the earpiece is fitted into the ear. The peg  15  has a bore  17  that allows sound from the tube to pass through to the earplug. The peg  15  further has a branch  13  and a retainer  18  in form of an eyelet. The branch  13  has a pointed end  14 . The branch  13  extends from the peg by a first, cantilevered end, and threads by its other, pointed end into the retainer  18 . The branch  13  is a beam like structure with two generally flat opposing faces, each provided with a number of transverse grooves  24 , placed along the branch  13  at increments  25  of 2 mm. The grooves are 1.65 mm wide. The length of the branch  13  from the peg to the pointed end is approximately 44 mm. 
     The branch  13  is made of a flexible, resilient material such as a polymer, a polyether block amide or a polyamide. The retainer  18  is likewise made of a flexible, resilient material such as polyamide, and comprises a strap that defines a tangential hole, adapted to receive an end of the branch  13 . The branch  13  will be arrested once inserted into the retainer  18  by a rib of the peg engaging one of the grooves, biased by resilience of the strap. Once the branch  13  has been fixed in the retainer  18 , as shown in  FIG. 6 , it forms a loop. This is referred to as the second state of the fixture. The size of the loop may vary depending on which of the grooves  24  in the branch  13  that interacts with the rib in the retainer  18 . In this way it is possible to adjust the effective size of the loop to properly fit the users ear. In another embodiment the branch  13  has no grooves and may be connected to the peg  15  by gluing. For example, the branch  13  may be fixed in the retainer before gluing. 
     The protruding end of the branch  13  may be cut off, to reach the third state, which is shown in  FIG. 7 . The branch  13  has grooves on both faces in order that it is possible to form a loop either way around. In this way the branch  13  can be used for both a right ear and a left ear. Between the axis  16  and the base portion of the branch  13  there is an angle of approximately 60° so that when the branch  13  is fixed into the retainer  18 , the loop will be twisted. In other embodiments of the invention this angle may vary between 45° and 90°. The convex side of the loop provides a contact surface  30 , which may be in contact with concha  5 , tragus  8 , and the ear canal  10 . 
       FIG. 8  shows a hearing aid with an earpiece according to the first embodiment of the invention. The earpiece is kept in a fixed position due to retention by the exterior of the branch  13 , which provides the contact surface  30 . The interaction between the branch  13 , specifically the contact surface  30 , and the inside of the tragus  8  and the interaction of the earplug with the ear canal  10 , provides the retention of the earpiece. Also the two bends  27 ,  28  of the tube  26  provides for the earpiece to be kept in a fixed position in the ear. 
       FIG. 9  shows an earpiece with a tube  26  according to a first embodiment of the invention, in a second state, i.e. a state where the branch forms a loop with a protruding end. 
     In an earpiece  36  according to a second embodiment of the invention, shown in  FIG. 10 , the branch  13  has one or more retainers  18  for fixation of the pointed end. The branch  13  has one or more spokes  32 , which are connected to a hub  33 . Once the pointed end of the branch  13  has been fixed, the branch  13  assumes an essentially circular shape. Part of the convex side of the fixed branch  13  provides a contact surface  30 , which is in contact with the inside of tragus  8  or the ear canal  10  or both. The branch may be curved narrower along part of its length so that it assumes an essentially elliptic shape, once the pointed end has been fixed. The hub  33  has a number of notches  34 . 
       FIG. 11  shows a peg  37  of a second embodiment of the earpiece according to the invention,  FIG. 11  including views of the peg  37  with the tube  26  from two different viewing angles as well as an enlarged view of the peg  37 . The peg  37  comprises a number of protrusions  35  that match the notches  34  of the hub  33  (ref.  FIG. 10 ). In this way the contact element may be rotated relative to the hub to a particular orientation selected for comfort and proper resting of the contact element behind tragus and in the ear canal, and then assembled so as to safely maintain the selected orientation. 
       FIG. 12  shows three views of a tube  26 , an earplug  20  and an earpiece  36  according to the second embodiment of the invention. 
       FIG. 13  shows three views of a hearing aid with housing  29 , tube  26  and earpiece  36  according to the second embodiment of the invention in the use position on the ear. 
       FIG. 14  shows an earpiece  38  according to a third embodiment of the invention. This earpiece  38  comprises a contact element molded in a resilient material so as to have the general appearance of a half-circle. The contact element comprises a hub  39  comprising a number of notches  34 . 
       FIG. 15  shows a hearing aid with housing  29 , tube  26 , earplug  20  and earpiece  38  according to the third embodiment, which may be clicked on a fixture (e.g. the peg  37  shown in  FIG. 11 ). The contact element may be produced in different sizes for different sizes of ears. 
       FIG. 16  shows an earpiece  40  according to a fourth embodiment of the invention, this earpiece comprising a contact element molded in a resilient material so as to generally resemble a full circle. The earpiece  40  comprises hub  41  in a closed shape comprising a number of notches that match the peg  37  (ref.  FIG. 11 ). 
       FIG. 17  suggests how the contact element may be mounted on the fixture by pushing the hub  41  and then the earplug  20  onto the peg  37 . 
       FIG. 18  shows three views of a hearing aid with housing  29 , tube  26  and an earpiece  40  according to the fourth embodiment of the invention, in the use position on the ear.