Patent Publication Number: US-11665490-B2

Title: Auditory device cable arrangement

Description:
BACKGROUND 
     A hearing aid having a receiver (speaker) that is connected via wires to an electronics module is known as a receiver-in-canal (RIC) type hearing aid. The wires of RIC type hearing aids are typically disposed in tubing or a jacket to form a cable. It is desirable that the cable be inconspicuous when the RIC type hearing aid is in use. 
     When fitting conventional RIC type hearing aids, one determines the particular ear, left or right, of the user with which the RIC type hearing aid will be used. Typically two different RIC type hearing aids are provided to an individual who needs hearing aids for both ears. Also, the length of the cable connecting the electronics module with the receiver is not self-adjustable. Instead, many different lengths of cables are available, and a cable of a particular length is provided for each ear based on measurements taken by the individual or a hearing specialist. This requires RIC type hearing aid to manufacture different electronics module, e.g., an electronics module for the left ear and an electronics module for the right ear, and it also requires RIC type hearing aid to manufacture cables of differing lengths. 
     SUMMARY 
     In view of the foregoing, an auditory device includes an electronics module, a receiver and a cable connecting the electronics module to the receiver. The electronics module includes an enclosure shaped to be positioned behind an outer portion of either a left ear or a right ear of a user and circuitry within the enclosure. The receiver is configured for being located in either a left ear canal or a right ear canal of the user. When inserted into the left ear canal, the receiver occupies a left ear canal insertion position, and when inserted into the right ear canal, the receiver occupies a right ear canal insertion position. The cable and the receiver are shaped and configured such that the receiver is presented in a neutral position when no external force other than gravity is acting upon the receiver, the neutral position being located between the left ear canal insertion position and the right ear canal insertion position. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG.  1    is a front perspective view of an auditory device. 
         FIG.  2    is a rear perspective view of the auditory device. 
         FIG.  3    is a top plan view of the auditory device. 
         FIG.  4    is a front elevation view of the auditory device. 
         FIG.  5    is a left side elevation view of the auditory device. 
         FIG.  6    is another left side view of the auditory device showing a cable extended into different positions. 
         FIG.  7    is a top plan view of the auditory device showing the cable twisted into different positions. 
         FIG.  8    is a perspective view of the auditory device with a receiver received in the left ear canal of a user. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     It should, of course, be understood that the description and drawings herein are merely illustrative and that various modifications and changes can be made in the structures disclosed without departing from the present disclosure. Referring now to the drawings, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout the several views,  FIG.  1    depicts an auditory device  20 , which can be in the form of an RIC type hearing aid, including an electronics module  22 , a receiver  24  and a cable  26  connecting the electronics module  22  to the receiver  24 . Unlike conventional RIC type hearing aids, the auditory device  20  can fit with both a left ear and a right ear of the user so that two identically constructed auditory devices  20  can be provided to one individual for use in either ear. Also, the cable  26  connecting the electronics module  22  to the receiver  24  is advantageously constructed to accommodate a large range of ear sizes instead of providing one particular length cable for each different ear size as is done with conventional RIC type hearing aids. 
     The electronics module  22  includes an enclosure  32  that is shaped to be positioned behind an outer portion of either the left ear or the right ear of a user. In general, the enclosure  32  is made from a rigid plastic material and made up of an anterior section  34  connected with a posterior section  36 . A battery door  38  pivotally connects with the anterior section  34  to provide access to a battery compartment that can house a battery which can operate as a power source for the auditory device  20 . 
     With reference to  FIGS.  3  and  4   , the enclosure  32  is symmetrical with respect to a symmetrical plane  42 . The enclosure  32  can include a left side surface  44  and a right side surface  46  that are generally planar while tapering slightly toward the symmetrical plane  42  near where the cable  26  extends from the enclosure  32 . With reference to  FIG.  5   , the enclosure  32  can include an anterior surface  52  that connects the left side surface  44  and the right side surface  46 , and a posterior surface  54  that connects the left side surface  44  and the right side surface  46 . The anterior surface  52  is curved more noticeably from a free end of the battery door  38  moving in the direction toward where the cable  26  extends from the enclosure  32 . The posterior surface  54  is also curved more noticeably near where the cable  26  extends from the enclosure  32 . Control buttons  56  can also be provided extending from or on the enclosure  32  to control operations of the auditory device  20  such as volume and the like. With reference back to  FIGS.  2  and  3   , openings  58  can also be provided on the enclosure  32  to provide access to microphones, which will be described in more detail below. 
     The electronics module  22  can be similar to known electronics modules with regard to the components provided within the enclosure  32 . In view of this, these components will not be described with particularity with the understanding that one of ordinary skill in the art would understand how to make and use these components. Similar to known RIC type hearing aids, the electronics module  22  can include circuitry and an appropriate processing unit for controlling different programs, between which the processing unit can switch and includes reception of a telecoil signal. The processing unit can also be used for controlling sound processing, noise reduction etc. The electronics module  22  can further include a radio module, which allows for TV and other audio streaming. Microphones, which can allow for the use of a directional system, can also be provided with the electronics module  22 . The electronics module  22  can further house a battery, which is accessible through the battery door  38 , and a charging coil. The battery may be a rechargeable battery, a zinc-silver battery or a lithium-polymer battery. Depending on the type of battery provided, a power management circuit may also be provided with the electronics module  22  to control and monitor the charging and discharging of the battery, if it is a rechargeable battery. 
     The receiver  24  is configured for being located in either the left ear canal or the right ear canal of the user. The receiver  24  includes a housing  62  made from a rigid plastic material, and the housing  62  connects with an ear bud  64  that is also shaped to fit in either the left ear canal or the right ear canal of the user. The housing  62  houses electrical components that are similar to known receivers in RIC type hearing aids, which will not be described in detail for the sake of brevity. With reference to  FIG.  5   , the housing  62  is provided with an elbow  66  as seen when viewing a first axis  68  intersecting with a second axis  72  where both axes reside in the symmetrical plane  42  (see  FIGS.  3  and  4   ). The first axis  68  extends from the center of an ear bud outlet  74  ( FIG.  3   ) to the elbow  66  and the second axis  72  extends from the elbow  66  to the center of the opening  76  in the housing  62  that receives the cable  26 . The angle  78  at the elbow  66  between the first axis  68  and the second axis  72  is an obtuse angle, which can measure about 100 degrees, e.g., between 95 degrees and 105 degrees. This angle  78  helps align the receiver  24  in either the left ear canal or the right ear canal of the user. 
     The cable  26  includes a plurality of wires (not visible) provided within a jacket  90 . The wires can be stranded metal wires to provide for the electrical connection between the electronics module  22  and the receiver  24 . The jacket  90  is made from a flexible material, and the wires and the jacket  90  are formed in a manner so that the cable  26  can be set, e.g. thermoset, into the shape shown in  FIG.  1    when no external force other than gravity is acting upon the receiver  24 . The cable  26  is configured to be extended a predetermined amount (see  FIG.  6   ) and twisted (see  FIG.  7   ) while being capable of returning to the position shown in  FIGS.  1 - 5    when no external force other than gravity is acting upon the receiver  24 . 
     The cable  26  is formed and set so that the receiver  24  can be located in either a left ear canal or a right ear canal of the user. With reference to  FIG.  8   , when inserted into the left ear canal, the receiver  24  occupies a left ear canal insertion position. The cable  26  can also be twisted, which would typically be between the 60 degree and the 90 degree position in  FIG.  7    so that when inserted into the right ear canal, the receiver occupies a right ear canal insertion position. The cable  26  is also formed and set so that the receiver  24  occupies a neutral position, which is between the left ear canal insertion position and the right ear canal insertion position, when no external force other than gravity is acting upon the receiver, which is shown in  FIGS.  1 - 5   . In a more particular example, such as that shown in  FIGS.  1 - 5   , when the receiver  24  occupies the neutral position the ear bud outlet  74  is positioned in the symmetrical plane  42 . This is also shown in  FIG.  7   , which shows the ear bud  64  in an alternative configuration and the neutral position as the 0 degree position. When the receiver  24  occupies the neutral position, the ear bud outlet  74  is also facing away from the electronics module  22 . This orientation of the receiver  24  reduces the rotation from the neutral position toward the left ear canal insertion position or the right ear canal insertion position that is below 90 degrees. If the receiver  24  was oriented in the opposite direction, i.e., pointing towards the electronics module  22 , more rotation would be needed, which would likely require more torque to rotate the receiver  24 . 
     The cable  26  is formed and set so that when the receiver  24  is inserted into either the left ear canal or the right ear canal, the force exerted by the cable  26  on the ear cavity is minimized to reduce pressure on the ear cavity that could cause pain over long periods of wear. For example and with reference to  FIG.  7   , a torque required to rotate the receiver  24  from the neutral position 90 degrees toward the left ear canal insertion position and from the neutral position 90 degrees toward the right ear canal insertion position is less than 0.00045 Nm. Also, the torque required to rotate the receiver  24  from the neutral position 60 degrees toward the left ear canal insertion position and from the neutral position 60 degrees toward the right ear canal insertion position can be less than 0.0003 Nm. Accordingly, with such small forces required to twist the receiver  24  into either the left ear canal or the right ear canal of the user, the force exerted by the cable  26  on the ear cavity of the user is greatly lessened. 
     With reference to  FIG.  8   , the cable  26  is formed and set so that at least an upper portion  82  the cable  26  is biased toward the user&#39;s head or the ear cavity of the left ear of the user when the electronics module  22  is positioned behind the outer portion of left ear of the user and the cable is twisted from the receiver being in the neutral position toward the receiver being located in the left ear canal in the left ear canal insertion position. The cable  26  is also formed and set so that the upper portion  82  of the cable  26  is biased toward the user&#39;s head or the ear cavity of the right ear of the user when the electronics module  22  is positioned behind the outer portion of right ear of the user and the cable  26  is twisted from the receiver  24  being in the neutral position toward the receiver  24  being located in the left ear canal in the left ear canal insertion position. Accordingly, the bias of the cable  26  keeps the cable located near the user&#39;s head or ear cavity, which provides a discreet and inconspicuous cable  26  connecting the electronics module  22  with the receiver  24 . Once the receiver  24  is inserted in the canal insertion position the cable  26  self-adjusts to the height of the user ear. 
     The cable  26  is also formed and set so that the auditory device  20  is capable of accommodating a large range of ear sizes. Instead of exchanging out the cable to accommodate different ear sizes, the cable  26  can extend from the neutral position at least 12 mm downward by pulling on the receiver  24 , which is shown in  FIG.  6   , while still being able to be twisted so that the receiver  24  can occupy either the left ear canal insertion position or the right ear canal insertion position. The cable  26  is also formed and set so that the force required to extend the cable  26  to change the location of the receiver  24  with respect to where the cable  26  extends form the enclosure  32  is very small. For example, an expansion force required to extend the receiver  24  at least 12 mm downward from the neutral position is less than 100 milliNewtowns (mN). Such a small force required to extend the cable  26  also exerts very little pressure on the ear canal when the receiver  24  is received inside the ear canal. 
     With reference to  FIG.  5   , the cable  26  follows a curve along the symmetrical plane  42  (see  FIGS.  3  and  4   ) that includes a first turning point  92 , a second turning point  94  and a third turning point  96  when the receiver  24  is presented in the neutral position with no external force other than gravity acting upon the receiver  24 . The cable  26  is formed and set, e.g., thermoset, to follow this curve, which can be in the form of an “S” and allows for the auditory device  20  to fit a number of different ear sizes and allows the auditory device  20  to work with both the left and right ear. When travelling along the cable  26  from where the cable  26  extends from the enclosure  32  of the electronics module  22  toward the where the cable  26  connects with the receiver  24 , the first turning point  92  is located nearest to where the cable  26  extends from the enclosure  32 , the second turning point  94  is located between the first turning point  92  and the third turning point  96 , and the third turning point  96  is located nearest to the receiver  24 . The second turning point  94  is located vertically below the third turning point  96  when the electronics module  22  is positioned in the manner shown in  FIG.  5    and the receiver  24  is in the neutral position with no external force other than gravity acting upon the receiver  24 . The cable  26  is formed and set such that the second turning point  94  remains located vertically below the third turning point  96  when the electronics module  22  is rotated in the symmetrical plane  42  in which the curve of the cable  26  resides and the receiver  24  is presented in a neutral position with no external force other than gravity acting upon the receiver  24 . This can be seen when comparing  FIG.  5    to  FIG.  6   . The electronics module  22  in  FIG.  6    has been rotated slightly counterclockwise from the position shown in  FIG.  5   . As such, when the electronics module  22  is positioned to be behind the outer portion of either the left ear or the right ear of the user and the receiver  24  is in the neutral position with no external force other than gravity acting upon the receiver  24 , the second turning point  94  remains located vertically below the third turning point  96 . Such a shape for the cable  26  can allow for the desired extension of the cable  26  to accommodate different ear sizes, which can be seen from  FIG.  6   . 
     An auditory device has been described above with particularity. Modifications and alterations may occur to those skilled in the art after having read the above detailed description. The invention, however, is not limited to only the embodiments described above. Instead, the invention is broadly defined by the appended claims and the equivalents thereof. It will be appreciated that variations of the above-disclosed embodiments and other features and functions, or alternatives or varieties thereof, may be desirably combined into many other different systems or applications. Also that various presently unforeseen or unanticipated alternatives, modifications, variations or improvements therein may be subsequently made by those skilled in the art which are also intended to be encompassed by the following claims.