Patent ID: 7715581

Claim:
An in the concha bowl/ear canal hearing aid comprising: a. a sound processor with an amplifier and power source sized and structured to fit behind the outer ear and amplify electronic impulses from a microphone, b. a combination microphone/speaker having: i. a base with a first end structured to be located within the concha bowl of the exterior outer ear and an opposite second end structured to be located within the exterior ear canal, ii. microphone attached to the first end to pick up sound gathered by the concha bowl of the exterior ear and generate electronic impulses in response to sound, iii. a speaker attached to the second end to transmit sound into the exterior ear canal in response to amplified electronic impulses transmitted by the sound processor; the base, microphone, and speaker sized to fit within and partially obstruct the concha bowl and exterior ear canal to allow air to flow there through to minimize echoes and provide more natural sound pick up and transmission, c. a bendable support with one end attached to the sound processor and the other end attached to the base to position the microphone within the concha bowl of the ear to pickup sound focused by the exterior sound funneling of the outer ear, and position the speaker within the exterior ear canal pointed toward the inner ear to direct amplified sound therein, and d. electronic transmission means associated with the bendable support with one end operably associated with the microphone/speaker and the other end associated with the behind the sound processor with amplifier and power source to selectively activate the microphone and speaker to combine external sound entering the ear exterior canal with amplified sound from the speaker.