# US 2014/0153768 A1 · Universal earpiece > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2014/0153768 A1 - Document ID: US20140153768A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 14/110,064 - Filed: 2012-04-04 - Published: 2014-06-05 - Earliest claimed: 2011-04-05 - Assignees: Blue-Gear, Inc. - Inventors: Lawrence T. Hagen; Johan D. Carlson; Randall Wayne Roberts; Margaret V. Nilson - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20140153768A1 ## CPC - H04R 25/60: {Mounting or interconnection of hearing aid parts, e.g. inside tips, housings or to ossicles (ear wax retarders, e.g. mounting thereof H04R25/654)} - H04R 1/1008: {Earpieces of the supra-aural or circum-aural type} - H04R 1/105: {Earpiece supports, e.g. ear hooks (for stereophonic headphones H04R5/0335)} - H04R 25/40: {Arrangements for obtaining a desired directivity characteristic} - H04R 25/554: {using a wireless connection, e.g. between microphone and amplifier or using Tcoils} - H04R 25/602: {of batteries} - H04R 25/604: {of acoustic or vibrational transducers} - H04R 25/656: {Non-customized, universal ear tips, i.e. ear tips which are not specifically adapted to the size or shape of the ear or ear canal} - H04R 1/1016: {Earpieces of the intra-aural type} - H04R 25/65: {Housing parts, e.g. shells, tips or moulds, or their manufacture} - H04R 25/652: {Ear tips; Ear moulds (hybrid ear moulds or post-processing thereof for their customisation H04R25/659)} - H04R 25/654: {Ear wax retarders} - H04R 2225/025: In the ear hearing aids [ITE] hearing aids - H04R 2225/57: Aspects of electrical interconnection between hearing aid parts - H04R: LOUDSPEAKERS, MICROPHONES, GRAMOPHONE PICK-UPS OR LIKE ACOUSTIC ELECTROMECHANICAL TRANSDUCERS; ELECTRIC HEARING AIDS; PUBLIC ADDRESS SYSTEMS (producing sounds with frequency not determined by supply frequency G10K) ## Abstract An earpiece designed to fit a substantial majority (over 90%) of people without customization to the outer ears, i.e., without the need to make customized measurements or a mold of the actual ear of an individual. The device is generally C-shaped and contacts the outer ear in four locations. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An earpiece for a hearing device or communication device that touches the outer ear of a wearer in a minimum number of four contact points. ### Claim 2 (canceled) ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The earpiece of claim 1, in which the contact points of the outer ear are the helix, tragus, anti-tragus and concha bowl. ### Claim 4 (canceled) ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The earpiece of claim 1, in which the earpiece is made of a material selected from acrylic, plastic, ABS, metal, vinyl and silicone. ### Claim 6 (canceled) ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The earpiece of claim 1, in which the earpiece comprises a replaceable helix extension. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The earpiece of claim 7, in which the replaceable helix extension attaches to the earpiece via a ball and socket assembly. ### Claim 9 (depends on 7) The earpiece of claim 7, in which the replaceable helix extension is made of a different hardness material than the remainder of the earpiece. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The earpiece of claim 1, in which the earpiece comprises a replaceable ear canal extension. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The earpiece of claim 10, in which the replaceable ear canal extension attaches to the earpiece via a ball and socket assembly. ### Claim 12 (depends on 10) The earpiece of claim 10, in which the replaceable ear canal extension is made of a different hardness material than the remainder of the earpiece. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The earpiece of claim 1, further comprising a feature for attaching a soft eartip. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) A system comprising an earpiece according to claim 1, in which the earmold comprises a base having a hollow interior, an ear canal extension of the base, a sound channel within the ear canal extension, and electronics mounted at least partially within the hollow interior of the base of the earpiece, in which the electronics comprises a receiver within the hollow interior of the base, an external module electronically connected to the earpiece having a battery and a digital signal processor within the external module, and at least one microphone connected to at least one of the electronics and the external module. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The system of claim 14, in which there is a single microphone mounted at one of within the earpiece and within the external module. ### Claim 16 (canceled) ### Claim 17 (depends on 14) The system of claim 14, in which the external module is one of Bluetooth™-enabled, RF-enabled, and near-field-inductive enabled. ### Claim 18 (depends on 14) The system of claim 14, in which there are one or more directional microphone systems each mounted within one of the earpiece and the external module. ### Claim at position 19 19-21. (canceled) ### Claim 22 (depends on 14) The system of claim 14, in which the external module is electronically connected to the earpiece by one of a Bluetooth connection, a near field magnetic induction signal, or a radio frequency signal. ### Claim 23 (depends on 14) The system of claim 14, in which the external module is a behind-the-ear module. ### Claim 24 (depends on 1) The earpiece according to claim 1, in which the earpiece provides passive hearing protection. ### Claim 25 (depends on 1) The earpiece according to claim 1, in which the earpiece comprises a base, an ear canal extension of the base, and a helix extension of the base. ### Claim 26 (depends on 25) The earpiece of claim 25, in which the base has a hollow interior. ### Claim 27 An earpiece for a hearing device or communication device that touches the outer ear of a wearer at four contact points, in which the contact points of the outer ear are the helix, tragus, anti-tragus and concha bowl, and the earpiece comprises a base, an ear canal extension of the base, and a helix extension of the base.