Press-fit ear wax barrier

A hearing aid comprising:

• a shell adapted to be received, at least in part, in an ear of a user, said shell including a cylindrical surface which defines an acoustic output port;
• a receiver positioned within said shell, said receiver including a receiver output port acoustically coupled to said acoustic output port;
• and
• an ear wax barrier housing positioned at least partially intermediate said acoustic output port and said receiver output port, wherein said ear wax barrier housing is acoustically coupled therebetween and includes means for retarding ear wax migration into said receiver, said ear wax barrier housing including a barbed portion adapted to be positioned intermediate said receiver and said shell, said barbed portion deforming said cylindrical surface to attach said housing to said shell.

A color coated wax barrier removably insertable into a hearing aid comprising:

• a housing, wherein the housing carries a color coding discernable by a user;
• a slidably engageable coupling element, carried by the housing for continuously, press fittingly and removably engaging and thereupon slidably deforming a portion of the hearing aid when so engaged, wherein the locking element is shaped to provide for easier insertion than removal by the user:
• and
• wherein the housing is molded and cylindrical.

A color coated wax barrier removably insertable into a hearing aid comprising:

• a housing, wherein the housing carries a color coding discernable by a user;
• a slidably engageable coupling element, carried by the housing for continuously, press fittingly and removably engaging and thereupon slidably deforming a portion of the hearing aid when so engaged, wherein the locking element is shaped to provide for easier insertion than removal by the user;
• wherein the coupling element extends, in part laterally from the housing with a variable axially oriented exterior dimension;
• and
• wherein the housing is substantially cylindrical.

Ear wax barriers for use with hearing aids, each hearing aid including a shell having an acoustic output port and a receiver positioned within the shell, the receiver having a receiver output port, and a surrounding wall surface which at least partly defines a path between the receiver output port and the acoustic output port, the barrier comprising:

• a first housing and a second housing each adapted to be received in a hearing aid at least partially intermediate the acoustic output port and the receiver output port, each of said housings including an acoustic passageway linking the acoustic output port and the receiver output port;
• an ear wax barrier element carried by said housing;
• and
• wherein each of said housings includes an exterior wall surface having a substantially cylindrical portion of a predetermined diameter, a barbed portion having a base area diameter larger than the diameter of said cylindrical portion to permit press-fitting each of said housings into a position within the surrounding wall surface at least partially intermediate the acoustic output port and the receiver output port, wherein said barbed portion includes a retaining surface which extends radially from and substantially perpendicular to the cylindrical portion between opposite ends thereof with a tapered annular surface which extends therefrom toward one end, and a radially extending collar portion at an opposite end of said cylindrical portion, having a diameter greater than the surrounding wall surface, one of said barbed portion and the wall surface being deformed during said press fitting, wherein said first housing is formed of molded plastic of a first color, and said second housing is formed of molded plastic of a second color different from said first color.