Flexible earpiece for a hearing aid
AssigneeGN ReSound A/S
InventorsHenrik Nielsen, Kasper H. Kristiansen
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The present invention relates to a flexible ear mould fitting a large number of users while providing a high level of comfort and comprising a base and at least one sidewall that is attached to the base and has an edge that extends substantially from the base to an opening of the earpiece, the width of the opening fitting within the ear canal of the user.
Claims38
A flexible earpiece for positioning completely in the ear canal of a user, composing
- a base, and
- a first sidewall that is attached to the base and having edges that extends from the base to an opening of the earpiece, the width of the opening fitting within the ear canal of the user, the edges defining two ends of the sidewall, wherein the sidewall overlaps itself at the two ends defined by the edges, wherein an amount of the overlap is variable in response to pressure applied to the sidewall.
A flexible earpiece for positioning completely in the ear canal of a user, comprising:
- a base;
- and
- a first sidewall and a second sidewall each of which having an edge that extends from the base to an opening of the earpiece, the width of the opening fitting within the ear canal of the user,
- wherein the sidewalls create an overlap, and wherein an amount of the overlap is variable in response to pressure applied to the one or both of the sidewalls;
- wherein the first sidewall is thicker along its edge than the second sidewall along its edge.
The earpiece according to clam 16, wherein the first sidewall is thickest along the edge of the first sidewall, while the second sidewall is thinnest along the edge of the second sidewall.
A flexible earpiece for positioning completely in the ear canal of a user, comprising
- a base;
- a first sidewall with a first edge that extends from the base to an opening of the earpiece;
- and
- a second sidewall with a second edge that extends from the base to the opening;
- wherein the earpiece has a relaxed state in which no external pressure is applied to one or both of the first and second sidewalls, the first sidewall and the second sidewall overlapping at their respective edges when the earpiece is in the relaxed state;
- and
- wherein an amount of the overlap increases in response to a pressure applied to one or both of the first and second sidewalls.
A flexible earpiece for positioning completely in the ear canal of a user, comprising
- a base;
- a first sidewa11 with a first edge that extends from the base to an opening of the earpiece;
- and
- a second sidewall with a second edge that extends from the base to the opening;
- wherein the first sidewall has a first middle portion that is thicker than the first edge, and the second sidewall has a second middle portion that is thinner than the second edge.
A flexible earpiece for positioning completely in a ear canal of a user, comprising
- a base;
- a first sidewall with a first edge that extends from the base to an opening of the earpiece;
- and
- a second sidewall with a second edge that extends from the base to the opening;
- wherein the first and second sidewalls are configured to move relative to each other from an initial configuration in which the first and second sidewalls are overlapping at their respective edges when no external pressure is applied to one or both of the first and second sidewalls;
- and
- wherein an amount of the overlap increases in response to pressure applied to one or both of the first and second sidewalls.
A flexible earpiece for positioning completely in a ear canal of a user, comprising
- a base;
- a first sidewall with a first edge that extends from the base to an opening of the earpiece;
- and
- a second sidewall with a second edge that extends from the base to the opening;
- wherein at least one of the first and second sidewalls forms an angle that is less than 30° with respect to a longitudinal axis that extends through the opening when the flexible earpiece is in a relaxed configuration;
- and
- wherein the first sidewall and the second sidewall overlap each other when the flexible earpiece is in the relaxed configuration.
A flexible earpiece for positioning completely in the ear canal of a user, comprising:
- a base;
- a first sidewall with a first edge that extends from the base to an opening of the earpiece;
- and
- a second sidewall with a second edge that extends from the base to the opening;
- and
- wherein the first edge of the first sidewall and the second edge of the second sidewall are offset relative to each other at the base in a radial direction from a center of the base when the earpiece is in a relaxed state in which no external pressure is applied to one or both of the first and second sidewalls, so that the first sidewall at the first edge will slide over the second sidewall at the second edge, thereby creating an overlap at the first and second edges, in response to pressure applied to one or both of the first and second sidewalls.
A flexible earpiece for positioning completely in the ear canal of a user, comprising
- a base;
- a first sidewall with a first edge that extends from the base to an opening of the earpiece;
- and
- a second sidewall with a second edge that extends from the base to the opening;
- and
- wherein the first and second edges are offset with respect to each other at the base in a radial direction from a center of the base, so that the first sidewall at the first edge can slide over the second sidewall at the second edge, thereby creating an overlap at the first and second edges, in response to pressure applied to one or both of the first and second sidewalls.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.