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US 7,715,581 B2Granted
Concha/open canal hearing aid apparatus and method
OwnerRichard W. Schanzinventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An improved hearing aid and method that employs a combination microphone/speaker, sized to have the microphone inserted within the concha bowl of the outer ear and the speaker is inserted within which the opening of the ear canal such that it does not obstruct the same for more natural hearing.
Claims10
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.
5 more elements
A method of using an in the concha bowl/ear canal hearing aid comprising:
- a. placing behind the outer ear a sound processor with an amplifier and power source sized and structured to amplify electronic impulses from a microphone,
- b. securing with a bendable support 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. a 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 positioned and sized to fit within and partially obstruct the concha bowl and exterior ear canal to enable the microphone to pick up sound focused by the exterior sound funneling of the outer ear, and position the speaker within the ear canal pointed toward the inner ear to direct amplified sound thereto while allowing air to flow there through to minimize echoes and provide more natural sound pick up and transmission,
- c. associating electronic transmission means with the bendable support having one end operably associated with the microphone/speaker and the other end associated with the sound processor, amplifier, and power source to selectively activate the microphone and speaker, and
- d. selectively activating the in the concha bowl/ear canal hearing aid to combine external sound entering the ear canal with amplified sound from the speaker.
5 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.