Combined microphone and receiver assembly for extended wear canal hearing devices

An extended wear hearing device for placement entirely in the bony part of the ear canal, the hearing device comprising a transducer assembly comprising

• a. a speaker defining a longitudinal axis and having a speaker diaphragm for producing audible vibrations;
• b. a microphone defining a longitudinal axis adjacent to said speaker, the microphone having a microphone diaphragm oriented substantially orthogonal to the speaker diaphragm;
• c. a battery;
• and
• d. an encapsulant in which said speaker, microphone and battery are encapsulated, said encapsulant having a generally oval cross-sectional shape defining a major axis and a minor axis;
• wherein said extended wear hearing device defines a length of 12 mm or less;
• and
• wherein said speaker and said microphone are arranged such that their respective longitudinal axes are parallel and are spaced from one another in the major axis direction.

A hearing device for placement entirely in the ear canal for extended wear therein, said hearing device comprising:

• a. a power source;
• b. an amplifier;
• c. a microphone having a microphone diaphragm responsive to sound entering the ear canal;
• and
• d. a speaker having a speaker diaphragm for generating amplified sound;
• wherein said microphone and speaker are combined adjacently in an assembly disposed within a lateral portion of said hearing device and arranged so as to minimize cross vibrations from said speaker to said microphone when said speaker is excited by said amplifier;
• and
• wherein the power source is medial of the microphone and the speaker.

A hearing device, comprising:

• a core defining a longitudinal axis defining a medial/lateral direction and including an encapsulant, and a microphone with a microphone diaphragm, a speaker and a battery within the encapsulant,
• the encapsulant defining a core exterior that in a cross-section perpendicular to the longitudinal axis has a major axis and a minor axis, the major axis defining an inferior/superior direction and the minor axis defining a anterior/posterior direction, and
• the microphone, speaker and battery being positioned relative to one another such that at least two of the microphone diaphragm, speaker and battery have an inferior/superior spatial relationship with portions thereof coextensive along a common portion of the longitudinal axis, and the battery is medial of the microphone and speaker;
• and
• at least one seal carried on the core exterior.