Pushbutton pullstring adapter for hearing aid

An apparatus for engaging a pushbutton assembly used in controlling a hearing aid configured to fit at least partially within a user's ear, the apparatus comprising:

• a pushbutton assembly;
• a housing for at least partially enclosing the pushbutton assembly within an interior portion of the housing, the housing having:
• a first cylindrical end portion having a first inner diameter sized to receive a cylindrical body portion of the pushbutton assembly in a press fit configuration;
• and
• a second cylindrical end portion having a second inner diameter that is larger than an outer diameter of a cylindrical button portion of the pushbutton assembly, such that the button portion may move freely within the second end portion of the housing when a pushing force is applied to the button portion, the second cylindrical end portion having a second circular aperture with a second aperture diameter;
• and
• a pullstring assembly comprising:
• an engagement portion disposed within the second cylindrical end portion of the housing, the engagement portion being movable with respect to the housing and operable to engage the pushbutton assembly when a pushing force is applied to the engagement portion, and operable to engage the second end portion of the housing when a pulling force is applied to the engagement portion, the engagement portion having an engagement portion diameter that is larger than the second aperture diameter;
• and
• an elongate string portion having:
• a first string end disposed within the housing and securely attached to the engagement portion;
• and
• a second string end disposed outside the housing,
• wherein the string portion has a string portion diameter that is less than the second aperture diameter, so that the string portion may move through the second aperture when a pushing force or pulling force is applied to the string portion,
• whereby the user of the hearing aid may apply a pushing force to the string portion of the pullstring assembly to cause the engagement portion to engage the pushbutton assembly for controlling the hearing aid, and
• whereby the user of the hearing aid may apply a pulling force to the string portion of the pullstring assembly to cause the engagement portion to engage the second end portion of the housing to remove the hearing aid from the user's ear.