Field of the Invention
Embodiments of the invention relate to hearing aids. More specifically, embodiments of the invention relate to moisture/debris protective structures for microphone components used in hearing aids including completely in the canal hearing aids.
Since many hearing aid devices are adapted to be fit into the ear canal, a brief description of the anatomy of the ear canal will now be presented. While, the shape and structure, or morphology, of the ear canal can vary from person to person, certain characteristics are common to all individuals. Referring now to
The cartilaginous region 11 of the ear canal 10 deforms and moves in response to the mandibular (jaw) motions, which occur during talking, yawning, eating, etc. The medial (towards the tympanic membrane) part, a bony region 13 proximal to the tympanic membrane, is rigid due to the underlying bony tissue. The skin 14 in the bony region 13 is thin (relative to the skin 16 in the cartilaginous region) and is more sensitive to touch or pressure. There is a characteristic bend 15 that roughly occurs at the bony-cartilaginous junction 19 (referred to herein as the bony junction), which separates the cartilaginous 11 and the bony 13 regions. The magnitude of this bend varies among individuals.
A cross-sectional view of the typical ear canal 10 (
Hair 5 and debris 4 in the ear canal are primarily present in the cartilaginous region 11.
Physiologic debris includes cerumen (earwax), sweat, decayed hair, and oils produced by the various glands underneath the skin in the cartilaginous region. Non-physiologic debris consists primarily of environmental particles that enter the ear canal. Canal debris is naturally extruded to the outside of the ear by the process of lateral epithelial cell migration (see e.g., Ballachanda, The Human ear Canal, Singular Publishing, 1995, pp. 195). There is no cerumen production or hair in the bony part of the ear canal.
The ear canal 10 terminates medially with the tympanic membrane 18. Laterally and external to the ear canal is the concha cavity 2 and the auricle 3, both also cartilaginous. The junction between the concha cavity 2 and the cartilaginous part 11 of the ear canal at the aperture 17 is also defined by a characteristic bend 12 known as the first bend of the ear canal.
First generation hearing devices were primarily of the Behind-The-Ear (BTE) type. However they have been largely replaced by In-The-Canal hearing devices are of which there are three types. In-The-Ear (ITE) devices rest primarily in the concha of the ear and have the disadvantages of being fairly conspicuous to a bystander and relatively bulky to wear. Smaller In-The-Canal (ITC) devices fit partially in the concha and partially in the ear canal and are less visible but still leave a substantial portion of the hearing device exposed. Recently, Completely-In-The-Canal (CIC) hearing devices have come into greater use. These devices fit deep within the ear canal and can be essentially hidden from view from the outside.
In addition to the obvious cosmetic advantages, CIC hearing devices provide, they also have several performance advantages that larger, externally mounted devices do not offer. Placing the hearing device deep within the ear canal and proximate to the tympanic membrane (ear drum) improves the frequency response of the device, reduces distortion due to jaw extrusion, reduces the occurrence of the occlusion effect and improves overall sound fidelity.
However despite their advantages, many completely CIC hearing devices have performance and reliability issues relating to occlusion effects and the exposure of their components to moisture, cerumen, perspiration and other contaminants entering the ear canal (e.g. soap, pool water, etc.). Attempts have been made to use filters to protect key components such as the sound ports of the microphone. However over time, the filters can become clogged with cerumen, and other contamination. In particular, as the filters are exposed to contaminating fluids, the fluids and other contaminants are absorbed by the filter, clogging the filter pores preventing or otherwise attenuating sound reaching the microphone. Part of the problem is attributable to the surface structure of the filter and/or microphone port surface which encourages fluid absorption on to the filter and/or microphone surface due to capillary action. The use of low surface energy coatings can reduce the amount of capillary action and will cause fluids to ball up on the surface rather than spread over it. However, such coatings cause the fluid droplets to seek out and flow into surface deformities, such as the microphone port, which due to their surface irregularities, exert adhesive forces on the fluids droplets and disrupt the cohesive forces keeping the droplet together. Such deformity attraction also occurs and may be accentuated when the fluid droplet is located between two flat surfaces a configuration which may occur in various hearing designs due to special constraints. There is a need for improved sealing and moisture protection methodologies for hearing aid components including hearing aid microphones.
Embodiments of the invention provide devices, assemblies and methods for improving the moisture and debris resistance of hearing aid microphones and other electronic components used in completely in the canal (CIC) hearing aids. One embodiment provides a microphone assembly for a CIC hearing aid including a hydrophobic coated surface having a microphone port and a hydrophobic coated ring positioned around the port. The ring is configured as a fluidic barrier structure to channel water, liquid droplets and debris around the port such that water and contaminants do not contact or enter the port. The microphone assembly can be configured to be positioned adjacent another flat surface such as the surface on a battery assembly or barrier surface on the battery.
Another embodiment provides a microphone assembly for a CIC hearing aid comprising a microphone housing including a housing surface having a microphone port, a fluidic barrier structure coupled to the housing surface, a protective porous mesh coupled to the barrier structure and a microphone disposed within the housing. The microphone housing can be sized to be positioned in close proximity to another component surface such as a hearing battery assembly surface. At least a portion of the housing surface and/or the barrier structure can be hydrophobic. Those portions can comprise hydrophobic coatings such as fluoro-polymer or parylene. The barrier structure surrounds the microphone port and is configured to channel liquid and debris away from entry into the microphone port including liquid constrained between the housing surface and another surface. The barrier structure can have a variety of shapes. In one embodiment, the barrier structure is square shaped and has a rectangular or square cross section. Alternatively, it can be ring shaped and has a circular cross section area. Preferably, the area of the barrier structure is maximized relative to the area of the housing surface. The mesh has a pore size configured to substantially prevent entry of cerumen particles into the port while minimizing detrimental effect to a hearing aid performance parameter when the mesh is greater than about 25% patent. These performance parameters can include the output, volume, gain or frequency response of the hearing aid.
In many embodiments, the barrier structure is configured to hold the mesh at an offset from the housing surface such that there is a gap between the barrier surface and the mesh. The offset defines an air volume to conduct sound to the microphone port. Also the air volume provides a plurality of pathways for acoustical conduction to the microphone port. The plurality of pathways can maintain a level of acoustical conduction to the port when up to about 75% of the mesh is occluded.
Another embodiment provides a CIC hearing aid device for operation in the bony portion of the ear canal. The device is configured to be resistant to water and cerumen ingress into microphone components. The device comprises the microphone assembly described in the above paragraph, a receiver assembly and a battery assembly. The receiver assembly is configured to supply acoustical signals received from the microphone assembly to a tympanic membrane of a wearer. The battery assembly is configured to power the hearing device and is electrically coupled to at least one of the microphone assembly or the receiver assembly. At least one sealing retainer can be coupled to at least one of the microphone assembly or the receiver assembly.
Various embodiments of the invention provide devices, assemblies and methods for improving the moisture and debris resistance of hearing aid microphones and other components used in completely in the canal (CIC) hearing aids. Specific embodiments provide barrier structures and other means for preventing or substantially reducing the ingress of liquids and other contaminates into hearing microphone ports and other hearing aid electronic components used in CIC hearing aids.
Referring now to
As shown in
Despite the use of a hydrophobic coating, as shown in
Barrier structure 36 can be attached to surface 33 using an adhesive known in the art or alternatively can be integral to surface 33. Preferably, barrier structure 36 is hydrophobic or has a hydrophobic coating 36c over all or least a portion of the barrier, in particular, the portions of the barrier which are exposed to fluids. Preferably, coating 36c is parylene but can also include fluoro-polymers coatings. Parylene coating of barrier 36 and surface 33 provides a low surface energy, water-repelling protective layer. In particular, parylene coating of surface 33 provides a smooth hydrophobic surface which minimizes capillary attraction to the surface. The thickness of both coatings 33c and coating 36c can be in the range of 1 to 30 microns, with specific embodiments of 10, 20 and 25 microns.
Referring now to
Referring now to
Referring now to
Mesh 37 can be attached to barrier structure 36 using adhesives or other joining methods known in the art, e.g. ultrasonic welding, hot melt junctions etc. The mesh can be fabricated from a number of polymers and/or polymer fibers known in the art including polypropylene, polyethylene terephthalate (PET), fluoro-polymers NYLON, combinations thereof, and other filtering membrane polymers known in the art. In a preferred embodiment, mesh 37 is fabricated from polycarbonate fibers. Hydrophobic coating 37c can include fluoro-polymers, silicones and combinations thereof. Also, all or portion, of mesh 37 can be fabricated from hydrophobic materials known in the art such as fluoro-polymer fibers, e.g., expanded PTFE.
In various embodiments in which the microphone assembly includes a mesh, the mesh can be attached to microphone assembly 30 using a mesh holder 38. In many embodiments, mesh holder 38 is one in the same as barrier structure 36 or is otherwise configured to function as a barrier structure. In an embodiment shown in
Fittings 38f can be configured to be snap fit or otherwise mated to the corners or other portions of assembly 30. Holder 38 can also include one or more bosses 39b configured to mate with features (not shown) on battery assembly 40. Each fitting 38f can include a corresponding boss or raised portion 38b and together, fitting 38f and boss 38f can comprise an integral attachment structure 38i. Structure 38i can have a shape and mechanical properties to act as a load bearing structure configured to transfer and bear the bulk of any compressive forces between microphones assembly 30 and battery assembly 40 such that mesh 37 is not compressed, is not put in compression or otherwise not deformed due to compressive or other forces exerted by the microphone or battery assemblies. Such forces may occur during insertion of hearing device 20 or subsequent repositioning due to jaw and head movement. In particular embodiments structure 38i has sufficient column strength to prevent compressive deformation or displacement of mesh 37 or otherwise preserve a spacing or gap (not shown) between the microphone assembly 30 and battery assembly 40 during insertion or movement of hearing device 20.
In a preferred embodiments, holder 38 is configured to hold mesh 37 at an offset 37o from surface 33 of the microphone assembly 30 such that an airspace or volume 37a exists between surface 33 and mesh 37 as is shown in shown in
Holder 38 can be attached to assembly 30 using adhesive bonding, ultrasonic welding, heat staking or other attachment means known in the art. In one embodiment, holder 38 is adhesively bound to a lip 381 of holder 38. Preferably, holder 38 is solid on all sides 38s, as is shown in
Conclusion
The foregoing description of various embodiments of the invention has been presented for purposes of illustration and description. It is not intended to limit the invention to the precise forms disclosed. Many modifications, variations and refinements will be apparent to practitioners skilled in the art. Further, the teachings of the invention have broad application in the hearing aid device fields as well as other fields which will be recognized by practitioners skilled in the art.
Elements, characteristics, or acts from one embodiment can be readily recombined or substituted with one or more elements, characteristics or acts from other embodiments to form numerous additional embodiments within the scope of the invention. Hence, the scope of the present invention is not limited to the specifics of the exemplary embodiment, but is instead limited solely by the appended claims.
This application is a divisional of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/427,500 (Attorney Docket No. 022176-002910US), filed Jun. 29, 2006, which claims the benefit of priority of U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 60/696,265 (Attorney Docket No. 022176-002900US), filed on Jun. 30, 2005, the full disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference. This application is also related to U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 60/696,276, entitled, Hearing Aid Battery Barrier (Attorney Docket No. 022176-002800US), filed on Jun. 30, 2005; and U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/058,097 entitled, Perforated Cap Assembly for a Hearing Aid (Attorney Docket No. 022176-003000US), filed on Feb. 14, 2005, the full disclosure of each being incorporated herein by reference.
Number | Date | Country | |
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60696265 | Jun 2005 | US |
Number | Date | Country | |
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Parent | 11427500 | Jun 2006 | US |
Child | 12969362 | US |