Acoustics – Anatomic or prosthetic relation – Ear and mouth
Patent
1992-07-21
1994-03-08
Gellner, Michael L.
Acoustics
Anatomic or prosthetic relation
Ear and mouth
A61B 702
Patent
active
052930084
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
TECHNICAL FIELD
The present invention relates to an earwax trap of the kind wherein, in first part, a space is provided which is adapted to afford acoustical communication between an interior part of hearing-aid apparatus and the external auditory meatus of the user's ear and a means is provided for preventing earwax that has entered the space from exiting from that space into the interior part.
BACKGROUND ART
Earwax traps of this kind are known from the European Patent Application No. 0 326 513 and Japanese Patent Publication No. 55-61194. In the earwax traps thus known, there are no means to remove the earwax, which has to be removed by external means, such as pipe cleaners or the like, which may damage the earwax trap and/or internal parts of the hearing-aid apparatus, such as the so-called receiver converting electric signals into sound.
DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION
It is the object of the present invention to provide an earwax trap of the kind initially referred to, in which the earwax may be removed without using external means, and this object is achieved with an earwax trap comprising means for preventing ear wax that has entered the space referred to above from exiting from that space into the interior part of the hearing-aid apparatus in the form of at least one piston- or plug-shaped member, which is adapted by relative movement between itself and the first part containing said space, to enter said space in a first direction away from said interior part of said hearing-aid apparatus, and to leave said space in a direction opposite to said first direction and thus reestablish the acoustic connection between said interior part and said space. The piston- or plug-shaped member is always present in the earwax trap, and when it is moved in the first direction mentioned in the claim, it will push any earwax having collected of out the trap, and when it is moved in the opposite direction, it no longer constitutes an obstruction in the acoustical path.
Specific advantageous embodiments of the earwax trap according to the present invention, are described below, the effects of which embodiments are explained in more detail in the following detailed portion of the present specification.
The present invention also relates to a hearing-aid apparatus of the kind with an earwax trap, the earwax trap comprising
a) in a first part, a space adapted to provide an acoustic connection between an interior part of the hearing-aid apparatus and the external auditory meatus of the user's ear, and
b) means for preventing earwax after having entered said space from leaving said space towards said interior part,
c) said means comprising at least one piston- or plug-shaped member, which is adapted by relative movement between itself and the first part containing said space, to enter said space in a first direction away from said interior part of said hearing-aid apparatus, and to leave said space in a direction opposite to said first direction and thus reestablish the acoustic connection between said interior part and said space.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
In the following detailed specification, the invention will be explained in more detail with reference to various embodiments of earwax traps according to the invention shown in the drawing, in which
FIG. 1 is a sectional view through a part of a hearing-aid apparatus incorporating an earwax trap according to a first embodiment of the present invention,
FIG. 2 is an enlarged sectional view of the earwax trap shown in FIG. 1,
FIG. 3 a-c are sectional views illustrating the functioning of the earwax trap, and
FIG. 4 a-f are sectional views of various possible practical variations of an earwax trap according to said first embodiment, and
FIG. 5 a, b are sectional views showing an earwax trap according to a second embodiment of the present invention in operating and wax-removal positions respectively.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT(S)
FIG. 1 shows an insertion portion 1 of a hearing-aid apparatus, of which only the components relevant to the presen
REFERENCES:
patent: 4553627 (1985-11-01), Gastmeier et al.
patent: 4870689 (1989-09-01), Weiss
patent: 4953215 (1990-08-01), Weiss et al.
Dang Khanh
Gellner Michael L.
Oticon A/S
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