Semi-permanent canal hearing device

Electrical audio signal processing systems and devices – Hearing aids – electrical – Specified casing or housing

Reexamination Certificate

Rate now

  [ 0.00 ] – not rated yet Voters 0   Comments 0

Details

C381S322000, C381S323000, C381S324000

Reexamination Certificate

active

07424124

ABSTRACT:
A semi-permanent hearing device is disclosed which is adapted to be completely positioned within the ear canal of an individual for long-term use. The device comprises a sealing retainer substantially positioned in the bony region of the ear canal and a core assembly including a receiver assembly coaxially positioned within the sealing retainer. When the device is inserted into its completely-in-the-canal position, the core assembly extends from the sealing retainer to the cartilaginous region of the ear canal in a non-occluding fashion, thereby minimizing interference with hair and earwax production present in the cartilaginous region. In a preferred embodiment of the device, the core assembly comprises a battery assembly conforming substantially to the shape and dimensions of the battery enclosed within the assembly. A connector in the form of a thin ribbon film provides electrical and flexible mechanical connectivity between the receiver assembly, the centrally positioned battery assembly, and a microphone assembly positioned in the cartilaginous region. The disclosed hearing device is characterized by the absence of a unitary enclosure or a main housing, in contrast to the enclosure or housing which typically encompasses the battery along with other components in prior art hearing device designs.

REFERENCES:
patent: 3061689 (1962-10-01), McCarrell et al.
patent: RE26258 (1967-08-01), Martin
patent: 3414685 (1968-12-01), Geib et al.
patent: 3527901 (1970-09-01), Geib
patent: 3594514 (1971-07-01), Wingrove
patent: 3764748 (1973-10-01), Branch et al.
patent: 3783201 (1974-01-01), Weiss et al.
patent: 3852540 (1974-12-01), Diethelm
patent: 3865998 (1975-02-01), Weiss et al.
patent: 3870832 (1975-03-01), Fredrickson
patent: 3882285 (1975-05-01), Nunley et al.
patent: 3967224 (1976-06-01), Seeley
patent: 4039985 (1977-08-01), Shlesinger, Jr. et al.
patent: 4539440 (1985-09-01), Sciarra
patent: 4606329 (1986-08-01), Hough
patent: 4607720 (1986-08-01), Hardt
patent: 4628907 (1986-12-01), Epley
patent: 4639556 (1987-01-01), Hartl et al.
patent: 4680799 (1987-07-01), Henneberger
patent: 4756312 (1988-07-01), Epley
patent: 4776322 (1988-10-01), Hough et al.
patent: 4803458 (1989-02-01), Trine et al.
patent: 4817607 (1989-04-01), Tatge
patent: 4830139 (1989-05-01), Cirillo
patent: 4840178 (1989-06-01), Heide et al.
patent: 4845755 (1989-07-01), Busch et al.
patent: 4870688 (1989-09-01), Voroba et al.
patent: 4880076 (1989-11-01), Ahlberg et al.
patent: 4918736 (1990-04-01), Bordewijk
patent: 4937876 (1990-06-01), Biermans
patent: 4947432 (1990-08-01), Topholm
patent: 4957478 (1990-09-01), Maniglia
patent: 5002151 (1991-03-01), Oliveira et al.
patent: 5015224 (1991-05-01), Maniglia
patent: 5015225 (1991-05-01), Hough et al.
patent: 5128641 (1992-07-01), Posey
patent: 5163957 (1992-11-01), Sade et al.
patent: 5201007 (1993-04-01), Ward et al.
patent: 5220918 (1993-06-01), Heide et al.
patent: 5233322 (1993-08-01), Posey
patent: 5259032 (1993-11-01), Perkins et al.
patent: 5278360 (1994-01-01), Carbe et al.
patent: 5282858 (1994-02-01), Bisch et al.
patent: 5293523 (1994-03-01), Posey
patent: 5303306 (1994-04-01), Brillhart et al.
patent: 5338287 (1994-08-01), Miller et al.
patent: 5359321 (1994-10-01), Ribic
patent: 5390254 (1995-02-01), Adelman
patent: 5425104 (1995-06-01), Shennib
patent: 5456654 (1995-10-01), Ball
patent: 5531787 (1996-07-01), Lesinski et al.
patent: 5553152 (1996-09-01), Newton
patent: 5554096 (1996-09-01), Ball
patent: 5572594 (1996-11-01), Devoe et al.
patent: 5624376 (1997-04-01), Ball et al.
patent: 5654530 (1997-08-01), Sauer et al.
patent: 5659621 (1997-08-01), Newton
patent: 5682020 (1997-10-01), Oliveira
patent: 5701348 (1997-12-01), Shennib et al.
patent: 5742692 (1998-04-01), Garcia
patent: 5796254 (1998-08-01), Andrus
patent: 5811896 (1998-09-01), Grad
patent: 5833626 (1998-11-01), Leysieffer
patent: 6022311 (2000-02-01), Juneau et al.
patent: 6058198 (2000-05-01), Aceti et al.
patent: 6094493 (2000-07-01), Borowsky et al.
patent: 6105713 (2000-08-01), Brimhall et al.
patent: 6208741 (2001-03-01), Shennib et al.
patent: 6212283 (2001-04-01), Fletcher
patent: 6408081 (2002-06-01), Boesen
patent: 6595796 (2003-07-01), Koegel
patent: 6620110 (2003-09-01), Schmid
patent: 6643378 (2003-11-01), Schumaier
patent: 6648813 (2003-11-01), Zilberman et al.
patent: 6658126 (2003-12-01), Stern
patent: 7016511 (2006-03-01), Shennib
patent: WO 95/22879 (1995-08-01), None
patent: WO 98/20704 (1998-05-01), None
patent: WO 98/51125 (1998-11-01), None
US 5,730,699, 03/1998, Adams et al. (withdrawn).
Ballachanda,The Human Ear Canal, Singular Publishing, 1950, pp. 195.
Chasin,CIC Handbook, Singular Publishing Group, Inc. (1997), pp. 5, 9-14, 17-18, 27-28, 44, 56-58, and 65-66.
Siemens Hearing Instruments, Inc.,General Information for Hearing aid Users, Mar. 1998, p. 1-14.
Oliveira, et al, “The Wax Problem: Two New Approaches,”The Hearing Journal, vol. 46, No. 8, pp. 41-46, 48.
Widex Hearing Aid Co ,Users's Instructions, SENSO CIC and Mini Canal,. Feb. 1997, pp. 2-27.
Valente,Strategies for Selecting and Verging Hearing Aid Fittings, Theme Medical Publishing. pp. 255-256, 1994.

LandOfFree

Say what you really think

Search LandOfFree.com for the USA inventors and patents. Rate them and share your experience with other people.

Rating

Semi-permanent canal hearing device does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.

If you have personal experience with Semi-permanent canal hearing device, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Semi-permanent canal hearing device will most certainly appreciate the feedback.

Rate now

     

Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-3965731

  Search
All data on this website is collected from public sources. Our data reflects the most accurate information available at the time of publication.