Knowles Electronics, Inc.

Matthew Manley

Christopher Lane Monti

Yahui Zhang

Charles Bender King

Donald Verghese Jacob

Joseph Heidenreich

Alexander Grossman

Shehab Albahri

Dean A Badillo

Steve Kearey

Kalyan Nadella

Richard Scheleski

Scott Loren Miller

Daryl Barry

Alex Grossman

Earl E Houcek

Ben Vondersaar

Brian Lynch

Randall A Sanecki

Aviral Joshi

Randy Sanecki

John Rodack

An ear-worn hearing device component is disclosed and includes an electrical connector a housing and multiple connector contacts integrated with a contact carrier. A portion of the contact carrier and connector contacts protrudes from the housing and each connector contact is connected to a corresponding contact of a circuit board located in a cavity of the housing. Wires of an electrical cable mechanically coupled to the electrical connector are connected to the connector contacts via the circuit board.

Ear-worn hearing device with electrical connector

An ear-worn hearing device and an electrical cable assembly for such a hearing device are disclosed. The electrical cable assembly includes a discrete retention member rotationally and axially fixing the retention member at least partially about an end portion of an electrical conductor conduit. The retention member also axially and rotationally fixes the cable assembly to a housing. The housing can include an acoustic receiver and be configured for insertion at least partially in the user's ear. Alternatively, the housing can be part of a connector plug that mates with a base unit worn outside the user's ear.

Electrical cable assembly for ear-worn hearing devices

An in-ear hearing device including an adjustable cable assembly is disclosed. The cable assembly includes a shape-configurable portion between an end portion connected an in-ear unit and a flexible end portion adjustably connected to a behind-the-ear (BTE) unit. The flexible end portion is retractably insertable into a housing of the BTE unit to adjust a length of the cable assembly between the in-ear unit and BTE unit. A cable-retention member of the BTE unit is engageable with the flexible end portion of the cable assembly to fix the cable assembly relative to the BTE unit.

In-ear hearing device with cable assembly

A balanced armature receiver including a diaphragm with an elastomer surround is disclosed. The surround is fastened to multiple surfaces of the diaphragm and can be a siloxane-based material. In one implementation, the diaphragm includes a paddle flexibly coupled to a frame and the surround covers a gap between the frame and the paddle.

Balanced armature receiver having diaphragm with elastomer surround

A sound-producing balanced armature receiver, as disclosed, includes a receiver housing with a first internal volume, a second internal volume, and a sound outlet. The receiver includes a first diaphragm separating the first internal volume into a first front volume and a first back volume and a second diaphragm separating the second internal volume into a second front volume and a second back volume. The receiver also includes a motor inside the first back volume of the housing such that the motor includes an armature mechanically coupled to both the first diaphragm and the second diaphragm, an acoustic seal between the first front volume and the second back volume such that the acoustic seal accommodates the mechanical coupling of the armature to the second diaphragm while providing acoustic separation between the first internal volume and the second internal volume, and a back-volume increasing structure attached externally to the housing and acoustically coupled with the second back volume to provide additional volume to the second back volume.

Acoustic receivers with multiple diaphragms

A one-piece sound port adapter for a microphone assembly includes a body member configured to be fitted over a sound port of the microphone assembly. The body member includes an acoustic channel defined in part by a cavity having a sound inlet and a sound outlet, where the sound outlet is acoustically coupled to the sound port. A wall portion of the body member extends into the cavity and configured to modify an acoustic property of the acoustic channel. When mounted, the one-piece sound port adapter converts the microphone assembly from a top or bottom port microphone assembly to a side-port microphone assembly.

Sound port adapter for microphone assembly

Coil bobbins for balanced armature receivers are disclosed. The balanced armature receiver bobbin includes a coil support member, at least two flanges, and a shoulder. The coil support member has an armature passage extending between a first end and a second end thereof. The flanges extending radially from the coil support member such that the first flange extends from the coil support member proximate the first end and the second flange extends from the coil support member proximate the second end. The shoulder extends from the first flange, with the first flange located between the shoulder and the coil support member. The shoulder has a plurality of conductive coil pads disposed on a bottom portion thereof.

Coil bobbin for a balanced armature receiver

A hearing device and subassembly therefor includes a sleeve member configured for at least partial insertion into a user's ear canal, the sleeve member defining a cavity that receives and retains at least a portion of a sound-producing electroacoustic transducer. The sleeve member includes a cable interface, wherein an electrical interface of a sound-producing electroacoustic transducer received in the cavity is accessible via the cable interface. The device also includes on or more sensors integrated with the sleeve member and positioned to sense a biomarker or other condition when the sleeve member is at least partially inserted into the user's ear canal. The hearing device includes conductive traces integrated with the sleeve member, where at least one conductive trace is electrically connected to the sensor and electrically connectable via the cable interface.

Receiver housing with integrated sensors for hearing device

Sound-producing acoustic receivers and hearing devices implementing such receivers are disclosed. The acoustic receiver includes a receiver housing, an output port, a receiver motor assembly, and a transducer. The receiver housing includes a diaphragm that separates the receiver housing into a back volume and a front volume. The output port is located on the receiver housing and acoustically coupled to the front volume of the receiver housing. The receiver motor assembly is disposed in the back volume and is mechanically coupled to the diaphragm. The transducer is fastened to the receiver housing.

Acoustic devices with inwardly-facing transducers

An ear tip for a hearing device includes a body member having a receiver retention portion that is communicably coupled to a sound port. The receiver retention portion is configured to receive and capture a receiver such as a balanced armature receiver. An electrical interface of the receiver is accessible via an opening in the receiver retention portion. The ear tip also includes an ear interface portion that is disposed at least partially about the body member. The ear interface portion is configured to be disposed in a user's ear canal. The ear interface portion and the body member are integrally formed as a unitary member.

Acoustic receiver-in-canal ear tip

An apparatus includes a microphone and a gasket. The microphone includes a base having an inner surface and an outer surface. The inner surface is generally parallel with the outer surface. The base has a port extending from the outer surface to the inner surface. The microphone includes a micro electro mechanical system (MEMS) transducer coupled to the inner surface of the base over the port. The microphone has a cover coupled to the base and the cover encloses the MEMS transducer. The gasket is coupled to the outer surface of the base and forms a channel. The channel has a first end and a second end. The first end communicates with the port of the microphone, and the second end of the channel is generally aligned with an edge of the base.

Acoustic apparatus with side port

An acoustic apparatus includes a mechanical shell, a first electronic component, a first connector, and a receiver. The mechanical shell is generally cylindrical in shape and forms a cavity, the shell having an inner surface, the inter surface in communication with the cavity. The first electronic component is disposed in the cavity. The first connector includes electrical contacts and is disposed on the inner surface of the shell. A first electrical connection electrically couples the microphone to the first connector. The receiver is disposed in the cavity, and the receiver has a second connector. An electrical connection is formed between the first electronic component and the receiver via the first connector and the second connector. A rotation of the shell causes the electrical contacts to rotate within or with respect to the second connector such that the rotation does not cause the electrical connection between the first connector and the second connector to be broken.

Connector arrangement in hearing instruments

An acoustic apparatus includes a top assembly and a bottom assembly. The bottom assembly is coupled to the top assembly to form an overall assembly. A diaphragm assembly is disposed in the overall assembly so as to separate the overall assembly into a front volume and a back volume. The diaphragm assembly includes a frame and the frame has a first end, a second end, and a middle portion that is disposed between the first end and the second end. The first end and the second end are not in the same plane as the middle portion. The first end is coupled to the bottom assembly and the second end is coupled to the top assembly.

Formed diaphragm frame for receiver

A connector assembly includes a plug and a socket. The plug includes at least one conductive pin, at least one first electrical conductor coupled to the at least one conductive pin, and a base portion and a column portion. The column portion extends from the base portion and defines at least one slot along a length of the column portion. The column portion is constructed of a compliant material and includes at least one opening that extends through the base portion. The openings and slots are aligned such that the at least one conductive pin extends through the at least one opening and is received in the at least one slot. The socket has an inner surface and includes at least one second electrical conductor that extends through the socket, and holds the plug. When the plug is received by the socket, an interference fit is formed and maintained as between the second electrical conductor and the conductive pin. The base portion of the plug and the inner surface of the socket are engaged to create a seal.

Growing community of inventors

Crystal Lake, IL, United States of America

Matthew Manley