Insound Medical, Inc.

Sunder Ram

Ian Day

Adnan Ahmed Shennib

Richard Carl Urso

Robert Schindler

Greg Anderson

Richard Gable

Dean Johnson

James P Buckley

Timothy Cuongdung Huynh

Michael Ipsen

John W Sadler

Alex Tilson

Pat Contioso

Gregory Kushner

Sharon Huynh, Legal Representative

An embodiment provides a seal for retaining a hearing device within the ear canal comprising a curved shell having an opening at a shell apex portion. The shell defines a cavity for retention of a device component. An interior surface of a shell wall has a scalloped shape configured to distribute compressive forces applied to the shell perimeter such that when the shell is positioned in the canal, the shell wall conforms to the shape of the canal to maintain an acoustical seal between a shell exterior surface and the canal walls. The scalloped shape can be configured to produce a substantially constant amount of inward deformation of a shell wall independent of a force application point on a shell perimeter. The shell can include a coating to retain the seal in the canal and/or to promote asparagine growth into the coating to fastenly retain the seal in the canal.

Sealing retainer for extended wear hearing devices

Embodiments of the invention provide microphone assemblies for hearing aids which are resistant to moisture and debris. An 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 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 are hydrophobic. The barrier structure surrounds the microphone port and is configured to channel liquid and debris away from entry into the microphone port including matter constrained between the housing surface and another surface.

Hearing aid microphone protective barrier

Embodiments of the invention provide a barrier for protecting hearing aid metal-air battery assemblies from exposure to liquids causing obstruction of a battery air vent. One embodiment provides a barrier configured to be attached to a CIC hearing aid battery having a vent. The barrier has an oxygen permeability configured to allow the diffusion of sufficient oxygen for a battery to meet the power demands of a hearing aid operating in the bony portion of the ear canal over an extended time period. The barrier has a physical property configured to substantially prevent liquid obstruction of at least a portion of the vent on a metal-air battery such as a zinc-air battery. The physical property can be at least one of a hydrophobicity, oleophobocity or surface energy. The barrier can be directly attached to the battery or indirectly via a holder and can encase substantially the entire battery.

Hearing aid battery barrier

Embodiments of the invention provide seals for retaining hearing devices in the ear canal. An embodiment provides a seal for a hearing device comprising a curved shell having a wall and an opening at a shell apex portion. The shell defines a cavity for retention of a device component. The shell wall has a shape configured to distribute compressive forces applied to the shell perimeter such that when the shell is positioned in the canal, the shell wall dynamically conforms to changes in the shape of the canal to maintain an acoustical seal between a shell exterior surface and the canal walls. The shell can include an anti-microbial coating to produce a reduction in bacteria contacting the coating. Also, the shell wall can have a water vapor transmission rate to reduce moisture accumulation in the canal during periods of extended wear to reduce the incidence of infection and otitis.

Embodiments of the invention provide a protective cap assembly for a CIC hearing aid. The assembly comprises a perforated cap configured to be mounted over the lateral end of the hearing aid to protect the hearing aid from contaminants. At a least a portion of the cap includes a protective coating and a plurality of perforations. The placement and size of the perforations can be configured to provide sufficient aeration and drainage to reduce a relative humidity of the cap interior when the hearing aid is positioned in the ear canal. The perforations also operate as sound conduction channels for conducting sound to the cap interior. The perforations have a minimum size wherein a single perforation provides sufficient acoustic transmittance to a hearing aid component such that a hearing aid performance parameter is not substantially adversely affected. They can also be configured to provide splash protection for the cap interior.

Perforated cap for a hearing aid

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San Jose, CA, United States of America

Sunder Ram