Apparatus for vented hearing assistance systems

摘要

An apparatus related to earmolds with venting configurations designed to relieve the occlusion effect. Various designs provide multiple vents allow residual ear canal air volume to vent to and from air outside the ear and the earmold. In various designs, the earmold includes one vent between the residual ear canal air volume and a volume of air internal to the earmold. A second vent provides passage of air internal to the earmold and air external to the ear and the inserted earmold when worn by a user.

主权项

1. An apparatus for an ear having an ear canal, the ear canal having a residual ear canal volume after the apparatus is placed in the canal, the apparatus comprising:
an earmold having a shell with sidewalls adapted to at least partially fit within the ear canal, the earmold including an internal air volume; a first vent with an elongated acoustical passage connecting the internal air volume of the earmold to the residual ear canal air volume; a second vent with an elongated acoustical passage connecting the internal air volume of the earmold to air external to the ear; wherein the first vent has a first internal opening adjacent to the internal air volume and a first external opening adjacent to the residual ear canal air volume; wherein the second vent has a second internal opening adjacent to the internal air volume and a second external opening adjacent to the residual ear canal air volume; wherein the first and second internal openings are located at opposite ends of a line that intersects a longitudinal axis of the earmold running from the residual ear canal volume to the air external to the ear; and wherein the earmold contains a microphone, an amplifier, and a receiver.