Abstract: A hearing aid includes a hearing aid shell, a microphone enclosed within the hearing aid shell, and a sealing member that surrounds the periphery of the microphone enclosed within the hearing aid shell, and a sealing member that surrounds the periphery of the microphone. The sealing member completely fills the area between the periphery of the microphone and the interior surface of the hearing aid shell.

Abstract: A hearing aid includes a circuit board having a battery affixed thereon and a switch that utilizes a portion of the circuit board as a portion of the switch. The battery is permanently affixed to the circuit board in at least one location and at least a portion of the battery is spaced away from the circuit board. The circuit board further includes at least one pair of printed switch traces. The switch is integrated into the circuit board in a way that utilizes the circuit board to form a rotary switch.

Abstract: A hearing aid includes a first portion adapted for behind-the-ear placement having a microphone, a second portion adapted for in-the-canal placement having a receiver and a cable that couples the first portion to the second portion, the cable having an adjustable length.

Abstract: A hearing instrument may include an enclosure adapted for behind-the-ear placement that houses a microphone for converting an acoustical input signal to an electrical signal and a sound processing circuit for processing the electrical signal; an earpiece adapted for in-the-canal placement that includes a receiver for converting the processed electrical signal to an acoustical output signal; a replaceable battery housed in the enclosure for powering the microphone, sound processing circuit and receiver; and an electrical cable extending from the enclosure that electrically couples the processed electrical signal from the sound processing circuit to the receiver. The enclosure includes a top portion and a bottom portion. The top portion and the bottom portion pivot about a hinge point at one end of the enclosure to open and closed positions. In the open position, the battery is accessible for replacement.

Abstract: A hearing aid is enclosed in a gas-impermeable or substantially gas-impermeable package to prevent inadvertent activation of the hearing aid during transport. The package may include a housing having a groove that substantially conforms to at least a portion of the shape of the hearing aid to snugly hold the hearing aid. The groove may be substantially open adjacent a switch on the hearing aid. A securing member, such as a strap, may be used to immobilize the switch relative to the housing.

Abstract: A wax-resistant earpiece tip has one or more sound openings and a torturous path to inhibit wax from reaching a receiver mountable therein. The tip may further include a folded acoustical horn. A chamber may be formed in the tip to collect debris. The tip may include a stop bar to prevent the tip from collapsing against a receiver sound port.

Abstract: A hearing aid comprises a microphone that receives incident sound waves from one or more sources external to the hearing aid, and converts the sound waves into electronic signals; a circuit that amplifies the electronic signals; a receiver that converts the amplified electronic signals into amplified sound waves; and a tuned resonant cavity between the microphone and the at least one external sound source. At least one parameter of the tuned resonant cavity is selected to modify the frequency response of the incident sound waves that are received by the microphone. In particular, the geometry of one or more openings through which sound waves enter the chamber, the geometry of the chamber itself, and/or the geometry of one or more openings through which sound waves exit the chamber, are selected to condition the incident sound waves by modifying the frequency response of the audio signal prior to the signal being received at the microphone.

Abstract: A hearing aid includes a circuit board having a battery affixed thereon and a switch that utilizes a portion of the circuit board as a portion of the switch. The battery is permanently affixed to the circuit board in at least one location and at least a portion of the battery is spaced away from the circuit board. The circuit board further includes at least one pair of printed switch traces. The switch is integrated into the circuit board in a way that utilizes the circuit board to form a rotary switch.

Abstract: A hearing aid includes a hearing aid shell, a microphone enclosed within the hearing aid shell, and a sealing member that surrounds the periphery of the microphone enclosed within the hearing aid shell, and a sealing member that surrounds the periphery of the microphone. The sealing member completely fills the area between the periphery of the microphone and the interior surface of the hearing aid shell.

Abstract: A hearing aid includes a circuit board having a battery affixed thereon and a switch that utilizes a portion of the circuit board as a portion of the switch. The battery is permanently affixed to the circuit board in at least one location and at least a portion of the battery is spaced away from the circuit board. The circuit board further includes at least one pair of printed switch traces. The switch is integrated into the circuit board in a way that utilizes the circuit board to form a rotary switch.

Abstract: A hearing aid includes a first portion adapted for behind-the-ear placement having a microphone, a second portion adapted for in-the-canal placement having a receiver and a cable that couples the first portion to the second portion, the cable having an adjustable length.

Abstract: A disposable hearing aid insertable into an ear canal which includes a microphone which translates acoustic energy into electrical signals, signal processing circuitry which processes the electrical signals provided by the microphone, a receiver which converts the processed electrical signals into acoustic energy, and a power source permanently disposed within the hearing aid such that the source is substantially non-removeably integrated with the hearing aid.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a modular hearing aid having a base unit and a detachable earmold. A battery, an earmold tip and a receiver can be integrated with the earmold. The earmold can also include a removably attached module. The module can have a shell, electronics, a receiver or a microphone. A hearing aid also includes a flexible hearing aid tip having a vibration isolator portion and a mushroom shaped tip portion. The vibration isolator portion mechanically decouples a receiver from a hearing aid base unit while the mushroom shaped tip portion provides an acoustic seal in the ear canal of a user. The internal components of a hearing aid can be potted to attenuate vibrations created by the receiver during operation.

Abstract: A hearing aid comprises a microphone that receives incident sound waves from one or more sources external to the hearing aid, and converts the sound waves into electronic signals; a circuit that amplifies the electronic signals; a receiver that converts the amplified electronic signals into amplified sound waves; and a tuned resonant cavity between the microphone and the at least one external sound source. At least one parameter of the tuned resonant cavity is selected to modify the frequency response of the incident sound waves that are received by the microphone. In particular, the geometry of one or more openings through which sound waves enter the chamber, the geometry of the chamber itself, and/or the geometry of one or more openings through which sound waves exit the chamber, are selected to condition the incident sound waves by modifying the frequency response of the audio signal prior to the signal being received at the microphone.

Abstract: A hearing aid includes a circuit board having a battery affixed thereon and a switch that utilizes a portion of the circuit board as a portion of the switch. The battery is permanently affixed to the circuit board in at least one location and at least a portion of the battery is spaced away from the circuit board. The circuit board further includes at least one pair of printed switch traces. The switch is integrated into the circuit board in a way that utilizes the circuit board to form a rotary switch.

Abstract: A disposable-type hearing aid uses a relatively large single diaphragm or a large single diaphragm subdivided into a plurality of smaller active diaphragm areas obtained using a grate-like back support plate with ridges which contact and divide the diaphragm into the several smaller active diaphragm areas. The diaphragm and a backplate are enclosed in a metal housing and are disposed proximal and parallel to a shell-like hearing aid enclosure having sound inlets. The metal housing is closed at an end opposite the sound inlets by a printed circuit board (PCB) forming an acoustical seal for a back volume of the microphone. The PCB also carries substantially all the electronic components for the hearing aid thereon. The PCB has a ground plane in contact with the housing whereby the PCB also acts as an EMI shield. An electrical connection is formed in various ways between the back support plate and the PCB during assembly of the metal housing and components with the PCB.