Inflatable Bubble

a technology of in-ear devices and bubbles, which is applied in the direction of ear treatment, earpiece/earphone attachments, transducer details, etc., can solve the problems of not being able to offer an in-ear device individually customizable for a particular user, poor sound quality of original devices, and even less comfort for users, so as to avoid disadvantages and achieve additional structural and operating advantages.

US20110228964A1Inactive Publication Date: 2011-09-22ASIUS TECH
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Patent Information

Authority / Receiving Office
US · United States
Patent Type
Applications(United States)
Current Assignee / Owner
Publication Date
2011-09-22
Estimated Expiration
Not applicable · inactive patent

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Abstract

An ear device having a bubble for placement approximate a user's ear canal and capable of inflation and deflation is disclosed. An inflation tube for delivering inflating air to the bubble during inflation of the bubble and an inflation source, such as a diaphonic valve, cause the bubble to extend automatically into the user's ear canal during inflation and retract from the user's ear canal during deflation. The bubble is substantially cylindrical and is comprised of a plurality of adjacently adjoined inflatable chambers. The bubble may also comprise at least one non-inflatable section interspersed therein. Where the ear device is used to convey sound to the user's ear, the device includes a sound tube positioned within the cylindrical bubble. At least one resilient member attached to a portion of the bubble, which may be a non-inflatable section of the bubble, is used to retract the bubble automatically. The ear device, equipped with a cerumen removing mechanism, may be used to clean a user's ear canal as well.
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Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0001] The present application claims filing priority of U.S. Provisional Application No. 61 / 323,599, dated Apr. 13, 2010. In addition, the present application is also a continuation-in-part of U.S. application Ser. No. 12 / 777,001, to Ambrose et al., filed on May 10, 2010 and published as Publication No. 2010 / 0322454 A1 on Dec. 23, 2010, which is a continuation-in-part of U.S. application Ser. No. 12 / 178,236, to Ambrose et al., filed on Jul. 23, 2008 and published as Publication No. 2009 / 0028356 A1 on Jan. 29, 2009. The complete content of each of the above-listed applications is hereby incorporated by reference.TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0002] The present device and methods relate to the structure, operation and manufacture of an insertable sound transmission instrument for a user's ear. Specifically, the device and methods relate to such an instrument which can be coupled with any number of electronic sound devices, such as a hearing aid,...

Examples

Embodiment Construction

[0025]While this invention is susceptible of embodiment in many different forms, there is shown in the drawings, and will herein be described in detail, preferred embodiments of the invention, including embodiments of the various components of the invention, with the understanding that the present disclosure is to be considered as an exemplification of the principles of the invention and is not intended to limit the broad aspect of the invention to embodiments illustrated.

[0026]Referring to FIGS. 1-9, several embodiments of an automatic inserting ear device, generally referenced by the number 10. The ear device 10 is most generally comprised of a transducer 20, a bubble 12 comprised of multiple inflatable chambers 14, a coupling 16 for attaching the bubble 12 to the transducer 20, a resilient member 18 and an inflation tube 22 for delivering inflation air from the transducer 20 to the bubble interior.

[0027]The bubble 12 automatically operates between two forms: i.e., an inflated for...