Otoplastic earmold for a hearing aid

Abstract

Otoplastic (5) for a hearing aid, designed for precise insertion into an ear canal (1) characterized in that on an outer surface (6) of the otoplastic (5) facing a wall (15) of the ear canal (1) in the inserted state a recess (8) is provided in at least one sub-area (7) which distances the otoplastic (5) from the wall of the ear canal (1) in this sub-area (7).

Description

[0001] The invention relates to an earmold for a hearing aid. An earmold is a custom-made body that is individually adapted to the individual human ear canal. The shape of the outer earmold is individually adapted to the course of the respective ear canal and thus fits precisely around the edge of the ear canal, sealing it off from the outside. Hearing aids are usually connected to an earmold, which sits in the wearer's ear, via a sound tube or a receiver (speaker).

[0002] Hearing aid wearers find the closure effect known as occlusion unpleasant when wearing an earmold. A distinction can be made between acoustic occlusion and mechanical occlusion.

[0003] In acoustic occlusion, the closure of the ear canal results in the attenuation of external sounds. This can alter the perception of the environment and impair hearing. To prevent this, the earmold can be provided with a vent hole.

[0004] Mechanical occlusion is based on the amplification of the hearing aid wearer's own body sounds. When the ear canal is closed, sounds generated within the body, such as one's own voice, chewing, swallowing, or breathing, are perceived with increased intensity. Mechanical occlusion is caused primarily by certain sections of the ear canal, for example, cartilaginous or bony sections. To ensure a controlled seal and sufficient hold in the ear canal, conventional earmolds also fit in these sections of the ear canal responsible for mechanical occlusion. With conventional earmolds, for example, when the hearing aid wearer speaks, the vibrations generated in the jaw and skull bones are transmitted to the earmold and subsequently to the eardrum.

[0005] The invention is therefore based on the object of providing a new earmold for a hearing aid, in particular an earmold which overcomes the aforementioned disadvantages and reduces or eliminates the mechanical occlusion.

[0006] This object is achieved by an earmold having the features of claim 1. Advantageous embodiments and further developments are specified in the dependent claims.

[0007] The earmold for a hearing aid according to the invention is designed for precise insertion into an ear canal. A recess is formed in at least one portion of the earmold on an outer side facing a wall of the ear canal when inserted, spacing the earmold from the wall of the ear canal in this portion.

[0008] The invention has the advantage that the recess in the earmold prevents direct contact of the earmold with sections of the ear canal wall that cause mechanical occlusion. Thus, the recess reduces or eliminates mechanical occlusion. This improves wearing comfort and acoustic perception for the hearing aid wearer.

[0009] One embodiment of the invention provides that the partial area of ​​the earmold in which the recess is made is an area of ​​the earmold responsible for the mechanical occlusion and that the recess eliminates this area responsible for the mechanical occlusion and thus at least reduces or eliminates the mechanical occlusion.

[0010] Preferably, the earmold is an occlusion-free or at least low-occlusion earmold.

[0011] A further development provides for the earmold to be a hollow body with a cavity. One embodiment provides for the earmold to have a sound passage for connecting the hearing aid and / or a ventilation passage, also referred to as a ventilation hole or ventilation channel, between a front side of the earmold, which faces the inside of the ear when inserted, and the cavity for sound transmission. The ventilation passage ensures that the acoustic occlusion mentioned above is reduced or eliminated.

[0012] In particular, it is provided that the recess provided according to the invention in the outer side of the earmold does not extend through to the cavity, i.e. the recess does not form a passage to the cavity.

[0013] The earmold can be formed from a hollow plastic.

[0014] The earmold can be made of titanium or comprise titanium. The material properties of titanium make it possible to achieve the comparatively thin wall thickness required for the low-occlusion or at least reduced-occlusion earmold according to the invention, due to the recess. In particular, the use of titanium significantly reduces the risk of breakage compared to other materials, even with a comparatively thin wall thickness.

[0015] One embodiment provides for the earmold to have one or more retaining sections whose shape, for holding the earmold, is adapted to the shape of at least one retaining area of ​​the outer ear adjacent to the auditory canal, in particular the antitragus and / or the cymba. This has the advantage that the retaining section(s) provide additional support for the earmold in the area of ​​the outer ear, which assists in the retention and positioning of the earmold in the auditory canal, particularly in light of the recess introduced according to the invention.

[0016] The invention is explained in more detail below with regard to further features and advantages based on the description of exemplary embodiments and with reference to the accompanying schematic drawings.

[0017] Show Fig. 1 shows, by way of example and schematically, a section of an ear canal relevant for the attachment of an earmold according to the invention, and Fig. 2 schematically shows an embodiment of an earmold according to the invention, which is designed, for example, for precise insertion into the auditory canal according to Fig. 1.

[0018] Fig. Figure 1 shows a section of an auditory canal 1 relevant for the attachment of the earmold according to the invention, depicting a wall 15 surrounding the auditory canal 1. For example, the tragus 2 and the cymba 3 can be seen. An occlusion area 4 on the wall 15 of the auditory canal 1 is shown as a hatched area, which causes the mechanical occlusion when the earmold is also applied in this occlusion area 4.

[0019] Fig. 2 shows an embodiment of an earmold 5 according to the invention. This earmold 5 is designed, for example, to fit precisely into the auditory canal 1 according to Fig. 1 to be inserted. An outer side 6 of the earmold 5 is a side of the earmold 5 which, when inserted, faces the wall 15 of the auditory canal 1. A partial area 7 of the outer side 6 of the earmold 5 is marked in a dash-dotted line. In this partial area 7, a recess 8 is made in the outer side 6 of the earmold 5. This recess 8 ensures that the earmold 5 is spaced apart from the wall 15 of the auditory canal 1 in this partial area 7. In other words: Due to the recess 8, there is no direct contact between the earmold 5 and the wall 15 of the auditory canal 1 in partial area 7.

[0020] The comparison of Fig. 1 and Fig. Figure 2 shows that the partial area 7 of the earmold 5, in which the recess 8 is provided, is a region of the earmold 5 responsible for the mechanical occlusion, since, when the earmold 5 is inserted, it is opposite the occlusion area 4 on the wall 15 of the auditory canal 1. The recess 8 eliminates this partial area 7 of the earmold 5 responsible for the mechanical occlusion, so that the mechanical occlusion is at least reduced or eliminated.

[0021] Thus, the Otoplasty 5 is an occlusion-free or at least occlusion-reduced otoplasty.

[0022] The Fig. The earmold 5 shown in Figure 2 is a hollow body with a cavity 9. This cavity 9 is only partially indicated by a dotted line. It can be seen that the earmold 5 has a sound passage 11 for connecting the hearing aid and a ventilation passage 12 for ventilation between a front side 10 of the earmold 5, which faces the inside of the ear when inserted, and the cavity 9 for sound transmission. This eliminates or at least reduces the acoustic occlusion in addition to the mechanical occlusion.

[0023] The recess 8 is formed on the outer side 6 of the earmold 5 in such a way that the recess does not form a passage to the cavity 9.

[0024] The earmold can be made of titanium, for example.

[0025] The earmold has a holding section 13, the shape of which for holding the earmold 5 is adapted to the shape of a holding area 14, in Fig.1, for example, the cymba 3, the outer ear adjacent to the ear canal, is adapted.

[0026] In particular, the invention proposes an earmold for a hearing aid, which is custom-made to the respective ear impression and omits the areas in the ear affected by mechanical occlusion. The basic shape of the earmold thus deliberately omits the areas in the ear canal affected by mechanical occlusion. The retention and positioning of the earmold are ensured by supports mounted in the outer ear. A hearing aid can be connected via a sound passage in the earmold.

[0027] The vibrations that are transmitted to the skull bone and the jaw joint when speaking, for example, can no longer be transmitted to the earmold and ultimately to the eardrum through the recess or recesses, or at best can only be transmitted to a very limited extent.

[0028] In particular, the invention proposes an earmold for a hearing aid that has one or more recesses in the areas of the ear canal responsible for mechanical occlusion. Through the defined recess(es), the earmold positively influences the acoustic effect of a connected hearing aid. Titanium, for example, is a possible material for this earmold. The special material properties of titanium make it possible to achieve the wall thicknesses required for low-occlusion earmolds.

[0029] In particular, the invention proposes an earmold for an ear canal that is designed to prevent occlusion. It is thus an occlusion-free earmold. A sound passage may be incorporated into the earmold for connection to a hearing aid. The earmold may, for example, be formed from a hollow plastic. The recess provided according to the invention omits the area responsible for occlusion. Furthermore, the proposed earmold can be designed to utilize the retaining areas present in the outer ear, for example, on the antitragus and in the cymba, to hold the earmold in place based on the anatomy of the ear. List of reference symbols 1 ear canal 2 Tragus 3 Cymbals 4 Occlusion area of ​​the wall 15 of the auditory canal 1 5 Otoplasty 6 Outside of the earmold 5 7 Part of the outer side 5 of the earmold 5 8 recess 9 Cavity 10 Front of the earmold 5 11 Sound passage 12 Ventilation passage 13 Holding section of the earmold 5 14 Holding area 15 Wall of the auditory canal 1

Claims

[1] Otoplasty (5) for a hearing aid, designed for precise insertion into an ear canal (1) characterized by in that on an outer side (6) of the earmold (5) facing a wall (15) of the auditory canal (1) in the inserted state, a recess (8) is made in at least one partial area (7), which recess spaced the earmold (5) in this partial area (7) from the wall of the auditory canal (1). [2] Otoplasty (5) according to claim 1, characterized by that the partial area (7) of the earmold (5) in which the recess (8) is made is an area of ​​the earmold (5) responsible for the mechanical occlusion and the recess (8) eliminates this area responsible for the mechanical occlusion and thus at least reduces or eliminates the mechanical occlusion. [3] Otoplasty (5) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized by that the otoplasty (5) is an occlusion-free or at least occlusion-reduced otoplasty. [4] Otoplasty (5) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by that the earmold (5) is a hollow body with a cavity (9). [5] Otoplasty (5) according to claim 4, characterized by that the earmold (5) has a sound passage (11) for connecting the hearing aid and / or a ventilation passage (12) for ventilation between a front side (10) of the earmold (5) facing the inside of the ear in the inserted state and the cavity (9) for sound transmission. [6] Otoplasty (5) according to claim 4 or 5, characterized by that the recess (8) on the outside (6) of the earmold (5) does not form a passage to the cavity (9). [7] Otoplasty (5) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by that the earmold (5) is formed from a hollow plastic. [8] Otoplasty (5) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by that the earmold (5) is made of titanium or contains titanium. [9] Otoplasty (5) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by in that the earmold (5) has one or more holding sections (13) whose shape for holding the earmold (5) is adapted to the shape of at least one holding area (14) of the outer ear adjoining the auditory canal, in particular on the antitragus and / or on the cymba (3).

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