Hearing Device Venting Passage with Adjustable Acoustic Valve
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Solution Overview
Problem
Hearing devices that are inserted into the ear canal often cause occlusion effects and humidity issues, leading to discomfort and interference with ambient sound perception, due to their sealing nature, which existing venting systems fail to adequately address.
Innovation Solution
A hearing device with a housing that includes a venting passage and an adjustable acoustic valve to regulate the size of the passage, allowing for efficient ventilation between the ear canal and the ambient environment, reducing occlusion and humidity while enabling variable sound transmission.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If the housing is sealed to block ambient sound, then sound isolation is improved, but occlusion effect and humidity buildup occur
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a porous membrane as the venting structure that allows acoustic waves to pass through while blocking earwax and debris. The porous nature of the membrane enables sound transmission to reduce occlusion effect and allow pressure equalization, while the physical structure blocks harmful substances from entering the hearing device cavity, thus resolving the contradiction between sound isolation and occlusion effect.
2Object-generated harmful factors
If a venting passage is added to reduce occlusion, then ambient sound transmission is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple functions into the venting passage structure: it serves as both an acoustic transmission path for reducing occlusion effect and a protective barrier against earwax intrusion. By integrating the porous membrane into the venting passage design, the patent achieves occlusion reduction without requiring separate protective components, thus minimizing device complexity while maintaining protective functionality.
3Object-generated harmful factors
If the venting passage is made larger to improve ventilation, then occlusion effect is reduced, but ambient sound transmission becomes disturbing
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by using a porous membrane with specific pore size distribution in the venting passage. The local structure of the membrane allows low-frequency acoustic waves to pass through for effective ventilation and occlusion reduction, while the pore structure filters out higher-frequency disturbing ambient sounds. This localized structural property enables differential transmission of sound frequencies to optimize both ventilation and sound quality.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The solution improves wearing comfort and listening experience by reducing occlusion and humidity, allowing for better ambient sound perception and potentially reducing the risk of ear-related diseases, while maintaining effective sound delivery from the acoustic transducer.
Implementation Method 1
The venting passage can provide an acoustic connection, in particular a ventilation, between the inner region of the ear canal and the ambient environment outside the ear canal
Implementation Method 2
Occlusion can occur when an atmospheric connection between the inner region of the ear canal and the ambient environment outside the ear canal is strongly reduced or cut off such that no pressure equalisation in between the isolated regions can take place
Data Source
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AI summary
The disclosure relates to a hearing device comprising a housing (22) having a front opening (33) and a rear opening (34), the housing (22) configured to be at least partially inserted in an ear canal with the front opening (33) facing an inner region of the ear canal extending toward an ear drum, the housing (22) enclosing a cavity (35) between the front opening (33) and the rear opening (34) such that a venting passage (39) for providing an acoustic connection between said inner region of the ear canal and an ambient environment outside the ear canal extends through the cavity (35), the hearing device further comprising an acoustic transducer (44) provided in the cavity (35), and an acoustic valve (41, 81, 111) configured to adjust an effective size of the venting passage (39). To allow an efficient venting between the inner region of the ear canal and the ambient environment, the disclosure proposes an acoustic valve (41, 81, 111) configured to adjust an effective size of the venting passage (39), wherein the acoustic valve (41, 81, 111) is provided at the rear opening (34) and configured to adjust the effective size of the venting passage (39) at the rear opening (34).