Vented Dome With Surface Pathways Reducing Occlusion
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Solution Overview
Problem
Hearing devices, particularly BTE types, face issues with acoustic feedback and occlusion effects due to venting design limitations, material constraints, and susceptibility to ear wax blockage, which affect sound transmission and user comfort.
Innovation Solution
A flexible mounting insert with a dome shape and integrated vent pathways on the circumference of the core hole, combined with a wax filter element and piezoelectric materials, allows for adjustable venting and sound transmission, reducing occlusion and feedback while minimizing material usage and ear wax obstruction.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If a vent hole is introduced through a dome to prevent occlusion effect, then the occlusion effect is reduced, but the dome size must be large enough to accommodate the vent canal, limiting the smallest possible dome size
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transitions from a traditional through-hole vent design to a surface-level vent pathway integrated into the dome's outer surface. This dimensional change allows the vent to function without requiring a deep canal through the dome, thereby reducing the dome's volume while maintaining venting effectiveness to prevent occlusion effect.
Solution Approach 2:
The vent pathway is merged directly into the dome structure itself, becoming an integral part of the dome's outer surface rather than a separate canal. This integration eliminates the need for additional material and space for a distinct vent canal, reducing overall dome size while maintaining the venting function.
2Object-generated harmful factors
If a vent hole with sufficient length is introduced to prevent feedback, then acoustic feedback is reduced, but more material is required and the dome size increases
Solution Approach 1:
The vent pathway is redesign ed as a surface-level feature on the dome's outer surface rather than a deep through-hole canal. This dimensional change achieves the acoustic feedback reduction function with minimal material, as the pathway does not require the full thickness of the dome material.
Solution Approach 2:
The functional essence of venting (acoustic feedback prevention) is extracted from the traditional through-hole design and implemented as a surface-level pathway. This extraction allows the venting function to be achieved with significantly less material than a full canal through the dome.
3Ease of manufacture
If traditional tooling forms are used to produce the dome with vent holes, then manufacturing is straightforward, but the holes must be long and thin making the tooling vulnerable
Solution Approach 1:
The vent pathways are formed as surface-level features on the dome's outer surface rather than deep through-holes. This dimensional change transforms the tooling requirement from long, thin, vulnerable forms to shallow, stable forms that are much more reliable during the injection molding process.
4Quantity of substance
If the dome is made smaller to reduce material usage, then material consumption decreases, but the vent hole cannot be sufficiently long to function properly and may close due to squeezing
Solution Approach 1:
The vent pathway is implemented as a surface-level feature on the dome's outer surface rather than a deep canal. This allows the vent to remain functional in smaller domes, as the surface pathway does not require the same minimum length as a through-hole, and is less susceptible to closing from squeezing forces.
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 effectively reduces occlusion and acoustic feedback, enhances user comfort by allowing smaller dome sizes, and minimizes the need for cleaning due to reduced ear wax blockage, while maintaining effective sound transmission.
Implementation Method 1
The mounting insert may be produced by adding a hot fluidic material into tooling forms, which forms a dome through a hardening process. This method limits the design freedom of the dome, as the holes for sound transmission and venting have to be formed through long and thin tooling forms which are vulnerable due to their high length and small diameter.
Data Source
AI summary
A hearing device includes a BTE unit and a thin acoustic tube. The BTE unit includes a microphone, an amplifier, a power source, and a receiver and is configured to mount behind or on a user's ear. The tube includes a proximal end and a distal end with the proximal end and the distal end being connected to the receiver and to a flexible mounting insert respectively. The insert comprises a dome shape part and at least one core hole permeable for sound transmitted from the tube, which is configured to arrange in a user's ear canal to transmit sound generated by the BTE unit to a tympanic membrane of the user. The inserts diameter is adapted to at least have the same diameter as user's ear canal diameter to close the ear canal of the user and has at least one internal vent pathway located on the circumference of the core hole.