Hearing aid ear wax guard and a method for its use

Abstract

For the protection of an in-the-ear hearing aid against contamination by ear wax through the acoustic outlet port ( 34 a) or a vent, a replaceable ear wax guard ( 36 ) is inserted in the aid and includes an essentially tubular element with a through-going cavity and an abutment collar in one end for sealing abutment against the hearing aid housing ( 31 ). For an easy and safe insertion and removal of the ear wax guard ( 36 ), an applicator is used, which in one end has a smooth pin for introduction in the through-going cavity of the ear wax guard ( 36 ) and in the other end a harpoon-shaped catch member. For mounting of the ear wax guard ( 36 ) a hose or tube member serving as acoustic outlet canal ( 34 ) is connected to an abutment collar ( 33 ) in abutment with the outside of hearing aid. The abutment collar is designed with oversize standard dimensions and adapted to an individually user-adapted hearing aid housing by preparation of its periphery edge.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. An ear wax guard for placement in an opening in a housing wall of a hearing aid, said ear wax guard comprising
 an essentially tubular element, defining a through-going cavity and adapted for insertion into the opening with a first end of said tubular element being a leading end as said tubular element is inserted into said opening from outside said housing, said element having a substantially smooth inner wall defining said through-going cavity and having an ear wax retaining barrier in form of a screen at said first end. 
 
     
     
       2. The ear wax guard according to  claim 1 , wherein said screen forms a radial pattern. 
     
     
       3. The ear wax guard according to  claim 1 , wherein said element at a second end has a collar for sealing abutment against the housing wall. 
     
     
       4. The ear wax guard according to  claim 3 , wherein said lip collar is provided with a convex outside and a concave or faintly conical underside such that its peripheral edge forms a sealing lip against the housing wall. 
     
     
       5. The An ear wax guard according to  claim 1  for placement in an opening in a housing wall of a hearing aid, said ear wax guard comprising
 an essentially tubular element, defining a through-going cavity and adapted for insertion into the opening with a first end of said tubular element being a leading end as said tubular element is inserted into said opening from outside said housing, said element having an ear wax retaining barrier in form of a screen at said first end, wherein said ear wax guard is made of an elastic yielding material. 
 
     
     
       6. The An ear wax guard according to  claim 1  for placement in an opening in a housing wall of a hearing aid, said ear wax guard comprising
 an essentially tubular element, defining a through-going cavity and adapted for insertion into the opening with a first end of said tubular element being a leading end as said tubular element is inserted into said opening from outside said housing, said element having an ear wax retaining barrier in form of a screen at said first end, wherein said element is adapted for frictional fitting inside said opening. 
 
     
     
       7. The ear wax guard according to  claim 6 , wherein a said element comprises a circumferential bead providing the frictional fitting. 
     
     
       8. An ear wax guard for placement in an opening in a housing wall of a hearing aid, said ear wax guard comprising
 an essentially tubular element adapted for frictional fitting inside said opening, defining a through-going cavity and adapted for insertion into the opening, said element having first and second ends with said first end being a leading end as said element is inserted into said opening from outside said housing, said element having an ear wax retaining barrier in form of a screen at said first end and a collar for sealing against the housing wall at a second end, said element being made of an elastic yielding material. 
 
     
     
       9. The ear wax guard according to  claim 8 , wherein said screen forms a radial pattern. 
     
     
       10. A method for use in the manufacturing of a hearing aid, comprising
 providing a hearing aid housing including a housing wall with a housing wall end part, 
 providing in said end part an acoustic outlet port, 
 providing a bushing with an abutment collar with an oversize in relation to said end part, and 
 finishing said abutment collar by preparation of its periphery edge to a flush transition with an outside of said end part. 
 
     
     
       11. The method according to  claim 10 , comprising providing in said end part a flat abutment face for said abutment collar. 
     
     
       12. The method according  claim 10 , comprising providing in said end part a countersunk, flat abutment face. 
     
     
       13. The method according  claim 11 , comprising fitting inside said housing a hose with a surplus length as acoustic outlet canal, guiding said hose through said acoustic outlet port, cutting the projecting length of said hose flush with said abutment face, and placing said abutment collar directly against said abutment face and the cut end of said hose to obtain a flush transition with said abutment face. 
     
     
       14. The method according  claim 13 , comprising providing said abutment collar in the form of a flat ring disc, and connecting said ring disc directly with said abutment face. 
     
     
       15. The method according  claim 13 , comprising press-fitting one end of a tubular mounting bushing of said abutment collar in said hose. 
     
     
       16. An ear wax guard for placement in a hearing aid, said ear wax guard comprising
 an element defining a through-going cavity and adapted for insertion into the hearing aid with a first end of said element being a leading end as said element is inserted into said hearing aid, said element being made of a thermoplastic elastomer and having an ear wax retaining barrier at said first end.    
     
     
       17. The ear wax guard according to claim 16, wherein said barrier forms a radial pattern.  
     
     
       18. An ear wax guard according to claim 16, wherein said element is adapted for frictional fitting inside said hearing aid, said element having said first end and a second, said element having a collar for sealing against the hearing aid at a second end, and said element being made of an elastic yielding material.  
     
     
       19. An ear wax guard according to claim 16, wherein said element is adapted for frictional fitting inside an opening in a wall of said hearing aid, said element having a collar made of a resilient material and having a reduced thickness lip at its outer periphery for sealing against the housing when said element is inserted into said opening.  
     
     
       20. The ear wax guard according to claim 19, wherein said barrier forms a radial pattern.  
     
     
       21. An ear wax guard according to claim 16, wherein said element is essentially tubular and is adapted for insertion into an opening in a wall of said hearing aid, said element further having a lip at least partially surrounding said tubular element for abutting the housing wall when said wax guard is inserted, said lip having a reduced thickness outer peripheral edge for resiliently engaging said housing wall.  
     
     
       22. A method for manufacturing a hearing aid, comprising
 providing a hearing aid housing including a housing wall with a housing wall end part with an acoustic outlet port therein,   providing an abutment surface surrounding said outlet port, and   finishing said abutment surface by preparation of its peripheral edge to a flush transition with an outside of said housing wall.    
     
     
       23. A method for manufacturing a hearing aid, comprising
 providing a hearing aid housing including a housing wall with a housing wall end part with an acoustic outlet port therein,   providing an abutment surface surrounding said outlet port, said abutment surface at least at its outer periphery being flush with an exterior surface of said housing wall.    
     
     
       24. A method according to claim 23, further comprising the step of providing an inwardly projecting portion that projects inwardly from the housing wall at said acoustic outlet port for connection to a sound tube.  
     
     
       25. A method according to claim 23, wherein said housing is of a form adapted to an individual user's ear canal.  
     
     
       26. A method according to claim 23, wherein said step of providing said abutment surface includes using said acoustic outlet port as a tool guide.  
     
     
       27. A method according to claim 22, wherein said abutment surface comprises an abutment collar with an over-size in relation to said end part.