CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS AND PRIORITY

[0001] The present application claims priority to and the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62640967, filed March 9, 2018, ET.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62666026, filed May 2, 2018, ET.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62676280, filed May 25,

2018, U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62681083, filed June 5, 2018, U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62685271, filed June 14, 2018, U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62696682, filed July 11, 2018, U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62790427, January 9,

2019, the entireties of which are hereby incorporated by reference.

Field Of The Application

[0002] The present application relates to devices that modify acoustic signals, and more particularly, though not exclusively, devices that can be used in the ear.

Background

[0003] Many devices have been developed over time to deliver acoustic content to a user. Many of these devices take the form of an earphone (a device to deliver audio content directly to the ear, e.g., muff, earbud, in-ear system, hearing aid), which can be connected either wired or wireless to a computational device which delivers content or standalone (e.g., hearing aid). Most designs of earphones have electrical components that are uniquely oriented for a particular form factor and not easily transferable to other form factors. In essence the electronics are often forced into a form factor rather than a smallest electrical package developed and the form factor developed around the package. Additionally when the earphone has a component that is at least partially inserted into the ear canal, comfort can be an issue in prolonged use.

[0004] Ease of manufacturing and enhanced comfortable use of earphones are some of the issues to be resolved.

[0005] Also, hearing protection can take several forms such as earplugs and muffs. Such hearing protection devices attenuate acoustic energy before it reaches the eardrum (tympanum) by creating an insertion loss that is achieved by reflection of the sound waves, dissipation with the device’s structure, impedance of the waves through tortuous paths, closing of acoustical valves, and other means. For a hearing protector, the amount of sound pressure level (SPL)

reduced, usually measured in decibels (dB), is typically depicted graphically as a function of frequency. Most hearing protection fails to deliver a flat attenuation across frequency spectrum, instead typically providing attenuation which increases in dB as frequency increases; therefore, the attenuation spectrum is typically nonlinear, which affects the perception of sound frequencies across the audible spectrum in different degrees. For this reason, pitch perception and other auditory experiences which rely on frequency-based cues can be compromised by the nonlinear attenuation imparted by conventional hearing protectors. This leads to the need for uniform or“flat” attenuation, which is desirable in many situations, for example, musicians would like to conserve their hearing while hearing an accurate frequency representation of the produced music, or workers who must listen for certain spectral characteristics associated with their machinery or environment.

[0006] One of the current issues with hearing protection and hearing assistance systems is that the attenuation cannot be tuned for a particular situation.

Summary

[0007] Devices, system and methods for eartips, the use of eartips and the manufacture of eartips is disclosed.

[0008] The outer portion of an eartip (e.g. outer bulb surface) contacts the ear canal wall when inserted into the ear canal. The inner portion contains a core or channel that can fit on a stent (earphone eartip), while a wider potion aids in insertion onto a stent, or if used as an earplug the core or channel will be at least partially filled in or blocked. Prior to insertion into an ear canal the outer portion and inner portion encapsulate or receive a structure (Eartip membrane contacts a structure (e.g., stent part, ledge- movable or part of stent), when inserted or as presented (final form after folded from a negative mold)) a medium (e.g., gas, fluid) that can have an opening aiding molding. Note that the opening can be faced inward toward the ear canal or formed to face toward the ambient environment. Note that the stent can be fabricated from various materials (e.g., silicon, urethane, rubber) and can include internal channel (tubes). The stent can also be a multi-lumen (i.e., multi-passageway) stent where the channels/tubes are various lumens of the multi-lumen stent, or solid (e.g., earplug stent). Note that the material of the membrane can have different properties from the stent or membrane wall or channel wall. Upon insertion into an ear canal, the ear canal wall pressure on the outer portion of a ridge and the outer portion can move radially and axially to relieve the pressure pressing against the ear canal wall. This is in contrast to foam tips that will always press back radially dependent upon the amount of deformation of the foam. The combination of radial and axial movement of the outer section helps decrease pressure on the ear canal wall and increase contact area also decreasing pressure for a given retaining force.

[0009] In one embodiment, an eartip can have an outer portion, an inner portion, and an encapsulated volume formed by the inner and outer portion, wherein the outer portion is designed to contact the ear canal, and wherein the inner portion is designed to fit upon a stent. The eartip can also have a passage to an ambient environment, where the passage is decreased when the eartip is inserted upon a stent or inserted into an ear canal. Also, the encapsulated volume may be at a pressure that is reduced when pressure on the outer surface exceeds a threshold value.

[0010] In another embodiment, an eartip may have an inverted body, where when the inverted body is at least partially folded on itself the inverted body is arranged to a bulbous region sized for insertion in an ear canal, a cavity internal to the bulbous region that holds a gas or enclosed volume, where increasing pressure on the bulbous region releases a portion of the gas. As such and as disclosed herein, gas can escape from enclosed volume or cavity in the eartip to customize the pressure or force provided by the eartip to provide a snug and comfortable tip without the eartip causing user discomfort from excessive pressure or force. Also, the eartip may have a channel wall that forms the cavity with the bulbous region and that forms a core through a stent can be inserted and/or received.

[0011] In one embodiment, the eartip can have a plurality of bulbous regions. Likewise, the eartip can have a plurality of cavities, where each cavity of the plurality of cavities is formed by each bulbous region of the plurality of bulbous regions and the channel wall. The eartip can also include a transition region between the plurality of bulbous regions where the transition region has an concavity that is inverse to the convex surface of the bulbous regions. The eartip can also have a lip extending from the channel wall and a sealing section extending from the bulbous region.

[0012] In one embodiment, a sealing tip can be located on the sealing section can be provided. In some arrangements, the cavity is sealed by seating the sealing tip against the

channel wall. Also, the can have a material property between 2 Shore A to 90 Shore A. Also, the eartip can be an earplug with a U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Noise Reduction Rating (NRR) rating of 3.

[0013] Methods of manufacturing a eartip and/or earplug are also disclosed. One method can include printing an eartip as an inverted body, such that when the inverted body is at least partially folded on itself the inverted body is arranged to include one or more of the features disclosed herein. For instance, the eartip can have a bulbous region sized for insertion in an ear canal, a cavity internal to the bulbous region that holds a gas, where increasing pressure on the bulbous region releases a portion of the gas. Further, the method can provide an inverted body eartip with a material property between 2 Shore A to 90 Shore A.

[0014] In another embodiment, an earphone system is disclosed. The earphone system can include an earphone and an eartip. The eartip can have structures and functionality described herein.

[0015] In another embodiment, a method of forming an eartip is disclosed. The method can include forming a mold of an unfolded shape of an eartip, providing or supplying a flexible material to the mold for a threshold time and temperature for curing to form a cured inverted eartip, removing the cured inverted eartip and folding at least a portion of the cured inverted eartip to form a final eartip. Forming a mold can be skipped if a mold already has been made. Also, folding at least a portion of cured inverted eartip is optional.

[0016] In another embodiment, an earphone is disclosed. The earphone can include a housing, where the housing includes a stent configured to accept or insert into various foam tips, flange tips, and eartips. The earphone can also include an electronics package unit, where the electronics package unit includes an electronic package, and an electronic package housing, wherein the electronics package unit is designed to be independent of the housing. The earphone can also include a key, where the key is part of the housing and is designed to fit with the electronic package unit, where the electronic package includes two microphones and a speaker.

[0017] In certain embodiments, the outer portion of an eartip (e.g. the outer surface of an eartip) contacts the ear canal wall when inserted into the ear canal. The inner portion contains a core that can fit on a stent, while a wider portion (inside funnel shape of a ridge) aids in insertion onto a stent. Prior to insertion into an ear canal the outer portion and inner portion encapsulates a medium (e.g., gas, fluid) that can have an opening aiding molding. Upon insertion onto a stent the inner portion can move flexibly outward decreasing the opening, and/or upon inserting into an ear canal, the ear canal wall can press inward on the outer surface toward the stent moving the outer portion of the ridge inward, decreasing the opening. Note that the opening can be faced inward toward the ear canal or formed to face toward the ambient environment. Note that the stent can be fabricated from various materials (e.g., silicon, urethane, rubber) and can include internal channel (tubes). The stent can also be a multi-lumen (i.e., multi-passageway) stent where the channels/tubes are various lumens of the multi-lumen stent. Upon insertion into an ear canal the ear canal wall pressure on the outer portion of a ridge and the outer portion can move radially and axially to relieve the pressure pressing against the ear canal wall. This is in contrast to foam tips that will always press back radially dependent upon the amount of deformation of the foam. The combination of radial and axial movement of the outer section helps decrease pressure on the ear canal wall and increase contact area also decreasing pressure for a given retaining force.
CLAIMS

I claim:

1. An eartip comprising:

an outer portion;

an inner portion; and

an encapsulated volume formed by the inner and outer portion, wherein the outer portion is designed to contact the ear canal, and wherein the inner portion is designed to fit upon a stent;

a passage to an ambient environment, wherein the passage is decreased when the eartip is inserted upon a stent or inserted into an ear canal.

3. The eartip according to claim 1, wherein the encapsulated volume is at a pressure that is reduced when pressure on the outer surface exceeds a threshold value.

4. An eartip, comprising:

a inverted body, wherein when the inverted body is at least partially folded on itself the inverted body is arranged to comprise:

a bulbous region sized for insertion in an ear canal;

a cavity internal to the bulbous region that holds a gas;

wherein increasing pressure on the bulbous region releases a portion of the gas.

5. The eartip of claim 4, further comprising a channel wall that forms the cavity with the bulbous region.

6. The eartip of claim 4, further comprising a plurality of internal sealing ridges.

7. The eartip of claim 4, further comprising a plurality of bulbous regions.

8. The eartip of claim 7, further comprising a plurality of cavities, wherein each cavity of the plurality of cavities is formed by each bulbous region of the plurality of bulbous regions and the channel wall.

9. The eartip of claim 7, further comprising a transition region between the plurality of bulbous regions.

10. The eartip of claim 4, further comprising lip extending from the channel wall.

11. The eartip of claim 4, further comprising a sealing section extending from the bulbous region.

12. The eartip of claim 11, further comprising a sealing tip located on the sealing section.

13. The eartip of claim 12, wherein the cavity is sealed by seating the sealing tip against the channel wall.

14. The eartip of claim 4, further comprises of a material with a material property between 2 Shore A to 90 Shore A.

15. The eartip of claim 4, wherein the eartip forms an earplug with an NRR rating of 3.

16. A method, comprising:

printing an eartip as an inverted body, wherein when the inverted body is at least partially folded on itself the inverted body is arranged to comprise:

a bulbous region sized for insertion in an ear canal;

a cavity internal to the bulbous region that holds a gas;

wherein increasing pressure on the bulbous region releases a portion of the gas.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the inverted body has a material property between 2 Shore A to 90 Shore A.

18. An earphone system, comprising:

an earphone;

an eartip, wherein the eartip comprises:

an inverted body, wherein when the inverted body is at least partially folded on itself the inverted body is arranged to comprise:

a bulbous region sized for insertion in an ear canal;

a cavity internal to the bulbous region that holds a gas;

wherein increasing pressure on the bulbous region releases a portion of the gas.

19. A method of forming an eartip, comprising:

forming a mold of an unfolded shape of an eartip;

providing a flexible material to the mold for a threshold time and temperature for curing to form a cured inverted eartip;

removing the cured inverted eartip; and

folding at least a portion of the cured inverted eartip to form a final eartip.

20. An earphone device, comprising:

a housing, wherein the housing includes a stent configured to accept various foam tips, flange tips, and eartip s;

an electronics package unit, wherein the electronics package unit includes an electronic package and an electronic package housing, wherein the electronics package unit is designed to be independent of the housing; and

a key, wherein the key is part of the housing and is designed to fit with the electronic package unit, wherein the electronic package includes two microphones and a speaker.