Ear piece having disposable, compressible polymeric foam sleeve
Patent 5002151 Issued on March 26, 1991. Estimated Expiration Date: 
October 4, 2009. Estimated Expiration Date is calculated based on simple USPTO term provisions. It does not account for terminal disclaimers, term adjustments, failure to pay maintenance fees, or other factors which might affect the term of a patent.
October 4, 2009. Estimated Expiration Date is calculated based on simple USPTO term provisions. It does not account for terminal disclaimers, term adjustments, failure to pay maintenance fees, or other factors which might affect the term of a patent.Patent ReferencesInventorsApplicationNo. 416856 filed on 10/04/1989US Classes:181/130, Auditory canal insert181/135, Ear insert381/322, Specified casing or housing381/328Ear insertExaminersPrimary: Fuller, Benjamin R.Attorney, Agent or FirmForeign Patent References
International ClassH04R 025/02AbstractDisposably attached to the ear piece of a hearing aid, which includes any sound transmission device, is a user-disposable sleeve comprising soft polymeric retarded recovery foam that can be compressed to be freely insertable into a person's ear and allowed to recover to become wedged in the canal. Preferably, the sleeve is disposably attached to the ear piece by mating of screw threads on the sleeve and the ear piece. The ear piece may be a separate component from the hearing aid. The component is made either of rigid or flexible plastic and has connecting portions of various lengths depending on the depth of insertion of the sleeve into the canal. The sleeve may be of various lengths depending on the depth of insertion into the ear canal desired. The sleeve/ear piece assembly may also have a layer of sound transmitting scrim over its central opening to minimize penetration of the connecting portion past the end of the sleeve.Other References
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