Abstract: A receiver assembly includes a first diaphragm assembly having a diaphragm, and a second diaphragm assembly having a diaphragm. A linkage assembly is coupled to an armature of the receiver. The linkage assembly is also coupled to the first diaphragm assembly and to the second diaphragm assembly.

Abstract: An acoustically tuned earpiece is provided. Venting is performed by boring a control port, separate from the output port, into the driver. The diameter of the control port must be sufficiently small to restrict the flow of air into and out of the driver, thus isolating the acoustic performance of the driver from the volume and/or the sealing capabilities of the earpiece enclosure. The exact size of the venting port is selected to achieve the desired acoustic performance. In all cases, the control port has a cross-sectional area that is less than 25 percent of the cross-sectional area of the driver's output port. In order to optimize the size of the control port, an interative process is preferably used in which the cross-sectional area of the control port is gradually increased while monitoring the performance of the driver compared to a target response.

Abstract: A directed energy source is applied to a portion of a material, creating at least one altered region and leaving at least one unaltered region. The material is exposed to an etchant which removes the at least one altered region leaving substantially all of the unaltered region.

Abstract: A linkage assembly is used for mechanically coupling an armature and a diaphragm of a balanced receiver, the linkage assembly formed from a first linkage member displaced from a strip of stock material relative to the plane of the stock material and a second linkage member displaced from the strip relative to the plane. The first and second linkage members are then joined while secured to the strip. At least one severable connecting member securing the linkage member to the strip is severed to release the linkage member from the strip for assembly of the linkage member into the receiver. A method of forming a three-dimensional structure from flat stock is used to form the linkage assembly.

Abstract: A silicon condenser microphone package is disclosed. The silicon condenser microphone package comprises a transducer unit substrate, and a cover. The substrate includes an upper surface having a recess formed therein. The transducer unit is attached to the upper surface of the substrate and overlaps at least a portion of the recess wherein a back volume of the transducer unit is formed between the transducer unit and the substrate. The cover is placed over the transducer unit and includes an aperture.

Abstract: A module (100, 200, 300, 400, 500, 600, 900) may be electrically connected to a PCB (18, 918) residing in a device (14) or may be joined to the device (14) to form a portion of the housing (16, 916) of the device (14). The module may include a housing (102, 202, 302, 402, 502, 602) having at least one layer, a surface mountable component, such as a surface mountable acoustic transducer (110, 210, 310, 410, 510, 610, 910) having a connecting surface (114, 214, 314, 414, 514, 614, 914), and at least one acoustic port (124, 224, 324, 424, 524, 624, 924) to couple a surface of the surface mountable acoustic transducer to the exterior of the device (14). The module (100, 200, 300, 400, 500, 600, 900) may further include a secondary mounting structure (654) electrically connected to the connecting surface (114, 214, 314, 414, 514, 614, 914) of the surface mountable acoustic transducer (110, 210, 310, 410, 510, 610, 910).

Abstract: An electroacoustic system includes a transducer having a front volume and a back volume. The transducer has a sound inlet port that is in communication with the front volume. An acoustic coupling is joined to the transducer. The acoustic coupling has a passageway comprising a first end and a second end. The second end is acoustically coupled to the sound inlet port for altering the peak frequency response of the transducer.

Abstract: Various linkage assemblies are shown and described for connecting a first movable member to a second movable member of a transducer. The linkage assemblies provide for motion amplification or reduction and, when used for sound generating purposes such as hearing aids or speakers, three different schemes for compensating for amplification-induced distortion. One scheme for compensating for distortion while providing amplification is the use of a lower horizontal span segment in a closed-loop linkage assembly that is longer than a corresponding upper horizontal span segment or upper vertex. Thus, a horizontal span segment used to connect the loop to the first movable member of the armature is longer than a corresponding segment or vertex used to connect the loop to the second movable member. A second distortion compensating feature that provides amplification is found in the use of non-parallel legs used to connect the linkage loop to the housing.

Abstract: A transducer suitable for use as a microphone or receiver in a hearing aid has a housing and a diaphragm disposed within the housing. A motor assembly is also disposed within the housing and operatively coupled to the diaphragm. The motor assembly includes a magnet assembly having a magnetic yoke forming a channel and a drive magnet disposed within the channel.

Abstract: A hybrid circuit (300) for use in a miniature microphone assembly (100) reduces power supply noise on the audio signal input (214) of an impedance buffer amplifier (200) using one or both of shielding conductors 422, 424 to reduce parasitic capacitance between signal (418) and power supply (420) conductors. A ground plane (424), an interposing conductor (422) and combinations thereof are selectively placed and coupled to either ground (232) or a low impedance signal node (216) to reduce or eliminate the undesirable parasitic capacitance.

Abstract: A receiver assembly includes a housing having a fixed housing portion and a shiftable housing portion cooperating to define a hollow cavity. A flexible membrane secured between the fixed housing portion and the shiftable housing portion and adapted to allow relative motion between the fixed and shiftable housing portions. The receiver assembly further includes a magnetic motor assembly including a displaceable drive rod; and a link assembly having a first end fixedly attached to an inner surface of the shiftable housing and a second end coupled to the drive rod. The link assembly translates the shiftable housing portion relative to the fixed housing portion in response to the displacement of the drive rod.

Abstract: A receiver module for a personal listening device to be fitted in the ear, on the ear, near the ear, or behind the ear, the receiver module having a movable armature, the receiver module comprises a motor assembly and a housing defining a chamber, the housing is made from a material that is corrosion resistant and is biocompatible to human skin contact. The receiver module further comprises at least one motor assembly directly disposed in the chamber. Optionally a communication link adapted to couple or decouple with the motor assembly. At least a portion of the communication link is disposed in the housing.

Abstract: An acoustically tuned earpiece is provided. Venting is performed by boring a control port, separate from the output port, into the driver. The diameter of the control port must be sufficiently small to restrict the flow of air into and out of the driver, thus isolating the acoustic performance of the driver from the volume and/or the sealing capabilities of the earpiece enclosure. The exact size of the venting port is selected to achieve the desired acoustic performance. In all cases, the control port has a cross-sectional area that is less than 25 percent of the cross-sectional area of the driver's output port. In order to optimize the size of the control port, an interactive process is preferably used in which the cross-sectional area of the control port is gradually increased while monitoring the performance of the driver compared to a target response.

Abstract: A system and method for assisting listening wherein an integrated circuit selects one or more audio sources from among a plurality audio sources to be presented to a signal processing circuit. Selection of the audio source can be automatically executed in response to detection of an external magnetic field, such as from a telephone handset, or manually controlled by a user input.

Abstract: A microphone (100) and method of manufacture thereof is disclosed. The microphone (100) includes a housing (108), a diaphragm assembly (120), a spacer (134), a backplate assembly (140), a body assembly (150), and a printed circuit board (164) disposed within the housing (100). The diaphragm assembly (120) and the backplate assembly (140) constitute a variable capacitor responsive to sound pressure level changes coupled through an acoustic port (118). The base capacitance is inversely proportional to the thickness of the spacer (134). The backplate assembly (140) is disk shaped with protrusions and coupled to the body assembly (150) such that an acoustic passage (172) is formed between an outer edge of the backplate assembly (140) and an inner periphery of the hollow body assembly (150). The body assembly (150) comprises conductive mount (158) for electrically coupling the backplate assembly (140) to a first surface (166) of a circuit board (164).

Abstract: A microphone assembly include a microphone housing unit having a cover and a base. The microphone assembly further includes a preamplifier circuit assembly attached to the base and protected by the cover. The protected preamplifier circuit assembly has at least one terminal unprotected by the cover. A radio frequency interference suppression device can be electrically coupled to the preamplifier circuit and includes at least one internal ground electrically coupled to the at least one terminal. The at least one internal ground provides a ground path between the cover and the base.

Abstract: A linkage assembly (140) is used for mechanically coupling an armature (124) and a diaphragm (118) of a balanced receiver (100), the linkage assembly (140) formed from a first linkage member (822) displaced from a strip of stock material (800) relative to the plane of the stock material (800) and a second linkage member (826) displaced from the strip (800) relative to the plane. The first and second linkage members (822, 826) are then joined while secured to the strip (800). At least one severable connecting member (870a-c) securing the linkage member to the strip (800) is severed to release the linkage member from the strip for assembly of the linkage member into the receiver. A method of forming a three-dimensional structure from flat stock is used to form the linkage assembly (140).

Abstract: A plurality of MEMS structures is formed on a wafer. The wafer is mounted on a dicing frame assembly having a dicing frame and a dicing tape attached to the dicing frame. A protective layer is applied to cover the entire surface of the wafer or may be limited to the portion of the surface of the wafer that includes the MEMS structures by any suitable means of coating techniques to protect the MEMS structures during dicing operation. The protective layer base material to be provided on the wafer may include linear carbon chain molecules containing 12-18 carbon atoms. The dicing operation is performed to divide the wafer into individual die. The protective layer is removed by any suitable process including decomposition, vaporized, sublimation or the like. For example, the protective layer may be evaporated through the application of heat after the die attachment process is completed. The heat application may be part of the cure cycle required for die bonding or may be a separate operation.

Abstract: A transducer comprising a pair of spaced magnets at least partially forming a tunnel having a central axis. A coil having a first and a second side wall and an upper and a lower wall at least partially forms the tunnel. A reed having a central portion extends through the tunnel. The reed has a stationary end, a deflection end, and a tip portion which lies at least partially between the magnets, wherein the reed is mounted for deflection towards or away from the respective magnets.