Abstract: A ribbon loudspeaker is provided by a first set of three rows of parallel spaced apart magnets disposed on a first plate, a second set of three rows of parallel spaced apart magnets disposed on a second plate, a diaphragm having a U-shaped electric current conductor disposed on one face thereof and means for clamping the diaphragm in a spaced apart and aligned relationship with both said sets of rows of magnets. The conductor is comprised of thin layers of metal of different compositions, preferably formed on the diaphragm by a vapor deposition process to provide a low mass. The base layer is of a metal that will bond with the diaphragm, while the middle layer serves as the main conductor and the surface layer prevents oxidation.

Abstract: A headphone-convertible telephone handset including primarily a handle and a receiver portion, the receiver portion having a first receiver disposed therein, said handle having a second receiver, a transmitter and two arch connecting strips, the two arch connecting strips being telescopically mounted in the handle, said second receiver being connected to one of the connecting strips, permitting the receiver portion to be associated with the handle, serving as a hand-held handset, or separated from the handle, serving as a headphone, the transmitter being extensible retracted in the handle to cooperate with the receiver portion for headphone use.

Abstract: A piezoelectric speaker in which a diaphragm containing a piezoelectric driver is fixed on a frame through an elastic supporting member. The diaphragm is an assembly of two resin foam plates facing each other. Each resin foam plate has a recess and a projecting member at the substantial center of the recess bottom. The piezoelectric driver is accommodated in the space made of the two recesses while being interposed and supported by the projecting members at the substantial center thereof.

Abstract: A speaker and horn array having improved audio characteristics is formed in a baffle case. A plurality of small speakers are mounted in the baffle case in a vertical array in close proximity with one another. Each of the speakers has an acoustic baffle over the back of the speaker with an opening located in the baffle. An array of small horns are located in association with the speakers in the baffle case. As with the speakers the horns are also in a vertical array. Each of the horns includes an individual throat, however, all of the horns are joined into a common vertically oriented mouth. The throat of each horn is connected to the opening in the baffle of one of the speakers. This backloads the individual speakers with the common mouth of each of the horns resulting in common backloading of each of the speakers.

Abstract: Retainers for individual structural components or a plurality of structural components are simultaneously used in order to hold the housing shells of the hearing aid together. To that end, the amplifier structure is secured to a retaining frame that is braced such between the housing shells with screws that the housing shells are drawn together. The screwed connections are arranged such that the screws are not visible when the heariing aid is worn. In an advantageous execution, some of the screws are arranged in the hearing aid and are accessible via the opened battery compartment.

Abstract: A cover for a telephone handset includes a monolithic, one-piece body that has speaker-covering and earpiece-covering holes defined therein, and a speaker filter element and an earpiece filter element removably mounted on the body in covering relationship with each of the holes. The filter elements are removed and replaced after each use of the cover so that germs on one handset will not be transmitted to the speaker or earpiece of another handset by the cover.

Abstract: An in-the-ear hearing aid has a number of electrical and electro-mechanical discrete components embedded in a flexible plastic compound. The combination of the components in the plastic compound can be introduced into the user's ear, or into a negative of an ear impression, for pre-fitting. Due to the flexibility of the plastic compound, the combination can be shaped as needed. The shaped combination is then cast in an otoplastic material which conforms precisely to the shape of the user's ear, and hardens to retain that shape. A rigid shell for holding the components is thus not needed, and therefore the hearing aid is far more adaptable to different shapes of auditory canals than conventional hearing aids.

Abstract: A hearing aid includes an electronic amplifier, an electric power source and a switch for automatically breaking or making the connection between the amplifier and the power source depending on whether the hearing aid is in use or out of use. The switch is provided in such a manner so as to be responsive to switching criterion defined by a change of state such as change in temperature, moisture etc. The switch is disposed at a wall surface which is subjected to the change of state.

Abstract: A speaker mounting system includes a standard or pole with conductor lines therein for the purpose of conducting signals from an audio source, one or more towers in surrounding relation to the standard having commutator rings electrically connected to the audio signal conductor lines, each collar being adjustable to different selected positions on the standard, and a globular or annular speaker housing is disposed on each collar in surrounding relation to the standard with a speaker in each housing which is connected to the commutator ring of that collar and the speaker housing being free to move with the collar along the length of the standard. The necessary electrical connection is maintained between each speaker and commutator ring not withstanding rotation or lengthwise movement of each speaker housing and, if desired, light fixtures can be provided in each housing and energized by separate electrical conductors on the support member.

Abstract: A waterproof ground audio speaker apparatus has a speaker housing having a cylindrical sidewall, one open end and a closed end. A hollow cylindrical inner housing has a pair of open ends and is attached to the speaker housing with its walls in a spaced relationship to the walls of the speaker housing to form a passageway between the walls of the inner housing and the walls of the speaker housing. A loud speaker is mounted in the hollow inner housing facing one open end thereof for directing acoustical energy out the open end of the speaker housing and directing the backwave of the speaker through the hollow inner housing and through the passageway between the inner housing and the speaker housing to the open end of the speaker housing. A rigid domed supporting cover extends over the opening of the speaker housing and a filter membrane cover covers the open end of the speaker housing to protect the inside of the speaker enclosure.

Abstract: A telephone sterilizing device for a transmitter/receiver portion of a telephone handset is provided and consists of a disinfectant carrying pad having a central aperture therethrough and of general shape corresponding to the telephone handset portion, a layer of gauze material covering the central aperture, layer of adhesive on one side of the pad and a protective cover removably affixed to the adhesive layer whereby removal of the protective cover will enable the adhesive material on the pad to be applied to the telephone handset portion to sterilize it.

Abstract: A hearing aid having a battery compartment pivotally attached thereto with a recess in the compartment for retaining therein a battery and a spring contact arrangement for coupling the battery to electrical components of the hearing aid, wherein a first spring contact engages a casing of the battery in abutting relationship, a second spring contact engages a face of the battery in abutting relationship only upon closure of the compartment, and an insulated spring arm engages the face of the battery to prevent inadvertent contacting of the second spring contact and the battery face unless the compartment is closed, the second spring contact being held in a preadjusted or prealigned position by an appropriate securing element.

Abstract: Apparatus for securing telephone handsets of varying sizes to a telephone handset support (intermediary attachment) to in which a two piece strap is secured on each end to the telephone handset support, and the two sections are attached together by means of a slots in one strap piece and an engaging tab on the other piece. The slots in the first strap piece are spaced along the length thereof, and are elongated and are either triangular or rectangular in shape. The engaging tab in the second strap piece is formed by notches on each side of and near the end of the second strap piece. The width of the engaging tab is smaller than the longer dimension of any of the elongated slots in the first strap section. The neck of the engaging tab is slightly smaller than the width of the elongated slots in the first strap section.

Abstract: An earphone cord take-up device is provided and consists of a hollow casing worn on a belt in which an earphone cord that is electrically connected within the casing to a jack cord can be extended therefrom when needed. Within the casing are stop rests for the earphones when the earphones are in the retracted positon.

Abstract: A miniature hearing aid has data storage components, amplification components, and a hinged battery compartment in which a battery may be disposed. A latch, in conjunction with a switch, allows for a selection of the operational mode of the hearing aid by positioning the hinged battery compartment at various angles to the hearing aid housing. The battery is held firmly in the battery compartment in the various switching positions by a contact spring, which also serves as the electrical connection between the battery and various electrical component groups housed within the hearing aid. The battery can be disconnected from the amplification components while remaining connected to the data storage components.

Abstract: A modular microphone assembly housed in a handsfree telephone apparatus provides an environment that is isolated from a loudspeaker installed within the apparatus and through which environment the directional and frequency response characteristics of a directional microphone capsule contained within a closable cavity of a microphone mounting receptacle in the assembly are altered via a predetermined internal surface configuration of the receptacle to improve the performance of the apparatus.

Abstract: An in-the-ear hearing aid comprises a first unit (1), which unit comprises a microphone (3), an amplifier (4), controller (6) for adjusting a parameter of the hearing aid, and a battery compartment (5), and a second unit (2) comprising a receiver. The first unit (1) is accommodated in a first space situated at the end of comparatively large cross-section of an earmould (11). The second unit (2) is accommodated in a second space (9) situated at the end (13) of smaller cross-section. The earmold has a cap element (14) which allows for insertion of the second unit (2) into the second space (9) from the end (13) of smaller cross-section.

Abstract: A handset for telephones and the like has electro-acoustical capsules for hearing and speaking, mounted between an upper housing shell and a lower housing shell of the handset. Each of the capsules is connected to the handset cord by a pair of leads received in cutting clamp connections arranged on the rear sides of the hearing and speaking capsules, the opposed housing shells having projections pushing the leads into the cutting clamps. Preferably, the leads are mounted on a foil having openings for the cutting clamps and the projections, and also openings for guide pins, whereby the leads are guided into the cutting clamps when the upper and lower housing shells are brought together on the leads.

Abstract: A loudspeaker with a voice coil reciprocally disposed in a magnetic gap provided with means for conducting heat outwardly from the gap comprising a flat circular web disposal in abuttment with the magnetic structure and extending between a cylindrical collar which confronts the voice coil former to a circular ring integral with the frame of the loudspeaker and including vanes extending from the web between the collar and ring. The voice coil former is limited to axial motion by a pair of spaced flat disks mounted at their centers on the central pole piece normal to the axis of motion and on the coil former at their perimeters.

Abstract: A combined handset and headset comprises a cylindrical speaker housing (20) which fits into the pinna (46) and contains a speaker (38). The speaker housing has an upper extension (24) which in turn has an end housing or pinna clamping part (28) slidably mounted thereto. The slidable housing contains a crossbar (14) for resting against the rear side of the pinna. The slidable housing is spring urged to a compacted position against the pinna so that it can clamp the pinna between it and the speaker housing so that the unit will retain itself on the pinna. The slidable housing can be pulled back and locked in an extended position where the crossbar is far enough from the cylindrical housing that the crossbar will be clear of the pinna so that the set can be used as a handset.