Abstract: The present invention constitutes a sound output unit for installation in a ceiling structure including an assembly for mounting a loudspeaker for use in conjunction with said output unit. The sound output unit comprises a polyhedral chamber or enclosure, a loudspeaker, an amplifier, and two sets of baffles. The polyhedral chamber is specially shaped in order to help reduce resonant vibrations. The loudspeaker is mounted in a large opening in the bottom plate of the enclosure so that it can radiate sound out from the enclosure into the area below the ceiling structure in which the unit has been installed. The amplifier is secured on the top of the loudspeaker inside the chamber and provides local power amplification. The baffles are mounted on the interior surfaces of the top and bottom plates of the enclosure and help reduce spurious sound reflections within the enclosure.

Abstract: An electret microphone (10) comprises an electret diaphragm (11) having a thin metallic layer (13) deposited on one of its major surfaces. A ring-shaped metal washer (20) bonded to the metallic layer (13) of the diaphragm (11) by means of a lightly metal-filled adhesive (21).

Abstract: A hearing aid has a printed circuit board arranged in a hearing aid housing. The printed circuit board has a flexible extension arm and wings which hold hearing aid components in an especially spaec-saving fashion. The extension arm holds soldered-on actuators and is folded around and holds a hearing coil arrangement. A further space-saving results form this design since the hearing coil arrangement intercepts actuation stresses of actuators and, as a result thereof, the need for a further, rigid foundation becomes superfluous.

Abstract: A hearing aid has a housing to which a standard battery compartment can be removably attached, or to which an audio connection, including a battery compartment, can be optionally removably attached in place of the standard battery compartment. The necessity of an external audio connection, which adds to the size of the hearing aid, is thus eliminated.

Abstract: A detachably attachable protection device for use with a circuit routed to a DSX panel or the like in a telephone switching station includes a fixed plate having apertures for visual access to a light associated with the circuit, an aperture for access to a monitor jack and a pivotable plate connected to the fixed plate for selectively providing access to jacks for rerouting the circuit. The lift tab may be incorporated to assist in positioning the pivotable plate. In a variant protection device, a plurality of pivotable plates secured to a common fixed plate may be employed to individually protect all circuits routed to a DSX panel.

Abstract: A hearing aid system utilizing digital signal processing is programmable to fit the hearing deficit of a particular use and adaptive to the sound environment to maximize the intelligibility of the desired audio signal relative to noise. An analog signal picked from a microphone is amplified, filtered and converted to digital data. A digital signal processor preferably performs spectral shaping on the data to match the user's preference and performs a non-linear adaptive amplification function on the digital data. The amplification gain function may include several piecewise linear sections, including a first section providing expansion up to a first knee point, a second section providing linear amplification from the first knee point to a second knee point, and a third section providing compression for signals above the second knee to reduce the effort of over range signals and minimize loudness discomfort to the user.

Abstract: A bracket for connecting an armored cord to a telephone housing in which the bracket is of unitary construction and comprises a bottom plate having a central portion with a laterally running slot adapted to receive the sheath of the armored cord and a top U-shaped plate overlying the central portion of the bottom plate and having a laterally running slot adapted to receive the flexible cable of the armored cord and to provide an abutment for the end termination of the cable.

Abstract: A frequency-selective sound transducer comprised of a number of resonators with differing but sequential natural frequencies arranged in a first plane. A deformable membrane is arranged in a second plane, parallel to the first plane and in close proximity thereto. A small air gap thus exists between the first and second planes. Sound waves produce vibratory motion in the membrane, which motion is transmitted to the resonators by pressure waves generated by the membrane in the air between the membrane and resonators. The deflections of the resonators are converted into electrical signals.

Abstract: A system for reproducing sound, particularly musical sound, giving enhanced pleasure to the listener. The system utilizes a pair of low frequency range speakers, a plurality of high frequency range speakers and may employ one or more mid frequency range speakers, all of which speakers are of conventional construction. These speakers are, however, disposed in a novel mechanical arrangement and electrically interconnected in a manner to emanate sound in essentially a non-directional manner. The listener thus perceives the sound to be emanating from the diemensional space surrounding the system, rather than from a single point or plane, and experiences the sound much as if he or she were in the same enclosure with live performers, rather than listening to a recording.

Abstract: The invention provides a headband fastened by moveable ball and socket to a mounting ring attachable to the earpiece of a standard telephone handset. The ball affixed to the headband has an adjust tab on the rounded end which fits adjust receptacles in the base of the socket. The tab and receptacle arrangement allows a three-position positive adjustment of the handset position in relation to the headband. In a square-type attachment for modern rectangular telephone handsets, an embodiment designed for the purpose includes two holder frames, one for right ear use and one for left ear use through positioning of the socket holder. The headband and holder for rectangular handsets includes a three-position positive adjust ball and socket fitting and an opened frame yoke that supports the earpiece attachment frame in a manner which prevents interference with the plunger on and off switch of the telephone handset.

Abstract: A hearing aid has a sound-conducting tube, the distal end of which extends into the auditory meatus. The tube is mounted to an earpiece which closes off the ear canal. A protrusion surrounds the distal end and extends from the earpiece. A cap is detachably secured to the protrusion and is perforated to permit sound to travel into the ear, and the cap and the earpiece form a cerumen-trapping gap. The earpiece of the hearing aid has a substantially flat end plate adjacent the protrusion and the end plate bears a groove which surrounds the protrusion.

Abstract: A host controller for producing data from a computer for a programmable filter of a hearing aid to cancel feedback in which phase shift and gain control means as adjusted by the computer to generate a feedback cancellation voltage which is supplied to the hearing aid for summation of the feedback and feedback cancellation voltages by the hearing aid and in which the summed feedback and feedback cancellation voltages are returned to the host controller for further adjustment of said phase shift and gain control means until feedback has been cancelled. The host controller then transmits to the programmable filter the phase shift and gain control data necessary to cancel feedback.

Abstract: A personal sound system comprising a garment adapted to substantially cover a person's upper torso, a first pocket for removably supporting a first speaker on the garment in the vicinity of a person's left shoulder, a second pocket for removably supporting a second speaker on the garment in the vicinity of the person's right shoulder, a third pocket for removably supporting an electrical signal producing device on the garment and an elongated flap extended from the third pocket to the second pocket and through that portion of the garment encircling the person's neck and to the first pocket for removably supporting flexible wires on the garment, which wires are adapted to interconnect speakers located in the first and second pockets, and an electrical signal producing device located in the third pocket, while permitting those wires to be readily removed from the garment when the garment is to be cleaned. Preferably, the flap is located on the interior surface of the jacket.

Abstract: A sanitizing device for a telephone. A housing is mounted alongside the telephone and includes two pair of openings, each pair spaced to receive the mouthpiece and earpiece of the telephone. Located within each opening of the first pair is a nested stack of sanitized cup-like filters and the inner surface of the periphery of each filter bears a strip of pressure sensitized adhesive. By inserting the mouthpiece and earpiece within the respective openings, a filter will adhere to both the mouthpiece and earpiece. To remove the filters after use of the telephone, the mouthpiece and earpiece are inserted within the openings of the second pair and spiral rubber-like flaps which are disposed across each opening act to remove the filters as the receiver is withdrawn. In a second form of the invention, the sanitizing device takes the form of a rigid adapter including a perforated mouth section and a perforated ear section which is snap fitted over the receiver of the telephone.

Abstract: A communication headset has an earpiece assembly mounted on one end of an arcuate headband having a single-piece integral, unitary construction and a resilient composition. The earpiece assembly includes an earmuff which engages a user's ear and which receives a speaker and speaker holder. The speaker holder is mounted rotatably to an interface module which in turn is mounted to a microphone module. An end cap engages the interface module and the microphone module. The mounting structure for attaching the microphone module to the interface module enables free 360.degree. rotational movement of the microphone module relative to the interface module about a central axis transverse to the interface module. A temple piece is disposed on the opposite end of the headband for engaging the user's temple.

Abstract: The in-the-canal hearing aid has patient selected physical components and patient selected electronic components. The construction of the hearing aid and the method of providing a hearing aid for a particular patient's hearing impairment are such that a patient may personally select the best suited hearing aid during the testing process and walk away with the hearing aid he or she has personally selected. This is accomplished by allowing the patient to select a form fitting shell with a malleable covering having a hook and twist which precisely conforms to the patient's own ear. The patient then listens to sounds with or without background noise and from various directions using electronic components which conform to the specifications of the hearing aid and personally chooses those electronics which best aid or assist the patient's hearing loss.

Abstract: An ear wax barrier for a hearing aid to prevent ear wax from contacting and damaging the internal components of a hearing aid or hearing aid receiver. The barrier includes a housing defining a central axis of passage, as well as a plurality of projections and a variable acoustic attenuator. The projections extend inwardly from the interior surface of the housing, each projection partially occluding the cross-sectional area of the housing. The projection provides a tortuous path for ear wax migrating into the hearing aid. The variable acoustic attenuator and the projections provide a constricted passageway for damping of the acoustic response of the hearing aid.

Abstract: An electrically conductive network which, at one end, has a low-resistance connection with a user's hand and, at the other end, has a high-resistance connection with ground. This protects electrical equipment such as a telephone keyset from electrostatic discharge and also protects the user from unpleasantly high discharge currents.

Abstract: An attachment for a telephone handset used by users of in-the-ear hearing aids including a cup shaped member which acoustically couples the handset to the ear and serves to cancel feedback between the hearing aid receiver and microphone.

Abstract: An earpiece for use with a post-auricle communication headset is disclosed. The headset includes a capsule to which a microphone boom and the earpiece are affixed. The earpiece is composed of a flexible sound tube terminating in a sound tip surrounded by a conically shaped ear cushion. The sound tube includes an acoustically sealed swivel joint functioning to facilitate the secure positioning of the ear cushion in the user's ear. The cushion is composed of a compressible foam material and is configured so that the sound tip is not in contact with the user's ear thereby reducing irritation and dissipating sound surges.