Patents Examined by Sunita Joshi
  • Patent number: 11716582
    Abstract: A method for manufacturing a loudspeaker vibrating membrane with hard and elastic soft properties, comprising: (a) adhering a curable polymer to all areas on the outer surface of a base material; (b) drying the curable polymer to form a hard structure; (c) forming a loudspeaker vibrating membrane; and (d) separating the loudspeaker vibrating membrane from the base material. The method further comprises the following steps between steps (b) and (c) or steps (c) and (d), or after step (d): (e) adhering an elastic soft polymer to all or partial areas on the outer surface of the hard structure; and (f) drying the elastic soft polymer to form an elastic soft structure covering all or partial areas on the outer surface of the hard structure. In the present invention, the hardness and elastic coefficient of the loudspeaker vibrating membrane can be adjusted by the hard structure and the elastic soft structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 2022
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2023
    Inventor: Vincent Chen
  • Patent number: 11706561
    Abstract: A balanced armature receiver includes a gas permeable barrier located on a portion of the receiver defining a back volume to provide barometric relief. The barrier can be located in a wall portion or diaphragm of the receiver to vent the back volume to an exterior of the receiver directly, via a front volume, or via a nozzle. The gas permeable barrier is impermeable to liquid infiltration and can be configured to influence the low frequency response of the receiver.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2023
    Assignee: Knowles Electronics, LLC
    Inventors: Brenno Varanda, Chris Monti, Steve Kearey, Donald Verghese Jacob, Tim Wickstrom, Jose Salazar, Alex Grossman, Matt Manley
  • Patent number: 11706570
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to dual-diaphragm moving-coil audio transducers for hearing devices. The transducer includes a magnetic circuit including an inner portion located between first and second coils coupled to corresponding diaphragms supported by a housing. An outer portion of the magnetic circuit is adjacent outer portions of the first and second coils. The transducer emits sound when the first diaphragm moves in a first direction and the second diaphragm moves in a second direction, opposite the first direction, in response to an electrical audio signal applied to the first and second coils.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 17, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2023
    Assignee: Knowles Electronics, LLC
    Inventors: Mohammad Mohammadi, Christopher Lane Monti
  • Patent number: 11706573
    Abstract: In one embodiment, the present invention is directed to a method of transmitting information from an ear tip to a contact hearing device, the method comprising the steps of: exciting a transmit coil, the transmit coil being positioned in the ear tip, wherein the transmit coil is wound on a core, the core including a ferromagnetic material; radiating an electromagnetic field from the first coil through the ear canal of a user; receiving the radiated electromagnetic field at a receive coil, the receive coil being positioned on a contact hearing device, the contact hearing device including a receive coil without a ferrite core; and transmitting the information from the transmit coil to the receive coil using, for example, near-field radiation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2023
    Assignee: Earlens Corporation
    Inventors: Stuart W. Wenzel, Lawrence W. Arne
  • Patent number: 11700488
    Abstract: A planar coil linear actuator/transducer. A stack of individually driven planar coils are used. A common core passes through the center of the stack of coils. A mobile magnet resides in the core. The coils are selectively energized in order to drive the magnet as desired. It is possible to control both frequency and amplitude by controlling the motion of the magnet. In a preferred embodiment, each planar coil is created as a copper (or other conductive material) trace on a multi-layer printed circuit board.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 2022
    Date of Patent: July 11, 2023
    Inventors: Anil K. Raj, Timothy L. Hutchenson
  • Patent number: 11683647
    Abstract: Electrodynamic drive for a flat loudspeaker having an enclosure where the following components are installed: a magnetic system, a cylindrical coil fixed to the frame, a sound-emitting membrane attached to the cylindrical coil former, a system holding the coil within a magnetic gap, and flexible wires for supplying an electrical signal to the coil. While the magnetic system is made as a cylindrical permanent magnet, a ferrite ring with the above mentioned cylindrical magnet and washers, joining them into a single structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 17, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 20, 2023
    Inventor: Danilo Herger
  • Patent number: 11678122
    Abstract: A speaker comprises an electroacoustic transducer diaphragm which is mounted between or suspended from multiple suspension pins or suspension components. The suspension pins or suspension components provide mechanical support and acoustic isolation to the diaphragm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2023
    Inventor: Hugh Brogan
  • Patent number: 11671778
    Abstract: A sound-producing balanced armature receiver, as disclosed, includes a receiver housing with a first internal volume, a second internal volume, and a sound outlet. The receiver includes a first diaphragm separating the first internal volume into a first front volume and a first back volume and a second diaphragm separating the second internal volume into a second front volume and a second back volume.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2023
    Assignee: KNOWLES ELECTRONICS, LLC
    Inventors: Donald Verghese Jacob, Christopher Monti, Matthew Manley, Kalyan Nadella, Yahui Zhang
  • Patent number: 11665480
    Abstract: Provided is a speaker, including a frame; a vibration unit fixed to the frame; and a magnetic circuit unit driving the vibration unit to vibrate and provided with a magnetic gap. The vibration unit includes a diaphragm fixed to the frame and a voice coil inserted in the magnetic gap to drive the diaphragm to vibrate and produce sound; an outer periphery of the diaphragm bends and extends to form at least one fixing portion; and the at least one fixing portion extends along a vibrating direction of the diaphragm and is attached to an inner peripheral side of the frame. With this structure, the bonding strength of the frame and the diaphragm is improved, the diaphragm does not occupy an outer space of the frame, and an appearance size of the speaker is effectively controlled, thereby facilitating the miniaturization design.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2023
    Assignee: AAC Microtech (Changzhou) Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Zhang Ren, Zhiwei Zhong
  • Patent number: 11665481
    Abstract: Provided is a speaker device, including a frame; a vibration unit fixed to the frame; and a magnetic circuit unit driving the vibration unit to vibrate and produce sound and including a magnetic gap. The vibration unit includes a diaphragm, a voice coil and an elastic support assembly. The frame includes a bottom wall and a side wall bending and extending from a periphery of the bottom wall of the frame, and an outer periphery of the diaphragm is fixed to the side wall. The vibration unit further includes a fixing ring configured to fix the elastic support assembly to the frame, and the fixing ring surrounds the magnetic circuit unit. The frame is made of a metal material, and the fixing ring is a metal ring fixed to the side wall of the frame by welding. With this structure, overall strength and reliability of the speaker device are improved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2023
    Assignee: AAC Microtech (Changzhou) Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Zhang Ren, Zhiwei Zhong
  • Patent number: 11665491
    Abstract: Face masks and attachments to accommodate hearing aids are provided herein. The face masks include a mask body, ear loops and a hearing aid holder to removably hold a hearing aid. In some configurations, a hearing aid holder which can be detachably attached to a mask is provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 21, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2023
    Assignee: Team IP Holdings, LLC
    Inventors: Timothy D. Schnell, Tal Daniel Kocen, Steve Iseberg
  • Patent number: 11665479
    Abstract: A sounding device includes a frame, and a vibration system and a magnetic circuit unit that are retained in the frame. The vibration system includes diaphragm and voice coil. The voice coil includes two first side edges and two second side edges. The magnetic circuit unit includes yoke, main magnetic body, and auxiliary magnetic body. The auxiliary magnetic body includes first auxiliary magnetic bodies each including main body portion and extension portion. The main body portion is recessed towards side surfaces of two first side edges to form grooves, the main magnetic body protrudes towards the grooves, and the pair of first side edges protrude towards the grooves, respectively. The sounding device can not only enable the auxiliary magnetic body to be more evenly surrounding the voice coil, but also enable the voice coil to have longer circumference with a same magnetic circuit area, thereby increasing BL value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 26, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2023
    Assignee: AAC Microtech (Changzhou) Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Zhiwei Zhong, Xin Jin
  • Patent number: 11653135
    Abstract: Auricular attachments should be comfortable for long term wear. An auricular interface based on a skirt attachment is disclosed. By separating the uplifting force of the skirt from a separate downward force a more comfortable wearing is achieved. The skirt can optionally be pleated. The objective is achieved by a skirt structure having an outer surface that contacts least a part of an inner part of an outer boundary of a concha of a pinna, without the skirt touching the floor of the concha.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 7, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 16, 2023
    Assignee: SECTIO AUREA AS
    Inventors: Vidar Sandanger, Johan Sundkvist, Henrik Myhre-Sandmark
  • Patent number: 11653161
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a socket connector for a hearing device. The hearing device comprises a Behind-The-Ear (BTE) unit and a Receiver-In-the-Ear (RIE) unit, the BTE unit comprising a frame, wherein the frame comprises electronic components of the BTE unit, the RIE unit comprising a plug connector configured for providing an electrical connection between the RIE unit and the BTE unit. The socket connector is connectable to the frame of the BTE unit and is configured for detachably connecting the plug connector to the frame.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 15, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 16, 2023
    Assignee: GN HEARING A/S
    Inventor: Laurids Egedal Kirchhoff
  • Patent number: 11653158
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates in a first aspect to a head-wearable hearing instrument comprising first and second portions and a radio-frequency data communication interface configured to transmit and receive data packets at transmit and receipt time slots, respectively, through a wireless communication channel. The head-wearable hearing instrument comprises a connector assembly configured to electrically and mechanically interconnect the first portion with the second portion. The second portion comprises a sensor configured to measure a physical property and generate sensor data representative of the measured physical property. The head-wearable hearing instrument further comprises a wired data communication link extending between the first and second portions through the connector assembly for transmission of sensor data during transmit time slots. Said transmit time slots of the sensor data and at least said receipt time slots of the wireless communication channel are non-overlapping in time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 16, 2023
    Assignee: GN HEARING A/S
    Inventors: Søren Helstrup Kvist, Thorvaldur Oli Bodvarsson
  • Patent number: 11647341
    Abstract: The disclosure relates to a hearing aid for placement in an ear canal, the hearing aid having a proximal end and a distal end, the proximal end is inserted into the ear canal to face the tympanic membrane, the distal end is opposite. The hearing aid comprises a shell customized for the ear canal. The shell comprises an inner space configured for at least partly receiving a rechargeable battery, a charging arrangement, at least one microphone arrangement, and an integrated circuit. The hearing aid comprises a faceplate comprising an upper face and a lower face, the upper face being exposed at the distal end when the shell is placed in the user's ear canal. The faceplate is configured for closing the inner space, wherein the IC is arranged between the faceplate and the proximal end.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 11, 2022
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2023
    Assignee: GN HEARING A/S
    Inventors: Henrik Nielsen, Thomas John Chappell, Søren Davids
  • Patent number: 11641550
    Abstract: Provided is a speaker, including a frame; a vibration unit fixed to the frame; and a magnetic circuit unit driving the vibration unit to vibrate and produce sound. The vibration unit includes a diaphragm and a voice coil; the diaphragm includes a first suspension, a second suspension and a vibrating portion; the magnetic circuit unit is provided with a magnetic gap, and the voice coil is inserted in the magnetic gap; the magnetic circuit unit includes a yoke; and the yoke and the diaphragm are arranged at two opposite sides of the frame; and the vibration unit further includes a fixing ring connected to the magnetic circuit unit; the second suspension surrounds the fixing ring; and an inner peripheral side of the second suspension is fixed to an end of the fixing ring away from the yoke. With this structure, the acoustic performance of the speaker can be improved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2023
    Assignee: AAC Microtech (Changzhou) Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Bo Xiao, Chenliang Kong, Tong Zhang, Ronglin Linghu
  • Patent number: 11638074
    Abstract: A speaker device includes a frame, a vibration unit and a magnetic circuit unit. The vibration unit includes a diaphragm fixed to the frame and a voice coil. The magnetic circuit unit includes a yoke and a magnet assembly that is accommodated and fixed in the yoke and is spaced apart from the yoke to form a magnetic gap. The voice coil is inserted in the magnetic gap. The yoke includes a yoke bottom wall, a yoke side wall and flanges. The flange includes a first section and a second section extending from the first section. A side of the first section close to the second section and the second section enclose a fixing step. The second section is fixed to the frame. The speaker device of the present disclosure has better reliability.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 25, 2023
    Assignee: AAC Microtech (Changzhou) Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Xin Jin, Zhiwei Zhong
  • Patent number: 11638101
    Abstract: A hearing aid for placement in an ear canal of a user, includes: a shell; a faceplate comprising an upper face, and a lower face, and a circumference, the upper face being exposed when the shell is placed in an ear of the user; a coil arranged at the faceplate; and a button arrangement comprising a plunger configured to control an integrated circuit arranged below the coil, the coil comprising one or more windings, the one or more windings being circumferential of an inner cavity of the coil with respect to a center or longitudinal axis of the coil, the button arrangement being configured such that the plunger in at least one position extends through the inner cavity of the coil for engaging the integrated circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 25, 2023
    Assignee: GN HEARING A/S
    Inventors: Henrik Nielsen, Thomas John Chappell, Søren Davids, Shi Pu, Anders Hjermø Michaelsen
  • Patent number: 11638096
    Abstract: Provided is a speaker driver. The speaker driver includes a pair of yoke members that is arranged to face each other so as to have empty spaces provided on inner sides thereof and fixed to a stand base, two or more magnets that are mounted on inner side surfaces of the yoke members, and a rotating member that is provided with a voice coil disposed in parallel in a direction facing the magnet and disposed between the yoke members, and has one end rotatably coupled to the yoke members and the other end provided with a diaphragm coupling part to which a diaphragm is coupled.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 25, 2023
    Assignee: ONE HERTZ Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Jung Soo Ha