US2424935A - Hearing aid attachment for spectacles - Google Patents

Description

July 29, 1947. e. P. KIMMEL HEARING AID ATTACHMENT FTOR SPECTACLES Filed Dec. 18, 1944 Patented July 29, 1947 NSITED .iSTATES or-rice HEARING ATTAcHMENrFoR SPECTAGIIES G o -Kim BmckevillesMd Application December 18, 1.943L1SeriaPNo.568,;74'6

Theinvention-relatesto a support of a'hearing aid or more specifically to a-bone oscillator support. The boneoscillator is'used by people whose hearing impairment is confined -t'odefectsOther thanin the inner and/ or middle ear and'whose auditory nerve is unimpaired. Sound vibration can be made to act-on the auditory nerve through the bones of the head, especially through the mastoid bone.

Various types of devices have been designedjfor holding the bone oscillator in place -with proper pressure against the-mastoidtemporal bone. The most common among these devices is the headband-which may be bent =to'the curvature of the dome of .the head and bears with both ends against 'the'head, one ofthese ends carrying the oscillator which is thus pressed against the mastoid bone. The consultant fitting a hard-ofhearing person with a boneoscillator will bend a headband to what he considersaiproper shape. The ends of this band press in a most unpleasant way against the head andhave'been the cause of the refusal of many persons whose hearing was impaired and who were compelled to usea ribone oscillator, to wear the'aid. The-main reason has already been given; a second reason isthe conspicuity of the'headband.

This invention proposes to overcome theydisadvantages of the present hearin aid supp rts by utilizing the-rear 'endportion of. 'one or'fboth of a'pair of spectacles as a means for supporting the aid, especially that one known as a bone conductor which should contact the mastoid bone located behind the ear. Many people in need of a hearing aid also need spectacles and others not in need of spectacles can wear them with Planoglass which does not function as a lens. At any rate, people who wear spectacles do not feel embarrassed or are not sensitive as are people wearing a hearing aid, especially a bone conductor at present supported by a conspicuous headband as a support.

This invention relieves people using a bone conductor of physical and mental discomfort. In fact the use this device makes the oscillator so inconspicuous that one conferring with a user would ordinarily never discover that a hearing aid was being used.

With these and other objects in view, as may appear from the accompanying specification, the invention consists of various features of construction and combination of parts which will be first described in connection with the accompanying drawing, showing a support for a bearing device embodying the invention, and the features 19'Glaims. (01379-411170 2 forming the inventionwill be specifically pointed out in the claims.

' lin the drawing:

Figure =l-'i-s an elevation of-the rear endportion of the 'bow of a pa n er spectacles, not shown, carrying the bone oscillator -ina most inconspicuous place, namely behind the -ear;

FigureZ is a sectional View on 1ine'2 -2=of-Fi ure 1 showing the outline of the car as viewed *from -therear'indotted lines Figure 3 is an enlarged section par-allel to that of ,Figure 2 and forwardly thereof "Figure l is -aif-ront view -of the-bar carrying the oscillator;

" "'Figure -oisa longitudinal section on line S 5 of Figure 4.

fNumeral "denotes the rear portion of a bow of a pair'of spectacles, thef-ront and other bow of which are {not shown. This portion is placed on andbehind the ear as illustratedin Figure "2 and should preferably have -a substantial cross section (Figure 3) and can be made of plastic or other-suitable material-which will resist torsional strains or -twisting. This rear end portion of the bow has an aperture 3 adjacentthe end extending downwardly and inwardly toward the head. The apertured portion -of the --bow issurrounded by a reinforcing sleeve 4 of metal or other suitable material which has outwardly widening openings 5 that register withthe aperture mentioned. 6-is-a bar extending from the midpoint of a clevis, having spring arms, the ends of which are seated rotatably in sockets on the bone conductor B so that the latter can assume that position of maximum contact with the mastoid bone M which is conducive to good reception. Rod 6, as shown in the drawing, is curved longitudinally whereby its relative position within the opening in the bow determines the degree of pressure necessary to suit the hearing of the individual wearer. Rod 6 may also be adjusted relative to the bow so that irritation caused by contact of the bone conduction element on one spot may be readily and quickly relieved. Rod 6 of any suitable cross section has in its outer side a depression 1 in one end of which a spring 8 is secured by riveting or otherwise. The intermediate portion of the spring is bowed outwardly out of the depression and will press against the adjacent side of the aperture in the bow. The upper end of bar 6 should be rounded off for easy insertion in the aperture and the openings in the sleeve.

Changes may be made in the arrangement of parts as described and illustrated in the accompanying drawing without departing from the spring on the bar and frictionally engaging a side wall in the aperture.

2. In combination with a pair of spectacles, a bow connected thereto and having an aperture,

in its rear portion, a sleeve surrounding the apertured part and provided with openings registering with the aperture, a bar insertable in the aperture and openings for supporting a hearing aid against the head and having a depression in one.

side and a spring fastened in the depression and bearing against a wall of the aperture.

3. As a new article of manufacture, a hearing aid element, a forked member, means rockably mounting said element between the arms of said member, a longitudinally curved supporting rod rotatably carried by said member, and a retaining means carried by said rod for holding the latter on a support.

4. A new article of manufacture as set forth in claim 3, wherein said retaining means comprises a bowed spring.

5. As a new article of manufacture, a hearing aid means for attachment in depending relation to a bow of an ophthalmic mounting, said means comprising a bone conduction element, a -U- shaped member rockably secured at the free ends thereof to said element, a supporting rod rotatably secured at one end thereof to the bight of said U-shaped member, and means carried by said rod for detachably securing the latter to a bow of the mounting. I

6. The combination with an ophthalmic mounting having a pair of bows, at least one of said bows having an opening therethrough inclined downwardly and inwardly toward the head adjacent the rear end thereof, at least one bone conduction element, and means carried by said element engageable in said opening for detachably securing said element in depending relation to said one how.

7. The combination with an ophthalmic mount- 4 ing having a, pair of bows, at least one of said bows having an opening therethrough inclined downwardly and inwardly toward the head adjacent the rear end thereof, at least one bone conduction element, means carried by said element engageable in said opening for detachably securing said element in depending relation to said one bow, and at least one reinforcing sleeve telescoping the rear end of said one how and formed with openings registering with the ends of said first opening. 8. An ophthalmic mounting including a pair of bows of relatively rigid construction and having .a. characteristic to resiliently resist torsional strains longitudinally thereof, a bone conduction element, a fork member rockably engaging said element, and a. longitudinally bent supporting member rotatably carried by said fork member and removably secured to one of said bows whereby to normally press said element against the head, the pressure of said element against the head being proportionate to the resistance of said one bow against torsional twisting.

9. The combination with an ophthalmic mounting having a pair of bows, each bow being of relatively rigid construction and having substantially greater width than thickness, one of said bows having an opening therethrough, a bone conduction element, and means engaging in said opening for dependingly supporting said element from said onebow, said means being so constructed and arranged as to firmly hold said element against the head, and the thickness of said one bow being such as to resiliently resist torsional strain thereon to thereby hold said element against the head.

. GEORGE P. KIhfl/IEL.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,337,953 Wirshing -1 Dec. 28, 1943 2,249,572 Lieber July 15, 1941 2,179,615 Craig Nov.. 14, 1939 2,168,781 Peterson Aug. 8, 1939 2,148,024 Koch Feb. 21, 1939 1,567,105 Bohlman Dec. 29, 1925 1,503,908 Manson Aug. 5, 1924

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