US 12,279,094 B2
Acoustic valve, and hearing device including such an acoustic valve
Theodorus Gerardus Maria Brouwer, Hoofddorp (NL); Laurens De Ruijter, Hoofddorp (NL); Eddy Dubbeldeman, Hoofddorp (NL); and Caspar Titus Bolsman, Hoofddorp (NL)
Assigned to Sonion Nederland B.V., Hoofddorp (NL)
Appl. No. 18/251,286
Filed by Sonion Nederland B.V., Hoofddorp (NL)
PCT Filed Nov. 1, 2021, PCT No. PCT/EP2021/080261
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date May 1, 2023,
PCT Pub. No. WO2022/090538, PCT Pub. Date May 5, 2022.
Claims priority of application No. 2026806 (NL), filed on Nov. 2, 2020.
Prior Publication US 2023/0412994 A1, Dec. 21, 2023
Int. Cl. H04R 25/00 (2006.01); H04R 1/28 (2006.01); H04R 9/02 (2006.01); H04R 9/06 (2006.01)
CPC H04R 25/656 (2013.01) [H04R 25/604 (2013.01); H04R 1/2857 (2013.01); H04R 9/025 (2013.01); H04R 9/06 (2013.01); H04R 2225/0216 (2019.05); H04R 2460/11 (2013.01)] 15 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An acoustic valve for a hearing device, at least part of the hearing device being adapted to be positioned inside an ear canal, the acoustic valve comprising:
a valve body defining a passageway extending through the valve body, the valve body defining a first aperture at a first distal end in an axial direction, and a plurality of second apertures in a radial side surface of the valve body;
a seat member arranged inside the valve body, and delimiting part of the passageway;
a shutter member arranged inside the valve body, and defining a shutter surface that is directed towards the seat member and is composed of a contact portion and a non-contact portion, the shutter member being moveable relative to the seat member to transition the acoustic valve between:
an opened state, wherein the shutter member is at a distance from the seat member, and the passageway is open to allow sound to pass, and
a closed state, wherein the contact portion of the shutter surface abuts the seat member, and the non-contact portion of the shutter surface blocks the passageway to restrict passage of sound therethrough;
wherein a permanent or switchable magnet is embedded in a body of the shutter member, and in that the contact portion of the shutter surface is formed as a protruding structure that extends relative to the non-contact portion and towards the seat member, the protruding structure having a small width along at least one transverse direction to minimise a contact surface area between the contact portion and the seat member when the acoustic valve is in the closed state.