US 11,812,226 B2
Hearing device including a sensor and a method of forming same
Michael K. Sacha, Chanhassen, MN (US); and Christopher D. Young, Shorewood, MN (US)
Assigned to STARKEY LABORATORIES, INC., Eden Prairie, MN (US)
Filed by STARKEY LABORATORIES, INC., Eden Prairie, MN (US)
Filed on Sep. 22, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/950,524.
Application 17/950,524 is a continuation of application No. 17/034,925, filed on Sep. 28, 2020, granted, now 11,463,827.
Application 17/034,925 is a continuation of application No. 15/799,064, filed on Oct. 31, 2017, abandoned.
Prior Publication US 2023/0025588 A1, Jan. 26, 2023
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. H04R 25/00 (2006.01); A61B 5/369 (2021.01); A61B 5/389 (2021.01); A61B 5/398 (2021.01); H04R 25/02 (2006.01); H04R 31/00 (2006.01); G02C 11/06 (2006.01); A61B 5/0533 (2021.01)
CPC H04R 25/556 (2013.01) [A61B 5/369 (2021.01); A61B 5/389 (2021.01); A61B 5/398 (2021.01); H04R 25/02 (2013.01); H04R 25/554 (2013.01); H04R 25/60 (2013.01); H04R 25/65 (2013.01); H04R 31/00 (2013.01); A61B 5/0533 (2013.01); G02C 11/06 (2013.01); H04R 25/603 (2019.05); H04R 25/607 (2019.05); H04R 25/658 (2013.01); H04R 2225/025 (2013.01); H04R 2225/77 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A hearing device comprising:
a housing adapted to be worn on or behind an ear of a wearer and extending along a housing axis, the housing comprising a substantially triangular cross-section in a plane orthogonal to the housing axis, the housing further comprising:
a housing body comprising a first side surface adapted to be disposed adjacent to a pinna of the ear of the wearer and a second side surface adapted to be disposed adjacent to a skull of the wearer, the first and second side surfaces connected to one another at a bottom edge of the housing body;
a top plate connected to the housing body; and
one or more magnetic portions;
electronic components disposed within the housing, wherein the electronic components comprise a controller;
a sensor disposed on at least one of the first and second side surfaces of the housing body and electrically coupled to the controller, wherein the sensor is adapted to be in contact with either the pinna or the skull of the wearer, wherein the sensor is further adapted to detect a physiological characteristic of the wearer and generate a sensor signal based on the physiological characteristic; and
an earpiece adapted to be disposed in an ear canal of the ear of the wearer, wherein the earpiece is operatively coupled to the electronic components disposed within the housing, and wherein the earpiece further comprises one or more magnetic portions that are configured to be magnetically attracted to the one or more magnetic portions of the housing such that the earpiece is magnetically connected to the housing through the pinna of the wearer.