FIELD OF THE INVENTION 0001 The present invention generally relates to mechanical and chemical technology, and more specifically to hearing aids.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 0002 Persons with hearing deficiencies wear hearing aids to improve their hearing ability. For cosmetic reasons, these persons typically desire to wear hearing aids that are not readily visible to others. One type of hearing aid that is not readily visible to others is a Completely In the Canal (CIC) hearing aid. 0003 A CIC hearing aid 101 is recessed within the canal 103 of a person's ear 105, as illustrated in FIG. 1. Therefore, the CIC hearing aid 101 is not readily visible to others. Because it is recessed in the ear canal, the CIC hearing aid 101, however, is difficult to remove. Removal is particularly troublesome for person's having diminished finger dexterity. Therefore, a puller is attached to the CIC hearing aid 101. 0004 A conventional puller, for a CIC hearing aid 101, is formed from a piece of monofilament fish line, e.g. polyester. The fish line is knotted at its first end. This knot is manually dipped into acrylic to form a ball. The ball permits the CIC hearing aid 101 wearer to more readily grasp the puller. After the ball is formed, the second end of the puller is inserted into the CIC hearing aid 101. The second end is knotted. To attach the puller to the CIC hearing aid 101, the knotted second end is manually glued to the CIC hearing aid 101. 0005 The conventional puller has deficiencies. First, the conventional puller may be labor intensive to manufacture and install, and thus may be relatively expensive. For example, in addition to the steps described above, each puller is individually cut, from a spool of the monofilament fishline, in different lengths to satisfy individual user requirements. Also, the knots at the first and second ends are hand made. 0006 Further, the ball is not formed uniformly on the pullers. Defects in ball formation may lead to user dissatisfaction. 0007 Therefore, there is a need for a puller that can be manufactured and installed at lower cost. Further, there is a need for a puller that can be manufactured consistently.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 0008 The present invention solves the above-mentioned problems in the art and other problems which will be understood by those in the art upon reading and understanding the present specification. The present invention provides a puller, and methods of forming and attaching the same. The puller may be attached to a hearing aid to assist a hearing aid wearer having diminished dexterity to remove the hearing aid. 0009 One embodiment of the hearing aid puller comprises a first member, and an end piece coupled to the first member. The hearing aid puller is a single, molded part formed from an elastically deformable material. 0010 In another embodiment, the hearing aid puller includes a second end piece. An intermediate piece is coupled and spaced apart from the end piece by the member. A second member couples and spaces apart the intermediate and second pieces. The cross-sectional width of the intermediate piece and the maximum width of the second end piece are larger than the cross-sectional width of the second member. 0011 In yet another embodiment, the elastically deformable material is a polyamide, such as Nylon-12. 0012 In yet another embodiment, a hearing aid comprises a microphone, and an amplifier coupled to the microphone. A speaker is coupled to the amplifier. A housing encloses the microphone, amplifier and speaker. A puller includes an end piece. An member is coupled to the end piece. The puller is a single, molded part formed from an elastically deformable material. 0013 In a further embodiment, the puller further comprises a second end piece. An intermediate piece coupled and spaced apart from the end piece by the member. A second member is couples and spaces apart the intermediate and second end pieces. The cross-sectional width of the intermediate piece and the maximum width of the end piece are larger than the cross-sectional width of the second member. A holder, on the housing, grasps the second member. 0014 In another embodiment, the intermediate piece and second end piece tightly fit over the holder. In yet a further embodiment, the holder is a jaw. 0015 In yet another embodiment, a method of attaching a puller to a hearing aid, comprises the step of inserting a first member of the puller into a jaw of the hearing aid. The puller is pulled so that a piece of the puller squeezes through the jaw. The jaw snaps around a second member. In another embodiment, the puller is secured to the hearing aid by tightly fitting the piece and an another piece over the jaw. 0016 In another embodiment, a method of attaching a puller to a hearing aid comprises inserting a distal end of a member of the puller through a shell of the hearing aid. The distal end is attached to the shell. 0017 In yet a further embodiment, a method of forming a hearing aid puller comprises injecting liquefied, elastically deformable material. The liquefied, elastically deformable material is cooled in a mold to form the hearing aid puller that is a single part that can be stretched to more than about twice the original molded length of the hearing aid puller. In another embodiment, the elastically deformable material is polyamide. 0018 It is an advantage of the present invention that it can be relatively inexpensively manufactured and installed. It is a further advantage that the puller can be custom stretched to a length desired by a user. It is yet a further advantage that the puller can be consistently manufactured.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES 0019 FIG. 1 illustrates a prior art cross-sectional view of a completely-in-the-canal hearing aid inserted into an ear. 0020 FIG. 2A illustrates a frontal view of one embodiment of a puller. 0021 FIG. 2B illustrates a frontal view of another embodiment of the puller. 0022 FIG. 2C illustrates a side view of the another embodiment of the puller 0023 FIG. 3A illustrates a top view of one embodiment of a jaw. 0024 FIG. 3B illustrates a side view of one embodiment of the jaw. 0025 FIG. 4 illustrates one embodiment of the puller inserted into the jaw. 0026 FIG. 5A illustrates one embodiment of a hearing aid with the jaw formed on a face plate. 0027 FIG. 5B illustrates one embodiment of an electrical block diagram of a hearing aid. 0028 FIG. 5C illustrates one embodiment of a hearing aid with the jaw formed on a shell. 0029 FIG. 6 illustrates one embodiment of an injection molding machine.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS 0030 In the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments, reference is made to the accompanying drawings which form a part hereof and in which are shown by way of illustration specific embodiments in which the invention may be practiced. These embodiments are described in sufficient detail to enable persons skilled in the art to practice the invention, and it is to be understood that other embodiments may be utilized and that logical, mechanical and electrical changes may be made without departing from the scope of the present invention. The following detailed description is, therefore, not to be taken in a limiting sense. 0031 The present invention provides a method and apparatus for removing a Completely In the Canal (CIC) hearing aid from a user's ear. However, the puller is a device that may be coupled to any other device to permit a person or machine to remove this other device from a human animal, or machine. In one embodiment, the puller 211 comprises a first end piece 213 coupled to a first member 215, as illustrated in FIG. 2A. The first member 215 has a proximal end 216, coupled to the first end piece 213, and a distal end 214. 0032 In another embodiment, illustrated in FIGS. 2B and 2C, the first member 215 is also coupled, at the distal end 214, to an intermediate piece 217. The intermediate piece 217 is coupled to a second end piece 221 by a second member 219. 0033 Thus, the first member 215 separates and supports the first end piece 213 and intermediate piece 217. The second member 219 separates and supports the intermediate piece 217 and the second end piece 221. 0034 In one embodiment, the first end piece 213 is a ball, or sphere, having a substantially round surface, as illustrated in FIGS. 2A-C. However, in other embodiments, the first end piece 213 can have a different shape that can be gripped by a hearing aid user. 0035 In another embodiment, the second end piece 221 has a substantially semicircular cross-section, as illustrated in FIG. 2B. However, in other embodiments, the second end piece 221 may be formed in another shape so long as it facilitates a securing function described below. 0036 In yet another embodiment, the intermediate piece 217 is a ball having a substantially round surface. However, in other embodiments, the intermediate piece 217 may have any surface shape that permits the intermediate piece to be inserted through the holder, described below. 0037 In yet a further embodiment, the first and second members 215, 219 have substantially circular cross-sections. However, in other embodiments, the first and second members 215, 219 may have other cross-sectional shapes so long as the first and second members 215, 219 perform their supporting and separating functions. 0038 In another embodiment, the cross-sectional widths 241, 243 (e.g diameters) of the first and second members 215, 219 are substantially similar, for example 0.022 inches. In another embodiment, the cross-sectional width 245 of the first end piece 213 is larger than the cross-sectional widths 241, 243 of the first and second members 215, 219. In yet another embodiment, the intermediate piece 217 has a cross-sectional width 247 (e.g. diameter), slightly larger than the cross-sectional width 241, 243 of the first and second members 215, 219. In yet a further embodiment, the second end piece 221 has a maximum cross-sectional width 247, illustrated in FIG. 2B, that is substantially larger than the cross-sectional width 241, 243 of the first and second members 215, 219. 0039 In an alternative embodiment, illustrated in FIG. 2C, the cross-sectional width 243 of the second member 219 is larger than the cross-sectional width 241 of the first member 215, and is equivalent to the thickness 257 of the second end piece 221. In one embodiment, the puller 211 has a length of about 0.6 inches. 0040 In another embodiment, the puller 211 is inserted into a holder, such as a jaw 303, on the hearing aid 301, illustrated in FIGS. 3A and 3B. In one embodiment, the jaw's opening 304 has a cross-sectional width 351 (e.g. diameter) that is substantially equal to the cross-sectional width 241, 243 of the first and second members 215, 219. However, in this embodiment, the cross-sectional width 351 of the jaw's opening 304 is smaller than the cross-sectional width 247 of the intermediate piece 217 and the maximum width 247 of the second end piece 221. Also, the height 353 of the jaw 303 is about equal to or less than the length 255 of the second member 219. 0041 In one embodiment, the puller 211, illustrated in FIGS. 2B and 2C, is easily attached to the hearing aid 301 in the following manner. The first member 215 is inserted within the opening 304 of the jaw 303. In one embodiment, the puller 211 is held by the first end piece 213, with a tweezer or directly by the fingers of a person. Then, the puller 211 is pulled upwards so that the intermediate piece 217 squeezes through the jaw 303. Subsequently, the jaw 303 snaps around the second member 219, as illustrated in FIG. 4. The puller 211 is thus secured to the hearing aid 303 by the jaw's tight grasp around the second member 219. The puller 211 is further secured to the hearing aid 303 in the puller's longitudinal axis by the intermediate piece 217 and the second end piece 221 which tightly fit over the jaw 303. 0042 In one embodiment, the jaw 303 is formed on a face plate 501 of the hearing aid 301, as illustrated in FIG. 5A. The face plate 501 and a shell 510 form the exterior housing of the hearing aid 301. The hearing aid 301 includes a speaker 520 and a microphone 524 coupled to an amplifier 522, illustrated in FIG. 5B, that are inside the exterior housing. 0043 In yet another embodiment, the jaw 303 is placed adjacent to the battery compartment 503 on the face plate 501. The puller 211 is inserted through and attached to the face plate 501 in the manner described above. 0044 In yet another embodiment, the jaw 303 is attached to the shell 510 of the hearing aid 301, as illustrated in FIG. 5C. Thus, the puller 211 is inserted through the face plate 501 and an opening 521 in the shell 510, and is attached to the shell 510. 0045 In a further embodiment, the puller 211, illustrated in FIG. 2A, is easily attached to the hearing aid 301 in the following manner. The puller 211 is inserted through the face plate 501 and the opening 521 in the shell 510 so that the distal end 214 of the first member 215 protrudes through the opening 521. Then the puller 211 is attached to the shell 510. In one embodiment, the distal end 214 is glued, or otherwise chemically bonded, to the shell 510. In another embodiment, the distal end 214 is melted, for example into a ball, so that the distal end's cross section is larger then that of the opening 521. 0046 In yet another embodiment, the puller 211 is cost effectively formed by molding, such as by injection molding. In another embodiment, the puller 211 is formed by a material that can be substantially elongated before breaking. In one embodiment, the puller 211 is formed from a polyamide, such as Nylon-12 manufactured by DuPont Corporation (Wilmington, Del.). 0047 One embodiment of injection molding will now be described. Pellets of the polyamide are placed in a hopper 612 of an injection molding machine 610, as illustrated in FIG. 6. The polyamide pellets are augured into a heated barrel 614 of the injection molding machine 610. The barrel 614 may be heated to between about 350 and 550 degrees Fahrenheit when Nylon-12 material is used. The polyamide pellets are melted into liquid form in the barrel 614. 0048 After melting into liquid form in the barrel 614, the polyamide is injected into a mold 616 from the barrel 614. When Nylon-12 material is used, the liquefied polyamide is injected into a mold 616 at a pressure between about 500 and 1500 pounds per square inch. The liquefied polyamide solidifies in the mold 616, for example, after about 3 seconds or more to form the puller 211. In this way, a puller 211 is formed as a single part, without having to add acrylic. Also, additional labor is not required to form knots at the ends of the puller 211 as is conventionally required. 0049 In another embodiment, the puller 211 can be formed by compression molding. In compression molding, the puller 211 is formed by placing solidified material, that can be substantially elongated, between the mold 616 under a relatively high pressure. The relatively high pressure reduces the melting point of the material. The material may be a polyamide. Thus, the material is more readily formable. Techniques for compression molding are known by those skilled in the art. 0050 Other polyamides, including Nylon-6, Nylon-11, and Nylon 6, 12, can be used to form the puller 211. Also, other materials that are elastically deformable can be used instead of a polyamide. A puller 221 formed from elastically deformable material like polyamide can be stretched to more than about twice the original molded length of the puller 221. In one embodiment, prior to installation in the hearing aid, the puller 221 is stretched to a length desired by hearing aid wearer.

CONCLUSION 0051 The present invention provides a method and apparatus for facilitating the removal of a hearing aid from a wearer's ear. It is an advantage of the present invention that it can be relatively inexpensively manufactured and installed. It is a further advantage that the puller can be custom stretched to a length desired by a wearer. It is yet a further advantage that the puller can be consistently manufactured. 0052 It is understood that the above description is intended to be illustrative, and not restrictive. For example, the shape of the puller 211, such as the first and second members 215, 219 and the first end, second end and intermediate pieces 213, 217, 221, may be modified. For example, the first and second members 215, 219 can have polygonal cross-sections. Also, the first end, second end and intermediate pieces can be substantially shaped like a sphere or a polyhedron. Also, for example, the present invention can be implemented for hearing aids other than CIC hearing aids or other devices that can be inserted in humans, animals or machines. Many embodiments will be apparent to those skilled in the art upon reviewing the above description.