DE20022231U1 - Portable hearing aid with a modular design - Google Patents

Description

2000G03147 DEOl

Description

In-ear hearing aid with modular design

The invention relates to an in-ear hearing aid whose housing forms a housing shell that can be inserted into the ear canal and a faceplate placed on the distal head part of the shell.

DE 197 06 306 C1 discloses a hearing aid device that can be worn in the ear, the housing of which forms an individually manufactured shell and a faceplate placed on the distal head part of the shell, whereby the faceplate is fitted with hearing aid components and whereby hearing aid components are arranged in the housing. In the housing shell, a battery compartment for a replaceable battery is provided that can be opened and closed by the faceplate. The faceplate is pivoted about a hinge axis and thus forms a cover for the battery compartment. When installed, the battery is arranged approximately parallel to the faceplate and remains in this position when the faceplate is pivoted open.

DE 3 5 45 088 A1 discloses an in-ear alarm device in which a pivoting faceplate section is designed on the underside as a receptacle for a battery. The faceplate section is not equipped with hearing aid functional components.

The object of the present invention is to design a hearing aid of the type mentioned above in such a way that the structure is as compact as possible.

This task is solved by an in-ear hearing aid device, the housing of which forms a shell that can be inserted into the ear canal and a faceplate that is placed on the distal head part of the housing shell, whereby a module equipped with functional components is pivotably attached to the housing of the hearing aid device.

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device is hinged, wherein a holder for a voltage source is attached to the underside of the module and wherein the module together with the holder for exchanging the voltage source can be pivoted out of the housing shell into an open end position in which the voltage source is accessible, wherein the holder of the voltage source on the module is designed such that the voltage source is arranged at an acute angle inclined to the outer end face of the module.

The hearing aid according to the invention has a modular structure. Important functional components of the hearing aid, such as the on/off switch, program selector switch, volume control, microphone or signal processing unit, are attached together to a module through prefabrication and preassembly. This simplifies production and reduces production costs. The module equipped with functional components forms a pre-testable hearing aid assembly that can then be placed on the housing shell of the hearing aid. The housing shell remains largely free of functional components due to the modular structure of the hearing aid and can therefore be easily adapted to the individual ear canal of a hearing aid wearer.

Since both the functional components and the power source are located on the underside of the module, this hearing aid assembly is relatively high. To still allow the power source to be swung out, it is arranged at an angle to the surface of the module. When swung out, the power source is easily accessible and therefore easy to replace.

By placing the voltage source at an angle to the module surface, a very space-saving and compact design of the hearing aid is possible. Nevertheless, the voltage source can be removed from the housing in an advantageous manner

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of the hearing aid. Preferably, the symmetry axis of the voltage source at least approximately intersects the pivot axis of the module pivotally connected to the hearing aid. This minimizes the space required to pivot the voltage source.

In a particularly advantageous manner, the module is wedge-shaped with its top and bottom, with the voltage source lying parallel to the bottom of the module when inserted. An angle of between 30 and 45°, which the bottom of the voltage source forms with the top of the module, proves to be particularly advantageous in terms of the space required for pivoting out.

Preferably, for example in the case of a defective hearing aid, the module equipped with functional components can be completely replaced. For this purpose, it is detachably connected to the housing of the hearing aid. The detachable connection can be easily achieved using a locking or snap lock, preferably in conjunction with a hinge that enables the pivoting movement. This eliminates the need to separate the housing, as is necessary with a module that is firmly welded to the housing shell.

In a variant of the invention, the hearing aid has an individually manufactured housing shell that is firmly connected to a faceplate. The module equipped with functional components of the hearing aid is pivotally attached to the faceplate. Functional components of the hearing aid can also be arranged on the faceplate.

In another variant of the invention, a faceplate equipped with hearing aid components is pivotally connected directly to the housing shell of the hearing aid. In this variant, the faceplate forms the module equipped with functional components. The further development options and advantages therefore largely correspond to those already mentioned above.

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In a further variant of the invention, the functional components arranged on the module or on the faceplate are encapsulated, which provides protection against moisture, dirt, etc. Furthermore, the encapsulation offers advantages when manufacturing the housing shell in the form of a soft earpiece, which can otherwise lead to contamination of functional components due to housing material that has not completely dried out.
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Further advantages and details of the invention emerge from the embodiments described in the drawing. They show:

Figure 1 is a diagrammatic representation of an in-ear hearing aid device according to the invention with a module pivotably attached to the housing, partly in section,

Figure 2 the hearing aid device according to Figure 1 with the module opened, for example for changing the battery,

Figure 3 is a diagrammatic representation of an in-ear hearing aid device according to the invention with a faceplate pivotably attached to the housing,
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Figure 4 shows the hearing aid device according to Figure 3 with the faceplate opened.

The hearing aid device 1 according to Figure 1, which can be worn in the ear, consists of a housing shell 2 which is individually manufactured, in particular by means of an ear impression, in the proximal inner housing section of which a receiver 3 is arranged and a faceplate 4 is placed on the flat forehead of the distal, bulging head part of the housing shell 2. A module 6 connected to the faceplate 4 via a hinge 5 is equipped with functional components such as volume control 7, amplifier unit 8 or microphone 9. Between the faceplate 4 and the

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Module 6 is provided with a snap lock. The encapsulation of module 6 largely protects the functional components arranged therein from moisture and dirt. Figure 1 clearly shows the essentially wedge-shaped design of module 6 and the arrangement of the battery 10 on the underside of the module. The battery 10 is detachably connected to module 6 so that it can be swung out and removed. To ensure that as little space as possible is required for the swung-out movement, the battery 10 takes up a position inclined at an acute angle to the top of module 6 or faceplate 4 when module 6 is swung in. The space required for swung out is optimized when the axis of symmetry 12 of the battery 10 runs through the swivel axis 11.

Figure 2 shows the hearing aid device 1 according to Figure 1 with the module 6 open. The battery 10 is freely accessible in this module position and can be easily removed or inserted by the hearing aid wearer. The hearing aid device 1 according to the invention is characterized by its compact design and great user-friendliness. It is easy to manufacture because only the housing shell 2 is individually adapted to the ear canal of the hearing aid wearer. The functional components of the hearing aid device 1 are mostly attached to a single prefabricated and pre-testable module 6 and can therefore be completely replaced or repaired quickly and easily. For this purpose, the module 6 is detachably connected to the housing of the hearing aid device. The detachable connection can, for example, be designed in the form of a snap or locking mechanism (not shown).

In the case of the in-ear hearing aid device 1' shown in Figure 3, the housing has an outer housing shell 2' that can be inserted into the ear canal and a faceplate 4' that is placed on the distal head part of the housing shell. The faceplate 4' is equipped with functional components such as volume control 7', amplifier unit 8' or microphone 9' and is pivotably mounted on the

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inner housing shell 13' of the hearing aid device 1'. A holder for a battery 10' is attached to the underside of the faceplate 4'. When the faceplate 4' is opened, for example to replace the battery 10', the holder pivots out of the housing shell 2' together with the battery 10'. In the open end position, the battery 10' is freely accessible and can be easily replaced. As Figure 3 shows, the holder for the battery 10' on the underside of the faceplate 4' is designed such that the battery 10' is arranged at an acute angle to the outer front side of the faceplate 4'. When inserted, the battery 10' is preferably positioned in the hearing aid device 1' such that the axis of symmetry 12' of the battery 10' approximately intersects the pivot axis 11'. In the exemplary embodiment, this is approximately fulfilled. The space required in the hearing aid device 1' to swing out the battery 10' is then minimized. Analogous to the wedge-shaped design of the module 6 in the embodiment according to Figure 1, the faceplate 4' is essentially wedge-shaped in this embodiment. The battery 10' is attached parallel to the underside of the faceplate 4'. The faceplate is encapsulated to protect the functional components arranged on the faceplate.

Figure 4 shows the embodiment according to Figure 3 in an open end position of the faceplate 4', which is arranged pivotably on the housing 2', 13'. The advantageous, freely accessible position of the battery 10' can be clearly seen. In this embodiment too, the hinge 5' is designed in such a way that it allows a detachable connection of the faceplate 4' to the housing 2', 13'. In the closed state, the faceplate 4' is locked to the housing shell 2'.

Claims (12)

1. In-ear hearing aid device ( 1 ), the housing of which forms a housing shell ( 2 ) that can be inserted into the auditory canal and a faceplate ( 4 ) placed on the distal head part of the housing shell, wherein a module ( 6 ) equipped with functional components ( 7 , 8 , 9 ) is pivotally connected to the housing of the hearing aid device ( 1 ), wherein a receptacle for a voltage source ( 10 ) is attached to the underside of the module ( 6 ), wherein the module ( 6 ) together with the receptacle for replacing the voltage source ( 10 ) can be pivoted out of the housing shell ( 2 ) into an open end position in which the voltage source ( 10 ) is accessible and wherein the receptacle of the voltage source ( 10 ) on the module ( 6 ) is designed such that the voltage source ( 10 ) is inclined at an acute angle to the outer front side of the module ( 6 ). is arranged. 2. In-ear hearing aid device according to claim 1, wherein the module ( 6 ) is pivotally connected to the faceplate ( 4 ) via a hinge ( 5 ), a film hinge or a hinge axis. 3. In-ear hearing aid device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the module ( 6 ) is detachably connected to the housing shell ( 2 ). 4. In-ear hearing aid device according to one or more of claims 1 to 3, wherein the module ( 6 ) equipped with functional components ( 7 , 8 , 9 ) is at least substantially wedge-shaped due to its upper and lower sides and the voltage source ( 10 ) is arranged parallel to the lower side. 5. In-ear hearing aid device according to one or more of claims 1 to 4, wherein the module ( 6 ) equipped with functional components ( 7 , 8 , 9 ) is encapsulated. 6. In-ear hearing aid device according to one or more of claims 1 to 5, wherein the axis of symmetry ( 12 ) of the voltage source at least approximately intersects the pivot axis ( 11 ) of the module ( 6 ) pivotably connected to the housing shell ( 2 ). 7. In-ear hearing aid device, the housing of which forms a housing shell ( 2 ', 13 ') that can be inserted into the auditory canal and a faceplate ( 4 ') placed on the distal head part of the housing shell ( 2 ', 13 '), wherein the faceplate ( 4 ') is equipped with functional components ( 7 ', 8 ', 9 ') and is pivotably connected to the housing shell ( 2 ', 13 '), wherein a receptacle for a voltage source ( 10 ') is attached to the underside of the faceplate ( 4 '), wherein the faceplate ( 4 ') together with the receptacle for replacing the voltage source ( 10 ') can be pivoted out of the housing shell ( 2 ', 13 ') into an open end position in which the voltage source ( 10 ') is accessible and wherein the receptacle of the voltage source ( 10 ') on the faceplate ( 4 ') such that the voltage source ( 10 ') is arranged at an acute angle to the outer front side of the faceplate ( 4 '). 8. In-ear hearing aid device according to claim 7, wherein the faceplate ( 4 ') is pivotally connected to the housing shell ( 2 ', 13 ') via a hinge ( 5 '), a film hinge or a hinge axis. 9. In-ear hearing aid device according to claim 7 or 8, wherein the faceplate ( 4 ') is detachably connected to the housing shell ( 2 ', 13 '). 10. In-ear hearing aid device according to one or more of claims 7 to 9, wherein the faceplate ( 4 ') is at least substantially wedge-shaped due to its upper and lower sides and the voltage source ( 10 ') is arranged parallel to the lower side of the faceplate ( 4 '). 11. In-ear hearing aid device according to one or more of claims 7 to 10, wherein the faceplate ( 4 ') equipped with functional components ( 7 ', 8 ', 9 ') is encapsulated. 12. In-ear hearing aid device according to one or more of claims 7 to 11, wherein the axis of symmetry ( 12 ') of the voltage source ( 10 ') at least approximately intersects the pivot axis ( 11 ') of the faceplate ( 4 ') pivotably connected to the housing shell ( 2 ', 13 ').