JP6853027B2 - Ear-shaped hearing aid - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to an ear-shaped hearing aid.

The ear-shaped hearing aid is used by being mounted in the ear canal (see, for example, Patent Document 1). The ear-shaped hearing aid has an earphone built in the housing, and the sound generated by the earphone is output into the ear canal through a sound port provided at the tip of the housing.

On the other hand, a certain electroacoustic converter is provided with a drive unit, in which a pole piece, a coil and a magnet are fixed to the case, and a diaphragm supported by the case is magnetically driven to cause a vibration transmission unit. Mechanical vibration is transmitted from the diaphragm to the dome-shaped acoustic radiating portion, and sound is radiated from the dome-shaped acoustic radiating portion (see, for example, Patent Document 2). In this electroacoustic transducer, the drive unit is supported on the inner wall of the ear canal by the first support portion, and the acoustic emission unit is supported on the inner wall of the ear canal by the second support portion different from the first support portion. The drive unit and the second support portion are connected to each other via the first support portion.

Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2014-239361 JP-A-2002-315098

However, in the case of the above-mentioned ear-shaped hearing aid, earwax is clogged in the sound port, and maintenance of the sound port such as removal of the earwax is required.

On the other hand, in the above-mentioned electroacoustic converter, since the dome-shaped acoustic emission part is exposed, a sound port is unnecessary, but if this electroacoustic converter is to be applied to an otoacoustic hearing aid, it will be driven. All parts and dome-shaped acoustic emission parts must be placed in the ear canal. However, since the drive unit and the dome-shaped acoustic radiation unit are connected in series and the overall length is relatively long, this electroacoustic transducer is applied to the otoacoustic hearing aid so that it fits in the ear canal. It's difficult to do. Further, when the ear canal is housed in the ear canal, the drive unit is housed inside the ear canal type hearing aid, and it is difficult to support the ear canal with the inner wall. Furthermore, depending on the shape of the external auditory canal wall of the wearer, the dome-shaped acoustic emission part may touch the external auditory canal wall, but since the acoustic emission part is made of a soft material such as cushion foam, the machine of the acoustic emission part There is a problem that the impedance changes and the frequency characteristics change, and since the drive unit is exposed, there is a possibility of receiving a direct impact due to dropping or the like, and there is also a problem in terms of impact resistance.

The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and an object of the present invention is to obtain an ear-shaped hearing aid that does not require maintenance of the sound opening.

The ear canal type hearing aid according to the present invention has a contact portion that contacts the inner wall of the ear canal when the ear canal type hearing aid is attached to the ear canal, and an ear canal that is on the tip side of the contact portion and is attached to the ear canal when the ear canal type hearing aid is attached to the ear canal. A housing having a protrusion in contact with the air chamber formed by the ear canal and the ear canal type hearing aid, an opening in the protrusion, an acoustic radiation part that closes the opening, and an arrangement inside the housing. It is provided with a vibrator that is fixed to the acoustic radiation unit and gives vibration.

According to the present invention, the oscillator of the ear canal type hearing aid can be arranged inside the housing without being supported by the inner wall of the ear canal. In addition, since it is possible to realize an ear-shaped hearing aid without a sound port, the sound port is not clogged and it becomes difficult to hear the sound. Further, since the acoustic emission part of the otoacoustic hearing aid is in contact with the small air chamber formed by the ear canal, the eardrum, and the ear canal type hearing aid, the acoustic emission part touches the wall of the ear canal and affects its frequency characteristics. There is no fear. Further, since the oscillator is arranged inside the housing of the ear-shaped hearing aid, there is no possibility of being directly impacted by dropping or the like, and the impact resistance is improved.

FIG. 1 is a side view showing an ear-shaped hearing aid according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view showing an ear-shaped hearing aid according to the first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view showing an ear-shaped hearing aid according to the second embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view showing an ear-shaped hearing aid according to the third embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view showing an ear-shaped hearing aid according to the fourth embodiment of the present invention.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

Embodiment 1.

FIG. 1 is a side view showing an ear-shaped hearing aid according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view showing an ear-shaped hearing aid according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

As shown in FIG. 1, the ear-shaped hearing aid 1 according to the embodiment of the present invention is an air-conducting ear-shaped hearing aid arranged in the ear canal and is in close contact with the inner wall on the opening side of the ear canal. A housing 11 is provided. The housing 11 may be a ready-made one or a made-to-order one. Then, by inserting the ear canal type hearing aid into the external auditory canal, the small air chamber 101 is formed by the ear canal type hearing aid 1, the external auditory canal, and the eardrum.

The housing 11 has a contact portion 11a that contacts the inner wall of the ear canal when the ear canal type hearing aid 1 is attached to the ear canal, and a small air chamber 101 on the tip side of the contact portion 11a when the ear canal type hearing aid 1 is attached to the ear canal. It has a protruding portion 11b in contact with it. The protrusion 11b does not contact the inner wall of the ear canal, and the ear-shaped hearing aid 1 emits sound from the protrusion 11b that contacts the air chamber 101.

Further, at the rear end portion 11c, for example, a ring-shaped wire 12 is provided for the housing 11, and a microphone, a battery holder, and the like (not shown) are provided in the ear-shaped hearing aid 1. The wire 12 is used when attaching / detaching the ear-shaped hearing aid 1 from the ear canal. The housing 11 has an opening for a microphone or a battery holder on the rear end 11c side, but the contact portion 11a and the protrusion 11b described above do not have an opening other than the opening 11d described later.

Further, the housing 11 contains an electronic circuit (for example, an IC (Integrated Circuit) chip) for processing an acoustic signal (not shown). The electronic circuit is electrically connected to a microphone, a battery holder (battery in the battery holder), and an oscillator 14 described later, and the microphone uses the power supplied from the battery in the battery holder to make an external sound. The electrical signal obtained by converting the above is subjected to predetermined signal processing, and the acoustic electrical signal after the signal processing is output to the transducer 14.

An opening 11d is formed in the protruding portion 11b of the housing 11. In particular, in the first embodiment, the opening 11d is formed in the protruding portion 11b of the housing 11 in the region 11b1 facing the inner wall of the ear canal.

Then, as shown in FIG. 2, the ear-shaped hearing aid 1 according to the first embodiment vibrates in the acoustic radiating portion 13 that closes the opening 11d of the housing 11 and the acoustic radiating portion 13 that is arranged inside the housing 11. It is provided with the vibrator 14 that gives the above.

The housing 11 is made of a relatively hard resin (for example, ABS resin, acrylic resin, etc.). The opening 11d is formed in a size that takes into consideration the size of the housing 11, the size of the vibrator 14 described later, and the like. Further, for example, the opening 11d is formed in a shape corresponding to the shape of the vibrator 14. For example, when the vibrator 14 is a substantially rectangular parallelepiped, the opening surface of the opening 11d is a substantially rectangular shape.

The acoustic radiation unit 13 closes the opening 11d and outputs the vibration generated by the vibrator 14 as sound waves into the air chamber 101. In the first embodiment, the acoustic radiation portion 13 includes a membrane member 13a that closes the opening 11d, and a fixing portion 13b that fixes the membrane member 13a to the peripheral end of the opening 11d. The fixing portion 13b is a frame member having a ring shape corresponding to the opening 11d and having a predetermined thickness, and is fixed to the film member 13a, and the fixing portion 13b is an edge portion of the opening 11d (here, shown in FIG. 2). The acoustic radiation portion 13 is fixed to the housing 11 by adhesion or the like to the portion where the notch is formed as described above. The film member 13a and the fixing portion 13b may be integrally formed.

For example, the film member 13a is a film-like member made of an elastic resin (for example, elastomer). The fixing portion 13b is, for example, a resin or metal member having a frame shape corresponding to the shape of the opening 11d, and is fixed (for example, adhered) to the peripheral end portion of the film member 13a and is fixed (for example, bonded) to the opening 11d. It is fixed (for example, glued) to the edge. If possible, the film member 13a may be directly fixed to the housing 11 without using the fixing portion 13b. In either case, the film member 13a becomes a flat surface including the end surface of the fixing portion 13b or the edge portion of the opening 11d.

Further, the vibrator 14 vibrates in response to an acoustic electric signal supplied from the built-in electronic circuit, and vibrates the acoustic radiation unit 13. The oscillator 14 is, for example, a balanced armature type small oscillator unit, which is molded of a metal or a relatively hard resin. Further, since the vibrator 14 is arranged in the housing 11 of the ear canal type hearing aid 1 mounted in the ear canal, the size is at least smaller than the diameter of the ear canal. For example, as the vibrator 14, the electromechanical converter or the like described in JP-A-2015-139041 can be used.

In the first embodiment, the vibrator 14 has a substantially rectangular parallelepiped shape, and the plane perpendicular to the vibration direction of the vibrator 14 is smaller than the opening plane of the opening 11d. As a result, the vibrator 14 vibrates without touching the periphery of the opening 11d even when the film member 13a is thin. A surface perpendicular to the vibration direction of the vibrator 14 is directly fixed (for example, bonded) to the acoustic radiation portion 13 (here, the membrane member 13a) and arranged in the opening 11d. When the oscillator 14 comes into contact with an element other than the acoustic radiation unit 13, the mechanical impedance of that element becomes a load and is affected by the frequency characteristics. Therefore, it is desirable to fix the oscillator 14 only to the acoustic radiation unit 13. However, the vibrator 14 may come into contact with other components via a member (for example, a shock absorbing gel agent or the like) that does not affect the vibration.

Next, the operation of the ear-shaped hearing aid 1 according to the first embodiment will be described.

When the ear-shaped hearing aid 1 is attached, as shown in FIG. 2, the acoustic emission unit 13 comes into contact with the air chamber 101 without touching the inner wall of the ear canal. When an acoustic electric signal is applied to the vibrator 14 in this state, the vibrator 14 vibrates in the direction perpendicular to the film member 13a of the acoustic radiation unit 13 according to the acoustic electric signal, causing the film member 13a to vibrate. ..

Then, when the membrane member 13a of the acoustic radiation unit 13 vibrates, a sound wave corresponding to the acoustic electric signal is generated and reaches the eardrum via the air chamber 101.

At this time, one surface of the acoustic radiation unit 13 is in contact with the air chamber 101, and the other surface is inside the housing 11. On the other side, sound waves having a phase opposite to the sound waves generated on the air chamber 101 side are generated, but the air chamber 101 and the inside of the housing 11 are spatially separated by the acoustic radiation unit 13 and the housing 11. Since the sound waves having the opposite phase do not propagate to the air chamber 101, the low-pitched sound waves in the small air chamber 101 are unlikely to cancel each other, and the acoustic characteristics of the low-pitched sound are improved.

As described above, according to the first embodiment, the housing 11 has a contact portion 11a that contacts the inner wall of the ear canal when the ear canal type hearing aid 1 is attached to the ear canal, and a small air chamber on the tip side of the contact portion 11a. It has a protruding portion 11b in contact with 101. The protruding portion 11b has an opening 11d, the acoustic radiating portion 13 closes the opening 11d, and the oscillator 14 is arranged inside the housing 11 to give vibration to the acoustic radiating portion 13.

As a result, since the opening 11d of the housing 11 is closed by the acoustic emission portion 13 and there is no opening such as a sound port, an ear-shaped hearing aid 1 that does not require maintenance of the sound port can be obtained.

Embodiment 2.

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view showing an ear-shaped hearing aid according to the second embodiment of the present invention.

In the second embodiment, as shown in FIG. 3, the oscillator 14 is fixed to the acoustic radiation unit 13 (membrane member 13a) via the spacer 21. Specifically, the spacer 21 is fixed to the vibrator 14 and also fixed to the acoustic radiation unit 13 (membrane member 13a). The spacer 21 is a columnar member having a height larger than the wall thickness of the housing 11, and is made of a relatively hard resin so that vibration in the audible band can be transmitted from the vibrator 14 to the acoustic radiation portion 13. Made of metal.

When the cross section of the spacer 21 is smaller than the opening surface of the opening 11d and the surface perpendicular to the vibration direction of the vibrator 14 is larger than the opening surface of the opening 11d, the spacer 21 is used as in the second embodiment. The oscillator 14 is fixed to the acoustic radiating portion 13 and arranged in the hollow portion of the housing 11 at a position separated from the acoustic radiating portion 13.

Since other configurations and operations of the ear-shaped hearing aid according to the second embodiment are the same as those of the first embodiment, the description thereof will be omitted.

Embodiment 3.

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view showing the ear-shaped hearing aid 1 according to the third embodiment of the present invention.

In the third embodiment, the acoustic emission unit 31 is used instead of the above-mentioned acoustic emission unit 13. The acoustic radiating portion 31 is formed of a hard resin or the like, and has an acoustic radiating plate 31a in the opening 11d, a fixing portion 31b fixed to the housing 11 along the opening 11d, and the fixing portion 31b and the acoustic radiating plate 31a. It is provided with an elastic connecting portion 31c for connecting to.

The fixing portion 31b is a member made of resin, metal, or the like having the same frame shape as the fixing portion 13b. If possible, the elastic connecting portion 31c may be directly fixed to the housing 11 without using the fixing portion 31b.

As shown in FIG. 4, the elastic connection portion 31c may be an outwardly convex corrugation, an inwardly convex corrugation, or a flat plate-like elastic film (for example, an elastomer). You may.

The elastic connecting portion 31c has a smaller rigidity than the acoustic radiating plate 31a and the fixing portion 31b, and supports the acoustic radiating plate 31a in a vibrating state.

Since other configurations and operations of the ear-shaped hearing aid according to the third embodiment are the same as those of the first embodiment or the second embodiment, the description thereof will be omitted. For example, when the opening 11d is small as in the second embodiment, a spacer similar to the spacer 21 may be provided between the acoustic radiation plate 31a and the vibrator 14.

Embodiment 4.

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view showing the ear-shaped hearing aid 1 according to the fourth embodiment of the present invention.

In the fourth embodiment, the opening 11d is formed in the protruding portion 11b in the region 11b2 (see FIG. 1) facing the eardrum.

Since other configurations and operations of the ear-shaped hearing aid according to the fourth embodiment are the same as those of the first to third embodiments, the description thereof will be omitted. For example, as in the third embodiment, the acoustic radiation unit 31 may be used instead of the above-mentioned acoustic radiation unit 13 in the fourth embodiment as well.

It should be noted that various changes and modifications to the above-described embodiments will be apparent to those skilled in the art. Such changes and modifications may be made without departing from the intent and scope of the subject and without diminishing the intended benefits. That is, such changes and amendments are intended to be included in the claims.

The present invention is applicable to, for example, ear-shaped hearing aids.

1 Otoacoustic hearing aid 11 Housing 11a Contact part 11b Protruding part 11d Opening part 13, 31 Sound radiating part 13a Membrane member 13b Fixed part 14 Oscillator 21 Spacer 31a Sound radiating plate 31b Fixed part

Claims (6)

In ear-shaped hearing aids
The contact portion that contacts the inner wall of the ear canal when the ear canal type hearing aid is attached to the ear canal, and the ear canal, the ear canal, and the ear canal type when the ear canal type hearing aid is attached to the ear canal at the tip side of the contact portion. A housing having a protrusion in contact with the air chamber formed by the hearing aid,
The opening in the protrusion and
An acoustic emission part that closes the opening and
An oscillator that is placed inside the housing and is fixed to the acoustic radiation unit to give vibration.
An ear-shaped hearing aid characterized by being equipped with. The ear according to claim 1, wherein the acoustic radiation portion includes a membrane member that closes the opening and a fixing portion that is fixed to the membrane member and fixed to the housing along the opening. That type of hearing aid. The acoustic radiating portion includes an acoustic radiating plate in the opening, a fixing portion fixed to the housing along the opening, and an elastic connecting portion connecting the fixing portion and the acoustic radiating plate. The ear-shaped hearing aid according to claim 1. The oscillator has a substantially rectangular parallelepiped shape and has a substantially rectangular parallelepiped shape.
The surface perpendicular to the vibration direction of the vibrator is smaller than the opening surface of the opening.
The vibrator shall be fixed directly to the acoustic radiation unit.
The ear-shaped hearing aid according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the hearing aid has an ear shape. With more spacers
The oscillator has a substantially rectangular parallelepiped shape and has a substantially rectangular parallelepiped shape.
The surface perpendicular to the vibration direction of the vibrator is larger than the opening surface of the opening, and the vibrator is fixed to the acoustic radiation portion via the spacer.
The ear-shaped hearing aid according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the hearing aid has an ear shape. The ear-shaped hearing aid according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the opening is located in a region of the protruding portion facing the inner wall of the ear canal.

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