CN101166375B - Mounting device for a component in a hearing device and corresponding method - Google Patents

Abstract

In order to design small hearing aids and especially hearing aids, a mounting device for fixing the part (18) in the housing (19) of the hearing device is provided, which has a mounting for holding the part (18) The first arm (11) and the second arm (12) can be at least partially inserted into/onto a corresponding fixing element (22) on the inner side of the housing (19). A hinge pivotably connects the two arms (11, 12). After connecting the mounting device (10) to the fastening element (22), the two arms (11, 12) are locked together by pivoting about the hinge and are thus in the mounting end position. The space under the cover plate of the casing (19) is also fully utilized by this folding mechanism.

Description

Mounting device for components of a hearing device and corresponding method

technical field

The invention relates to a mounting device for fastening a component in a housing of a hearing device. Furthermore, the invention relates to a method for fixing components by means of such a mounting device. The term “hearing device” is understood here to mean in particular a hearing aid worn on the head, but also earphones or earpieces.

Background technique

Hearing aids are wearable hearing aids for the hearing impaired. Different hearing aid configurations are available to meet a large number of individual needs, such as behind-the-ear hearing aids (HdO), in-ear hearing aids (IdO) and external ear hearing aids. Hearing aids are typically designed to be worn on the outer ear or in the ear canal. Additionally, there are bone conduction hearing aids, implantable or vibrating (tactile) hearing aids on the market. The impaired hearing is thus stimulated mechanically or electronically.

In principle, a hearing aid has an input transducer, an amplifier and an output transducer as basic elements. The input transducers are typically acoustic receivers such as microphones and/or electromagnetic receivers such as induction coils. The output transducer is mainly implemented as an electro-acoustic transducer such as a microspeaker, or an electro-mechanical transducer such as a bone conduction earpiece. Amplifiers are usually integrated in signal processing units. This principle construction is illustrated in the example of a behind-the-ear hearing aid in FIG. 1 . One or more microphones 2 are installed in the hearing aid housing 1 for wearing behind the ear for receiving sounds from the environment. Also integrated in the hearing aid housing 1 is a signal processing unit 3 which processes the microphone signal and amplifies it. The output signal of the signal processing unit 3 is passed on to a loudspeaker or earpiece 4 which emits an acoustic signal. When necessary, the sound is transmitted to the eardrum of the hearing aid wearer via a microphone that is fixed in the ear canal with an otoplastik. The hearing aid and in particular the signal processing unit 3 are powered via a battery 5 which is likewise integrated in the hearing aid housing 1 .

It is advantageous when making a phone call that the signal is not transmitted acoustically from the phone to the hearing aid, but is transmitted inductively without interference. For this purpose, a suitably oriented receiving coil is embedded in the hearing aid. Furthermore, such a coil can also serve as a transmitting coil for inductive transmission to an external device, for example a second hearing aid, a remote control or the like.

For the integration of induction antennas or coils in the IdO, the coils are currently fixedly positioned on the panel. This is not possible otherwise due to manufacturing technology. The new computer-supported IdO production has long since enabled the individual positioning of the coils on the hearing aid shell. Through better utilization of the available space of the individual housings, it is possible to both downsize the hearing aid and to provide the coil substantially within the hearing aid. Within the scope of this computer-supported manufacturing so-called "semi-modular panels" are manufactured, in which the panels and coils are not realized as fixed modules. Instead, the coils are connected to the panel only by electrical leads and are otherwise structurally separated from the panel. However, the advantage of this solution is that the coil can be positioned and oriented within the hearing aid shell independently of the panel.

Mounting the coils at individual locations poses a number of problems: The hearing aid shell of the IdO has only small openings through which the coils have to be introduced and placed. Furthermore, the holder of the coil should not "block" the housing passage during installation and must be detachable from the housing for maintenance in order to be able to further exchange the earpiece located in the hearing aid housing. Furthermore, it is stipulated for the individually placeable coil that it must be able to be arranged at any position within the housing, so that no unnecessary space is wasted.

Known from document EP 1435758 A1 is a housing for a hearing aid with a shell of the housing, a device plate connected to the shell of the housing and a cover arranged on the shell or device plate of the housing , the electrical components are arranged inside the cover. The cover can be pivotably supported on hinge elements of the device plate, for example by means of pins. The hinge element itself has electrical contact tongues in order to make electrical contact with contact strips on the cover in the swiveled-in state of the cover.

Contents of the invention

The technical problem to be solved by the present invention is to install the components in the housing of the hearing aid device in a simple and space-free manner.

According to the invention, this technical problem is solved by a mounting device for securing a component in a housing of a hearing device, the mounting device having a first arm for holding the component, which can be at least partially inserted into the housing Second arm in/on the corresponding fastening element on the inner side, hinge pivotably connected to the two arms, wherein the two arms are interlocked in a predeterminable pivot position corresponding to the mounting position .

Furthermore, according to the invention there is provided a method for fastening a component in a housing of a hearing device by means of the mounting device described above, by fastening the component on the first arm, inserting at least a part of the second arm into the housing In the fixing element on the inner side of the body, the two arms are interlocked so that they are in a predeterminable pivot position corresponding to the end position of the installation.

The positioning of the coil up to the "cover" of the housing is advantageously achieved by means of the folding mechanism according to the invention. Often a location under the "cover" is required to guide or snap the coils into the corresponding fixtures. Thus smaller hearing aids can be realized. Furthermore, the coil can be easily fixed in a defined position by means of a snap-in mechanism. This locking or snapping is sensed during assembly and indicates correct fastening.

The mounting device according to the invention is preferably injection molded in one piece from plastic. This has significant advantages with regard to production and installation costs.

In particular embodiments, the first arm may have an engaging portion to releasably engage a component to be mounted. Thus, the component to be mounted can be fastened to the mounting device with a simple handle and can be released for maintenance or replacement if necessary.

Furthermore, the second arm may have a hook for insertion into a fixing element on the inner side of the housing. The hook can be designed in particular such that it protrudes perpendicularly from the second arm at its free end, so that the hook is always visible when inserted into the corresponding rail.

Furthermore, it is advantageous for the two arms to releasably engage with each other in the end-of-installation position. Simple assembly and simple disassembly in the case of maintenance or replacement are thus achieved.

The component to be mounted can be an electronic component and in particular a coil or an antenna. The orientation of the magnetic field during the inductive transmission is thus better taken into account by the individual positioning of the coils.

Particular advantages can be expected when mounting components with such a mounting device in a hearing aid housing, which here has the function of a housing. A particular advantage results from the placement of the coil within the IdO shell.

The fixing elements on the housing can be rails. In this way, the part to be fastened is easily guided into the desired position.

Description of drawings

Explain the present invention in more detail below with reference to accompanying drawing, in accompanying drawing:

Fig. 1 shows the principle structure of hearing aid;

Figure 2 shows a mounting device according to the invention in a mounted position;

Fig. 3 shows the installation device shown in Fig. 2 in the installation end position;

Figure 4 shows the IdO shell and the shell to be installed with mounting means; and

Figure 5 shows a section through the IdO shell with the earpiece and coil installed.

Detailed ways

The examples described in detail below describe preferred embodiments of the invention. The fixing of the coil in an IdO shell is chosen here as an example. The required mounting device is here also realized as a coil holder.

The coil holder 10 illustrated in FIG. 2 consists of a first arm 11 and a second arm 12 . The two arms 11 , 12 are connected to each other by a film hinge 13 .

At both ends of the first arm 11 there are engaging clips 14 and 15 into which coils, not shown here, can be pressed. The coil is then releasably latched within the engaging clips 14 and 15 .

The second arm 12 has a hook 16 on its free end. This hook 16 is designed as a slide. The hooks 16 are thus guided into corresponding guide rails (see FIG. 4 ) of the hearing aid housing. For this purpose the hook 16 acts as a stop on the guide rail. Furthermore, it makes sense in this example that the hook 16 protrudes substantially perpendicularly to the second arm 12 and that the slider-shaped cross-section of the hook 16 is configured parallel to the second arm 12 .

The two arms 11 and 12 are pivotable relative to each other via a hinge 13 . In FIG. 2 the two arms 11 and 12 are shown in a V-shaped position relative to each other. In this position the coil engages in the hearing aid shell (see FIG. 4 ).

Figure 3 shows the coil holder in the installed end position. Here the arms 11 and 12 snap into each other. This means that the two arms 11 , 12 are releasably latched to each other in this position. To achieve this releasable snap-fit or snap-fit connection, the two arms 11 , 12 are designed with undercuts or the like in a known manner.

In the example of FIGS. 2 and 3 , the first arm 11 has a recess 17 into which the part of the second arm 12 other than the hook 16 can be pressed completely. In the snapped state shown in FIG. 3 in the mounted end position, the surfaces of the two arms 11 , 12 are thus flush. Only the hooks 16 protrude from the common surface.

FIG. 4 represents the installation of the coil 18 in the IdO housing 19 by means of the coil holder 10 . The coil 18 is pressed into the engagement clips 14 and 15 of the coil holder 10 . The two arms of the coil holder 10 are in the V-shaped position illustrated in FIG. 2 .

For mounting, the installer grips the coil holder 10 together with the coil 18 with tweezers 20 . The eye 21 means that the hook 16 always remains in the field of view of the wearer when installed in the hearing aid shell 19 . Since the hook 16 is neither covered by the installation tool 20 nor by the coil holder 10 during installation, it can easily be inserted into the rail 22 formed in the inner wall of the hearing aid shell 19 . Thanks to this visibility of the hooks 16, the number of positions at which the coil 18 can be fixed within the housing 19 is also increased without great expense. In particular, the coil 18 can be inserted through a very small hole 23 in the hearing aid shell and the engagement portion remains easily identifiable.

The visibility of the hook 16 during installation is also the basis for its easy inspection of its placement within the rail 22 (eg SLA rail). It is particularly advantageous to detect whether the hook 16 is completely inserted into the rail 22 and rests with its tip on the corresponding stop. Overall, a good placement of the coil 18 can be ensured, which leads to an improved product quality. Furthermore, the insertion of the hooks 16 into the rails 22 can be carried out very quickly, so that an increased installation speed is also given.

For additional fixation, a drop of adhesive can be applied to the hook 16 after it has been introduced into the rail 22 . In this way, the adhesive secures the hook from above. If it is desired to be able to remove the coil 18 again, it is advantageous to use an easily removable adhesive, such as silicone. Applying adhesive before installing the retainer on the SLA track may cause problems during removal. The SLA track and thus the entire SLA shell (SLA stands for stereolithography apparatus) may be destroyed.

The coil holder 10 is now reliably inserted into the small rail 22 by means of the hook 16 visible during installation. As a final mounting step, it is also necessary to press the first arm 11 , on which the coil 18 is fixed, onto the second arm 12 . Here, the arms 11 , 12 snap into or onto each other. The installer can feel and/or feel this snap or snap. Finally, a schematic position of the holder 10 and the coil 18 within the IdO housing 19 is given in FIG. 5 . Furthermore, it can be seen from FIG. 5 how the coil holder 10 and the coil 18 are arranged above the receiver 24 in the hearing aid shell 19 . The space between the earpiece 24 and the "cover" 25 which delimits the inner space of the hearing aid shell 19 upwards can thus be used to the full in practice for the coil 18 . This is shown in the figure as a distance of 0 mm between the upper edge of coil 18 or coil holder 10 and cover 25 . Notwithstanding this fact, this efficient use of space is achieved by the fact that in order to insert the hook 16 into the rail 22 a displacement travel of approximately 1.5 mm is necessary. A prerequisite for this, however, is the folding mechanism of the coil holder 10 according to the invention.

Claims (10)

1. A mounting device (10) for fixing a component (18) in a housing (19) of a hearing aid device, comprising: - a first arm (11) for holding the part (18), - a second arm (12) at least partially insertable into/on a corresponding fixing element (22) on the inner side of the housing (19), - a hinge (13) pivotably connected to said two arms (11, 12), wherein - The two arms (11, 12) are snapped together in a predeterminable pivot position corresponding to the mounting position. 2. The mounting device according to claim 1, which is integrally injection molded from plastic. 3. Mounting device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the first arm (11) has an engagement portion (14, 15) for releasably snapping the component (18). 4. Mounting device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the second arm (12) has a hook (16) for insertion into a fixing element (22) on the inner side of the housing (19) . 5. Mounting device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the two arms (11, 12) in the mounting end position are releasably interlocked. 6. Mounting device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the component (18) is an electronic component. 7. The mounting device of claim 6, wherein the electronic component is a coil. 8. A hearing aid with a hearing aid shell as housing (19), in which a component (18) is fastened with a mounting device (10) according to one of the preceding claims. 9. The hearing aid according to claim 8, wherein the fixing element (22) on the housing (19) is a rail. 10. A method for fixing a component (18) in a housing (19) by means of a mounting device (10) according to any one of claims 1 to 7, comprising: - fixing said part (18) on said first arm (11), - inserting at least a part of said second arm (12) into a fixing element (22) on the inside of said housing (19), and - Interlocking the two arms (11, 12) so that they assume a predeterminable pivot position corresponding to the end position of the assembly.

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