CN212259334U

CN212259334U - Hearing aid with a housing and a reversibly connectable ear piece

Info

Publication number: CN212259334U
Application number: CN202020305749.8U
Authority: CN
Inventors: U.弗莱格
Original assignee: Sivantos Pte Ltd
Current assignee: Sivantos Pte Ltd
Priority date: 2019-03-13
Filing date: 2020-03-12
Publication date: 2020-12-29
Anticipated expiration: 2030-03-12
Also published as: DE102019203382A1; DE102019203382B4

Abstract

The invention relates to a hearing aid comprising a housing and an earphone reversibly connectable to the housing, the earphone having a connection plug, the housing having a recess at a connection site for the earphone, the connecting plug has at least one plug-side holding element and/or the holding latch has at least one latch-side holding element, the at least one plug-side holding element or the at least one latch-side holding element is provided for temporarily sliding the holding latch into the open position when the connecting plug is pressed into the recess, and the at least one plug-side holding element or the at least one latch-side holding element is provided for fixing the connecting plug on the housing in the closed position of the holding latch.

Description

Hearing aid with a housing and a reversibly connectable ear piece

Technical Field

The invention relates to a hearing aid having a housing and an earphone which can be reversibly connected to the housing, wherein the earphone has a connection plug, wherein the housing has a recess at a connection point for the earphone, which recess is complementary to at least a part of the connection plug, wherein a holding detent (Halteriegel) for fixing the connection plug is mounted in the housing at the connection point.

Background

In order to operate an ear canal hearing aid (RIC), an earpiece ("receiver") is arranged at the free end of the connecting line, which is connected at its other end to the housing of the hearing aid via a corresponding electrical contact in such a way that an output signal generated by a signal processing unit arranged in the housing is transmitted via the electrical contact and the connecting line to the earpiece part. The housing is worn by the wearer of the hearing aid behind his ear, wherein a wear clip or the like can be attached to the housing for this purpose. In the earpiece part, a sound generator, for example in the form of a loudspeaker, is arranged, which generates an output sound signal from the output signal. The earpiece is here mounted at the entrance of the cochlea or ear canal of the wearer, where the output acoustic signal is thus generated directly by the acoustic wave generator and input into the auditory system of the wearer. Furthermore, one or more microphones for converting ambient sound waves into corresponding electrical signals and the already mentioned signal processing unit for individually processing the signals specific to the user are arranged in the housing of the hearing aid.

Since the fitting of the earpiece part should be adapted individually to the acoustic and physical requirements of the wearer of the hearing aid both with regard to the frequency behavior and the dynamic range of the sound generator and also with regard to the mechanical fitting into the ear canal, and since the comfortable fitting sensation in the entire hearing aid and in particular in the connection lines extending through the ear fitting for each wearer may depend on individual factors, such as their physical properties or their skin properties, the connection of the connection lines to the housing is preferably designed to be reversible in order to be able to change different earpiece types, i.e. combinations of connection lines and earpiece parts, for the same hearing aid, if required. The connection of the earphone to the housing should, however, be sufficiently secure here to prevent undesired pulling out and also to suppress loose contact of the electrical contacts of the housing with the connection lines, since this may lead to an undesired interruption of the output acoustic wave signal generated by the earpiece.

In order to provide such a connection of the headset to the housing, a bistable retaining latch is usually arranged in the housing, which retaining latch can be in a closed position and an open position. The holding latch is moved to the open position for mounting or removing the headset and moved back to the closed position for securing the end of the headset fitted. However, such a holding latch may lead to damage of the headset and the holding latch itself when not in proper use, for example when trying to fit the respective headset end in the closed position of the holding latch.

Disclosure of Invention

The object of the invention is to provide a hearing aid in which an ear piece can be reversibly fastened to a housing of the hearing aid for operation of the hearing aid, wherein the fastening should be as simple, stable and damage-proof as possible.

The invention is based on the object of providing a hearing aid having a housing and an earphone which can be reversibly connected to the housing, wherein the earphone has a connection plug, wherein the housing has a recess at a connection point for the earphone, wherein a retaining detent for fixing the connection plug is mounted in the housing at the connection point, wherein the connection plug has at least one plug-side sliding element and/or the retaining detent has at least one detent-side sliding element, and wherein the connection plug has at least one plug-side retaining element and/or the retaining detent has at least one detent-side retaining element. It is provided that the at least one plug-side sliding element or the at least one latching-side sliding element is provided for temporarily sliding the retaining latch into the open position when the connecting plug is pressed into the recess, and the at least one plug-side retaining element or the at least one latching-side retaining element is provided for fixing the connecting plug on the housing in the closed position of the retaining latch. Advantageous and inventive embodiments are described below.

In particular, one or more electro-acoustic input transducers, for example in the form of microphones, are arranged in the housing of the hearing aid for converting ambient sound waves into one or more corresponding electrical signals, and a signal processing unit is arranged for individually, user-specifically processing one or more of the signals. In order to operate the hearing aid as intended, the earphone is preferably selected from a plurality of possible earphones of different types from one another, in accordance with the requirements of the wearer, and is connected to the housing for the purpose of wearing the hearing aid. In other words, the hearing aid, in particular the entirety thereof, i.e. together with the earpiece connected to the housing, is worn by the wearer for operation, wherein the components for signal generation and processing are arranged in the housing and the earpiece is preferably adapted to the wearer. The housing is designed and provided in particular for being worn behind the ear of the wearer, for example by shaping it and/or a corresponding retaining clip.

The earphone preferably comprises at least one connecting line for mechanically coupling the electroacoustical output transducer to the connecting plug and for transmitting the electrical signal from the connecting plug to the electroacoustical output transducer. In this case, the electroacoustic output transducer is preferably designed and arranged to be worn at the entrance of the ear canal or in the ear canal of the wearer, so that the electrical output signal of the signal processing unit on the housing is transmitted via the corresponding contact to the connection plug and thus the output sound signal is generated directly at or in the ear canal of the wearer by the electroacoustic output transducer. As an alternative thereto, the earphone comprises a sound tube which originates from the connector plug and is used to transmit the output sound signals generated in the housing by the electroacoustic output transducer of the hearing aid to the hearing system of the wearer, wherein a dome or an ear fitting is arranged for this purpose on the end of the sound tube facing away from the connector plug.

Preferably, the recess at the connection point in the housing is designed complementary to at least a part of the connection plug. In this context, the connection plug comprises in particular such a shape of the earphone, which shape is provided and designed for establishing a mechanical connection with the housing, depending on its type and design. In this case, the recess can preferably be adapted to a substantially rectangular contour if, for example, the connecting plug has a substantially rectangular contour in the pressing-in direction, wherein the connecting plug can have a vertical projection projecting out of the housing in the fixed state.

The retaining latch here comprises in particular any component having the above-required properties, which, depending on its type and its arrangement or supporting structure, is suitable and provided for connecting the connecting plug with the housing in the manner described. The holding pin can in particular have a spring element for providing a spring force, which can be machined out of the holding pin in one piece or can be fastened as a separate element on the base plate of the holding pin.

The detent-side sliding element here includes, in particular, an element on the retaining detent, for example a corresponding profile or an element which is produced separately and is mounted exclusively on the retaining detent, which is provided for sliding the retaining detent into the open position when a force is applied from the press-in direction, for example by means of a corresponding ramp relative to the press-in direction. Accordingly, the plug-side sliding element includes in particular any element which is formed on the connection plug or is arranged specifically, which, depending on its type and its shape, is suitable and provided for sliding the retaining latch into the open position, for example by means of a correspondingly beveled formation, when the connection plug is pressed in the press-in direction.

In order to slide the holding latch, on the one hand, only a latch-side sliding element, for example in the form of a ramp, can be provided, which slides along the edge of the connector plug when the connector plug is pressed into the recess, so that the force that urges the connector plug to be pressed in is transmitted to the holding latch via the latch-side sliding element and the holding latch is slid into the open position. It is also conceivable to provide only the plug-side sliding element in a similar design in order to promote the above-described sliding of the retaining latch. Finally, both the detent-side sliding element and the plug-side sliding element, which is in particular complementary thereto, can also be provided, so that the detent-side sliding element and the plug-side sliding element slide along their inclined surfaces when the connecting contact is pressed into the recess. In particular, two or more detent-side sliding elements and/or plug-side sliding elements can also be provided.

The detent-side holding element here comprises in particular an element on the holding detent, for example a corresponding profile or an element which is produced separately and is mounted exclusively on the holding detent, which element is provided for retaining the connecting plug in the recess in the closed position of the holding detent, for example by a corresponding engagement of the detent-side holding element by an edge or a projection or the like on the connecting plug. Accordingly, the plug-side holding element includes in particular any element formed on the connecting plug or specially arranged, which, depending on its type and its shape, is suitable and provided for holding the connecting plug in the recess in the closed position of the holding latch, for example by an edge or a projection on the holding latch being engaged by a corresponding engagement of the plug-side connecting element. In particular, the latching pin-side holding element also includes a holding pin which is provided for engaging into a lateral bore provided at the connection plug in order to secure the connection plug.

For fixing the connecting plug, it is possible, on the one hand, to provide only the form of the detent lug or the detent-side holding element of the holding pin, as described above. It is also conceivable to provide only the plug-side holding element in a similar design in order to facilitate said fixing of the connection plug. Finally, it is also possible to provide both latching-pin-side holding elements and in particular plug-side holding elements complementary thereto, so that in the closed position of the holding latch the two holding elements engage in one another. In particular, two or more detent-side holding elements and/or plug-side holding elements can also be provided.

The closed position of the holding latch is understood here to mean, in particular, a position and configuration of the holding latch in which the connecting plug inserted into the recess is held without additional external forces acting on it and is protected against being pulled out or falling out, in particular even if the housing is shaken to a greater extent. Similarly, an open position of the retaining latch is to be understood in particular as a position and configuration of the retaining latch in which a connection plug inserted into the recess can be removed without damage and in which the connection plug can be pressed into the recess which is still free.

The respective position of the retaining latch is understood here in particular to mean that the retaining latch, in its entirety of its components, is in such a position and arrangement that has the stated properties. For example, in the case of a retaining latch of multi-component design with a plurality of relatively movable parts, in which a retaining element is mounted on at least one of the parts, the closed position is understood in particular to mean that the relevant part on the retaining latch is in such a position that the retaining element arranged thereon can exert and exert the desired retaining effect, while correspondingly in the open position the relevant part is moved in such a way that the retaining element does not exert a retaining effect on the connection plug pressed into the recess.

Preferably, the connector plug can also have one or more further retaining elements, in particular in the form of latching lugs or the like, which are arranged on the side facing away from the retaining latch and which, in the secured state, protrude into corresponding grooves or the like in the housing, so that the securing of the connector plug is effected in accordance with the or each latch-side or plug-side retaining element and the or each further retaining element.

In this case, it is particularly preferred that the plug-side or detent-side holding element can be integrated in the respective sliding element, i.e. for example in the form of a stop lug with a corresponding edge, which is beveled in the pressing-in direction toward the recess.

In order to now fix the ear cup to the housing of the hearing aid, the connection plug is pressed into a corresponding recess at the connection point of the housing. By transmitting the force of the pressing-in movement to the holding detent, the or each detent-side or plug-side sliding element causes the part of the holding detent, in particular the part on which the or each detent-side holding element is arranged, to move away from the recess and in particular away from the or each plug-side holding element. The retaining latch pin moves back down to the closed position. The connection plug is thereby fixed to the housing by the or each detent-side or plug-side holding element. In this case, by means of the or each sliding element, damage to the holding latch and/or the connecting plug can be prevented when the connecting plug is pressed in the closed position of the holding latch, since the holding latch is moved by the pressing in itself directly by means of the or each sliding element into the open position.

Advantageously, the holding latch is provided for movement by manual sliding from an open position into a closed position. For this purpose, the holding latch can be guided linearly in a corresponding guide rail, for example, in the housing, and also have a gripping element which is at least partially slotted from the housing surface. In this case, the pressing-in movement slides the holding detent in the guide rail by the or each sliding element into the open position, and the wearer of the hearing aid can move the holding detent back into the closed position by means of the gripping element.

In an alternative, further advantageous embodiment, the holding latch is pretensioned in the housing by a spring force into the closed position, wherein at least one plug-side sliding element or at least one latch-side sliding element is provided for temporarily sliding the holding latch into the open position against the spring force when the connecting plug is pressed into the recess, so that the holding latch is again in the closed position by the spring force when the connecting plug is further pressed in.

In order to now fix the ear cup to the housing of the hearing aid, the connection plug is pressed into a corresponding recess at the connection point of the housing. In this case, the holding latch is initially pretensioned into the closed position by a spring force. The sliding element on the latch side or on the plug side is here designed, in particular, like a snap hook, in such a way that the sliding is terminated when the connecting plug is fully pressed into the recess, and the holding latch is thereby moved back into the closed position by the spring force.

Preferably, the holding latch is mounted in the housing so as to be slidable in a first direction having a perpendicular component perpendicular to the pressing-in direction of the connecting plug and a perpendicular component perpendicular to the action direction of the spring force, wherein the holding latch is in the open position and is thereby preferably biased into the closed position by a corresponding sliding movement of the holding latch in the first direction. This means, in particular, that the holding latch is mounted in such a way that at least a part of the holding latch, for example the base plate, can be slid in the first direction, so as to be temporarily in the open position. Preferably, the holding latch is again in the closed position due to the return spring force when the force urging the sliding in the first direction is no longer applied. The holding latch can thus be moved into the open position by means of this force in order to remove the connection plug and thus the earphone from the housing. After successful removal, the retaining latch is again in the closed position, without further operations from the outside being required for this purpose.

In this case, it is further advantageous if the holding lock pin is guided in a channel extending in the first direction in the housing, wherein the channel opens into an opening in the housing wall for sliding the holding lock pin by means of a corresponding sliding means. The connection plug can therefore be removed in that the sliding tool exerts a corresponding force on the retaining latch and slides the retaining latch in the first direction in order to establish the open position for temporarily "unlocking". After removal, the glide tool can be taken down, so that no force acts on the holding catch in the first direction anymore and the holding catch is pressed back into the closed position by the spring force.

Preferably, the hearing aid is designed as an RIC (receiver placed in the ear canal) device, wherein a plurality of electrical contacts for transmitting electrical signals from the housing to the earphone are arranged on the housing in recesses and on the connector pins, respectively, and wherein the earphone has at least one connection line for mechanically coupling an electroacoustical output transducer to the connector pins and for transmitting electrical signals from the connector pins to the electroacoustical output transducer. By fixing the connection plug according to the invention, the connection plug is particularly effectively protected against undesired pulling out of the housing, whereby the electrical contacts do not need to be additionally designed to avoid damage in the event of a potential pulling out.

In an alternative variant of the invention, the hearing aid is designed as a behind-the-ear hearing aid

And at least one electroacoustical output transducer in the housing. The invention is particularly suitable for fixing the sound tube on the back of the earThe shell of the hearing device.

In this case, the earphone has at least one sound tube, which is fastened with its first end to the connector plug and is provided for conducting sound waves generated by the electroacoustic output transducer to the second end of the sound tube (i.e. the "other" end relative to the first end fastened to the connector plug) when the connector plug is fastened to the housing. Preferably, a dome or ear adapter is arranged on the other end of the sound tube, or the free end of the sound tube is provided for mounting the dome or ear adapter, in particular reversibly. A dome is understood here to mean, in particular, a coupling part produced in mass production for fixing the free end of the sound tube by mounting the dome at the cochlea or at the entrance or in the entrance of the auditory canal of the wearer in such a way that outgoing sound waves introduced at the connecting part can propagate into the auditory canal of the wearer. Similarly, the ear adapter is adapted individually to the anatomy of the wearer for the same purpose and with the same function of use.

The plug-side sliding element and/or the detent-side sliding element preferably have a bevel extending in relation to the press-in direction of the connecting plug. In this way, a force which is exerted when the connection contact is pressed in the press-in direction can be transmitted particularly easily via the or each respective ramp to the holding detent in order to slide the holding detent, in particular also against the force of the restoring spring, into the open position. In this case, the or each sliding element has in particular an undercut, so that an edge pressed against the respective sliding element can engage the undercut and thereby fix the connecting plug in the closed position. For this purpose, the retaining pin can be moved back, in particular by spring force.

It has proven to be advantageous if the plug-side holding element and the detent-side holding element each have a latching lug which, in the secured state of the connector plug, engage in one another. In this case, the latching lug of the detent-side holding element is integrated in particular in the detent-side sliding element and/or the latching lug of the plug-side holding element is integrated in the plug-side sliding element. In other words, the plug-side holding element and/or the detent-side holding element can be designed with a bevel for forming the respective sliding element. This allows a particularly compact design, since in particular undercuts provided on the associated sliding element can be used as stop lugs.

In a further advantageous embodiment, the holding latch has a base plate and a spring element which is mounted so as to be movable relative to the base plate in a second direction having a component perpendicular to the pressing-in direction and which exerts a spring force. In other words, this means that a spring element is arranged on the substrate holding the locking pin, which spring element is mounted movably in the second direction relative to the substrate and exerts a spring force. The second direction in this case has in particular a main component perpendicular to the pressing-in direction. The base plate can be used to guide the retaining pins, while the spring element provides a spring force that pretensions at least the sliding element and/or the retaining element on the or each pin side in the direction of the recess. The second direction preferably extends completely perpendicularly to the pressing-in direction.

In this case, it is expedient for the or each detent-side sliding element or detent-side holding element to be arranged on the spring element. The spring element can thus be designed for all relevant movements and sliding movements, while the base plate can be supported for guiding the spring element in such a way that no movement takes place towards the recess, as a result of which a particularly stable closure is achieved, since the spring element which is movable towards the recess is held by the base plate.

In this case, the spring element preferably has at least one guide pin which is guided in a guide slot of the base plate in such a way that, when the base plate slides in the first direction, in particular actively, the spring force of the spring element exerts a restoring force on the base plate, so that after the force triggering the sliding movement has ended, the base plate slides back in particular into a position corresponding to the closed position of the holding latch.

In an alternative, likewise advantageous embodiment, the holding latch has a spring element which is produced in one piece from the base plate and which exerts a spring force. This allows the retaining latch to be produced in one piece, which simplifies production, since the retaining latch can thus be produced from a suitable material, for example directly by the injection molding method, and without further installation steps.

Drawings

Embodiments of the present invention are explained in detail below with reference to the drawings. In the drawings, which are each schematically:

fig. 1 shows a side view of a RIC hearing aid with a housing and an earpiece;

fig. 2 shows a perspective partial view of the connection plug of the earphone according to fig. 1 and a recess provided for this purpose;

fig. 3a shows a perspective exploded view of the holding latch according to fig. 2 for the connection of a plug;

fig. 3b shows the holding latch according to fig. 3a in the installed state in a perspective oblique view;

FIG. 4 shows an alternative design of the retaining latch in an oblique perspective view; and is

Fig. 5 shows a perspective oblique view of a further alternative design of the retaining latch.

Detailed Description

Corresponding parts and dimensions are provided with the same reference numerals in each case in all figures.

Fig. 1 schematically shows a hearing aid 1 in a side view, which is designed here as a RIC device 2. The hearing aid 1 here comprises a housing 4 which can be worn by the wearer of the hearing aid behind his ear in order to operate the hearing aid 1. At a connection point 6 on the housing 4, a headset 8 is connected to the housing 4 in a manner yet to be shown, wherein the connection on the headset 8 side is made via a connection plug 10. Furthermore, the earphone 8 has a connecting line 12, which originates from the connecting plug 10 and at the free end 14 of which an earphone part 16 is arranged, which serves to fix the free end 14 at the entrance of the auditory canal of the wearer. In the earpiece 16, a sound generator, which is not shown in detail, is arranged here, which sound generator can be designed, for example, as a loudspeaker. The other electroacoustical components, such as the microphone and the sound generator of the hearing aid and the electronic components for signal processing, are in this case arranged completely in the housing 4 of the hearing aid, apart from the sound generator described.

In the hearing aid 2, an output signal is generated from the input signals of one or more microphones by means of a personalized, user-specific signal processing, which output signal is converted in a sound generator of the earpiece 16 into an output sound signal, which is input into the auditory system of the wearer of the hearing aid 2. For this purpose, corresponding electrical contacts are arranged at the connection points 6 on the connection plug 10 and the housing 4, which electrical contacts are able to transmit the output signal via the connection line 12 to the earpiece 16 and thus to the sound generator.

In an alternative embodiment, which is not shown, the hearing aid 1 is designed as an HdO hearing aid, on the housing of which a sound tube can be fastened by means of a corresponding connecting piece, at the end of which a dome or an ear fitting is arranged. The sound wave generation takes place in the housing of the hearing aid, wherein the generated output sound wave signal is guided through the sound tube to the dome or the ear adapter.

Fig. 2 shows schematically in a perspective partial view the connection point 6 on the housing 4, into which housing 4 the connection plug 10 of the earphone 8 needs to be inserted. For this purpose, a recess 18 is provided in the housing at the connection point 6, said recess being essentially complementary to the connection plug 10 and opening into a line channel 20 for guiding the connecting line 12. On the side 22 of the recess 18 facing away from the line channel 20, an opening 24 is provided, into which a rear holding element 26 first has to be hooked in order to fix the earphone 8. The rear holding element 26 here essentially has the shape of a holding lug or a latching lug.

In order to fix the ear cup 8 to the housing 4, the rear holding element 26 is first hooked into the opening 24, and the connector plug 10 is then pressed into the recess 18 in the pressing-in direction 28. At the end of the recess 18 opposite the side 22, a retaining detent 30 is arranged below the line channel 20, said retaining detent being provided for fixing the connector plug 10 in a manner yet to be assumed at the connection point 6 on the housing 4 after the pressing-in the pressing-in direction 28 as described. A plug-side first sliding element 32 in the form of a corresponding ramp is formed on the connecting plug 10, which at its rear end with respect to the press-in direction 28 transitions into a plug-side first retaining element 34 in the form of a locking lug. Furthermore, a plug-side second sliding element 36 is arranged on the connection plug 10, which plug-side second sliding element 36 merges into a plug-side second holding element 38.

When the connector plug 10 is pressed into the recess 18, the holding-together detent 30 is pressed out of the recess 18 in the direction 40, so that the connector plug 10 can be completely inserted into the recess 18. The holding latch 30 is moved back again, in a manner yet to be shown, by spring force into the closed position 42 shown in fig. 2, so that the holding latch 30 fixes the connector 10 on the housing by means of the engagement of the first and second plug-

side holding elements

34, 38. In an alternative embodiment, which is not shown, the holding latch 30 has a gripping element which is at least partially slotted out of the housing, so that the wearer of the hearing aid 1 manually moves the holding latch 30 back into the closed position 42 by means of the gripping element.

Fig. 3a and 3b each show the holding lock pin 30 in a perspective oblique view, wherein fig. 3a shows an exploded view and fig. 3b shows the holding lock pin 30 in the installed state for proper operation. Here, fig. 3b shows the holding latch 30 in the closed position 42. The holding pin 30 comprises a base plate 44 on which a spring element 46 is supported. If the holding latch 30 is installed in the housing 4 according to fig. 2, a spring force 48 is exerted by the spring element 46, which presses the spring element 46 into the recess 18 in the direction of the spring force 48. For this purpose, guide pins, which are not shown in detail in fig. 3a, are formed on the underside of the spring element 46. The guide pin is in the guide slot 50, so that the spring element 46 is mounted on the base plate 44 in a manner yet to be described so as to be displaceable in the direction of the spring force 48 or in the direction 40 opposite the spring force.

The spring element 46 has a first sliding element 52 on the latch side in the form of a ramp, which transitions into a first retaining element 54 on the latch side in the form of an undercut or a latching lug. Similarly, the spring element 46 also has a lock-pin-side second sliding element 56, which transitions into a lock-pin-side second retaining element 58.

When the connecting plug 10 according to fig. 2 is pressed into the recess 18 in the pressing-in direction 28 (after the rear holding element 26 has been hooked into the opening 24 beforehand), the first plug-side sliding element 32 and the first detent-side sliding element 52 and the second plug-side sliding element 36 and the second detent-side sliding element 56 each slide first against one another in such a way that the force required for the pressing-in is transmitted to the spring element 46, and the spring force 48 is overcome in this case, which causes the spring element 46 to move in the direction 40. The holding latch 30 is therefore in the open position, which is not shown in detail in fig. 3 a. When the connecting plug 10 is completely pushed in, the plug-side first holding element 34 engages the pin-side first holding element 54 and the plug-side second holding element 38 engages the pin-side second holding element 58, wherein the spring element 46 is slipped by the two plug-

side holding elements

34, 38 due to the spring force 48, so that the connecting plug 10 is now held in the recess 18 by the undercut formed thereby on the pin-side first or second holding

element

54, 58, respectively, and is thereby fixed to the housing 4. In this case, in order to move the spring element 46 relative to the base plate 44, a guide pin, not shown in detail, slides in the direction 40 in a guide slot 50 of the base plate 44.

In order to remove the fixed connector plug 10, pressure can be applied to the base plate 44 from the first direction 60, for example by means of a sliding tool provided specifically for this purpose, which is applied to an opening provided correspondingly in the housing 4, wherein the base plate 44 is guided in the housing 4 according to fig. 2 in a corresponding channel, which is not shown in detail in fig. 2, and which likewise extends along the first direction 60. When the base plate 44 is slid into the housing 4 (perpendicular to the direction 40 and perpendicular to the insertion direction 28), the guide link 50, because of its beveled shape, urges the spring element 46 in the direction 40, i.e. out of the recess 18, against the spring force 48. An open position for holding the locking pin 30 can thereby be established, so that the connector plug 10 secured in the recess 18 can be pulled out counter to the pressing-in direction 28 and subsequently removed.

Fig. 4 shows an alternative design of the holding latch 30 in a perspective oblique view. Like the holding latch 30 according to fig. 3a, 3b, the holding latch 30 in fig. 4 also has a base plate 44 on which a spring element is mounted so as to be movable in the direction 40 or in the direction of the spring force 48. Furthermore, the spring element 46 has a detent-side first or second sliding element and a holding

element

52, 54, 56, 58. In contrast to the holding latch 30 according to fig. 3a, 3b, the spring force 48 is acted upon here by a separate spring clip 62 which is fastened to the outer end of the spring element 46, while the spring element 46 according to fig. 3a, 3b has two spring plates 64 which point essentially outwards from the center of the longer sides of the spring element 46. The holding detent of fig. 4 is shown here in the open position 66, in which the spring element 46 is pulled back so that the detent-

side holding elements

54, 58 are almost completely on the base plate 44. The open position for the holding latch 30 according to fig. 3a, 3b is similar.

Fig. 5 shows a perspective oblique view of a further retaining latch 30. The holding latch 30 is produced in one piece from a base plate 44, from which the spring element 46 is also machined as an extension. The spring force 48 thus exerted presses the holding latch 30 inserted into the housing 4 according to fig. 2 into the recess 18 in the direction of the spring force 48, while the two latch-

side sliding elements

52, 56 of the holding latch 30 extend in the first direction 60, so that when the connector plug 10 is pressed in, a corresponding sliding of the sliding

elements

32, 53 or 36, 56 against one another forces the holding latch into the housing in the first direction 60. And is thus in the open position, so that the connection plug 10 can be fully inserted into the recess 18. The spring force 48 exerted by the spring element 46 preferably acts here on a ramp correspondingly provided in the housing 4, so that the holding latch 30 is moved back into the closed position against the first direction 60. In the closed position, the detent-

side holding elements

54, 58 act as undercuts for the plug-

side holding elements

34, 38, so that the connection plug 10 is thereby fixed in the recess 18. To remove the connector plug 10, the holding latch 30 can be moved in the first direction 60 by means of a suitable sliding tool, whereby the open position is restored and the connector plug 10 can be removed reliably and without damage.

While the invention has been further illustrated and described in detail by way of preferred embodiments, the invention is not limited by the disclosed examples, and other variations can be derived therefrom by those skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the invention.

List of reference numerals

1 Hearing aid

2 auditory canal type hearing aid

4 casing

6 connection site

8 earphone

10 connecting plug

12 connecting line

14 (of connecting lines) free ends

16 earpiece

18 recess

20 line channel

22 side surface

24 opening

26 rear holding element

28 pressing direction

30 holding lock pin

32 plug-side first sliding element

34 first holding element on the plug side

36 plug-side second sliding element

38 plug-side second holding element

40 direction

42 closed position

44 base plate

46 spring element

48 spring force

50 guide chute

52 lock pin side first sliding element

54-latch-side first holding element

56 lock pin side second sliding element

58-latch-side second holding element

60 first direction

62 spring clip

64 spring plate

66 open position

Claims

1. A hearing aid (1) comprising a housing (4) and an earpiece (8) reversibly connectable with the housing (4),

wherein the earphone (8) has a connection plug (10),

wherein the housing (4) has a recess (18) at the connection point (6) for the earphone (8),

wherein a holding latch (30) for fixing the connecting plug (10) is mounted in the housing (4) at the connecting point (6),

wherein the connecting plug (10) has at least one plug-side sliding element and/or the retaining latch (30) has at least one latch-side sliding element,

wherein the connecting plug (10) has at least one plug-side holding element and/or the holding latch (30) has at least one latch-side holding element,

characterized in that at least one plug-side sliding element or at least one detent-side sliding element is provided for temporarily sliding the retaining detent (30) into the open position (66) when the connecting plug (10) is pressed into the recess (18), and

wherein the at least one plug-side holding element or the at least one latching-pin-side holding element is provided for fixing the connecting plug (10) on the housing (4) in the closed position (42) of the holding latching pin (30).

2. The hearing aid (1) according to claim 1,

characterized in that the holding latch (30) is provided for being moved by means of a manual sliding movement from an open position (66) into a closed position (42).

3. The hearing aid (1) according to claim 1,

characterized in that the holding latch (30) is prestressed in the housing (4) by a spring force (48) in the closed position (42) and

wherein at least one plug-side sliding element or at least one detent-side sliding element is provided for temporarily sliding the retaining detent (30) against the spring force (48) into the open position (66) when the connecting plug (10) is pressed into the recess (18), so that the retaining detent (30) is again in the closed position (42) by the spring force (48) when the connecting plug is further pressed in.

4. The hearing aid (1) according to claim 3,

characterized in that the holding latch (30) is mounted in the housing (4) so as to be slidable in a first direction (60) which has a component perpendicular to the press-in direction (28) of the connector plug (10) and to the direction of action of the spring force (48), and in that the holding latch (30) is mounted in the housing so as to be slidable in the first direction

Wherein the retaining latch (30) is in an open position (66) by a corresponding sliding movement of the retaining latch in a first direction (60).

5. The hearing aid (1) according to claim 4,

characterized in that the holding lock pin (30) is guided in a channel extending in the first direction (60) in the housing (4) and that the channel opens out in an opening in the housing wall for sliding movement of the holding lock pin (30) by means of a corresponding sliding means.

6. The hearing aid (1) according to one of claims 1 to 5,

characterized in that the hearing aid is designed as an in-the-canal hearing aid (2), wherein a plurality of electrical contacts for transmitting electrical signals from the housing (4) to the earphone (8) are arranged on the housing (4) in the recesses (18) and on the connection plug (10) in each case,

wherein the earphone (8) has at least one connection line (12) for mechanically coupling the electroacoustical output transducer to the connection plug (10) and for transmitting electrical signals from the connection plug (10) to the electroacoustical output transducer.

7. The hearing aid (1) according to one of claims 1 to 5,

the hearing aid is designed as a behind-the-ear hearing aid and has at least one electroacoustic output transducer in a housing (4).

8. The hearing aid (1) according to claim 7,

characterized in that the earphone (8) has at least one sound tube which is fastened at its first end to the connection plug (10) and is provided for conducting sound waves generated by an electroacoustic output transducer to the second end (14) of the sound tube when the connection plug (10) is fastened to the housing (4).

9. The hearing aid (1) according to claim 1,

the plug-side sliding element and/or the detent-side sliding element have an inclined surface with respect to a press-in direction (28) of the connecting plug (10).

10. The hearing aid (1) according to claim 1,

the plug-side holding element and the detent-side holding element each have a latching lug which engage with one another in the fixed state of the connecting plug (10).

11. The hearing aid (1) according to claim 10,

the locking device is characterized in that the stop lug of the detent-side holding element is integrated in the detent-side sliding element and/or the stop lug of the plug-side holding element is integrated in the plug-side sliding element.

12. The hearing aid (1) according to claim 4,

characterized in that the holding latch (30) has a base plate (44) and a spring element (46) which is mounted movably relative to the base plate (44) in a second direction (40, 48) having a component perpendicular to the insertion direction (28) and which exerts a spring force (48).

13. The hearing aid (1) according to claim 12,

characterized in that the sliding element on the locking pin side and the holding element on the locking pin side are arranged on a spring element (46).

14. The hearing aid (1) according to claim 13,

the spring element (46) is characterized by at least one guide pin, which is guided in a guide slot (50) of the base plate (44) in such a way that a spring force (48) of the spring element (46) exerts a restoring force on the base plate (44) when the base plate (44) is slid in the first direction (60).

15. The hearing aid (1) according to claim 3,

characterized in that the holding pin (30) has a spring element (46) which is machined out of the base plate (44) in one piece and which exerts a spring force (48).