EP0671115B1 - Procede de fixation d'un dispositif electro-acoustique a l'interieur ou partiellement a l'interieur de l'oreille - Google Patents

Procede de fixation d'un dispositif electro-acoustique a l'interieur ou partiellement a l'interieur de l'oreille Download PDF

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Publication number
EP0671115B1
EP0671115B1 EP93901692A EP93901692A EP0671115B1 EP 0671115 B1 EP0671115 B1 EP 0671115B1 EP 93901692 A EP93901692 A EP 93901692A EP 93901692 A EP93901692 A EP 93901692A EP 0671115 B1 EP0671115 B1 EP 0671115B1
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
hearing aid
securing
coupling system
auditory canal
ear
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Expired - Lifetime
Application number
EP93901692A
Other languages
German (de)
English (en)
Other versions
EP0671115A1 (fr
Inventor
Jens Bang
Michel Diot
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
GN Hearing AS
Original Assignee
GN Resound AS
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by GN Resound AS filed Critical GN Resound AS
Publication of EP0671115A1 publication Critical patent/EP0671115A1/fr
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Publication of EP0671115B1 publication Critical patent/EP0671115B1/fr
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Expired - Lifetime legal-status Critical Current

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Classifications

    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04R—LOUDSPEAKERS, MICROPHONES, GRAMOPHONE PICK-UPS OR LIKE ACOUSTIC ELECTROMECHANICAL TRANSDUCERS; DEAF-AID SETS; PUBLIC ADDRESS SYSTEMS
    • H04R25/00—Deaf-aid sets, i.e. electro-acoustic or electro-mechanical hearing aids; Electric tinnitus maskers providing an auditory perception
    • H04R25/60—Mounting or interconnection of hearing aid parts, e.g. inside tips, housings or to ossicles
    • H04R25/604—Mounting or interconnection of hearing aid parts, e.g. inside tips, housings or to ossicles of acoustic or vibrational transducers
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04R—LOUDSPEAKERS, MICROPHONES, GRAMOPHONE PICK-UPS OR LIKE ACOUSTIC ELECTROMECHANICAL TRANSDUCERS; DEAF-AID SETS; PUBLIC ADDRESS SYSTEMS
    • H04R25/00—Deaf-aid sets, i.e. electro-acoustic or electro-mechanical hearing aids; Electric tinnitus maskers providing an auditory perception
    • H04R25/65—Housing parts, e.g. shells, tips or moulds, or their manufacture
    • H04R25/652—Ear tips; Ear moulds
    • H04R25/656—Non-customized, universal ear tips, i.e. ear tips which are not specifically adapted to the size or shape of the ear or ear canal

Definitions

  • the invention relates to a method as presented in the preamble of claim 1.
  • Electro-acoustic devices to be placed at or in the ear have been known for several decades. Such devices are usually secured by means of a securing member, for example a carrying device in a headset, or by the electro-acoustic device being designed so that it is individually adapted to the ear to be mounted either externally on the ear or internally in the auditory canal or in the outer ear, like for example an electronic hearing aid.
  • a securing member for example a carrying device in a headset
  • the electro-acoustic device being designed so that it is individually adapted to the ear to be mounted either externally on the ear or internally in the auditory canal or in the outer ear, like for example an electronic hearing aid.
  • Such a hearing aid requires both mechanical and acoustic adaptation to the ear on or in which it is to be mounted. This adaptation is time consuming and involves periods of waiting for the user, so that often several weeks pass from the first hearing test until the hearing aid is delivered.
  • the known hearing aids moreover require a certain period of "getting-used-to", both in respect of carrying a device being individually adapted to the ear and in respect of hearing in a new way.
  • In-the-ear hearing aids are moreover secured by individual adaptation only, without particular securing members.
  • the use of devices with ear-plugs or in-the-ear devices may also result in various side effects, such as increased cerumen production, due to the fact that the auditory canal is closed off for long periods of time.
  • a method of securing a hearing aid as presented in the preamble of claim 1 is disclosed in US A 4,532,649.
  • This document concerns an in-the-ear hearing aid which is designed to be located in the auditory canal of the user.
  • a body portion of the hearing aid is custom-shaped to fit in the auditory canal, leaving only a cover member of the hearing aid exposed.
  • the hearing aid has a sound vent tube.
  • the hearig aid is secured in the auditory canal by the interfitting relation between the custom-shaped body portion and the auditory canal.
  • a method of securing a part of a hearing system, e.g. a hearing aid, by the use of adhesion in the auditory canal of a user is disclosed in WO A 92/09181.
  • a transducer which is a part of a hearing system can be located on the tympanic membrane by the use of surface adhesion.
  • the remaining parts of the hearing system e.g. a signal producing means, can be placed at different locations within the ear canal or external to the ear canal.
  • a hearing aid secured according to the invention does not need to be individually adapted to the ear, and the possibility is provided of achieving "open hearing", i.e. the user can hear sounds both from the surroundings and from the device, and thus a much more natural hearing perception is achieved in this manner compared to the known devices. Consequently, the time passing from the hearing test until the hearing aid is delivered can be drastically reduced.
  • the consumption of time can actually be reduced to the time it takes to adjust the hearing aid to have it compensate for the hearing disability.
  • a very inconspicuous hearing aid is achieved, which can be designed or ornamented as a piece of jewellery or the like, if so desired, in order hereby to disguise the presence of a hearing aid.
  • the coupling system may be a glue or an adhesive of a type being compatible with human skin; an electrostatic or an electrodynamic device; a system based on a surface tension or a change of the surface tension, or another means or system being applicable for securing items to the skin.
  • the coupling system may also be a combination of two or more securing methods.
  • the adhesive may be used different known types of adhesive being acceptable to the skin.
  • the adhesive may be fluent or pastelike; it may be double-faced tape; plaster cut out or punched out in advance, or plaster being cut out into suitable pieces, and similar adhesives. This is the reason why in some cases it may be advantageous to proceed as present-ed and characterized in claim 4.
  • the application aid may be a means for applying the adhesive, or it may directly carry the adhesive.
  • the drawing shows a hearing aid 1 designed according to the invention and secured by means of an adhesive 2 to the tragus 3 of the ear 8.
  • the hearing aid is oblong and slightly curved so that it fills about half of the auditory canal 5. It is naturally placed in such a manner that the sound reproducer 6 is directed towards the tympanic membrane, and the sound receiver 4 is directed towards the surroundings.
  • the hearing aid is moreover designed with rounded edges and has such a form and size that it can be placed in the human ear without any further mechanical adaptation to the auditory canal being required.
  • hearing aid 1 fills about half of the auditory canal 5 is only an example, as the form and size of the auditory canal as it will be recalled is highly individual.
  • the shown oblong hearing aid is slightly curved, for example bean-shaped, allowing it to fit into most persons' auditory canal.
  • the hearing aid consists of an outer thin shell of plastic, for example acrylic plastic, surrounding the necessary electronic components, i.e. an amplifying circuit with a battery, a sound receiver and a sound reproducer, and possibly further circuits, for example a telecoil or the like, and means for receiving signals from a master (remote control unit).
  • a master remote control unit
  • the hearing aid 1 is secured by applying an adhesive to the plastic shell in a selected place.
  • the adhesive may be applied directly or using the application aid.
  • the aid may be arranged to carry the adhesive and any means for cleaning the skin area to which the device is to adhere, for example the tragus.
  • the cleaning means may be based on absorbtion or adsorbtion of skin secretion, for example cerumen.
  • the hearing aid shown in the drawing is only an example of how such a device can be designed and secured according to the invention. It will be obvious to a person skilled in the art that many other embodiments may be conceived also providing the possibility of securing the hearing aid in or at least partly in a person's auditory canal by means of a coupling system according to the invention, for example by adhesion as shown.
  • the hearing aid or any other electro-acoustic device, is secured to the tragus of the ear should only be regarded as an example of a place where the device according to the invention can be secured.

Abstract

Procédé de fixation d'un dispositif électro-acoustique sur la surface ou à l'intérieur de l'oreille (8) chez l'homme. On met le procédé en application en fixant le dispositif, par exemple une prothèse auditive (1), à l'épiderme de la surface ou de l'intérieur de l'oreille, par exemple sur la tragus (3), au moyen d'un adhésif (2).

Claims (5)

  1. Procédé pour fixer en position une aide auditive (1) dans ou au moins en partie dans un canal auditif (5) d'une personne, la dite aide auditive (1) comprenant, dans une coquille extérieure, au moins un dispositif de réception de son (4), au moins un dispositif de reproduction de son (6) et un circuit d'amplification électronique, caractérisé en ce que la coquille extérieure de l'aide auditive n'est pas adaptée de façon, individuelle au canal auditif (5) de la personne, en ce que l'aide auditive (1) est fixée en position au moyen d'un système de couplage (2) en matière compatible avec la peau, en ce que le système de couplage (2) est agencé sur la coquille extérieue de sorte que l'aide auditive (1) est fixée, en ce qui concerne sa position dans le canal auditif (5), au tragus (3) de l'oreille ou au meatus acusticus externus ou au cavum conchae ou à la région comprise entre le meatus acusticus externus et le cavum conchae, et en ce que le profil de section transversale de l'aide auditive (1) est prévu de sorte que l'aide auditive (1) peut être placée et fixée en position par le système de couplage (2) d'une manière telle que le canal auditif (5) n'est pas isolé acoustiquement de l'environnement.
  2. Procédé selon la revendication 1, caractérisé en ce que le système de couplage (2) est un adhésif.
  3. Procédé selon la revendication 1 ou 2, caractérisé en ce que la fixation est effectuée par application du système de couplage (2) à l'aide auditive (1) pour créer une région de fixation, après quoi l'aide auditive (20) est positionnée d'une manière telle que la région de fixation est placée ou pressée contre la peau à l'endroit où on veut fixer l'aide auditive (1) en position.
  4. Procédé selon la revendication 1, 2 ou 3, caractérisé en ce qu'on utilise un accessoire d'application pour appliquer le système de couplage (2) à l'aide auditive (1) ou à la peau.
  5. Procédé selon une quelconque des revendications 1 à 4, caractérisé en ce que le système de couplage (2) comprend un moyen détachable d'absorption ou d'adsorption d'une sécrétion de la peau.
EP93901692A 1992-09-21 1992-11-05 Procede de fixation d'un dispositif electro-acoustique a l'interieur ou partiellement a l'interieur de l'oreille Expired - Lifetime EP0671115B1 (fr)

Applications Claiming Priority (4)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
DK116692A DK116692A (da) 1992-09-21 1992-09-21 Fremgagnsmåde til fastgørelse af en elektro-akustisk anordning og elektro-akustisk anordning til brug ved fremgangsmåden
DK1166/92 1992-09-21
DK116692 1992-09-21
PCT/DK1992/000322 WO1994007343A1 (fr) 1992-09-21 1992-11-05 Procede de fixation d'un dispositif electro-acoustique sur la surface ou a l'interieur de l'oreille et dispositif electro-acoustique

Publications (2)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP0671115A1 EP0671115A1 (fr) 1995-09-13
EP0671115B1 true EP0671115B1 (fr) 2002-03-20

Family

ID=8101742

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
EP93901692A Expired - Lifetime EP0671115B1 (fr) 1992-09-21 1992-11-05 Procede de fixation d'un dispositif electro-acoustique a l'interieur ou partiellement a l'interieur de l'oreille

Country Status (5)

Country Link
EP (1) EP0671115B1 (fr)
AU (1) AU3254893A (fr)
DE (1) DE69232502T2 (fr)
DK (1) DK116692A (fr)
WO (1) WO1994007343A1 (fr)

Cited By (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US6892082B2 (en) 1999-05-10 2005-05-10 Peter V. Boesen Cellular telephone and personal digital assistance
US6920229B2 (en) 1999-05-10 2005-07-19 Peter V. Boesen Earpiece with an inertial sensor
US6952483B2 (en) 1999-05-10 2005-10-04 Genisus Systems, Inc. Voice transmission apparatus with UWB

Families Citing this family (7)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
AT408707B (de) * 1998-03-30 2002-02-25 Peter Zimmer Keg Hörgerät
WO2001032114A1 (fr) * 1999-11-02 2001-05-10 Wizcare Ltd. Prehenseur de peau
WO2004052048A1 (fr) * 2002-12-03 2004-06-17 Danmeter A/S Unite de signalisation ou de communications possedant un moyen de fixation et utilisation de celle-ci
DE102005010625A1 (de) * 2005-03-08 2006-09-14 Phonak Ag Fernsteuerung für ein Hörgerät
EP1624720A3 (fr) * 2005-08-24 2010-01-20 Phonak AG Boîtier d'équipement placé derrière l'oreille avec propriétés autoadhésives
US7899200B2 (en) 2006-06-02 2011-03-01 Phonak Ag Universal-fit hearing device
US11036465B2 (en) 2019-10-28 2021-06-15 Bose Corporation Sleep detection system for wearable audio device

Citations (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US4532649A (en) * 1983-07-03 1985-07-30 Gaspare Bellafiore Hearing aid

Family Cites Families (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US2678973A (en) * 1950-10-02 1954-05-18 Charles E Glassen Mounting for hearing aid receivers
US4130741A (en) * 1978-01-19 1978-12-19 Benjamin Gottlieb Hearing aid reliner and apparatus for relining hearing aid ear molds
KR100229086B1 (ko) * 1990-11-07 1999-11-01 빈센트 블루비너지 청각 장치를 위한 접촉 변환기 조립체

Patent Citations (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US4532649A (en) * 1983-07-03 1985-07-30 Gaspare Bellafiore Hearing aid

Cited By (6)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US6892082B2 (en) 1999-05-10 2005-05-10 Peter V. Boesen Cellular telephone and personal digital assistance
US6920229B2 (en) 1999-05-10 2005-07-19 Peter V. Boesen Earpiece with an inertial sensor
US6952483B2 (en) 1999-05-10 2005-10-04 Genisus Systems, Inc. Voice transmission apparatus with UWB
US7209569B2 (en) 1999-05-10 2007-04-24 Sp Technologies, Llc Earpiece with an inertial sensor
US7215790B2 (en) 1999-05-10 2007-05-08 Genisus Systems, Inc. Voice transmission apparatus with UWB
US7983628B2 (en) 1999-10-11 2011-07-19 Boesen Peter V Cellular telephone and personal digital assistant

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
WO1994007343A1 (fr) 1994-03-31
AU3254893A (en) 1994-04-12
DK116692D0 (da) 1992-09-21
DK116692A (da) 1994-03-22
DE69232502D1 (de) 2002-04-25
EP0671115A1 (fr) 1995-09-13
DE69232502T2 (de) 2002-10-31

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