EP1183908A2

EP1183908A2 - Behind-the-ear hearing aid

Info

Publication number: EP1183908A2
Application number: EP99924638A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Erich Dittli
Original assignee: Phonak AG
Current assignee: Sonova Holding AG
Priority date: 1999-06-16
Filing date: 1999-06-16
Publication date: 2002-03-06
Anticipated expiration: 2019-06-16
Also published as: WO1999043193A2; CN1352868A; EP1183908B1; US6625290B1; CA2634645C; DE59915250D1; DK1183908T3; AU4128399A; US20030128857A1; WO1999043193A3; CA2634645A1; US7155023B2; US20050041826A1; AU774047B2; CN1161001C; JP2002524888A; CA2377444A1; CA2377444C; ATE499807T1

Abstract

An operating element ( 31 ) is provided on a behind-the-ear hearing id which can be operated in two different directions (K, F) and performs a different switching function in each of them.

Description

Rear ear hearing aid

The present invention relates to a rear ear hearing aid according to the preamble of claim 1.

With hearing aids of this type, it is customary to provide an on / off switch and, separate therefrom, a further actuating element, for example for adjusting the gain. This leads to laborious palpation of the actuating member required in each case, in particular when the applied hearing aid is operated, quite apart from the fact that considerable construction volumes are consumed for the intended actuating members and the provision of the aforementioned organs leads to a noticeable complication of the hearing aid with the electrical connections to be provided, thus also to an increased susceptibility to faults.

The present invention aims to remedy the disadvantages mentioned. For this purpose, the hearing aid according to the invention is characterized according to the characterizing part of claim 1.

Accordingly, according to the invention, two categories of switching functions are combined on one and the same actuating element, namely, in the above-mentioned positions, preferably ON / OFF switching of the hearing aid and, for example, adjustment of the amplification in the second actuating direction. On the one hand, this increases the user-friendliness considerably; it is easily possible to differentiate between the two different types of actuation on the intended actuation switch. Furthermore, a single actuation switch provided according to the invention requires less construction, and moreover the hearing aid as a whole becomes simpler in that electrical connections to switching elements only in the area of the invention. must be operated according to the intended actuator.

Providing only one mechanically operable organ also reduces the susceptibility to faults and, particularly when faults occur, makes the revision much easier.

As mentioned, in a preferred embodiment, one of the positions is used as the switch-on position of the hearing aid, the other as the switch-off position, and the actuating member acts as a toggle switch when actuated in the second direction. In a further preferred embodiment, the actuating member is tilt-mounted on an essentially linearly displaceable slide and has a contact which can be brought into contact with a device-specific switching contact by actuation in the second direction. This contact is preferably made of rubber-elastic plastic, preferably cone-shaped, as is known from computer keyboard mats or remote control keyboards. More preferably, the first actuation direction of the operating element lies essentially in the direction of generatrices of the device body, preferably along generatrices on the outside of the curvature, based on the curvature of the device body, and it is the second actuation direction perpendicular to the device body wall.

The rear ear hearing aid according to the invention is subsequently explained, for example, with reference to figures which show a preferred embodiment of the rear ear hearing aid today. The figures show:

1 simplified, in longitudinal section, a rear ear hearing aid according to the invention; 2 shows a perspective view of the hearing aid according to the invention;

3 shows a perspective illustration of the preferred embodiment of a battery compartment cover on the hearing aid according to the invention;

4 shows the top view of the lid according to FIG. 3 with parts for left / right ear coding;

5, on the one hand, the basic housing of the device according to the invention, on the other hand, a preferably provided or predictable additional module, in a perspective view;

6 in an enlarged view, the electrical / acoustic transducer assembly on the hearing aid according to the invention according to FIG. 1;

7 simplified and schematic, an actuating element provided according to the invention on the device according to the invention, and

Fig. 8 schematically, the unit according to Fig. 6 to explain the acoustic couplings.

In Fig. 1, the rear ear hearing aid according to the invention is shown as a whole in a partially simplified longitudinal section, whereby the individual functional blocks or functional parts are to be described for the time being. The hearing aid 1 includes a horn-shaped, tubular base body with a center axis A, which has a connection piece 5 for a coupling tube leading into the ear at the thinner, bent end, as an acoustic output. The connector 5 is replaceable on a pipe socket 9, which sits on a base housing 3, plugged or screwed on.

The inner duct 7 of the connecting piece 5 continues through the pipe socket 9 into a transmission duct 11 in the basic housing 3. The transmission duct 11 in turn is coupled to an electrical / acoustic transducer arrangement 15 in a compartment 13 of the basic housing 3.

As can be seen from FIG. 1, the transmission channel 11 extends along the inner curvature of the basic housing 3 in such a way that a microphone assembly 17 is accommodated on the outer curvature side. In this area, a cover 19 is formed on the basic housing 3 and locked in the area of the culmination point of the device by means of a plug-in axis 21. As can be seen in particular in FIG. 2, the cover 19 extends along surface lines M of the device body, up to, FIG. 1, in the area of the electrical / acoustic transducer unit 15. The microphone assembly 17 is when the hinged cover 19 is removed accessible and preferably only electrically contacted on a flexprint tab (not shown), folded over the transmission channel 11 and located on a sound entry slot 23.

When the cover 19 is closed, at least two provided microphone openings of the microphone assembly 17 are opposite an insert 25 in a slot 23 of the cover 19. The insert 25 is acoustically "transparent" and has a large number of passages between the surroundings U and an equalizing volume V, the latter being left free between the (not shown) discrete microphone inlet openings and said insert. For this purpose, the insert 25 is preferably made from a sintered material, such as in particular from sintered system polyethylene and, more preferably, water-repellent coating. It also forms a lattice fineness between 10 μm and 200 μm with an open porosity, preferably of over 70%. Furthermore, the microphone assembly 17 and insert 25 are arranged in the slot 23 on the hearing device 1 in such a way that, when the hearing device is worn, they are as far as possible not exposed to air pressure from the surroundings U, as they can be seen in FIG , tubular base body are positioned. In particular when an acoustic / electrical transducer with directional characteristic is implemented with the aid of the at least two spaced-apart microphones mentioned, the intermediate volume V provided, in the sense of a "common mode" suppression, ensures that the same acoustic signals are coupled in differently along the insert 25 Tend to cancel signals due to the balancing effect of volume V.

In addition, the insert 25 acts as protection against contamination and, thanks to its preferably water-repellent coating, is easy to clean.

Another advantage of the insert 25 with its multitude of

What has occurred is - closely linked to the aspect of the "common mode" suppression mentioned above - that any contamination has the same effect on both microphones and thus no deterioration in the directional effect (directional characteristic), which occurs in conventional directional microphones with two or more discrete openings represents a central problem.

With regard to this insert 25 and its effects, reference is also made to EP-A-0 847 227 by the same applicant. Following the electro / acoustic transducer arrangement 15, there is an electronics unit 27 in the basic housing 3, then a battery compartment 29. An actuation switch 31 is provided on the outside of the basic unit housing, in the area between the battery compartment 29 and the electronics unit 27. In the perspective view of FIG. 2, in particular connection piece 5, basic housing 3, cover 19 with sound entry slot 23 and insert 25, furthermore the actuation switch 31 are clearly visible.

Battery compartment

A cylindrical flat battery or a correspondingly shaped rechargeable battery 33 is inserted into the battery compartment 29 inserted at the end into the basic housing 3, such that the axis of the battery cylinder, with its end faces 33 _u and 33 ₀ , is at least substantially coaxial with the longitudinal axis A. of the basic body.

At the base 30 of the battery compartment 29, centered in the axis A, a first resilient contact 35 is provided, a second 37 makes resilient contact with the side surface of the battery 33. The battery compartment 29 can be closed with a cover 39 which is transverse to the axis A and which is pivotally or bayonet-mounted on the basic housing 3 at 41 or on the battery compartment 29.

This transverse arrangement of the battery 33 on the hearing device has significant advantages: the area closed by the cover 39 is relatively large, which - as will be explained below - can be used further. Because the battery compartment cover 39 is also located at the lowest point of the device and the cover joints to the basic housing 3 lie transversely to the axis A, penetration of sweat into the battery compartment is hardly critical. table. Furthermore, with this battery compartment design, the contacts 37 and 35 are protected within the compartment, and the cover 39 has no electrical contacts. Because the essentially cylindrical interior of the base body 3 is further utilized, there is practically no unused, lost space.

3 shows, in perspective, a preferred embodiment of the battery compartment cover 39, designed as a hinged cover. With the snap hinge part 43, it can be easily disengaged from the pivot bearing 41 according to FIG. 1 or snapped thereon. In a preferred embodiment, it also has a locking lock 45, in addition to a resilient latch 46.

4 shows the cover 39 according to FIG. 1 in an external view. The locking lock 45 can only be operated from the outside with a tool, for example a screwdriver, and for this purpose has an engagement slot 49 on a rotary plate 47. The circuit board 47, which is only installed when the locking lock 45 is installed on the hinged cover 39, is specifically colored, in two versions, e.g. red and blue, which also serves as an indication of whether the hearing aid in question is a device for the left or right ear.

As has been mentioned, the illustrated embodiment of the battery compartment 29, in particular the fact that the flat battery cylinder lies coaxially with the axis A of the hearing aid, has a further significant advantage. The hearing aid shown in FIG. 1 corresponds to a basic configuration. It is often desirable to equip this basic configuration with additional options, for example with an interface unit for wireless signal transmission, a programming connector unit, another audio input, a larger battery compartment, a mechanical actuation unit etc. For this purpose, the battery compartment shown in Fig. 1, as shown in Fig 5, repurposed. The battery 33 is removed from the compartment and instead the plug-in part 34 of a corresponding additional module 51 is plugged in, electrically contacted at the contact points 35a or 37a corresponding to the battery contacts.

With regard to the use of such additional modules, it is entirely possible to provide additional contacts in compartment 29.

The compartment 29a with battery 33, which now acts as the actual battery compartment, is now provided on the additional module 51 and, accordingly, the cover 39, which, for example, is removed from the basic housing 3 and latched onto the additional module or latched in a bayonet-like manner. If necessary, several such modules 51 can be stacked on the basic module of the hearing aid shown in FIG. 1. The respective fixation of the additional modules 51 preferably is with an provided on the modules 51 Einrastpartie 43a, similar to the hinge part 43 on the hinged lid 39, and an analog designed for snap part 46 on said hinged lid 39 snap portion 46a or, in bayonet locking, and fair by entspre ^¬ insertion and Turn lock.

This makes it possible to expand the hearing aid in a very simple manner in a modular manner according to the wishes, the battery or accumulator 33 always remain easily accessible from the outside. Electrical / acoustic transducer arrangement

In Fig. 6, the structure and the storage of the mentioned arrangement 15 on the basic housing 3 and in accordance with FIG. 1 is shown in simplified form. The arrangement 15, encapsulated in a loudspeaker housing 53, comprises the loudspeaker arrangement (not shown) with a loudspeaker membrane. Through coupling openings shown schematically at 55, the sound waves excited by the loudspeaker membrane are coupled from the space on the rear side of the membrane in the loudspeaker housing 53 into the surrounding space U _{S3 of} the loudspeaker housing 53. The acoustic signals - as shown by the arrow S - are coupled from the space in front of the membrane to the transmission channel 11 shown in FIG. 1.

The loudspeaker housing 53 is held on all sides in resilient, preferably in rubber-elastic bearings 57, essentially freely swinging. The bearings 57 define the relatively large space U ₅₃ between the loudspeaker housing outer wall and an encapsulation 59, which leads to a notable increase in the low tones. The resonance space on the back of the membrane is enlarged many times by the space U _S3 . So that the space U _{53 is} fully acoustically effective, the encapsulation 59 and its holder 61 are tightly connected.

In this way, the storage volume for the loudspeaker arrangement is used optimally acoustically. The encapsulation 59 further preferably acts as a magnetic shield housing and is preferably made of μ-metal for this purpose. It is cup-shaped and is sealingly hooked onto the holder 61, designed as a plastic carrier part. Between the encapsulation 59, the bracket 61 on the one hand and the loudspeaker housing 53, the ten resilient, preferably rubber-elastic, bearings 57 tensioned.

In Fig. 8 the explained acoustic coupling is shown in principle. The membrane 54 of the loudspeaker in the housing 53 defines in the said housing a first space R _{χ l} which is coupled to the acoustic output of the hearing aid - as shown with S - and a second R ₂ which has one or more openings 55 with the between encapsulation 59 and housing 53 formed space U _{53 is} coupled.

Operating switch 31

A preferred embodiment of the actuation switch 31 is shown in simplified and schematic form in FIG. 7. The actuation switch 31 comprises a toggle switch 63 which is tilted at 65 on one side.

The tilting bearing 65 is formed on a slide 67 which, as shown by the double arrow F, is mounted so as to be linearly displaceable with respect to the basic housing 3. As shown schematically with the spring contact 69, fixed with respect to the basic housing 3, and the bridging contact 70 on the slide 67, the device is switched on and off by pushing the slide back and forth via button 63.

A continuous groove 72 is machined in the slide 67, through which a housing 3-fixed contact pill 73 extends. This is covered by a slide 67 arranged on the Fe-promoting contacting portion 75 which is preferably manufactured as a keyboard ^¬ element made of rubber, at least partially of electrically conductive plastic, as is known, for example, remote control keyboards. If the Toggle switch 63 - as shown with the double arrow K - the contact part 75 comes into contact with the contact pill 73 and creates an electrical connection between these elements. Although a large number of possible electrical connections, including the switching path S, actuated by the slide movement F, and the switching path S ₂ , actuated by the tilting movement K of the toggle switch 63, result for the person skilled in the art, it is preferred — as shown in dashed lines in FIG. 7 shown - the spring contact 69 connected to the device battery 33, the bridging contact 70 with the contact part 75, and thus the contact pill 73 acts as an electrical output of the switching arrangement.

The actuation switch 31 thus acts both as an on / off slide switch and additionally, in the on position, as a toggle switch, with which the electronics unit 27 is acted on in steps in accordance with FIG. 1, for example for rapid individual gain setting.

The actuation switch 31 therefore combines two functions, slide switch and toggle switch, a functional fusion which is particularly advantageous for the rear ear device according to the invention. The difference in operation ensures that there is no confusion of functions, which is much more critical when two switches are provided for the two functions mentioned.

Structure of the housing 3

5, the basic housing 3 is formed by a bent, appropriately shaped tubular part. In a preferred embodiment, this part 3 is formed in one piece, preferably made of plastic and is not like otherwise common in the construction of such hearing aids, separable into two shells along the generatrices drawn with M in FIG. 5. This also ensures that the individual units are assembled in the basic housing 3: they are simply inserted into the tube, which is much easier than assembling on open shells. Another advantage of a tubular, one-piece embodiment is its much greater stability compared to a split housing. This makes it possible to reduce the wall thickness of the housing and thereby reduce it, or to increase the usable internal volume for a given external volume.

Advantages of the overall configuration

With reference to FIG. 1, it can be seen, in particular also in the preferred one-piece design of the basic housing 3, that the individual structural units, in particular 11, 15, 27, 29 and / or 51, are assembled by axial, sequential insertion into the basic housing 3. Shaping of the housing 3 with appropriate guides ensures rapid, exact positioning, the mutual electrical contact between the electrically operated units being solderless, using resilient contacts. The units to be provided can thus be tested and measured beforehand and then assembled without fear of impairment. This assembly can easily be automated. The entire housing with basic housing 3 and cover 19, optionally 39, can be easily sealed at the joints with appropriate seals.

The preferred embodiment of the electrical / acoustic transducer arrangement 15 ensures optimal magnetic shielding of the Loudspeakers and an optimal acoustic seal with regard to structure-borne noise.

Claims

Claims:

1. behind-the-ear hearing aid with a hook-shaped device body, essentially along an equally curved device longitudinal axis (A), in which acoustic / electrical transducers (17), electrical / acoustic transducers (15) and electronic units (27) are installed, Furthermore, with an operating switching element provided on the body, characterized in that the operating switching element (31), which is electrically switchable, can be moved in at least one first and second position in a first actuation direction (F) and in another in at least one of the positions Actuating direction (K) is movable to switch.

2. Behind-ear hearing aid according to claim 1, characterized in that at least one of the positions is the switch-on position of the hearing device, the first switch-off position, and that the actuating member (31) acts as a toggle switch when actuated in the second direction (K).

3. rear ear hearing aid according to one of claims 1 or 2, characterized in that the actuating member (31) on a substantially linearly displaceable slide (67) is tilted (65) and one by actuation in the second direction (K) with a fixed Has switching contact (73) contact (75).

4. Behind-ear hearing aid according to claim 3, characterized in that the contact (75) which can be brought into contact with the fixed switching contact is formed from rubber-elastic plastic, preferably in the form of a cap.

5. Behind-ear hearing aid according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the first actuation direction (F) extends essentially in the direction of generatrices (M) of the device body, preferably along outer lines of curvature on the outside, the second actuation direction (K) perpendicular to the device body wall.