EP2026602B1 - Hearing device with movable charging contacts - Google Patents

Abstract

A charging contact (14) that feeds electrical energy into an accumulator (10) is movable relative to the accumulator between a first position having the charging contact electrically conductively connected to the accumulator and a second position having the charging contact less effectively conductively connected or not connected to the accumulator. A spring-elastic element engaging the charging contact pushes the charging contact into the second position with a predetermined force and permits the charging contact to be pushed into the first position only by overcoming the predetermined force. The accumulator supplies power to a signal processing unit that processes an input signal to form a sound output signal. The spring-elastic element has a rubber sleeve (16) surrounding the charging contact.

Description

The present invention relates to a hearing device with a signal processing device for processing an input signal to a sound output signal, a rechargeable battery for powering the signal processing device and a charging contact for feeding electrical energy into the accumulator. A hearing device is understood here to mean, in particular, a hearing device, but also any other ear-wearing sound-emitting device, such as a headset, headphones and the like.

Hearing aids are portable hearing aids that are used to care for the hearing impaired. In order to meet the numerous individual needs, different types of hearing aids such as behind-the-ear hearing aids (BTE), hearing aid with external receiver (RIC: receiver in the canal) and in-the-ear hearing aids (IDO), e.g. Concha hearing aids or canal hearing aids (ITE, CIC). The hearing aids listed by way of example are worn on the outer ear or in the ear canal. In addition, bone conduction hearing aids, implantable or vibrotactile hearing aids are also available on the market. The stimulation of the damaged hearing takes place either mechanically or electrically.

GB 1 254 017 discloses such a system.

Hearing aids have in principle as essential components an input transducer, an amplifier and an output transducer. The input transducer is usually a sound receiver, z. As a microphone, and / or an electromagnetic receiver, for. B. an induction coil. The output transducer is usually used as an electroacoustic transducer, z. As miniature speaker, or as an electromechanical transducer, z. B. bone conduction, realized. The amplifier is usually integrated in a signal processing unit. This basic structure is in FIG. 1 shown using the example of a behind-the-ear hearing aid. In a hearing aid housing 1 for Carrying behind the ear, one or more microphones 2 are installed for recording the sound from the environment. A signal processing unit 3, which is also integrated in the hearing aid housing 1, processes the microphone signals and amplifies them. The output signal of the signal processing unit 3 is transmitted to a loudspeaker or earpiece 4, which outputs an acoustic signal. The sound is optionally transmitted via a sound tube, which is fixed with an earmold in the ear canal, to the eardrum of the device carrier. The power supply of the hearing device and in particular of the signal processing unit 3 is carried out by a likewise integrated into the hearing aid housing 1 battery. 5

Hearing aids and other hearing aids are often equipped with rechargeable batteries (rechargeable battery or rechargeable battery) to power their electronics. The charging of the batteries is usually such that the batteries can remain in the hearing aid during the charging process. Therefore, externally accessible contacts are provided on the housings of the hearing aids or hearing devices, can be fed via the electrical energy from a charging circuit in the respective accumulator. This means that to charge the batteries in the devices a direct conductive contact between the charging circuit and the remaining battery in the device is provided.

The conductive contact, also known as the charging contact, which is accessible from the outside should be de-energized during normal operation of the device. As a rule, however, the charging contacts attached to the outside of the housing of hearing aids are always live. On the one hand, this poses a psychological problem, on the other hand, because of the electrical voltage at the contacts, additional corrosion could occur, for example, if they come into contact with perspiration.

In order to avoid the problem of corrosion, charging circuits are also known which contact the electrical energy, for example by means of coils, to the hearing aids to be charged transmit (inductive charging). In addition, hearing aids are known which have no externally accessible charging contacts. In these cases, charging takes place by direct electrical contact with the battery after opening a battery compartment.

The object of the present invention is to propose a hearing device which can be easily loaded from outside via charging contacts, and in which the charging contacts are essentially free of voltage during normal operation.

According to the invention, this object is achieved by a hearing device with a signal processing device for processing an input signal to a sound output, a battery for powering the signal processing device and a charging contact for feeding electrical energy into the accumulator, wherein the charging contact relative to the accumulator is movable so that it is in a first position with the accumulator electrically conductive and in a second position is not or less well conductively connected, and a resilient element engages the charging contact to press the charging contact with a predetermined force in the second position, so that the charging contact only by overcoming the predetermined force can be pressed in the first position.

Advantageously, the movable charging contact allows on the one hand an electrical contact while charging and on the other hand, the absence of voltage during normal operation. With this mechanical solution, there is no need for complicated electrical wiring, which ensures the absence of voltage during normal operation.

According to one embodiment, the resilient element may comprise a rubber sleeve surrounding the charging contact. Such a rubber sleeve not only ensures the restoring force of the charging contact, but also its isolation at the periphery.

However, the spring-elastic element can also have a metal spring or a plastic spring, which is fastened to a housing of the hearing device. If the plastic spring is injected integrally with the housing, so can reduce the number of components of the hearing.

Further, the resilient element may comprise a self-resettable, compressible film which has a lower electrical resistance in the compressed state than in the uncompressed. A film of this type allows the electrical contact in charging mode and the absence of voltage during normal operation with minimum space requirement.

In the first position, the charging contact preferably contacts the accumulator via a battery spring. This makes it possible to increase the range of motion of the charging contact in comparison with the case where the charging contact directly contacts the accumulator.

Furthermore, the charging contact may have a first contact surface, which in the first position is in contact with a second contact surface of an accumulator contact, which in turn is connected to the accumulator. By the Akkumulatorkontakt, which can be realized in particular as a spring contact, the indentation depth of the charging contact can be varied very much and is not set to the distance of the charging contact of the accumulator in the second position.

For example, the charging contact with the accumulator contact forms a U-shaped contact arrangement in which one leg is formed by the charging contact and the other leg by the accumulator contact, and the two legs are connected to an insulator. Depending on how far away the contact surfaces are from the insulator, the indentation depth and the tolerance as to how far the legs can be pressed beyond the contact can be varied slightly.

Furthermore, it is advantageous if the insulator of the U-shaped contact arrangement simultaneously forms the spring-elastic element. Due to this multiple functionality can be dispensed with an additional element.

FIG 1

ein Prinzipschaltbild zum Aufbau eines Hörgeräts ge- mäß dem Stand der Technik;

FIG 2

eine schematische Darstellung eines Ladekontakts mit Gummihülse im Ruhezustand bzw. im Normalbetrieb;

FIG 3

den Ladekontakt von FIG 2 während eines Ladevorgangs;

FIG 4

einen Ladekontakt mit Kunststofffeder im Ruhezustand;

FIG 5

den Ladekontakt von FIG 4 während eines Ladevorgangs;

FIG 6

einen Ladekontakt mit komprimierbarer Folie im Ruhe- zustand;

FIG 7

den Ladekontakt von FIG 6 während eines Ladevorgangs und

FIG 8

eine weitere Ausführungsform eines Ladekontakts.

The present invention will be explained in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1

a schematic diagram of the construction of a hearing aid according to the prior art;

FIG. 2

a schematic representation of a charging contact with rubber sleeve at rest or in normal operation;

FIG. 3

the charging contact of FIG. 2 during a charging process;

FIG. 4

a charging contact with plastic spring at rest;

FIG. 5

the charging contact of FIG. 4 during a charging process;

FIG. 6

a charging contact with compressible foil in rest condition;

FIG. 7

the charging contact of FIG. 6 during a charge and

FIG. 8

another embodiment of a charging contact.

The embodiments described in more detail below represent preferred embodiments of the present invention.

According to the example of FIG. 2 an accumulator 10 is provided which is to be charged via a charger contact 11 of a charger. In FIG. 2 Furthermore, a hearing aid housing 12 is indicated, in which the accumulator 10 to be charged is arranged. On the representation of further components of the Hearing aid within the hearing aid housing is omitted for clarity.

In the hearing aid housing 12 is a bore 13 in which a charging contact 14 is mounted perpendicular to the hearing aid housing 12 movable. In the present example, the charging contact 14 is cylindrical in shape and has a circumferential shoulder 15. The charging contact 14 is further surrounded by a rubber sleeve 16 which is insulating on the one hand and on the other has resilient properties. Their extension in the longitudinal or moving direction of the charging contact 14 is slightly larger than the extent of the charging contact 14 from the shoulder 15 to the contact end face 17. This results in a gap 18 between the contact end face 17 and a battery spring 19, which electrical contact between the charging contact 14 and the accumulator 10 during charging manufactures. In the in FIG. 2 illustrated state, therefore, the charging contact 14 is moved away by the rubber sleeve 16 of the battery spring 19 and strikes with his shoulder 15 on the hearing aid housing 12. The shoulder 15 thus not only provides an attack surface of the rubber sleeve 16, but also serves as a stop of the charging contact 14 to the hearing aid housing 12 with a movement of the charging contact 14 away from the battery spring 19th

While in FIG. 2 Thus, the normal operating state or the idle state of the charging contact 14 is shown, shows FIG. 3 the state of charge. The charger contact 11 is pressed according to the arrow 20 on the charging contact 14, whereby this in turn is pressed against the spring force of the rubber sleeve 16 to the battery spring 19, wherein on the charging contact face 17 direct electrical contact to the battery spring 19 is made. Between the shoulder 15 of the charging contact 14 and the battery spring 19 so the rubber sleeve 16 is compressed so far that no air gap between the charging contact 14 and the battery spring 19 is made. Thus, a charging current flows from the charger contact 11 via the charging contact 14 in the hearing aid and the battery spring 19 to the accumulator 10th

In the case of the FIGS. 2 and 3 explained in more detail preferred embodiment, therefore, at least one of the externally accessible charging contacts in normal operating condition has no contact with the battery. Rather, it is separated by a physical distance from the battery 10. The contact between the charging circuit and the battery 10 is made only via the charging contact 14 when the charger brings the charging contact by mechanical movement in electrical connection with the accumulator 10 and the battery spring 19.

Another embodiment of the invention is in the 4 and 5 shown schematically. The components accumulator 10, charger contact 11, hearing aid housing 12, bore 13 and battery spring 19 are formed here as well as in the previous embodiment. The charging contact 24 is also cylindrical in its basic form here. Of course, it may also be cuboid or have another suitable three-dimensional shape. Further, it has a projection 25, which is here formed on one side, but could also have the ring shape, as the shoulder 15 of the previous example. On the hearing aid housing 12, a metal or plastic spring 26 is attached. Optionally, it is molded directly to the plastic housing 12 or screwed to this. The plastic spring 26 holds the charging contact 24 on the projection 25, so that in turn an air gap 18 between the charging contact 24 and the battery spring 19 in the in FIG. 4 illustrated idle state arises. In this rest state, the projection 25 again strikes against the inside of the hearing device housing 12, so that the movement of the charging contact 24 in the direction of the hearing device housing 12 is limited.

Will now according to FIG. 5 the charger contact 11 as in the example of FIG. 3 pressed on the charging contact 24, it moves against the spring force of the plastic spring 26th down and contacted directly the battery spring 19. If the charger contact 11 is opposite to the direction of movement 20 again removed from the charging contact 24, so moves the last, driven by the spring force of the plastic spring 26 upwards or slightly out of the hearing aid housing 12 out. As a result, again the air gap 18 between the charging contact 24 and the battery spring 19 at the charging contact end face 27 a. The electrical contact is thus interrupted again.

A third embodiment of a hearing device with inventive charging contact arrangement is in the FIGS. 6 and 7 shown. Again, the components charger contact 11, hearing aid housing 12, charging contact 14, shoulder 15, charging contact end face 17, battery spring 19 and accumulator 10 correspond to the correspondingly numbered components of the first embodiment according to 2 and FIG. 3 , Between the charging contact end face 17 and the battery spring 19 is here a compressible film 30. In the in FIG. 6 As shown, the film 30 is uncompressed and therefore insulating. It also has resilient properties and pushes the charging contact 14 with his shoulder 15 to the hearing aid housing 12th

For the charging process, the charger contact 11 is also downwards, ie, pressed on the battery spring 19, in accordance with the direction of movement 20. As a result, the film 30 according to FIG. 7 compressed. In this compressed state, the film 30 is electrically conductive. In other words, the compressible film 30, which is located between the charging contact 14 and the inner contact or the battery spring 19 and in the idle state according to FIG. 6 is highly resistive or insulating, is low by the pressure applied to them or conductive. In this case, the charging contact 14 is usually only slightly moved or moved. In any case, the mechanical deformation of the film 30 during compression means that the electrical properties of the film 30 change in terms of their electrical resistance, that a charging current from the charger to the accumulator 10 can flow.

In FIG. 8 is a fourth embodiment of a hearing device with inventive charging contact arrangement shown in cross section. A charging contact 40 is integrated flush with its outwardly directed surface in a hearing aid shell 12. Inside the hearing aid shell 12 has the charging contact 40 z. B. an elongate contact portion 41. In parallel, a battery spring 42 is arranged, which is constantly connected to the battery or the accumulator 10 in connection. It is also elongated here, wherein one of its ends is connected to one end of the elongate contact portion 41 of the charging contact 40 via an insulator 43. This results in a U-shaped cross section of the components charging contact 40, insulator 43 and battery spring 42. The insulator 43 has resilient properties and holds the two legs of the U-shaped arrangement, namely the charging contact 40 and the battery spring 42 in the in FIG. 8 shown position (second position) in which the two components do not touch and therefore are not in electrical connection.

On the side facing the battery spring 42, the charging contact 40 has a bump or a contact surface 44. Of a conductive metal. Likewise, the battery spring 42 has on its side facing the charging contact 40 a contact mound or a contact surface 44. As soon as the two contact surfaces 44 touch, the charging contact 40 is electrically connected to the battery spring 42. This is the case when, for example, a contact 45 of a charging station pushes the externally accessible charging section 46 of the charging contact 40 downwards or inwards. In the depressed state, the two contact surfaces 44 are then short-circuited and a charging current can flow from the contact 45 of the charging station via the charging contact 40, the contact surfaces 44 and the battery spring 42 into the accumulator 10. At the end of the charging process, ie when removing the contact 45 of the charging station, the resilient isolator 43 ensures that the charging contact 40 is again galvanically isolated from the battery spring 42.

As an alternative to the resilient insulator 43, for example, a resilient element, for. B. a plastic spring in the vicinity of the charging section 46 between the charging contact 40 and the battery spring 42 may be provided to ensure the necessary restoring force. The insulator 43 has only joint function in this case.

As a further alternative, the charging contact 40 and the battery spring 42 may also be injected directly into the housing shell 42 when the charging contact 40 itself is resilient. In this case, the hearing aid shell 12 takes over the isolator function. The spring-elastic element is thus integrated directly into the charging contact or integrally formed with it in this embodiment. For example, then forms the elongated contact portion 41, the resilient element.

The spring force against which the loading portion 46 must be pressed down to make an electrical connection to the battery spring 42, can be easily adjusted with this U-shaped arrangement in the desired manner. Thus, not only the modulus of elasticity of the insulator 43 and the elongate contact portion 41 but also the length of the contact portion 41 can be selected accordingly.

The indentation depth of the loading section 46 can also be varied very well in this design. The minimum depth of indentation is defined by the fact that the two contact surfaces 44 touch each other. In addition, the charging portion 46 can also be pressed deeper, that is, the charging contact 40 is suppressed because the contact surfaces 44 are not directly below the charging section 46, but at a position of the elongated portion 41 between the charging section 46 and the insulator 43, z , B. in its central region. It is So then a part of the elongated portion 41 between the contact surfaces 44 and the loading section 46, which can be pressed down even after contact has already been made. Thereby, the indentation depth, which results with the contact 45 of the charging station, be kept within a wide tolerance range, while still ensuring that the electrical connection to the accumulator 10 is made safe.

With the embodiment according to the invention of one or both charging contacts of the hearing device, the externally accessible charging contacts are only connected to the internal voltage source (accumulator 10) during the charging process. The charging contact arrangement thus embodies a switching function in a certain way. The advantages of this charging contact arrangement are that the charger can remain simple and robust in its construction. Furthermore, the absence of voltage of one or both charging contacts avoids electrocorrosion and precludes a flow of current through the skin in case of coincidental skin contact between the two charging contacts. Furthermore, the charging contacts, which are still accessible from the outside, make it possible to easily measure and check the accumulator even during ongoing operation when the switching function is triggered by the measuring device.

Claims (8)

1. Hearing apparatus with

   - a signal processing facility for processing an input signal to form a sound output signal,

   - an accumulator (10) for supplying power to the signal processing facility and

   - a charging contact (14, 24) for feeding electrical energy into the accumulator (10),
   characterised in that

   - the charging contact (14, 24) can be moved in respect of the accumulator (10) such that it is electrically conductively connected to the accumulator (10) in the first position and is not or less effectively conductively connected thereto in a second position, and

   - a spring-elastic element (16, 26, 30) engages in the charging contact (14, 24), in order to push the charging contact into the second position with a predetermined force, so that the charging contact can be pushed into the first position only by overcoming the predetermined force.
2. Hearing apparatus according to claim 1, with the spring-elastic element (16, 26, 30) comprising a rubber sleeve, which surrounds the charging contact.
3. Hearing apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, with the spring-elastic element (16, 26, 30) having a metallic or plastic spring, which is fastened to a housing (12) of the hearing apparatus.
4. Hearing apparatus according to one of the preceding claims, with the spring-elastic element (16, 26, 30) including a self-resetting, compressible film, which has a lower electrical resistance in the compressed state than in the uncompressed state.
5. Hearing apparatus according to one of the preceding claims, with the charging contact (14, 24) in the first position contacting the accumulator (10) by way of a battery spring (19).
6. Hearing apparatus according to one of the preceding claims, with the charging contact having a first contact surface (44), which is in contact with a second contact surface (44) of an accumulator contact in the first position, said accumulator contact being for its part connected to the accumulator (10).
7. Hearing apparatus according to claim 6, with the charging contact forming a U-shaped contact arrangement (46, 41, 43, 42), with the accumulator contact, in which the legs are formed by the charging contact and the accumulator contact in each instance and the two legs are connected with an insulator (43).
8. Hearing apparatus according to claim 7, with the insulator (43) forming the spring-elastic element.

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