EP2059071A2 - Connecting device for connecting a support hook to a hearing aid - Google Patents

Abstract

The device has an attaching region (12) provided at an end of a base body (10) for attaching a support hook. A rosette (15) is provided at or in proximity of an end (14) of the base body for attaching a frame of a hearing device e.g. behind-the-ear hearing aid. A flange (16) is arranged between the attaching region and the rosette at the base body, and serves for attachment of a housing bowl of the hearing device. The attaching region is a part of a snap system or a plug-in system by which the support hook is snappable or pluggable to the device that is made from metal. An independent claim is also included for a hearing device comprising signal processing components fastened to a frame.

Description

The present invention relates to a connection piece for fastening a carrying hook to a hearing device with a tubular base body, a first fastening element at one end of the base body for fastening the carrying hook and a second fastening element at or in the vicinity of the second end of the base body. Moreover, the present invention relates to a hearing device with such a connector. The term "hearing device" is understood here in particular a hearing aid, 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.

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 for receiving the sound from the environment are installed. 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 often have a frame in which the signal processing components, e.g. Microphone, handset, amplifier chip and the like are attached. This has not only mounting advantages, since the frame openings are easily accessible from the outside, but also design advantages, because the attached to the frame housing shells can have a variety of shapes and colors. The frame concept also allows easy replacement of the housing shells.

After the housing shells must be attached to the frame, correspondingly strong areas are provided in the frame, which allow attachment of the equipment shells. However, this usually leads to voluminous designs, since the connections between the frame and housing shells must be mechanically stable.

Usually, however, the goal of the construction of a hearing device is to provide the device, e.g. a BTE hearing aid, as slim as possible.

From the publication DE 89 08 003 U1 is a housing for a hearing aid to be worn behind the ear known. Here is a Housing provided, can be screwed to the two housing cover.

Furthermore, the patent discloses DE 42 30 308 C1 also a hearing aid to be worn behind the ear with a housing frame. At this case frame a mounting bracket is formed.

Finally, the document shows DE 103 33 293 A1 a fitting for hearing aid wearing hooks. The connector has a thread to screw a carrying hook. Furthermore, the connector has a stop which serves to seal against a carrying hook and for absorbing leverage. Finally, the connector also has a terminal tab for fixing in the housing of a hearing aid.

The object of the present invention is therefore to be able to design a hearing device which is produced in a frame construction and has housing shells as small as possible or slender.

According to the invention, this object is achieved by a connecting piece for fastening a carrying hook to a hearing device having a tubular base body, a first fastening element at one end of the base body for fastening the carrying hook and a second fastening element at or in the vicinity of the second end of the base body for attachment to a Frame of the hearing device, and a third fastening element which is arranged between the first and the second fastening element on the base body and serves for fastening a housing shell of the hearing device.

In an advantageous manner, it is thus possible to assign additional functionality to the connecting piece for the carrying hook, namely the possibility of fastening a housing shell or housing shell halves. Thus, at the top of a frame of the hearing aid does not have additional Material specially provided for the attachment of the housing shells.

The first fastening element may be part of a snap system or plug-in system, with which the carrying hook can be snapped or plugged onto the connecting piece. With such connection systems, a carrying hook can be easily replaced if necessary.

Alternatively, the first fastening element may have a thread with which the carrying hook can be screwed onto the connecting piece. The screw connection represents an extremely stable and yet detachable connection variant of the carrying hook to the hearing device.

In addition, the second fastener may include at least one flange for pinning or otherwise securing the fitting to a frame of the hearing device. In this way, the connector can be very easily mounted in the frame of the hearing.

According to a preferred alternative embodiment, the second fastening element has a rosette, which can be injected or glued into the frame of the hearing device. By injecting or gluing results in a very stable anchoring of the connector in the frame. The rosette also provides torsional strength.

Furthermore, it is preferred if the third fastening element has a flange. This allows the housing shell or the housing shell halves, for example, easily attach by pinning to the connector.

Moreover, it is advantageous if the connector is made of a metal or ceramic. These materials give the fitting sufficient mechanical stability. In addition, they can be easily injected into a plastic frame of the hearing.

Furthermore, the connecting piece may be formed in two parts, wherein two pipe parts, which form the base body, are fastened at an angle of less than 180 ° into one another or to one another. This two-part design may prove to be advantageous in the production of the connection piece, since this is usually designed as a bent or angular piece of pipe and can be dispensed with the bipartite on the step of bending.

As already indicated above, it is particularly advantageous to provide a hearing device and in particular a hearing aid with a frame in which signal processing components are fastened, and a housing shell additionally with a connection piece described above. The connecting piece is then fastened to the first fastening element on the carrying hook, with the second fastening element on the frame and with the third fastening element on the housing shell. It is particularly advantageous if the second fastening element has a rosette and is injected or glued into the frame and moreover, the third fastening element has a flange to which the housing shell is donated or otherwise secured.

FIG 1

den prinzipiellen Aufbau eines Hörgeräts gemäß dem Stand der Technik;

FIG 2

eine perspektivische Ansicht eines Anschlussstücks gemäß einer ersten Ausführungsform der vorliegenden Erfindung;

FIG 3

eine Schnittansicht durch einen Teil eines Hörgeräts mit dem Anschlussstück von FIG 2;

FIG 4

das Ausführungsbeispiel von FIG 2 in der Seitenansicht;

FIG 5

ein Anschlussstück gemäß einer zweiten Ausführungsform in der Seitenansicht und

FIG 6

ein drittes Ausführungsbeispiel eines Anschlussstücks ebenfalls in der Seitenansicht.

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

FIG. 1

the basic structure of a hearing aid according to the prior art;

FIG. 2

a perspective view of a connector according to a first embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 3

a sectional view through a portion of a hearing aid with the connector of FIG. 2 ;

FIG. 4

the embodiment of FIG. 2 in the side view;

FIG. 5

a connector according to a second embodiment in side view and

FIG. 6

a third embodiment of a connector also in the side view.

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

This in FIG. 2 Connector shown in perspective according to a first embodiment of the present invention has a tubular body 10. The connector is used to transmit the sound from the listener of a BTE hearing aid to a carrying hook. For this purpose, the sound passage 11, so the tube interior, provided. At the front, ie in FIG. 2 left, there is a Aufsteckbereich 12 as the first fastener for attaching a carrying hook. Optionally, this area 12 may also be provided with a thread, so that the carrying hook can be screwed on here. The Aufsteckbereich 12 here has a slightly smaller diameter than the rest of the tube, so that at its end a circumferential small shoulder 13 results. It limits the mounting depth of the carrying hook.

In the vicinity of the attachment area 12 opposite end 14 of the tubular body 10 is a rosette 15. It can be pressed onto the tubular body or formed integrally with him. In principle, it can be replaced by any other type of flange and serves as a second fastening element for fastening to a frame of the hearing device or of the hearing device.

Furthermore, there is between the attachment area 12 and the rosette 15, ie between the first fastener and the second fastener, a third fastener, here a flange 16. This flange 16 is used to attach a device shell or device shell half. For this purpose, the flange 16 has two holes 17, 18, can be used in the corresponding pins. Alternatively, the flange itself may have one or more pins or snap elements.

In addition, it can be seen that the tubular base body 10 is curved or bent in the middle. This is because the earpiece of a hearing aid is usually placed in a location that is easier to reach with a curved fitting.

In FIG. 3 is the connector of FIG. 2 shown in the installed state. However, the figure shows only a part of the hearing aid including the carrying hook 19. Inside the carrying hook 19 extends a sound channel 20, which continues the sound passage 11 of the connector. At the free end of the carrying hook a sound tube (not shown) is placed on the carrying hook to direct the sound produced by the hearing aid to the ear canal.

The carrying hook 19 is plugged onto the attachment region 12 of the connection piece and abuts against the shoulder 13. On the other hand, the connector is injected with its rosette 15 in a hearing aid frame 25 or glued. The flange 16 serves for fastening a hearing device shell 21 to the connection piece and thus also for fastening the hearing device shell 21 to the frame 25 of the hearing device. For better attachment and sealing has the fitting of FIG. 3 in addition to the fitting of FIG. 2 an annular projection 22. Between it and the flange 16 results in an annular recess into which the front side of the hearing aid shell 21 is inserted. The hearing aid shell 21 is typically constructed of two housing shell halves, which are then secured by means of pins (in FIG. 3 not shown) in the holes 17 and held by them on the frame 25.

In FIG. 4 is the connector of FIG. 2 again shown in side view to better compare it with the other embodiments. The individual components are provided with the same reference numerals and in connection with FIG. 2 explained.

FIG. 5 shows a second embodiment of a connector according to the invention in side view. The difference to the first embodiment of FIG. 4 consists essentially in the fact that, on the one hand, the right-hand part of the tubular basic body 10 opens into the left part at an angle without transition. In addition, the flange 16 is designed here slightly different and provided only with a single but larger bore 23. Furthermore, in this embodiment, an annular elevation 22 as in the example of FIG. 3 between the flange 16 and the attachment area 12.

A third embodiment of a connector according to the invention is in FIG. 6 also reproduced in the side view. The connector is here in two parts and plugged into each other. In the assembled state, it is practically in accordance with the second embodiment FIG. 5 identical. For interlocking an oblique bore is provided in the flange 16, in which the tube half 24 can be inserted. This bipartite of the fitting may have manufacturing advantages, namely, if one part can be made cheap as a turned part and the other, for example, as a rotary milled part must be made slightly more expensive.

The fittings shown above are conveniently made of a metal. Metal fittings have proven to be acoustically favorable because of their weight. But metals also bring the further advantage that the fittings made of them can be stable and small. The the same applies to fittings made of ceramic or injection ceramics.

Overall, the above-presented connector, on which a housing shell or housing shell halves are attached, allows a slimmer design of a hearing device or a hearing aid, which / which is constructed with a frame.

Claims (10)

Connecting piece for attaching a carrying hook (19) to a hearing device with a tubular base body (10), - A first fastening element (12) at one end of the base body (10) for fixing the carrying hook (19) and a second fastening element (15) at or in the vicinity of the second end (14) of the main body (10) for attachment to a frame (25) of the hearing device, marked by - A third fastening element (16) which is arranged between the first and the second fastening element on the base body (10) and for fixing a housing shell (21) of the hearing device is used. Connecting piece according to claim 1, wherein the first fastening element (12) is part of a snap system or plug-in system with which the carrying hook (19) can be snapped or plugged onto the connecting piece. Connecting piece according to claim 1, wherein the first fastening element (12) has a thread with which the carrying hook (19) can be screwed to the connecting piece. A fitting according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the second fastener (15) has at least one flange for securing the fitting in a frame (25) of the hearing device. Connecting piece according to one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the second fastening element (15) has a rosette which is injectable in a frame (25) of the hearing device. Connector according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the third fastening element (16) has a flange. A fitting according to any one of the preceding claims made of a metal. A fitting according to any one of the preceding claims, which is formed in two parts, wherein two pipe parts forming the base body (10) are fixed together at an angle of less than 180 °. Hearing device with a frame (25) in which signal processing components (2 to 5) are attached, a carrying hook (19), - A housing shell (21) and - A connector according to one of the preceding claims, wherein - The connector with the first fastening element (12) on the support hook (19), with the second fastening element (15) on the frame (25) and with the third fastening element (16) on the housing shell (21) is attached. Hearing apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the second fastening element (15) has a rosette and is injected into the frame (25), and wherein the third fastening element (16) has a flange, to which the housing shell (21) is endowed.

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