EP2218268A1

EP2218268A1 - Hearing device with battery flap module

Info

Publication number: EP2218268A1
Application number: EP08803832A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Harald Klemenz; Markus Heerlein; Daniel Reiße
Original assignee: Siemens Medical Instruments Pte Ltd
Current assignee: Sivantos Pte Ltd
Priority date: 2007-12-12
Filing date: 2008-09-08
Publication date: 2010-08-18
Also published as: DE102007059723A1; US20100260368A1; WO2009074360A1

Abstract

Since shells are frequently manufactured using an RSM method and battery flaps are injection-molded for hearing devices and in particular for hearing aids, problems frequently arise due to the varying error tolerances of the two methods when the battery compartment is locked into position on the shell. For this reason a hearing device with a shell (16), which has a battery opening (20) and a battery flap (10), which is injection-molded from plastic, is proposed for closing the battery opening (20). The hearing device also has a module (14) which is likewise injection-molded from plastic, on which the battery flap (10) is pivotably supported and which has a detent mechanism (17) via which the battery flap (10) locks into place detachably in a closed position to prevent a pivot movement. Since the injection-molded battery flap (10) locks into position with the injection-molded module (14), the error tolerances of the shell (16), often produced by an RSM method, play no part.

Description

description

Hearing device with battery flap module

The present invention relates to a hearing aid having a shell, which has a battery opening, and a battery door, which is injection molded from a plastic, for closing the battery opening. The term "hearing device" is understood to mean here any sound-emitting device that can be worn on or in the ear, in particular a hearing device, a headset, headphones and the like.

Hearing aids are portable hearing aids that are used to care for the hearing impaired. To meet the numerous individual needs, will be 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 (ITE), 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 shown in FIG 1 using the example of a behind-the-ear hearing aid. In a hearing aid housing 1 for carrying behind the ear are one or more microphones 2 for recording built-in 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 are usually made of several plastic components. For the production of these components and parts, various manufacturing methods are sometimes used. The disadvantage of differently manufactured components, however, is that they have different manufacturing tolerances and so when assembling the components always the largest tolerances are crucial.

In general, the battery compartment or the battery door of an ITE hearing aid is manufactured as an injection molded part. The battery compartment engages in a so-called faceplate, which together with the hearing aid shell in an RSM process (Rapid Shell Manufacturing), in particular in a SLA (Stereo Lithography Apparatus), as an integrated faceplate, ie as RSM or SLA Part, is formed. However, the tolerances of these two production methods (injection molding and SLA) are different by a factor of ten. Thus, a defined locking of the battery compartment is difficult or almost impossible.

Specifically, an RSM (SLA) method, which is used to manufacture the IdO shells or integrated faceplates, has a fault tolerance of 0.1 to 0.3 mm. In contrast, battery doors are usually called injection molded parts with a Fault tolerance made of about 0.02 mm. In many cases, this difference in tolerance results in the battery flap not exactly matching the locking system of the RSM shell. So on some devices, the battery door is very easy to open and close, while in other devices is very difficult. Basically, however, this problem always occurs when the hearing devices RSM (SLA) parts and injection molded parts meet.

Document EP 0 681 412 A2 discloses a control unit for a channel hearing device (CIC) which additionally accommodates a battery of the hearing device in part. In addition, the control unit also serves as a cover. This is to achieve a reduction of the size. The cover member of the control unit is pivotable about an axis and snaps when closing in a recess of the hearing aid housing.

The object of the present invention is thus to propose a hearing device in which the different fault tolerances of the different production methods affect the functionality of the battery door less.

According to the invention, this object is achieved by a hearing device with a shell which has a battery opening, and a battery flap, which is injection molded from a plastic, for closing the battery opening, as well as a module, which is also injection-molded from a plastic, on which the battery flap can be pivoted is mounted and which has a latching mechanism by which the battery door for releasing a pivotal movement in a closed position releasably engages.

Advantageously, both the battery door and the module to which the battery door is pivotally mounted and locks, each as an injection molded part with less Fault tolerance realized. Thus, the functionality of the battery door including the pivoting and latching in a closed position and / or an open position is almost independent of the manufacturing process of the shell or the integrated faceplate. Consequently, the force required to open and close the battery door can be set in a defined manner, whereby the handling of the hearing device is positively influenced.

The battery door can be designed, for example, as a battery compartment. This means that the battery is mechanically held in the battery door, which requires all the more that the locking mechanisms fulfill the given functions, so that, for example, loose contacts can be avoided.

Preferably, the shell of the hearing device has a guide parallel to the battery opening, on / in which the module, which has a suitable guide element according to the tongue and groove principle, is pushed. For this tongue and groove guide different spring tolerances between shell and module are less important because the module by the user does not need to be removed, whereas the battery door is operated by the user of the hearing.

According to a further preferred embodiment, the latching mechanism is disposed radially closer to the pivot axis of the battery door than at the free end relative to the pivot axis battery door. This has the advantage that the module can be made relatively small and enough space for the battery during the pivoting movement or during insertion / removal remains.

Furthermore, the latching mechanism may have a notch in the module and a latching lug on the battery door. In principle, a notch in the battery door and a detent on the module can also be provided vice versa. The battery door may also have a tab into which a bearing pin engages to form the pivot bearing. This tab can be combined with the locking mechanism by the tab having an end portion which engages in the closed position of the battery door in a first recess and in an open position of the battery door in a second recess. Alternatively, the tab may have a gate with two separate recesses, so that a projection on the module in the closed position snaps into a first of the recesses and in an open position into a second of the recesses. This double function of the pivot bearing, in which the latching mechanism is arranged directly on the pivot axis, the module can be made even smaller.

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

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

2 shows a section through a hearing device according to a first embodiment transversely to the pivot axis of the battery door;

3 shows a section through the hearing device of FIG 2 parallel to the pivot axis and

4 shows a section through a hearing device according to a second embodiment of the present invention transverse to the pivot axis.

The embodiments described in more detail below represent preferred embodiments of the present invention. A first embodiment of a hearing aid according to the invention is shown in fragmentary form in FIG. Specifically, a pivotally mounted battery flap 10 is shown in cross-section to the pivot bearing pin 11 in FIG. The battery door 10 has a tab 12 with a circular hole 13 into which the pivot bearing pin 11 is received to form the pivot bearing. The pivot bearing pin 11 is part of a module 14, or firmly anchored in this. The module 14 has a groove 15 with which it is attached to a RSM shell 16. Of the RSM shell which forms the hearing aid shell, only one piece left and right of the battery door 10 is shown in FIG.

Furthermore, the battery door 10 has a projection 17 which extends on the underside of the battery door 10 in a tangential direction relative to the pivot bearing 11, 13. This projection 17 has on its rear side, the side facing away from the viewer of Fig. 2 a nose 18 (see FIG 3). This is together with the projection 17 part of a locking mechanism with which the battery door 10 is locked or engaged in the closed position shown in FIG. The battery door 10 then covers the battery opening 20 located in the RSM shell 16 in this closed position. To open the battery door 10, it has at the pivot bearing 11, 13 opposite, free end an undercut 19. The hearing aid wearer can then, for example, with his fingernail on the undercut 19 begin to open the battery door 10.

In Figure 3, the portion of the battery door 10 of FIG 2 in the section III-III that is parallel to the pivot bearing 11, 13 is shown. The module 14 is located in the battery opening 20. It has on both sides in each case a groove 15 into each of which a spring 21 of the hearing aid or RSM shell 16 protrudes. The module 14, including the battery flap 10 pivotally mounted thereon, is assembled pushed on the springs 21. Since these have relatively large tolerances compared to the injection molding due to the RSM manufacturing process, they are to be dimensioned so that despite the tolerances always a solid frictional connection between RSM shell 16 and module 14 is. The tolerances of the grooves 15 of the injection-molded module 14 hardly play a role. Depending on how large the springs 21 fail during manufacture, more or less large forces are required for pushing the module 14 onto the springs 21. These different forces are not disturbing during assembly, whereas different forces would be disturbing when handling the battery door by the hearing aid wearer.

For latching the battery door 10 in the closed position, the flap 10 has the already mentioned projections 17 each with lugs 18. The lugs 18 engage in recesses 22 of the module 14, when the battery door is closed. Since both the module 14 and the battery door 10, including the projections 17 and lugs 18, are injection molded, these components all have the same low fault tolerance of about 0.02 mm. Therefore, latching of the battery door 10 to the module 14 is practically possible with always the same force.

A second embodiment of the hearing device with battery flap module according to the invention, which is produced by injection molding, is shown in FIG. The representation again corresponds to a section perpendicular to the pivot bearing 11, 13. Most components of this embodiment correspond to those of the embodiment of FIG 2. They are provided with the same reference numerals and reference is made to the description of FIG 2 in terms of their function. In the embodiment of FIG 4, however, the locking mechanism consists of a link 23 which is formed in the module 14 as a recess. She owns one The locking mechanism also includes a protruding portion 26 of the tab 12. This protruding portion 26 engages the first recess 24 when the battery door 10 in the closed position as shown in FIG 4 is located. If the battery door 10 is pivoted into an open position, the projecting portion 26 of the tab 12 is pressed into the second recess 25 of the link 23 and engages there. This leaves the battery door 10 in a defined open position. Since the latching or locking mechanism is located very close to the pivot bearing 11, 13, the module 14 can be made very small.

The two embodiments above show the principle according to the invention, according to which the closure mechanism is displaced from the front part of the battery flap 10 to the rear. The locking mechanism may be located in the frame of the injection molded module. Thus, the locking mechanism can be manufactured with the same method as the rest of the module 14. Consequently, the sprayed parts can be tuned better and more accurately, because the error tolerances are the same for the components involved. Specifically, this means that the locking mechanism of the battery compartment is completely disconnected from the shell. Thus, the battery door can be closed and opened easily. But advantages not only come from the end user, but also from the manufacturing process, since it is not necessary to coordinate two different production processes with two different fault tolerances. Ultimately, the quality of the hearing device or the hearing aid increases.

Claims

claims

1. Hearing device with a shell (16) having a battery opening (20), and a battery flap (10) which is injection molded from a plastic, for closing the battery opening (20), characterized by - a module (14), - which is also injected from a plastic,

- At which the battery door (10) is pivotally mounted and

- Which has a latching mechanism (18, 22), by means of which the battery door for releasably locking a pivoting movement in a closed position engages.

2. Hearing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the battery flap (10) is designed as a battery compartment.

3. Hearing apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the shell (16) has a guide (21) parallel to the battery opening (20), on / in which the module (14), according to the tongue and groove principle, a suitable guide element (15) owns, is pushed.

4. Hearing apparatus according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the latching mechanism (18, 22) radially closer to the pivot axis of the battery door (10) than at the free end relative to the pivot axis of the battery door (10) is arranged.

5. Hearing apparatus according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the latching mechanism (18, 22) has a notch in the module

(14) and a detent on the battery door (10).

6. Hearing apparatus according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the battery flap (10) has a tab (12) into which a bearing pin (11) engages to form the pivot bearing.

7. Hearing device according to claim 6, wherein the tab (12) has an end portion (26) in the closed position of the battery flap (10) in a first recess (24) and in an open position of the battery door (10) in a second recess ( 25) locks.

8. Hearing device according to claim 6, wherein the tab (12) has a gate with two separate recesses, so that a projection on the module in the closed position engages in a first of the recesses and in an open position in a second of the recesses.