EP2753102A1

EP2753102A1 - Hearing aid with an in-the-ear component

Info

Publication number: EP2753102A1
Application number: EP13150420.1A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Lars Steen Christensen; Dennis Presutti; Martin Larsen
Original assignee: Oticon AS
Current assignee: Oticon AS
Priority date: 2013-01-07
Filing date: 2013-01-07
Publication date: 2014-07-09

Abstract

Hearing aid component with a shell (ear mould) and a receiver (10) arranged in the shell is provided. The hearing aid component further comprises a suspension that holds the receiver (10) in the shell in place, wherein the suspension is made from sound isolating, resilient material and is formed to sound-isolate the receiver (10) from the shell.

Description

The invention refers to hearing aids having an in-the-ear or in-the-canal component, wherein the component comprises a receiver that is a loudspeaker.
Hearing aids featuring an in-the-ear or in-the-canal component are known as receiver-in-the-ear (RITE) hearing aids having an in-the-ear component and a behind-the-ear component. Other hearing aids having in-the-ear components are completely in-the-canal hearing aids having no component outside the ear canal, although even completely in-the-canal hearing aids may be wirelessly linked to further devices, such as a remote control, a telephone or other audio streaming device.
In order to achieve a good fit in the ear canal and good sound characteristics, in-the-ear components of a hearing aid may be provided with a custom-made shell having an outer geometry that corresponds to the geometry of an individual ear canal. Such a customized shell is also called an earmould. The earmould comprises the receiver (loudspeaker) and, depending on the type of the hearing aid, further electric and electronic components.
The invention aims to provide a solution that allows for good sound characteristics in a hearing aid component with a customized shell.
According to the invention, this aim is achieved by a hearing aid with a shell and a receiver arranged in the shell, wherein the hearing aid further comprises a suspension that holds the receiver in the shell in place. The suspension is made from sound isolating, resilient material and is formed to sound isolate the receiver from the shell. The suspension mechanically connects the receiver to the shell.
Thus it is possible to provide an effective suspension for the receiver where the receiver is suspended in a soft material with rubber-like properties to reduce vibrations otherwise being transferred between receiver and shell. The Integration of well defined features (walls) into the ear mould which support the soft suspension allow the achievement of same or similar acoustical characteristics in all individually shaped ear moulds even if they are shaped with different geometry.
Vibrations that are transferred between receiver and shell can cause feedback and affect a feedback margin.
Preferably, the suspension at least partially encloses the receiver.
It is further preferred that the suspension comprises one or more support elements that are shaped to contact a support structure of the shell and that are integrally formed with the suspension. In this respect, it is particularly preferred that the support element or the support elements of the suspension are shaped to form a plurality of gaps between the receiver and those portions of each support element that contact the shell's support structure.
The shell, on the other side, preferably has a customized outer shape and a standard inner shape with a support structure for the suspension. Preferably, the support structure comprises a wall extending in a plane that is orientated transversely with respect to a longitudinal direction of the receiver and that has a central opening with an inward-facing circumferential abutting face contacting and holding the suspension, in particular the support element or support elements of the suspension.
In one embodiment, the suspension is one unitary piece made of soft plastic material. Alternatively, the suspension may comprise two distinct parts that preferably each are made from soft or resilient plastic material.
In the latter case, the suspension may comprise a rear member attached to a proximal end of the receiver and having a radially extending support element integrally formed with the rear member and contacting the shell's support structure. Thus, the receiver is circumferentially held at its periphery.
It is particularly preferred if the support element comprises a plurality of arch-shaped support extensions, each having an apex in a radial direction that connects to the support structure. Thus, each arch-shaped support extension defines a gap between the receiver and those portions of the support element that contact the shell's support structure and each arch-shaped support extension can act as a spring having some resiliency that allows to dissipate vibration energy and that generates a press-fit with the support structure of the shell.
The suspension may further comprise a front member attached to a distal end of the receiver, where a receiver sound outlet is placed. The front member of the suspension then may have a hollow sound duct arranged in front of the receiver sound outlet. The hollow sound duct preferably has a distal end that is configured to connect to a sound tube of the hearing aid. In the hearing aid, the sound tube will be connected to the sound duct of the suspension and will extend through an opening of the hearing aid's shell. The sound tube preferably is made from a plastic material that is harder than the plastic material of the suspension.
The invention and in particular the preferred embodiments of the invention address a plurality of aspects, i.a.

flexible (individual) geometry,
individual spout and spout (sound outlet) orientation,
small size,
potential feedback.

Flexible geometry:

In the new solution, the speaker can be placed freely in the ear canal and do not need to be perpendicular to the faceplate. One can choose between a straight front suspension or
an angled front suspension when doing the modeling for maximum flexibility. The increased flexibility is expected to result in smaller moulds.

Feedback Margin:
The feedback issue is addressed by using a suspension. The split into a front and a rear suspension member allows easier handling and more simple molding tools for the suspension members.
The invention allows placing the speaker into well-defined geometry in an ear mould with non well-defined and different geometry and thereby achieving identical vibration and acoustical response in different ear moulds.
This is further improved by having a stiff sound tube on the front suspension member making the connection from the speaker to the shell inner wall, so the speaker will vibrate with the same frequencies with different lengths of the tube.
The rear suspension member is supported by a circumferential support structure of the shell with the same opening in all ear moulds always oriented the same way relative to the speaker.
The mount of the speaker in the custom mould may also be accomplished in a unitary suspension. In such embodiment, the flexible suspension member between the receiver and the wall of the custom-made shell part is shaped a little different, but according to the same principle: A soft material forming an array of support extension that extend between the receiver and a wall arranged in the custom-made ear mould (shell) part perpendicular to the receiver's longitudinal axis. The suspension extensions unite at the receiver in a sleeve which surrounds the receiver and encapsulates an end part of the receiver housing.
The custom-made shell parts are designed manually according to a digital model of the ear and ear canal. Thus, the support structure, which is manufactured along with the shell by means of stereolithography, may be placed to arrange the receiver at a convenient spot within the shell.
It is particularly preferred if the hearing aid component is an in-the-ear component of a receiver-in-the-ear (RITE) hearing aid. Such component may have an improved feedback margin, for instance + 5dB and an improved droptest performance, for instance 150 cm, meaning that the component may drop 150 cm without sustaining damage detrimental to its performance.
The component may be realized as a compact version (focus on size) and a flexible version with a connector integrated in the cover for easy exchange of wire length.
The invention shall now be illustrated in more detail by way of example and with respect to the Figures. In the Figures:

Fig. 1: shows a hearing aid receiver partly enclosed by a suspension connected to a support structure of a hearing aid shell in a cross-sectional view;
Fig. 2: is a cross-sectional view of an entire hearing aid shell and the major mechanical components placed therein, such as the suspension, the receiver and the sound tube illustrating the arrangement of these components within the hearing aid shell;
Fig. 3: is a rear plane view of the receiver, the suspension and the support structure of the shell;
Fig. 4: is a cross-sectional view of an alternative embodiment of an in-the-ear component of a hearing aid showing the major mechanical components of the hearing aid component;
Fig. 5: is a perspective view of the two parts of a two-part suspension for a hearing aid receiver;
Fig. 6: is a cross-sectional view of an alternative single-part suspension for a hearing aid receiver,
Fig. 7: is a cross-sectional view of the alternative suspension alone,
Fig. 8: is a cross-sectional view of the alternative suspension seen from the ear side,
Fig. 9: is a cross-sectional view of the shell, suspension and receiver in a 3d projectional view.

In Fig. 1, a receiver 10 is partially enclosed by two parts of a suspension 12. The suspension 12 comprises a rear member 14 attached to a rear portion of receiver 10 and a front member 16 attached to a front portion of receiver 10.
Rear member 14 of suspension 12 comprises a support element 18 that extends in a radial direction with respect to a receiver's longitudinal axis. Support element 18 features a plurality of arch-shaped support extensions 20 that each has an apex in a radial direction that contacts a support structure 22 of the shell; cf. Fig. 3.
The support structure 22 of shell 24 (see Fig. 2) is a wall that is arranged within customized shell 24. The wall has a central opening with an inward-facing circumferential abutting face 26 that contacts and holds the arch-shaped support extensions 20 and thus the rear member 14 of suspension 12. Such a wall may easily be produced integrally with the shell 24 in SLA or similar techniques for generating solid objects according to digital representations thereof.
Due to the arc-shaped support extensions 20, a plurality of gaps 28 are defined, that are arranged between the receiver and those portions of the support element that contact the shell's support structure 22. The gaps can be seen in Fig. 3. Thus, each arch-shaped support extension 20 acts as a spring that has some resiliency which allows dissipation of vibration energy and which generates a press-fit with the abutting face 26 of the support structure 22.
Because rear member 14 of suspension 12 is formed as a pocket-like sleeve 15 that can be easily slipped over the receiver 10, mounting of the receiver with the suspension 12 is easy.
Front member 16 of suspension 12 has a similar pocket-like shape with a front end 30. Front end 30 has a central opening, which is in direct communication with the receiver's sound output opening (not disclosed in the figures). From the opening of the front end 30, a sound duct 32 extends that is unitary formed with front member 16. At the distal end of sound duct 32, a sound tube 34 is provided that is made from a material that is stiffer than the material of the front member 16 and thus the sound duct 32.
The sound tube 34 extends through sound outlet port in the shell 36 (see Fig. 4). Thus, the stiff sound tube 34 attached to the sound duct 32 of the front suspension member 28 provides the connection between the receiver and the shell. The tube 34 may be glued into the opening in the shell and excess length of tubing may be simply cut off with a sharp implement. This construction allows the receiver's speaker to vibrate with the same frequencies with different lengths of the sound tube 34 without transferring this vibration to the shell.
While Fig. 1 shows the principles of the embodiment according to Figs. 1 to 5 in a more general representation, Fig. 2 is providing a cross-sectional view of a hearing aid component with an earmould 24, wherein the receiver 10 is mounted by means of suspension 12 having two suspension members 14 and 16, as described above. Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the plane of the support element 18 of suspension 12.
In Fig. 4, a hearing aid with an earmould 24 is depicted that differs not substantially from the earmold shown in Fig. 2. However a lid element or cover is disclosed, which is connected to a tubing wherein leads for feeding the audio signal to the receiver are provided. Fig. 5 is a perspective presentation of the two members of a two-piece suspension 12.
Figs. 6, 7, 8 and 9 illustrate an alternative embodiment with a suspension 12' that is made as a unitary piece. In this hearing aid all components are supposed to be enclosed by the earmould 24, and thus the battery, the microphone and antenna systems, the circuitry and the amplifier should all be in the earmould, but as these elements are well known to the skilled artisan they are not enclosed in the drawing.
In Fig. 6, a cross-sectional view of an earmould with a single unitary suspension is shown. Receiver 10 is placed within suspension 12' that in turn is placed in earmould 24'.
Fig. 7 is a cross-sectional view of the alternative suspension 12' alone. As can be seen, suspension 12' also features a sound duct 32'. However, sound duct 32' is configured to directly abut at an inner wall of shell 24' so that no additional sound tube is necessary.
Further, support extensions 20' are formed on the same unitary suspension 12' that also has the sound duct 32'. As can be taken from Figs. 6 and 7, support extensions 20' are provided as parts of the sleeve 15' that are widened with respect to the perimeter of the receiver 10, so that these parts that form the support extensions 20' define gaps 28' between the receiver 10 and those portions of support extensions 20' that abut the inward-facing circumferential abutting face 26' of the shell's 24' support structure 22'. Thus, the widened parts 20' of the sleeve 15' form the suspension 12'.
Fig. 8 is a section through a hearing aid with a custom made shell but viewed from the ear side. The receiver 10' is suspended by the support suspensions 20', which abuts the ear molds support structure 22'. The support structure extends in a plane transversely to the length axis of the receiver 10. The structure 22, 22' may not necessarily extend the whole plane transversely to the receiver axis, but it should surround the receiver on all sides, and be firmly connected to shell or earmould 24, 24'. As seen in fig. 9 the sound duct 32' is formed unitary with the support suspension 12' and the duct 32' is made short such that the receiver 10 may be place close to the tip of the earmould 24'. This ensures that there is room in the remaining parts of the shell all the other parts of the hearing aid.

List of reference numerals

10: receiver
12: suspension
14: rear member
14: suspension member
15: sleeve
16: front member
16: suspension member
18: support element
20: arch-shaped support extensions
22: support structure
24: shell
24: earmould
26: inward-facing circumferential abutting face
28: gap
28: front suspension member 28
30: front end
32: sound duct
34: sound tube
36: shell

Claims

Hearing aid component with a shell (ear mould) (24,24') and a receiver (10) arranged in the shell (24,24'), said hearing aid further comprising a suspension (12,12') that holds the receiver (10) in the shell (24,24') in place, said suspension (12,12') being made from sound isolating, resilient material and being formed to sound-isolate the receiver (10) from the shell (24,24').
Hearing aid component according to claim 1, wherein the shell (24,24') has a customized outer shape and standard inner shape with a support structure (22,22') for the suspension (12,12').
Hearing aid component according to claim 1, wherein the support structure (22,22') comprises a wall extending in a plane that is orientated transversely with respect to a longitudinal direction of the receiver (10) and that has a central opening with an inward-facing circumferential abutting face (26,26') contacting and holding the suspension (12,12').
Hearing aid component according to claim 2 or 3, wherein the suspension (12,12') comprises a support element (18,18') integrally formed with the suspension (12,12') and configured to contact the shell's (24) support structure (22,22'), wherein the support element (18,18') is shaped to form a plurality of gaps (28,28') between the receiver (10) and those portions of the support element (18,18') that contact the shell's (24) support structure (22,22').
Hearing aid component according to one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the suspension (12,12') is a unitary piece made from plastic material.
Hearing aid component according to one of claims 2 to 4, wherein the suspension (12) comprises at least two separate parts including a rear member (14) attached to a proximal end of the receiver (10) and having a radially extending support element (18) integrally formed with the rear member (14) and contacting the shell's (24) support structure (22).
Hearing aid component according to claim 6, wherein the support element (18) comprises a plurality of arc-shaped support extensions (20), each having an apex in a radial direction that connects to the support structure (22).
Hearing aid component according to claim 7, wherein the rear member (14) comprises a sleeve (15) surrounding the receiver's (10) proximal portion and wherein each arc-shaped support extension (20) includes a gap (28) arranged between the sleeve (15) and the respective arc element.
Hearing aid component according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the suspension (12) comprises a front member (16) attached to a distal end of the receiver (10) where a receiver's (10) sound outlet is placed, said front member (16) having a hollow sound duct (32).
Hearing aid component according to claim 9, wherein the sound duct (32) has a distal end that is configured to connect to a sound tube (34) and wherein the hearing aid comprises a sound tube (34) that is connected to the sound duct (32) and that extends through an opening of the shell (36).
Hearing aid component according to claim 10, wherein the sound tube (34) is made from a material that is stiffer than the material of the suspension (12).