EP3614697A1 - Elastic damping element for a receiver of a hearing device and hearing device comprising such a damping element - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to an elastic damping element (1) for vibration-damping mounting of a receiver (2) within a hearing instrument (3). The damping element (1) comprises a hollow base body (5), from the inner surface (7) of which a plurality of holding projections (6) protrude, each holding projection (6) having a contact surface (8) at its distal end for the receiver (2) to be supported , A recess (9) corresponds to at least one of the holding projections (6) and is formed in alignment with the associated holding projection (6) in an outer surface (10) of the base body (5) to achieve a reduced material thickness.

Description

The invention relates to an elastic damping element for vibration-damping (vibration-damping) mounting of a listener within a hearing instrument. The invention further relates to a hearing instrument with such an elastic damping element.

Devices are generally referred to as “hearing instruments” which record ambient sound, modify them in terms of signal technology and emit a modified sound signal to the hearing of a person wearing the hearing instrument.

A hearing instrument which is designed to care for a hearing-impaired person and which processes, in particular amplifies, acoustic ambient signals in such a way that the hearing damage is compensated for in whole or in part, is referred to here and below as a “hearing aid”. For this purpose, a hearing aid usually comprises an input converter, for example in the form of a microphone, a signal processing unit with an amplifier, and an output converter. The output converter is usually implemented as a miniature loudspeaker and is also referred to as a "receiver".

In addition to hearing aids, there are also hearing instruments that are aimed at the care of normal hearing, to protect the hearing of the wearer or to support sound perception (e.g. understanding speech in complex noise environments) for specific purposes. Such hearing instruments are often constructed in a similar way to hearing aids and include in particular also the above-mentioned components input converter, signal processing and output converter.

In order to meet the numerous individual needs, different types of hearing instruments are available. In so-called BTE hearing instruments (behind-the-ear, also behind-the-ear, BTE for short), a housing equipped with the input converter, signal processing and a battery is worn behind the ear. Depending on the design, the listener can either be arranged directly in the wearer's ear canal (so-called ex-listener hearing instruments or listener-in-the-canal, or RIC hearing instruments for short). Alternatively, the handset is arranged within the housing itself. In this case, a flexible sound tube, also known as a "tube", directs the acoustic output signals of the listener from the housing to the ear canal (tube hearing instruments). With so-called ITE hearing instruments (in-the-ear, also in-the-ear, ITE for short), a housing that contains all the functional components, including the microphone and the receiver, is at least partially worn in the ear canal. So-called CIC (Completely-in-Canal) hearing instruments are similar to ITE hearing instruments, but are worn entirely in the ear canal.

Regardless of the type of construction, a secure and, in particular, vibration-damped or vibration-damped mounting of the listener within the hearing instrument housing is necessary, in particular in order to minimize or avoid the occurrence of acoustic feedback.

In order to achieve effective vibration damping, the receiver of a hearing instrument is usually mounted with individually shaped bearings, which are adapted both to the respective receiver design and to the available space in the hearing instrument and to the required amplification of the hearing instrument. It is common to dampen a listener by means of a rubber band or a rubber bag, which is wrapped around the rear part of the listener, so that bumping into the hard housing wall of the hearing instrument housing is avoided. In addition, listeners are often enclosed in plastic or metal chambers, in order to avoid the transmission of airborne sound within the housing of the respective hearing instrument as far as possible.

As a rule, the mechanical mounting of the receiver takes place essentially by means of a sound tube made of rubber or an elastomer, which acts on the sound outlet of the receiver and also guides the sound generated by the receiver to the outlet of the housing of the hearing instrument. However, the use of the sound tube as a decisive mechanical holder for the listener is disadvantageous in that the various functions of the sound tube, namely the mechanical holding function, the damping function and the sound conduction function, would require contradicting designs of the sound tube and would therefore be difficult to reconcile with one another bring are. For example, a comparatively soft design of the sound tube would be advantageous in the sense of effective vibration damping, but would be disadvantageous for a low-vibration mechanical mounting of the receiver and the sound conduction.

The invention is therefore based on the object of making it possible to mount a receiver securely and effectively in terms of vibration damping within a hearing instrument.

With regard to an elastic damping element, this object is achieved according to the invention by the features of claim 1. With regard to a hearing instrument, the object is achieved according to the invention by the features of claim 8. Advantageous embodiments of the invention are set out in the dependent claims and the description below.

The elastic damping element is used for the vibration-damping mounting of a receiver within a hearing instrument. It comprises a hollow (in particular, but not necessarily self-elastic) base body, from the inner surface of which several elastic holding projections protrude. Each of these retaining projections has a contact surface for the receiver to be supported at a distal end (ie facing away from the inner surface of the base body). According to the invention Corresponds to at least one of the holding projections, a recess which is flush with the holding projection on the outer surface of the base body, so that the damping element in the region of the corresponding holding projection has a reduced material thickness (compared to a corresponding body with a smooth outer wall). As a result of the depression, the corresponding holding projection thus forms an outwardly open hollow shape.

The recess and its specific design make it possible to adapt the damping properties of each holding projection individually, regardless of the material of the damping element and with great flexibility and precision to the vibration behavior of the listener, on the one hand to keep it stable, but on the other hand particularly effective and in the direction of movement damping and intensity of the respective listener type adapted.

In particular, a hollow volume is created through the or each recess into which the material of the holding projection can escape when compressed by the listener. A sound tube coupling the sound output of the receiver to the outside of the housing of the hearing instrument is largely mechanically relieved by the damping element according to the invention and can therefore be better optimized with regard to its sound transmission and damping properties than a conventional sound tube with a load-bearing function. The at least one recess open to the outside also enables, in comparison to damping elements with closed air cushions, simple manufacture of the damping element, for example by injection molding.

Each of the holding projections is preferably formed in the form of a conically shaped knob. The conical knobs hold the receiver floating in the damping element. The friction losses caused by the damping are thus kept low, which in turn enables a high sound power to be achieved at the sound output of the listener.

In an expedient embodiment, the elastic base body is designed as a tube that completely surrounds the listener - preferably with a cross-section that is adapted (e.g., rectangular) to the listener. In other words, the base body is open on two opposite sides. The receiver is preferably inserted into the tubular damping element in such a way that its sound outlet and the opposite rear of the receiver are arranged on the open sides of the damping element. As a result, the listener is only slightly restricted in operation along its main direction of vibration, which is usually parallel to the sound outlet.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, different holding projections of the damping element have a different degree of filling. In this embodiment, the damping element thus comprises at least two holding projections, each of which is wholly or partially hollowed out by a corresponding depression, these depressions having a different depth. This in turn enables a particularly flexible and individual adaptation of each holding projection to the vibration behavior of the listener. In addition to hollow and / or partially filled holding projections, the damping element can also comprise one or more completely filled holding projections, that is to say holding projections without an associated recess, in the area of which the outer wall of the damping element is thus smooth.

The base body and the holding projections preferably consist of an elastomeric material and particularly preferably of a fluorine elastomer and / or a fluorine-silicone elastomer. For example, the base body and / or the holding projections are made of a fluorine elastomer, which is sold by DuPont under the trade name "Viton".

In a suitable embodiment of the invention, the base body and the holding projections are made of the same material, in particular in one piece (monolithic). In an advantageous alternative embodiment, on the other hand, the holding projections are made of a softer material than the base body. The base body and the holding projections are expediently (but not necessarily) in a two-component injection molding process. A combination of metal / elastomer or plastic / elastomer is also conceivable within the scope of the invention.

In the context of the invention, the holding projections can be placed on a continuous (uninterrupted) wall of the base body. In an advantageous alternative embodiment, however, the base body is provided with an opening in the area of at least one holding projection (that is to say an opening extending from the inside to the outside of the base body), the holding projection being inserted into this opening, in particular being injected. This design makes it possible for the holding projection to be able to dive through the wall of the base body when the listener is under stress, which is also particularly favored by the recess on the outside in the region of the holding projection. This mobility of the holding projection or the holding projections makes it possible to design the base body to be comparatively hard and thus stable while at the same time maintaining a high elastic flexibility of the damping element.

The hearing instrument according to the invention comprises a housing, a receiver and the elastic damping element according to the invention in accordance with one of the previously described embodiments. The earpiece is mounted in a vibration-damping manner within the hearing instrument housing by means of the elastic damping element. For this purpose, the listener is surrounded in particular on its outer circumference by the elastic damping element.

The advantages of the individual embodiments described for the damping element according to the invention can be analogously transferred to corresponding embodiments of the hearing instrument according to the invention.

The damping element according to the invention can advantageously be used in hearing instruments of the designs described at the outset, that is to say both in BTE devices and in ITE devices.

Fig. 1

in perspektivischer Darstellung eine erste Ausführungsform eines elastischen Dämpfungselements zur schwingungsdämpfenden Lagerung eines Hörers eines Hörinstrumentes,

Fig. 2

in einem Querschnitt das elastische Dämpfungselement mit dem Hörer gemäß Fig. 1,

Fig. 3 und 4

in Darstellung gemäß Fig. 1 bzw. Fig. 2 das derartige elastische Dämpfungselement mit einem darin gelagerten Hörer,

Fig. 5 und 6

in Darstellung gemäß Fig. 1 bzw. Fig. 2 eine zweite Ausführungsform des elastischen Dämpfungselements mit einem darin angeordneten Hörer,

Fig. 7 und 8

in Darstellung gemäß Fig. 1 bzw. Fig. 2 eine dritte Ausführungsform des elastischen Dämpfungselements mit einem darin angeordneten Hörer,

Fig. 9 und 10

in Darstellung gemäß Fig. 1 bzw. Fig. 2 eine vierte Ausführungsform des elastischen Dämpfungselements mit einem darin angeordneten Hörer,

Fig. 11

in Detaildarstellung analog zu Fig. 6 das dortige Dämpfungselement in einem Ruhezustand und einem durch den Hörer belasteten Zustand, sowie

Fig. 12

in schematischer Darstellung ein Hörinstrument mit einem mittels des elastischen Dämpfungselements gelagerten Hörer.

Exemplary embodiments of the invention are explained in more detail below with reference to a drawing. Show:

Fig. 1

a perspective view of a first embodiment of an elastic damping element for vibration-damping mounting of an earpiece of a hearing instrument,

Fig. 2

in a cross section according to the elastic damping element with the receiver Fig. 1 .

3 and 4

in representation according to Fig. 1 respectively. Fig. 2 the elastic damping element of this type with a receiver mounted therein,

5 and 6

in representation according to Fig. 1 respectively. Fig. 2 A second embodiment of the elastic damping element with a receiver arranged therein,

7 and 8

in representation according to Fig. 1 respectively. Fig. 2 A third embodiment of the elastic damping element with a receiver arranged therein,

9 and 10

in representation according to Fig. 1 respectively. Fig. 2 a fourth embodiment of the elastic damping element with a receiver arranged therein,

Fig. 11

analogous to Fig. 6 the damping element there in a state of rest and in a state stressed by the listener, and

Fig. 12

a schematic representation of a hearing instrument with a receiver mounted by means of the elastic damping element.

Corresponding parts are always provided with the same reference symbols in all figures.

The 1 and 2 show an elastic damping element 1, which for the vibration-damping mounting of a receiver 2 ( Fig. 3 ) within a hearing instrument 3 designed as a hearing device ( Fig. 12 ) serves.

The elastic damping element 1 comprises an elastic, tubular base body 5 made of a fluorosilicone elastomer (in particular "Viton") with an approximately square cross section. The damping element 1 further comprises a plurality of retaining projections 6 in the form of conical knobs which protrude from an inner surface 7 of the base body 5 into the interior space enclosed by it. Each of the holding projections 6 has at its distal end (i.e. facing away from the inner surface 7) a contact surface 8 for the receiver 2 to be supported.

In the embodiment according to the 1 and 2 Corresponds to each holding projection 6, a recess 9, which is made in alignment with the respective holding projection 6 in an outer surface 10 of the base body 5. As a result of the corresponding depressions 9, the holding projections 6 each form a hollow shape which is open toward the outer surface 10 (for example in the manner of a stamped indentation).

According to the 3 and 4 the receiver 2 is inserted as intended in the interior of the damping element 1, so that its outer circumference 11 bears against the contact surfaces 8 of the holding projections 6. The tubular base body 5 of the damping element 1 completely surrounds the side surfaces of the receiver 2. A connector 12 of the receiver 2 for a sound tube and a rear side of the receiver 2 opposite this connector 12, on the other hand, are arranged on the open sides of the tubular base body 5.

The 5 and 6 show a second embodiment of the elastic damping element 1. This differs from that of a single material in one piece Damping element 1 produced according to 1 to 4 in that the base body 5 and the holding projections 6 are made of different materials 13 and 14, respectively. The material 13 used for the base body 5 is harder than the material 14 from which the holding projections 6 are made. In a preferred embodiment, the material 13 and the material 14 are fluorosilicone elastomers (in particular "Viton") with different hardness.

In the execution according to 5 and 6 the base body 5 consisting of the comparatively hard material 13 is provided with openings 15, a holding projection 6 made of the comparatively soft material 14 including the associated recess 9 being injected into each opening 15. The damping element 1 according to 5 and 6 is especially manufactured in a two-component injection molding process.

In the 7 and 8 A third variant of the elastic damping element 1 is shown that according to the type of the embodiment variant according to 1 to 4 is made in one piece from a single material. According to the damping element 1 1 to 4 the embodiment differs according to 7 and 8 but in that the recesses 9 have a different depth. Correspondingly, the corresponding holding projections 6 have a different degree of filling and thus also a different elasticity.

In the example shown, the degree of filling of the holding projections increases towards the bottom, so that the receiver 2 is supported more softly in the upper region of the damping element 1 than in the lower region. The holding projections 6 arranged on an underside 16 of the base body 5 are even completely filled. These holding projections 6 arranged on the underside 16 are therefore not assigned a corresponding depression on the outer surface 8 of the base body 5. Rather, the outer surface 8 is flat in the area of the underside 16. The terms "underside" and "top" and "bottom" only refer to the orientation of the damping element 1 in the drawing and describe no orientation of the damping element 1 in the surrounding space when the damping element 1 is installed in a hearing device 3.

The degree of filling of the individual holding projections 6 is chosen in adaptation to the vibration behavior of the receiver 2 in such a way that a particularly effective acoustic damping of the receiver 2 is achieved, that is to say a transmission of vibrations of the receiver 2 to other components of the receiver 2 and the damping element 1 comprehensive hearing aid 3 is suppressed particularly effectively.

The 9 and 10 show a fourth variant of the elastic damping element 1, in which the design features of the in 5 to 8 Damping elements 1 shown are combined. Specifically, the damping element 1 according to the 9 and 10 the two-component structure of the damping element 1 constructed from the different hard materials 13 and 14 according to FIGS 5 and 6 in combination with the varying degree of filling of the retaining projections 6 of the damping element according to the 7 and 8 on.

Fig. 11 shows with the help of two opposing partial sections similar to Fig. 5 how the retaining projections 6 of the damping element 1 (here exemplarily in the embodiment according to FIG 5 and 6 ) deform when subjected to a load by the vibrating receiver 2 from its rest position (left half of the image) (right half of the image; shown here in an exaggerated manner for illustration). The illustration shows in particular that the holding projections 6 can expand under load over the outer surface 10 of the base body 5, while the base body 5 remains largely dimensionally stable.

Fig. 12 shows a hearing device 3 with a housing 20, in which the receiver 2 mounted in the damping element 1 is installed. The hearing aid 3 further comprises two microphones 21, a battery 22 and a signal processing unit 23.

Through the holding projections 6 of the damping element 1, the receiver 2 is suspended so that it can move comparatively freely in its main direction of vibration, which is parallel to the axis of the base body 5.

The invention is particularly clear from the exemplary embodiments described above, but is nevertheless not restricted to these exemplary embodiments. Rather, further embodiments of the invention can be derived from the claims and the above description.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

1

damping element

2

receiver

3

The hearing instrument

5

body

6

retaining projection

7

Inner surface (of the base body)

8th

contact surface

9

deepening

10

Outer surface (of the base body)

11

Outer circumference (of the handset)

12

connection

13

material

14

material

15

breakthrough

16

bottom

20

casing

21

microphone

22

battery

23

Signal processing unit

Claims (8)

Elastic damping element (1) for vibration-damping mounting of a receiver (2) within a hearing instrument (3), comprising a hollow base body (5), from the inner surface (7) of which a plurality of retaining projections (6) protrude, each retaining projection (6) on its distal one End has a contact surface (8) for the receiver (2) to be supported, and with at least one of the holding projections (6) corresponds to a recess (9) which is aligned with the associated holding projection (6) in an outer surface in order to achieve a reduced material thickness (10) of the base body (5) is formed. Elastic damping element (1) according to claim 1,
wherein the holding projections (6) are each in the form of a conical knob. Elastic damping element (1) according to claim 1 or 2,
wherein the elastic base body (5) is designed as a tube that completely surrounds the receiver (2). Elastic damping element (1) according to one of claims 1 to 3,
a depression (9) formed in the outer surface (10) of the base body (5) corresponds to two holding projections (6), and the depressions (9) have a different depth. Elastic damping element (1) according to one of claims 1 to 4,
wherein the holding projections (6) are formed from a softer material (14) than the base body (5). Elastic damping element (1) according to claim 5,
wherein the base body (5) and the holding projections (6) are formed as a two-component injection molded part. Elastic damping element (1) according to claim 5 or 6,
wherein at least one of the holding projections (6) is inserted, in particular injected, into a corresponding opening (15) in the base body (5). Hearing instrument (3) with a housing (20), with a receiver (2) and with an elastic damping element (1) according to one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the receiver (2) by means of the elastic damping element (1) vibration-damping within the housing (20) is stored.

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