GB2508127A

GB2508127A - Mechanical hearing aids with slot for ear

Info

Publication number: GB2508127A
Application number: GB1212983.9A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Ilsa Parry
Original assignee: MILTON LLOYD CHARITABLE TRUST
Current assignee: MILTON LLOYD CHARITABLE TRUST
Priority date: 2012-07-20
Filing date: 2012-07-20
Publication date: 2014-05-28
Also published as: GB201212983D0

Abstract

A hearing aid 102 includes a body member 108 that is provided with an elongate aperture 110. The elongate aperture 110 defines a retaining portion 112 of the body member and a sound-wave capturing portion 114 of the body member. The hearing aid is worn by inserting the external ear through the slot, so the retaining portion 112 is between the external ear and the wearers head and the sound-wave capturing portion 114 extends away from the external ear to form a sound-wave capturing extension of the external ear. Two hearing aids may be joined in a facing relationship by a connecting member (106, see figure 2) which is broken before use. A method of wearing a hearing aid is also provided.

Description

FlearinQ Aids

Field of the Invention

The invention relates to hearing aids.

Background to the Invention

Referring to Figure 1, an external ear 10 (which may be referred to as the pinna) of a human comprises a helix 12, anthelix 14 disposed inwardly of the helix, a concha 16, a tragus 18, an external auditory meatus 20, which is the mouth of the canal that leads to the inner ear and is disposed within the concha partially behind the tragus, and a lobe 22.

Known hearing aids typically comprise a body member that fits within the concha 16 or the external auditory meatus 20. Other known hearing aids comprise a body member that is located behind the external ear with a connection running from behind the ear into the external auditory meatus. These hearing aids are relatively sophisticated electronic devices comprising a microphone, amplifier, speaker and battery.

Summary of the Invention

The invention provides a hearing aid as specified in claim 1.

The invention also includes a method of wearing a hearing aid as specified in claim 12.

Brief Description of the Drawings

In order that the invention may be well understood, some examples thereof, which are given by way of example only, will now be described with reference to the drawings in which: Figure 1 shows an external ear on the side of a human head; Figure 2 is a perspective view of an assembly of two hearing aids coupled to one another; Figure 3 is a perspective view of one of the hearing aids of Figure 2 configured for wearing on the left ear of a human being; Figure 4 is a side elevation of the hearing aid shown in Figure 3; Figure 5 is a schematic rear view of the head of a human wearing the hearing aids shown in Figures 1 to 4; Figurc 6 is a schcmatic sidc view corrcsponding to Figurc 5; and Figure 7 is a schematic front view corresponding to Figure 5.

Detailed Description

Referring to Figure 2, an assembly 100 of two hearing aids comprises a hearing aid 102 that is configured to be worn on the left external ear of a human being and a hearing aid 104 configured to be worn on the right external ear of a human being.

The hearing aids 102, 104 are coupled by connecting members 106. The connecting members 106 conveniently maintain the two hearing aids 102, 104 as a pair for packaging and distribution. The connecting members 106 arc configured to be easily broken to allow the hearing aids to be separated for fining to the ears of a human wcarcr.

Referring to Figures 3 and 4, the hearing aid 102 is shown separated from the hearing aid 104 with the connecting members 106 broken away to leave the hearing aid in a condition fit for wear. The hearing aid 102 comprises a body member 108 that is provided with an elongate aperture, or slot, 110. The elongate aperture 110 is configured to receive at least a portion of the helix of the external ear of a human wearer. The elongate aperture 110 divides the arcuate body member to define two portions: a retaining portion 112 and a sound-wave capturing portion 114. The arrangement is such that the hearing aid 102 is worn by seating on the external ear with at least a portion of the helix extending through the elongate aperture 110 in a position in which at least a portion of the retaining portion 112 is between the external ear and the wearer's head and the external ear is between the sound-wave capturing portion 114 and the wearer's head. The sound-wave capturing portion 114 extends away from the external ear to form a sound-wave capturing extension of the external ear.

The body member 108 is an arcuate body member. The body member 108 may curve in two or three dimensions. The body member 108 of the illustrated cxample curves in two dimensions and has a sound-wave capturing portion 114 that is substantially flat in the third dimension. The body membcr 108 curves in its lengthways direction, which corresponds to the lengthways direction of the elongate aperture 110. Across the width of the sound-wavc capturing portion along lincs perpendicular to thc lengthways direction of the elongate aperture 110, the sound-wave capturing portion is substantially flat.

As best seen in Figure 4, the lengthways curvature of the body member 108 is such that it has a crescent shaped profile. In the illustrated example, the hearing aids 102, 104 are asymmetric and are handed. That is to say, one hearing aid is configured for wearing on the left external ear and one is configured for wearing on the right external ear. It is not essential that the hearing aids are handed. Other examples may be symmetric and configured so that each hearing aid of the pair can be worn on either ear. By making the hearing aids 102, 104 handed, it is possible to provide a shapc that is better tailored to the shape of the ear. This provides the possibility of producing a shape that is a better more comfortable fit on the respective ear.

The lengthways curvature of the retaining and sound-wave capturing portions 112, 114 is defined by radii of curvature r measured from an axis 116. The radii of curvature R1, R2 defining the profile of the sound-capturing portion 114 along lines extending parallel to the lengthways direction of the elongate aperture 110 are greater than the radii of curvature r1, r2defining the profile of the retaining portion 112 along lines extending parallel to the lengthways direction of the elongate aperture. Thus, when worn on the external ear, the sound-wave capturing portion 114 is disposed rearwardly of the retaining portion 112. In the illustrated example, the radii of curvature R are substantially constant along lines extending parallel to the axis 116 50 that the curvature of the sound-wave capturing portions is in two dimensions and the part is substantially flat along lines extending perpendicular to the lengthways direction of the elongate aperture 110. For example, Figure 3 shows a line 120 defined by the radii of curvature R1...R that remains substantially constant across the width of the sound-wave capturing portion 114 so that along the line 120 the sound-wave capturing portion is substantially flat. In other examples, the radii of curvature may diminish along at least a portion of the line 120 at positions progressively further away from the elongate aperture 110 so that the sound-wave capturing portion 114 has an arcuate profile along at least a portion of the line 120. This may give the sound-wave capturing portion a hooded aspect.

As best seen in Figure 3, the elongate aperture 110 defines respective connecting portions 122 at its ends that connect the retaining portion 112 to the sound-wave capturing portion 114. The respective radii of curvature i; R of the retaining and sound-wave capturing portions 112, 114 tend towards equality in regions adjacent the connecting portions 122.

Referring to Figures 5 to 7, the hearing aids 102, 104 are shown worn on the left and right external ears 130, 132 of the head 134 of a human wearer. The hearing aid 102 is worn seated on the left ear 130 with a portion of the helix of the ear extending through the elongate aperture 110. The retaining portion 112 of the hearing aid 102 is disposed between the external ear 130 and the wearer's head 134. The retaining portion 112 is in engagement with the side of the external ear 130 that faces the head 134. The sound-wave capturing portion 114 of the hearing aid 102 is disposed adjacent the external ear 130 to form a sound-wave capturing extension of the ear. In the illustrated example the sound-wave capturing portion 114 extends approximately perpendicular to the side of the wearer's head from a position adjacent the helix or anthelix.

In the illustrated example the hearing aids are produced as an integral assembly connected to one another by the connecting portions 106. This is convenient when the hearing aids are handed as it ensures the hearing aids are maintained as pairs during any post-production processing and packaging. However, this is not essential. The hearing aids may be produced as entirely separate parts and packaged together later in pairs. This may be more convenient for the moulding process, particularly in cases in which the hearing aids are not handed.

The assembly 100 may be moulded from any suitable plastics material. For example, the assembly may be moulded from acetal, aeiylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS), polycarbonate, polyethylene or glass reinforced nylon. The assembly may be a one-shot moulding made from a single plastics material or a multi-shot moulding. A multi-shot moulded product may use a generally harder less resilient material for the sound-wave capturing portion and a generally softer more resilient material for the retaining portion. This makes it possible to configure the hearing aid so that some deformation is possible to conform to different sizes and shapes of ear. It is also possible that the retaining portion may comprise a metallic insert encased in plastics material by the moulding process. This provides the possibility, for example, of having the aperture defined by a metallic insert moulded into a polyearbonate body member. The metallic insert may be flexible to permit limited shaping of the hearing aid around the elongate aperture to improve the grip and wearability of the hearing aid.

It is not essential that the hearing aids are made of a plastics material. The hearing aids may be made of metal, for example aluminium, or of glass. In these cases it may be desirable to provide a cover or sheath of a relatively soft material in the region of the elongate aperture in order to protect the external ear. The cover or sheath may be made of an elastomeric material such as silicon rubber. Alternatively, an aluminium or glass sound-wave capturing portion may be combined with a part that includes the elongate aperture and retaining portion that is made a softer more flexible material. In one example, an aluminium part is combined with a plastics part by means of insert moulding technology.

The hearing aids may be configured such that the elongate aperture can only receive a portion of the helix of the wearer's external ear. In such eases, the connecting portion 122 at the lower end of the hearing aid may be disposed between the external ear and the side of the head when worn with the ear lobe disposed outside of the hearing aid.

Alternatively, the hearing aid may be configured so that the elongate aperture is long enough to receive both the helix and the lobe.

In the illustrated example the elongate aperture is sufficiently wide to receive the helix of a wcarer's ear with some slight interference, which is sufficient to hold the hearing aid in place when seated on the ear. To aid this grip the retaining portion or the sound-wave capturing portion adjacent the elongate aperture may be textured. In other examples, a wider aperture may be provided and the retaining portion or the edges of the aperture fitted with a sheath, pads or the like to grip the external ear. The sheath or pads may be made of an elastomeric material such as silicon rubber.

The hearing aids 102, 104 present a simple structure that can be produced economically and fitted without specialist knowledge by the wearer. The configuration of the hearing aids 102, 104 allows them to be worn seated on the ear in a position in which the sound-wave capturing portion extends from the helix or the anthelix so that it is adjacent the concha. Thus, the captured sound-waves are captured at a position that maximises the possibility of their being received and sensed by the internal ear structure. In other examples the hearing aids may be configured so that the sound-wave capturing portion is further forward and disposed directly over the concha.

In the illustrated example the hearing aid is configured such the sound-wave capturing portion is disposed rearwardly of the concha and external auditory meatus when worn so that it will tend to capture sound-waves emanating from sources disposed forwards or forwards and sideways of the ear. In other examples, the hearing aid may be configured so that the sound-wave capturing portion is positioned to capture sound-waves emanating from sources located primarily rearwards, rearwards and sideways, above or below the ear. In an example configured to capture rearwards or rearwards and sideways sound, the hearing aid may be configured so that the sound-wave capturing portion extends from a position adjacent or forwards of the tragus.

Accordingly in some examples, a hearing aid comprises a body member that defines an aperture to receive at least a portion of an external ear of a human wearer, a retaining portion that in use is disposed between a head of the human wearer and a side of said external ear facing said head and a sound-wave capturing portion that extends from a position forwards, above or below an external auditory meatus of said external ear to form an extension of said external ear. The sound-wave capturing portion may extend from a position adjacent a tragus of said extemal ear.

The illustrated example hearing aids are one-piece structures. In other examples, extensions may be provided for fitting to the sound-wave capturing portions. The sound-wave capturing portions and extensions may be provided with complementary formations so that the extensions can be secured to the sound-wave capturing portions by push or snap-fitting.

In the illustrated example the sound-wave capturing portions have substantially smooth surfaces. In other examples formations such as dimples or ribs may be provided to improve the sound-wave capturing or deflecting properties of the hearing aids.

In the illustrated example there is shown a simple hearing aid structure comprising a body with a closed slot that allows the body to be seated on the external ear of a human wearer, the body forming an extension of the external ear that extends away from the external ear to capture sound waves for improved sound-wave collection by the external ear. The hearing aid is formed as one of a connected pair by, for example, moulding. This is efficient from the point of production and packaging, particularly when the hearing aids are handed, since it is not necessary to assemble pairs from a supply of individual hearing aids.

Claims

Claims 1. A hearing aid comprising a body member that is provided with an elongate aperture configured to receive at least a portion of a helix of an external ear of a human wearer, said elongate aperture defining a retaining portion of said body member and a sound-wave capturing portion of said body member and the arrangement being such that the hearing aid is worn seated on said external ear with at least a portion of said helix extending through said elongate aperture in a position in which at least a portion of said retaining portion is between said external ear and said human wearer's head and the external ear is between said wearer's head and said sound-wave capturing portion and said sound-wave capturing portion extends away from said external ear to form a sound-wave capturing extension of said external ear.
2. A hearing aid as claimed in claim I, wherein said body member is an arcuate body member.
3. A hearing aid as claimed in claim 2, wherein said elongate aperture has a length that defines a lengthways direction of said body member and in said lengthways direction said body member has a crescent shaped profile.
4. A hearing aid as claimed in claim 3, wherein said crescent shaped profile is asymmetric.
5. A hearing aid as claimed in claim 3 or 4, wherein the crescent shaped profile of said sound-wave capturing portion is defined by first radii of curvature measured from an axis and the crescent shaped profile of said retaining portion is defined by second radii of curvature measured from said axis and the first radii of curvature of are greater than the second radii of curvature.
6. A hearing aid as claimed in claim 5, wherein said body member defines connecting portions disposed at opposite ends of said elongate aperture that connect said retaining portion with said sound-wave capturing portion and the first and second radii of curvature tend to equality in regions adjacent said connecting portions.
7. A hearing aid as claimed in claim 5 or 6, wherein along lines extending perpendicular to said elongate aperture the first radii of curvature are substantially constant.
8. A hearing aid as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein said body member is a plastics moulding.
9. An assembly comprising two hearing aids as claimed in any one of the preceding claims and at least one connecting member connecting said two hearing aids so as to hold said two hearing aids in a connected relationship.
10. An assembly as claimed in claim 9, wherein said at least one connecting member is breakable to permit separation of said hearing aids for wear.
11. An assembly as claimed in claim 9 or 10, wherein said at least one connecting member extends between the respective retaining portions of said two hearing aids and the arrangement is such that said retaining portions are held in adjacent opposite facing relationship.
12. A method of wearing a hearing aid, said method comprising seating said hearing aid on an external car of a human wearer with at least a portion of an external helix of said human ear received in a slot defined by said hearing aid, a retaining portion of said hearing aid disposed between said external ear and the head of said human wearer and in engagement with said external ear, and a sound-wave capturing portion of said hearing aid extending away from a side of said external ear that faces away from said wearer's head to form a sound-wave capturing extension of said external ear.
13. A method as claimed in claim 12, wherein said sound-wave capturing portion extends substantially perpendicular to said external ear.
14. A method as claimed in claim 12 or 13, wherein said sound-wave capturing portion extends from a position adjacent a helix or anthelix of said external car.
15. A hearing aid substantially as herein described with reference to Figures 3 and 4 of the drawings.