JP2009267582A - Drying case for hearing aids - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To solve problems that a material having absorbed water is required to be exchanged when water of saturating amount is absorbed since the material has to be taken and thermal process has to be performed with high heat when the material having absorbed water is dried after hearing aids are dried, and that further high heat is applied to the hearing aids for renewing the material having absorbed water while the hearing aids are in a drying case. <P>SOLUTION: In a box formed by a case body 2 and a cover body 1, an absorbent, a hearing aids fixing portion, a heat conductive portion, a heater 6, a power source, and hearing aids 5 are provided. The absorbent 7 includes a function of absorbing excess water in the hearing aids, supplies electricity from the power source to the heater, generates heat, and heats the absorbent with the cover body being removed from the case body, thereby enabling water absorbed to be sent outside. Since zeolite used here has behavior of sending water absorbed at approximately 40°C, no damage is delivered to the hearing aids even they are heated. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2010,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to regeneration of a moisture adsorbent in a drying case for a hearing aid and charging of the hearing aid.

Conventional dry cases for hearing aids include silica gel as a material that adsorbs moisture in the dry case (see, for example, Patent Document 1). The conventional hearing aid drying case of FIG. 7 has a main body 19 and an upper lid 18, and silica gel is used for the upper lid 18 as a material that adsorbs moisture. Also, there is a hearing aid body in which a resin supporting silver is kneaded with resin and antibacterial processed (see, for example, Patent Document 2). Another charging system is a non-contact charging system, which can be charged simply by placing a hearing aid in the charging case. In addition, it can be used for about 24 hours with 8 hours of full charge. Moreover, the charging case has a heater, and has a function of raising the temperature in the case during charging and drying the hearing aid.
JP-A-9-108025 Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 9-093699

  However, in the conventional configuration, after drying the hearing aid, when the material adsorbing moisture was dried, the material had to be taken out and heat-treated at high heat. It had the subject that it was necessary to exchange if it absorbed. Furthermore, in order to regenerate the material that has adsorbed moisture while the hearing aid is placed in a dry case, the hearing aid is subjected to high heat.

  The present invention solves the above-described conventional problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus for regenerating a material that has adsorbed moisture while the hearing aid is placed in a dry case.

  In order to solve the conventional problem, the hearing aid drying case of the present invention includes a desiccant and a drying body provided with a heat transfer portion on the outer periphery of the desiccant, a hearing aid fixing portion and the drying body as a heat transfer portion The dry body is held in contact with all or part of the hearing aid fixing part, and the dry body and the hearing aid fixing part are stored in a case.

  This configuration not only removes the moisture inside the hearing aid while the hearing aid is in the hearing aid drying case, but also removes moisture from the dried body by heating the heat transfer section and throws away the moisture in the circulation part of the hearing aid drying case. be able to.

  In the hearing aid drying case of the present invention, a hearing aid having a secondary battery is accommodated in the hearing aid drying case, and when the hearing aid comes into contact with a dielectric device, the battery is supplied to the hearing aid.

    With this configuration, the hearing aid can be charged while the hearing aid is placed in the hearing aid drying case.

  The hearing aid drying case of the present invention can absorb the moisture adhering to the hearing aid while the hearing aid is placed in the drying case, reproduce the moisture adsorbed material in the drying case, and charge the hearing aid in the drying case. You can

(Embodiment 1)
The characteristics of the zeolite used in the present invention will be described. Since zeolite can adsorb and release water molecules in the micropores, it is used for dehydration of organic solvents and humidity control. The zeolite used in the present invention can regenerate the ability to adsorb moisture at a low temperature of about 40 ° C.

  In addition to water molecules, it is supposed to adsorb gas molecules such as formaldehyde, so it is also expected to prevent deodorization and sick house syndrome. When the zeolite of the present invention is used, a further effect of adsorbing odorous components such as sweat exuding on the outer ear can be expected.

  On the other hand, silica gel, which has been conventionally used as a material for adsorbing moisture in hearing aids, requires a high temperature for regeneration. For example, fry in a frying pan. Or it heats with a microwave oven.

Next, the shape of the zeolite will be described. Since zeolite is a powder, it can be processed into various shapes. Therefore, the shape can be processed according to the dry case. In addition, there is a processing method for increasing the specific surface area of zeolite so that moisture can be efficiently adsorbed in a limited space. For example, it can be processed into a shape having a large surface area such as a honeycomb structure.
(Embodiment 2)
Next, the relationship between the operation guarantee temperature of the hearing aid and the range in which the water adsorption property of zeolite is good will be described. The operation guarantee temperature of the hearing aid is 0 ° C to 40 ° C. On the other hand, the temperature required for releasing the moisture adsorbed by the zeolite to the outside and regenerating the moisture adsorption capacity is about 40 ° C.

Therefore, even if heat for regenerating zeolite is applied to the hearing aid, the hearing aid is not damaged.
(Embodiment 3)
DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS A hearing aid drying case of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of the hearing aid drying case of the present invention. The hearing aid drying case is composed of an adsorbent 7 (zeolite in the present invention), a hearing aid fixing part 3, a heat conducting part 4, a heater 6, a power supply 8, and a hearing aid 5 in a box composed of a case body 2 and a lid body 1. have.

  The heat conducting unit 4 is on the heater 6. Electricity is supplied to the heater 6 from a power source, and electricity is converted into heat energy in the heater 6. There is an adsorbent 7 on the upper surface of the heat conducting unit 4, and the heat energy of the heat conducting unit 4 can be transmitted to the adsorbent 7.

  A hearing aid fixing portion 3 is provided on the upper surface of the adsorbent body 7, and a hole of a size that allows the hearing aid 5 to be attached and detached is formed. The hearing aid 5 is placed in a hearing aid drying case so that the lid body 1 and the case body 2 can be tightened.

  Next, the operation of the hearing aid drying case will be described. The hearing aid 5 is housed in a hearing aid drying case after being worn by a human or when not being worn.

  After a human wears the hearing aid 5, the amount of water retained inside the hearing aid 5 is often greater than the amount of outside air due to moisture transpiration associated with human skin breathing.

  There is an adsorbent 7 for adsorbing excess moisture inside the hearing aid. Since the adsorbent 7 is a moisture adsorbent mainly composed of zeolite, when the hearing aid 5 is housed in a hearing aid drying case and the case body 2 and the lid body 1 are tightened, the moisture in the hearing aid 5 is absorbed by the adsorbent 7. The amount of water in the hearing aid 5 is reduced.

  Next, a method for regenerating the adsorbent 7 will be described.

  Heat is applied to the adsorbent 7 that has absorbed moisture to release the moisture retained in the adsorbent 7 to the outside from the hearing aid drying case, the heater 6 is heated, and the thermal energy is transmitted to the heat conduction unit 4. When the adsorbent 7 is heated, the moisture held in the adsorbent 7 is released to the outside. When this operation is performed, the lid body 1 and the case body 2 are not tightened.

When the hearing aid 5 performs the operation of releasing moisture to the outside, it is preferable to release moisture without putting it in the hearing aid drying case. However, the hearing aid 5 may be held in the hearing aid drying case. Since the lid body 1 is separated from the case body 2, the moisture desorbed from the adsorbent body 7 is released to the outside. In FIG. 1, the power supply 8 and the heater 6 are fixed. However, the power supply 8 may not be fixed as long as it can supply electricity to the heater 6. For example, a dielectric may be used and the heater 6 may be heated.
(Embodiment 4)
Next, a hearing aid drying case having a non-contact charging function according to the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

  FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of a hearing aid drying case having a non-contact charging function according to the present invention. A hearing aid drying case having a non-contact charging function has an adsorbent body 7 (zeolite in the present invention), a heat conducting section 4, a coil built-in section 12, and a heater 6 in a box composed of a case body 2 and a lid body 1. And a hearing aid 5.

  Among the hearing aids 5 are a charging transformer secondary winding 10 and a hearing aid battery 11.

  In the coil built-in portion 12, there is a primary transformer winding 13 for charging, and electricity is supplied from the power supply 8 through the charging switch 12. On the upper surface of the coil built-in portion, there is a positioning guide so that the gap between the charging transformer secondary winding 10 and the charging transformer primary winding 9 built in the hearing aid 5 is constant.

  The heat conducting unit 4 is on the upper surface of the heater 6, and electricity is supplied to the heater 6 from the power supply 8 through a heater switch, and the electricity is converted into heat energy in the heater 6. There is an adsorbent 7 inside the heat conducting unit 4, and the heat conducting unit 4 has a structure that can transfer the thermal energy received from the heater 6 to the adsorbent 7.

  The adsorbing body 7 has a space inside, and when the hearing aid 5 is placed on the positioning guide on the upper surface of the coil built-in portion 12, a space is formed between the hearing aid 5 and the adsorbing body 7. The body 1 and the body case 2 are arranged so as to be tightened.

  Next, the operation of the hearing aid drying case having a charging function will be described.

  After a human wears the hearing aid or when the hearing aid is not worn, the hearing aid 5 is stored in a hearing aid drying case having a charging function.

  After a human wears the hearing aid 5, the amount of water retained inside the hearing aid 5 is often greater than the amount of outside air due to moisture transpiration associated with human skin breathing.

  There is an adsorbent 7 for adsorbing excess moisture inside the hearing aid. Since the adsorbent 7 is a water adsorbent containing zeolite as a main component, the lid 1 is opened from the case main body 2, and then the adsorbent 7 is taken out. Then, when the adsorber 7 is again put in the main body case 2 and the case main body 2 and the lid body 1 are tightened, the moisture in the hearing aid 5 is absorbed by the adsorbent 7 and the moisture in the hearing aid 5 is absorbed. The amount decreases.

  Next, a method for regenerating the adsorbent 7 that has absorbed moisture will be described.

  By applying thermal energy to the adsorbent 7 that has absorbed moisture, the moisture retained in the adsorbent 7 is released from the hearing aid drying case to the outside. When the heater switch 13 is turned on and electricity is supplied from the power source 8 to the heater 6, the heater 6 is heated, the heat energy is transmitted to the heat conduction unit 4, and the adsorbent 7 is heated and held by the adsorbent 7 Moisture is released to the outside. When this operation is performed, the lid body 1 and the case body 2 are not tightened. Since the lid body 1 is separated from the case body 2, the moisture desorbed from the adsorbent body 7 is released to the outside.

  When the hearing aid 5 performs the operation of regenerating the material having adsorbed moisture, it is preferable to release the moisture without putting it in the hearing aid drying case. However, the hearing aid 5 may be held in the hearing aid drying case. In addition, it is desirable that the charging switch 12 is turned off when performing the operation of regenerating the adsorbent that has adsorbed moisture, and it is preferable to release the moisture without charging, but the switch 12 is turned on to charge the battery. You can do it.

  Next, a method for charging the hearing aid battery 11 will be described.

After a human wears the hearing aid 5, the battery capacity of the hearing aid battery 11 is smaller than before wearing. In order to regenerate the battery capacity of the reduced hearing aid battery 11, there are a charging transformer primary winding 9 and a charging transformer secondary winding 10. When the charging switch 12 is turned on, the charging transformer primary winding converts electric energy into magnetic flux energy when electricity is supplied from the power supply 8. The charging transformer secondary winding 10 receives the magnetic flux energy generated by the charging transformer primary winding and converts the magnetic flux energy into electrical energy. The hearing aid battery 11 is charged when electric energy is supplied from the secondary transformer winding 10 for charging.
(Embodiment 5)
A lithium ion secondary battery or a nickel hydride secondary battery is used as the secondary battery for a hearing aid used in the present invention.

  First, a method when using a lithium ion secondary battery will be described.

  As shown in FIG. 3, the charging method of the lithium ion secondary battery detects the voltage drop (−ΔV) that occurs at the end of charging, and ends charging when a certain threshold value is exceeded. Moreover, since the nominal voltage of a lithium ion secondary battery is 3.7V, and the voltage required for a conventional hearing aid is 1.3V to 1.4V, it is stepped down using a DC-DC converter or a regulator.

  Next, a method when using a nickel metal hydride secondary battery will be described.

As shown in FIG. 4, the charging method of the nickel metal hydride secondary battery performs constant voltage and constant current control for controlling the charging voltage and the charging current to a predetermined value or less. Moreover, since the nominal voltage of the nickel metal hydride secondary battery is 1.2 V, it can be used for a conventional hearing aid without using a special converter or regulator.
(Embodiment 6)
Next, the non-contact charging method described in the fourth embodiment will be described.

As shown in FIG. 5, a transformer secondary winding 10 is built in the hearing aid body 5 and a transformer primary winding 9 is built in the upper part of the charger, and these two are opposed to each other. The input rectifying and smoothing circuit 14 converts the power source 8 into direct current, the resonant circuit 16 oscillates at a high frequency, transmits the magnetic flux energy generated on the transformer primary side 9 to the transformer secondary side winding 10, and passes through the output rectifier circuit 15 to the hearing aid. The battery 11 is charged.
(Embodiment 7)
The shape of the moisture adsorbent zeolite used in the present invention will be described. Since zeolite is a powder as described in Embodiment 1, it can be processed into various shapes. In the present invention, a honeycomb structure as shown in FIG. 6 or a granular aggregate is used, and the specific surface area of the zeolite is made larger than that of the powder so that moisture can be efficiently absorbed in a limited space. Furthermore, if the zeolite has a honeycomb structure, it is easier to handle than granular silica gel.

  The adsorbent having a honeycomb structure is formed by mixing powdered zeolite with a solid agent and pouring the mixture into a mold having a honeycomb structure. Since the adsorbent can be cut after molding, the adsorbent may be molded at once with a large mold and cut into a size that fits into the case body 2 of FIG.

  Moreover, the hearing aid fixing part of FIG. 1 is a flexible and highly breathable material such as a sponge, and the part for storing the hearing aid has a cut and can be fixed by pushing the hearing aid.

  The part for fixing the hearing aid may be an inverted type of the outer case of the hearing aid so that the hearing aid can be fixed more stably.

  The hearing aid drying case according to the present invention not only dries the main body of the hearing aid but also can charge the hearing aid with the hearing aid inserted in the hearing aid drying case. It is.

Sectional drawing of the hearing aid drying case in Embodiment 3 of this invention Sectional drawing of the hearing aid drying case which has the non-contact charge function in Embodiment 4 of this invention Lithium ion secondary battery charging method diagram according to Embodiment 5 of the present invention Fig. 5 is a charging scheme of a nickel metal hydride secondary battery according to Embodiment 5 of the present invention Configuration diagram of contactless charging according to Embodiment 6 of the present invention Sectional view of honeycomb structure of zeolite in embodiment 7 of the present invention Sectional view of a conventional dry case for hearing aids

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Cover body 2 Case main body 3 Hearing aid fixing | fixed part 4 Heat conduction part 5 Hearing aid 6 Heater 7 Adsorption body 8 Power supply 9 Transformer primary side winding 10 Transformer secondary side winding 11 Hearing aid battery 12 Charging switch 13 Heater switch 14 Coil Built-in unit 15 Primary transformer side rectification / smoothing circuit 16 Primary transformer side resonance circuit 17 Secondary transformer side rectification / smoothing circuit

Claims (5)

A desiccant and a desiccant provided with a heat transfer part on the outer periphery of the desiccant;
The hearing aid fixing part and the dry body are in close contact with the heat transfer part and all or part thereof, and the dry body is held on the outer periphery of the hearing aid fixing part,
The dry hearing aid case, wherein the dry body and the hearing aid fixing part are stored in a case. The hearing aid drying case according to claim 1, wherein the heat transfer section is in close contact with the heater section. 3. The hearing aid drying case according to claim 2, wherein the heat transfer section is connected to a device directly supplied by electricity or in contact with a dielectric heating device. The hearing aid drying case according to claim 1, wherein the desiccant is zeolite, and the zeolite has a honeycomb structure. The hearing aid drying case according to claim 1, wherein a hearing aid having a secondary battery is housed in a hearing aid drying case, and the hearing aid is supplied to the hearing aid when the hearing aid contacts a dielectric device.

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