JP7148906B2 - decorative tips for hearing aids - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a decorative chip for decorating hearing aids.

Conventionally, inventions that impart designability to the appearance of hearing aids are publicly known. For example, Patent Literature 1 discloses a hearing aid including a hearing aid body and a design plate detachably attached to the hearing aid body. Patent document 2 discloses a hearing aid including a hearing aid main body and an earring detachably attached to the hearing aid main body.

Utility Model Registration No. 3220492 Utility Model Registration No. 3052579

According to the hearing aid disclosed in Patent Document 1, a design plate having a design applied to the outer surface is detachably attached to the hearing aid main body, thereby enhancing the decorativeness of the hearing aid and facilitating design changes. can be done. In addition, in the hearing aid disclosed in Patent Document 2, the earring can be detachably attached to the hearing aid main body, the decorativeness of the hearing aid can be enhanced, and the earring used can be changed to a different shape. This makes it easy to change the design.

However, in the hearing aid disclosed in Patent Document 1, the design plate engages with the engagement groove located on the inner surface side of the design plate by engaging the engagement projection of the battery door of the hearing aid main body. Therefore, the design plate is, so to speak, the lid of the hearing aid, and is not easily replaceable and is made of the same hard material as the hearing aid body. The decoration of the design plate is applied to the hearing aid itself. It can be said that it is a thing. On the other hand, in the hearing aid disclosed in Patent Document 2, since the earring is attached to the mounting portion protruding from the hearing aid main body, there is a risk that the earring will come off during use. In some cases, it can be said that some wearers are reluctant to add decorativeness to their hearing aids with earrings.

TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention is an improvement of conventional hearing aids, and relates to providing a decorative chip for hearing aids that can add decorativeness to the appearance of hearing aids and can easily change the decorations.

In order to solve the above problems, the present invention relates to a decorative chip for hearing aids.

A decorative tip for a hearing aid having a covering portion covering an outer surface of a hearing aid, comprising a plurality of fastening means arranged between the covering portion and the outer surface of the hearing aid, wherein the covering portion is attached to each fastener. The decorative chip is detachably attached to the hearing aid via an attachment means, and the decorative chip is laminated in order on a base layer made of a thermoplastic resin forming a chip body and an outer surface of the base layer in cross-sectional view. A base layer having adhesiveness to a plastic resin and an aqueous ink, a design layer made of a water-soluble ink forming an upper layer of the base layer, and a hard layer having a photocurable resin forming an upper layer of the design layer. and a top layer containing a brightening agent forming an upper layer of the hard layer, wherein the thickness dimension of the top layer is 3.0 to 5.0 times the thickness dimension of the hard layer. The thickness of the portion of the base material layer located on the outer peripheral rib of the base material is made larger than the thickness of the portion located on the covering portion so that the thickness of the top layer increases from the outer circumference toward the center of the covering portion. The cross-sectional shape of the top layer has a raised shape in which the central portion in the width direction protrudes outward, and the decorative chip has notches corresponding to the sound holes and a battery cover and corresponding notches .

A decorative chip for a hearing aid according to the present invention includes the following embodiments.
(1) The decorative chip, in cross-sectional view, has adhesiveness to a base layer made of a thermoplastic resin that forms a chip body, and to the thermoplastic resin and the water-soluble ink that are laminated in order on the outer surface of the base layer. , a design layer made of water-soluble ink, a hard layer having a photocurable resin, and a top layer containing a brightener.
(2) The thickness dimension of the top layer is 3.0 to 5.0 times the thickness dimension of the hard layer.

A decorative chip for a hearing aid according to the present invention has a covering portion that covers the outer surface of the hearing aid, and is detachably attached to the hearing aid via fastening means positioned between the covering portion and the outer surface of the hearing aid. Therefore, the design can be exhibited even when the hearing aid is viewed from the side or from the rear. In addition, by freely replacing and using decorative chips with different designs, the hearing aid can have a new appearance in terms of design, and the visual value can be enhanced.

The drawings show specific embodiments of the decorative chip for hearing aids according to the present invention and include not only the essential components of the invention, but also optional and preferred embodiments.
FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the decorative chip for a hearing aid according to the present invention attached to the hearing aid. FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing a state in which the hearing aid main body and the decorative chip are separated; (a) Perspective view of a decorative chip. (b) A side view of the decorative chip. Sectional drawing along the IV-IV line shown in FIG. 3 (a). The figure which shows the wearing state of the hearing aid which attached the decorative chip. (a) A perspective view of a hearing aid 1 according to another embodiment. 6(b) is a cross-sectional view taken along line VI(b)-VI(b) in FIG. 6; FIG. 11 is a perspective view showing a state in which a hearing aid main body and a decorative chip of a hearing aid according to another embodiment are separated; FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a hearing aid according to still another embodiment; (a) A perspective view of a decorative chip 10 according to still another embodiment. (b) The figure which shows the mounting state of the mounting chip|tip 10 of Fig.9 (a). (a) A perspective view of a decorative chip 10 according to still another embodiment. (b) A perspective view of a decorative chip 10 according to still another embodiment. (a) Sectional drawing of the base material layer 40. FIG. (b) A cross-sectional view of the decorative chip 10 similar to that of FIG. 4 in still another embodiment. (c) A sectional view of the decorative chip 10 similar to that of FIG. 4 in still another embodiment. A plan view of a decorative chip in still another embodiment.

The details of the decorative chip 10 for the hearing aid 1 according to the present invention are described below with reference to the accompanying drawings 1-5. In addition to the essential requirements of the present invention, the following embodiments also include requirements that can be selectively adopted and requirements that can be combined as appropriate.

Referring to FIGS. 1 to 3, the hearing aid 1 includes a hearing aid body 2 and a lid body 3 detachably attached to the hearing aid body 2 . The hearing aid 1 includes a power switch 3, an operation unit 4 for adjusting the volume, a sound hole 5 as a sound wave passing portion for introducing sound from the outside, a sound guide tube 6 extending from the hearing aid main body 2, An earplug 7 positioned at the tip of the sound guide tube 6 is provided. The hearing aid body 2 incorporates an amplifier, a microphone for picking up external sounds, a speaker, a receiving coil as an induced magnetic field receiving element for receiving voice signals from a mobile phone, and the like.

General hearing aids include the ear hole type that is arranged to follow the shape of the wearer's ear canal, the ear hook type that is used with the hearing aid body hooked to the ear, and the hearing aid body that is stored in a pocket or the like. However, the hearing aid 1 according to the present invention is used with the hearing aid main body 2 exposed near the wearer's ear, such as the earhole type and the ear hook type. Any form and wearing mode, if any, are included.

The hearing aid 1 has a three-dimensional streamlined shape and includes a curved base portion 11 and a distal end portion 12 extending from the base portion 11 in its longitudinal direction so as to gradually narrow in width. The hearing aid 1 has a shape that gradually narrows while bending from a base portion 11 to a tip portion 12 in plan view. The hearing aid 1 further includes an inner surface (first surface) 13 positioned facing the wearer's body when worn, an outer surface (second surface) 14 positioned on the opposite side of the inner surface 13, and an inner/outer surface. and a peripheral portion 15 located between 13 and 14 .

The operating portion 4 , the power switch 3 and the sound hole 5 are arranged in the longitudinal direction of the hearing aid 1 on the peripheral portion 15 . Between the inner and outer surface portions 13 , 14 and the peripheral surface portion 15 , a bent portion 17 extending substantially annularly along the peripheral surface portion 15 is positioned. In the hearing aid 1, the outer surface portion 14 and the peripheral surface portion 15 exposed to the outside when worn are referred to as the outer surface side of the hearing aid, and the inner surface portion 13 that is not exposed to the outside is referred to as the inner surface side.

The decorative chip 10 is in the shape of a thin plate (chip) and has a curved base portion 20 and a distal end portion 21 extending from the base portion 20 in its longitudinal direction so as to gradually narrow in width. The decorative chip 10 has a shape that gradually narrows while bending from a base portion 20 to a tip portion 21 in plan view. The decorative chip 10 has a covering portion 22 that faces the outer surface portion 14 of the hearing aid 1 in use, and an outer peripheral rib 23 that bends and extends outward from the outer circumference of the covering portion 20 . The decorative chip 10 is detachably attached to the hearing aid 1 so as to cover the outer surface of the hearing aid 1 .

Specifically, the mounting tip 10 is attached to the outer surface of the hearing aid 1 via the fastening means 16 positioned between the outer surface of the base portion 11 of the hearing aid 1 and the inner surface of the base portion 20 of the decorative tip. The fixing means 16 is for detachably fixing the mounting chip 10, and various known adhesives, adhesives, double-sided tapes, etc. can be used.

The fixing means 16 is preferably arranged so as not to protrude from the mounting tip 10, and the area of the fixing region fixed to the hearing aid 1 via the fixing means 16 (area of the fixing means 16). is preferably 30 to 60% of the area of the covering portion 22 of the mounting tip 10 . If the area of the fixing region is large enough, the decorative chip 10 can be easily peeled off from the hearing aid 1, and there is no risk of part of the decorative chip 10 being damaged due to forcible peeling. Moreover, in order to stably fix the mounting tip 10 , it is preferable that not only the covering portion 22 of the decorative tip 10 but also a part of the fastening means 16 are positioned on the inner surface of the outer peripheral rib 23 . Furthermore, when removing the mounting tip 10, the attachment area 16 is not positioned on the inner surface of the tip portion 21 so that the user can easily hook the fingernail on the tip portion 21 and tear it off. is preferred.

In a state in which the decorative chip 10 is detachably attached to the hearing aid 1 via the fastening region 16, the outer surface portion 14 of the hearing aid 1 is covered with the covering portion 22 of the decorative chip 10, and a part of the peripheral surface portion 15 is covered. are covered by the outer peripheral ribs 23 . The outer peripheral edge 23a of the outer peripheral rib 23 is preferably located in front of the outer peripheral edge 3a of the lid 3 without straddling it so that the lid 3 can be removed with the mounting chip 10 attached. In addition, since the outer peripheral rib 23 does not cover the entire peripheral surface 15 of the hearing aid 1, the outer peripheral rib 15 does not overlap the operation part 4, the power switch 3 and the sound hole 5, and the decorative chip 10 is attached. You can also adjust the volume and operate the power supply.

Also, the bent portion 25 positioned between the covering portion 21 and the outer peripheral rib 23 of the decorative chip 10 is in contact with the bent portion 17 of the hearing aid 1 without any gap. Since the entire inner surface of the decorative chip 10 is in contact with the hearing aid 1 without gaps in this manner, the adhesion of the decorative chip 10 is improved, and even if the hearing aid 1 receives an external impact while being worn, the decorative chip 10 can be In addition, it is possible to suppress the occurrence of howling due to the formation of a gap. In order to form the decorative chip 10 so as to conform to the shape of the hearing aid 1 in this way, for example, resin, which is the material of the chip main body of the decorative chip 10, is applied to a silicone mold having the shape of the hearing aid 1. It can be poured and molded.

A decorative element 30 is positioned on the outer surface of the decorative chip 10 . The decorative element 30 can be freely selected as long as it imparts decorativeness to the decorative chip 10. For example, various colors, pictures, characters, animals and plants, symbols, numbers, design marks, patterns, etc. . The decorative element 30 is preferably applied to the entire outer surface of the decorative chip 10 , that is, the entire outer surface of the covering portion 21 and the outer peripheral ribs 15 . The decorative element 30 may be formed continuously with the covering portion 21 and the outer peripheral rib 23 , or may be different between the covering portion 21 and the outer peripheral rib 23 . Further, in order to improve the decorativeness of the decorative chip 10, glitter powder, rhinestones, beads, sequins, etc. may be arranged on the outer surface of the decorative chip 10 as additional decorative elements.

Referring to FIG. 4, the decorative chip 10 includes, in a cross-sectional view, a base layer 40 that forms a chip body, and a base layer (adhesive layer) 50, a design layer 60, and a base layer (adhesive layer) 50 that are laminated on the outer surface of the base layer 40 in order. It has a hard layer 70 and a top layer 80 located on the outermost layer.

The substrate layer 40 can be preferably formed from various known materials such as hydrophobic thermoplastic resins such as acrylic resins, epoxy resins, urethane resins, polycarbonate-based resins, and polyester-based resins. The base layer (adhesive layer) 50 improves the adhesion of the design layer 60 made of water-soluble ink, which will be described later, to the substrate layer 40 made of a thermoplastic resin, suppresses bleeding and flow, and enhances coloring. It is provided for clarity and durability. The base layer 50 preferably has adhesiveness to both a hydrophobic thermoplastic resin and water-soluble ink. Preferably, the main component is an ultraviolet curable resin such as (meth)acrylate or polyester (meth)acrylate.

The design layer 60 is made of a water-soluble ink containing, for example, water, a dye or pigment, a surfactant, a water-soluble organic solvent such as ethanol, an anti-drying agent, and the like. Further, the design layer 60 can also use nail polish for nail color. The design layer 60 may be applied with ink with a writing brush, or may be transferred with an inkjet printing device. The hard layer 70 serves to reinforce the strength of the decorative chip 10, and can be made of the same material as the base layer 50. The main component of the hard layer 70 is a photocurable resin, particularly an ultraviolet curable resin. consist of things The hard layer 70 can be polymerized and cured in a short period of time by irradiating ultraviolet rays. By interposing the hard layer 60 instead of directly applying the top layer 80 to the design layer 60 in this manner, the toughness and glossiness of the decorative chip 10 can be improved.

For the top layer 80 positioned at the outermost layer, in order to give gloss to the design layer 60, a photocurable resin mixed with various additives such as a brightening agent can be used. After each layer has been applied with a brush, it is preferable to remove ink, resin, dust, etc. adhering to the outer periphery of the base material, and to polish the base material to make it lustrous. The thickness dimension of each laminated layer can be freely set as needed. , it is preferable that the thickness t1 of the top layer 80 is at least three times the thickness t2 of the hard layer 70, preferably within the range of 3.0 to 5.0 times. Further, the total dimension of the thickness dimension t1 of the top layer 80 and the thickness dimension t2 of the hard layer 70 is 7 times or more, preferably 7.0 to 10.0 times greater than the thickness dimension of the design layer 50. preferably.

Referring to FIG. 5, when the hearing aid 1 to which the decorative chip 10 is attached is worn by the user, the decorative element 30 is positioned not only on the covering portion 21 of the decorative chip 10 but also on the outer peripheral ribs 23. The design can also be exhibited when viewed from the side and from the back of the person (hearing aid). In addition, since the decorative chip 10 is detachably attached to the outer surface of the hearing aid 1, the decorative chip 10 having a different design can be freely exchanged by a sticking method to give the hearing aid 10 a novel design appearance. can increase visual value. Furthermore, by adopting a design that is unified in design with the color and shape of the hearing aid 1, for example, as a decorative element of the decorative chip 10, it is possible to express a wide variety of combinations with originality of one's own.

FIG. 6(a) is a perspective view of the hearing aid 1 in another embodiment, (b) is a cross-sectional view along line VI(a)-VI(a) in FIG. 6, and FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a state in which a hearing aid main body 2 and a decorative chip 10 of the hearing aid 1 are separated. FIG.

The hearing aid 1 according to the present embodiment does not have a lid and is formed only of the hearing aid main body 2 , and the sound hole 5 is positioned on the tip portion 12 side of the hearing aid main body 2 . A notch portion 90 is formed at a position corresponding to the sound hole 5 in the tip portion 21 of the decorative tip 10 . Since the notch 90 is positioned at the tip 21 of the decoration chip 10 and the sound hole 5 is exposed to the outside, the microphone 5a can be cut out more than when the sound hole 5 is covered with the decoration chip 10 . can capture high-frequency sounds and suppress noise from entering.

It is preferable that the shape of the notch 90 has an overall curved shape with curved corners rather than sharp corners. With such a shape, even if the edge of the notch 90 comes into contact with the skin, it will not irritate the skin.

According to the findings of the present applicant, it has been confirmed that when an opening is formed in the decorative chip 10 in accordance with the size and shape of the sound hole 5, the capture of high-frequency sounds (4000 to 8000 Hz) is affected. there is By forming the notch 90 extending inwardly from the outer peripheral edge of the decorative chip 10 as in the present embodiment, even high-frequency sounds can be reliably captured. Moreover, it is preferable that the inner peripheral edge of the notch 90 is positioned apart from the outer peripheral edge of the sound hole 5 by a predetermined distance. is preferably 1-2 mm.

In the illustrated example, the hearing aid 1 has one sound hole 5 , but if there are a plurality of sound holes 5 , the decorative chip 10 preferably has a notch 90 corresponding to each. Also, a plurality of notches 90 may be formed corresponding to a plurality of sound holes 5, or a plurality of notches 90 corresponding to the sound holes 5 may be continuous to form one notch.

In the hearing aid 1 according to this embodiment, a three-dimensional decorative element 91 is arranged on the outer surface of the decorative chip 10 . The decorative element 91 is formed separately from the decorative chip 10 and attached to the outer surface of the decorative chip 10 via an adhesive such as an adhesive. By arranging the three-dimensional decorative elements 91 in this manner, the decorativeness of the hearing aid 1 is improved compared to patterns printed on the outer surface of the decorative chip 10 .

A decorative element (second decorative element) 92 suspended via a chain is attached to the decorative element (first decorative element) 91 . Since the decorative element 92 has the appearance of an earring with the decorative chip 10 hanging down, the decorativeness of the decorative chip 10 is further improved.

The three-dimensional decorative element 91 may extend outside so that a portion of the decorative element 91 protrudes from the outer peripheral edge of the decorative chip 10 . The length of the portion extending to the outside is preferably 1-2 mm in order to prevent breakage. Also, the three-dimensional decorative element 91 preferably has a thickness of 2 to 4 mm so as not to interfere with wearing.

It is preferable that the decorative element 91 is spaced a predetermined distance R from the outer edge of the decorative tip 10 without deviating inward of the ear on the outer surface of the decorative tip 10 so as not to be hidden by the ear in the worn state. The predetermined dimension R2 is preferably 3 to 6 mm, and within this range, the decorative element 91 as a whole is visible from the outside when worn.

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of a hearing aid 1 according to still another embodiment. In this embodiment, in addition to a decorative element (first decorative element) 30 in which a plurality of beads or glass beads are scattered on the outer surface of the decorative chip 10, a lizard-shaped decorative element (second decorative element) 100 is provided. are placed.

Among the decorative elements 100, a ring 101 is positioned on the lizard's head, and a plurality of decorative elements (third decorative elements) 103 are attached to a chain 102 connected to the ring 101. In this way, by forming the decorative element 100 from highly decorative objects such as animals, insects, and characters, the decorativeness of the decorative chip 10 can be further improved. In addition, since the decorative element 103 is hung from the decorative chip 10 like an earring, the decorative element 100 can be combined with the decorative element 100 to exhibit high decorativeness.

FIG. 9(a) is a perspective view of a decorative chip 10 according to still another embodiment, and FIG. 9(b) is a diagram showing its mounting state. In this embodiment, a loop-shaped attachment portion 200 is positioned at the end of the decorative chip 10 , and a decorative member 202 is attached to the attachment portion 200 via a chain 201 . The decorative member 202 is not for decorating the appearance of the decorative chip 10 such as an ear cuff or an earring, but is for attaching to the wearer's ear. The decorative member 202 can be prevented from being lost. Although not shown, for example, the decorative member 202 may be attached separably from the chain 201 or may have the same design as the decorative top 10 .

10(a) and 10(b) are perspective views of a decorative chip 10 according to still another embodiment. In the embodiment of FIG. 10( a ), an electronic recognition unit 302 having a two-dimensional code such as a QR code (registered trademark) is attached to the decoration chip 10 via a chain 301 . By recording personal information such as the wearer's name and contact information in the electronic recognition unit 302, when the decoration chip 10 is lost, a third party who has found it can contact the wearer. In addition, by recording information about eyesight and hearing in the electronic recognition unit 302, the information can be used when purchasing or repairing products at a store selling eyeglasses or hearing aids.

In the embodiment of FIG. 10(b), the electronic recognition part 302 is embedded in the decoration chip 10, unlike the embodiment of FIG. 10(a). In such an embodiment, the electronic recognition part 302 may be protected by a film or the like, and the film may have a design that is consistent with the outer surface of the decorative chip 10 .

FIG. 11(a) is a cross-sectional view of the base material layer 40. In this embodiment, the thickness of the portion 40a located on the outer peripheral rib 23 is greater than the thickness of the portion 40b located on the covering portion 22. ing. Specifically, for example, the thickness of the portion 40a located on the outer peripheral rib 23 is 0.5 to 0.9 mm, while the thickness of the portion 40b located on the covering portion 22 is 0.1 to 0.9 mm. 0.4 mm. In this manner, since the thickness of the portion 40a located on the outer peripheral rib 23 is larger than the thickness of the portion 40b located on the covering portion 22, damage to the outer peripheral rib 23 can be effectively suppressed.

FIG. 11(b) is a cross-sectional view of the decorative chip 10 similar to FIG. 4 in yet another embodiment. In this embodiment, the thickness of the top layer 80 gradually increases from the outer periphery toward the center of the covering portion 22, and the cross-sectional shape of the top layer 80 is such that the central portion in the width direction is convex outward. It has a raised shape. Thus, by increasing the thickness of the top layer 80 at the central portion, it is possible to give glossiness only by the decorative elements positioned at the central portion among the decorative elements arranged on the outer surface of the covering portion 22.例文帳に追加

FIG. 11(c) is a cross-sectional view of the decorative chip 10 similar to FIG. 4 in yet another embodiment. In this embodiment, decorative tip 10 does not have peripheral ribs 23 extending from covering portion 22 . The decorative chip 10 has various necessary external shapes according to the shape of the hearing aid 1, and may be formed only from the covering portion 22 without the outer peripheral ribs 22, including all embodiments of this specification. .

FIG. 12 is a plan view of the decorative chip 10 in still another embodiment. In this embodiment, the hearing aid 1 has a battery cover 96 for housing the battery inside. The decorative chip 10 has a cutout 90 corresponding to the sound hole 5 and a cutout 95 corresponding to the battery cover 96 . Since the notch 95 is provided so that the decorative chip 10 does not cover the battery cover 96 in this manner, the battery can be replaced even when the decorative chip 10 is attached to the hearing aid 1 .

Alternatively, the cutouts 90 and 95 may form part of the design of the decorative elements located on the outer surface of the decorative chip 10. FIG. That is, for example, in the case where the decorative element consists of a plurality of patterns of animals, if the cutouts 90 and 95 are designed to represent the wide-open mouths of the animals, the decorative element and the cutouts 90 and 95 are combined. has a uniform design, and the decorativeness is improved.

In this specification, for each constituent material constituting the decorative chip 10, unless otherwise specified, various known materials commonly used in this type of field can be used without limitation. .

1 Hearing aid 10 Decorative chip 16 Fastening means 22 Covering part 23 Peripheral rib 40 Base layer 50 Base layer 60 Design layer 70 Hard layer 80 Top layer t1 Top layer thickness t2 Hard layer thickness

Claims (1)

A decorative chip for a hearing aid having a covering portion covering the outer surface of the hearing aid,
having a plurality of fastening means arranged between the covering portion and the outer surface of the hearing aid;
The covering part is detachably attached to the hearing aid via each fastening means,
In a cross-sectional view, the decorative chip includes a base layer made of a thermoplastic resin forming a chip body,
a base layer having adhesiveness to a thermoplastic resin and an aqueous ink, which is laminated in order on the outer surface of the base layer;
a design layer made of water-soluble ink forming an upper layer of the base layer;
a hard layer having a photocurable resin forming an upper layer of the design layer;
a top layer containing a brightener forming an upper layer of the hard layer;
including
The thickness of the portion of the base layer located on the outer peripheral rib of the base layer is such that the thickness of the top layer is 3.0 to 5.0 times the thickness of the hard layer. The thickness of the top layer is larger than the thickness of the portion where it is located, and the thickness of the top layer gradually increases from the outer periphery toward the center of the covering portion, and the cross-sectional shape of the top layer is such that the central portion in the width direction protrudes outward. It has a raised shape that becomes
Further, a decorative chip for a hearing aid, wherein the decorative chip has a notch corresponding to the sound hole and a notch corresponding to the battery cover.

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