JPH0526880Y2 - - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] [Industrial Field of Application] The present invention relates to a hearing aid, and particularly to an improvement in its power switch. This invention is especially suitable for small hearing aids,
For example, it is suitable for behind-the-ear hearing aids, in-the-ear hearing aids, and the like.

In-the-ear hearing aids refer to so-called in-the-ear hearing aids in which an electric circuit section, such as an amplifier section, is housed in a hearing aid case that is uniformly made to approximately fit the shape of the ear canal, and also to individual hearing aid wearers. These are so-called custom hearing aids or canal hearing aids, in which the electrical circuit and other parts are housed in a case that is molded from the shape of the ear canal.
In other words, it is a general term for hearing aids that are used by being inserted into the ear canal.

[Prior art and its problems]

Hearing aid power switches are typically configured to be manually switched. However, considering forgetting to turn off the switch and the complexity of switching the switch,
Hearing aids equipped with an automatic switch have also been proposed. For example, a so-called micro switch is used as a power switch, and this will be explained with reference to FIG. 1 is a hearing aid case that is inserted into the ear canal and is usually made of synthetic resin. 1A is the side wall of the hearing aid case that contacts the external ear wall or the external auditory canal wall, and 1B is a substantially flat part that faces the outside world when the hearing aid is attached to the ear canal, and includes a microphone (not shown), a volumetric volume (not shown), etc. It is provided. Now, 2 is a micro switch that functions as a power switch, and the micro switch main body 3 is built into the case 1. Note that other parts of the hearing aid case 1 are omitted from illustration. Microswitches are shown enlarged. By the way, the switch button 5 provided at the tip of the switch lever 4 protruding from the microswitch main body 3 protrudes to the outside world from a through hole 1C formed in the case side wall 1A.
Therefore, when a hearing aid having this structure is inserted into the ear canal, the switch button 5 comes into contact with the wall of the outer ear or the wall of the ear canal, is compressed, and is pushed into the case 1, turning on the microswitch. Needless to say, when the hearing aid is removed from the ear canal, the switch button returns to its original state.
The micro switch is turned off. This means that especially for the elderly and young children, it is no longer necessary to manually operate the power switch provided on the conventional small hearing aid, which is extremely desirable in practice.

However, in a hearing aid with such a configuration, since the through hole 1C is formed in the side wall 1A of the hearing aid case, earwax and sweat may enter the inside of the hearing aid case 1 through the through hole 1C, which may cause the hearing aid to malfunction. It was a contributing factor. Furthermore, the micro switch that is the power switch is turned on when the hearing aid case 1 and the ear canal wall come into close contact, but the degree of contact between the hearing aid case 1 and the ear canal changes as you move your mouth and jaw. Therefore, the degree of adhesion deteriorated during conversation or when eating, resulting in an inconvenient situation where the switch suddenly turned off.
In addition, the small micro switch used in in-the-ear hearing aids has an extremely short switch stroke, so
Such inconveniences were extremely problematic in practical terms.

[Purpose of invention]

On the other hand, the present invention provides a hearing aid in which the user does not forget to turn off the power switch and the switch is switched automatically, which is particularly convenient for elderly people and children who are clumsy with their hands.

[Summary of the idea]

In order to achieve this purpose, according to the present invention, a magnetic switch operated by magnetic force is provided as a power switch in the hearing aid case, a magnet is provided in the hearing aid storage case, and this magnetic switch is not operated normally.
It should be configured so that it is not ON, and it is OFF when it is installed near a magnet.

By doing this, when the hearing aids are not in use, the hearing aids are stored in the storage case, so the power switch is turned off by the influence of the magnet installed in the case, and when the hearing aids are in use, needless to say, when the hearing aids are removed from the case, the power switch is automatically turned off. The power will turn on.

〔Example〕

An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 shows a side view of the custom hearing aid. The custom hearing aid 10 has an amplifier and other electronic circuits built into a hearing aid case 11 that is molded from the ear canal (outer ear and external auditory canal, or external auditory canal) of each hearing aid wearer, and is therefore very comfortable to wear. It is in good condition. Reference numeral 12 represents a volume control, and reference numeral 13 represents a lid of a battery chamber formed within the hearing aid case 11. 14 is a magnetic switch built into the hearing aid case 11 as a power switch.

FIG. 2 is a plan view showing a hearing aid storage case in which the hearing aid 10 shown in FIG. 1 is stored. 15
is a storage case for storing hearing aids when they are not in use, for example when sleeping. The inside of the storage case 15 is filled with a filler 16. A depression 17 matching the shape of the hearing aid is formed in the middle of the filler 16, and the hearing aid 10 is housed in the depression 17. A magnet 18 is installed in the filler 16 near the depression 17. still,
The magnet 18 may be installed at a position where the magnetic switch 14 built into the hearing aid 10 is sufficiently exposed to the magnetic field.

Thus, if the hearing aid 10 is stored in the storage case 15 when the hearing aid 10 is not in use, the presence of the magnet 18 will cause the magnetic switch 14 built into the hearing aid 10 to be activated.
will automatically turn off and turn off the power, eliminating unnecessary battery consumption due to forgetting to turn off the power. Further, when the hearing aid 10 is taken out from the storage case 15 in order to use the hearing aid 10, the magnetic switch 14 is freed from the influence of the magnetic field of the magnet 18 and automatically turns on and the power is turned on.
Therefore, the power is automatically turned on and off without any operation by the hearing aid user, which is very convenient for young children and the elderly who have hand disabilities.

By the way, various types of magnetic switches that open and close by the action of an external magnetic field have already been proposed and used, but none have been found to be suitable. For this purpose, a magnetic switch (Japanese Patent Application No. 61-173490), which has already been filed by the present applicant, is suitable.

Examples of magnetic switches suitable for use in hearing aids will be described below.

In FIG. 3, 21 is a case made of a non-magnetic material, such as synthetic resin, which does not block the influence of external magnetic fields. Reference numerals 22 and 22 denote fixed contact portions fixedly installed within the case 21, and external terminals 23 and 23 protrude from the fixed contact portions 22 and 22 to the outside of the case 21. 24 is a movable contact body made of magnetic material;
It is disposed in the case 21 so as to be movable up and down, and the surface of the movable contact body 24 facing the fixed contact portions 22, 22 is plated with gold, for example, and serves as a movable contact portion 25. . A biasing spring 26 has one end fixedly connected to the case 21, and the other end fixedly connected to the movable contact body 24. Therefore, the movable contact body 24 is always urged upward by the elasticity of the biasing spring 26, and therefore, the movable contact portion 25 of the movable contact body 24 and the fixed contact portions 22, 22 are in contact with each other under normal conditions. , the so-called contact is closed.

However, for a magnetic switch with such a configuration,
As shown in the figure, the magnet 27 is approached from below.
Then, the movable contact body 24 is attracted toward the lower magnet 27 against the elastic force of the biasing spring 26, and eventually the fixed contact parts 22, 22 and the movable contact part 25 are separated, and the contacts are opened. becomes.

In the embodiment described above, by providing the spring 26 below the movable contact body 24, the movable contact body 24
4 is always biased and pressed toward the fixed contact portions 22, 22 to bring them into contact. However, as shown in FIG. 4, a spring 26 may be provided above the movable contact body 24 to attract the movable contact body 24 toward the fixed contact portions 22, 22, thereby bringing the two into contact.

Further, in the above embodiments, only one coil spring is used, but a plurality of coil springs may be used, and springs of other shapes, such as a leaf spring 26 as shown in FIG. 5, may be used. A spring is also fine. The point is that the movable contact body 24 is in contact with the fixed contact portions 22, 22 in a normal state.
Any driving member that drives 4 is sufficient, and for example, an elastic member such as rubber may be used.

〔effect〕

As mentioned above, in the hearing aid of this invention, the contacts are normally in the ON state and are not affected by the magnetic field.
Since the power switch is a magnetic switch that has the function of turning off the hearing aid, it is automatically turned on when the hearing aid is in use, and automatically turned off when it is stored in the storage case. This eliminates wasted battery consumption due to forgetting to turn off the switch, and eliminates the hassle of turning on and off the switch, making it especially useful for elderly people who use small hearing aids.
It is good news for children.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

1 and 2 are diagrams showing one embodiment of the present invention, and FIGS. 3, 4, and 5 show various embodiments of magnetic switches suitable for use in the hearing aid of the present invention. FIG. 6 is a side sectional view showing a conventional example. 10...Hearing aid, 14...Magnetic switch, 15
...Hearing aid storage case, 18...Magnet.

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claim for Utility Model Registration] When the hearing aid is stored in a storage case, the hearing aid is released by the magnetic field of a magnet provided in the case, and when the hearing aid is removed from the case, the hearing aid is released from the influence of the magnetic field of the magnet. A hearing aid that uses a closed magnetic switch as a power switch.