WO1997036456A1

WO1997036456A1 - Battery and circuitry assembly

Info

Publication number: WO1997036456A1
Application number: PCT/US1997/004402
Authority: WO
Inventors: John G. Aceti; Walter P. Sjursen; Marvin A. Leedom
Original assignee: Sarnoff Corporation
Priority date: 1996-03-26
Filing date: 1997-03-26
Publication date: 1997-10-02
Also published as: CA2254888A1; EP0901743A1; US6058198A

Abstract

An electronic circuit (12) including an enclosed housing (26) having an electronic circuit therein and which is filled with an electrolyte which forms a battery for operating the electronic circuit. The device may also include a speaker (24) and a microphone (22) which are in the housing and connected to the electronic circuit to form a hearing aid.

Description

BATTERY AND CIRCUITRY ASSEMBLY

The present invention relates to an electronic circuit and battery assembly, and, more particularly, to a battery which is useful in a device, such as a hearing aid, and which is an integral part of the electronic circuitry for the device.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Hearing aids generally use conventional zinc-air button batteries because of there inherent high energy storage and convenience. The zinc-air battery is commercially available in several different sizes. All are pancake looking with the diameter several times the height. The smallest button battery is for the in-the-canal hearing aids. This form factor is not always suitable for the orientation needed in the ear so that this becomes increasingly important as hearing aids become smaller.

A zinc-air battery system consists of three basic elements, i.e, the anode, the cathode and the electrolyte. In a zinc-air system, the cathode is the air and the anode is generally a metal, such as zinc. The electrolyte is a liquid, generally potassium hydroxide. Since zinc-air batteries are exposed to air for activation, the system's electrolyte is depleted by evaporation. While evaporation can be controlled to provide the limited life required, the battery must be sealed during storage. With traditional hearing aid batteries, a metal foil with pressure sensitive adhesive is applied over small holes in the battery so as to prevent the entry of air. When, the battery is to be used, the foil is removed allowing air to enter the battery and the reaction begins. Hearing aids have been made smaller to provide for in-the- ear and completely in the canal hearing aids. The smaller the hearing aid the smaller the battery must be. Because of the small sizes of batteries being used in the hearing aids, it is difficult and frustrating to replace the batteries when the batteries run out. The small batteries are difficult to handle, especially for the elderly, who are the majority of the users of hearing aids.

To overcome the problem of the necessity of replacing batteries in a hearing aid, a disposable hearing aid has been developed. The disposable hearing aid is of a structure that is so inexpensive to manufacture that it is possible to merely replace the whole hearing aid, rather than just the battery, when the battery runs out. Thus, the life of a disposable hearing aid is dependent on the life of the battery. The longer the life of the battery, the less often the hearing aid has to be replaced and the less expensive it is to use the disposable hearing aid. Therefore, it would be desirable to have a battery for a disposable hearing aid that has a longer life.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is directed to an electronic circuit which includes an enclosed housing having an electronic circuit therein. The housing is filled with an electrolyte and a contact is in the housing to form a battery which is connected to and operates the electronic circuit.

The present invention is also directed to a hearing aid which includes an enclosed housing having opposite ends. A speaker is in the housing and extends through one end of the housing. A microphone is in the housing and extends through the other end of the housing. An electronic circuit is in the housing and is connected to the speaker and the microphone. The housing is filled with an electrolyte which forms a battery for operating the electronic circuit. This provides a hearing aid having a longer life of operation.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING The teachings of the present invention can be readily understood by considering the following detailed description in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a sectional view of the electrical portion of one form of the hearing aid of the present embodiment of the invention;

Fig. 2 is a schematic view of the entire hearing aid; Fig. 3 is a schematic diagram of an electrical circuit for a hearing aid;

Fig. 4 is a sectional view of another form of the hearing aid of the present embodiment of the invention; and

Fig. 5 is a sectional view taken along line 5-5 of Fig. 4. To facilitate understanding, identical reference numerals have been used, where possible, to designate identical elements that are common to the figures.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION Referring initially to Fig. 1, the electronic assembly portion of the hearing aid of the present embodiment of the invention is generally designated as 10. Assembly 10 comprises a flexible printed circuit 12 which includes a sheet of a flexible insulating material, such as a plastic, having a pattern of conductors on at least one surface thereof. As shown, the flexible printed circuit 12 is in the form of a U having a base 14 and upstanding arms 16 and 18 at the ends thereof. However, it should be understood that the flexible circuit 12 can be of any desired shape. Mounted on the flexible circuit 12 are various electronic devices 20, such as integrated circuits, resistors, capacitors, inductors, etc., which make up the electronic circuit for the hearing aid. The electronic devices 20 are electrically connected to the conductor pattern on the flexible circuit 12 so as to be electrically connected in the desired circuit. Also on the flexible circuit is a metal electrode 21 for the battery of the device. Mounted on the arm 16 of the flexible circuit 12 is a small microphone 22 and mounted on the arm 18 of the flexible circuit 12 is a small speaker 24. The flexible circuit 12 with the electronic devices 20 thereon is within a housing 26. The housing 26 includes an outer wall 28 and an end wall 30. The outer wall 28 is preferably cylindrical although it can be of any shape. The end wall 30 has an opening 32 therethrough through which the speaker 24 extends with a tight fit. A cap 34 extends across and is sealed to the other end of the outer wall 28. The cap 34 has an opening 36 therethrough through which the microphone 22 extends with a tight fit. The cap 34 also has a plurality of small holes 38 therethrough through which air can pass. A foil strip 40 having an adhesive on one surface is on the outer surface of the cap 34 and extends over the holes 38.

The housing 26 is filled with a zinc-electrolyte mixture. The electrolyte may be potassium hydroxide. Since the electrolyte is a toxic, corrosive, caustic material, the electronic devices 20 and the conductors on the flexible circuit 12 are coated with a protective conformal coating of a material which is not attacked by the electrolyte, such as a plastic. The contact 21 may be protected from the electrolyte by a coating of a noble metal.

To use the assembly 10 in a hearing aid, the assembly 10 is mounted in an ear mold 42 as shown in Fig. 2. The ear mold 42 is preferably of a soft, durable and compliant material , such as a cold-cured methacrylate, heat-cured methacrylate, heat-cured silicone, polyvinyl chloride copolymer or polyethylene co-polymer. The ear mold 42 has a inner channel 44 into which the assembly 10 is inserted. The outer configuration of the ear mold 42, such as shape and size, is such that it can be readily inserted in the ear channel of the user and which will mold itself to the shape of the ear channel. Since the ear mold 42 is of a compliant material, the pressure of the ear mold 42 against the wall of the ear channel produces a good fit needed to prevent feedback and to help retain the hearing aid in the ear. Either just before or just after inserting the assembly 10 into the ear mold 42, the foil strip 40 is removed to allow air to enter the housing 26 through the holes 28. Although the holes 28 are large enough to allow air to pass therethrough, they are small enough the prevent the flow of the zinc- electrolyte from the housing 26. The air entering the housing 26 activates the electrolyte to provide a flow of current. The current flows to the contact 21 so as to operate the circuit of the hearing aid. Since the housing 26 is completely filled with the zinc-electrolyte, there is provided a larger battery to provide the assembly and the hearing aid with a longer life.

A schematic diagram of an electrical circuit 44 for a hearing aid is shown in Fig. 3. The main electrical components are a microphone Ml (a model EM3046), a speaker Sl (a model ES3126) . an integrated circuit Ul (a model GC514), and a 1.3 volt battery Bl . The microphone Ml converts an acoustical signal into an electrical signal. This signal is amplified and processed by the integrated circuit Ul . The output of the integrated circuit Ul drives the speaker Sl . The speaker Sl converts the electrical signal back to an acoustical signal which vibrates the ear drum. The functions of other components of the electrical circuit 44 are as follows:

Capacitors Cl and C2 provide power supply decoupling; Capacitor C3 and resistors R2 and R3 set gain and frequency response of low frequency channel;

Capacitor C2 sets corner frequency of high frequency channel;

Resistor Rl sets threshold of compression; Capacitor C4 and resistor R7 set time constant of slow average detector;

Capacitor C5 and resistor R7 set time constant of fast average detector;

Capacitor C6 couples signal to rectifier circuit to detect signal level;

Resistors R4 and R5 and capacitor R7 sum low and high frequency channels;

Resistor R6 sets overall gain of circuit; and Capacitor C8 couples integrated circuit output to the speaker Sl .

Unless otherwise stated, all resistor values are in ohms and all capacitor values are in microfarads. Component values shown are typical only. Actual values depend on number of channels desired, gain and frequency response.

Referring to Figs. 4 and 5, another form of the hearing aid of the present embodiment of the invention is generally designated as 46. Hearing aid 46 comprises a printed circuit board 47 having mounted thereon a speaker 48, a microphone 50 and various electronic devices 52 which form the electronic circuit of the hearing aid 46. The speaker 48 and microphone 50 are at opposite ends of the printed circuit board 47. The printed circuit board 47 is within a housing 54 which is formed of a tubular sleeve 56 and cup shaped end caps 58 and 60. As shown in Fig. 5, the tubular sleeve 56 and end caps 58 and 60 are preferably elliptical in cross-section so as to fit better in a user's ear. The end caps 58 and 60 are of an electrically conductive material, such as a metal, a conductive polymer, or a metal coated polymer, and the sleeve 56 is of an insulating material, such as a plastic. The end caps 58 and 60 fit tightly in the ends of the sleeve 56 and are secured to the sleeve 56. The speaker 48 extends through and fits tightly in a hole 62 in the end cap 58, and the microphone 50 extends through and fits tightly in a hole 64 in the end cap 60. The end caps 58 and 60 being conductive serve as the anode and cathode of a battery.

The housing 54 is filled with a zinc-electrolyte mixture. The electrolyte maybe potassium hydroxide. A metal contact 66 is within the housing 54 and is shown as being adjacent the end cap 60. The end cap 60 also has a hole 68 therethrough through which air can enter the housing 54 and activate the battery formed by the electrolyte. When the device is not in use, an adhesive strip (not shown) may be placed over the hole 68. The housing 54 is enclosed in an ear mold 70 of a soft, durable and compliant material. As shown, the ear mold 70 has wings 72 projecting substantially radially therefrom which help hold the hearing aid 46 in the user's ear. In the use of the hearing aid 46, the input and output horns of the speaker 48 and microphone 50 are connected to the end caps 58 and 60, which are the anode and cathode of the battery. Thus, the frames of the speaker 48 and microphone 50 carry the current of the battery into the circuit board 47 so as to operate the electronic circuit on the circuit board 47. The sleeve 56 of the housing 54 is of a plastic so as to be flexible. This allows the housing 54 to bend so that it will fit a variety of internal ear canal shapes. The more flexible the hearing aid is, the more comfortable the hearing aid will be in the user's ear.

Thus, there is provided by the present embodiment of the invention an electronic assembly for a hearing aid which is small and compact but which contains the entire circuit for operating the hearing aid, including circuit components, microphone and speaker. The electronic assembly is small enough to be inserted in an ear mold for a hearing aid which can be inserted completely into the ear of a user. However, the assembly also includes a integral battery which completely fills the housing of the assembly so as to provide a relatively large battery having a longer life. Although the battery is larger it does not add very much to the overall cost of the device and does not add to the size of the device. Therefore, the hearing aid using the assembly is still inexpensive to manufacture so as to be disposable, yet has a longer life time.

It is to be understood that the apparatus and method of operation taught herein are illustrative of the embodiment of the invention. Modifications my readily be devised by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention. While the electronic assembly of the embodiment of the invention has been described in terms of its use in a hearing aid, this assembly, suitably modified, is equally applicable to other devices where its advantages of compactness and large relative battery volume would be useful . For example, in some applications, the speaker and microphone might not be needed but rather only input and output electrical connections are required. Other electrode-electrolyte systems can be used.

Claims

What is claimed is:

1. An electronic circuit comprising: an enclosed housing; an electronic circuit within said housing; an electrolyte filling said housing; and a contact in said housing forming with said electrolyte a battery which is connected to and operates said circuit .

2. An electronic circuit in accordance with claim 1 in which the electrolyte is a zinc electrolyte which is activated when contacted by air, and the housing has a hole therethrough which allows air to enter the housing to activate the electrolyte.

3. An electronic circuit in accordance with claim 2 in which the electronic circuit comprises a printed circuit board having electronic components thereon and connected together to form a desired circuit.

4. An electronic circuit in accordance with claim 3 including a protective coating over the electronic components to protect the components from the electrolyte.

5. An electronic circuit in accordance with claim 3 including a speaker and a microphone in said housing and connected to said electronic circuit to form a hearing aid which is operated by the electrolyte battery.

6. A hearing aid comprising: an enclosed housing having opposite ends; a speaker in said housing and extending though one end of the housing; a microphone in said housing and extending through the other end of the housing; an electronic circuit in said housing connecting the speaker and the microphone; and an electrolyte filling said housing and forming a battery for operating the electronic circuit.

7. A hearing aid in accordance with claim 6 in which the electrolyte is a zinc electrolyte which is activated when exposed to air and the housing has a hole therethrough which allows air to enter the housing.

8. A hearing aid in accordance with claim 7 in which the electronic circuit comprises a printed circuit board having the speaker, microphone and electronic components of the electronic circuit thereon and connected together in a desired circuit.

9. A hearing aid in accordance with claim 8 including an ear mold surrounding the housing.

10. A hearing aid in accordance with claim 6 in which the housing comprises a tubular sleeve of an insulating material and separate end caps of a conductive material secured to opposite ends of the sleeve.