WO2013025191A1

WO2013025191A1 - Procedure using power from a power source having a usb connector to recharge a battery for a hearing device for the hearing impaired and a battery charger therefor

Info

Publication number: WO2013025191A1
Application number: PCT/US2011/047648
Authority: WO
Inventors: Mark Vanstone; Frank NIGRO
Original assignee: Advanced Bionics Ag
Priority date: 2011-08-12
Filing date: 2011-08-12
Publication date: 2013-02-21

Abstract

A procedure and apparatus employing a battery charger (11) having a USB plug (50) insertable into a conventional USB power outlet (65) of a conventional power source (66) to charge a battery (18) of a sound processing system, the battery charger(18) comprising a housing(12) having a charger housing slide(38), and the housing (10) of the battery comprising a battery housing slide (14) engaging the charger housing slide to electrically connect external electrical connectors between the USB plug and the battery.

Description

PROCEDURE USING POWER FROM A POWER SOURCE HAVING A USB CONNECTOR TO RECHARGE A BATTERY FOR A HEARING DEVICE FOR THE HEARING IMPAIRED AND A BATTERY CHARGER THEREFOR

Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates generally to charging or recharging batteries of hearing devices for the hearing impaired, which may be part of an implantable cochlear stimulation (or "ICS") system.

Background of Invention

[0002] Hearing systems for hearing impaired patients commonly comprise one or more battery powered devices. For patients suffering from profound hearing loss, such hearing systems often comprise an implantable cochlear stimulation (ICS) system, including external and implanted components. The external components usually include a microphone and a sound processor. Ambient sound pressure waves are picked up by an externally worn microphone and converted to electrical signals. The electrical signals, in turn, are processed by a sound processor, converted to a pulse sequence having varying pulse widths and/or amplitudes, and transmitted by a cable to a headpiece and from the headpiece to the implanted receiver circuit of the ICS system. The coded electrical signals are further processed within the implanted components and transmitted to an implanted cochlear electrode array that has been inserted into the cochlea of the inner ear, where they stimulate the cochlear nerve to produce sensations representative of the sounds received by the external processor.

[0003] In one type of ICS system, the external sound processor of cochlear implant system is a body worn sound processor unit. It is typically worn on the user's belt or carried in the user's pocket. One example of a conventional body worn unit is the Advanced Bionics Platinum Series body worn unit. In other types of ICS systems, the sound processor is supported behind the ear (BTE) of the cochlear implant recipient, where weight and comfort are issues, particularly for infants and young recipients. Therefore, the batteries used to power behind the ear sound processors are small and lightweight and, in use, require frequent recharging, often every three or four hours of battery use. In the past, power sources for recharging such batteries generally have been limited to wall plugs. There is a need for more convenient sources for recharging batteries for such behind the ear sound processors.

Summary of Invention

[0004] The present invention satisfies that need by providing a procedure that utilizes a small, lightweight, easy-to-carry battery charger that conveniently plugs into a standard USB power outlet of a conventional power source, and is designed to conveniently receive the battery housing of a device for the hearing impaired, such as a behind the ear sound processor for a cochlear implant system, to recharge the battery. Conventional power sources useful for charging the battery include laptop or desktop computers having USB power outlets, AC adaptors providing power from a wall outlet through a USB power outlet, and portable USB device chargers. Basically, the battery charger useful in the procedure of the present invention comprises charging circuitry within a charger housing including a female slide that is shaped to receive a male slide of the battery housing of a sound processor. A USB plug is located near a forward end of the female slide and is adapted to plug into a conventional USB power outlet. The USB plug also is in electrical contact with an electrical connector located near a rear end of the female slide of the charger housing. When the male slide of the battery housing slides forward on the female slide of the charger housing, the electrical connector at the rear end of the female slide makes electrical contact with a battery engaging contact carried by a forward end of the male slide, thereby completing a charging circuit for the battery from the USB power source. Although the battery housing slide and charger housing slide are shown and described herein as male and female slides, respectively, these may be reversed in practice. That is, the battery housing slide alternatively may be configured as a female slide and the battery charger slide may be configured as a male slide, and the two housings are selected such that their slides mate together.

[0005] Accordingly, a basic procedure of the present invention comprises selecting two separate housings. One of the selected housings is the housing of a battery of a sound processing system and includes a battery housing slide and a first external electrical connector leading to the battery terminals. In some cases, the battery may be of a type where the battery housing is not removable from the rest of the battery; in other cases, the housing may be openable to allow removal and replacement of one or more cells. The other one of the selected housings comprises a charger housing slide for receiving the battery housing slide and having a USB plug extending from its forward end and a second external electrical connector connected to the USB plug located at a rear end of the charger housing slide to mate with the first electrical connector and complete a charging path for the battery when the USB plug is inserted into a USB power outlet of an external power source without requiring opening the battery housing.

[0006] A basic form of the battery charger of the present invention comprises a housing having a USB plug for insertion into a USB power outlet of a power source as it extends forward from a charger housing slide including a longitudinally extending flat base bounded by upwardly extending sides for guiding and retaining the battery housing slide of the battery housing as the battery housing slide is moved rearward on the charger housing slide and an electrical connector located at a rear end of the charger housing slide mates with the electrical connector of the battery housing to complete a charging circuit from the power source to the battery. [0007] The above described and many other features of the present inventions will become apparent as the inventions become better understood by reference to the following detailed description when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

Brief Description of Drawings

[0008] Detailed descriptions of the exemplary embodiments will be made with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0009] Fig. 1 is a flow diagram of a procedure for charging a battery of a device for the hearing impaired in accordance with the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the battery housing of the battery seated on the housing of the battery charger ready for insertion of its USB plug into a conventional USB power source and charging or recharging of the battery.

[0010] Fig. 3a is a slightly enlarged perspective view of the housing of the battery charger shown in Fig. 1 , depicting its USB plug, female slide, and electrical connector.

[0011] Fig. 3b is a slightly enlarged bottom perspective view of the battery housing depicting its electrical connector and male slide for riding forward in the female slide of the battery charger housing to mate with its electrical connector.

[0012] Fig. 3c is a further enlarged fragmentary side view of the battery housing depicting the battery housing slide extending forward from a downwardly curved rear portion.

[0013] Fig. 4a is a further enlarged front view of the battery charger housing depicting its USB plug extending from a front of the battery charger housing, the front shape of the charger housing slide, and the electrical connecter located at the rear end of the charger housing slide for mating with the electrical connector carried by the battery housing as shown in Fig. 3b.

[0014] Fig. 4b is a further enlarged fragmentary front view of the battery housing depicting the shape of its battery housing slide and electrical connector.

[0015] Fig. 5a is a fragmentary sectional side view of the battery charger housing and lower portion of the battery housing as the battery housing slide and electrical connector of the battery housing are prepared to move toward the charger housing slide and electrical connector of the charger housing of Fig. 4a, further indicating the electrical connection between the electrical connector of the battery housing and the battery terminals and the electrical connection of the electrical connector of the battery housing and the charger.

[0016] Figs. 5b and 5c are further enlarged fragmentary cross-sectional views of the charger housing slide and battery housing slide illustrating a forward end of the charger housing slide and a rear end of the battery housing slide and a releasable locking thereof as the battery housing slide is fully received by the charger housing slide.

[0017] Fig. 5d is a cross-sectional side view similar to Fig. 5a wherein the battery housing slide is fully advanced on the charger housing slide such that the electrical connectors of the two housings are fully engaged and the USB plug of the charger housing is fully inserted into a USB power outlet of a conventional power source to charge the battery.

[0018] Fig. 6 is a top view of the battery charger housing.

[0019] Fig. 7 is a bottom view of the battery housing, depicting the battery housing slide in solid outline including opposite longitudinally extending sides for riding in the charger housing slide, with laterally flexible fingers extending longitudinally from opposite sides of a rear portion of the battery housing slide for tightly engaging insides of the charger housing slide to secure the battery housing slide within the charger housing slide.

[0020] Figs. 8a-8d are top views of the battery charger housing with top views of the battery housing shown in phantom outline as the battery housing enters and moves forward within the charger housing slide until the electrical connector of the charger housing mates with the electrical connector of the battery housing to complete the charging circuit for the battery when the USB plug is inserted into the USB power outlet of the power source as shown in Fig. 5d.

Detailed Description of the Exemplary Embodiments

[0021] The following is a detailed description of the best presently known modes of carrying out the inventions. This description is not to be taken in a limiting sense, but is made merely for the purpose of illustrating the general principles of the inventions.

[0022] The present inventions have application in a wide variety of systems that provide sound (i.e. either sound or a perception of sound) to the hearing impaired as well as others who require such systems on a situational basis. One example of such a system is an ICS system where an external sound processor communicates with a cochlear implant and, accordingly, the present inventions are discussed in the context of ICS systems. The present inventions are not, however, limited to ICS systems and may be used in combination with other hearing systems for the hearing impaired that currently exist, or are yet to be developed.

[0023] As depicted in the flow diagram of Fig. 1 , the procedure of the present invention basically begins with step 100 of selecting two housings. The housings may be selected in different orders, either order being within the scope of the present invention, and step 100 of selecting two housings may comprise the steps of selecting a battery having a battery housing and selecting a charger having a charger housing. Thus, in the flow diagram, the first represented housing, selected in step 102, is a battery housing of a battery of a hearing device for a hearing impaired recipient which, as specified, is to include a battery housing slide and an electrical connector electrically connected to a charging terminal of the battery.

[0024] As indicated by way of example only in the flow diagram of Fig. 1 , the second represented housing, selected in step 104, is a battery charger housing that includes a USB plug for insertion into a USB power outlet of an external power source. The charger housing includes a charger housing slide for receiving the battery housing slide of the battery housing and an electrical connector coupled to charging circuitry within the charger housing and configured to mate with the electrical connector of the battery housing. Although the battery housing slide and charger housing slide are shown and described herein as male and female slides, respectively, these may be reversed in practice. That is, the battery housing slide alternatively may be configured as a female slide and the battery charger slide may be configured as a male slide, and the two housings are selected in step 100 such that their slides mate together.

[0025] As shown in the flow diagram of Fig. 1 , in step 106, the battery housing slide of the battery housing is secured on the charger housing slide of the battery charger housing with the electrical connectors of the battery housing and the battery charger housing mating with each other. This provides a complete electrical path from the USB plug of the battery charger housing to the battery terminals within the battery housing that does not require opening the battery housing to recharge the battery.

[0026] As specified in the flow diagram of Fig. 1 and as depicted in Fig. 5d, in step 108, the USB plug of the battery charger is inserted into a USB power outlet of an external power source, thereby completing a charging path for electrical energy from the power source to the battery within the battery housing and a charging or recharging of that battery. The battery is allowed to charge in step 1 10. The charger housing may be removed from the power source in step 1 12. The battery housing is removed from the charger housing in step 1 14. Note that in some embodiments, steps 106 and 108 may be performed in reverse order. That is, in some embodiments, the USB plug of the battery charger may be inserted into the USB power outlet of the external power source prior to sliding the battery housing onto the battery charger housing if the battery housing and battery charger housing are configured to allow the battery housing to be installed onto the charger after the charger is inserted into the USB power outlet of the power source. Likewise, in some embodiments, the battery housing and charger housing may be configured such that step 1 14 of removing the battery housing from the charger housing and step 1 12 of removing the charger housing from the power source may occur in either order.

[0027] More particularly, the procedure depicted in the flow diagram of Fig.1 contemplates the selection and combination of the battery and battery charger housings as depicted as depicted in Figs. 2-8. Fig. 2 depicts a battery housing 10 of a sound processor mounted and fully inserted onto a battery charger housing 12 of a battery charger 1 1 in accordance with the present invention.

[0028] As shown most clearly in the bottom perspective view in Fig. 3b and the side and front views in Figs. 3c and 4b, the bottom of the battery housing 10 includes an external forwardly extending battery housing slide 14 and an external electrical connector 16. The electrical connector 16 is located near a forward end of the battery housing slide 14 for electrical connection to a battery 18 as depicted in Figs. 5a and 5d. As shown in Figs. 3b, 3c, 4b, 5b, and 5c, the battery housing slide 14 has a flat bottom 20 and laterally spaced, longitudinally extending vertical sides 22 and 24. The sides 22 and 24 include upper inwardly extending longitudinal and rearwardly directed grooves 23 and 25 having flat upper surfaces 26 that incline or curve downwardly and join the flat bottom 20 of the battery housing slide 14 adjacent rearward ends thereof as depicted in Figs. 5b and 5c. The upper side grooves 23 and 25 of the battery housing slide 14 also define laterally spaced and outwardly projecting lower rails 27 and 29 as depicted in Figs. 3b, 3c, and 4b for riding in longitudinally extending lateral slots 31 and 33 of a charger housing slide 38 of the charger housing 12 as the battery housing slide 14 is moved forward on the charger housing slide 38 as depicted in Figs 5b and 5c. As there illustrated, and as more fully described with respect to Figs. 3a, 4a, 6, and 8a-8d, the downwardly curved upper surfaces 26 of the grooves 23 and 25 make releasable connection with similarly curved or upward inclined surfaces 28 and 30 of laterally spaced ramps 32 and 34 that extend from a top surface 36 of the charger housing slide 38.

[0029] As illustrated in Figs. 3b and 7 and in phantom outline in Figs. 8a-8d, opposing sides of rear portions of the battery housing slide 14 include outwardly extending extensions 40 and 42 that, as depicted in Figs. 8a-8d, engage sides 44 and 46 of the charger housing slide 38 and bend inwardly when the battery housing slide 14 is fully engaged by the charger housing slide 38 to aid in releasably securing the battery housing slide on the charger housing slide.

[0030] More particularly as illustrated in Figs 2, 3a, 4a, 5a, and 6, the charger housing 12 is small, lightweight, and easy to handle and store or attach by a rearward extending attachment loop 13 to a keychain or lanyard. In those regards, the charger 1 1 is about 46 mm long, about 17 mm wide, about 9 mm thick, and has a mass of about 1 oz. As illustrated, the charger housing 12 supports at its forward end a conventional USB plug 50 for insertion into a conventional external power source. As previously noted, the charger housing 12 includes the charger housing slide 38 for receiving the battery housing slide 14 of the battery housing 10, and an electrical connector 52 that is electrically connected to the USB plug 50 and is located at a rear end of the charger housing slide for mating with the electrical connector 16 as the battery housing slide is fully inserted into the charger housing slide. [0031] As illustrated in Figs 3a, 4b, and 6, the charger housing slide 38 includes the longitudinally extending flat top surface 36 and laterally spaced vertically extending side members 54 and 56 for retaining and guiding the battery housing slide 14 as it is moved rearward on the charger housing slide. In that regard, a slide retaining portion 38a of the side members 54 and 56 extends upward along a forward-most portion of the charger housing 12 to receive and retain the battery housing 10 as it enters the charger housing slide 38. Just rearward of the portion 38a, the sides 54 and 56 are expanded inwardly and laterally and form upwardly inclined ramp surfaces 32 and 34 for engaging the upwardly inclined upper surfaces 26 of the longitudinally extending side grooves 23 and 25 of the external battery housing slide 14 as depicted in Figs. 5b and 5c to aid in securing the battery housing slide on the charger housing slide 38. Rearward of ramps 32 and 34, sides 54 and 56 support the lateral inward extensions 58 and 60, which define slots 31 and 33 that receive and guide the side rails 27 and 29 of the battery housing slide 14 rearward on the charger housing slide 38 until the electrical connectors 16 and 52 meet and fully engage to complete an electrical circuit from the USB plug 50 to the battery 18 for charging or re-charging when the USB plug is inserted into a USB power outlet 65 of conventional external power source 66 as illustrated in Fig. 5d.

[0032] As illustrated in Fig. 5d, electrical contacts 68 and 70 extend from the USB power outlet 65 of power source 66 to engage inner and outer contact surfaces of the conventional USB plug 50 transferring battery charging power from the power source 66 to the plug which as illustrated is electrically connected to the charging circuitry 72 of battery charger 1 1 . In these regards, contact 68 functions as a USB retaining clip while contact 70 functions as a USB electrical wiper contact. Further in these regards, the charger 1 1 may comprise conventional charging circuitry 72 such as the Maxim 181 1 USB Charged Li + Charger available from Maxim Integrated Products, Sunnyvale, California and described fully in its specification 19-2024; Rev 2; 6/30, that is incorporated herein by this reference. Basically, the charging circuitry 72 receives power from the USB plug up to 6.5 volts and uses an internal FET to deliver up to 500 mA charging current to the battery 18 only when the battery is in an under- or un-charged state.

[0033] As depicted in Fig. 5d, the connection for the charging current from the charger 1 1 is via a lead 74 from the charging circuitry 72 to a light-emitting diode 76 and to the electrical connector 52. When the electrical connector 52 is mating with the electrical connector 16 of the battery 18 as illustrated in Fig. 5d, the charging current is transferred by the electrical connector 16 to a conventional electrical connector 78 located within the battery housing 10 for charging or recharging the battery. Meanwhile, the current flowing to the light-emitting diode 76 causes the diode to emit light that is visible through a lens 80 mounted in or integral with an upper rear corner of the battery charger housing 12 and as depicted in Fig. 5d provides a viewer with a visual indication that the battery is charging and when the battery has reached a fully charged state.

[0034] Fig. 6 is a top view of the battery charger housing 12 showing charger housing slide 38. This view is also representative of the bottom view of a hearing device for the hearing impaired, which the battery 18 is configured to power. The hearing device may be, for example, a cochlear implant sound processor having a sound processor housing slide configured similar to charger housing slide 38.

[0035] Fig. 7 is a bottom view of the battery housing 10, depicting the battery housing slide 14 in solid outline including opposite longitudinally extending sides for riding in the charger housing slide 38 of the charger housing 12, with laterally flexible fingers 40, 42 extending longitudinally from opposite sides of a rear portion of the battery housing slide configured to tightly engage insides of the charger housing slide to secure the battery housing slide within the charger housing slide. In a like manner, the battery housing slide 14 is also configured to mate with a sound processor housing slide that is similar in shape to the charger housing slide 38 shown in Fig. 6 [0036] Figs. 8a-8d are top views of the charger housing 12 with the battery housing 10 shown in phantom outline as the battery housing slide 14 enters and moves forward within the charger housing slide 38 until the electrical connector 52 of the charger housing mates with the electrical connector 16 of the battery housing to complete the charging circuit for the battery 18 when the USB plug 50 is inserted into the USB receptacle 65 of power source 66 as shown in Fig. 5d.

[0037] While preferred procedures and structures of the present invention have been described and illustrated hereinabove, the procedures and structure of the present invention are to be limited in scope only by the terms of the following claims.

Claims

1 . A procedure employing an external power source to charge a battery of a hearing device, comprising:

selecting two separate housings, including:

selecting a battery housing of a battery for powering a hearing device, the battery having battery terminals, the battery housing including:

a battery housing slide; and

an electrical connector located at a forward end of the battery housing slide electrically coupled to the battery terminals; and selecting a charger housing of a battery charger for charging the battery using an external power source having a USB power outlet, the charger housing including:

a USB plug configured to be inserted into the USB power outlet;

a charger housing slide configured to receive the battery housing slide; and

an electrical connector located near a rear portion of the charger housing slide and electrically connected to the USB plug for mating with the electrical connector of the battery housing; securing the battery housing slide on the charger housing slide with the electrical connectors mating with each other; inserting the USB plug of the battery charger housing into the USB power outlet of an external power source to transfer power from the power source to the battery; and removing the battery housing from the battery charger.

2. The procedure of claim 1 , wherein:

the step of selecting the battery housing having a battery housing slide comprises selecting a battery housing having a male slide; and

the step of selecting the charger housing having a charger housing slide comprises selecting a battery housing having a female slide configured to mate with the male slide.

3. The procedure of claim 1 , wherein:

the securing step precedes the inserting step.

4. The procedure of claim 1 , further including the step of:

removing the USB plug from the power outlet.

5. The procedure of claim 4, wherein:

the step of removing the USB plug from the USB power outlet precedes the step of removing the battery housing from the charger housing.

6. The procedure of claim 1 , wherein:

the electrical connector of the battery housing is located at a forward end of the battery housing slide;

the charger housing slide includes a longitudinally extending base bounded by upwardly extending sides for guiding and retaining the battery housing slide forward and on the charger housing slide; and

the electrical connector of the charger housing is located at a rearward end of the charger housing slide to mate with the electrical connector of the battery housing as the battery housing slide is guided and retained on the charger housing slide.

7. The procedure of claim 6, wherein:

upper ends of the upwardly extending sides of the slide support inward lateral extensions over outer edges of the longitudinally extending base forming laterally spaced longitudinally extending slots for guiding and retaining the battery housing slide within the charger housing slide.

8. The procedure of claim 7, wherein:

the battery housing slide includes longitudinally extending side grooves for receiving the lateral inward extensions of the slide to vertically and laterally secure and longitudinally guide the battery housing slide on the longitudinally extending base of the charger housing slide.

9. The procedure of claim 8, wherein:

the longitudinally extending grooves in the battery housing slide include upper surfaces that incline downwardly at rear ends of the grooves; and

the lateral inward extensions of the slide include forward ends that incline downward and forward to mate with the downward inclined ends of the grooves in the battery housing slide.

10. A battery charger configured to charge a battery of a hearing device using an external power source having a USB power outlet, comprising: a charger housing comprising:

a USB plug configured to be inserted into the USB power outlet;

a charger housing slide configured to receive a battery housing slide of a battery housing for the hearing device battery and including a longitudinally extending base bounded by upwardly extending sides configured to guide and retain the battery housing slide; and

an electrical connector located at a rear end of the charger housing slide and configured to mate with an electrical connector of the battery housing as the battery housing slide is guided and retained on the charger housing slide; and

charger circuitry housed within the charger housing and electrically coupled to the charger housing electrical connector and to the USB plug.

1 1 . The charger of claim 10, wherein:

the charger housing slide is a female slide.

12. The charger of claim 10, wherein:

the upwardly extending sides of the slide include upper ends having lateral extensions over outer edges of the longitudinally extending base forming longitudinally extending slots for receiving lateral extensions from the battery housing slide to guide and laterally retain the battery housing slide on the longitudinally extending base of the charger housing slide.

13. The charger of claim 10, wherein:

forward ends of the upwardly extending sides of the charger housing slide are inclined upward and rearward from the longitudinally extending base to define upward ramps for engaging downward and forward inclined bottom surfaces of the battery housing slide to secure the battery housing slide on the charger housing slide.

14. A system for charging a battery from a USB power outlet, comprising: the battery charger of claim 10;

a battery comprising:

battery terminals;

a battery housing comprising:

a battery housing slide; and

an external electrical connector electrically coupled to the battery terminals; wherein

the battery housing slide and the charger housing slide form a male- female connector between the battery housing and charger housing that electrically couples the electrical connectors when the battery housing slide is fully inserted on the charger housing slide.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein:

the charger housing slide is a female slide;

the battery housing slide is a male slide configured to mate with the female slide.

16. The system of claim 14, wherein:

the charger housing and the battery housing are configured to be attachable and releasable from each other while the USB plug is within the USB power outlet.

17. The system of claim 14, wherein:

the charger housing slide includes a longitudinally extending base bounded on opposite sides by upwardly extending side members for guiding and retaining the battery housing slide as the battery housing slide is guided and retained by the charger housing slide and as the electrical connectors are electrically connected and the USB plug is inserted into the USB power outlet to complete a power delivery path from a USB power outlet to the battery.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein:

forward ends of the upward extending side members of the charger housing slide include upward and rearward extending end surfaces; and

the battery housing slide includes downward and forward extending surfaces for mating with the upward and rearward extending surfaces of the upward extending side members to secure the battery housing slide to the charger housing slide.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein:

the upward extending side members of the charger housing slide support lateral extensions over outer edges of the longitudinally extending base forming longitudinally extending slots; and

outer sides of the battery housing slide include lateral extensions configured to ride in the longitudinally extending slots to longitudinally guide and retain the battery housing slide on the charger housing slide.

20. The system of claim 14, wherein:

the battery is configured to power a cochlear implant sound processor; and

the battery housing slide is configured to mate with a sound processor housing slide of the cochlear implant sound processor.