Patent Application
20210029475
This application claims the priority, under 35 U.S.C. § 119, of German application DE 10 2019 211 043, filed Jul. 25, 2019; the prior application is herewith incorporated by reference in its entirety.
The invention relates to a charging contact connection for a charger that is used for charging an electrical device, in particular a hearing device. In addition, the invention relates to a mating contact connection that, in particular, forms the counterpart for the charging contact connection. Additionally, the invention relates to a charging contact system and an electrical device, in particular a hearing device.
Devices that are operated with rechargeable batteries frequently have connections in order to make electrical contact with a charger and hence to be able to leave the rechargeable batteries inside the device when charging them. Often, proprietary connections are used for this. From the cell phone sector, however, it is now known that a large number of suppliers are resorting to standard systems. In some cases, devices having rechargeable batteries also use what are known as jack plugs. These systems frequently have the disadvantage that the insertion distances required for making the contact are usually comparatively long, and finding and easily connecting the corresponding connections, in particular in chargers having charging cradles, as “blindly” as possible is therefore hampered. Spring contacts of comparatively flat design are therefore often used in this area. These are known from the field of cordless landline telephones, for example.
The invention is based on the object of simplifying making contact with corresponding charging contacts.
This object is achieved according to the invention by a charging contact connection having the features of the independent charging contact connection claim. In addition, this object is achieved according to the invention by a mating contact connection having the features of the mating contact connection claim. Further, the object is achieved according to the invention by a charging contact system having the features of the independent charging contact system claim. Additionally, this object is achieved according to the invention by an electrical device, in particular a hearing device, having the features of the independent hearing device claim. Further advantageous and in some cases inherently inventive embodiments and further developments are presented in the subclaims and the description that follows.
The inventive charging contact connection is configured and intended for use in a charger. This charger is used in particular for charging an electrical device (operated by means of a rechargeable battery), in particular a hearing device, preferably a hearing aid for looking after a person having impaired hearing. The charging contact connection has a permanent magnetic magnet element for magnetically attracting a mating contact connection (in particular of the hearing device). In addition, the charging contact connection has a central contact pin that is used for making contact with a first mating contact of the mating contact connection. Further, the charging contact connection has a contact casing, annularly surrounding the central contact pin, that contains a contact surface for making contact with a second mating contact of the mating contact connection, which contact surface is oriented obliquely and/or perpendicularly with respect to a longitudinal axis of the contact pin. The contact casing is electrically insulated from the contact pin. Additionally, the contact casing at least partially surrounds the magnet element.
The two connection contacts formed by the contact pin and the contact casing are therefore nested in one another, so that the physical size of the charging contact connection can advantageously be reduced. The magnet element also allows the charging contact connection and the mating contact connection to need only be positioned “close” to one another in order to make contact. At a sufficiently short distance, the magnetic attraction allows almost automatic coupling of the mutually assigned connection contacts.
Preferably, the contact pin is in the form of a spring contact pin. In particular, the contact pin in this case has a spring-mounted contact tip and is also referred to as a “pogo pin”. The spring contact pin design allows compensation for tolerances and comparatively failsafe making of contact with the applicable mating contacts.
In a preferred embodiment, at least the contact surface of the contact casing is in a rotationally symmetrical embodiment with respect to the longitudinal axis of the contact pin. The contact pin and the contact surface, in particular the entire contact casing, are therefore arranged concentrically with respect to one another. As a result, any rotational orientation of the charging contact connection with respect to the mating contact connection is rendered possible when making contact.
In a further preferred embodiment, the contact casing surrounds the magnet element in a pot-like manner. Preferably, the contact surface of the contact casing forms the “pot bottom” and a wall section of the contact casing, in particular running parallel to the contact pin, forms the “pot side wall”.
In an expedient embodiment, the magnet element is of electrically conductive design and forms an electrical connection between the contact casing and an electrical line downstream of the charging contact connection. As a result, the component integration of the charging contact connection is increased further and the number of components is accordingly reduced. This also allows installation space to be saved.
In a further expedient embodiment, the magnet element is also preferably in rotationally symmetrical form with respect to the longitudinal axis of the contact pin and surrounds the latter in particular in a sleeve-like manner.
Preferably, at least sections of the magnet element are fitted into the contact casing.
Expediently, the contact pin—in particular in the rotationally symmetrical embodiment of the contact casing—penetrates the contact surface of the contact casing through an assigned opening. In particular, the free end of the contact pin also projects above the contact surface. Expediently, the assigned first mating contact for the contact pin is set back from the second mating contact in this instance, so that in particular the projecting free end (also: “contact end”) of the contact pin exhibits a centering effect when making contact with the mating contact connection.
In a preferred embodiment, the contact pin is covered by insulating material at least in a contact region with respect to the magnet element and with respect to the contact casing. The insulating material preferably forms a sleeve that is pushed over the contact pin. Alternatively, the insulating material is a type of lacquer applied to the contact pin.
In an optional embodiment, the magnet element is in the form of a plastic-bonded permanent magnet.
Preferably, the contact pin and the contact casing are formed from a metal, which is possibly coated (in particular to increase conductivity).
The mating contact connection according to the invention is preferably configured and intended for coupling to the charging contact connection described above. To this end, the mating contact connection has the aforementioned first mating contact for making contact with the contact pin and the second mating contact, annularly surrounding the first mating contact, for making contact with the contact surface of the contact casing. At least the second mating contact is formed from ferrimagnetic or ferromagnetic material. This advantageously allows an external magnetic component, preferably the magnet element arranged in the charging contact connection, to exert a magnetic attraction at least on the second mating contact, so that coupling is simplified and at least a certain level of fixing to one another is made possible. The mating contact connection is additionally configured and intended for installation in the electrical device, in particular the hearing device (specifically the hearing aid).
In an expedient embodiment, the first mating contact is set back from a contact surface (which is configured and intended to bear against the contact surface of the contact casing) of the second mating contact. Additionally or alternatively, the first and second mating contacts are (mechanically) connected to one another by means of an electrically insulating spacer. The latter advantageously prevents a short between the first and second mating contacts. The set-back embodiment of the first mating contact promotes in particular the above-described centering effect of the contact pin that preferably projects over the contact surface of the contact casing.
Preferably, at least sections of the first mating contact are in cup form (i.e in the form of a preferably spherical hollow), so that a contact surface between the free end of the contact pin and the first mating contact is as large as possible.
More preferably, the second mating contact is arranged concentrically with respect to the first mating contact, analogously to the contact casing, and surrounds the first mating contact in an annularly closed manner. This advantageously also allows the two connections to rotate with respect to one another (i.e. in particular about the axis of rotation of the charging contact connection, which is coincident with the contact pin) in the state coupled to the charging contact connection.
The charging contact system according to the invention is accordingly likewise used for charging the electrical device, in particular the aforementioned hearing device, and, to this end, has the above-described charging contact connection and the above-described mating contact connection that is assigned to the electrical device or the hearing device.
Since the charging contact system contains the charging contact connection and the mating contact connection, the charging contact system has the above-described features and advantages of the charging contact connection in equal measure.
The hearing device according to the invention, which preferably forms a hearing aid, has the above-described mating contact connection for making electrical contact with the above-described charging contact connection. The mating contact connection therefore has the first mating contact for making contact with the contact pin and the second mating contact, annularly surrounding the first mating contact, for making contact with the contact surface of the contact casing. At least the second mating contact is formed from ferrimagnetic or ferromagnetic material.
Preferably, the second mating contact is not permanently magnetized. Preferably, the mating contact connection does not have a permanently magnetised element. As a result, influencing of hearing device components (for example microphones and/or loudspeakers) when the hearing device is operating as intended (i.e. not during the charging process) can be advantageously avoided.
In an embodiment that is advantageous in respect of the utilization of available installation space, the mating contact connection is preferably positioned directly on a printed circuit board of the hearing device in the manner of what is known as a “surface mounted device” (“SMD” for short) and is in contact with assigned conductor tracks on the same side of the printed circuit board.
In a further advantageous embodiment, the mating contact connection is set back from an exterior surface of an exterior housing of the hearing device in the direction of the housing interior. This in particular reduces the risk of skin contact with the two mating contacts by the hearing device wearer.
Preferably, the mating contact connection has a diameter of approximately 3-4 millimeters, preferably around 3.5 millimeters for a height of 0.5-2 millimeters, preferably around approximately 1 millimeter. Accordingly, the charging contact connection preferably also has a comparable diameter of the contact casing. The possibly existent projection of the free end of the contact pin is preferably between 0.5 and 1.5 millimeters.
In an embodiment that also forms an independent invention, the charging contact connection is part of a charging cable that is connected or connectable to a power source or a connecting means for a power source. At least in the state connected to the power source or to the connecting means, this charging cable forms the aforementioned charger. By way of example, the connecting means is a power supply unit (possibly a charging power supply unit) that is connectable to a stationary energy supply system and configured to transform the power drawn therefrom into a magnitude required for charging the electrical device (and, in the case of the charging power supply unit, to monitor the charging process). The power source is for example a portable storage battery, also referred to as a “power bank”, or another electrical device that can provide charging power (for example a laptop or the like, which can also supply power to connected electrical devices via a USB port). In particular if the mating contact connection is installed in a hearing device, the power source can also be formed by what is known as a “neckband”, a type of necklace or the like that contains an additional storage battery and that is connectable to the charging cable.
In an embodiment that likewise forms an independent invention, the charging contact connection is part of a portable (rechargeable) battery module. This can be connected by means of the charging contact connection to the electrical device that has the mating contact connection, in particular the hearing aid, as a type of extension. Optionally, the battery module is equipped with a fast charge function that allows comparatively fast power transmission from the battery module to the energy storage element of the electrical device, in particular of the hearing device. Alternatively, the battery module is configured to remain on the electrical device, in particular the hearing device, as a type of “attachment” as a type of “emergency power source” for further operation (i.e until stationary charging of the electrical device is possible again).
Other features which are considered as characteristic for the invention are set forth in the appended claims.
Although the invention is illustrated and described herein as embodied in a charging contact connection for a charger, a mating contact connection, a charging contact system and an electrical device, it is nevertheless not intended to be limited to the details shown, since various modifications and structural changes may be made therein without departing from the spirit of the invention and within the scope and range of equivalents of the claims.
The construction and method of operation of the invention, however, together with additional objects and advantages thereof will be best understood from the following description of specific embodiments when read in connection with the accompanying drawings.
Mutually corresponding parts are provided with the same reference signs throughout the figures.
Referring now to the figures of the drawings in detail and first, particularly to
The charging connection 6 has two contact elements arranged concentrically with respect to one another, specifically a central first contact piece 8 and a second contact piece 10 annularly surrounding the latter (see
As can be seen from
The contact surface 20 of the charging connector 12 bears against a corresponding contact surface 22 of the charging connection 6 in an intended coupling state (see
In order to assist the coupling of the charging connector 12 to the charging connection 6, and in order to keep them against one another during the charging process, the charging connector 12 has a magnet element in the form of a magnet sleeve 26. The latter is fitted into the contact casing 16 shaped in a pot-like manner and is put onto the contact pin 14 with said contact casing (see
The second contact piece 10 (optionally also the first contact piece 8) is formed from a ferrimagnetic or ferromagnetic material, so that the magnet sleeve 26 can exert a magnetic attraction on said contact piece.
To electrically insulate the first and second contact pieces 8, 10 from one another, an insulating ring 30 is arranged between them as an insulating spacer. The insulating ring is a plastic injection molded part. In an optional variant, this insulating ring 30 contains ferrimagnetic or ferromagnetic material. In this case, the second contact piece 10 can also be in nonmagnetic form.
As
The charging connector 12, in a variant application, is integrated in a charger that has a charging cradle for receiving the hearing device 1.
In an alternative variant application, schematically depicted in
In all of the depicted variants, the rotationally symmetrical designs of the charging connector 12 and the charging connection 6 allow freely rotatable positioning of the hearing device 1 with respect to the charging connector 12. The magnet sleeve 26 additionally simplifies the coupling of the charging connector 12 to the charging connection 6.
The subject matter of the invention is not restricted to the exemplary embodiment described above. Rather, further embodiments of the invention can be derived from the description above by a person skilled in the art.
The following is a summary list of reference numerals and the corresponding structure used in the above description of the invention:
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 102019211043 | Jul 2019 | DE | national |
