Patent Grant
11483668
The present disclosure generally relates to a hearing aid device. The disclosure more particularly relates to a hearing aid device that is configured to communicate wirelessly with an external device.
Recent hearing aid devices are adapted for communicating wirelessly with external devices. It is known to configure a hearing aid device to transmit a wireless signal to a corresponding hearing aid device (arranged in the other ear) in order to simultaneously change e.g. background settings of two hearings aid devices arranged in the both ears of a user.
It is also known to use wireless technology standards for exchanging data over short distances by using short-wavelength radio transmissions, such as Bluetooth applying the ISM band from 2400-2480 MHz.
When hearing aid device has to be configured to perform wireless communication there are a number of specific requirements to be considered, such as the size and position of the antenna.
Thus, there is need for a hearing aid device that makes it possible to provide effective wireless communication with an external device.
It is an object of the present disclosure to provide an effective way of arranging an antenna within a hearing aid device and to provide a hearing aid device capable of providing effective wireless communication with an external device.
The object of the present disclosure can be achieved by a hearing aid device as defined in claim 1. Preferred embodiments are defined in the dependent sub claims and explained in the following description and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
The hearing aid device according to the disclosure is a hearing aid device configured to communicate wirelessly with an external device, where the hearing aid device comprises a housing with a microphone and an amplifier, where the hearing aid device further comprises an antenna and either:
a) a tube configured to deliver sound acoustically from a receiver in the housing to an ear mould or a dome or electrically to a receiver in an ear mould or a dome or
b) a hook configured to deliver sound acoustically from a receiver in the housing to an ear mould or a dome.
The antenna extends along at least a portion of the tube or the hook.
Such hearing aid device makes it possible to provide effective wireless communication with an external device. Moreover it is possible to arrange the antenna within a hearing aid device in a manner that facilitates effective wireless communication with an external device.
The hearing aid device according to the disclosure is a hearing aid device configured to communicate wirelessly with an external device. The external device may in principle be any suitable device e.g. a mobile phone, a computer, another hearing aid, a remote control, a wireless relay device adapted to advance an audio signal from another communication application, or the like.
The hearing aid device may be configured to communicate wirelessly by using any wireless technology, however, it may be an advantage to use a wireless technology standard for exchanging data over short distances by using short-wavelength radio transmissions, e.g. Bluetooth applying the ISM band from 2400-2480 MHz.
The hearing aid device comprises a housing (which also may be referred to as a casing) with a microphone and an amplifier.
The hearing aid device may comprise several microphones and the microphone(s) may be of any suitable type.
The amplifier may be of any suitable type.
The housing may also comprise a receiver configured to generate acoustic sound waves.
It may be preferred that the housing is configured to receive a battery for delivery of energy to the hearing aid device.
The antenna may be any suitable type of antenna made in any suitable material and having any suitable form.
The hearing aid device may comprise a tube configured to deliver sound acoustically from a receiver in the housing to an ear mould or a dome or electrically to a receiver in an ear mould or a dome.
The hearing aid device may comprise a hook configured to deliver sound acoustically from a receiver in the housing to an ear mould or a dome.
The hearing aid device may be a receiver-in-the-ear (RITE) hearing aid device or a behind-the-ear (BTE) hearing aid device by way of example.
The antenna extends along at least a portion of the tube or the hook and hereby it is possible to facilitate effective wireless communication with an external device.
In the present context, a “hearing aid device” refers to a device, such as e.g. a hearing aid, a listening device or an active ear-protection device, which is adapted to improve, augment and/or protect the hearing capability of a user by receiving acoustic signals from the user's surroundings, generating corresponding audio signals, possibly modifying the audio signals and providing the possibly modified audio signals as audible signals to at least one of the user's ears.
A “hearing aid device” further refers to a device such as an earphone or a headset adapted to receive audio signals electronically, possibly modifying the audio signals and providing the possibly modified audio signals as audible signals to at least one of the user's ears. Such audible signals may e.g. be provided in the form of acoustic signals radiated into the user's outer ears, acoustic signals transferred as mechanical vibrations to the user's inner ears through the bone structure of the user's head and/or through parts of the middle ear as well as electric signals transferred directly or indirectly to the cochlear nerve and/or to the auditory cortex of the user.
A hearing aid device may be configured to be worn in any known way, e.g, as a unit arranged behind the ear with a tube leading air-borne acoustic signals into the ear canal or with a loudspeaker arranged close to or in the ear canal, as a unit entirely or partly arranged in the pinna and/or in the ear canal. A hearing device may comprise a single unit or several units communicating electronically with each other.
More generally, a hearing aid device comprises an input transducer for receiving an acoustic signal from a user's surroundings and providing a corresponding input audio signal and/or a receiver for electronically receiving an input audio signal, a signal processing circuit for processing the input audio signal and an output means for providing an audible signal to the user in dependence on the processed audio signal. Some hearing aid devices may comprise multiple input transducers, e.g. for providing direction-dependent audio signal processing. In some hearing aid devices, the receiver may be a wireless receiver. In some hearing aid devices, the receiver may be e.g. an input amplifier for receiving a wired signal. In some hearing aid devices, an amplifier may constitute the signal processing circuit. In some hearing aid devices, the output means may comprise an output transducer, such as e.g. a loudspeaker for providing an air-borne acoustic signal or a vibrator for providing a structure-borne or liquid-borne acoustic signal. In some hearing aid devices, the output means may comprise one or more output electrodes for providing electric signals.
In some hearing aid devices, the vibrator may be adapted to provide a structure-borne acoustic signal transcutaneously or percutaneously to the skull bone. In some hearing aid devices, the vibrator may be implanted in the middle ear and/or in the inner ear. In some hearing aid devices, the vibrator may be adapted to provide a structure-borne acoustic signal to a middle-ear bone and/or to the cochlea. In some hearing aid devices, the vibrator may be adapted to provide a liquid-borne acoustic signal in the cochlear liquid, e.g. through the oval window. In some hearing aid devices, the output electrodes may be implanted in the cochlea or on the inside of the skull bone and may be adapted to provide the electric signals to the hair cells of the cochlea, to one or more hearing nerves and/or to the auditory cortex.
It may be an advantage that the antenna extends along at least a portion of the hook and that the antenna is embedded into the wall of the hook.
Hereby it is possible to provide a reliable antenna that is secured to the wall of the hook.
It may be beneficial that the antenna comprises several separate antenna members that are electrically connected to each other to form one interconnected antenna.
In this way it is possible to have an antenna that extends through several members that are configured to be attached to each other and to be detached from each other. This option provides great design freedom.
The connections between adjacent antenna members may be of any suitable plug or type of connection
It may be advantageous that the hearing aid device comprises a tube and an antenna that comprises an antenna portion formed as a coaxial sleeve encasing at least a portion of the tube.
Accordingly, it is possible to install such antenna on existing tubes subsequently. Moreover, it is possible to provide an effective and easy installable antenna that easily can be inspected.
It may be an advantage that the antenna is provided in a recess in the hook or in the tube.
Hereby a simple and reliable attachment of the antenna to the hook or to the tube can be provided.
It may be an advantage that the antenna is provided in a recess provided in the outer surface of the hook or in the tube. Hereby the mounting of the antenna into the recess is eased.
It may beneficial that the hearing aid device comprises a support arm configured to support and fixedly secure the antenna to the tube or the hook. Such construction is easy to use and provides optimum access for inspection of the antenna.
It may be an advantage that the hearing aid device is a RITE hearing aid device comprising a connection member comprising a support arm that is provided as extension of the connection member.
It may be beneficial that the support arm is configured to be mechanically (detachably) attached to the tube by means of two holding arms that are provided at the distal end of the support arm.
It may be preferable that each of the holding arms is shaped as a portion (e.g. 120 degrees) of a hollow circular cylinder and that the holding arms are arranged in such a way that they constitute an attachment space provided between the holding arms and that the attachment space is configured to receive and hereby secure the tube to the support arm.
It may be beneficial that the hearing aid device comprises a tube and that a thin (thinner than the wall of the tube) antenna is provided at the inner surface of the tube.
It may be an advantage that the antenna is provided as a thin film.
The antenna may be attached to the tube by any suitable means. The tube may be produced by extrusion by way of example.
It may be advantageous that the hearing aid device comprises a tube that has a basically circular cross-section, where several antennas are embedded in the wall of the tube and extend along the length of the tube.
Hereby it is possible to provide a reliable and robust hearing aid device in which the antenna is firmly secured to the tube.
It may be an advantage that the tube is provided with an increased thickness portion in which a first thin (thinner than the wall thickness of the tube) antenna, a second thin antenna and a third thicker antenna are provided.
It may be an advantage that the antennas are embedded in the wall of the tube and extend along the length of the tube.
It may be beneficial that the hearing aid device comprises a tube having a head member provided with outer threads and that an antenna covers a portion of the threads of the head member and that the antenna is electrically connected to another antenna member that is attached to the outer surface of the tube, where the hearing aid device comprises a connection member having a cavity configured to receive the tube, where the cavity is provided with inner threads configured to receive the threads of the head member, where a first antenna member extends through the connection member and where the first antenna is electrically connected to a second antenna that covers a portion of threads of the connection member.
Hereby a reliable and simple hearing aid can be provided. At the same time a good electrical connection between the first antenna and the second antenna can be achieved.
It may be beneficial that the hearing aid device comprises a housing with an antenna and that a groove member is provided in the first antenna and that the groove member is configured to receive a corresponding tongue member provided in the antenna of the housing.
Hereby a simple and reliable connection between the two antennas can be achieved.
It may be an advantage that a tongue member is provided in the proximal end of the connection member and that a groove member corresponding to the tongue member is provided in the housing. The connection member may preferably be configured to be mechanically and electrically connected to the housing of the hearing aid device by means of the tongue members and the corresponding groove members.
Hereby a reliable and secure connection can be provided between the connection member and the housing. Besides when the hearing aid device is assembled, all the antennas are electrically connected to form one large antenna capable for being used to perform wireless communication with an external device (e.g. a mobile phone).
Some of the tongue members and the corresponding groove members may be replaced by other attachment members or plug members.
It may be advantageous that the hearing aid device comprises a tube and a head member, where the head member is provided with threads for being screwed into a threaded connection member, where the hearing aid device comprises a pipe member, where antenna is attached to the pipe member, where the hearing aid device comprises a knife member and that the antenna is configured to be arranged in the pipe by inserting the knife member into the wall of the tube.
Hereby a secure and reliable attachment of the tube to the connection member can be achieved.
It may be beneficial that the pipe member is made in an electrically conductive material in order to provide an electrical connection to the housing of the hearing aid device.
It may be an advantage that the head member comprises an electrical connection portion suitable of providing an electrical connection to the housing of the hearing aid device.
It may be beneficial that the hearing aid device comprises a connection member and a tube that is attached to a head member having threads, which head member is configured to be received by inner threads of the connection member, where a first antenna extends along the threads of the head member and is electrically connected to a second antenna that is provided at the outside surface of the tube.
Moreover it may be an advantage that the second antenna is twisted around the tube to form a coil-like member.
Hereby, the second antenna takes up less space than a straight antenna.
It may be beneficial that the hearing aid device comprises a tube having a head member and that an antenna is provided at the outside surface of the tube and that the antenna extends along the length of the tube, where the antenna extends from the head member along the proximal portion of the tube.
It may be an advantage that the antenna coves basically one half of the outside surface of the tube. The antenna may be an indium tin oxide (ITO) coating or any other suitable type of antenna.
It may be beneficial that the antenna covers the entire outside surface of the tube. Thus, the antenna encloses the tube. The antenna may be an ITO coating or any other suitable type of antenna.
It may be an advantage that a head member is provided outside the antenna and that the antenna extends along the inside of the head member and extends further along the proximal portion of the tube.
It may be beneficial that the hearing aid device comprises a tube and that a flat plate-shaped antenna is embedded in the wall of the end portion of the tube.
It may be an advantage that the tube is flexible and comprises an increased thickness portion at its distal end.
Moreover it may be beneficial that a flat plate-shaped antenna is embedded in the wall of the increased thickness portion of the tube.
It may be beneficial that a box-shaped connection body is attached to the underside of the distal portion of the antenna.
Further it may be an advantage that the distal end surface of the antenna and the connection body are aligned.
It may be beneficial that the connection body is a gold pad.
It may be beneficial that the hearing aid device comprises a tube that comprises walls and has a circular cross-section and that the tube comprises a centrally arranged antenna having a circular cross-section.
Further it may be an advantage that the antenna is a litz wire antenna.
It may be an advantage that the hearing aid device comprises a head member provided with threads for being screwed into a threaded connection member and that the head member is attached to a basically cylindrical pipe member and that an antenna is attached to the pipe member.
Further it may be an advantage that the hearing aid device comprises a knife member and an antenna arranged in the pipe and that the knife member is configured to be inserted into the wall of the tube.
It may be an advantage that the hearing aid device comprises a tube having a basically circular cross-section and that the tube is provided with a flat portion configured to receive a plate-shaped antenna.
Hereby the antenna may simply be attached to the flat portion of the tube by means of glue.
It may be preferred to provide the antenna with a coating, e.g. a protective coating.
It may be an advantage that the hearing aid device comprises a flexible tube comprising a wall and an antenna and that the antenna comprises a so-called “Kevlar antenna wire” comprising continuous filament aramid and tinned copper wire braid.
It may be beneficial that the hearing aid device comprises a tube and that a pair of holding arms is provided at the outer surface of the tube.
Further it may be an advantage that the holding arms are configured to receive and maintain an antenna secured to the tube.
It may be beneficial that the antenna has a circular cross section and is attached to the tube by means of an interference fit.
It may be advantageous that the hearing aid device comprises a tube comprising a first half and a second half that are configured to be joint and that a first recess is provided in the first half and that a second recess is provided in the second half.
It may be beneficial that the antenna has a circular cross section.
It may be an advantage that the two half's are attached to each other by means of glue.
It is possible to glue the two half's together or to join the by using any other suitable method.
The disclosure will become more fully understood from the detailed description given herein below. The accompanying drawings are given by way of illustration only, and thus, they are not limitative of the present disclosure. In the accompanying drawings:
Referring now in detail to the drawings for the purpose of illustrating preferred embodiments of the present disclosure, different views of a hearing aid device 2 according to the disclosure is illustrated in
The hook 6 has an upper side 18, a lower side 16 and a distal end 28. The distal end 28 is configured to receive an ear mould (see
The antenna 20 extends along the upper side 18 of the hook 6. It is possible to embed (e.g. by a moulding process) the antenna 20 into the wall 124 of the hook 6 or to provide an alternative attachment. The antenna 20 is required in order to perform wireless communication with an external device 44 (e.g, a mobile phone).
An antenna (not shown) extends from the housing 4 through the proximal portion of the tube 34 (see
The hearing aid devices 2 may be configured to communicate wirelessly by using any wireless technology, however, it may be an advantage to apply a wireless technology standard for exchanging data over short distances such as Bluetooth applying short-wavelength radio transmissions in the ISM band from 2400-2480 MHz.
The hearing aid device 2 corresponds basically to the one shown in
The hook 6 has an upper side 18; a lower side 16 and a distal end 28 that is open and is configured to receive an ear mould (see
The hooks 6 comprise an upper side 18 (that is concave in
The antennas 10, 20 may be arranged within the hooks 6 during the manufacture of the hooks (e.g. by means of injection moulding). It is also possible to attach the antenna 10, 20 within the hook 6 afterwards e.g. by means of a mechanical attachment, gluing or by applying another suitable attachment method.
An antenna 20 is indicated by a dotted line. Three ribs 58 are provided along the recess 56. The ribs 58 are configured to keep the antenna 20 in place within the recess 56.
The antenna is not visible in
The housing 4 comprises a volume control 70, microphone openings 68, 68′ and a battery door 74.
A tube 34 enters the housing 4 of the hearing aid device 2 via the connection member 42. A dome 32 is attached to the distal end of the tube 34. Moreover, a retention strip 72 is provided at the distal end of the tube 34. An antenna may be arranged in the hearing aid device 2 in different ways.
A basically cylindrical head member 76 is provided at the proximal end of the tube 34. Outer threads 78 are provided at the outer surface of the head member 76. Accordingly, the head member 76 is configured to be detachably attached to the connection member 42 as indicated by the arrow 71.
The connection member is provided with a cavity 80 configured to receive the head member 76. Thus, the geometry of the cavity 80 fits the geometry of the head member 42. Moreover, the cavity 80 is provided with inner threads 82 that are adapted to receive the outer threads 78 of the head member 76. Accordingly, the head member 76 can be screwed into the connection member 42 so that a firm and reliable attachment of the head member 76 to the connection member 42 can be provided in an easy and secure manner.
The connection member 42 comprises a support arm 84 that is provided as extension of the connection member 42. The support arm 84 is configured to be mechanically (detachably) attached to the tube 34 by means of two holding arms 86, 86′ that are provided at the distal end of the support arm 84. Each of the holding arms 86, 86′ are shaped as a portion (about one third or 120 degrees) of a hollow circular cylinder. The holding arms 86, 86′ are arranged in such a way that they constitute an attachment space 88 provided between the holding arms 86, 86′. The attachment space 88 is configured to receive and hereby secure the tube 34 to the support arm 84.
An antenna 20 extends along the length of the support arm 84. The antenna 20 extends through the connection member 42 and has further more a protruding portion 90 protruding from the proximal end of the connection member 42. The protruding portion 90 is configured to be electrically connected to interior members of the housing 4 of a hearing aid device 2.
The antenna 20 may be attached to the support member by any suitable means. The antenna 20 may be attached to the support member by means of gluing by way of example. The antenna 20 may be integrated into the support member 84 and the connection member 42 while injection moulding the support member 84 and the connection member 42 by way of example.
The antenna 20 may be attached to the tube 34 in any suitable way. The tube 34 may be produced by extrusion.
A groove member 98 is provided in the first antenna 20′ and this groove member 98 is configured to receive a corresponding tongue member 100 provided in the antenna 20 of the housing 4. A tongue member 96 is provided in the proximal end of the connection member 42 and a groove member 94 corresponding to the tongue member 96 is provided in the housing 4. The connection member 42 is configured to be mechanically and electrically connected to the housing 4 of the hearing aid device 2 by means of the tongue members 96, 100 and the corresponding groove members 94, 98.
When the hearing aid device 2 is assembled, the antennas 20, 20′, 20″, 10, 10′ are electrically connected to form one large antenna capable for being used to perform wireless communication with an external device (e.g. a mobile phone).
Some of the tongue members 96, 100 and the corresponding groove members 94, 98 may be replaced by other attachment members or plug members.
The connection member 42 has a first opening end configured to be attached to a housing of a hearing aid device. The connection member 42 has a second open end and a cavity 80 configured to receive the head member 76 of the tube 34. The cavity 80 is provided with inner threads 82 configured to receive the threads 78 of the head member 76. A first antenna 20′ is provided at the proximal and central portion of the lower inside surface of the connection member 42. The first antenna 20 is electrically connected to a second antenna 20′ that extends along the threads 82 of the connection member 42.
A first antenna 10 extends along the threads 78 of the head member 76 and is electrically connected to a second antenna 10′ that is attached to the tube 34. The tube 34 is attached to the connection member 42 by screwing the head member 42 into the cavity 80 of the connection member 42.
The tube 34 is attached to a head member 76 provided with threads 78 configured to be received by the inner threads 82 of the connection member 42. A first antenna 10 extends along the threads 78 of the head member 76 and is electrically connected to a second antenna 10′ that is provided at the outside surface of the tube 34. The second antenna 10′ is twisted around the tube 34 to form a coil-like member. Hereby, the second antenna 10′ takes up less space than the straight second antenna 10′ shown in
The second antenna 10′ may be attached to the tube 34 by any suitable means. The second antenna 10′ may be attached to the tube 34 by means of glue, mechanical attachment means or simply be the compressive (radial inwardly directed) forced provided when twisting the antenna 10′ around the tube 34.
The antenna 20 extends along the length of the tube (see
The head member 76 is open at its distal end and in this portion of the tube 34 a number of electrically conductive members 106 and electrically insulating members 108 are provided side by side. This end portion of the head member 76 is configured to be connected to a corresponding plug member (not shown) provided at the connection member (not shown).
A box-shaped 110 connection body 110 is attached to the underside of the distal portion of the antenna 20. The distal end surface of the antenna 20 and the connection body 110 are aligned. The connection body 110 may be a gold pad.
It is possible to provide the antenna 20 with a coating, e.g. a protective coating (not shown).
The antenna 20 may be embedded in the wall 112 of the tube or be attached to the wall 112 of the tube 34 either inside or outside the tube 34. Any suitable attachment method may be used.
The antenna 20 has a circular cross section and is attached to the tube 34 by pressing the antenna 20 into the space provided between the two holding arms 86, 86′ by means of a interference fit.
A first recess 56 is provided in the first half 122 and a second recess 56′ is provided in the second half 122′. An antenna 20 having a circular cross section is shown.
In
In
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 13185193 | Sep 2013 | EP | regional |
This application is a Continuation of co-pending application Ser. No. 16/400,892 filed on May 1, 2019, which is a Divisional of Application Ser. No. 15/286,715, filed on Oct. 6, 2016, now U.S. Pat. No. 10,327,079 issued Jun. 18, 2019, which is a Divisional of Application Ser. No. 14/491,326, filed on Sep. 19, 2014, now U.S. Pat. No. 9,491,554, issued on Nov. 8, 2016 which claims priority under 35 U.S.C. § 119(a) to European Application No. 13185193.3, filed on Sep. 19, 2013, all of which are hereby expressly incorporated by reference into the present application.
| Number | Name | Date | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5761319 | Dar | Jun 1998 | A |
| 6748094 | Tziviskos et al. | Jun 2004 | B1 |
| 7443991 | Niederdrank et al. | Oct 2008 | B2 |
| 7570777 | Taenzer | Aug 2009 | B1 |
| 8401211 | Angst et al. | Mar 2013 | B2 |
| 20080170739 | Suematsu et al. | Jul 2008 | A1 |
| 20080304686 | Meskens et al. | Dec 2008 | A1 |
| 20090196449 | Platz | Aug 2009 | A1 |
| 20090287278 | Charvin | Nov 2009 | A1 |
| 20100321269 | Ishibana | Dec 2010 | A1 |
| 20110022121 | Meskins | Jan 2011 | A1 |
| 20110116669 | Karunasiri | May 2011 | A1 |
| 20110122034 | Kim | May 2011 | A1 |
| 20120148079 | Gabathuier et al. | Jun 2012 | A1 |
| 20130223664 | Meskens et al. | Aug 2013 | A1 |
| 20140010394 | Kvist | Jan 2014 | A1 |
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 20210235205 A1 | Jul 2021 | US |
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Parent | 15286715 | Oct 2016 | US |
| Child | 16400892 | US | |
| Parent | 14491326 | Sep 2014 | US |
| Child | 15286715 | US |
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Parent | 16400892 | May 2019 | US |
| Child | 17229387 | US |
