Patent Application
20120014547
In hearing instruments, battery replacement can be difficult for the user. Battery compartments are generally small and may be difficult to open. Once open, the battery compartment generally stays close to the body of the hearing instrument making it difficult for the user to grab the old battery, remove it, and replace it with a new battery. Battery compartments are generally delicate and may easily break if excessive force is applied. Also, hearing instruments may eventually become clogged with ear wax. In particular, for hearing instruments with the receiver in the canal, the receiver may become clogged with ear wax and the user may need to return the hearing instrument to a professional for service.
Therefore, it is desirable to have a hearing instrument in which the battery is easy to remove and replace, and in which the portion of the hearing instrument that may become clogged with ear wax or otherwise damaged is user replaceable.
An example hearing instrument may include an enclosure adapted for behind-the-ear placement that houses a microphone for converting an acoustical input signal to an electrical signal and a sound processing circuit for processing the electrical signal; an earpiece adapted for in-the-canal placement that includes a receiver for converting the processed electrical signal to an acoustical output signal; a replaceable battery housed in the enclosure for powering one or more of the microphone, sound processing circuit and receiver; and an electrical cable extending from the enclosure that electrically couples the processed electrical signal from the sound processing circuit to the receiver. The enclosure includes a top portion and a bottom portion. The top portion and the bottom portion pivot about a hinge point at one end of the enclosure to open and closed positions. The bottom portion may be detached from the top portion and may be replaced by the user.
In the open position of the enclosure, the battery is accessible for replacement. A latch mechanism at the other end of the enclosure secures the top portion to the bottom portion in the closed position.
The foregoing will be apparent from the following more particular description of example embodiments of the invention, as illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which like reference characters refer to the same parts throughout the different views. The drawings are not necessarily to scale, emphasis instead being placed upon illustrating embodiments of the present invention.
A first embodiment of a hearing instrument shown in
In an embodiment, the cable 106 runs through the body of the enclosure 102, and then loops back into the enclosure, forming a loop 106A. The cable 106 may be pulled through the enclosure 102 in either direction to either lengthen or shorten the distance between the enclosure and the earpiece 104. A stop 121 at one end of the enclosure 102 provides a minimum radius for the cable 106A and prevents the cable 106A from being pulled too far into the enclosure.
The cable 106 has electrical wires that may be molded into clear insulation, e.g., clear silicone. The wires may be stranded to provide flexibility and durability. In some embodiments, the wire gauge and stranding configuration may be selected to provide a measure of formability to accommodate forming the cable for sizing and user comfort. A clear insulation allows the skin tones to show through, thereby making the cable less visible. In some embodiments, rounded or other cross-sectional shapes may be used for the cable 106. Silicone is a good material to use since it is biocompatible and also provides sufficient friction against the skin to help prevent the hearing instrument enclosure 102 from sliding. In some embodiments, other insulation materials (including, but not limited to, polyvinyl chloride, polyurethane, or other thermoplastic elastomers) or colors may be used. Advantages of having adjustable length cabling are disclosed in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/147,113 filed Jun. 26, 2008,the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.
The enclosure 102 may be made of a plastic or other light-weight material. The enclosure 102 is generally oblong in shape with a bottom portion 120 and top portion 122 joined at one end by hinge point 124 and removably secured together at the opposite end by latch mechanism 126.
Embodiments of the hearing instrument may be used on either the left or right ear. Since the cable 106 is flexible, the earpiece 104 may be twisted in the correct direction to be inserted into the ear. On the enclosure 102, an acoustical sound port 116 channels sound to the microphone. The sound port 116 may be located along a symmetrical or almost symmetrical axis to provide proper sound pickup regardless of which ear the hearing instrument is being worn on. Therefore, the same hearing instrument may be used for either ear.
The top and bottom portions 122, 120 of the enclosure may open wide to provide the user easy access to the battery thereby providing ease of battery replacement. The bottom portion 120 may be detached from the top portion 122 at the pivot point 124 thereby providing the user the capability to replace the bottom portion 120 in the event it becomes damaged for example from excessive ear wax clogging the wax guard 112 or receiver 440.
Referring now to
The handle 108 generally forms a T-shape with the receiver holder 114. The handle 108 and the receiver holder 114 may be made of plastic, for example acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS). Other types of materials may be used. The surface of handle 108 may be curved to better conform to the shape of a user's finger and angled away from the tip to provide a measure of strain relief for the cable 106 that connects to the receiver through a top portion of the handle 108. In some embodiments, the connection between the cable 106 and the handle 108 may include a connector/receptacle configuration (e.g., an ultra-miniature electrical connector).
The handle 108 further provides a means for the user to insert the earpiece 104 to a proper and consistent depth within the ear canal. In particular, the handle 108 may be sized to prevent the tip 110 from touching the bony portion of the user's ear canal. Additionally, the handle 108 may prevent the user from inserting the tip 110 too deeply into the ear canal so as to avoid injury to the tympanic membrane.
The pivot mechanism 124 is shown in more detail at one end of the enclosure 102 (
At the other end of the enclosure 102, a pin 144 extending from the top portion 122 snaps into for example a V-shaped opening 126 on the bottom portion 120 to form the latch mechanism. The latch mechanism may be integral to the bottom portion 120. In another embodiment (not shown), the latch mechanism may be a separate piece, for example, made from metal and attached to the bottom portion 120. The latch mechanism may contain a detent feature to provide the user tactile feedback that the bottom portion 120 and top portion 122 are properly closed.
More complex or less complex sound processing circuitry may be used with example embodiments.
While this invention has been particularly shown and described with references to example embodiments thereof, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes in form and details may be made therein without departing from the scope of the invention encompassed by the appended claims.
