Abstract:
A hearing apparatus is provided with a housing and/or frame and a battery compartment that is mounted rotatably in or on the housing or frame between an open position and a closed position. The battery compartment, radially relative to the axis of rotation, has a first locking element within the battery charger area. A second locking element that corresponds to the first locking element is arranged on the housing or frame so that the battery compartment engages removably in a specified pivoted position between the open position and the closed position.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application claims priority of German application No. 10 2008 008 668.1 DE filed Feb. 12, 2008, which is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety. 
     FIELD OF INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to a hearing apparatus with a housing and/or frame and a battery compartment that is mounted rotatably in or on the housing or frame. The term hearing apparatus is understood here to mean any sound-emitting device that can be worn on or in the ear, in particular a hearing device, a headset, a set of ear phones and the like. 
     BACKGROUND OF INVENTION 
     Hearing devices are wearable hearing apparatuses which are used to assist the hard-of-hearing. In order to accommodate numerous individual requirements, various types of hearing devices are available such as behind-the-ear (BTE) hearing devices, hearing device with external receiver (RIC: receiver in the canal) and in-the-ear (ITE) hearing devices, for example also concha hearing devices or completely-in-the-canal (ITE, CIC) hearing devices. The hearing devices listed as examples are worn on the outer ear or in the auditory canal. Bone conduction hearing aids, implantable or vibrotactile hearing aids are also available on the market. The damaged hearing is thus stimulated either mechanically or electrically. 
     The key components of hearing devices are principally an input converter, an amplifier and an output converter. The input converter is normally a receiving transducer e.g. a microphone and/or an electromagnetic receiver, e.g. an induction coil. The output converter is most frequently realized as an electroacoustic converter e.g. a miniature loudspeaker, or as an electromechanical converter e.g. a bone conduction hearing aid. The amplifier is usually integrated into a signal processing unit. This basic configuration is illustrated in  FIG. 1  using the example of a behind-the-ear hearing device. One or a plurality of microphones  2  for recording ambient sound are built into a hearing device housing  1  to be worn behind the ear. A signal processing unit  3  which is also integrated into the hearing device housing  1  processes and amplifies the microphone signals. The output signal for the signal processing unit  3  is transmitted to a loudspeaker or receiver  4 , which outputs an acoustic signal. Sound is transmitted through a sound tube, which is affixed in the auditory canal by means of an otoplastic, to the device wearer&#39;s eardrum. Power for the hearing device and in particular for the signal processing unit  3  is supplied by means of a battery  5  which is also integrated in the hearing device housing  1 . 
     SUMMARY OF INVENTION 
     Batteries of a BTE or ITE hearing device are generally held in the hearing device with the aid of a battery compartment. In most cases this battery compartment is rotatable. When the battery compartment is pivoted inward the battery is located in an operational position while, when the battery compartment is pivoted outward, the battery can be removed from the hearing device. 
     Often a movable and/or rotatable battery compartment also serves to switch the hearing device on and off. When the battery compartment is opened, the hearing device is simultaneously switched off. Conversely the hearing device is only switched on when the battery compartment is completed closed. However, switching the hearing device on and off with the aid of the battery compartment has the disadvantage that, in the switched-off state, i.e. when the battery compartment is open, the battery can unintentionally fall out of the battery compartment. A movable battery compartment for switching the hearing device on and off also has the disadvantage that the battery compartment can easily be closed unintentionally so that the hearing device is switched on, which can lead to an undesired discharging of the battery, for example when the hearing device is set to one side. 
     The publication EP 0 309 834 A1 discloses a hearing device housing and a battery charger, whereby the battery charger is capable of being moved to various pivoted positions. In every pivoted position the battery charger is pressed firmly against a hinge. The disadvantage here is a relatively large resistance when rotating the battery charger. 
     The object of the present invention is thus to improve a hearing apparatus and in particular a hearing device such that it can be operated more reliably with reference to the battery compartment switch. 
     This object is achieved in accordance with the invention by means of a hearing apparatus having a housing and/or frame and a battery compartment that is mounted in or on the housing or frame, rotatably between an open position and a closed position, with the battery compartment, radially relative to the axis of rotation, having a first locking element within the battery charger area and with a second locking element that corresponds to the first locking element being arranged on the housing or frame, so that the battery compartment removably engages in a specified pivoted position between the open position and the closed position. 
     It is thus advantageously possible for the battery compartment to be held steady by the locking mechanism in an intermediate position between the open position and the closed position. It is thus possible at least to ensure that the battery compartment will not simply shift into the closed position. 
     According to an advantageous embodiment the battery compartment has a ring-shaped mounting element, at the center of which runs the axis of rotation, and which is equipped with a projection as a first locking element on its outer periphery. The housing or the frame can accordingly have a depression as a second locking element that corresponds to the projection. With a construction of this kind a locking mechanism can be realized in the axis region of the rotatable battery compartment. 
     In a development of the aforementioned hearing apparatus, at least one part of the depression can be realized with an elastic wall that can be moved in a spring-like manner by the projection in a radial direction relative to the axis of rotation. This capacity of the wall for spring-like movement allows for abrasion on the locking mechanism to be reduced. 
     In addition, the first locking element of the battery compartment can also be made of a softer plastic than the second locking element of the housing or frame. This measure reduces the abrasion speed at least on the housing or frame, since a battery compartment is considerably less expensive to replace. 
     Furthermore a battery can be removed from the battery compartment in an axial direction relative to the axis of rotation in a removal position of the battery compartment whereas, in the specified pivoted position in which the battery compartment is engaged, the battery is prevented from being removed from the battery compartment by a part of the housing. It is thus possible to ensure that the battery does not unintentionally fall out of the battery compartment in the engaged intermediate position. Viewed from the closed position, the battery compartment is then to be rotated via the engaged position (specified pivoted position) to the open position so that the battery can be removed. 
     Furthermore a third locking element can be arranged radially on the battery compartment or the housing or frame within the battery charger area in order to interact with the first or second locking element so that the battery compartment can also be engaged in a further pivoted position that differs from the specified pivoted position. Thus a locking mechanism can also be provided for example for the open position and/or the closed position of the battery compartment in the axial area of the battery compartment. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The present invention is now described in more detail with reference to the appended drawings, in which 
         FIG. 1  shows a basic sketch of a hearing device with its key components according to the prior art; 
         FIG. 2  shows a BTE hearing device with a battery compartment in the closed position; 
         FIG. 3  shows the BTE hearing device of  FIG. 2  with the battery compartment in an engaged intermediate position; 
         FIG. 4  shows the BTE hearing device of  FIG. 2  with the battery compartment in the open position; 
         FIG. 5  shows part of the battery compartment pivot bearing on the frame of the hearing device; 
         FIG. 6  shows part of the battery compartment pivot bearing on the battery compartment; 
         FIG. 7  shows an enlarged section of  FIG. 3 ; 
         FIG. 8  shows the hearing device of  FIG. 3  and  FIG. 7  with the lower part of the housing screwed on; and 
         FIG. 9  shows an alternative embodiment of the pivot bearing part for comparison with that of  FIG. 5 . 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF INVENTION 
     The exemplary embodiments shown in more detail below represent preferred embodiments of the present invention. 
       FIG. 2  shows a BTE hearing device, around the frame  10  of which is attached only the upper part  11  of the housing, but not the lower part of the housing. Numerous electronic components  12  are built into the frame. Furthermore a battery compartment  13  is mounted rotatably on the frame at an axis of rotation  14 . The battery compartment  13  houses a battery  15  in the form of a button cell. 
     The battery compartment  13  is shown in  FIG. 2  in a closed position. In this closed position a straight line running in parallel to the bottom edge of the battery compartment  13  via the axis of rotation  14  defines a reference line  16 . 
     In this closed position the contacts  17 , only one of which is visible in  FIG. 2 , are connected with the battery  15  so that the hearing device can be supplied with power and/or is switched on. In the closed position of the battery compartment  13  described above, i.e. in the switched-on position, the battery compartment  13  is engaged with the frame  10  or a part of the housing, e.g. the upper half of the housing  11 . 
     The battery compartment  13  is shown in  FIG. 3  in an intermediate position. This intermediate position is characterized in that the battery compartment  13  is rotated at a specified angle relative to the closed position of  FIG. 2 . 
     In the present example the battery compartment  13  is rotated in the intermediate position by around 60°. The angle of rotation of the battery compartment  13  can be seen in  FIG. 3  in relation to the reference line  16 . The battery compartment  13  is engaged in this intermediate position with the frame  10 . In addition the contacts  17  are no longer connected to the battery  15 , and as such the hearing device is switched off. 
       FIG. 4  shows the battery compartment  13  of the hearing device of  FIGS. 2 and 3  in the open position. This can be seen from the fact that the battery compartment  13  is rotated here by around 100° compared to the reference line  16 . This position normally corresponds to the position in which the battery  15  can be removed from the hearing device. Since the battery  15  has moved further away from the contacts  17  in this open position than in the intermediate position, the hearing device is also switched off in the open position. The battery compartment  13  may possibly also engage in this open position. 
     The locking mechanism for engaging the battery compartment  13  in the intermediate position will now be described in more detail with reference to the  FIGS. 5 to 7 . In accordance with  FIG. 5  a recess  18  is provided in the frame  10 . Said recess  18  has a hole  19  into which a shaft, which serves to realize the axis of rotation  14 , can be inserted. A depression  20  is realized on the wall of the recess  18 . The recess  18  including the hole  19  forms part of the pivot bearing on the frame  10 . The locking mechanism with the depression  20  is realized close to the axis. In particular the locking mechanism is closer to the axis of rotation  14  than the battery  15  in the battery compartment  13 , i.e. closer than the battery charger area that defines the space in which the battery  15  is inserted in the battery compartment  13 . 
       FIG. 6  reproduces the part of the pivot bearing that is on the side of the battery compartment  13 . Here this part has an almost cylinder-shaped bearing housing  21  with a longitudinal hole  22  that runs axially (i.e. a ring-shaped mounting element) into which the mounting shaft can be plugged. A projection  23  is molded on to the shell of the bearing housing  21 . The projection  23  corresponds to the depression  20  of the frame  10 . 
       FIG. 7  shows the pivot bearing including the locking mechanism in the assembled state. The bearing housing  21  of the battery compartment  13  is mounted rotatably here with the aid of a shaft  24  in the recess  18  of the frame  10 . In the intermediate position, which corresponds to the position shown in  FIG. 3 , the projection  23  is engaged in the depression  20 . In order to move the battery compartment into the open or closed position, the projection  23  must be pushed above the raised parts to the left and right of the depression  20 . This results in a certain abrasion of the locking mechanism on account of the friction. Through the use of two different plastics of differing hardnesses it is possible by means of friction to achieve greater abrasion of the battery compartment  13  than of the frame  10  or housing. For example a plastic can be used for the frame  10  that is known by the name “LCP” or the brand “Vectra”. A softer plastic, for example “ABS”, can then be used for the battery compartment. 
     The locking mechanism in the vicinity of the axis of rotation has the advantage that no locking elements need be provided in the outer region of the battery compartment  13 , i.e. at a large radial distance from the axis of rotation. Consequently a hearing device that is smaller overall can be constructed in this design. 
     The locking mechanism as shown in  FIGS. 5 to 7  ensures that the battery compartment  13  is held in an intermediate position so that the hearing device cannot be switched on unintentionally. This is not the case with a battery compartment without a locking mechanism, in which case the battery compartment can accidentally be rotated into the ON position simply by moving the hearing device. Thus the battery compartment must be deliberately pushed into the ON position or closed position by exceeding the locking force. 
     The intermediate position as shown in  FIG. 8  can also be used to prevent the battery from falling out of the battery compartment  13 . A lower part  25  of the housing is screwed onto or attached to the frame  10  and is flush with the upper part  11  of the housing. The battery compartment  13  is in the engaged intermediate position (cf. also  FIGS. 3 and 7 ) and part of the lower part  25  of the housing protrudes into the space formed by the axial projection of the battery. This is also the case on the other side of the battery compartment, although this is not visible in  FIG. 8 . The battery thus cannot be removed from, or fall out of, the battery compartment  13 . 
     A further development of the frame-side part of the locking mechanism is shown in  FIG. 9 , which shows the section of the frame  10  that is also shown in  FIG. 5 . The recess  18  of the pivot bearing, including the hole  19  and the depression  20 , can be seen here. As has already been shown, the problem with the locking mechanism shown in  FIG. 5  is that the friction between the projection  23  of the battery compartment  13  and the raised part  26  or raised parts on the depression  20  lead to abrasion. This can be partially avoided through the use of a softer plastic for the battery compartment  13 . However, in order to reduce abrasion further, in accordance with the exemplary embodiment of  FIG. 9  a recess  27  is provided radially behind the depression  20  and/or the raised part  26 , so that an elastic wall  28  is produced between the recesses  18  and  27 , which bears the raised part  26 . Thus if the locking mechanism is overtightened, the elastic wall  28  can yield in a radial direction relative to the pivot bearing, so that the friction between the projection  23  and the raised part  26  and thus also the abrasion of the raised part  26  can be reduced.