Abstract:
A hearing aid has at least one converter element which, in order to reduce mechanical vibrations, is flexibly attached inside or at the hearing aid housing. The converter is mounted in the housing by at least one clip that flexibly is moveable or displaceable in its range of action like a spring, in order to damp and attach the converter element.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Field of the Invention 
     The present invention concerns a hearing aid of the type having at least one converter element mounted in the hearing aid housing in a mounting arrangement that reduces transfer of mechanical vibrations to the converter element. 
     From EP 0 453 200 B1, a hearing aid is known in which the microphone is contained in a separate enclosure which is mounted in the overall hearing aid housing aid via several flexible projections. 
     From WO 2007/1038897 A2, a miniature electronic device such as a hearing aid is known in which an elastic or flexible holding element is arranged in a receptacle along parts of the inside wall of the receptacle, in order to damp electronic components. The holding element has inward projecting holding areas in order to hold an electronic component or keep it in position. 
     From DE 1 160 504, a suspension attachment for a transmission system for use in electroacoustic devices, for example, hearing aids. The transmission system is surrounded by several tube-like parts by means of which it is separated from the walls of the receptacle. The tube-like parts have non-linear flexible and damping characteristics. This is intended to reduce the influence of mechanical reactions. 
     From EP 1 750 480 A1, a hearing aid is known that has an ear adapter, a housing part to be worn behind the ear, and a hearing tube connecting the ear adapter with the housing part. In order to avoid mechanical vibrations from being transmitted from the ear adapter to the housing part by the hearing tube, damping elements are provided in the joint areas which absorb mechanical vibrations. In addition, a damping element can be placed at or in the hearing tube. 
     From EP 0 453 200 A2, a hearing aid with a modular design is known. A microphone of the hearing aid is arranged in a flexible tube. The flexible tube has arm-like suspension elements by means of which they are suspended in a housing. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     An object of the present invention is to attach, in a housing, the converter elements of a hearing aid, such as, microphone, earpiece or telecoil, so that they are acoustically isolated from each other, and/or so that mechanical vibrations caused by the converter elements are reduced in order to improve the reliability of the hearing aid and avoid undesired background noise. 
     The above object is achieved in accordance with the present invention by a hearing aid having a hearing aid housing that contains a converter element, such as an electroacoustical converter element or an acoustoelectrical converter element, with the converter element being mounted in the housing by a damping clip that is moveable or displaceable within a range effective for damping transfer of vibrations from the housing to the converter element. The damping clip is moveable or displaceable in the manner of a spring in order to achieve the aforementioned damping effect. The damping clip also serves to attach the converter element to the housing. 
     The flexibly designed damping clip for the converter elements of the hearing aid causes the converter elements to be mounted flexibly inside the hearing aid. Besides improving the functional properties of the hearing aid by reducing mechanical vibrations caused by the converter element, it is also insured that mechanical deformations at the housing of the hearing aid do not damage the components. 
     Preferably, the damping clip has two disc-shaped elements between which a spring element is located. To one of the two disc-shaped elements, the converter element is attached. The other disc-shaped element is attached to, or supported by, the inside wall of the hearing aid housing. 
     Advantageously, the spring element is formed of multiple (preferably three) resilient clasps that are attached to the respective disc-shaped elements by means of their two arms. 
     In order to attach the converter element to the damping clip and to retain the damping clip to the hearing aid housing, at least one outside wall of the two disc-shaped elements is equipped in a simple way with double-sided adhesive tape. 
     An effective attachment of the microphone can be achieved by holding the microphone between two damping clips that are both supported at the inside wall of the hearing aid housing. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1A  is an exterior view of a conventional behind-the-ear hearing aid. 
         FIG. 1B  shows the hearing aid of  FIG. 1A  with the cover removed to expose internal components thereof. 
         FIG. 2  shows the amplifying unit of the hearing aid of  FIGS. 1A and 1B . 
         FIG. 3  is a perspective view of an embodiment of an inventive damping clip. 
         FIG. 4  is a side view of the damping clip in unloaded condition. 
         FIG. 5  is a side view of the damping clip in loaded or compressed condition. 
         FIG. 6  shows an inventive damping arrangement for a microphone having two damping clips. 
         FIG. 7  shows an inventive damping arrangement for a telecoil of a hearing aid. 
         FIGS. 8-14  respectively show further embodiments of the damping clip in accordance with the invention. 
     
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     Subsequently, the hearing aid  10  shown in  FIGS. 1A and 1B  is explained only with regard to the damping or attachment means provided for the converter elements of the hearing aid. 
     The hearing aid  10  has a shell-like housing bottom  12  and a shell-like cover  14 . In order to be able to wear it at the ear, one end of the housing has a bow end piece  16 . 
     In order to receive a power supply, in particular a battery, the housing provides a battery case  18 , which is designed to be located behind a cover  20  formed as a swivel-mounted flap for the purpose of exchanging batteries. The embodiment provides a sliding switch  22  to activate the hearing aid  10  (microphone mode), to switch to telephone mode and to deactivate the hearing aid  10 . 
     Most of the different components of the hearing aid  10  are located in the housing bottom  12 , which basically includes an amplifying unit  24  (shown separately in  FIG. 2 ), a microphone unit  26 , an earpiece (speaker)  28 , as well as a telecoil  30 . The telecoil serves the purpose of making even magnetic signals sound-perceptible to the listener. A hand wheel  32  projecting from the housing is part of a potentiometer serving for volume control. Battery contacts are referenced  36 . 
       FIG. 3  and the following figures describe and explain the damping or attachment arrangement which can be used selectively for the converter elements microphone  26 , the earpiece  28  and the telecoil  30 . The damping arrangement includes a damping clip  34  that includes two disc-shaped elements  36  and  38  with a spring element  40  attached between them. The spring element  40  is formed by three flexible clasps  40   a ,  40   b , and  40   c  whose arms are attached to the inside wall of the disc-shaped element  36 ,  38 . Preferably, the clasps  40   a ,  40   b , and  40   c  are made of rubber or malleable plastic, but it is possible to use other flexibly malleable materials. The clasps  40   a ,  40   b , and  40   c  can also be made in one piece. In order to attach the converter element to the damping clip  34 , one of two disc-shaped elements  36  and  38  can be provided with double-sided adhesive tape  42 . If required, it is also possible to provide the other disc-shaped element  36 ,  38  with such adhesive tape  42  in order to achieve a secure fixation of the damping clip  34  to the inside wall of the housing. It is also possible to provide a different kind of attachment. 
       FIG. 4  shows the damping clip  34  in unloaded condition and  FIG. 5  shows it in loaded or compressed condition. It can be seen that the damping clip  34  is able to deform flexibly under pressure, so as to effectively damp mechanical vibrations of the microphone unit  26  as well as to prevent the microphone to be destroyed and damaged in case of mechanical deformation of the housing. 
       FIG. 6  shows a different damping or attachment arrangement for the microphone unit  26 . To this end, two damping clips  34  are used that have the housing  26   a  of the microphone unit  26  flexibly stored between them. Both damping clips  34  are supported at the inside wall of the hearing aid housing  12 ,  14 . 
       FIG. 7  shows a second embodiment for the attachment of the telecoil  30 . Here the damping clip  34  is attached to the inside wall of the housing by means of the adhesive tape  42 . Analogous to the first embodiment, also in this case, mechanical vibrations are effectively dampened by means of flexible damping clips  34 . 
       FIGS. 8 through 13  show further embodiments of the damping clip which differ from one another especially regarding the spring element  40 . In their basic structure, the disc-shaped elements  36 ,  38  do not differ from the previously described embodiments. In  FIG. 8 , the spring element simply has a U-shaped design. In  FIG. 9 , it has a ring-shaped design. In  FIG. 10 , it is double S-shaped, in  FIG. 11 , single S-shaped, in  FIG. 12 , double U-shaped and in  FIG. 13 , coil spring-shaped. 
       FIG. 14  shows an embodiment of a damping clip having modified spring elements  41 . The example shows only disc-shaped element  36 . Two support arms  50  are arranged on the disc-shaped element  36 . The support arms  50  each have a resilient suspension  41 . The suspensions  41  are conveniently tapered and curved into an S-shape in order to produce the desired flexibility. The suspensions  41  flexibly carry the telecoil  30 . The desired damping characteristics adjust to the flexibility of the suspensions  41 . With regard to the damping characteristics, the flexibility of the suspensions  41  plays the same role as the flexibility of the spring element in the embodiments described above. 
     The damping arrangements described in the respective arrangements are not limited to the embodiment of the hearing aid described. They can be used in other types of hearing aids, for example, in the so-called “in-the-ear hearing instrument” (ITE). 
     Although modifications and changes may be suggested by those skilled in the art, it is the intention of the inventors to embody within the patent warranted hereon all changes and modifications as reasonably and properly come within the scope of their contribution to the art.