Patent Publication Number: US-7916885-B2

Title: Component for a hearing aid and a hearing aid

Description:
RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     The present application is a continuation-in-part of application No. PCT/DK2004/000222, filed on Mar. 31, 2004, in Denmark and published as WO 2005/096669 A1. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to hearing aids. The invention, more specifically, relates to an assembly for an In-The-Ear (ITE) hearing aid. 
     2. The Prior Art 
     ITE hearings aids have traditionally been constructed by making a shell, which anatomically duplicates the relevant part of the user&#39;s ear canal. A receiver is placed in the shell, and the open end of the shell is closed with a faceplate subassembly, connected to the receiver by leads. The faceplate subassembly incorporates a microphone, electronics, a battery compartment and a hinged lid. 
     WO-A-98/47319 shows a modular In-The-Ear hearing aid wherein an electronics module provides a hinge for a lid. A microphone is integrated into the electronics module. The lid has an opening to allow sound passage to the microphone. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 5,201,008 shows a modular ITE hearing aid. A battery compartment, a microphone and a volume control are arranged side by side on the top face. 
     WO-A-01/87013 shows a microphone assembly for an ITE hearing aid, wherein a microphone assembly comprises assembly portions that are snapped together, and a printed electric circuit board. 
     Hearing aids have been developed to very small sizes, however at the expense of complicated designs and complications in service. The smallest designs feature electronic modules with integrated electrically conductive strips with exposed ends, available for the soldering of leads to other components such as the microphone, the electronic circuit board, the receiver, a programming button etc. Designing and manufacturing such an electronic module is complicated because of the heterogeneous structure and because of the many interfacing requirements. Some designs have involved soldering leads to pads at several sides of the modules, some have required soldering of some leads, then arranging structural fittings and then soldering other leads. Modification, e.g. to accommodate a different type of microphone has required a complete redesign. Attempts to modularize the design have been associated with more bulky structures. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The invention, in a first aspect, provides a component for a hearing aid comprising an electronics module, and a microphone adapter, wherein the electronics module and the microphone adapter provide a groove for sliding engagement of the pivot of a lid, the groove extending over part of the electronics module and over part of the adapter, between a position where the lid is closed and a position where the lid is partially open. 
     This provides a modular unit that can be miniaturized more than modular designs of the prior art. The complicated structure and electrical connections are substantially arranged in a general unit that interfaces with a microphone adapter. The microphone adapter has a comparatively simple design. Tailoring of hearing aids to different microphones therefore only requires tailoring of a rather simple adapter unit. The microphone adapter doubles to provide an extension of the groove for the sliding of the pivot for the lid. Therefore miniaturization of the general unit will not be constrained by the size of the lid. The lid can be sized with an extending hinge portion, allowing the lid to free an ample opening for easy access to the battery, and allowing for a lid locking structure. 
     The locking structure preferably comprises means for sliding the lid between a locked position and a position where the lid may pivot, in order to provide easy manipulation. Further advantageous features appear from the dependent claims. 
     The invention, in a second aspect, provides a hearing aid comprising a lid, an electronics module, and a microphone adapter, wherein the electronics module and the microphone adapter provide a groove for sliding engagement of the pivot of a lid, the groove extending over part of the electronics module and over part of the adapter, between a position where the lid is closed and a position where the lid is partially open. 
     Still other features of the present invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from the following description wherein the invention will be explained in greater detail. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The invention will now be described in more detail in conjunction with several embodiments and the accompanying drawings, in which: 
         FIG. 1  shows a hearing aid; 
         FIG. 2  shows a sub-assembly for a hearing aid in exploded view; 
         FIG. 3  shows the sub-assembly as assembled and with part of a pivot; 
         FIG. 4  is similar to  FIG. 3 , but illustrates the pivot in a different position; 
         FIG. 5  shows a lid for a hearing aid in perspective as seen from below; 
         FIG. 6  shows a vertical section of the sub-assembly together with a lid, as in an open position; 
         FIG. 7  shows a horizontal section through the subassembly in with the components pulled apart; 
         FIG. 8  is similar to  FIG. 7  but shows the components assembled; 
         FIG. 9  shows a vertical section of a microphone adapter according to a first embodiment; 
         FIG. 10  shows a vertical section of a microphone adapter according to a second embodiment; 
         FIG. 11  shows a side view of a hearing aid ready for use; and 
         FIG. 12  is similar to  FIG. 11  but shows the lid partially opened. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     Reference is first made to  FIG. 1 , which illustrates a hearing as seen from the top, i.e. from the side generally facing outwards from the wearer in the normal use position.  FIG. 1  illustrates the hearing aid  1 , generally comprising lid  31 , faceplate  3 , and shell  2 . The lid comprises hinge portion  32 , projection  25 , and button  35 . The figure further illustrates the outside of microphone adapter  13  according to a second embodiment, which features two sound inlets. 
     Reference is made to  FIGS. 2 ,  3  and  4  for an explanation of a sub-assembly for a hearing aid. The hearing aid sub-assembly comprises assembly  39 , mainly consisting of electronics module  4  and microphone adapter  15  according to a first embodiment. The electronics module  4  comprises a solid body, which is adapted to fit inside the faceplate  3  and which provides battery compartment  5  with lower battery spring  6 . The electronics module  4  has lateral recesses that provide tracks  8 , and projecting parts that provide laterally spaced pin guideways  10 .  FIGS. 2 ,  3  and  4  also illustrate part of the pin  34 , which is a pivot of the lid  31 . 
     Spaced above and generally parallel to the tracks  8  the electronics module  4  has dovetail guideways  12 . The electronics module  4  is made of an electrically insulating material and provides supporting structure for various smaller parts as well as integrated electrical leads, as will be evident to those skilled in the art. 
     The microphone adapter  15  comprises a body for housing a microphone as will be explained further below. The  FIGS. 2 ,  3  and  4  show grid  17 , which communicates with the microphone sound ports, hinge recess  18  and lateral pin guideways  29 . The microphone adapter  15  further comprises a flat front face  16  and projecting beams  19  with barbs. As will be understood from the  FIGS. 2 and 3 , the beams  19  and the tracks  8  are adapted for mating engagement to guide these components during assembly and to snap lock them together. The adapter  15  and the electronics module  4  together provide the assembly  39 . In the assembled state, the module pin guideway  10  effectively extends the adapter pin guideway  29  to provide a groove  30  for shifting the pin forwards and backwards,  FIGS. 2 and 3  depicting the pin  34  in the forward position while  FIG. 4  depicts the pin in the rearmost position. 
     The groove  30  has a forward slot defined by the nip between the adapter and the module. The groove is adapted to normally allow the pin to shift back and forth between respective predetermined end positions, however, due to inherent resilience of the adapted and the module together with suitable design of the slot, the slot permits pulling the lid apart from the assembly by forcing the pins though the slot. Also, the lid can be mounted on the assembly by forcing the pivots into the groove through the slot. 
       FIGS. 2 ,  3  and  4  further show contact strips  40 ,  41 , projecting from the electronics module and accessible for contacting from above. A first strip  40  is flat while a second strip  41 , is crested. More contact strips may be arranged in juxtaposition, if necessary. 
     Reference is now made to  FIG. 5 , which shows the lid  31  as seen from the inside.  FIG. 5  illustrates the lid  31 , generally in the shape of a cap with projecting hinge portion  32 , forward edge  33 , rearward ratchet at the forward edge  33  and upper battery spring  38 . Also part of part of the button  35  is visible. The upper battery spring  38  comprises a piece of flat, resilient, conductive material, e.g. brass, stamped and bent into a trident-like structure, with the base secured to the lid inside, the central prong bent downwards in  FIG. 5  to contact the button, and the lateral prongs bent slightly upwards in  FIG. 5 . Opposite the prongs the spring extends into slanted, angled tabs adapted for contacting the battery. 
     As will be understood by those skilled in the art, when the battery is fitted and the lid closed, the battery spring angled tabs will serve to contact the battery, while the lateral prongs will contact a contact strip on the module adjacent the hinge thereby to establish an electrical connection between one pole of the battery and the strip of the electronics module. While the lid is closed, the lateral prongs bias the lid against the crested strip at a position intermediate the pins, so as to absorb any play in the hinge, and so as to arrest the motion of the lid. The central prong cooperates with the button  35 , serving to bias the button upwards, and available to provide, on activation, contact to a respective contact strip of the module in connection with a programming input of the electronics. 
     At the hinge portion  32 , the lid is provided with a transverse pin  34  with projecting ends adapted to provide pivot pins. Along the sides, the lid has inward oblique ribs or cams  36 . 
     Reference is made to  FIG. 6 , which illustrates a section through the assembly with lid  31 , as in the open position. The section illustrates the button  35  and the pin  34 , which has been shifted to the foremost position. At the bottom, the electronics module  4  comprises lugs  9  for attachment of an electronic circuit board.  FIG. 6  further illustrates microphone, microphone port, sound conduit  26 , and gasket  28 . The adapter face lies against the module rear face  7  sandwiching between them a thin, resilient pad  11 . 
     Reference is now made to  FIGS. 7 and 8 , which illustrate a horizontal section through the assembly, in exploded and in assembled state, respectively.  FIGS. 7 and 8  illustrate in particular the engagement between the beams  19  and the tracks  8 , and the sandwiched arrangement of the resilient pad  11 . The pad  11  provides mechanical biasing in the engagement, and it may in embodiments with exposed leads serve the purpose of providing electric insulation.  FIGS. 7 and 8 , similarly to  FIGS. 2 ,  3  and  4 , illustrate a first embodiment of the adapter  15 , accommodating a single microphone  23 . 
     Reference is now made to  FIG. 9  for a vertical section through an adapter  13  according to the second embodiment, accommodating a directional microphone  22 . The section in  FIG. 9  is taken in the axes of the adapter sound conduits  26 , which slant upwards in  FIG. 9 . The directional microphone has ports  24  defined by laterally opposing stubs  25 . The stubs  25  have been covered by sleeve-like gaskets  28 , upwards recessed to open for communication with the sound conduits  26 . As may be understood from the figure, the microphone adapter  13  provides a compartment  21  suitable for accommodating the microphone with the gaskets  28 , the gaskets providing sealing connection as well as resilient suspension of the microphone.  FIG. 9  also illustrates the hinge recess  18 , the sides of which serve to guide the lid  31  during shifting and pivoting. The microphone has solder pads  27  accessible at the lower side. 
     Reference is now made to  FIG. 10  for an illustration of a microphone adapter  14  according to a third embodiment, accommodating a pair of microphones. These microphones will generally be identical, omidirectional microphones  23  that pick up the sound field at spaced positions in order that sound field gradients can be provided to the electronics circuit. These microphones are smaller, and they have the ports arranged at the topside, as illustrated in  FIG. 10 . The microphone compartments  21  are adapted to these microphones, and the feature lower ledges  20 . The gaskets  28  enclose the upper parts of the microphones, and the sound conduits  26  are adapted to the microphone ports, as will be evident to those skilled in the art. The microphone solder pads  27  are accessible at the bottom. 
     Reference is now made to  FIGS. 11 and 12  for an illustration of the initial stages of opening of the lid  31 .  FIG. 11  shows the hearing aid  1  with adapter  13  of the second embodiment in the position ready for use. In order to open the lid, the operator pushes the lid forwards, away from the grid  17 . The pin  34  slides forwards in the groove  30 , i.e. from the position of  FIG. 4  to the position of  FIG. 3 , while the cams  36  of the lid slide forward in the dovetail guideways  12  (ref. also to  FIG. 5 ). In the foremost position, the pins rest against the foremost ends of the grooves, the cams  36  clear the dovetail guideways  12 , and the lid  31  lifts slightly upwards under the resilient pressure of the upper battery spring  38 . The lid ratchet  37  leaves its engagement with a cooperating structure of the module (not shown), and forward edge  33  is readily available for manipulation by the operator to turn the lid all the way to the position shown in  FIG. 6 . 
     Closing the lid takes place through an opposite succession of steps. Initially, the lid is turned downwards, then pushed back towards the adapter. On sliding backwards, the lid cams engage the dowetail guideways, the angle of the cams helping to guide the parts together and, on driving the lift fully backwards, to press the lid hinge portion downwards into a solid engagement with the module. On sliding back, the lid ratchet  37  enters a catch of the module (not shown), and one of the lateral springs  41  ride over the crest of the crested strip to snap lock the engagement. 
     Following the description of the design of these components, a brief description of the assembly of the components shall be given. The microphone is fitted with a suitable sleeve and inserted into the battery compartment  5  of the adapter. The adapter is assembled with the electronics module  4  with the beams  19  in snap locking engagement with suitable hollows in the tracks  8 . The combined unit is turned upside down, and the electronic circuit board put in place. Flexible leads are soldered to the microphone solder pads  27 . The circuit board is soldered to the lugs  9 , and the leads are connected to the circuit board. The lid may be snapped in place later on, as the nip between the adapter front face  16  and the module rear face  7  may yield resiliently to let the pins slip into the grooves. The combined unit is fixed in a faceplate  3 . The shell  2  is made, normally customized to the user, and joined with the faceplate  3 . 
     Modification to accommodate a different type of microphone requires providing a dedicated version of the adapter. Tailoring a dedicated adapter requires providing a body suitably shaped to interface with the electronics module and especially tailored to accommodate the desired microphone. Other modifications and variations of the structures and procedures will be evident to those skilled in the art.