Patent Publication Number: US-2005122708-A1

Title: Dehumidifier for hearing aids

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
      1. Field of the Invention  
      The present invention relates to maintenance devices for hearing aids and, more particularly, to a dehumidifier for removing moisture from within a hearing aid.  
      2. Description of the Related Art  
      The most popular hearing aids presently in use are mounted within the ear canal with a portion extending outwardly and contoured to fit the central part of the ear lobe. These hearing aids receive, amplify and transmit into the ear canal audible sounds. Circuitry and related mechanical components for sensing, amplifying and transmitting the audible sounds are located within the envelope defining the hearing aid. Additionally, a power source, such as a small button cell, is removably mounted within the hearing aid. Usually, a finger operated knob permits adjustment of the degree of amplification. To facilitate replacement of the button cell, a flap or door is hingedly attached and includes a snap lock to secure closing and prevent inadvertent loss of the button cell.  
      Because the hearing aid includes a number of openings in the exterior surface to accommodate the thumb wheel operating a rheostat, the door for the button cell and openings through which sounds are received and transmitted, inflow of moisture can and does occur. Such moisture, when in contact with any of the many electrical/electronic components within the hearing aid will tend to cause corrosion of any non inert materials.  
      The moisture that seeps or migrates into a hearing aid is generally not in liquid form. Instead, it usually occurs as a result of air flow into the hearing aid. Normally, ambient air includes a degree of humidity as a function of the ambient temperature and general local atmospheric conditions. A user&#39;s body will perspire and such perspiration may seep into a hearing aid. Usually, perspiration contains numerous dissolved salts of various types that may interact with non inert components resulting in corrosion or deterioration of such components. As perspiration will evaporate, the resulting moisture laden air may seep or migrate into the hearing aid as it is in direct contact with a user&#39;s skin.  
      It is therefore evident that a hearing aid is normally used in an environment which may be destructive to operation of the hearing aid over a period of time. To prevent such destruction and loss of use and in consideration for the significant costs of replacement, periodic maintenance by a qualified professional should be performed on a regular basis. Such maintenance necessarily requires that a user be without one or both hearing aids for a period of time. The resulting loss or reduced hearing capability will be embarrassing and potentially dangerous to the user. Moreover, the expenses of periodic maintenance are not insignificant.  
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
      By regularly and frequently drying any moisture present within a hearing aid in a dehumidifier, the likelihood of deterioration of non inert components within the hearing aid are significantly reduced. A source of heat in the dehumidifier raises the temperature of the hearing aid above ambient temperature to cause any moisture therewithin to evaporate and thereby reduce the time of such moisture is in contact with components subject to deterioration from water. More particularly, a conventional night light is adapted to support placement of one or more hearing aids within a compartment subject to a flow of warmed air emanating from the associated low wattage light bulb. The small rise in temperature of the hearing aid and any flow of warmed air into the hearing aid will cause evaporation of any moisture therein. As most users require a hearing aid only during waking hours, the use of a night light is particularly beneficial as it generally includes a light sensitive sensor for actuating the night light only during periods of darkness while the user is sleeping and has no need for a hearing aid.  
      It is therefore a primary object of the present invention to provide a dehumidifier for evaporating moisture collected within a hearing aid.  
      Another object of the present invention is to provide an inexpensive apparatus useable periodically for warming a hearing aid to cause evaporation of any moisture therein.  
      Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a dehumidifier for evaporating moisture within a hearing aid during periods of darkness.  
      Still another object of the present invention is to provide an adaptation of a conventional night light to remove moisture within a hearing aid.  
      A further object of the present invention is to provide an inexpensive low maintenance source of heat for periodically removing moisture from within a hearing aid.  
      A yet further object of the present invention is to provide a method for inexpensively extending the useful life of a hearing aid.  
      A still further object of the present invention is to provide a method for periodically removing moisture from within a hearing aid with an inexpensive easy to use dehumidifier.  
      These and other objects of the present invention will become more apparent to those skilled in the art as the description of the present invention proceeds.  
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
      The present invention will be described with greater specificity and clarity with reference to the following drawings, in which:  
       FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a conventional night light adapted as a dehumidifier for use with a hearing aid;  
       FIG. 2  is a partial cross sectional view taken along lines  2 - 2 , as shown in  FIG. 1 ;  
       FIG. 3  is an exploded view of a variant of the dehumidifier shown in  FIG. 1 ;  
       FIG. 4  is a partial cross sectional view taken along lines  4 - 4 , as shown in  FIG. 3 ;  
       FIG. 5  illustrates a yet further embodiment of the present invention;  
       FIG. 6  is a partial cross sectional view taken along lines  6 - 6 , as shown in  FIG. 5 ;  
       FIG. 7  is a further cross sectional view of the embodiment shown in  FIG. 5 ; and  
       FIG. 8  illustrates an alternative power source for the embodiment shown in  FIG. 5 .  
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT  
      Referring to  FIG. 1  there is shown a dehumidifier  10  for use with one or more hearing aids  12 . Preferably, these hearing aids are of the type that are essentially completely inserted within the canal of an ear or protruding slightly therefrom to provide access to a thumb wheel  14  serving as a volume control. The dehumidifier may be developed from a conventional and widely available night light  16  having a pair of prongs  18  serving in the manner of a plug for electrical interconnection with a conventional electrical wall socket  20 . Such a wall socket usually includes a face plate  22 .  
      Night light  16  includes a base  24  supporting a lamp socket  26  for engaging a low wattage lamp  28 . Normally, such a light is rated at or about  4  watts. A light sensor  30  senses the level of ambient light. If the ambient light level drops below a predetermined degree of illumination, a switch within base  24  is closed and the circuit providing electrical power to socket  26  is energized and lamp  28  will be lighted. Thus, night light  16  will provide a low level of illumination when the surrounding area is at or above a certain level of darkness. It therefore follows that the night light will be on essentially only during night time.  
      Referring jointly to  FIGS. 1 and 2 , details attendant the present invention will be described. Base  24  usually supports a transparent or at least translucent three sided shield  32 . The purpose of this shield is to permit transmission of light therethrough while simultaneously preventing contact with lamp  28  to prevent damage thereto and to prevent contact with the lamp and possible damage. Furthermore, the shield may include a pattern or a configuration to provide defused light to the surrounding area. Not only will lamp  28  provide illumination but it will also provide a modicum of heat when lighted.  
      Dehumidifier  10  for use to dry one or more hearing aids  12  incorporates the operative features of night light  16 . In particular, a shelf  40  is secured to shield  32  at a location above lamp  28 . This shelf includes a plurality of perforations  42  to accommodate air flow therethrough. This air flow is primarily generated by the air in and about lamp  28  being heated and subsequently rising convectively. Preferably but not necessarily, a rear wall  44  extends between edges  34 ,  36  of shield  32  and is in engagement with rear side  46  of shelf  40 . Thus, a compartment  48  having an apertured bottom and an open top is formed above lamp  28 .  
      When lamp  28  of dehumidifier  10  is energized, the air adjacent the lamp will rise by convection. The rising heated air will flow through perforations  42  in shelf  40  into compartment  48 . One or more hearing aids  12  placed within the compartment will become bathed in air heated above ambient temperature. The warmed air will raise the temperature of the hearing aid a few degrees. Furthermore, the heated air may flow into and out of the hearing aid through the various apertures present therein. The combination of warming the hearing aid and the warmed air flowing therethrough will urge evaporation of any moisture present therein. With such evaporation, the likelihood of deterioration due to contact with water/moisture of any non inert components, such as electrical components, is greatly reduced.  
      By experimentation, it has been learned that the quality of the sound produced by a previously well used hearing aid was enhanced over a period of time of regular use of dehumidifier  10 . One can only assume that such beneficial results are due to ultimate complete drying of all components which resulted in enhancement of their operation at or in excess of the initial sound quality standards.  
      Referring jointly to  FIGS. 3 and 4 , there is shown a variant dehumidifier  60 . This variant is based upon a night light  16  like that shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2  and described above. Accordingly, with respect to common elements, identical reference numerals will be used. A pair of supports  62 ,  64  extend from sides  66 ,  68  of shield  32 . A housing  70  includes a bottom  72  having a plurality of perforations  74  disposed therein. The configuration of the bottom is generally coincident with the configuration of the internal cross section of shield  32 . A side wall  76  extends upwardly from the front and side edges of bottom  72  and a top  78  extends to and is joined to this wall. Thus, housing  70  includes an open side. One or more hearing aids may be placed in and/or retrieved from housing  70  through this open side. To prevent the hearing aid or hearing aids from falling out of the housing, a strap  80  may be used. This strap extends from bottom  72  to a location on top  78 , as illustrated. To retain the strap in place, it may be removably secured by use of a common hook and loop fastener  82 , which fastener may be of the type sold under the trademark VELCRO.  
      In operation, one or more hearing aids  12  is placed within housing  70  and strap  80  is closed to retain the hearing aid(s) therein. The housing is then mounted within night light  16  by resting it upon supports  62 ,  64 . When lamp  28  is energized, warmed air will enter housing  70  through perforations  74  and bathe the hearing aid(s) with warmed air. The warmed air will outflow through the open side of the housing. Thereby, the hearing aid(s) is continually bathed by warmed air.  
      Referring jointly to  FIGS. 5, 6  and  7 , a further variant of a dehumidifier  90  for hearing aids will be described. A box  92  includes a lower compartment  94  housing one or more batteries  96 ,  98  for providing electrical power to a small lamp  100 . The batteries may be connected in series as represented by electrical conductor  102 . A pair of electrical conductors  104  interconnect lamp  100  through socket  106  with the batteries. A conventional electrical switch  108  is disposed in one of electrical conductors  104  to control energization and deenergization of lamp  100 .  
      A second compartment  110  may be hingedly attached to compartment  94  by hinges  112 . Compartment  110  includes a bottom  114  having a plurality of perforations  116  disposed therein. A lid  118  may be detachably attached, as illustrated, to close compartment  110 . Alternatively, it may be hingedly attached in the conventional manner.  
      In operation, actuation of switch  108  will energize lamp  100 . Upon energization, the lamp will become warm and the air there around will be heated. The heated or warmed air will rise and permeate through perforations  116  into compartment  110  and the air within compartment  110  will be raised. By placing one or more hearing aids  12  within compartment  110 , they will be heated and the warmed air will flow into and out of the hearing aid through the various openings therein. Such heating and warmed air flow will cause moisture within the hearing aid to evaporate. Such evaporation will reduce or eliminate contamination and/or deterioration of any non inert electrical components within the hearing aid. It is to be appreciated that compartment  94  may include one or more apertures to enhance air flow through compartment  94  by convection. Similarly, lid  118  or the side wall of compartment  110  may include one or more apertures to enhance outflow of air from within compartment  1   10  and enhance flow of warmed air in and about any hearing aids placed within the compartment.  
       FIG. 8  illustrates another power source for dehumidifier  90 . Instead of using batteries, as shown in  FIGS. 6 and 7 , to avoid the need for periodic replacement, conventional AC house current may be used to energize lamp  100 . In such event, a conventional electrical plug  120  is engaged with a conventional wall socket. An electrical cord  122  conveys electric power from the plug to circuitry within dehumidifier  90 . Depending upon the voltage of the lamp being used, appropriate circuitry well known to those skilled in the art would be employed within compartment  94  to energize the lamp.