Abstract:
A hearing instrument has a battery compartment switch which causes the hearing instrument to switch on/off. An electrical contact to the battery is established and interrupted by the battery compartment switch when the battery compartment is closed and opened. An on/off contour in the area of the battery compartment and a correspondingly shaped battery contact device are provided, the configurations are tailored, so that the lift-off area for lifting the battery contact device away from the battery and the contact area of the battery contact device are separated from one another. The battery contact device has a lift-off area and a contact area. Both areas are configured separately to reduce the wear on the on/off contour and to secure electrical contacting of the battery. This enables a lift-off area with a large surface, through which the mechanical pressure on the on/off contour is distributed and is thus reduced.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
       [0001]    This application claims the priority, under 35 U.S.C. §119, of German application DE 10 2013 219 135.9, filed Sep. 24, 2013; the prior application is herewith incorporated by reference in its entirety. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Field of the Invention 
       [0002]    The invention relates to a hearing instrument with a battery compartment switch which causes the hearing instrument to switch on/off when the battery compartment is closed and opened. For this purpose the electrical contact to the battery is established and interrupted by the battery compartment switch when the battery compartment is closed and opened. 
         [0003]    Hearing instruments can be configured as hearing devices for example. A hearing device is used to supply a hearing-impaired person with acoustic ambient signals which are processed and amplified for compensation or therapy of the respective hearing damage. In principle the device contains one or more input transducers, a signal processing device, an amplification device and an output transducer. The input transducer is generally a sound receiver, e.g. a microphone, and/or an electromagnetic receiver, e.g. an induction coil. The output transducer is generally implemented as an electroacoustic converter, e.g. miniature loudspeaker, or as an electromechanical converter, e.g. bone conduction earpiece. It is also referred to as an earpiece or receiver. The output transducer creates output signals which are conveyed to the hearing of the patient and are configured to create a perception of hearing in the patient. The amplifier is generally integrated into the signal processing device. The hearing device is supplied with power by a battery integrated into the hearing device housing. The main components of a hearing device are generally arranged on a printed circuit board as a circuit carrier or are connected thereto. 
         [0004]    Hearing instruments, as well as being configured as hearing devices, can also be configured as what is referred to as tinnitus maskers. Tinnitus maskers are used for the therapy of tinnitus patients. They create acoustic output signals depending on the respective hearing impairment and, in accordance with their principle of operation, also depending on ambient noises, which can contribute to reducing the perception of disruptive tinnitus or other noises in the ear. 
         [0005]    Hearing instruments can also be configured as telephones, cell phones, headsets, headphones, MP3 players or other telecommunications or consumer electronics systems. 
         [0006]    The term hearing instrument below is intended to be understood as both hearing devices and also tinnitus maskers, comparable devices of this type, as well as telecommunications and consumer electronics systems. 
         [0007]    Various basic types of hearing instruments, especially hearing devices, are known. With in-the-ear (ITE) hearing devices a housing containing all functional components including the microphone and the receiver is worn at least partly in the auditory canal. Completely-in-canal (CIC) hearing devices are similar to the ITE hearing devices but are worn entirely in the auditory canal. With behind-the-ear (BTE) hearing devices a housing with components such as battery and signal processing device is worn behind the ear and a flexible sound tube conducts the acoustic output signals of a receiver from the housing to the auditory canal, where frequently an earpiece is provided on the tube for reliable positioning of the tube end in the auditory canal. Receiver-in-canal behind-the-ear (RIC-BTE) hearing devices are similar to the BTE hearing devices, however the receiver is worn in the auditory canal and instead of a sound tube a flexible receiver tube conducts electrical signals instead of acoustic signals to the receiver which is attached to the front of the receiver tube, mostly in an earpiece used for reliable positioning in the auditory canal. RIC-BTE hearing devices are frequently used as so-called open-fit devices, in which for reducing the disruptive occlusion effect, the auditory canal remains open for the passage of sound and air. 
         [0008]    Deep-fit hearing devices are similar to the CIC hearing devices. While CIC hearing devices are generally worn however in a further-out (distal) section of the outer auditory canal, deep-fit hearing devices are pushed further in towards the eardrum (proximal) and are worn at least partly in the inner section of the outer auditory canal. The outer section of the auditory canal is a canal lined with skin and connects the ear muscle to the eardrum. In the outer section of the outer auditory canal which directly adjoins the ear muscle this canal is formed from elastic cartilage. In the inner section of the outer auditory canal the canal is formed from the temporal bone and thus consists of bone. The course of the auditory canal between the cartilaginous section and the bone section is generally angled in a (second) bend and encloses an angle which differs from person to person. The bony section of the auditory canal in particular is comparatively sensitive to pressure and movements. Deep-fit hearing devices are worn at least partly in the sensitive bony section of the auditory canal. On insertion into the bony section of the auditory canal they also have to pass the aforesaid bend which, depending on the angle, can be difficult. In addition small diameters and winding forms of the auditory canal can further complicate the insertion. 
         [0009]    And as well as the hearing device types to be worn on or in the ear with acoustic receiver, cochlea implants and bone-anchored hearing aids (BAHA) are also known. 
         [0010]    Common to all hearing device types is that they aim to have the smallest possible forms of housing or construction in order to enhance the wearing comfort, where necessary to improve the implantability and if necessary to reduce the visibility of the hearing device for cosmetic reasons. The aim of having the smallest possible configuration also applies to most other hearing instruments. 
         [0011]    In order to obtain a small configuration it is known that hearing instruments can be equipped with an on-off switch which is not provided separately. Instead an electric contact to the battery is interrupted or established by opening or closing the battery compartment. For this purpose the battery contacts required in any event, usually embodied as metal tongues, can simultaneously assume the function of the on-off contact. 
         [0012]    In order to make the on/off function possible the battery contacts are shaped and disposed so that at least one of the contacts is lifted away from the battery by a corresponding contour in the battery compartment when the compartment is opened. The contour is electrically insulated from the battery and is disposed between the battery contacts and the battery. It lifts the battery contact away from the battery against an elastic force. The elastic force causes increased friction between the battery contact on the one hand and the battery or contour on the other hand. The contour normally disposed in the fold-out battery compartment is worn out by the friction. Conversely, if the contour does not lift it up, the battery contact is elastically lowered onto the battery. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0013]    It is accordingly an object of the invention to provide a hearing instrument with a battery compartment switch that overcomes the above-mentioned disadvantages of the prior art devices of this general type, which operates reliably over the long term and exhibits reduced wear, especially by abrasion or rubbing away during actuation. 
         [0014]    The invention achieves the object by a battery compartment switch for a hearing instrument with the features of the independent claim. 
         [0015]    A basic idea of the invention consists of a battery compartment switch for a hearing instrument. The hearing instrument contains a housing, a battery compartment able to be moved into and out of the housing, a battery contact device with a contact area for electrically contacting a battery inserted into the battery compartment. The battery contact device is disposed on one of the housing or the battery compartment, and an on/off contour is disposed on the other of the housing or the battery compartment for interrupting the electrical contact between the battery contact device and the battery when the battery compartment is moved out of the housing. The on/off contour interacts with a lift-off area of the battery contact device when the battery compartment is moved out of the housing. The lift-off area and the contact area are disposed separately from one another and the on/off contour and the battery contact device are embodied such that, when the battery compartment is moved out, the contact device is lifted such that there is no mutual friction between contact area and on/off contour. 
         [0016]    The basic idea thus consists of using an on/off contour provided in the area of the battery compartment and a correspondingly shaped battery contact device, the shapes of which are tailored to one another such that the lift-off area for lifting the battery contact device away from the battery and the contact area of the battery contact device are separated from one another. Accordingly the battery contact device has two specific areas separated from one another, a lift-off area and a contact area. The two areas can each be configured separately in order on the one hand to reduce the wear on the on/off contour and on the other hand to guarantee that secure electrical contact is made with the battery. 
         [0017]    Advantageously a lift-off area with a large surface area can be provided by the invention, through which the mechanical pressure on the on/off contour is distributed over a larger surface area and is thus reduced; this lessens the friction wear. Through a suitable configuration of the on/off contour a single shaped area in the battery contact device can be sufficient to guarantee both the lift-off function and also the contact function; the shape of the battery contact device is simplified by this. A reduced bending angle for lifting off the battery contact device is also made possible which makes it possible to use an increased number of materials with the lower bending stiffness. Last but not least the reliability of the actual on/off function is increased. 
         [0018]    An advantageous development of the basic idea consists of the battery contact device being embodied as a conductive elastic tongue. 
         [0019]    A further advantageous development of the basic idea consists of the contact area and the lift-off area of the battery contact device being formed by a common bulge of the tongue. This produces a lower degree of complexity of the battery contact device, making the device more reliable. In addition manufacturing is also simplified by the lower complexity. 
         [0020]    A further advantageous development of the basic idea consists of the on/off contour having a first contour area in which the interaction with the lift-off area of the battery contact device is minimized such that the contact area can contact the battery, and a second contour area which interacts with the lift-off area such that a lifting away of the contact area from the battery is affected. 
         [0021]    A further advantageous development of the basic idea consists of the second contour area having a cutout or recess for non-contact accommodation of the contact area. This prevents friction which could wear out the contact area and adversely affect its electrical conductivity. 
         [0022]    A further advantageous development of the basic idea consists of the battery compartment being supported in one axis pivotably in the housing, so that it is able to be moved by pivoting around the axis into the housing and out of the housing, and wherein the second contour area runs along a circular path, concentric to the axis. This embodiment with the form of a concentric circular path guarantees that the contact area of the battery contact device, when the battery compartment is pivoted, remains in the cutout or recess which is formed in the second contour area. In this way friction on the contact area is prevented during pivoting of the battery compartment. 
         [0023]    Other features which are considered as characteristic for the invention are set forth in the appended claims. 
         [0024]    Although the invention is illustrated and described herein as embodied in a hearing instrument with a battery compartment switch, it is nevertheless not intended to be limited to the details shown, since various modifications and structural changes may be made therein without departing from the spirit of the invention and within the scope and range of equivalents of the claims. 
         [0025]    The construction and method of operation of the invention, however, together with additional objects and advantages thereof will be best understood from the following description of specific embodiments when read in connection with the accompanying drawings. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING 
         [0026]      FIG. 1  is a diagrammatic, perspective view of a hearing instrument according to the invention; 
           [0027]      FIG. 2  is a diagrammatic, perspective view of a battery contact device; 
           [0028]      FIG. 3  is a diagrammatic, sectional view of the battery contact device and an on/off contour; 
           [0029]      FIG. 4  is a diagrammatic, sectional view of the battery contact device and the on/off contour; 
           [0030]      FIG. 5  is a top plan view of a battery compartment pivoted in; 
           [0031]      FIG. 6  is a top plan view of the battery compartment pivoted out; 
           [0032]      FIG. 7  is a diagrammatic, perspective view of the battery contact device; 
           [0033]      FIG. 8  is a diagrammatic, sectional view of the battery contact device and the on/off contour; 
           [0034]      FIG. 9  is a diagrammatic, sectional view of the battery contact device and the on/off contour; 
           [0035]      FIG. 10  is a top plan view of the battery compartment pivoted in; and 
           [0036]      FIG. 11  is a top plan view of the battery compartment pivoted out. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0037]    Referring now to the figures of the drawings in detail and first, particularly to  FIG. 1  thereof, there is shown a perspective view of a hearing instrument  1 . The hearing instrument  1  is a BTE hearing device with a housing  2  and a battery compartment  3 . The instrument shown involves a conventional BTE hearing device, wherein a hearing tube intended to lead to the ear is not shown in  FIG. 1 . Disposed inside the housing  2  or the battery compartment  3  is a form of embodiment of a battery contact device in accordance with the invention, as will be explained in conjunction with the subsequent figure descriptions. 
         [0038]      FIG. 2  shows a perspective diagram of a battery contact device  14 . The battery contact device  14  has an elongated bulge, which is molded into an elastic, conductive tongue  17 . The elastic, conductive tongue  17  can consist of materials conventionally used for contacting batteries, for example a sprung metal. The protrusion in the tongue  17  forms a raised area, which includes a contact area  16  and a separately arranged lift-off area  15  disposed next to it. The contact area  16  is used for contacting the battery and the lift-off area  15  is used for lifting the contact area  16  away from the battery. The function of the lift-off area  15  and of the contact area  16  will be explained in greater deal with reference to the subsequent figures. 
         [0039]      FIG. 3  shows a section of a cross-section of the hearing instrument with the battery contact device  14  and an on/off contour  19 . The tongue  17  is lowered onto a battery  18  such that the contact area  16  touches the battery  18  and thus electrical contact is established. The lift-off area  15  is not or at any rate not significantly interacting with the on/off contour  19  of a battery compartment  13 . 
         [0040]    The battery compartment  13  is disposed in a housing  12  of the hearing instrument and can be moved into and out of the housing. It is of secondary importance for the interaction of the battery contact device  14  and the on/off contour  19  whether the battery compartment  13  is pushed into the housing  12 , pivoted into it or moved into it and out of it in some other way. The form of embodiment shows represents a pivotable battery compartment  13 , as will subsequently become evident. In the figure the battery compartment  13  is moved fully into the housing  12 . The battery compartment switch formed by the on/off contour  19  and the battery contact device  14  is closed and electrical contact to the battery  18  is established. The hearing instrument is thus switched on. 
         [0041]      FIG. 4  shows the preceding section once more, however the battery compartment  13  is not completely moved into the housing  12 . Instead it is pivoted far enough out of the housing to switch the hearing instrument off. A catch can conventionally be provided for this position of the battery compartment  13 , which prevents the battery compartment  13  pivoting right out of the housing  12 . The catch helps to prevent the battery compartment  13  unintentionally pivoting right out and the battery  18  being able to fall out in an unwanted manner. 
         [0042]    The on/off contour  19 , in the position of the battery compartment  13  shown, interacts with the lift-off area  15  of the battery contact device  14 . Through this the battery contact device  14  is lifted up as shown, which lifts the contact area  16  away from the battery  18 . The electrical contact to the battery is thus interrupted. In order, in this position of the battery compartment  13  or of the battery contact device  14 , to insure that no undesired electrical contact to the battery  18  remains, the on/off contour  19  or the battery compartment  13  is manufactured from electrically-insulating material. Conventional materials can be used for this purpose, for example plastic. 
         [0043]    The battery compartment switch formed by the battery contact device  14  and the on/off contour  19  thus interrupts contact to the battery  18  and the hearing instrument is switched off. 
         [0044]      FIG. 5  shows the battery compartment  13  along with its housing  12  in an overhead view. Those parts of the housing  12  which would prevent the battery compartment  13  being seen in an overhead view are omitted from the diagram. The battery compartment  13  is completely pivoted into the housing  12 . The hearing instrument is thus switched on. The pivoting movement of the battery compartment  13  occurs around an axis  22 , through which it is pivotably supported in the housing  12 . 
         [0045]    Essentially only the bulge of the battery contact device with the lift-off area  15  and the contact area  16  can be seen. The on/off contour  19  is a least partly embodied as an opening in the battery compartment  13 , so that a battery not shown in the diagram can be contacted through this opening by the contact area  16 . In the view shown the battery would lie above the contact area  16  and thus hide the area. 
         [0046]    The on/off contour  19  includes a contour area  21 , of which the shape is essentially congruent to the form of the bulge of the battery contact device. The significant aspect of the shape of the contour area  21  is that on the one hand it allows electrical contact of the contact area  16  to the battery and on the other hand it avoids an interaction between the lift-off area  15  which would lead to the lifting of the contact area  16  away from the battery. For this purpose it is not necessary for the contour area  21  to be congruent to the bulge of the battery contact device, as is shown in the diagram. Instead the contour area  21  could also be embodied as a larger opening of a different shape. 
         [0047]    The on/off contour  19  contains a further contour area  20  which, in the pivoted position of the battery compartment  13  shown, does not perform any function for the battery compartment switch. The contour area  20  essentially extends along a circular path concentric to the axis  22 . It can be seen that the contact area  16 , when the battery compartment  13  is pivoted out (in the counterclockwise direction in the diagram) is essentially covered by the opening which is provided in the contour area  20 . 
         [0048]    In  FIG. 6  the previous diagram is shown once again, with the battery compartment  13  in a different position. The battery compartment  13  is pivoted far enough out of the housing  12  for the hearing instrument to be switched off by the battery compartment switch. 
         [0049]    The bulge of the battery contact device connected to the housing  12  is covered by the on/off contour  19  connected to the battery compartment  13  when the battery compartment  13  is pivoted out. This causes an interaction to arise between the contour area  20  and the lift-off area  19 , which leads to the battery contact device being lifted away from the battery. Thus the contact area  16  is no longer in electrical contact with the battery. In the perspective shown the battery contact device is pivoted downwards into the plane of the drawing. It is evident that the contact area  16  is disposed in the opening provided in the contour area  20 . This avoids mechanical friction between the contact area  16  and the on/off contour  19  or the battery compartment  13  respectively. This prevents wear to the contact area  16 . This is essentially made possible by the lifting off of the battery contact device which is effected by mechanical interaction, with the lift-off area  15 , being affected by the lift-off area  15  disposed separately from the contact area  16 . The mechanical wear inevitably occurring during mechanical lifting off is thus displaced to the lift-off area  15 . This makes it possible to configure the lift-off area  15  on the one hand and the contact area  16  on the other hand for the respective separate purpose. Accordingly the contour area  20  is embodied so that mechanical wear of the battery compartment  13  is minimized in the contour area  20 . To this end on the one hand a shape can be selected which transfers the mechanical forces to a large area, through which the pressure between the components is reduced and thus the friction is also reduced, on the other hand suitable materials with a corresponding hardness and a corresponding coefficient of friction can be used. 
         [0050]      FIG. 7  shows a battery contact device  44  in another form of embodiment. The bulge of the tongue  44  is circular. A contact area  46  represents the highest, central component of the bulge, around which a lift-off area  45  is disposed concentrically. 
         [0051]      FIG. 8  shows a section of the hearing instrument as a cross-sectional diagram. In the section the form of embodiment of the battery contact device  44  shown previously is inserted. A battery compartment  43  is completely pivoted into the housing  42 , so that the hearing instrument is switched on. The contact area  46  is in electrical contact with a battery  48 . An on/off contour  49  is not interacting with the lift-off area  45 . Thus the battery contact device  44  is lowered onto the battery  48 . 
         [0052]      FIG. 9  depicts the section previously shown once again, however with the battery compartment  43  pivoted out into the off position. Through the pivoting out of the battery compartment  43  the on/off contour  49  is interacting mechanically with the lift-off area  45 . Through this action the battery contact device  44  is lifted away from the battery  48  so that the electrical contact between the battery  48  in the contact area  46  is interrupted. Through this action the hearing instrument is switched off by the battery compartment switch formed by the battery contact device  44  and the on/off contour  49 . 
         [0053]      FIG. 10  shows the form of the embodiment with the circular contact area  46  and concentric circular lift-off area  45  viewed from above and without battery. Parts of the housing  42  which would hide the view of the contact device are omitted. The battery compartment  43  is fully pivoted into the housing  42 . The bulge of the battery contact device formed by the contact area  46  and the lift-off area  45  is located in a contour area  51  by the battery contact device being lowered and electrical contact being established between the contact area  46  and the battery. Although the contour area  51  is essentially aligned congruent to the bulge of the battery contact device, it can also have a larger and different shape. Of importance for the design of the contour area  51  is only that on the one hand the battery contact device is not or at least insignificantly lifted and on the other hand that the electrical contact between contact area  46  and the battery arranged above the area in the diagram is made possible. 
         [0054]      FIG. 11  shows the previous section once again, but with the battery compartment  43  pivoted out in the off position. The contour area  50  of the on/off contour  49  is interacting in this position of the battery compartment  43  with the lift-off area  45  of the battery contact device. This lifts the device away from the battery, so that the electrical contact between the contact area  46  and the battery is interrupted. Thus the hearing instrument is switched off by the battery compartment switch formed by the on/off contour  49  and the battery contact device. 
         [0055]    It is further evident that the contact area  46  is disposed in the opening in the contour area  50 , so that it is not subjected to any kind of friction. The prevention of friction wear is important here, which is why instead of an opening in the contour area  50 , a sufficiently deep recess can also be provided. 
         [0056]    Because friction forces do not act on the contact area  46  the area&#39;s mechanical wear is reduced. Mechanical forces are instead relocated to the lift-off area  45  separated therefrom, which can accordingly be embodied to optimize the mechanical characteristics and minimize the friction wear. On the on/off contour  49  side mechanical forces primarily engage in the contour area  50 , which interacts with the lift-off area  45 . The contour area  50  can accordingly on the one hand be embodied with a large surface area in order to minimize the pressure and thus friction forces between the contour area  50  and the lift-off area  45 . On the other hand the contour area  50  can be manufactured from materials with suitable hardness and coefficients of friction.