Wireless battery charging system for existing hearing aids using a dynamic battery and a charging processor unit

• US 20020113572A1
• Filed: 02/22/2002
• Published: 08/22/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 02/22/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sivantos Gmbh (WS Audiology A/S)
• Original Assignee: Gary Skuro
• Inventors: Zink, Uwe, Skuro, Gary
• Granted Patent: US 6,498,455 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 320/108
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/46 Accumulators structurally combined with charging apparatus circuits for charging H02J7/00
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/12 of the resonant type
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0042 characterised by the mechanical construction
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2225/31 Aspects of the use of accumulators in hearing aids, e.g. rechargeable batteries or fuel cells
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 25/00 Deaf-aid sets , i.e. electro-acoustic or electro-mechanical hearing aids; Electric tinnitus maskers providing an auditory perception electrical stimulation of auditory nerves to promote the auditory function A61N1/36038; optical stimulation of auditory nerves to promote the auditory function A61N5/0622
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries

Abstract

A rechargeable battery which may be used with most presently available hearing aids (or other appliances) with no modification to the existing hearing aid is needed in order to use the described wireless charging system. The battery may be known a “Dynamic battery” as the battery is actively charged by means of an inductor circuit built into the battery housing itself or added onto the battery. The hearing aid may simply be placed within the charger housing (or cradle) to charge the battery. No electrical connection by either wires or electrical contacts is needed to recharge the battery, which is located inside the hearing aid housing. Moreover, the battery need not be removed from the hearing aid (or other appliance).

Claims

1. A system for recharging hearing aid batteries, comprising:

a combined battery, inductive coil, and charging circuitry, contained within a battery case having the same dimensions and being interchangeable with, a standard non-rechargeable battery, for placement within a hearing aid; and

a charging unit, provided with an inductive coil, for generating an electromagnetic field such that when a hearing aid with the combined battery, inductive coil, and charging circuitry installed is placed near the charging unit, a current is induced in the inductive coil of the combined battery, inductive coil, and charging circuitry, charging the battery.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the combined battery, inductive coil, and charging circuitry need not be removed from a hearing aid in order to charge the battery.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the combined battery, inductive coil, and charging unit fit within the battery compartment of a Prior Art non-rechargeable hearing aid without modification to the hearing aid.

4. A rechargeable battery which may be recharged without removal from an appliance, the battery comprising:

an inductive charging circuit formed within a first portion of a housing of a battery cell; and

a rechargeable battery, formed within a second portion of a housing of the battery cell.

5. The rechargeable battery of claim 4, wherein the inductive charging circuit further comprises:

an inductor coil having a diameter substantially the same as the battery case;

a ceramic substrate, formed within the diameter of the inductor coil; and

an inductive charging circuit, formed on the ceramic substrate.

6. The rechargeable battery of claim 4, wherein the inductive charging circuit further comprises:

an inductor coil having a diameter substantially the same as the battery case, said inductor coil formed around the rechargeable battery;

a battery terminal contact, for conducting current from the battery to the appliance; and

an inductive charging circuit, formed on the battery contact.

7. The rechargeable battery of claim 6, wherein the inductor coil comprises a side wall portion of the battery case.

8. A method of converting a Prior Art hearing aid which uses disposable batteries into a rechargeable hearing aid, comprising the steps of:

removing a non-rechargeable battery from a battery compartment of a Prior Art hearing aid,

replacing the non-rechargeable battery in the Prior Art hearing aid with a rechargeable battery and inductive charging circuit comprising an inductive charging circuit formed within a first portion of a housing of a standard hearing aid battery cell and a rechargeable battery, formed within a second portion of a housing of a standard hearing aid battery cell,

wherein the resulting converted hearing aid may be recharged by placing the hearing aid near an inductive charging station which induces a current into the inductive charging circuit formed in the combined rechargeable battery and inductive charging circuit so as to recharge the rechargeable battery.

9. A method of charging a small appliance placed in an arbitrary relationship to a charging stand, comprising the steps of:

supplying current to a sending core magnetic coil,

measuring current to the sending core magnetic coil,

inducing a current in a receiving magnetic coil in the small appliance placed in an arbitrary relationship to the charging stand,

rotating the sending core magnetic coil through a predetermined arc of rotation while measuring the current to the sending core magnetic coil,

determining an optimal position for the sending core magnetic coil based upon measured current to the sending core magnetic coil, and

locating the sending core magnetic coil at the determined optimal position so as to charge the small appliance.

10. A charging stand for charging a small appliance placed in an arbitrary relationship to a charging stand, said apparatus comprising:

means for supplying current to a sending core magnetic coil;

means for measuring current to the sending core magnetic coil;

means for inducing a current in a receiving magnetic coil in the small appliance placed in an arbitrary relationship to the charging stand;

means for rotating the sending core magnetic coil through a predetermined arc of rotation while measuring the current to the sending core magnetic coil;

means for determining an optimal position for the sending core magnetic coil based upon measured current to the sending core magnetic coil; and

means for locating the sending core magnetic coil at the determined optimal position so as to charge the small appliance.