Hearing aid, headset or similar device for delivering a sound signal at the vicinity of the tympanic membrane

• US 20040247149A1
• Filed: 04/01/2004
• Published: 12/09/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 10/12/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Oticon A/S (William Demant Fonden)
• Original Assignee: Oticon A/S (William Demant Fonden)
• Inventors: Sorensen, Per Kokholm
• Granted Patent: US 7,454,027 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 381/328
• 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 2225/51 Aspects of antennas or their circuitry in or for hearing aids
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 25/602 of batteries

Abstract

The invention concerns a hearing aid, headset or similar device for delivering a sound signal at the vicinity of the tympanic membrane. The device comprises at least a signal capture device, a signal processing unit, a receiver and an energy storage unit eg for storage and supply of electric energy, where the energy storage unit comprises two or more sections which are interconnected in a manner which allows angulation of one section with respect to the neighboring section/sections.

Claims

1. Hearing aid, headset or similar device for delivering a sound signal at the vicinity of the tympanic membrane, where the device comprises at least a signal capture device (5), a signal processing unit (6), a receiver (4) and an energy storage unit (1, 2, 11, 12) eg for storage and supply of electric energy, where the energy storage unit (1, 2, 11, 12) comprises two or more sections which are interconnected in a manner which allows angulation of one section with respect to the neighboring section/sections.

2. Device as claimed in claim 1, wherein two neighboring sections of the energy storage unit (1,2,11,12) are separated by a resilient part (3, 14) forming a link between two consecutive sections of the energy storage unit (1,2,11,12).

3. Device as claimed in claim 1, wherein two neighboring sections of the energy storage unit (11,12) are fastened to a common flexible foil (10).

4. Device as claimed in claim 1, wherein two neighboring sections of the energy storage unit are separated by a section comprising a flexible material, which may be hardened into a rigid state.

5. Device as claimed in claim 1, wherein at least one section of the energy storage unit (1,2) is curved.

6. Device as claimed in claim 5, wherein the curved section (1,2) form at least a part of a cylindrical shape, whereby the electronic components (5,6,4) of the hearing aid are surrounded by the cylindrical shape of the battery section (1,2).

7. Device as claimed in claim 6, wherein an antenna (9) for a wireless link is accommodated within the cylindrical shape of the battery section (1,2).

8. Device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the energy storage unit (1,2,11,12) is a rechargeable battery.

9. Device as claimed in claim 8, wherein the rechargeable battery (1,2,11,12) is connectable to a coil located within the device, such that the battery may be recharged by placing the device in a changing magnetic field.

10. Device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the energy storage device provides electric power to a transmitter which transmits a signal to a remote device like a programming device, another hearing aid, a telephone or other communication device.