HEARING DEVICE WITH USER CONTROL

• US 20110026747A1
• Filed: 03/28/2008
• Published: 02/03/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 03/28/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sonova AG (Sonova Holding AG)
• Original Assignee: Phonak AG (Sonova Holding AG)
• Inventors: Ochsenbein, Andre Lucien, Meier, Hans Georg, Simmler, Andre, Zueger, Urs
• Granted Patent: US 8,503,706 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 381/323
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 13/52 the contact returning to its original state immediately upon removal of operating force, e.g. bell-push switch
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2009/048 using a sealing boot, e.g. the casing having separate elastic body surrounding the operating member and hermetically closing the opening for it
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2300/004 Application hearing aid
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2225/61 Aspects relating to mechanical or electronic switches or control elements, e.g. functioning
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 25/602 of batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 25/603 of mechanical or electronic switches or control elements
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 25/65 Housing parts, e.g. shells, tips or moulds, or their manufacture
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 25/658 Manufacture of housing parts

Abstract

The hearing device comprises a battery door (20); a connector (2) having N≧1 electrical contacts (6); and a user control (8). The user control (8) consists of

• • a) an elastic actuation member (14); and operationally connected thereto
  • b) a contact changing member (12), which can be different from or identical with the elastic actuation member (14); and operationally connected thereto
  • c) at least one of the N electrical contacts (6).

At least a portion of the elastic actuation member (14) forms at least a portion of the battery door (20). The connector (2) is a connector for providing a communication connection to the hearing device. The user control(8) can be a pushbutton switch. The elastic actuation member (14) comprises a body substantially made of elastomeric material and can hold the contact changing member (12). The contact changing member (12) is provided for changing the state of contacting of said at least one electrical contact (6), e.g., to establish or interrupt an electrical connection. Very small-size hearing devices can be realized.

Claims

1. Hearing device (1) comprising

a battery door (20);

a connector (2) having N≧

1 electrical contacts (6); and

a user control (8);

wherein said user control (8) consists of

a) an elastic actuation member (14); and

operationally connected thereto

b) a contact changing member (12), which can be different from or identical with said elastic actuation member (14); and

operationally connected thereto

c) at least one of said N electrical contacts (6);

wherein at least a portion of said elastic actuation member (14) forms at least a portion of said battery door (20).

2. The device (1) according to claim 1, wherein said elastic actuation member (14) comprises a body substantially made of elastomeric material.

3. The device (1) according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein said elastic actuation member (14), said contact changing member (12) and said at least one electrical contact (6) are designed and arranged such that elastically deforming said elastic actuation member (14) for operating said user control (8) causes a change in shape and/or location of said contact changing member (12), which causes a change in the state of contacting of said at least one electrical contact (6).

4. The device (1) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein said hearing device (1) comprises a housing (3), and wherein, in the area right above said connector (2), said housing (3) is formed by said elastic actuation member (14).

5. The device (1) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein said at least one electrical contact (6) is configured to be used for transmitting information in electrical form to or from said hearing device (1) when said battery door (20) is open and a plug (4) is connected to said connector (2), and wherein said at least one electrical contact (6) is configured to be used in the operation of said user control (8) when said battery door (20) is closed.

6. The device (1) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein said connector (2) is a socket, and said at least one connector (6) is a contact pin.

7. The device (1) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein said connector (2) comprises a printed circuit board, and said at least one connector (6) is a contact pad of said printed circuit board.

8. The device (1) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein said battery door (20) and said elastic actuation member (14) are jointly manufactured in a multi-injection molding process.

9. The device (1) according to one of claims 1 to 8, wherein said battery door (20) has an opening, said elastic actuation member (14) having a waist (14a) and being attached to said battery door (20), said waist (14a) located within said opening.

10. The device (1) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein said elastic actuation member (14) is formed by said battery door (20), said contact changing member (12) being a part separate from said elastic actuation member (14), said contact changing member (12) being located within said connector (2).

12. The device (1) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein said contact changing member (12) is designed to stay substantially undeformed during operation of said user control (8).

13. The device (1) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein said contact changing member (12) is a piece of metal generally extending along an axis (A), said axis (A) being substantially identical with an axis along which said contact changing member (12) is moved when said user control (8) is operated, and wherein said contact changing member (12) has an acting end (12a) and, at its opposite end, a fixing end (12b), said acting end being arranged—

along said axis (A)—

below said fixing end and closer to said at least one electrical contact (6).

14. The device (1) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the hearing device (1) comprises a housing (3), and wherein neither said housing (3) nor said battery door (20) comprises a lever, which lever would be not identical with said battery door (20) and designed to rotate about an axis upon operation of the user control (8).

11. The device (1) according to one of the preceding wherein said contact changing member (12) is a metallic member comprising a fixing end (12b), said contact changing member (12) being fixedly held in said elastic actuation member (14) at said fixing end (12b).

15. Method of operating a hearing device (1) comprising a battery door (20), a connector (2) with N≧

1 electrical contacts (6), and a user control (8), said method comprising the step of

using at least one of said N electrical contacts (6) of said connector (2) as a part of said user control (8);

said user control (8) consisting of

a) an elastic actuation member (14); and

operationally connected thereto

b) a contact changing member (12), which can be different from or identical with said elastic actuation member (14); and

operationally connected thereto

c) said at least one electrical contact (6);

wherein at least a portion of said elastic actuation member (14) forms at least a portion of said battery door (20).

16. The method according to claim 15, wherein said elastic actuation member (14) is integrally formed, and said contact changing member (12) is integrally formed.

17. The method according to claim 15 or claim 16, comprising the step of operating said user control (8) by elastically deforming said elastic actuation member (14), thereby causing a change in shape and/or location of said contact changing member (12), thereby causing a change in the state of contacting of said at least one electrical contact (6).

18. The method according to one of claims 15 to 17, comprising the step of changing the state of contacting of said at least one electrical contact (6) by means of said contact changing member (12) by at least one of

establishing an electrical connection between said at least one electrical contact (6) and another electrical contact;

interrupting an electrical connection between said at least one electrical contact (6) and another electrical contact;

increasing the resistance between said at least one electrical contact (6) and another electrical contact;

decreasing the resistance between said at least one electrical contact (6) and another electrical contact.

19. The method according to one of claims 15 to 18, comprising the steps of

when said battery door (20) is open and a plug (4) is connected to said connector (2):

transmitting information in electrical form to or from said hearing device (1) via at least said at least one electrical contact (6) and said plug (4);

when said battery door (20) is closed;

using said at least one electrical contact (6) in the operation of said user control (8).

20. The method according to one of claims 15 to 19, wherein said user control (8) is a pushbutton, and wherein operating said user control (8) comprises pushing said pushbutton.

21. The method according to one of claims 15 to 20, wherein said user control (8) is integrated in said hearing device (1) during normal operation of the hearing device.

22. The method according to one of claims 15 to 21, wherein said contact changing member (12) comprises a shorting member, said method comprising the steps of

establishing an electrical connection between at least two of said N electrical contacts (6) of said connector (2) by operating said user control (8), which operating causes said shorting member (12) to electrically connect said at least two electrical contacts (6) with each other;

and

detecting said establishment of said electrical connection.

23. Use of at least one of N≧

1 electrical contacts (6) of a connector (2) of a hearing device (1) as at least one electrical contact (6) of a user control (8) of said hearing device (1), wherein said hearing device (1) comprises a battery door (20), and wherein said user control (8) consists of

a) an elastic actuation member (14); and

operationally connected thereto

b) a contact changing member (12), which can be different from or identical with said elastic actuation member (14); and

operationally connected thereto

c) said at least one electrical contact (6);

wherein at least a portion of said elastic actuation member (14) forms at least a portion of said battery door (20).