HEARING AID WITH CHANGEABLE BATTERY COVER CONTAINING RF PICKUP COIL

• US 3,668,334 A
• Filed: 05/07/1970
• Issued: 06/06/1972
• Est. Priority Date: 05/07/1970
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: William O. Schwake
• Original Assignee: William O. Schwake
• Inventors: Schwake, William O.
• Primary Examiner(s): Claffy, Kathleen H.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Kundert, Thomas L.
• Application Number:
  US05/035,464
• Time in Patent Office: 761 Days
• Field of Search: 179/107,179,1PC,29 325/361,308,352,353
• US Class Current: 455/170.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 25/04 comprising pocket amplifiers
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 25/554 using a wireless connection, e.g. between microphone and amplifier or using Tcoils

Abstract

A hearing aid has a pair of spaced electric contacts projecting from its case in a position to hold a battery between them for operating the hearing aid. A removable housing with an open inner end normally fits over these contacts to conceal the battery. The housing contains a radio-frequency pickup detection circuit connected with a radio-frequency pickup coil and provided with a pair of terminals. The hearing aid case has means projecting from it into the housing and detachably engaging the pair of terminals therein to connect the radio-frequency detection circuit with the amplifier in the case. A pickup coil tuned to a different radiofrequency can be connected to the case by simply replacing the housing with a similar one containing such a coil.

Claims

1. A hearing aid for the hard of hearing comprising a case, a hearing aid amplifier circuit in the case adapted to be connected with a receiver, a microphone connected with the circuit, a pair of spaced electric contacts projecting from the case and connected in said circuit, said contacts being positioned to hold a battery between them outside of the case, a removable housing with an open inner end normally fitting over said contacts to conceal them and any battery between them, a radio-frequency pickup coil mounted in the outer end of said housing, a radiofrequency detection circuit in the outer end of the housing connected with the coil and provided with a pair of terminals, and conductor means connected in said amplifier circuit and projecting from the case into the housing and detachably engaging said terminals to connect said circuits, whereby a coil tuned to a different radio-frequency can be connected with said amplifier circuit by simply replacing said housing with a similar one containing such a coil.

2. A hearing aid according to claim 1, in which said conductor means are leaf springs pressing against said terminals to also hold said housing in position on the case.

3. A hearing aid according to claim 1, in which said conductor means are leaf springs, and said terminals extend toward the open end of the housing and are provided with detents engaged by said springs to hold said housing in position on the case.

4. A hearing aid according to claim 3, in which said detents are the heads of fasteners securing said terminals to the wall of the housing.

5. A hearing aid according to claim 1, including an insulating base supporting said coil and radio-frequency detection circuit and concealing them from the open end of the housing, said terminals including metal strips extending from the opposite ends of said base along the housing wall toward said open end, and said conductor means being leaf springs overlapping said strips.

6. A hearing aid according to claim 5, including fasteners securing the free ends of said strips to the housing wall and having heads inside the housing, and said springs being formed to snap over said heads when the housing is applied to the case.

7. A hearing aid according to claim 1, in which said conductor means are leaf springs extending along the outer surfaces of said battery contacts, and said hearing aid includes insulation separating at least one of the battery contacts from the adjacent leaf spring.

8. A hearing aid according to claim 1, including an insulating base supporting said coil and radio-frequency detection circuit and concealing them from the open end of the housing, said terminals including metal strips extending from the opposite ends of said base along the housing wall toward said open end, and fasteners securing the free ends of the strips to the housing wall and having heads inside the housing, and said conductor means being leaf springs constructed and arranged to snap over said heads when the housing is applied to the case, whereby to hold the housing against the case.

9. A hearing aid according to claim 1, including an insulating base supporting said coil and radio-frequency detection circuit and concealing them from the open end of the housing, said terminals including metal strips extending from the opposite ends of said base along the housing wall toward said open end, and fasteners securing the free ends of the strips to the housing wall and having heads inside the housing, and said conductor means being leaf springs, the springs extending along the outer surfaces of said battery contacts, and the hearing aid including insulation separating a battery Contact from the adjacent leaf spring.