Molded hearing aid and battery charger

• US 4,379,988 A
• Filed: 01/19/1981
• Issued: 04/12/1983
• Est. Priority Date: 01/19/1981
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Patricio Mattatall
• Original Assignee: Patricio Mattatall
• Inventors: Mattatall, Patricio
• Primary Examiner(s): PELLINEN, A DAVID
• Application Number:
  US06/226,212
• Time in Patent Office: 813 Days
• Field of Search: 179/107 R, 320/2, 320/4, 320/48
• US Class Current: 320/108
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2207/20 Charging or discharging characterised by the power electronics converter
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/12 of the resonant type
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/40 using two or more transmitting or receiving devices H02J50/50 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/90 involving detection or optimisation of position, e.g. alignment
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/02 for charging batteries from ac mains by converters
• 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 2460/17 Hearing device specific tools used for storing or handling hearing devices or parts thereof, e.g. placement in the ear, replacement of cerumen barriers, repair, cleaning hearing devices
• 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: Y10S 320/19 Charger status, e.g. voltmeter

Abstract

A molded hearing aid of the self-containing type having a rechargeable battery disposed therein, in the form of a molded plug which will fit in the ear of the user. A light emitting diode is disposed through the external surface of the plug and is internally connected in series with an iron core inductor with the series combination in parallel with the internal chargeable battery. A battery charger is provided having a cup for receiving the molded plug and having a multiturn coil wound around the periphery of the cup. The coil is connected into an oscillator circuit and tuned to cause the circuit to oscillate at about 30 kHz. The oscillator coil couples to the iron core inductor in the plastic plug thereby inducing a 30 kHz ac voltage across the coil. The light emitting diode rectifies the alternating current and is connected in a polarity so as to charge the internal battery of the hearing aid. As the charging current flows through the light emitting diode, the diode is illuminated indicating to the user that charging is taking place and indicating by its brillance when the hearing aid is located in its optimum position.

Claims

1. A self-contained hearing aid insertable in the ear of the user and having a rechargeable battery, the battery charging system comprising:

oscillator means for producing electrical oscillations;

a first inductor associated with said oscillator means for producing an inductive magnetic field from said electrical oscillations;

holding means for supporting said hearing aid for charging said rechargeable battery;

a second inductor disposed within said hearing aid, said holding means supporting said hearing aid in a manner to inductively couple said first inductor and said second inductor whereby an electromotive force is induced in said second inductor; and

a light emitting diode disposed in said hearing aid and visible externally thereto, said diode connected in series with said second inductor, the series combination of said diode and said second inductor connected in parallel with said battery, whereby said electromotive force induced in said second inductor causing said diode to produce a pulsating direct current flowing in the direction to charge said battery and to emit a light external to said hearing aid to indicate such flow of charging current, said hearing aid position adjustable within said holding means by the user to maximize the degree of inductive coupling between said first and second inductors, said light emitting diode functioning to indicate said degree of coupling by the intensity of emitted light therefrom.

2. The system as defined in claim 1 in which said second inductor is a part of a resonant circuit of said oscillator means.

3. The system as defined in claim 2 in which said hearing aid holding means includes:

a cylindrical cup fabricated from a non-magnetic material having sufficient capacity to permit insertion of said hearing aid into said cup and to permit movement of said hearing aid within said cup; and

a multiplicity of turns of a wire conductor forming windings around the external walls of said cup, said windings forming said first inductor.

4. The system as defined in claim 3 in which said oscillator means comprises:

dc power supply means; and

a turning capacitor connected essentially in parallel with said first inductor for resonating said inductor to the desired frequency of oscillation;

transistor means connected to said first inductor and said power supply, said connection including a positive feedback path so as to produce said electrical oscillations.

5. In a self-contained hearing aid for insertion in the ear of the user and having input and output transducers, audio amplifier means, control means, and a rechargeable battery, the improvement comprising:

inductor means for coupling to an external source of ac electrical energy to induce an alternating voltage in said inductor means;

light emitting diode means connected in series with said inductor means, said light emitting diode producing a visual indication when dc charging current is flowing therethrough and indicating by maximum emitted light when the coupling between said inductor means and said external source of ac electrical energy is optimized; and

the series combination of said inductor means and said light emitting diode connected in parallel with said battery in a polarity to produce a dc charging current through said battery from such alternating voltage.

6. In a self-contained hearing aid having a rechargeable battery in parallel with the series combination of an inductor and a diode, the battery charging system comprising:

at least one electrical oscillator having a resonant circuit including an air core inductor;

dc power supply means connected to said oscillator, the output of said dc power supply much greater than required by said oscillator;

resistor voltage dropping means disposed between said power supply and said oscillator for reducing said output to that required by said oscillator, said dropping resistor thereby producing radiated heat; and

a non-magnetic hearing aid holding cup disposed within the air core of said air core inductor, said cup adapted to receive and hold said hearing aid in a position in which the axis of said hearing aid inductor is essentially parallel to the axis of said air core inductor of said oscillator whereby an electromotive force is induced in said hearing aid inductor, said diode providing charging current to said rechargeable battery, said hearing aid holding cup having a multiplicity of openings in the bottom surface thereof, said cup disposed directly over said voltage dropping resistor means whereby said radiated heat passes through said multiplicity of openings to thereby remove moisture from said hearing aid held in said cup.