Modular hearing aid

• US 4,395,601 A
• Filed: 09/30/1980
• Issued: 07/26/1983
• Est. Priority Date: 10/17/1979
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Original Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Inventors: Schmidt, Wolfgang, Muller, Manfred, Kopke, Wolfgang, Eggert, Albert, Gahleitner, Erwin, Raupach, Gerhard
• Primary Examiner(s): Stellar, George G.
• Application Number:
  US06/192,256
• Time in Patent Office: 1,029 Days
• Field of Search: 179/107 E, 179/107 H, 179/107 S, 179/178, 179/179, 339/17 LM, 339/17 M, 339/17 L, 339/17 LC, 339/17 C
• US Class Current: 381/324
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 25/603 of mechanical or electronic switches or control elements
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 25/609 of circuitry of electronic switches or control elements H04R25/603
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/141 One or more single auxiliary printed circuits mounted on a main printed circuit, e.g. modules, adapters H05K1/142 and H05K1/147 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/10022 Non-printed resistor
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/10189 Non-printed connector
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/10196 Variable component, e.g. variable resistor
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/10303 Pin-in-hole mounted pins
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/10325 Sockets, i.e. female type connectors comprising metallic connector elements integrated in, or bonded to a common dielectric support
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/10477 Inverted
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 3/368 parallel to each other H05K3/361 takes precedence

Abstract

A hearing aid has a circuit board having conductor strips thereon; first plug-in elements mounted on the circuit board and being electrically connected to selective conductor strips; a plurality of circuit board-supported modular structural units; and second plug-in elements mounted on each circuit board-supported modular structural unit. The first plug-in elements cooperate with respective second plug-in elements for securing selected circuit board-supported modular structural units on the circuit board.

Claims

1. A hearing aid comprising in combination

(a) a circuit board having conductor strips thereon, a first side and an opposite second side and an edge zone along said first side;

said second side including a cutout bounded by border edges;

(b) first plug-in elements mounted on said circuit board externally of said edge zone and being electrically connected to selective conductor strips;

(c) a plurality of circuit board-supported modular structural units;

(d) second plug-in elements mounted on each said circuit board-supported modular structural unit;

said first plug-in elements cooperating with respective second plug-in elements for securing selected said circuit board-supported modular structural units on said circuit board;

(e) a battery holder mounted on said edge zone for receiving a battery for the hearing aid; and

(f) a microphone unit having opposite side faces and means defining a groove on each said side face;

said microphone unit being received in said cutout and supported by said circuit board by an interengagement between each said groove and a respective said border edge.

2. A hearing aid as defined in claim 1, wherein said first and second plug-in elements are sockets and prongs cooperating with one another.

3. A hearing aid as defined in claim 1, further comprising a switch and an adjusting resistor mounted on said circuit board on either side of said cutout.

4. A hearing aid as defined in claim 1, wherein said circuit board has a substantially rectangular shape;

further wherein said first plug elements are arranged in series extending parallel to said first and second sides;

further wherein said modular structural units are elongated and each has an elongated secondary circuit board having opposite longitudinal ends;

a separate circuit component mounted on the respective secondary circuit board; and

block members mounted on said opposite longitudinal ends of said secondary circuit board; and

further wherein said second plug-in elements are mounted on said block members of each said circuit board-supported modular structural unit.

5. A hearing aid as defined in claim 4, wherein said block members are situated at a distance from an adjacent said longitudinal end of said secondary circuit board;

and further comprising additional circuit components carried on said secondary circuit board between the respective longitudinal end thereof and the respective said block member.

6. A hearing aid as defined in claim 5, wherein one of said additional circuit components is a potentiometer.

7. A hearing aid as defined in claim 5, further comprising a hearing aid cord having a plug;

and further wherein one of said additional circuit components is an outlet box for receiving the plug of said cord.

8. A hearing aid as defined in claim 5, further comprising a cover member carried by said secondary circuit board at a longitudinal end for outwardly shielding an adjacent said additional circuit component;

said cover member having an opening for allowing passage of a setting tool to said adjacent additional circuit component.