Hearing aid

• US 4,467,145 A
• Filed: 02/11/1982
• Issued: 08/21/1984
• Est. Priority Date: 03/10/1981
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Siemens AG
• Original Assignee: Siemens AG
• Inventors: Borstel, Heinz-Dieter
• Primary Examiner(s): Rubinson, G. Z.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Lev, Robert
• Application Number:
  US06/347,929
• Time in Patent Office: 922 Days
• Field of Search: 179/107 H, 179/107 FD, 179/107 R, 179/87, 179/82, 381/123
• US Class Current: 381/329
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2300/004 Application hearing aid
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2225/021 Behind the ear [BTE] hearing aids
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2225/61 Aspects relating to mechanical or electronic switches or control elements, e.g. functioning
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 25/43 Electronic input selection or mixing based on input signal analysis, e.g. mixing or selection between microphone and telecoil or between microphones with different directivity characteristics H04R25/407 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 25/554 using a wireless connection, e.g. between microphone and amplifier or using Tcoils
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 25/603 of mechanical or electronic switches or control elements

Abstract

In an exemplary embodiment, switches are provided for controlling operating state, and the like, of a miniature hearing aid. In such hearing aids, it is a precondition that all components, thus the switches as well, be designed very small and function reliably. Therefore, the disclosure provides magnetic switches which exhibit elements whose electrical conductivity can be influenced with magnetic fields. For example, reed contacts or magnetic field responsive semiconductors are employed as such elements. Thus, manual switching can ensue by means of displacing a magnet. Magnetically actuatable switches, however, can also serve to automatically switch on an auxiliary element, for instance a device for improving the reception of a telephone call (induction coil), when a magnetic field present outside of the device, for instance the magnetic field of a telephone receiver, approaches. A hearing aid equipped according to the disclosure is particularly suited for use in conjunction with induction coils.

Claims

1. A hearing aid system having a hearing aid electric circuit including switch means, characterized in that an element changing its electrical properties in the manner of a switch due to the influence of a magnetic field is employed in the switch means of the electrical circuit;

and in that magnetic field producing means functions as the actuator for the switch means, with said magnetic field producing means comprising a permanent magnet, and means mounting said permanent magnet for manual actuation between a first position with said element out of the effective field range of said permanent magnet, and a second position with the magnetic field of said permanent magnet actuating said element so as to change its electrical properties and produce a different switching state.

2. A hearing aid system according to claim 1, characterized in that the element is a reed contact.

3. A hearing aid system according to claim 1, characterized in that the element is a magnetic field responsive semiconductor.

4. A hearing aid system according to claim 1, with said switch means comprising a first switch for turning said circuit on and off and a second switch for altering the operation of said circuit, said switches each comprising an element as aforesaid responsive to a magnetic field to change its switching state, and means mounting said permanent magnet for manual actuation between a first position with both of the elements out of the effective field range of said permanent magnet, and a second position with the magnetic field of said permanent magnet actuating both of the elements so as to change the switching state of said first and second switches.