Solar powered hearing aid and reenergizer case

• US 5,210,804 A
• Filed: 03/18/1991
• Issued: 05/11/1993
• Est. Priority Date: 03/18/1991
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Guenther W. Schmid
• Original Assignee: Guenther W. Schmid
• Inventors: Schmid, Guenther W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Ng, Jin F.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Le, Huyen D.
• Application Number:
  US07/670,574
• Time in Patent Office: 785 Days
• Field of Search: 381/69, 381/69.2, 381/68, 381/68.6, 136/256, 136/291, 237/14, 435/809, 40/574, 355/230, 355/231, 355/210, 320/2, 362/154
• US Class Current: 381/323
• 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 25/602 of batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 136/291 Applications

Abstract

In-the-ear type hearing aid has a rechargeable storage cell permanently connected and permanently situated within its shell, and a solar cell carried on its back plate and facing outward. The solar cell provides power to energize the hearing aid amplifier while the device is worn and also reenergizes the storage cell under average ambient conditions. The solar cell serves as a noise filter to reduce the background noise apparent to the wearer. A semi-transparent cover or door cosmetically conceals the solar cell while the aid is being worn, but permits some ambient light to penetrate to the solar cell. For recharging, the door can be opened for full exposure on to the solar cell. A combination storage and reenergizing case is provided for the hearing aids.

Claims

1. An in-the-ear hearing aid of the type in which a shell is shaped to fit in a wearer'"'"'s outer ear, the shell having a canal portion extending into the auditory canal of the wearer and a back plate facing outwards, the back plate being colored to match the skin color of the wearer, the aid comprising pickup transducer means in the shell for converting ambient sounds to an electrical signal, electrical amplifier means within the case for amplifying said electrical signal, acoustic output transducer means in the canal portion of the case coupled to an output of the amplifier means for delivering amplified sound into the auditory canal of the wearer, a rechargeable electrical storage cell permanently situated within said shell below said back plate, a photocell carried on said back plate and permanently connected in parallel with said storage cell and of sufficient power capacity to power the amplifier means in full sunlight and to contribute a substantial portion of the operating current for said amplifier means when said hearing aid is being worn in ambient outdoor daytime light conditions and to recharge said storage cell when the photocell is exposed to light when the aid is not in use, and comprising the improvement wherein a door formed of a semitransparent material is disposed on said back plate and colored to match the color of the back plate, said door being operable fully to expose the photocell there beneath and closable over said photocell for concealing and covering the photocell when the aid is being worn yet permitting a significant portion of incident light to penetrate to the photocell, and which can be opened to expose the photocell fully for reenergizing the storage cell when the aid is not being worn.

2. The hearing aid of claim 1 wherein said photocell includes a diode to prevent reverse bias discharging of the storage cell through the photocell when in darkness.

3. The hearing aid of claim 1 wherein said door is a hinge on one side for swingably connecting to said back plate and latch means which releasably mates with correspondingly means on said back plate.

4. A method of employing a hearing aid of the in-the-ear type in which a shell is shaped to fit in the wearer'"'"'s outer ear, the case having a canal portion extending into the auditory canal of the wearer and a back plate facing outwards, the aid including pickup transducer means in the shell for converting ambient sound to an electrical signal, electrical amplifier means within the shell for amplifying said electrical signal, acoustic output transducer means in the canal portion of the shell coupled to an output of the amplifier means for delivering amplified sound into the auditory canal of the wearer, a rechargeable storage cell permanently situated within the shell for powering the amplifier means, a photocell carried on said back plate and connected in parallel with the storage cell and being of sufficient power capacity to power the amplifier means and recharge the storage cell under average ambient sunlight conditions, and a door on said back plate that is closable over the photocell for concealing and covering the photocell while the aid is being worn and openable for recharging to expose the photocell fully when the aid is not being worn, the door being formed of a semitransparent material which permits a significant amount of light to penetrate to the photocell under ambient daylight conditions;

the method comprising the steps of;

wearing the aid in the ear when assistance in hearing is desired, including closing said door over said photocell and exposing the aid while the aid is worn to ambient light so that a fraction of the light incident on the door penetrates to the photocell such that the photocell produces at least a portion of the power for said amplifier means; and

reenergizing the aid when out of the ear by opening said door to expose the photocell and placing the aid when its door opened into light from a source of artificial illumination.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein said source of artificial illumination includes a case having a lid and at least one lamp therein and a support screen over said lamp on which said aid can repose;

and said step of reenergizing includes opening said lid, placing the aid on said support screen with the photocell facing down towards said at least one lamp.

6. The method of claim 5 further comprising storing the aid, when not in use, within said case.

7. An in-th-ear hearing aid of the type in which a shell is shaped to fit in a wearer'"'"'s outer ear, the shell molded of a plastic resin and having a canal portion extending into the auditory canal of the wearer and a back plate colored to match the skin color of the wearer, the aid comprising pickup transducer means in the shell for converting ambient sound to an electrical signal, electrical amplifier means within the case for amplifying said electrical signal, acoustic output transducer means in the canal portion of the case coupled to an output of the amplifier means for delivering amplified sound into the auditory canal of the wearer, a rechargeable electrical storage cell permanently situated within said shell below said back plate, a photocell permanently connected in parallel with said storage cell and of sufficient power capacity to recharge said storage cell when the photocell is exposed to light when the aid is not in use;

and the improvement which comprises the photocell being embedded in teh plastic resin of the molded shell to face into the ear when the aid is being worn, but which is exposed when the aid is out of the ear for reenergizing the aid when the aid is not being worn, wherein a portion of said plastic resin in which said photocell is embedded is clear, and the remainder thereof is colored to match the skin color of the wearer.