Battery substitute device

• US 5,389,009 A
• Filed: 07/27/1993
• Issued: 02/14/1995
• Est. Priority Date: 07/27/1993
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Hearing Aid Express, Synygis, LLC
• Original Assignee: George A. Iii Van Schenck
• Inventors: Van Schenck, George A. III
• Primary Examiner(s): Abrams, Neil
• Application Number:
  US08/096,969
• Time in Patent Office: 567 Days
• Field of Search: 439/500, 381/60, 381/68, 381/69.1, 381/69.2, 73/585
• US Class Current: 439/500
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 25/30 Monitoring or testing of hearing aids, e.g. functioning, settings, battery power
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 25/556 External connectors, e.g. plugs or modules H04R25/607 takes precedence

Abstract

A battery substitute device (9) for use with apparatus for testing a hearing aid instrument (12) of the ear-worn type which has a battery compartment with a door for access thereto and hearing aid contact terminals located in the battery compartment at a spacing from one another which is suited for engagement with the battery electrodes. The battery substitute device comprises a flexible electrical cable (10) which includes a pair of electrical conductors (18) and a first connector (15-17) at one end for electrically coupling to a source of d.c. power (13). A second connector provided at the opposite end of the cable (10) comprises a pair of resilient plate contact members (21, 22) in laterally spaced parallel array, each of which is electrically connected to a different one of the cable conductors (18) with a first end portion (23) of each plate contact member being encapsulated in a molded pod (31) and the spacing between said plate contact members being slightly less than the thickness of the battery and the thickness of the battery compartment door whereby when the hearing aid battery is removed from the battery compartment, the plate contact members of the second connector may be placed in straddling position around the battery compartment door to cause their outward divergence and then flexed towards one another and inserted into the battery compartment by closing the battery compartment door to thereby make electrical contact with the contact terminals of the hearing aid.

Claims

1. In an apparatus for testing a hearing aid instrument where the hearing aid instrument includes a housing having a battery compartment therein with an access opening to said compartment and first and second contact terminals provided in said compartment in laterally spaced relationship for engaging the electrodes of the hearing aid battery when the battery is received in said compartment and said battery compartment is provided with a door having a width corresponding to the thickness of the battery and adapted to close said opening, said improvement comprising:

a flexible electrical cable including a pair of electrical conductors and having a first connector at one end for electrically coupling the cable to a source of d.c. power;

a second connector at the opposite end of said cable, said second connector comprising a pair of resilient plate contact members in laterally spaced parallel array, each plate contact member being electrically connected to a different one of the cable conductors with a first end portion of each plate contact member being encapsulated in a rigid molded insulating pod and the spacing between said plate contact members being slightly less than the thickness of the button battery, each of said plate contact members having a second portion which projects from the insulating pod and is of a length which is sufficient to reach one of said compartment contact terminals when said insulating pod engages said door in the door closed condition and the plate contact terminals are in straddle relationship to said door and extend into said compartment whereby when the hearing aid battery is removed from said compartment, the plate contact members of said second cable connector may be placed in straddle relationship to the battery compartment door, flexed towards one another at their distal ends and inserted into the hearing aid battery compartment by closing the battery compartment door and causing their electrical contact with said hearing aid terminals.

2. An apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein the material for encapsulating the first end portions of said plate contact members is of hardened plastic material.

3. An apparatus as set forth in claim 2 wherein the material for encapsulating the first end portions of said plate contact members is of hard acrylic polymer.

4. An apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein the portion of the cable adjacent to its connection with the plate contact members is provided with a tight-fitting sleeve of strain relieving tubing which extends a distance outwardly from said pod by an amount which is sufficient to provide strain relief for the cable conductors from flexing forces imposed on said cable at locations adjacent to said pod.

5. An apparatus as set forth in claim 4 wherein said strain relieving tubing is silicone tubing.

6. In an apparatus for testing a hearing aid instrument where the hearing aid instrument includes a housing having a battery compartment therein with an access opening to said compartment and first and second contact terminals provided in said compartment in laterally spaced relationship to one another and adapted to engage the electrodes of the hearing aid battery when the battery is received in said compartment and said battery compartment is provided with a door having a width corresponding to the thickness of the battery and adapted to be positioned to close said opening, said improvement comprising:

a flexible electrical cable including a pair of electrical conductors and having a first connector at one end for electrically coupling the cable to a source of d.c. power;

a second connector at the opposite end of said cable, said second connector comprising a pair of resilient plate contact members in laterally spaced array, each plate contact member being coupled to a different one of the cable conductors with a first end portion of each plate contact member being encapsulated in a rigid molded insulating pod fixed to said opposite end of said cable and the spacing between said plate contact members being slightly less than the thickness of the button battery, each of said plate contact members having a second portion which projects from the insulating pod and has a length such that when said insulating pod engages the door in its closed position and said plate contact terminals are in straddle relationship to said closed door and extended into said compartment, each said plate contact member engages a different one of said first and second compartment contact terminals, said insulating pod having means for indicating orientation of said pod with respect to said door whereby when the hearing aid battery is removed from said compartment, the plate contact members of said second cable connector may be placed in straddle relationship to the battery compartment door and in electrical contact with the hearing aid terminals of corresponding electrical polarity by closing said door.