Hearing device with protruding battery assembly

• US 6,546,108 B1
• Filed: 08/31/1999
• Issued: 04/08/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 08/31/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Insound Medical Incorporated (Sonova Holding AG)
• Original Assignee: iHear Systems
• Inventors: Shennib, Adnan, Urso, Richard C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Kuntz, Curtis
• Assistant Examiner(s): Ni, Suhan
• Application Number:
  US09/386,788
• Time in Patent Office: 1,316 Days
• Field of Search: 381/314, 381/322, 381/323, 381/324, 381/328, 381/FOR.133, 381/FOR.135, 381/FOR.137, 181/129, 181/130, 181/135, 429/86, 429/89, 429/96, 429/100, 429/27
• US Class Current: 381/322
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2225/023 Completely in the canal [CIC] hearing aids
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2225/025 In the ear hearing aids [ITE] hearing aids
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 25/602 of batteries

Abstract

A hearing device system includes a hearing device having a normally open (i.e., doorless) receptacle cavity configured to accept a battery assembly for powering the hearing device. The battery assembly has an insertable segment and protruding segment, the protruding segment remains outside of the receptacle cavity of the hearing device when the insertable segment of the battery assembly is operably seated (i.e., firmly engaged, with electrical connection established to the hearing device) within the receptacle cavity. A battery dispenser holds one or more new battery assemblies for direct transfer of one of the held battery assemblies into the receptacle cavity of the hearing device to replace a depleted battery assembly when the latter is removed from the receptacle cavity.

Claims

1. A miniature canal hearing device comprising:

a housing,

an integrated battery assembly adapted to be removable from said housing,

a receptacle cavity in said housing having a doorless opening for partially receiving said battery assembly through said opening,

said battery assembly comprising;

a) an insertable segment for insertion into said receptacle cavity, and

b) a protruding segment that remains outside of said receptacle cavity when said battery assembly is seated within said receptacle cavity,

said insertable segment consisting of a portion of a battery having battery terminals exposed for electrically and mechanically connecting to electrical contacts within said receptacle cavity when said battery assembly is seated for retention therein,

said protruding segment comprising at least one-third of the battery size, with a thin covering on the surface of the protruding segment, and being directly exposed to the ear environment outside the hearing device when said battery assembly is seated within said receptacle cavity and said hearing device is worn in the ear canal, whereby to provide a grippable portion to enable ready removal and replacement of a depleted battery through said doorless opening , and to conserve space within said housing for enhanced miniaturization to enable deep insertion of the hearing device into the ear canal.

2. The hearing device of claim 1 wherein said covering on the surface of said protruding segment is less than 0.3 mm in thickness.

3. The hearing device of claim 1, wherein said receptacle cavity is adapted to cooperate with an external battery dispenser that stores a plurality of battery assemblies arranged to be sequentially dispensed for individual insertion into said receptacle cavity for battery replacement in said hearing device upon battery depletion, without direct manual contact of a dispensed battery assembly by a user of said hearing device.

4. The hearing device of claim 1, wherein said receptacle cavity is adapted to cooperate with an external battery extractor for removing said battery assembly from said receptacle cavity, without direct manual contact of an extracted battery assembly by a user of said hearing device.

5. The hearing device of claim 3, wherein said battery dispenser includes a battery extractor for removing said battery assembly from said receptacle cavity of said hearing device.

6. The hearing device of claim 1, wherein said receptacle cavity is provided with keying features for unidirectional insertion of said insertable segment of said battery assembly to assure an operative electrical connection between said receptacle cavity and said battery assembly.

7. The hearing device of claim 1, wherein said receptacle cavity comprises a side opening for side-sliding of said battery assembly within.

8. An integrated battery assembly for powering a canal hearing device having a receptacle cavity with a doorless opening therein for receiving said battery assembly through said opening, said battery assembly comprising:

a) an insertable segment for insertion into said receptacle cavity, and

b) a protruding segment for remaining outside of said receptacle cavity when said battery assembly is seated within said receptacle cavity,

said insertable segment consisting of a portion of a battery having battery terminals exposed for electrically and mechanically connecting to electrical contacts within said receptacle cavity when said battery assembly is seated for retention therein,

said protruding segment comprising at least one-third of the battery, with a thin covering on the surface thereof, directly exposed to the ear environment outside the hearing device when said battery assembly is seated within said receptacle cavity and said hearing device is worn in the ear canal, whereby to facilitate removal and replacement of a depleted battery through said doorless opening by providing a large surface of said protruding segment outside the hearing device which is easily grasped by a user, and to eliminate need for housing said protruding segment within an enclosure of the hearing device so as to optimize miniaturization of the hearing device to allow deep insertion of the device within the car canal.

9. The battery assembly of claim 8, wherein said covering on the surface of said protruding segment is less than 0.3 mm in thickness.

10. The battery assembly of claim 8, wherein said battery assembly is at least partially encapsulated with air-permeable moisture proof material.

11. The battery assembly of claim 8, wherein said protruding segment further comprises grip structures.

12. The battery assembly of claim 8, wherein said protruding segment further comprises a grip handle.

13. A canal hearing device comprising an enclosure with a receptacle configured to receive and retain a battery assembly insertable through a doorless opening therein;

said battery assembly comprising an insertable portion adapted to be received and to seat within said receptacle for electrical and mechanical connection of the battery terminals to electrical contacts of the hearing device exposed within said receptacle, and the remaining portion of the battery assembly adapted to protrude from said receptacle through said opening for direct exposure to the ear environment when said battery assembly is seated for retention within said receptacle and said hearing device is worn in the ear canal, said remaining portion being at least one third of the volume of the battery assembly to enable said remaining portion to be readily grasped by a user of the hearing device for direct extraction of the battery assembly from said receptacle through said opening for replacement upon depletion of battery power, and to reduce the size of the device enclosure by approximately the size of said remaining portion of the battery assembly for improved miniaturization of the device.

14. The hearing device of claim 13, wherein said remaining portion of the battery assembly is covered with a thin encapsulation.

15. The hearing device of claim 14, wherein said encapsulation is less than 0.3 mm in thickness.

16. The hearing device of claim 13, wherein said second segment has a grip structure.

17. The hearing device of claim 13, wherein said receptacle is configured and adapted to cooperate with an external battery dispenser having a store of battery assemblies arranged to be sequentially dispensed for individual insertion into said receptacle for battery replacement without direct manual contact of a dispensed battery assembly by the wearer.

18. The hearing device of claim 13, wherein said receptacle is configured and adapted to cooperate with an external extractor for removing an inserted battery assembly from said receptacle.

19. The hearing device of claim 17, wherein said battery dispenser includes a battery extractor for removing a depleted battery assembly from said receptacle before a new battery assembly is dispensed for insertion therein.

20. The hearing device of claim 13, wherein said receptacle is keyed for unidirectional insertion of said insertable portion of the battery assembly to assure an operative electrical connection between said battery assembly terminals and said electrical contacts.

21. A canal hearing device comprising:

a housing with a receptacle having a doorless opening for insertion of an integrated battery assembly into said receptacle to connect battery terminals of the assembly to electrical contacts within the receptacle;

said receptacle being shaped to conform directly to the entire shape of a limited portion of the battery assembly for snug seating and retention in said receptacle solely by mechanical and electrical connection with said contacts, with at least one-third of the battery assembly protruding from said receptacle through said opening and outside said housing, for direct exposure to the ear environment and aeration when said hearing device is worm in the ear canal, and to enable a user of the hearing device to readily grasp said protruding portion for direct extraction of the battery assembly from said receptacle for replacement.