Receiver facility with a moveable receiver

• US 8,233,653 B2
• Filed: 10/15/2009
• Issued: 07/31/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 10/22/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sivantos Pte. Ltd. (WS Audiology A/S)
• Original Assignee: Siemens Medical Instruments Pte Ltd (WS Audiology A/S)
• Inventors: Giese, Ulrich, Serman, Maja
• Primary Examiner(s): Pan, Yuwen
• Assistant Examiner(s): MCCARTY, TAUNYA A
• Application Number:
  US12/579,546
• Publication Number:
  US 20100098277A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,020 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 381/322
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2225/0216 BTE hearing aids having a receiver in the ear mould
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2225/57 Aspects of electrical interconnection between hearing aid parts
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 25/60 Mounting or interconnection of hearing aid parts, e.g. inside tips, housings or to ossicles ear wax retarders, e.g. mounting thereof H04R25/654
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 25/604 of acoustic or vibrational transducers
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 25/609 of circuitry of electronic switches or control elements H04R25/603
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 25/65 Housing parts, e.g. shells, tips or moulds, or their manufacture
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 25/652 Ear tips; Ear moulds hybrid ear moulds or post-processing thereof for their customisation H04R25/659
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 25/656 Non-customized, universal ear tips, i.e. ear tips which are not specifically adapted to the size or shape of the ear or ear canal
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 25/658 Manufacture of housing parts

Abstract

The wearing comfort and acoustics in an external receiver, in particular in a cymba hearing device, are to be improved. A receiver facility with a receiver, which is embodied to convert the electrical signals into acoustic signals, and an earpiece, which adjusts to an auditory canal when the hearing apparatus is being worn, are thus proposed. A base part is also provided, to which the earpiece is fastened and to which the receiver is moveably fastened at least in respect of a section of the base part. The mobility of the receiver relative to the earpiece decouples the wearing function of the earpiece relative to a centering function in respect of the receiver, as a result of which the wearing comfort and acoustics are improved.

Claims

1. A receiver device for a hearing apparatus, comprising:

a receiver to convert an electrical signal into an acoustic signal;

an earpiece adjustable to an auditory canal of a user when the hearing apparatus is worn by the user;

a base part comprising a first base section having an outer portion configured to engage the earpiece and provide mechanical support to the earpiece, the base part further comprising a second base section including a hollow shell to house the receiver;

a bendable bar defining a narrow neck region relative to the respective widths of the first and second base sections, the bendable bar arranged to flexibly interconnect the first and second base sections of the base part,

wherein the first base section is flexibly moveable with respect to the receiver housed in the hollow shell of the second base section by way of the bendable bar.

2. The receiver device of claim 1, wherein the first base section, the second base section and the interconnecting bendable bar comprise one integral structure.

3. The receiver device of claim 1, wherein the first base section further comprises a cable casing section extending in a direction facing away from the receiver, the cable casing section configured to house at least a longitudinal portion of a signal-carrying cable coupled to the receiver.

4. The receiver device of claim 3, wherein the cable casing section comprises one integral structure with the first base section, the second base section and the interconnecting bendable bar.

5. The receiver device of claim 1, wherein the earpiece defines a funnel-shaped recess configured to reduce a thickness of the earpiece and provide a varying gap with respect to the receiver.

6. The receiver device of claim 5, wherein the funnel-shaped recess is further configured to acoustically amplify at least a predefined frequency range of the acoustic signal from the receiver.

7. The receiver device as claimed in claim 3, wherein the cable passes through the bendable bar.

8. A hearing device, comprising:

a housing;

a microphone arranged in the housing to record an ambient sound and generate a microphone signal;

a signal processing unit integrated in the housing to process the microphone signal;

a receiver to convert the processed microphone signal to an acoustic signal;

an earpiece adjustable to an auditory canal of a user when the hearing device is worn by the user;

a base part comprising a first base section having an outer portion configured to engage the earpiece and provide mechanical support to the earpiece, the base part further comprising a second base section including a hollow shell to house the receiver;

a bendable bar defining a narrow neck region relative to the respective widths of the first and second base sections, the bendable bar arranged to flexibly interconnect the first and second base sections of the base part,

wherein the first base section is flexibly moveable with respect to the receiver housed in the hollow shell of the second base section by way of the bendable bar.

9. The hearing device of claim 8, wherein the first base section, the second base section and the interconnecting bendable bar comprise an integral structure.

10. The hearing device of claim 8, wherein the first base section further comprises a cable casing section extending in a direction facing away from the receiver, the cable casing section configured to house at least a longitudinal portion of a signal-carrying cable coupled to the receiver.

11. The hearing device of claim 10, wherein the cable casing section comprises one integral structure with the first base section, the second base section and the interconnecting bendable bar.

12. The hearing device of claim 8, wherein the earpiece defines a funnel-shaped recess configured to reduce a thickness of the earpiece and provide a varying gap with respect to the receiver.

13. The hearing device of claim 12, wherein the funnel-shaped recess is further configured to acoustically amplify at least a predefined frequency range of the acoustic signal from the receiver.

14. The hearing device as claimed in claim 8, wherein the hearing device is a behind-the-ear hearing device.

15. The hearing device as claimed in claim 8, wherein the hearing device is a cymba hearing device.

16. A receiver device for a hearing apparatus, comprising:

a receiver to convert an electrical signal into an acoustic signal;

an earpiece adjustable to an auditory canal of a user when the hearing apparatus is worn by the user;

a base part comprising a first part and a second part mechanically connected to one another by way of a ball joint, the second part including a recess to receive the receiver;

wherein the first part includes a bore having a width configured to conically increase as the bore extends towards the second part, wherein the first part further includes a cylindrical recess coupled to the bore and configured to accommodate at least one electrical component and/or electrical system of the hearing apparatus in an interior of the first part,

wherein the first part is alignable with respect to the receiver in the recess of the second part by way of a freedom of movement provided by the ball joint.