Wireless battery charging system for existing hearing aids using a dynamic battery and a charging processor unit

• US 6,636,017 B2
• Filed: 09/27/2002
• Issued: 10/21/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 02/22/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Sivantos Gmbh (WS Audiology A/S)
• Original Assignee: Gary Skuro
• Inventors: Zink, Uwe, Skuro, Gary
• Primary Examiner(s): LUK, LAWRENCE W
• Application Number:
  US10/255,689
• Publication Number:
  US 20030025478A1
• Time in Patent Office: 389 Days
• Field of Search: 320/108, 320/107, 320/DIG.19, 381/72, 381/79, 381/312, 381/313, 381/322, 381/323, 381/324
• US Class Current: 320/108
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/46 Accumulators structurally combined with charging apparatus circuits for charging H02J7/00
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/12 of the resonant type
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0042 characterised by the mechanical construction
• 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 25/00 Deaf-aid sets , i.e. electro-acoustic or electro-mechanical hearing aids; Electric tinnitus maskers providing an auditory perception electrical stimulation of auditory nerves to promote the auditory function A61N1/36038; optical stimulation of auditory nerves to promote the auditory function A61N5/0622
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries

Abstract

A rechargeable battery which may be used with most presently available hearing aids (or other appliances) with no modification to the existing hearing aid is needed in order to use the described wireless charging system. The battery may be known a “Dynamic battery” as the battery is actively charged by means of an inductor circuit built into the battery housing itself or added onto the battery. The hearing aid may simply be placed within the charger housing (or cradle) to charge the battery. No electrical connection by either wires or electrical contacts is needed to recharge the battery, which is located inside the hearing aid housing. Moreover, the battery need not be removed from the hearing aid (or other appliance).

Claims

1. A system for recharging hearing aid batteries, comprising:

in a removable battery case, a combined battery, inductive coil, and charging circuitry, contained within the battery case having the same dimensions and being interchangeable with, a standard non-rechargeable battery, for placement within a hearing aid; and

a charging unit, provided with an inductive coil, for generating an electromagnetic field such that when a hearing aid with the combined battery, inductive coil, and charging circuitry installed is placed near the charging unit, a current is induced in the inductive coil of the combined battery, inductive coil, and charging circuitry, charging the battery.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the removable battery case containing the combined battery, inductive coil, and charging circuitry need not be removed from a hearing aid in order to charge the battery.

3. A system for recharging hearing aid batteries, comprising:

a combined battery, inductive coil, and charging circuitry, contained within a battery case having the same dimensions and being interchangeable with, a standard non-rechargeable battery, for placement within a hearing aid; and

a charging unit, provided with an inductive coil, for generating an electromagnetic field such that when a hearing aid with the combined battery, inductive coil, and charging circuitry installed is placed near the charging unit, a current is induced in the inductive coil of the combined battery, inductive coil, and charging circuitry, charging the battery,

wherein the combined battery, inductive coil, and charging circuitry need not be removed from a hearing aid in order to charge the battery, and

wherein the combined battery, inductive coil, and charging unit fit within the battery compartment of a Prior Art non-rechargeable hearing aid without modification to the hearing aid.

4. A method of converting a Prior Art hearing aid which uses disposable batteries into a rechargeable hearing aid, comprising the steps of:

removing a non-rechargeable battery from a battery compartment of a Prior Art hearing aid,

replacing the non-rechargeable battery in the Prior Art hearing aid with a rechargeable battery and inductive charging circuit comprising an inductive charging circuit formed within a first portion of a housing of a standard hearing aid battery cell and a rechargeable battery, formed within a second portion of a housing of a standard hearing aid battery cell,

wherein the resulting converted hearing aid may be recharged by placing the hearing aid near an inductive charging station which induces a current into the inductive charging circuit formed in the combined rechargeable battery and inductive charging circuit so as to recharge the rechargeable battery.

5. A system for recharging small appliance batteries, comprising:

in a removable battery case, a combined battery, inductive coil, and charging circuitry, contained within the battery case having the same dimensions and being interchangeable with, a standard non-rechargeable battery, for placement within a small appliance; and

a charging unit, provided with an inductive coil, for generating an electromagnetic field such that when a small appliance with the combined battery, inductive coil, and charging circuitry installed is placed near the charging unit, a current is induced in the inductive coil of the combined battery, inductive coil, and charging circuitry, charging the battery.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the removable battery case containing the combined battery, inductive coil, and charging circuitry need not be removed from a small appliance in order to charge the battery.

7. A system for recharging small appliance batteries, comprising:

a combined battery, inductive coil, and charging circuitry, contained within a battery case having the same dimensions and being interchangeable with, a standard non-rechargeable battery, for placement within a small appliance; and

a charging unit, provided with an inductive coil, for generating an electromagnetic field such that when a small appliance with the combined battery, inductive coil, and charging circuitry installed is placed near the charging unit, a current is induced in the inductive coil of the combined battery, inductive coil, and charging circuitry, charging the battery,

wherein the combined battery, inductive coil, and charging circuitry need not be removed from a small appliance in order to charge the battery, and

wherein the combined battery, inductive coil, and charging unit fit within the battery compartment of a Prior Art non-rechargeable small appliance without modification to the small appliance.

8. A method of converting a Prior Art small appliance which uses disposable batteries into a rechargeable small appliance, comprising the steps of:

removing a non-rechargeable battery from a battery compartment of a Prior Art small appliance,

replacing the non-rechargeable battery in the Prior Art small appliance with a rechargeable battery and inductive charging circuit comprising an inductive charging circuit formed within a first portion of a housing of a standard small appliance battery cell and a rechargeable battery, formed within a second portion of a housing of a standard small appliance battery cell,

wherein the resulting converted small appliance may be recharged by placing the small appliance near an inductive charging station which induces a current into the inductive charging circuit formed in the combined rechargeable battery and inductive charging circuit so as to recharge the rechargeable battery.