CA2248618A1 - Disposable hearing aid - Google Patents
Disposable hearing aid Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- CA2248618A1 CA2248618A1 CA002248618A CA2248618A CA2248618A1 CA 2248618 A1 CA2248618 A1 CA 2248618A1 CA 002248618 A CA002248618 A CA 002248618A CA 2248618 A CA2248618 A CA 2248618A CA 2248618 A1 CA2248618 A1 CA 2248618A1
- Authority
- CA
- Canada
- Prior art keywords
- hearing aid
- shell
- ear
- printed circuit
- assembly
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Abandoned
Links
Classifications
-
- A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
- A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
- A61B—DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION
- A61B5/00—Measuring for diagnostic purposes; Identification of persons
- A61B5/68—Arrangements of detecting, measuring or recording means, e.g. sensors, in relation to patient
- A61B5/6801—Arrangements of detecting, measuring or recording means, e.g. sensors, in relation to patient specially adapted to be attached to or worn on the body surface
- A61B5/6813—Specially adapted to be attached to a specific body part
- A61B5/6814—Head
- A61B5/6815—Ear
- A61B5/6817—Ear canal
-
- H—ELECTRICITY
- H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
- H04R—LOUDSPEAKERS, MICROPHONES, GRAMOPHONE PICK-UPS OR LIKE ACOUSTIC ELECTROMECHANICAL TRANSDUCERS; DEAF-AID SETS; PUBLIC ADDRESS SYSTEMS
- H04R25/00—Deaf-aid sets, i.e. electro-acoustic or electro-mechanical hearing aids; Electric tinnitus maskers providing an auditory perception
- H04R25/65—Housing parts, e.g. shells, tips or moulds, or their manufacture
- H04R25/658—Manufacture of housing parts
-
- H—ELECTRICITY
- H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
- H04R—LOUDSPEAKERS, MICROPHONES, GRAMOPHONE PICK-UPS OR LIKE ACOUSTIC ELECTROMECHANICAL TRANSDUCERS; DEAF-AID SETS; PUBLIC ADDRESS SYSTEMS
- H04R25/00—Deaf-aid sets, i.e. electro-acoustic or electro-mechanical hearing aids; Electric tinnitus maskers providing an auditory perception
- H04R25/45—Prevention of acoustic reaction, i.e. acoustic oscillatory feedback
- H04R25/456—Prevention of acoustic reaction, i.e. acoustic oscillatory feedback mechanically
-
- H—ELECTRICITY
- H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
- H04R—LOUDSPEAKERS, MICROPHONES, GRAMOPHONE PICK-UPS OR LIKE ACOUSTIC ELECTROMECHANICAL TRANSDUCERS; DEAF-AID SETS; PUBLIC ADDRESS SYSTEMS
- H04R25/00—Deaf-aid sets, i.e. electro-acoustic or electro-mechanical hearing aids; Electric tinnitus maskers providing an auditory perception
- H04R25/60—Mounting or interconnection of hearing aid parts, e.g. inside tips, housings or to ossicles
- H04R25/602—Mounting or interconnection of hearing aid parts, e.g. inside tips, housings or to ossicles of batteries
-
- H—ELECTRICITY
- H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
- H04R—LOUDSPEAKERS, MICROPHONES, GRAMOPHONE PICK-UPS OR LIKE ACOUSTIC ELECTROMECHANICAL TRANSDUCERS; DEAF-AID SETS; PUBLIC ADDRESS SYSTEMS
- H04R25/00—Deaf-aid sets, i.e. electro-acoustic or electro-mechanical hearing aids; Electric tinnitus maskers providing an auditory perception
- H04R25/60—Mounting or interconnection of hearing aid parts, e.g. inside tips, housings or to ossicles
- H04R25/609—Mounting or interconnection of hearing aid parts, e.g. inside tips, housings or to ossicles of circuitry
-
- H—ELECTRICITY
- H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
- H04R—LOUDSPEAKERS, MICROPHONES, GRAMOPHONE PICK-UPS OR LIKE ACOUSTIC ELECTROMECHANICAL TRANSDUCERS; DEAF-AID SETS; PUBLIC ADDRESS SYSTEMS
- H04R25/00—Deaf-aid sets, i.e. electro-acoustic or electro-mechanical hearing aids; Electric tinnitus maskers providing an auditory perception
- H04R25/65—Housing parts, e.g. shells, tips or moulds, or their manufacture
-
- H—ELECTRICITY
- H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
- H04R—LOUDSPEAKERS, MICROPHONES, GRAMOPHONE PICK-UPS OR LIKE ACOUSTIC ELECTROMECHANICAL TRANSDUCERS; DEAF-AID SETS; PUBLIC ADDRESS SYSTEMS
- H04R25/00—Deaf-aid sets, i.e. electro-acoustic or electro-mechanical hearing aids; Electric tinnitus maskers providing an auditory perception
- H04R25/65—Housing parts, e.g. shells, tips or moulds, or their manufacture
- H04R25/652—Ear tips; Ear moulds
-
- H—ELECTRICITY
- H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
- H04R—LOUDSPEAKERS, MICROPHONES, GRAMOPHONE PICK-UPS OR LIKE ACOUSTIC ELECTROMECHANICAL TRANSDUCERS; DEAF-AID SETS; PUBLIC ADDRESS SYSTEMS
- H04R25/00—Deaf-aid sets, i.e. electro-acoustic or electro-mechanical hearing aids; Electric tinnitus maskers providing an auditory perception
- H04R25/65—Housing parts, e.g. shells, tips or moulds, or their manufacture
- H04R25/652—Ear tips; Ear moulds
- H04R25/656—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
-
- H—ELECTRICITY
- H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
- H04R—LOUDSPEAKERS, MICROPHONES, GRAMOPHONE PICK-UPS OR LIKE ACOUSTIC ELECTROMECHANICAL TRANSDUCERS; DEAF-AID SETS; PUBLIC ADDRESS SYSTEMS
- H04R2225/00—Details of deaf aids covered by H04R25/00, not provided for in any of its subgroups
- H04R2225/023—Completely in the canal [CIC] hearing aids
-
- H—ELECTRICITY
- H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
- H04R—LOUDSPEAKERS, MICROPHONES, GRAMOPHONE PICK-UPS OR LIKE ACOUSTIC ELECTROMECHANICAL TRANSDUCERS; DEAF-AID SETS; PUBLIC ADDRESS SYSTEMS
- H04R2225/00—Details of deaf aids covered by H04R25/00, not provided for in any of its subgroups
- H04R2225/31—Aspects of the use of accumulators in hearing aids, e.g. rechargeable batteries or fuel cells
-
- H—ELECTRICITY
- H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
- H04R—LOUDSPEAKERS, MICROPHONES, GRAMOPHONE PICK-UPS OR LIKE ACOUSTIC ELECTROMECHANICAL TRANSDUCERS; DEAF-AID SETS; PUBLIC ADDRESS SYSTEMS
- H04R2460/00—Details of hearing devices, i.e. of ear- or headphones covered by H04R1/10 or H04R5/033 but not provided for in any of their subgroups, or of hearing aids covered by H04R25/00 but not provided for in any of its subgroups
- H04R2460/03—Aspects of the reduction of energy consumption in hearing devices
-
- H—ELECTRICITY
- H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
- H04R—LOUDSPEAKERS, MICROPHONES, GRAMOPHONE PICK-UPS OR LIKE ACOUSTIC ELECTROMECHANICAL TRANSDUCERS; DEAF-AID SETS; PUBLIC ADDRESS SYSTEMS
- H04R2460/00—Details of hearing devices, i.e. of ear- or headphones covered by H04R1/10 or H04R5/033 but not provided for in any of their subgroups, or of hearing aids covered by H04R25/00 but not provided for in any of its subgroups
- H04R2460/17—Hearing device specific tools used for storing or handling hearing devices or parts thereof, e.g. placement in the ear, replacement of cerumen barriers, repair, cleaning hearing devices
Abstract
A hearing aid (10) includes an electronic assembly (12) mounted in a cylindrical shell (14) with the shell (14) being mounted in an opening in an ear mold (16). The electronics assembly (12) inclludes a printed circuit strip (26) having thereon a speaker (22), a microphone (18) and electronic components forming a signal processing circuit (20) for amplifying the sound.
The ear mold is of a soft, durable and compliant material so that it will fit tightly in the ear of a user. The hearing aid is of optimum design having a minimum number of components and is easy to assemble on an automatic basis.
This provides a hearing aid which is relatively inexpensive so as to be disposable.
The ear mold is of a soft, durable and compliant material so that it will fit tightly in the ear of a user. The hearing aid is of optimum design having a minimum number of components and is easy to assemble on an automatic basis.
This provides a hearing aid which is relatively inexpensive so as to be disposable.
Description
CA 02248618 1998-09-ll W O 97134443 PCT~US97/03481 DISPOSABLE HEARING AID
Field of the Invention The present invention is directed to a disposable hearing aid, and, more particularly to a hearing aid that is small and very inexpensive so as to be disposable.
Back~round of the Invention Modern hearing aids comprise an ear mold having therein the necessary electronic for amplifying sound. Such electronics generally include a microphone for receiving the sound and converting the sound to an electrical signal, an electronic circuit for processing the signal produced by the microphone, a speaker for emitting the amplified sound and a battery for operating the system. The ear mold is generally made of a hard plastic which is specially designed and molded to fill the ear of the party who is to use the hearing aid. The ear mold is made of a hard plastic so as to have a long life and so that it can be periodically cleaned. The electronics of the signal processing circuitry are generally adjusted to meet the specific hearing requirements of the party who is to use the hearing aid. These requir~l,~nl~ are obtained by first testing the hearing of the party who is to use the hearing aid. After the desired circuit is determined from the tests, the circuit must be finally adjusted by a hearing aid specialist to meet the final requirements of the party. All of the above features of the structure of the hearing aid and the method of making and adjusting it make the hearing aid relatively expensive. Also, the battery in the hearing aid must be replaced periodically since it is small and has only a limited life time of operation. In addition, the hearing aid must be removed from the ear periodically to allow it to be cleaned of ear wax and other con~:lrnin~tes This not only adds to the cost of operating the hearing aid, but, since most hearing aids are used by elderly persons, it can be difficult for the person to replace the small battery in the small hearing aid. Therefore, it would be desirable to have a hearing aid which is inexpensive with CA 022486l8 l998-09-ll W O 97134443 PCT~US97/03481 regard to both the structure of the parts of the hearing aid and its method of m~king, and which can be easily used by the person, particularly the elderly.
Summary of the Invention The present invention is directed to a hearing aid which includes a circuit for receiving and amplifying the sound, and a shell surrounding the circuit. An ear mold of a soft, pliable material surrounds the shell and is adapted to fit into and mold to the ear of a person.
The present invention is also directed to a method of making hearing aids wherein electronic components, speakers, microphones and batteries are mounted onto an elongated flexible circuit strip to form along the strip the electronics assembly of a plurality of hearing aid. The flexible printed circuit strip is cut apart to form the assemblies of individual electronics of a hearing aid on a printed circuit, and each assembly is inserted into a cylindrical shell. Each shell con~ining an assembly is then inserted into an opening in a separate ear mold of a soft, durable and compliant material.
Brief Description of the Drawin~s Fig. 1 is an exploded schematic view of the hearing aid of an embodiment of the present invention;
Fig. 2 is a sectional view of the assembled hearing aid of an embodiment of the present invention;
Fig. 3 is a schematic view of the electronics of the hearing aid of an embodiment of the present invention;
Fig. 4 is a flow chart showing a method of assembling the hearing aid of an embodiment of the present invention;
Pigs. 5a and 5b are charts showing the various responses of the amplifier circuit which can be used in the hearing aid of an embodiment of the present invention.
. ~
W O 9il34443 PCTAJS97/03481 Detailed Description Referring initially to Figs. I and 2 of the drawings, the hearing aid of an embodiment of the present invention is generally designated as 10. Hearing aid 10 comprises an electronic assembly 12, a shell 14 and an ear mold 16. As shown in Fig. 3, the electronic assembly 12 includes a microphone 18 which is ~ pte-1 to receive the sound and convert the sound into electrical signals. The microphone 18 is connected to the input of a signal processing circuitry 20 which amplifies the sound, dimini~hes any undesirable back ground noise and which can adjust the sound according to the particular needs of the hearing of the user. The output of the signal processing circuitry is connected to a speaker 22 which converts the output signals to sound and directs the sound into the ear of the user. A suitable battery 24 of any desired structure is connected to the signal processing circuitry 20 to operate the circuitry 20.
As shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the electronics 12 includes a flexible printed circuit 26 having a base 26a and upright arms 26b and 26c at its ends. The flexible printed circuit 26 also includes therein paths of a conductive metal (not shown). The microphone 18 is mounted on the upright arm 26b at one end of the printed circuit 26, and the speaker 22 is mounted on the upright arm 26c at the other end of the printed circuit 26. The components 28 of the signal processing circuitry 20 and the battery 24 are mounted on the base 26a of the printed circuit 26 between its ends. The microphone 18 can be any very small microphone which is presently on the market or can be a silicon microphone in which the diaphragm of the microphone 18 is a thin layer of silicon.
The signal processing circuitry 20 can be of any well known type which will provide the desired amplification. For a very short ope- athlg hearing aid 10, such as for a three day operation, the signal processing circuitry 20 can be of the type which will provide amplification with fixed gain and frequency response. A simple, low-cost class-A amplifier can be used. For CA 02248618 1998-09-ll W O 9il34443 PCT~US97/03481 a longer lasting hearing aid 10, such as a 30 day device, the signal processing circuitry 20 can be of the type which contains a two-channel amplifier with signal compression. One channel can process the lower frequency spectrum while the other channel can process the higher frequency spectrum. To extend battery life, a more efficient class-D amplifier can be used. ~or any type of signal proces~ing circuitry 20, integrated circuits that perform the required signal processing should be used and are readily available. To achieve the different responses, different values of passive components, such as resistors and capacitors, can be used. The speaker 22 can be of any type of small speaker readily available. The battery 24 can be of any small type having sufficient power to operate the signa] processing circuitry used.
The shell 14 is a flexible hollow cylindrical element that is adapted to house and protect the electronics 12. The shell 14 is of a molded, flexible plastic material and contains means, such as ribs 15 shown in Fig. 2, to orient and retain the electronics 12 therein. The she]l 14 is of a material which protects the electronics 12 from moisture and mechanical damage. The shell 14 also provides acoustical features for facilitating incoming and outgoing sound, and has external features, such as ribs 17, which help retain it in the earplug 16.
Ear mold l 6 is of a soft, durable and compliant material. It can be of a cold-cured methacrylate, heat-cured methacrylate, heat-cured silicone, polyvinyl chloride copolymer or polyethylene co-polymer. The ear. mold 16 has an inner opening 1 6a into which the shell 14 cont~ining the electronics 12 is inserted and retained. The outer configuration of the ear mold 16, such as its shape and size, is such that it can be readily inserted in the ear channel of the user and which will flexibly mold itself to the shape of the ear channel. Since the ear mold 16 is of a compliant material, the pressure of the ear mold 16 against the wal] of the ear channel produces a good fit needed to prevent feedback and to help retain the hearing aid 10 in the ear.
It has been found that ear molds of soft material are superior to those of hard material in the WO sil34443 PCr/US97/03481 ion of feed back acoustics.
Referring to Fig. 4, there is illustrated a method of assembling the hearing aid 10 of an embodiment of the present invention. A flexible circuit 26 is feed from a reel along with the various components 28 which made up the electronics 12. Including microphones 18, lou~l~peakers 22 and batteries 24, into an assembly apparatus 30. The assembly al~pal~Lus 30 assembles the components onto the flexible circuit to form a strip contAining a plurality of the electronics. l 2. The completed assembly is mounted on a reel to forrn a reel 32 of the circuits.
The flexible circuit assemblies of the reel 32 are then fed along with shells 14 into an assembler 34 where the electronics 12 are cut apart from the reel, and each electronics 12 is formed and inserted into a shell 14. The shell assembly is then inserted into a package 36 which is hermetically sealed and contains a gas which will protect the shell assembly from the atmosphere and extinguish battery activity.
The ear molds 16 are molded in a suitable molding apparatus and packaged in a hermetically sealed package 38. The ear molds 16 are preferably molded in several different sizes so that a suitable size can be used for each user of the hearing aid l O.
The signal procecsing circuitry 20 of the electronics 12 is designed to accommodate high-frequency hearing losses and flat-frequency hearing losses in the mild to moderate ranges.
The signal processing circuitry 20 for different electronics 12 is made to provide different audiological responses. Figs. 5a and Sb are charts showing the various responses which are provided by the different electronics 12 which are made in the process of an embodiment of the present invention. Fig. 5a shows the responses for a three day device which has a fixed gain and frequency response, and Fig. Sb shows the responses for a 30 day device which has a two-channel amplifier. In each of Figs. 5a and Sb, the columns represent different amplifier gains with column A being the lowest gain and column C being the highest gain. The rows re~l~sen .
different frequency responses with row 1 being a flat response, row 2 a mild high frequency boost and row 3 the moderate high frequency boost. Thus, in making the signal processing circuitry 20, di~lclll components are used so as to make up a fixed number of circuits having different gains and frequency responses as shown in Figs. 5a and Sb. The different circuits are marked according to the charts of Figs. 5a and ~b according to gain and frequency response, such as A1, A2, A3, B 1, etc.
The last step in making the hearing aid 10 of an embodiment of the present invention is done by an audiologist or physician after the hearing of the user is tested and it is determined what type of audiological response is required. The audiologist or physician checks the charts shown in Figs. Sa and 5b and picks the signal processing circuitry 20 which will provide the audiological response required by the user. The audiologist/physician then picks the shell assembly which contains the desired electronics, and picks an ear mold 16 of the ~L)p,upliate size for the user. The shell assembly is then inserted into the ear mold 16 and the hearing aid 10 is ready to be inserted in the ear of the user.
In the hearing aid 10 of an embodiment of the present invention, the signal processing circuitry 20 has fixed audio characteristics and is made in a limited number of acoustical formats. Also, the acoustical format is preprogrammed in the electronics manufacture so that no potentiometers are needed for adjusting the circuit. In addition, the units are used only for the life of the battery. Thus, no on/off switch is used. Therefore, it is of simple design having a minimllm number of components and is easy to assemble on an automatic basis. The signal processing circuitry 20 and the entire electronics 12 is inexpensive because it can be easil made in large volumes and economy of scale. The electronics l 2 is encased in a simple ho~
shell which is easy to assemble. Also, the ear mold 16 is of simple design and of a soft, pliable material so as to be inexpensive. Thus, the entire hearing aid lO is of a m;nimllm number of W O 9i/34443 PCT~US97/03481inexpensive parts and is easy to assemble so that the hearing aid 10 is relatively inexpensive compared with presently used hearing aids. Since the hearing aid 10 is so inexpensive it is disposable. Therefore, when the battery 24 of the hearing aid 10 dies out, instead of replacing the battery 24, the whole hearing aid can be disposed of and replaced with a completely new hearing aid 10. Thus, there is provided by an embodiment of the present invention, a hearing aid 10 which is inexpensive to manufacture so as to be disposable. However, the hearing aid 10 still has all of the audio characteristics required by the user and has a high reliability.
Furthermore, since the hearing aid of the present invention is small and has a soft, pliable ear mold, it is more comfortable to wear. In addition, since it is disposable, it requires no service calls for major cleaning and adjdustment.
Field of the Invention The present invention is directed to a disposable hearing aid, and, more particularly to a hearing aid that is small and very inexpensive so as to be disposable.
Back~round of the Invention Modern hearing aids comprise an ear mold having therein the necessary electronic for amplifying sound. Such electronics generally include a microphone for receiving the sound and converting the sound to an electrical signal, an electronic circuit for processing the signal produced by the microphone, a speaker for emitting the amplified sound and a battery for operating the system. The ear mold is generally made of a hard plastic which is specially designed and molded to fill the ear of the party who is to use the hearing aid. The ear mold is made of a hard plastic so as to have a long life and so that it can be periodically cleaned. The electronics of the signal processing circuitry are generally adjusted to meet the specific hearing requirements of the party who is to use the hearing aid. These requir~l,~nl~ are obtained by first testing the hearing of the party who is to use the hearing aid. After the desired circuit is determined from the tests, the circuit must be finally adjusted by a hearing aid specialist to meet the final requirements of the party. All of the above features of the structure of the hearing aid and the method of making and adjusting it make the hearing aid relatively expensive. Also, the battery in the hearing aid must be replaced periodically since it is small and has only a limited life time of operation. In addition, the hearing aid must be removed from the ear periodically to allow it to be cleaned of ear wax and other con~:lrnin~tes This not only adds to the cost of operating the hearing aid, but, since most hearing aids are used by elderly persons, it can be difficult for the person to replace the small battery in the small hearing aid. Therefore, it would be desirable to have a hearing aid which is inexpensive with CA 022486l8 l998-09-ll W O 97134443 PCT~US97/03481 regard to both the structure of the parts of the hearing aid and its method of m~king, and which can be easily used by the person, particularly the elderly.
Summary of the Invention The present invention is directed to a hearing aid which includes a circuit for receiving and amplifying the sound, and a shell surrounding the circuit. An ear mold of a soft, pliable material surrounds the shell and is adapted to fit into and mold to the ear of a person.
The present invention is also directed to a method of making hearing aids wherein electronic components, speakers, microphones and batteries are mounted onto an elongated flexible circuit strip to form along the strip the electronics assembly of a plurality of hearing aid. The flexible printed circuit strip is cut apart to form the assemblies of individual electronics of a hearing aid on a printed circuit, and each assembly is inserted into a cylindrical shell. Each shell con~ining an assembly is then inserted into an opening in a separate ear mold of a soft, durable and compliant material.
Brief Description of the Drawin~s Fig. 1 is an exploded schematic view of the hearing aid of an embodiment of the present invention;
Fig. 2 is a sectional view of the assembled hearing aid of an embodiment of the present invention;
Fig. 3 is a schematic view of the electronics of the hearing aid of an embodiment of the present invention;
Fig. 4 is a flow chart showing a method of assembling the hearing aid of an embodiment of the present invention;
Pigs. 5a and 5b are charts showing the various responses of the amplifier circuit which can be used in the hearing aid of an embodiment of the present invention.
. ~
W O 9il34443 PCTAJS97/03481 Detailed Description Referring initially to Figs. I and 2 of the drawings, the hearing aid of an embodiment of the present invention is generally designated as 10. Hearing aid 10 comprises an electronic assembly 12, a shell 14 and an ear mold 16. As shown in Fig. 3, the electronic assembly 12 includes a microphone 18 which is ~ pte-1 to receive the sound and convert the sound into electrical signals. The microphone 18 is connected to the input of a signal processing circuitry 20 which amplifies the sound, dimini~hes any undesirable back ground noise and which can adjust the sound according to the particular needs of the hearing of the user. The output of the signal processing circuitry is connected to a speaker 22 which converts the output signals to sound and directs the sound into the ear of the user. A suitable battery 24 of any desired structure is connected to the signal processing circuitry 20 to operate the circuitry 20.
As shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the electronics 12 includes a flexible printed circuit 26 having a base 26a and upright arms 26b and 26c at its ends. The flexible printed circuit 26 also includes therein paths of a conductive metal (not shown). The microphone 18 is mounted on the upright arm 26b at one end of the printed circuit 26, and the speaker 22 is mounted on the upright arm 26c at the other end of the printed circuit 26. The components 28 of the signal processing circuitry 20 and the battery 24 are mounted on the base 26a of the printed circuit 26 between its ends. The microphone 18 can be any very small microphone which is presently on the market or can be a silicon microphone in which the diaphragm of the microphone 18 is a thin layer of silicon.
The signal processing circuitry 20 can be of any well known type which will provide the desired amplification. For a very short ope- athlg hearing aid 10, such as for a three day operation, the signal processing circuitry 20 can be of the type which will provide amplification with fixed gain and frequency response. A simple, low-cost class-A amplifier can be used. For CA 02248618 1998-09-ll W O 9il34443 PCT~US97/03481 a longer lasting hearing aid 10, such as a 30 day device, the signal processing circuitry 20 can be of the type which contains a two-channel amplifier with signal compression. One channel can process the lower frequency spectrum while the other channel can process the higher frequency spectrum. To extend battery life, a more efficient class-D amplifier can be used. ~or any type of signal proces~ing circuitry 20, integrated circuits that perform the required signal processing should be used and are readily available. To achieve the different responses, different values of passive components, such as resistors and capacitors, can be used. The speaker 22 can be of any type of small speaker readily available. The battery 24 can be of any small type having sufficient power to operate the signa] processing circuitry used.
The shell 14 is a flexible hollow cylindrical element that is adapted to house and protect the electronics 12. The shell 14 is of a molded, flexible plastic material and contains means, such as ribs 15 shown in Fig. 2, to orient and retain the electronics 12 therein. The she]l 14 is of a material which protects the electronics 12 from moisture and mechanical damage. The shell 14 also provides acoustical features for facilitating incoming and outgoing sound, and has external features, such as ribs 17, which help retain it in the earplug 16.
Ear mold l 6 is of a soft, durable and compliant material. It can be of a cold-cured methacrylate, heat-cured methacrylate, heat-cured silicone, polyvinyl chloride copolymer or polyethylene co-polymer. The ear. mold 16 has an inner opening 1 6a into which the shell 14 cont~ining the electronics 12 is inserted and retained. The outer configuration of the ear mold 16, such as its shape and size, is such that it can be readily inserted in the ear channel of the user and which will flexibly mold itself to the shape of the ear channel. Since the ear mold 16 is of a compliant material, the pressure of the ear mold 16 against the wal] of the ear channel produces a good fit needed to prevent feedback and to help retain the hearing aid 10 in the ear.
It has been found that ear molds of soft material are superior to those of hard material in the WO sil34443 PCr/US97/03481 ion of feed back acoustics.
Referring to Fig. 4, there is illustrated a method of assembling the hearing aid 10 of an embodiment of the present invention. A flexible circuit 26 is feed from a reel along with the various components 28 which made up the electronics 12. Including microphones 18, lou~l~peakers 22 and batteries 24, into an assembly apparatus 30. The assembly al~pal~Lus 30 assembles the components onto the flexible circuit to form a strip contAining a plurality of the electronics. l 2. The completed assembly is mounted on a reel to forrn a reel 32 of the circuits.
The flexible circuit assemblies of the reel 32 are then fed along with shells 14 into an assembler 34 where the electronics 12 are cut apart from the reel, and each electronics 12 is formed and inserted into a shell 14. The shell assembly is then inserted into a package 36 which is hermetically sealed and contains a gas which will protect the shell assembly from the atmosphere and extinguish battery activity.
The ear molds 16 are molded in a suitable molding apparatus and packaged in a hermetically sealed package 38. The ear molds 16 are preferably molded in several different sizes so that a suitable size can be used for each user of the hearing aid l O.
The signal procecsing circuitry 20 of the electronics 12 is designed to accommodate high-frequency hearing losses and flat-frequency hearing losses in the mild to moderate ranges.
The signal processing circuitry 20 for different electronics 12 is made to provide different audiological responses. Figs. 5a and Sb are charts showing the various responses which are provided by the different electronics 12 which are made in the process of an embodiment of the present invention. Fig. 5a shows the responses for a three day device which has a fixed gain and frequency response, and Fig. Sb shows the responses for a 30 day device which has a two-channel amplifier. In each of Figs. 5a and Sb, the columns represent different amplifier gains with column A being the lowest gain and column C being the highest gain. The rows re~l~sen .
different frequency responses with row 1 being a flat response, row 2 a mild high frequency boost and row 3 the moderate high frequency boost. Thus, in making the signal processing circuitry 20, di~lclll components are used so as to make up a fixed number of circuits having different gains and frequency responses as shown in Figs. 5a and Sb. The different circuits are marked according to the charts of Figs. 5a and ~b according to gain and frequency response, such as A1, A2, A3, B 1, etc.
The last step in making the hearing aid 10 of an embodiment of the present invention is done by an audiologist or physician after the hearing of the user is tested and it is determined what type of audiological response is required. The audiologist or physician checks the charts shown in Figs. Sa and 5b and picks the signal processing circuitry 20 which will provide the audiological response required by the user. The audiologist/physician then picks the shell assembly which contains the desired electronics, and picks an ear mold 16 of the ~L)p,upliate size for the user. The shell assembly is then inserted into the ear mold 16 and the hearing aid 10 is ready to be inserted in the ear of the user.
In the hearing aid 10 of an embodiment of the present invention, the signal processing circuitry 20 has fixed audio characteristics and is made in a limited number of acoustical formats. Also, the acoustical format is preprogrammed in the electronics manufacture so that no potentiometers are needed for adjusting the circuit. In addition, the units are used only for the life of the battery. Thus, no on/off switch is used. Therefore, it is of simple design having a minimllm number of components and is easy to assemble on an automatic basis. The signal processing circuitry 20 and the entire electronics 12 is inexpensive because it can be easil made in large volumes and economy of scale. The electronics l 2 is encased in a simple ho~
shell which is easy to assemble. Also, the ear mold 16 is of simple design and of a soft, pliable material so as to be inexpensive. Thus, the entire hearing aid lO is of a m;nimllm number of W O 9i/34443 PCT~US97/03481inexpensive parts and is easy to assemble so that the hearing aid 10 is relatively inexpensive compared with presently used hearing aids. Since the hearing aid 10 is so inexpensive it is disposable. Therefore, when the battery 24 of the hearing aid 10 dies out, instead of replacing the battery 24, the whole hearing aid can be disposed of and replaced with a completely new hearing aid 10. Thus, there is provided by an embodiment of the present invention, a hearing aid 10 which is inexpensive to manufacture so as to be disposable. However, the hearing aid 10 still has all of the audio characteristics required by the user and has a high reliability.
Furthermore, since the hearing aid of the present invention is small and has a soft, pliable ear mold, it is more comfortable to wear. In addition, since it is disposable, it requires no service calls for major cleaning and adjdustment.
Claims (11)
1. A hearing aid which is adapted to be inserted in the ear of a user comprising:
an electronic circuit for receiving and amplifying sound;
a shell surrounding the circuit; and an ear mold of a soft pliable material surrounding the shell and adapted to fit into and mold to the ear of a user.
an electronic circuit for receiving and amplifying sound;
a shell surrounding the circuit; and an ear mold of a soft pliable material surrounding the shell and adapted to fit into and mold to the ear of a user.
2. The hearing aid of claim 1 wherein the shell includes means on its inside to orient and retain the electronic circuit therein.
3. The hearing aid of claim 1 in which the electronic circuit comprises a microphone, a speaker, signal processing circuitry and a battery.
4. The hearing aid of claim 3 in which the electronic circuit includes a printed circuit board on which the microphone, speaker, signal processing circuit and battery are mounted and electrically connected together.
5. The hearing aid of claim 3 in which the signal processing circuitry includes an amplifier.
6. The hearing aid of claim 1 in which the ear mold is of a soft pliable material selected from the group of cold-cured methacrylate, heat-cured methacrylate, heat-cured silicone, polyvinyl chloride copolymer and polyethylene co-polymer.
7. A method of making hearing aids comprising the steps of:
mounting electrical components, speakers, microphones and batteries onto an elongated flexible circuit strip to form along the flexible printed circuit strip the electronic assembly of a plurality of hearing aids;
cutting the flexible printed circuit strip apart to form the assemblies of the individual electronics of a hearing aid on a printed circuit, and inserting each assembly into a separate cylindrical shell; and then inserting a shell containing an assembly into an opening in an ear mold of a soft, durable and complaint material.
mounting electrical components, speakers, microphones and batteries onto an elongated flexible circuit strip to form along the flexible printed circuit strip the electronic assembly of a plurality of hearing aids;
cutting the flexible printed circuit strip apart to form the assemblies of the individual electronics of a hearing aid on a printed circuit, and inserting each assembly into a separate cylindrical shell; and then inserting a shell containing an assembly into an opening in an ear mold of a soft, durable and complaint material.
8. The method of claim 7 wherein after the electrical components are mounted on the flexible printed circuit strip, the strip is mounted on a reel.
9. The method of claim 8 wherein the flexible printed circuit strip on the reel is fed with shells into an assembler which cuts the strip apart into the individual assemblies and inserts each assembly into a separate shell.
10. The method of claim 9 wherein after the assemblies are inserted into the shells, the shells containing the assemblies are placed in a package which is hermetically sealed and which contains a gas which will protect the shell assembly from the atmosphere and extinguish battery activity.
11. The method of claim 7 in which the electronic components are assembled to form individual electronics having fixed audio characteristics in a limited number of different acoustical formats, and the shell containing the electronics having the appropriate acoustical format for a particular user is inserted in an ear mold.
Applications Claiming Priority (2)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| US1342696P | 1996-03-14 | 1996-03-14 | |
| US60/013,426 | 1996-03-14 |
Publications (1)
| Publication Number | Publication Date |
|---|---|
| CA2248618A1 true CA2248618A1 (en) | 1997-09-18 |
Family
ID=21759909
Family Applications (1)
| Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA002248618A Abandoned CA2248618A1 (en) | 1996-03-14 | 1997-03-14 | Disposable hearing aid |
Country Status (5)
| Country | Link |
|---|---|
| US (1) | US5881159A (en) |
| EP (1) | EP0895703A4 (en) |
| JP (1) | JP2000506697A (en) |
| CA (1) | CA2248618A1 (en) |
| WO (1) | WO1997034443A1 (en) |
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- 1997-03-12 US US08/815,852 patent/US5881159A/en not_active Expired - Lifetime
- 1997-03-14 JP JP9532683A patent/JP2000506697A/en not_active Ceased
- 1997-03-14 EP EP97908895A patent/EP0895703A4/en not_active Withdrawn
- 1997-03-14 CA CA002248618A patent/CA2248618A1/en not_active Abandoned
- 1997-03-14 WO PCT/US1997/003481 patent/WO1997034443A1/en active Application Filing
Also Published As
| Publication number | Publication date |
|---|---|
| EP0895703A4 (en) | 2004-07-14 |
| EP0895703A1 (en) | 1999-02-10 |
| US5881159A (en) | 1999-03-09 |
| JP2000506697A (en) | 2000-05-30 |
| WO1997034443A1 (en) | 1997-09-18 |
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Legal Events
| Date | Code | Title | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| EEER | Examination request | ||
| FZDE | Discontinued |