EP2866473B1 - Otoplastic, hearing system and method for mounting a hearing system - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to an earmold for use with a behind-the-ear hearing aid or an ex-earphone device having a sound tube inserted therein or a receiver inserted therein with a receiver line extending from the listener, and a hearing system comprising a includes such earmold. The invention further relates to a method for mounting the two hearing systems mentioned above (behind-the-ear hearing system or Ex-earphone system). Likewise, the invention relates to a specially designed earmold.

Hearing aids not only allow hearing-impaired people to communicate with others with ease, but also to improve the perception of their whole environment. Hearing instruments are primarily intended to compensate for the hearing loss suffered by different events or factors and thus to give the affected persons a piece of quality of life back.

Modern hearing systems are essentially divided into four categories. So there are in-the-ear hearing systems (IdO hearing systems), which are worn directly in the ear canal. The entire technology of the hearing system is in the ear, so to speak, whereby in-the-ear hearing systems are almost invisible from the outside. Another category concerns the so-called hearing glasses, which are mounted using special adapter on the temple or even integrated in the temple. Behind-the-ear (BTE) hearing systems are behind-the-ear systems. With these devices, the technology is behind the ear. The hearing aid sitting behind the ear is connected to the ear via a small sound tube and an earmold, the so-called earmold, which is specially adapted to the auricle of the affected person. The fourth category is so-called ex-listener systems. Similar to BTE hearing systems, the technique is behind the ear except for the listener (listener). The outsourced handset (ex-receiver) is located in the ear canal and is connected to the earmold there. With the hearing aid sitting behind the ear, the listener is connected to an electrical handset or cable line (instead of the sound tube in BTE hearing aids) connected. The present invention relates exclusively to BTE hearing systems and Ex-earphone systems.

The behind-the-ear hearing aid of both BTE hearing systems and Ex-earphone systems is equipped with a micro-computer which, depending on the equipment, can also distinguish between noise and speech. In addition, small directional microphones are installed, so as to provide in social situations for optimal communication. This type of hearing aid is now suitable for almost all types of hearing loss and ensures an almost distortion-free and faithful reproduction of the sound.

The dimensions of the commercially offered handset differ in some cases significantly from each other. So there are manufacturer-related deviations, but also the performance of the listener can cause differences in size. This means that in the case of a change in the hearing ability of the person concerned and the consequent need for replacing the handset and device, an otoplasty must be made again. But even during the habituation phase, during which the adaptation of the hearing aid to the wishes and the hearing of the persons who have possibly opted to wear a hearing aid for the first time takes place, it is not uncommon for the acoustician to change the hearing aid, and thus also the listener or the change to the BTE variant (with sound tube) recommends. Under certain circumstances, this can mean that a new earmold has to be made at each change, which in turn leads to significantly higher costs. Alternatively, only an adaptation with temporaries, so-called Domes, is available. Here, the sound leakage towards the eardrum but not consistently guaranteed, causing amplification losses and acoustic reflections. At the same time, the temporaries may easily slip out of the ear canal as a result of the inadequate and non-dimensional fit and thus increase the risk of loss of the entire hearing system.

DE 10 2007 037 024 A1 describes an ex-listener system in which the listener surrounded by an elastic, cylindrical intermediate piece and is inserted together with this in the earmold. Through the intermediate piece an acoustic decoupling of the earpiece is achieved by the earmold. In addition, the pressing of the earpiece is facilitated in the earmold.

In US 2005/0190940 A1 an earmold is described, in which a handset is inserted by means of an adapter. The adapter makes it easy to replace the handset without the need for a new earmold every time.

The object of the invention is to eliminate the disadvantages perceived in the prior art and to provide an earmold and a hearing system comprising this earmold, which provides compatibility with listeners of different manufacturers and thus of different sizes. It is likewise an object of the present invention to provide an earmold and a hearing system comprising this earmold, which allows a change to a BTE hearing aid with a sound tube. It is also an object of the present invention to provide a method of assembling a hearing system which offers the advantages mentioned above.

These objects are achieved by the independent claims 1, 5 and 6. Preferred or optional features are the subject of the dependent claims 2 to 4, 7 to 9.

A first aspect of the invention relates to an earmold for use with a behind-the-ear hearing device or an ex-earphone device having a sound tube inserted therein or a receiver inserted therein with a receiver line extending from the listener, wherein in radial Direction between the sound tube or the earpiece and the earmold a stretchable adapter is provided, and which is characterized in that the adapter is a horn tube.

Preferably, the sound tube or the handset is connected to the horn tube via a frictional connection.

According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the horn tube is made of a polymeric material.

Preferably, the horn tube has a varying over its length outer diameter of 2.9 mm to 3.7 mm with a constant tube thickness of 0.4 mm.

A second aspect of the invention relates to a hearing system that includes a behind-the-ear hearing device or an ex-earpiece device and an earmold described above, wherein the behind-the-ear hearing device through the sound tube with the earmold or Ex -Hörer device through the handset and the handset line is connected to the earmold.

A third aspect of the invention relates to a method for assembling a hearing system comprising a behind-the-ear hearing device, an earmold and a sound tube connecting the earmold to the behind-the-ear hearing device, or an ex-earphone device , a handset, a handset line connecting the handset to the ex-listener device, and an earmold into which the handset is inserted. According to this third aspect of the invention, the method comprises the steps of: inserting the sound tube or the earphone into a distensible horn tube, and inserting the horn tube into the otoplastic such that the sound tube or the earphone is substantially flush with a sound exit end of the earmold.

According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the step of inserting the sound tube or the earpiece into the horn tube is accomplished by inserting the sound tube or earpiece through a first open end of the horn tube until the sound tube or earpiece at least partially within the horn tube is arranged, and in which the step of inserting the adapter is performed in the earmold that the horn tube is first inserted with its second end through the sound inlet end of the earmold and passed so far until the sound tube or the receiver is substantially flush with the sound exit end the earmold is. Furthermore, the method according to of this embodiment, the step: separating the over the sound exit end of the otoplastic projecting portion of the horn tube, such that the severed end of the horn tube is substantially flush with the sound exit end of the earmold.

Preferably, the method further comprises the step of: bonding the horn tube to the otoplastic in the region of the sound exit end, before the portion of the horn tube projecting beyond the sound exit end of the otoplastic is cut off.

Further preferably, the method further comprises the steps of: inserting a filter sleeve through the first open end of the horn tube prior to insertion of the sound tube or the earphone, and inserting a filter into the filter sleeve after the portion of the horn tube projecting beyond the sound exit end of the ear mold has been severed is.

Fig. 1

eine Darstellung der einzelnen Komponenten eines herkömmlichen Ex-Hörer-Systems;

Fig. 2

eine Otoplastik gemäß einem Aspekt der Erfindung, in die ein Hörer eingesetzt ist;

Fig. 3

die in Fig. 2 gezeigte Otoplastik, bevor der Hornschlauch abgetrennt wird;

Fig. 4

eine vergrößerte Darstellung eines in einen Hornschlauch eingesetzten Hörers; und

Fig. 5

eine Otoplastik gemäß einem zweiten Aspekt der Erfindung.

In the following the invention is explained purely by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings. From the figures show:

Fig. 1

a representation of the individual components of a conventional ex-listener system;

Fig. 2

an earmold according to an aspect of the invention, in which a listener is inserted;

Fig. 3

in the Fig. 2 shown earmold before the horn tube is disconnected;

Fig. 4

an enlarged view of an inserted into a horn tube handset; and

Fig. 5

an earmold according to a second aspect of the invention.

Although the invention in the figures and the following description by way of example is illustrated by an ex-listener system, the invention is also applicable to BTE hearing systems with sound tube.

Conventional Ex-Earpiece Systems, as exemplified in Fig. 1 As shown, a hearing aid 40 to be worn behind the ear, for simplicity hereinafter also referred to as BTE hearing aid. Furthermore, they comprise an earmold 10 adapted to the inner workings and / or the inner geometry of the auricle and of the ear canal. While an ear impression was made earlier by the auricle and then the earmould was fabricated by means of casting technology, nowadays 3D printing processes are used for the manufacture of the earmold 10 for use. The earmold 10 is connected to the BTE hearing aid 40 via an electrical receiver line (cable strand) 30. A receiver 20 (speaker) is firmly inserted in the earmold 10. The sound received by the BTE hearing aid 40 is first amplified. The sound signals are then transmitted via the handset line 30 to the handset 20 and delivered from this to the eardrum. In order to convey a sound feeling of the affected person that is as constant as possible, it is of particular importance that the earmold 10 together with the earpiece 20 does not change its position during chewing movements as well as speaking, yawning, etc.

In the BTE hearing systems, which are distinguished in practice from Ex-earphone systems, the handset is integrated in the BTE hearing aid. The sound received by the BTE hearing aid is amplified in it and emitted by the listener into a sound tube. The sound tube, which is connected on the one hand with the BTE hearing aid and the other with the earmold, passes the sound to the earmold and from there to the eardrum on. Although such BTE hearing aids are not shown in the figures, the invention is also applicable to such hearing aids.

Especially for people who have decided for the first time to wear a hearing aid, it may u.U. be required to test hearing instruments from different manufacturers. Since the listener of different manufacturers can have different dimensions, and the handset is accurately inserted in the earmold to just just to avoid a shift of the earpiece when wearing the earmold, when changing the handset from a manufacturer to a handset of another manufacturer or when Change to a BTE hearing aid with a sound tube again an otoplasty be made. This is inevitably associated with increased costs.

In order to be able to use a custom-made earmold 10 together with earpieces 20 of different size, according to the invention between the earpiece 20 and the earmold 10, more precisely between the earpiece 20 and the inner diameter of a through-channel 13 (see FIG. Fig. 3 ) a stretchable adapter in shape a horn tube 50 is provided. As in Fig. 3 can be seen, the passageway 13 is disposed in an extension 12 of the earmold 10. This extension 12 is located when wearing the earmold 10 in the ear canal of the person.

Regarding Fig. 2 an earmold 10 is shown, which has the above-mentioned extension 12 and ear-shell structures 18a, 18b extending therefrom. These structures 18a, 18b and the extension 12 are adapted to fit the auricle of the person wearing the earmold. In Fig. 2 Furthermore, it is preferable to see a ventilation hole 17, which is arranged on the side of the extension 12 facing the auditory canal and continuously through it. This vent hole 17 provides a more comfortable fit of the earmold 10, which would otherwise completely close the ear canal of the person without the vent hole 17. Especially those who wear hearing aids for the first time find this uncomfortable.

In Fig. 2 It can also be seen that an opening for receiving the receiver 20 (in the case of BTE hearing systems of the sound tube) is arranged adjacent to the ventilation hole 17. In the Fig. 2 shown opening corresponds to the sound outlet end 11 of the through-channel 13 ( Fig. 3 ). In the passage 13, the receiver 20 is fixed. According to the invention, an extensible adapter in the form of a horn tube 50 is used to fix the receiver 20. The presentation of the Fig. 3 is essentially the same as the Fig. 2 , However, in Fig. 3 to see the horn tube 50 at a time before it is flush with the sound exit end 11 of the passage channel 13 is separated. In Fig. 2 and in Fig. 3 Furthermore, a recess 14 and a slot 16 can be seen. These two features are preferred features of Fig. 2 shown earmold and are with reference to the Fig. 5 explained in more detail.

By means of the horn tube 50, which is preferably made of a flexible material, more preferably made of a polymeric material, differently sized earphone 20 (or sonic tubes) can be inserted into the passageway 13 of the earmold 10 and fixed in a simple manner, so that in particular the Otoplastik 10 wearing person hearing aids (handset 20, handset 30 and hearing aid 40) from different manufacturers can test without having to make a new earmold 10 every time. The horn tube 50 used for mounting the earphone 20 in the earmold 10 preferably has a length of about 40 mm. Similar to a horn, over this length its outside diameter preferably varies between about 2.9 mm and 3.7 mm. Its thickness, preferably about 0.4 mm, preferably remains constant over this length. Its inner diameter preferably varies between 2.1 mm and 2.9 mm. The handset 20 may be partially or completely received in the horn tube.

Through the horn tube 50 and the method for mounting a Ex-earpiece system and BTE hearing system (not shown) is unified and cheaper, used as a handset 20 different manufacturers or sound tubes with different sizes and the other components of today's hearing systems together with the same earmold 10 can be.

Such a method is described below purely by way of example with reference to an ex-listener system. But it is also applicable to BTE hearing aids. In this case, a receiver is not inserted into the earmould by means of a horn tube, but a sound tube.

As in Fig. 4 is shown in the installation of the hearing aid first preferably a filter sleeve (not shown) through an open end 52 of the horn tube 50, preferably the end of larger diameter, passed and then the receiver 20 through the same open end 52 so far in the Horn tube 50 is inserted until the receiver 20 is adjacent to the filter sleeve. In this case, the receiver 20 may be completely or only partially accommodated in the horn tube 50. The receiver line (cable line, cable strand) 30 firmly connected to the receiver 20 now projects out of the horn tube 50.

Now the other end 54 ( Fig. 3 ) of the horn tube 50, preferably the smaller diameter end, which may be sharpened, for example, pushed through the passageway 13 and through the earmold 10, and Although so that the end 54 of the horn tube 50 passes first through the sound inlet end 15 and then through the sound outlet end 11 of the passage channel 13. The horn tube 50 is now pushed so far through the earmold 10 until the filter sleeve (or if no filter sleeve is used, the handset 20, more precisely the distal end of the earphone) is flush with the sound exit end 11 of the earmold 10. In this step, it is already ensured that the most curved handset line 30 (or the curved or curved sound tube in BTE hearing systems) 30 is aligned correctly, that is, the handset line (the sound tube) so runs when inserted in the ear canal otoplasty that the proximal end of the earphone line 30 (sound tube) facing away from the earmold 10 comes to rest behind the auricle. Optionally, the handset line (the sound tube) 30 is then already passed through the preferably provided in the earmold 10 slot 16 and the recess 14 to avoid possible pressure points in the region of the pinna (especially on the tragus) through the handset line (the sound tube) 30 ,

Then the projecting beyond the sound outlet end 11 of the earmold 10 portion of the horn tube 50 is bent so far that in the preferably between the passage 13 and the horn tube 50 existing gap or gap (not shown), an adhesive, preferably a superglue, can be introduced. By turning the horn tube 50, the adhesive is then evenly distributed in the space along the inner surface of the passageway 13. Only then is the protruding part of the horn tube 50 preferably separated with a scalpel.

Subsequently, a filter (for example, an HF4 filter) from the sound-emitting end 11 of the earmold 10 is inserted into the filter sleeve. The now completed in this way otoplasty 10, in the through-channel 13, the filter sleeve including filter and receiver 20 with adjoining handset 30 (in the case of BTE hearing aid only filter sleeve including filter and sound tube) are firmly inserted, then with the hearing aid 40th connected, in-that that the earmold 10 remote from the end of the handset line (the sound tube) 30 is connected to the hearing aid 40.

The size of the horn tube 50 is preferably selected to provide an interference fit between the earphone 20 (or sound tube) and the horn tube 50 upon insertion of the earpiece (or sound tube) 20 into the horn tube 50. This interference fit is due to the enlarged diameter portion of the horn tube 50 in the region of the end 52 in Fig. 4 indicated.

Due to the stretchable adapter, e.g. Horn tube, it is possible, manufacturer-related different sized handset (or sonic tubes) and optionally use filters in the same earmould without any problems and without tools. So it does not have to be made every time when the handset (or the sound tube) is replaced and replaced by another, a new earmold.

In Fig. 5 an earmold 10 according to another aspect of the invention is shown. The earmold 10 has as in the FIGS. 1-3 Otoplastik 10 shown a projection 12 and extending therefrom auricle structures 18a, 18b. These structures 18a, 18b and the extension 12 are adapted to fit the auricle of the person wearing the earmold. Not to be seen in Fig. 5 are the passage 13 and the preferred ventilation hole 17th

According to this aspect of the invention, the earmold 10 has a recess 14 and a preferably extending to an outer edge 19 slot 16, which preferably has a width, so that easy passage of the handset line (or the sound tube) 30 through the slot 16 is possible. Preferably, the width of the slot 16 is approximately equal to the diameter of the listener line (or sonic tube) and is in a range of 2-7 mm.

The recess preferably extends in the distal direction almost to the sound inlet end 15 of the through-channel 13. The shape of the recess is preferably circular, circular arc or elliptical. The shape and size of the recess 14 depend significantly on the angle between the longitudinal axis of the passageway 13 and a central axis of the other auricular structures 18a, 18b. In other words, the shape and the size of the recess 14 depend significantly on the angle between the ear canal and the central axis of the auricle.

If this angle is relatively large (greater than about 25 °), without the recess 14, the insertion of the handset 20 (with or without horn tube 50) (or the sound tube) can cause difficulties. Due to the relatively small size of the earmold 10, the earphone 20 without a recess 14 can no longer be inserted in a straight manner into the through-channel 13 and thus not aligned in the exact position in the direction of the eardrum. With the recess 14 of the handset 20 (or the sound tube) is simply pushed through the recess 14 and inserted into the passageway 13.

Preferably, a continuous slot 16 extends from the recess 14 to the outer edge 19 of the earmold 10. The outer edge 19 defines at least in sections the proximal manufacturing edge of the earmold 10 facing the auricle. In earmolds 10, which have a relatively large angle between the longitudinal axis of the through-channel 13 and a central axis of the remaining auricular structures 18a, 18b, ie in earmolds with strongly angled extension 12 or passage 13, can after insertion of the receiver 20 (with or without Horn tube 50) in the passage 13, the handset line 30 (in the case of BTE hearing systems of the sound tube) passed through the slot 16 and are thus already brought into its predetermined or preformed orientation. The fact that the handset line 30 with the help of the slot 16 with inserted earphone 20 (in BTE hearing systems with inserted sound tube) can naturally follow its predetermined course, ie without tensile and / or shear and / or compressive stress, also increases the wearing comfort of the earmold 10 including handset line 30 (or sound tube) and hearing aid 40. In addition, the risk that due to an unnatural course of the handset line 30 (or the sound tube), the worn behind the ear Ex-earpiece hearing aid (or the BTE hearing aid) slipped when carrying minimized.

The in connection with the Fig. 5 described features of the otoplasty are isolated from the features to see the earmold according to the Fig. 2 and the Fig. 3 having. Thus, the earmold according to the first aspect of the invention, regardless of the illustration in FIG Fig. 2 and Fig. 3 , have no recess and no slot.

The embodiments shown in the drawings are preferred embodiments of the invention. The features of the individual embodiments can be isolated, but also in combination.

Claims (9)

1. An otoplastic ear mold (10) for use with a behind-the-ear hearing device or an ex-receiver device (40), comprising a sound tube inserted into it or a receiver (20) inserted into it, a hearing line (30) extending from the receiver (20), wherein an expandable adapter (50) is provided in the radial direction between the sound tube or the receiver (20) and the otoplastic ear mold (10), characterized in that the adapter is a horn tube (50), whose outside diameter and inside diameter vary over the total length thereof.
2. The otoplastic ear mold (10) according to claim 1, characterized in that the sound tube or the receiver (20) is connected to the horn tube (50) by a friction connection.
3. The otoplastic ear mold (10) according to claim 1, characterized in that the horn tube (50) is produced from a polymer material.
4. The otoplastic ear mold (10) according to claim 1 or 3, characterized in that the horn tube (50) has an outside diameter varying over its length from 2.9 mm to 3.7 mm, at a constant tube thickness of 0.4 mm.
5. A hearing system including a behind-the-ear hearing device or an ex-receiver device (40) and an otoplastic ear mold (10) according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the behind-the-ear hearing device is connected by the sound tube to the otoplastic ear mold (10) or the ex-receiver device (40) is connected by the receiver (20) and the hearing line (30) to the otoplastic ear mold (10).
6. A method for assembly of a hearing system, comprising a behind-the-ear hearing device, an otoplastic ear mold (10) and a sound tube connecting the otoplastic ear mold (10) to the behind-the-ear hearing device, or comprising an ex-receiver device (40), a receiver (20), a hearing line (30) connecting the receiver (20) to the ex-receiver device (40) and an otoplastic ear mold (10), into which the receiver (20) is inserted, comprising the steps:

   - inserting the sound tube or the receiver (20) into an expandable horn tube (50), whose outside diameter and inside diameter vary over the total length thereof, and

   - inserting the horn tube (50) into the otoplastic ear mold (10), so that the sound tube or the receiver (20) is essentially flush with the sound outlet end (11) of the otoplastic ear mold (10).
7. The method according to claim 6, wherein the step of inserting the sound tube or the receiver (20) into the horn tube (50) is completed by inserting the sound tube or the receiver (20) through a first open end (52) of the horn tube (50) to the extent that the sound tube or the receiver (20) is arranged at least partially inside the horn tube (50), and wherein the step of inserting the horn tube (50) into the otoplastic ear mold (10) is completed by inserting the horn tube (50) first at its second end (54) through the sound inlet end (11) of the otoplastic ear mold (10), and the insertion is continued until the sound tube or the receiver (20) is essentially flush with the sound outlet end (11) of the otoplastic ear mold (10), and additionally comprising the step:

   - separating the portion of the horn tube (50) protruding beyond the sound outlet end (11) of the otoplastic ear mold (10), such that the separated end of the horn tube (50) is essentially flush with the sound outlet end (11) of the otoplastic ear mold (10).
8. The method according to claim 7, additionally comprising the step:

   - gluing the horn tube (50) to the otoplastic ear mold (10) in the region of the sound outlet end (11) before the portion of the horn tube (50) protruding beyond the sound outlet end (11) of the otoplastic ear mold (10) is removed.
9. The method according to claim 7 or 8, additionally comprising the steps:

   - inserting a filter sleeve through the first open end (52) of the horn tube (50) before the sound tube or the receiver (20) is inserted, and

   - inserting a filter into the filter sleeve after the portion of the horn tube (50) protruding beyond the sound outlet end (11) of the otoplastic ear mold (10) has been separated.

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