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EP4270993B1 - Instrument auditif - Google Patents

Instrument auditif Download PDF

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Publication number
EP4270993B1
EP4270993B1 EP22170535.3A EP22170535A EP4270993B1 EP 4270993 B1 EP4270993 B1 EP 4270993B1 EP 22170535 A EP22170535 A EP 22170535A EP 4270993 B1 EP4270993 B1 EP 4270993B1
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
bushing
hearing instrument
filter insert
shell
wall
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.)
Active
Application number
EP22170535.3A
Other languages
German (de)
English (en)
Other versions
EP4270993A1 (fr
Inventor
Thomas Winkler
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Sonova Holding AG
Original Assignee
Sonova AG
Priority date (The priority date 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 date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Sonova AG filed Critical Sonova AG
Priority to EP22170535.3A priority Critical patent/EP4270993B1/fr
Publication of EP4270993A1 publication Critical patent/EP4270993A1/fr
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of EP4270993B1 publication Critical patent/EP4270993B1/fr
Active legal-status Critical Current
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical

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Classifications

    • 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
    • H04R25/654—Ear wax retarders
    • 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
    • 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

Definitions

  • the invention relates to a hearing instrument having a filter insert.
  • a hearing instrument comprises a sound exit to deliver sound into a user's ear canal.
  • the sound exit is one of the most vulnerable parts of a hearing instrument as it is prone to ingression of ear wax, sweat, and dander.
  • Wax guard systems for hearing instruments are designed to either inhibit ingressions of ear wax (cerumen), sweat, humidity and other particles into a sound tube or loudspeaker (also referred to as the receiver) of a hearing instrument with a filter or to lead the sound from the loudspeaker around a cap which serves as wax protection.
  • the filters of systems known in the art have to be exchanged with new ones regularly, the frequency of the exchange depending on the amount of ingressions. Users with reduced dexterity such as elderly people which are typical users of hearing instruments may be challenged by having to handle small items such as filters for hearing instruments. Moreover, new filters need to be purchased resulting in costs.
  • WO 97/09864 A1 describes a hearing aid which has a cerumen guard comprised of a rigid porous plastic plug adjacent to the exterior surface of the hearing aid shell.
  • the cerumen guards may be inserted into the receiver outlet, the microphone inlet, or the vents of the hearing aid.
  • the rigid porous plastic has a hydrophobic characteristic, a multiplicity of interconnected pores effectively avoids the accumulation and clogging of inlets, outlets, and vents by cerumen while allowing transmission of sound.
  • Use of sintered plastic beads provide for the rigidity of the porous plastic plug.
  • the object is achieved by a hearing instrument according to claim 1.
  • medial refers to a direction and parts of a hearing instrument closer to the center of a user's body when the hearing instrument is at least partially inserted into a user's ear canal, while the term lateral refers to the opposite direction.
  • a hearing instrument comprises a shell configured to be at least partially inserted into a human ear canal, and a sound tube arranged in the shell, configured to guide sound emitted by a receiver or loudspeaker, wherein a filter insert is arranged to cover a sound outlet opening of the sound tube and held against the sound outlet opening by at least one elastic element attached to the shell allowing the filter insert to be pulled away from the shell. The filter insert is thus pulled against the sound outlet opening by the elastic element, e.g. to reposition the filter insert after cleaning.
  • the elastic element is a tension spring or an elastic cord.
  • the sound tube ends in a hole in the shell, wherein the hole in the shell is configured as a bushing or has a bushing arranged therein, wherein the elastic element is attached to the bushing.
  • the bushing comprises a medial opening and a lateral bottom with an opening toward the sound tube, wherein the filter insert is arranged in the bushing.
  • the tension spring may be arranged in the bushing, wherein a lateral end of the tension spring is fixed to the bushing and a medial end of the tension spring is fixed to the filter insert.
  • the bushing has an outer wall and an inner wall.
  • the tension spring is arranged in a space between the inner wall and the outer wall of the bushing. This may help protect the tension spring from being distained by ingressions.
  • one, two, three, four or more security threads are provided to connect the filter insert to the shell or bushing to limit the movement of the filter insert away from the shell. This allows for preventing the filter insert to fall off the hearing instrument into the ear canal.
  • the at least one elastic element is at least one elastic cord, it may also assume the function of a security thread so separate security threads are not required.
  • the elastic cord may be configured to be elastic until reaching a certain extension and be considerably less elastic beyond this point. This may for example be achieved by a configuration of a fabric of the cord arranged around an elastic core.
  • the elastic element has a retraction force smaller than a weight of the hearing instrument when the filter insert is pulled away from the shell, so that just by holding the hearing instrument, e.g. by a handling knob, the filter insert will remain outside of the bushing or hole.
  • the bushing is glued and/or press-fitted to the shell and/or the sound tube is glued and/or press-fitted to the bottom of the bushing.
  • the filter insert comprises a series of two or more concentric discs, connected to each other through a hub, wherein each disc is provided with a multitude of through-holes.
  • the discs may be arranged at a distance between each other. When the filter insert is removed from the hearing instrument, it may easily be cleaned from any ingressions brushing the spaces between the discs or using an air jet.
  • the hub may be arranged about a longitudinal axis of the filter insert and the discs may protrude radially from the central axis beyond the hub.
  • the through-holes of each disc are non-overlapping or misaligned with the through-holes of one or more adjacent discs or all of the other discs, thus creating a wax labyrinth.
  • the discs comprise a top disc at a medial end of the filter insert, wherein the top disc has a diameter greater than the diameters of the other discs. This allows for inserting the other discs into a hole in the hearing instrument while the top disc may cover said hole.
  • the filter insert further comprises a handling knob arranged at the medial end of the hub or of the top disc to facilitate pulling the filter insert out of the hole in the hearing instrument.
  • the diameter of the other discs corresponds to an inner diameter of the bushing or the inner wall thereof.
  • the diameter of the top disc is greater than the diameter of the bushing or the inner wall thereof, in particular as great as or greater than the diameter of the outer wall thereof.
  • the filter insert comprises or consists of or is coated with a repellent material, in particular PTFE to facilitate cleaning.
  • the filter insert may be produced by 3D printing.
  • Hearing instruments or parts thereof configured to be placed at least partially into a human ear canal are subject to ingression of organic material existing in or produced by the ear canal or its tissue or glands, like cerumen (ear wax), sweat, and dander.
  • the present invention provides a solution aiming at protecting the sound flow from hearing instruments towards the human ear drum (tympanic membrane) against the ingression of any solid, plastic or fluid substances.
  • Figure 1 is a schematic detail view of a hearing instrument 1 comprising a shell 2 or mold configured to be at least partially inserted into a human ear canal and a sound tube 3 arranged in the shell 2, ending in a hole therein and configured to guide sound emitted by a receiver 4 or loudspeaker, which may also be arranged in the shell 2.
  • the receiver 4 may be located in an external device such as a behind-the-ear part of a hearing instrument 1, connected through a sound guide such as a tube or hose to the sound tube 3 in the shell 2.
  • the hole in the shell 2 may be configured as a bushing 5 or have a bushing 5 arranged therein.
  • the bushing 5 may have an outer wall 6 and an inner wall 7 and a bottom 8 with an opening to allow sound from the sound tube 3 to enter.
  • the bushing 5 may be glued and/or press-fitted to the shell 2, while the sound tube 3 may be fixed, e.g. glued and/or press-fitted, to the bottom 8 of the bushing 5.
  • a filter insert 9 is configured to be at least partially inserted into the bushing 5, in particular within the inner wall 7 thereof.
  • the filter insert 9 comprises a series of concentric discs 10.1, 10.2, 10.3, connected to each other through a hub 11.
  • the illustrated embodiment shows three discs 10.1, 10.2, 10.3.
  • Each disc 10.1, 10.2, 10.3 is provided with a multitude of through-holes 15 to allow the sound to pass through.
  • the through-holes 15 of each disc 10.1, 10.2, 10.3 are non-overlapping or misaligned with the through-holes 15 of one or more adjacent discs 10.1, 10.2, 10.3 or all other discs 10.1, 10.2, 10.3 thus creating a wax labyrinth.
  • the discs 10.1, 10.2, 10.3 comprise a top disc 10.1 at or near a medial end of the filter insert 9, wherein the top disc 10.1 has a diameter greater than the diameters of the other discs 10.2, 10.3.
  • the diameter of the other discs 10.2, 10.3 may correspond to an inner diameter of the bushing 5 or the inner wall 7 thereof, in particular the diameter of the other discs 10.2, 10.3 may be nearly the same as the inner diameter of the bushing 5 or the inner wall 7 thereof such that the other discs 10.2, 10.3 may enter the bushing 5 easily.
  • the diameter of the top disc 10.1 is for example greater than the diameter of the bushing 5 or the inner wall 7 thereof, in particular as great as or greater, e.g. slightly greater, than the diameter of the outer wall 6 thereof, so that the top disc 10.1 can cover a medial opening of the bushing 5, in particular completely.
  • One, two, three, four or more security threads 12 may be provided to connect the filter insert 9, in particular a lateral end thereof, to the bushing 5, in particular the bottom 8 thereof, to limit the movement of the filter insert 9 out of the bushing 5.
  • a tension spring 13 or another elastic component, e.g. an elastic cord, may be arranged in the bushing 5, e.g. in a space between the inner wall 7 and the outer wall 6 of the bushing 5, wherein a lateral end of the tension spring 13 is fixed to the bushing 5, e.g. the bottom 8 thereof, and a medial end of the tension spring 13 is fixed to the filter insert 9, in particular the top disc 10.1 thereof.
  • the filter insert 9 is thus pulled into the bushing 5 by the tension spring 13, e.g. to reposition the filter insert 9 after cleaning.
  • the filter insert 9 further may comprise a handling knob 14 arranged at the medial end of the hub 11 or of the top disc 10.1, allowing the filter insert 9 to be grabbed by a user and pulled out of the bushing 5, e.g. for cleaning the filter insert 9.
  • FIG. 2 is a schematic view of the hearing instrument 1 with the filter insert 9 being pulled out of the bushing 5.
  • the extension of the filter insert 9 from the bushing 5 may be limited by the security threads 12. Pulling the filter insert 9 out of the bushing 5 will tension the tension spring 13. The safety threads 12 will also protect the tension spring 13 from overextension.
  • the tension spring 13 is dimensioned with a retraction force smaller than the weight of the hearing instrument 1 when the filter insert is pulled away from the shell, so that just by holding the hearing instrument 1 by the handling knob 14, the filter insert 9 will remain outside of the bushing 5. This allows for a reliable cleaning of the filter insert 9, e.g. using a brush or an air jet.
  • the combination of multiple stacked discs 10.1 to 10.3 with through-holes 15 provides a stack of filters which will prevent the receiver 4 and/or the sound tube 3 from being occluded and damaged by particle ingression.
  • the described solution allows for quick cleaning which eliminates the requirement for frequent filter replacement. This results in an easier handling of hearing instruments 1 worn in the ear and also in a cost reduction for the user of the hearing instrument 1.
  • the filter insert 9 may for example be produced by 3D printing.
  • the filter insert 9 may comprise or consist of or be coated with a repellent material such as PTFE.
  • the described configuration solves or mitigates the problems of ingression of ear wax (cerumen), sweat, humidity and other particles into the sound tube 3 or loudspeaker of the hearing instrument 1, and prevents or reduces the risk of loss of loose wax filters.
  • the present invention facilitates filter cleaning in hearing instruments 1, avoids the need to replace them and helps overcome dexterity issues with replacing tiny filters.

Landscapes

  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
  • General Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
  • Neurosurgery (AREA)
  • Otolaryngology (AREA)
  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Acoustics & Sound (AREA)
  • Signal Processing (AREA)
  • Manufacturing & Machinery (AREA)
  • Measurement Of The Respiration, Hearing Ability, Form, And Blood Characteristics Of Living Organisms (AREA)
  • Audible-Bandwidth Dynamoelectric Transducers Other Than Pickups (AREA)

Claims (14)

  1. Instrument auditif (1), comprenant une coque (2) configurée pour être au moins partiellement insérée dans un conduit auditif humain, et un tube sonore (3) agencé dans la coque (2), configuré pour guider le son émis par un récepteur (4) ou un haut-parleur, un insert filtrant (9) étant agencé pour couvrir une ouverture de sortie du tube sonore (3) et étant maintenu contre l'ouverture de sortie par au moins un élément élastique fixé à la coque (2), ce qui permet à l'insert filtrant (9) d'être retiré de la coque (2) contre une force de rétraction de l'élément élastique, caractérisé en ce que l'élément élastique est un ressort de traction (13) ou un cordon élastique.
  2. Instrument auditif (1) selon la revendication 1, le tube sonore (3) se terminant par un trou dans la coque (2), le trou dans la coque (2) étant configuré comme une douille (5) ou ayant une douille (5) agencée à l'intérieur, l'élément élastique étant de préférence fixé à la douille (5).
  3. Instrument auditif (1) selon la revendication 2, la douille (5) comprenant une ouverture médiane et un fond latéral (8) avec une ouverture vers le tube sonore (3), l'insert filtrant (9) étant agencé dans la douille (5).
  4. Instrument auditif (1) selon la revendication 2 ou 3, la douille (5) ayant une paroi extérieure (6) et une paroi intérieure (7).
  5. Instrument auditif (1) selon la revendication 4, le ressort de traction (13) étant agencé dans un espace entre la paroi intérieure (7) et la paroi extérieure (6) de la douille (5).
  6. Instrument auditif (1) selon l'une quelconque des revendications précédentes, un, deux, trois, quatre filets de sécurité (12) ou plus étant prévus pour relier l'insert filtrant (9) à la coque (2) ou à la douille (5) afin de limiter le mouvement de l'insert filtrant (9) par rapport à la coque (2).
  7. Instrument auditif (1) selon l'une quelconque des revendications précédentes, l'élément élastique ayant une force de rétraction inférieure au poids de l'instrument auditif (1) lorsque l'insert filtrant est retiré de la coque.
  8. Instrument auditif (1) selon l'une quelconque des revendications 2 à 7, la douille (5) étant collée et/ou fixée par pression à la coque (2) et/ou le tube sonore (3) étant collé et/ou fixé par pression au fond (8) de la douille (5).
  9. Instrument auditif (1) selon l'une quelconque des revendications précédentes, l'insert filtrant (9) comprenant une série de deux disques concentriques ou plus (10.1, 10.2, 10.3), reliés entre eux par un moyeu (11), chaque disque (10.1, 10.2, 10.3) étant pourvu d'une multitude de trous de passage (15).
  10. Instrument auditif (1) selon la revendication 9, les trous de passage (15) de chaque disque (10.1, 10.2, 10.3) ne se chevauchant pas ou étant mal alignés avec les trous de passage (15) d'un ou de plusieurs disques adjacents (10.1, 10.2, 10.3).
  11. Instrument auditif (1) selon la revendication 9 ou 10, les disques (10.1, 10.2, 10,3) comprenant un disque supérieur (10.1) à une extrémité médiane de l'insert filtrant (9), le disque supérieur (10.1) ayant un diamètre supérieur aux diamètres des autres disques (10.2, 10.3).
  12. Instrument auditif (1) selon l'une quelconque des revendications 9 à 11, l'insert filtrant (9) comprenant en outre un bouton de manipulation (14) agencé à l'extrémité médiane du moyeu (11) ou du disque supérieur (10.1).
  13. Instrument auditif (1) selon la revendication 11 ou 12, le diamètre des autres disques (10.2, 10.3) correspondant à un diamètre intérieur de la douille (5) ou de sa paroi intérieure (7).
  14. Instrument auditif (1) selon l'une quelconque des revendications 11 à 13, le diamètre du disque supérieur (10.1) étant supérieur au diamètre de la douille (5) ou de sa paroi intérieure (7), en particulier égal ou supérieur au diamètre de sa paroi extérieure (6).
EP22170535.3A 2022-04-28 2022-04-28 Instrument auditif Active EP4270993B1 (fr)

Priority Applications (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
EP22170535.3A EP4270993B1 (fr) 2022-04-28 2022-04-28 Instrument auditif

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
EP22170535.3A EP4270993B1 (fr) 2022-04-28 2022-04-28 Instrument auditif

Publications (2)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP4270993A1 EP4270993A1 (fr) 2023-11-01
EP4270993B1 true EP4270993B1 (fr) 2024-10-30

Family

ID=81392678

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
EP22170535.3A Active EP4270993B1 (fr) 2022-04-28 2022-04-28 Instrument auditif

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EP (1) EP4270993B1 (fr)

Family Cites Families (6)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
DK165096C (da) * 1990-02-26 1993-02-15 Oticon As Oerevoksfaelde til brug med hoereapparater samt anvendelse af en saadan oerevoksfaelde i et hoereapparat.
WO1997009864A1 (fr) * 1995-09-05 1997-03-13 Argosy Electronics, Inc. Prothese auditive a protection contre la cire
US6205227B1 (en) * 1998-01-31 2001-03-20 Sarnoff Corporation Peritympanic hearing instrument
US6135235A (en) * 1999-04-06 2000-10-24 Sonic Innovations, Inc. Self-cleaning cerumen guard for a hearing device
DE102017210447A1 (de) * 2017-06-21 2018-12-27 Sivantos Pte. Ltd. Hörgerät
WO2019105522A1 (fr) * 2017-11-28 2019-06-06 Sonova Ag Applicateur de filtre à cérumen

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
EP4270993A1 (fr) 2023-11-01

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