JPH02224599A - hearing aid - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To utilize the internal space of a shell effectively substantially and to make the constitution small as a whole by providing the shell and a case or the like assembling components constituting a hearing aid information processing section processing hearing aid information. CONSTITUTION:A shell 13 of an external shape able to be inserted in an external auditory meatus of a user and a case 12 in which components (earphone, sound quality adjusting element and sound volume adjusting variable resistor or the like) of a hearing aid information processing section processing hearing aid information are assembled are provided. The case 12 is provided with a right side case main body half 15R and a left side case main body half 15L as case main body split parts divided into plural numbers, and the halves 15R, 15L are provided with rugged parts able to be removed from an inner side metallic die in a direction of a parting face in the injection molding manufacture process. Then the rugged faces are utilized to arrange the components in the case 12 scatteringly and the case 12 is fitted to the shell 13. Since the components are arranged while utilizing the internal space of the shell 13 effectively substantially, the constitution as a whole is reduced entirely.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Industrial Field of Application] The present invention relates to a hearing aid, and is particularly suitable for application to an in-the-ear hearing aid.

[Summary of the invention]

The present invention provides a hearing aid in which the divided parts of the case body can be integrated by fitting the shell into one body, and the internal space of the shell can be effectively used to arrange the components. You can get a much smaller hearing aid.

[Conventional technology]

Conventionally, as shown in FIG. 8, an in-the-ear hearing aid 1 has a so-called shell 2 as a member to be inserted into the ear canal, and a hearing aid information processing section 3 is attached to the base 2B of the shell 2. .

Here, the outer shape of the shell 2 needs to be shaped as closely as possible to the shape of the ear canal in order to avoid causing discomfort when the shell 2 is inserted into the ear canal of the wearer. It is made to have a flattened truncated cone shape as a whole by making it thinner, curving it slightly forward, and widening the root part 2B in a trumpet shape.

By using the shell 2 having such an external shape, the root portion 2B of the shell 2 is spread out in a trumpet shape to prevent the hearing aid l as a whole from being inserted too deeply into the ear canal. By attaching the board 3A of the hearing aid information processing unit 3 so as to suppress the opening of the root part 2B and arranging the microphone 3B provided on the board 3A so as to face the outside of the ear canal, dialogue sounds can be suppressed. After collecting the sound and processing it in the hearing aid information processing unit 3, a sound current is passed through the cord 3C to the earphone 3D provided at the tip 2A of the shell 2, thereby releasing the hearing aid into the ear canal through the earphone tube 3E. It is made to be.

[Problem that the invention seeks to solve]

In the conventional hearing aid 1 having such a configuration, the shell 2
In order to have an external shape that matches the shape of the external auditory canal, injection molding of a plastic material is considered to be the most suitable manufacturing method.

However, when trying to mold the shell 2 by injection molding, since the shell 2 has a flattened truncated cone shape,
It is necessary to be able to pull out the shell 2 as an injection molded product from the inner mold used during injection molding, and in order to satisfy this condition, it is not possible to provide a step inside the shell 2. There's a problem.

Incidentally, if the stepped portion is provided, there is a risk that the stepped portion may become an obstacle and prevent the shell 2 from being pulled out from the inner mold when the injection molding cycle is completed.

In this way, the inability to provide unevenness inside the shell 2 means that no clues for attaching parts to the inside of the shell 2 can be obtained, and therefore, in practice, in the conventional hearing aid 1, the hearing aid information processing As a result, all the electronic components and acoustic components constituting the section 3 must be collectively mounted on the substrate 3A, which is provided so as to close the base section 2B, resulting in an increase in the size of the entire configuration of the substrate 3A. As a result, the diameter of the root portion 2B of the shell 2 becomes large, resulting in a problem that the overall structure of the hearing aid l becomes large.

Incidentally, in the conventional case shown in FIG. 8, in addition to the microphone 3B, a battery chamber 3F, a volume control volume 3G, and a sound quality adjuster 3H are provided as components of the hearing aid information processing section 3 on the surface of the board 3A. By attaching, for example, a flexible wiring board 32 to the back surface of the board 3A, all electronic components such as integrated circuits (ICs) constituting the hearing aid information processing unit 3 can be attached to the board 3A.

The present invention has been made in consideration of the above points, and it is an object of the present invention to propose a hearing aid in which the overall structure can be further downsized by substantially effectively utilizing the internal space of the shell.

[Means for solving problems]

In order to solve this problem, the present invention includes a shell 13 having an external shape that can be inserted into the ear canal of a wearer;
a case 12 incorporating components (72 to 80) constituting a hearing aid information processing section that processes hearing aid information; Each case body division part 15L
, 15R form an uneven surface (20 to 34) in a shape that can be pulled out from the inner mold in the direction of the dividing surface in the injection molding manufacturing process, and the uneven surface (20
~34) to convert the components (72 to 80) into case 1
By positioning and holding the shell 13 so as to be dispersed within the case 12 and fitting the shell 13 into the case 12, the plurality of case main body division parts 15L and 15R are held in an integrated state.

[Effect] The case 12 is divided into a plurality of case main body parts 15L.

By dividing the case body into parts 15R and fitting the shell 13 into them, the plurality of case main body parts 15L and 15R can be integrally held, so that the component parts (72 to 80 ), it is possible to form an uneven surface that can disperse and hold the shell 13, thereby making it possible to effectively utilize the interior space of the shell 13 to arrange components, thereby further reducing the overall structure. A hearing aid 11 can be obtained.

〔Example〕

An embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings.

In FIG. 1, the hearing aid 11 has a case 12, a shell 13 is attached to the distal end 12A, and extraction knobs 14 are rotatably attached to the left and right sides of the base 12B. .

As shown in FIG. 2, the case 12 is divided into a pair of case main body halves 15L and 15, which are vertically divided at the center position when viewed from the front.
It has a base plate portion 15A and a battery 1115B that close the upper portion thereof as other dividing members.

When the left and right case body halves 15L and 15R are assembled together so that their split surfaces abut, they form a flattened truncated cone shape and their tips curve forward, so that the tips as a whole form the shell 13. It is designed to have a similar shape.

As shown in FIG. 3, the left case body half 15L has an earphone tube holding step 20 and an earphone holding step 21 at its tip, and a half hole 22 for holding a sound quality adjuster at the center front. Further, a substrate holding step 24 is formed at the upper part, and an IC holding step 25 is further formed at the rear upper part.

These stepped portions 20 to 25 are located on the left side case body half 15L.
When injection molding the inner surface of the left case body half 15L using a mold, by pulling out the left case body half 15L from the inner mold in the direction of the dividing surface, the left case body half 15L is removed from the inner mold.
An uneven surface is formed from which L can be extracted.

In addition, the right side case body half 15R is as shown in FIG.
An earphone tube holding step 30 and an earphone holding step 31 are formed at the tip, a half hole 32 for holding a sound quality adjuster is formed at the center of the front, and a step 33 for holding the battery chamber bottom plate is formed at the upper center. A step part 34 for holding a battery is formed in the upper part.

These stepped portions 30 to 34 are uneven so that when injection molding the right side case body half 15R, the right side case body half 15R can be pulled out in the direction of the dividing surface from the inner mold that molds the inner surface of the right side case body half 15R. forming a surface.

In addition, four positioning protrusions 41 are formed to protrude inward on the end surface forming the dividing surface of the left case body half 15L (Fig. 3), while the right case Positioning protrusions 4 are placed at opposing positions on the main body half 15R.
Four positioning holes 42 into which 1 is inserted are formed (FIG. 4).

In addition, a battery cover bearing hole 43 is formed at the rear upper end of the right case body half 15R (FIG. 4).

The base plate portion 15A (Fig. 2) has three mounting plate portions 44A and 44B whose positions are gradually lowered from the left side to the center side.
, 44C are formed, and the upper mounting plate part 44A is formed with a volume adjustment volume holding hole 45 and a microphone sound hole 46, and the middle mounting plate part 44B is formed with an output limiting device holding hole 47. Furthermore, a substantially circular battery chamber bottom plate 48 is formed on the lower mounting plate portion 44C.

The battery lid 15B has a pivot shaft 51 provided at its rear lower end so as to protrude and extend in the left-right direction, and a locking piece 52 is formed at its front lower end so as to project downward.

The shell 13 is adapted to fit the ear canal of a hearing aid wearer.
It has an external shape in which the tip tapers and curves forward, and the horizontal cross section has a truncated cone shape that is flattened in the front-rear direction, and is manufactured by injection molding of synthetic resin material. be done.

The shell 13 has left and right case body halves 15L and 1
5R are assembled together so that their split surfaces butt, step surfaces 61L for shell insertion formed on the outer surfaces of the left and right case body halves 15L and 15R.
and 61R from the distal direction.

In this embodiment, the shell 13 allows adjustment operations to be performed from the outside by exposing the half-holes 22 and 32 for holding the sound quality adjuster in the left and right case body halves 15L and 15R to the outside without covering them with the shell 13. A notch 62 is formed in the center of the front surface so that the left and right case body halves 15L and 15R51 are formed at the tip of the shell 13.
An earphone sound hole 64 is formed so as to face the earphone sound holes 63L and 63R formed in the c@ surface.

Hearing aid 11 (first time) is assembled as follows.

That is, each plate portion 44A, 44B, 44C of the substrate portion 15A
After the electronic components and acoustic components constituting the hearing aid information processing section of the hearing aid 11 are assembled in advance and attached together using the The protrusions 71 (provided as a pair on the front and rear sides of the base plate 15A in FIG. 2) are attached to the base plate holding step 24 (FIG. 3) of the left case body half 15L. Insert it from the right side and integrate it.

Next, as shown by the dashed line in Figure 2, the battery! 1
5B into the bearing hole (not shown) drilled in the rear right side of the upper plate part 44A of the base plate part 15A, and then connect the right case body half part 15R with the left case body half part 15L. Assemble into one piece.

At this time, the right side case body half 15R is inserted into the positioning hole 4-2 (FIG. 4) by inserting the corresponding positioning protrusion 41 (FIG. 3) of the left side case body half 15L into the right side case body half 15R. The rotating shaft 5 is fitted so that the dividing surface of the main body half 15R butts against the dividing surface of the left case main half 15L, and is provided on the battery cover 15B.
1 (Fig. 2) to the battery cover bearing hole 43 (Fig. 4).
By inserting it into the battery cover 15B, it can be assembled integrally with the battery cover 15B.

At this time, as shown in FIG.
The earphone 72 is attached to the uneven portion formed by the earphone holding step portions 21 and 31 of the L and right side case main body half portions 15R.
is fixed, and the earphone tube 73 fitted into the tip thereof is held by the uneven portion formed by the earphone tube holding steps 20 and 30 of the left and right case body halves 15L and 15R.

In this embodiment, an earwax prevention net 74 is attached to the tip of the earphone tube 73, and this is connected to the earphone sound hole 6 formed by the earphone sound holes 63L and 63R of the left and right case body halves 15L and 15R.
3.

In addition, the sound quality adjuster 75 is located on the left and right side case body halves 15.
It is rotatably held and held by the sound quality adjuster holding half holes 22 and 32 of L and 15R.

Further, a terminal of a volume adjustment volume 77 disposed in the volume adjustment volume holding hole 45 (FIG. 2) integrally with a flexible substrate 76 disposed along the lower surface of the middle plate part 44B of the substrate part 15A The IC 7B is soldered to sandwich the plate part 44B and held integrally with the board part 15A, and the IC 7B attached to the flexible board 76 is held in the IC holding step part 25 of the left case body half part 15L. .

Furthermore, a microphone 80 having a microphone tube 79 coupled to the microphone sound hole 46 (FIG. 2) is held by the microphone holding step 23 of the left case body half 15L.

In this way, a state is obtained in which the hearing aid information processing unit is housed in the case 12. By inserting the shell 13 into the case 12 in this state from its tip, the shell 13 is integrated into the left and right coefficient body halves. Parts 15L and 15
It is positioned so as to overlap on the shell insertion step surfaces 61L and 61R of R.

Approximately semicircular ears 81L and 81R are provided at the upper left and right ends of the shell 13 (FIG. 2).
As shown in FIG. 6 for the right ear portion 81R, this is positioned so as to be fitted from below into the notches 82L and 82R provided on the side surfaces of the left and right case body halves 15L and 15R.

In this state, the notch 8 is inserted through the through holes 83L and 83R, which are bored at approximately the center positions of the ears 81L and 81R.
The left and right tips 14L and 14R of the mounting knob 14 are inserted into the mounting holes 84L and 84R, which are bored at approximately the center positions of the mounting knobs 2L and 82R, and thus the shell 13
are held together to prevent them from falling out of the left and right case body halves 15L and 15R.

Actually, the left and right tips 14L and 1 of the mounting knob 14
The distance between the left and right ends 14L and 14 is such that even if the distance between them is partially expanded by the elastic force of the mounting knob 14, it can return to its original spacing position.
Through holes 83L and 83R and mounting holes 84L and 8
4R and 4R can be held together using the elastic force of the knob 14 while the mounting knob 14 remains rotatable.

In the above configuration, by vertically dividing the case 12 into the left and right case body halves 15L and 15R, the inner mold is formed in the direction of the dividing plane of the left and right case body halves 15L and 15R. The left and right case body halves 15L and 15R are integrated with the electronic components and acoustic components that make up the hearing aid information processing section for processing hearing aid signals. It can be fitted and held so as to be dispersed on the uneven surface that is formed.

In this way, it is possible to eliminate the need to collectively mount all electronic components on the board 3A provided to cover the opening of the shell 2, as in the conventional case (FIG. 8). Since the internal space of the shell 13) can be used substantially effectively, the overall structure can be further downsized.

Therefore, by providing the mounting knob 14 in a rotatable manner at the upper end of the case 12, the mounting knob 1 is provided when the wearer inserts or removes the hearing aid 11 into the ear canal.
By being able to pinch and pull or push 4, the operation can be made easier.

Incidentally, it is preferable that the overall configuration of the hearing aid 11 is made smaller in terms of inserting the hearing aid 11 into the ear canal.
The smaller the hearing aid 11 becomes, the more difficult it becomes to attach or detach the hearing aid 11, but according to the embodiment described above, by providing the attachment knob 14, this operation can be facilitated.

In addition, according to the above-described embodiment, the hearing aid 11 has a simple structure in which the shell 13 is integrally attached to the left and right case body halves 15L and 15R by the left and right tips 14L and 14R of the mounting knob 14, respectively. The divided parts (FIG. 2) can be integrated all at once.

Incidentally, the board portion 15A is configured to be fitted into the left case body half portion 15L, and in this state, the battery cover 15
B is the right side case body half 15R and the left side case body half 1
5L, the shell 13 is fitted into the right case body half 15R and the board 15A at once, and in this state, the shell 13 is fitted into the left and right case body half 15L and 15L.
It is integrated by fitting into the shell insertion step surfaces 61L and 61R of 5R, and the integrated state is the knob 14.
is held by the left and right tips 14L and 14R of.

Further, according to the above-mentioned configuration, by inserting and holding the shell 13 into the case 12, the external shape of the shell 13 can be changed to any shape as needed, and By preparing in advance a shell 13 having an external shape that can be applied to the type of structure of the external auditory canal, an in-the-ear hearing aid that always feels good when worn by the wearer can be obtained.

In the above embodiment, the shell 13 is attached to the left and right case body halves 15L and 15R using the attachment knob 14 rotatably attached to the case 12. As a special holding means for holding the left and right case body halves 15L and 15R, ears 91L and 91R provided on the shell 13 as shown in FIG.
and fit into the notches 92L and 92R provided in 15R,
Separately from the mounting knob 14, a structure is provided in which the mounting protrusions 94L and 94R provided on the left and right case body halves 15L and 15R are fitted into the through holes 93L and 93R formed on the shell 13 side. However, the same effect as the above case can be obtained.

Furthermore, in the above embodiment, a case was described in which the case 12 was divided into two parts in the vertical direction, but it is also possible to divide the case 12 into two or more case parts in the vertical direction, or into multiple parts in the horizontal direction. The same effect as the above case can be obtained even if

〔Effect of the invention〕

As described above, according to the present invention, the case main body is divided to form an uneven surface inside, and the divided parts are integrated by fitting the shell, so that the shell can be practically used. It is possible to effectively utilize the internal space and arrange the components in a dispersed manner, thereby easily obtaining a hearing aid whose overall structure can be further miniaturized.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing the external configuration of a hearing aid according to the present invention;
Figure 2 is a perspective view showing the exploded structure, and Figures 3 and 4 are the left and right case body halves 15L and 15 in Figure 2.
5 is a right side view and a left side view showing the detailed configuration of R. FIG. 5 is a side view showing a state where components are arranged inside the case 12 of FIG.
The figure is a partial perspective view showing the mounting structure of the take-out knob 14 of FIG. 1, FIG. 7 is a partial perspective view showing another embodiment of the integrated structure, and FIG. 8 is a partial perspective view showing a conventional hearing aid. It is an exploded perspective view. Lll...Hearing aid H12, 13...Shell, 12...Case, 14...Eject knob, 15L, 15R...Left side, right side Case body half, 15A... Board part, 15B...
battery cover. //N tumor organ

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] A shell having an external shape that can be inserted into the ear canal of a wearer, and a case incorporating components constituting a hearing aid information processing unit that processes hearing aid information, the case being divided into a plurality of parts. a plurality of case body division parts, each of the case body division parts forming an uneven surface having a shape that can be pulled out from the inner mold in the direction of the division surface in the injection molding manufacturing process;
Positioning and holding the components so as to be dispersed within the case using the uneven surface, and holding the plurality of case body division parts in an integrated state by fitting the shell into the case. A hearing aid featuring: