Adaptable hearing device charging port for a hearing device charger

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10587965-B2
Application number	US-201916257102-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 25, 2019
Priority date	Jan 30, 2018
Publication date	Mar 10, 2020
Grant date	Mar 10, 2020

Abstract

An adaptable/adjustable hearing device charging port ( 10 ) for a hearing device charger ( 7 ) that can adapt/adjust in size to accommodate and hold hearing devices ( 2 ) of different sizes and/or shapes. The adjustable hearing device charging port ( 10 ) adapts elastically so that hearing devices ( 2 ) of different sizes can be inserted into the hearing device charging port ( 10 ) and can be hold in a charging position in the hearing device charger ( 7 ), in which charging position hearing device charging contacts ( 6 ) of the hearing device ( 2 ) are electrically contacted with charger contacts ( 8 ) in the hearing device charger ( 7 ).

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An adaptable hearing device charging port for a hearing device charger, comprising:
a receiving section including a receiving opening configured for receiving at least a part of a hearing device; and
a holder coupled with the receiving section and comprising a holding outer-wall defining a holding cavity configured to accommodate the at least part of the hearing device, and a holder opening in the holding outer-wall configured to receive the at least part of the hearing device through the receiving opening into the holding cavity,
wherein the holding outer-wall is elastically adaptable to adapt in size to hold hearing devices of different sizes and/or shapes in the holding cavity in a charging position,
wherein the holder opening is smaller or equal in size to a largest cross-sectional dimension of the hearing device,
wherein the holding outer-wall comprises two sections: a fixed section comprising a rigid material and configured to guide the hearing device, and a moveable section comprising a rigid material elastically coupled with the fixed section by an elastic coupling to provide an elastic adjustment of the moveable section relative to the fixed section for accommodating and holding the part of the hearing device in the holding cavity in the charging position,
wherein the elastic coupling comprises a band, an O-ring of elastic material encircling at least partially the fixed section and the moveable section, or a spring, and
wherein the moveable section is coupled with the fixed section.

2. The adaptable hearing device charging port of claim 1 , wherein the hearing device charger comprises charger contacts and the adaptable hearing device charging port is configured to provide that hearing device charging contacts on the hearing device contact the charger contacts when the hearing device is held in the charging position in the adaptable hearing device charging port.

3. The adaptable hearing device charging port of claim 2 , wherein the receiving section of the adaptable hearing device charging port is beveled in shape and configured to guide the hearing device into the holding cavity.

4. The adaptable hearing device charging port of claim 1 , wherein the holder opening is smaller than and/or misaligned with the receiving opening.

5. The adaptable hearing device charging port of claim 1 , wherein the holding outer-wall comprises an elastic material.

6. The adaptable hearing device charging port of claim 1 , wherein the holding outer-wall comprises two sections: a fixed section comprising a rigid material and configured to guide the hearing device to the charging position, and a moveable section configured to elastically adapt to accommodate and hold the hearing device in the hearing device charging port.

7. The adaptable hearing device charging port of claim 6 , wherein the moveable section and/or an additional elastic section connected to the movable section comprises an elastic material.

8. The adaptable hearing device charging port of claim 2 , wherein the holding outer-wall comprises a contact opening configured to provide that the hearing device charging contacts on the hearing device contact electrically the charger contacts extending through the contact opening into the holding cavity when the hearing device is in the charging position in the adaptable hearing device charging port.

9. A method for positioning hearing devices of different sizes and/or shapes in a hearing device charger, comprising:
providing an adaptable hearing device charging port comprising a holder comprising a holding outer-wall defining a holding cavity and a holder opening providing access through the holding outer-wall to the holding cavity, wherein the holding outer-wall is configured to be adaptable to accommodate and hold one of hearing devices of different sizes and/or shapes in the holding cavity and wherein the holder opening is smaller than the largest of the cross sectional dimensions (W, D) of the one of the hearing devices of different sizes and/or shapes;
receiving at least a part of the one of the hearing devices of different sizes and/or shapes into the holding cavity;
elastically adapting the size of the holding cavity to a size of the one of the hearing devices of different sizes;
guiding the one of the hearing devices of different sizes and/or shapes to a charging position in the hearing device charger; and
elastically coupling the holding outer-wall with the one of the hearing devices of different sizes and/or shapes to hold the one of the hearing devices of different sizes in the charging position,
wherein the holding outer-wall comprises two at least partially rigid sections: a fixed section and a moveable section, wherein and the fixed section is coupled to the moveable section such that the two at least partially rigid sections can rotate with respect to one another, and
wherein the fixed section is elastically coupled with the moveable section by means of an elastic coupling.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the holder outer-wall comprises an elastic material.

Assignees

• Sonova Ag

Inventors

• Mueller Josef
• Meyer Jonas
• Gabathuler Bruno

Classifications

• H04R25/556 Primary

  External connectors, e.g. plugs or modules (H04R25/607 takes precedence) · CPC title

• H04R25/02

  adapted to be supported entirely by ear · CPC title

• H04R2225/31

  Aspects of the use of accumulators in hearing aids, e.g. rechargeable batteries or fuel cells · CPC title

• H04R25/554

  using a wireless connection, e.g. between microphone and amplifier or using Tcoils · CPC title

• H02J7/0044

  Electricity · mapped topic