Receiver / loud speaker

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10715938-B2
Application number	US-201816218221-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 12, 2018
Priority date	Dec 22, 2017
Publication date	Jul 14, 2020
Grant date	Jul 14, 2020

Abstract

A hearing aid includes: a hearing aid housing with a connector socket; and an earpiece connector with a connector plug; wherein the connector plug of the earpiece connector is configured to releasably couple to the connector socket of the hearing aid housing for connecting the earpiece connector to the hearing aid housing; and wherein the connector plug of the earpiece connector comprises a connector plug body having a deadbolt movably arranged in the connector plug body.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A hearing aid comprising:
a hearing aid housing with a connector socket; and
an earpiece connector with a connector plug;
wherein the connector plug of the earpiece connector is configured to releasably couple to the connector socket of the hearing aid housing for connecting the earpiece connector to the hearing aid housing; and
wherein the connector plug of the earpiece connector comprises a connector plug body and a deadbolt moveable relative to the connector plug body; and
wherein the deadbolt is mechanically coupled to the connector plug body regardless of whether the connector plug is coupled to, or is released from, the connector socket.

2. The hearing aid according to claim 1 , wherein the deadbolt is spring activated.

3. The hearing aid according to claim 1 , wherein the connector plug comprises a spring configured to provide a spring force.

4. The hearing aid according to claim 1 , wherein the connector plug has a front end, an opposite rear end, and a free surface extending between the front end and the rear end, the free surface facing away from the hearing aid housing when the connector plug is coupled to the connector socket.

5. The hearing aid according to claim 1 , wherein the connector socket comprises a rear undercut.

6. The hearing aid according to claim 5 , wherein the connector plug has a front extension projecting outwardly from a front end of the connector plug, wherein the connector socket has a front undercut, and wherein the front extension of the connector plug is configured to engage with the front undercut of the connector socket when the connector plug is coupled to the connector socket.

7. The hearing aid according to claim 1 , wherein the deadbolt is in a slot of the connector plug body, and wherein the deadbolt is moveable between an extended position that is away from a front end of the connector plug, and a retracted position.

8. The hearing aid according to claim 1 , wherein the hearing aid housing is configured for placement behind an ear of a user of the hearing aid.

9. The hearing aid according to claim 1 , wherein the connector plug of the earpiece connector is connected to, or is configured to connect to, a receiver that is configured for being placed in an ear of a user of the hearing aid.

10. The hearing aid according to claim 1 , wherein the deadbolt comprises a deadbolt end with a slanted surface.

11. The hearing aid according to claim 1 , further comprising a tube or a cable extending from the earpiece connector, wherein the hearing aid housing comprises a channel for accommodating a part of the tube or the cable.

12. A hearing aid comprising:
a hearing aid housing with a connector socket; and
an earpiece connector with a connector plug;
wherein the connector plug of the earpiece connector is configured to releasably couple to the connector socket of the hearing aid housing for connecting the earpiece connector to the hearing aid housing; and
wherein the connector plug of the earpiece connector comprises a connector plug body and a deadbolt moveable relative to the connector plug body;
wherein the connector plug comprises a spring; and
wherein the deadbolt comprises a knob that is moveable in a direction against a spring force of the spring.

13. The hearing aid according to claim 12 , wherein the knob extends through a knob channel in the connector plug body, and wherein the knob is operable by a user to move the deadbolt.

14. The hearing aid according to claim 12 , wherein the hearing aid housing is configured for placement behind an ear of a user of the hearing aid.

15. The hearing aid according to claim 12 , wherein the connector plug of the earpiece connector is connected to, or is configured to connect to, a receiver that is configured for being placed in an ear of a user of the hearing aid.

16. The hearing aid according to claim 12 , wherein the deadbolt comprises a deadbolt end with a slanted surface.

17. The hearing aid according to claim 12 , further comprising a tube or a cable extending from the earpiece connector, wherein the hearing aid housing comprises a channel for accommodating a part of the tube or the cable.

18. A hearing aid comprising:
a hearing aid housing with a connector socket; and
an earpiece connector with a connector plug;
wherein the connector plug of the earpiece connector is configured to releasably couple to the connector socket of the hearing aid housing for connecting the earpiece connector to the hearing aid housing; and
wherein the connector plug of the earpiece connector comprises a connector plug body and a deadbolt moveable relative to the connector plug body;
wherein the deadbolt has one or more projections, and wherein the deadbolt is moveable relative to the connector plug body between a retracted position that allows the one or more projections to be placed into the connector socket, and an extended position where at least a part of the one or more projections is outside the connector plug body for engagement with the connector socket.

19. The hearing aid according to claim 18 , wherein the connector plug further comprises a spring element urging the deadbolt towards the extended position.

20. The hearing aid according to claim 18 , wherein a distal end of one of the one or more projections has a sloping surface.

21. The hearing aid according to claim 18 , wherein the one or more projections are configured to snap into and/or out of engagement with a rear undercut of the connector socket.

22. The hearing aid according to claim 18 , wherein the hearing aid housing is configured for placement behind an ear of a user of the hearing aid.

23. The hearing aid according to claim 18 , wherein the connector plug of the earpiece connector is connected to, or is configured to connect to, a receiver that is configured for being placed in an ear of a user of the hearing aid.

24. The hearing aid according to claim 18 , wherein the deadbolt comprises a deadbolt end with a slanted surface.

25. The hearing aid according to claim 18 , further comprising a tube or a cable extending from the earpiece connector, wherein the hearing aid housing comprises a channel for accommodating a part of the tube or the cable.

26. A hearing aid comprising:
a hearing aid housing with a connector socket; and
an earpiece connector with a connector plug;
wherein the connector plug of the earpiece connector is configured to releasably couple to the connector socket of the hearing aid housing for connecting the earpiece connector to the hearing aid housing; and
wherein the connector plug of the earpiece connector comprises a connector plug body and a deadbolt moveable relative to the connector plug body;
wherein the connector socket comprises a rear undercut; and
wherein the deadbolt has one or more projections, and wherein the deadbolt is moveable relative to the connector plug body between a retracted position that allows the one or more projections to be placed into the connector socket, and an extended position where at least a part of the one or more projections is in engagement with the rear undercut of the connector socket.

27. The hearing aid according to claim 26 , wherein the hearing aid housing is configured for placement behind an ear of a user of the hearing aid.

28. The hearing aid according to claim 26 , wherein the connector plug of the earpiec

Assignees

• Gn Hearing As

Inventors

• Kirchhoff Laurids Egedal
• Michaelsen Anders Hjermø

Classifications

• H04R25/556 Primary

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

• H01R13/639

  Additional means for holding or locking coupling parts together, after engagement, {e.g. separate keylock, retainer strap} · CPC title

• H04R1/1016

  Earpieces of the intra-aural type · CPC title

• H04R2225/021

  Behind the ear [BTE] hearing aids · CPC title

• H04R25/65

  Housing parts, e.g. shells, tips or moulds, or their manufacture · CPC title