Hearing aid device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016227334-A1
Application number	US-201514820405-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Aug 6, 2015
Priority date	Jan 30, 2015
Publication date	Aug 4, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A hearing aid device includes: a hearing aid housing surrounding an inner space; a frame structure arranged in the inner space, the frame structure configured for mounting at least a microphone and a signal processing unit; a sound emitter sized for being arranged in an ear canal; a conductor, wherein the sound emitter is arranged on a first end of the conductor; a connector socket arranged in the frame structure, wherein the hearing aid housing comprises a passage located in front of the connector socket; a connector plug arranged on a second end of the conductor, the connector plug configured for insertion through the passage for connection to the connector socket; a recess at an outer surface of the connector plug; and a locking plug having a first part configured to extend through a housing opening at the hearing aid housing, and engage with the recess.

First claim

1 . A hearing aid device, comprising:
a hearing aid housing surrounding an inner space; a frame structure arranged in the inner space of the hearing aid housing, the frame structure configured for mounting at least a microphone for converting sound into an audio input signal, and a signal processing unit configured for providing an audio output signal based on the audio input signal; a sound emitter sized for being arranged in an ear canal of a human being; a conductor configured for transmitting output sound or an output electrical signal to the sound emitter, wherein the sound emitter is arranged on a first end of the conductor; a connector socket arranged in the frame structure, wherein the hearing aid housing comprises a passage located in front of the connector socket; a connector plug arranged on a second end of the conductor, the connector plug being configured for insertion through the passage of the hearing aid housing for connection to the connector socket; a recess at an outer surface of the connector plug; and a locking plug configured for being inserted from outside of the hearing aid housing so that a first part of the locking plug extends through a housing opening at the hearing aid housing, and engages with the recess to lock the connector plug relative to the connector socket.

2 . The hearing aid device according to claim 1 , wherein the conductor is configured to transmit the output electrical signal, not the output sound, and wherein the sound emitter comprises a receiver configured for receiving the output electrical signal transmitted via wiring in the conductor.

3 . The hearing aid device according to claim 1 , wherein the conductor is configured to transmit the output sound, not the output electrical signal;
wherein the hearing aid further comprises a receiver arranged in the hearing aid housing, the receiver configured to provide the output sound to the conductor for transmission to the sound emitter through the conductor.

4 . The hearing aid device according to claim 1 , wherein the locking plug has a U-shape, and comprises a first leg, a second leg, and an intermediate section connecting the first leg and the second leg, wherein the first leg comprises the first part of the locking plug, and wherein the second leg is configured to interlock the frame structure and the hearing aid housing relative to each other.

5 . The hearing aid device according to claim 1 , wherein the locking plug comprises an exterior surface visible from outside the hearing aid housing when the locking plug is inserted in the hearing aid housing, and wherein the exterior surface of the locking plug has a color that is different from a color of the hearing aid housing.

6 . The hearing aid device according to claim 5 , wherein the hearing aid housing comprises a concave surface, and the exterior surface of the locking plug is flush with the concave surface of the hearing aid housing when the locking plug is inserted in the hearing aid housing.

7 . The hearing aid device according to claim 6 , wherein the exterior surface of the locking plug is surrounded by the concave surface of the hearing aid housing.

8 . The hearing aid device according to claim 5 , further comprising an additional locking plug, wherein the locking plug and the additional locking plug are interchangeable, and have different respective identification features.

9 . The hearing aid device according to claim 1 , wherein the first part of the locking plug comprises two resilient legs extending on opposite sides of the connector plug when the connector plug is connected to the connector socket.

10 . The hearing aid device according claim 9 , wherein the resilient legs are displaceable away from each other when the locking plug is being mounted to the hearing aid housing.

11 . The hearing aid device according to claim 1 , wherein when the locking plug is inserted from the outside of the hearing aid housing, the first part of the locking plug also extends through an opening at the frame structure.

12 . The hearing aid device according to claim 1 , wherein the connector plug is also configured to lock the frame structure relative to the hearing aid housing.

Assignees

• Gn Resound As

Inventors

• Johansen Jan

Classifications

• H04R25/604

  of acoustic or vibrational transducers · CPC title

• H04R2225/021

  Behind the ear [BTE] hearing aids · CPC title

• H04R25/652 Primary

  Ear tips; Ear moulds (hybrid ear moulds or post-processing thereof for their customisation H04R25/659) · CPC title

• H04R2225/57

  Aspects of electrical interconnection between hearing aid parts · CPC title

• H04R2225/0216

  BTE hearing aids having a receiver in the ear mould · CPC title