Electrical audio signal processing systems and devices – Hearing aids – electrical – Specified casing or housing
Patent
1997-01-24
1999-07-06
Le, Huyen
Electrical audio signal processing systems and devices
Hearing aids, electrical
Specified casing or housing
381322, 381324, H04R 2500
Patent
active
059206357
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
This invention relates to a hearing aid, in this instance a body adapted to be placed in the external auditory meatus of the ear with its outer end located approximately in the transition between the auditory meatus and the tragus, with its inner end lying within the auditory meatus and with its central part extending between the outer end and the inner end, a microphone in the outer end, a loudspeaker in the inner end, and an amplifier with current supply located between the microphone and the loudspeaker in the central part of the body or, alternatively, a coupling device to an amplifier with current supply situated outside the hearing aid body, as well as requisite, electrically conductive connections.
Impaired hearing constitutes an increasing problem, which is actually surprising, considering the general requirement nowadays that anyone who frequents premises where sound levels are high should wear hearing protectors. Individuals, however, sometimes disregard this requirement. Recently, researchers have established that also those frequenting premises with reasonably high, but continuous sound levels, such as preparatory schools and the lower and middle departments of comprehensive schools, run the risk of impairing their hearing. Most exposed to this risk perhaps are those attending discotheques as well as the members of pop groups who sometimes--oddly enough--wear hearing protectors. A large group, of course, are those whose hearing is impaired for age reasons.
As means of assistance at impaired hearing, devices have been developed--from the ear trumpets of the last century to today's sophisticated, electronic plugs which are placed in the external auditory meatus. These old and new devices, however, have in common that they directly pick up the sound and, after amplification, transmit it to the interior of the externat auditory meatus, towards the tympanic membrane. This involves a number of problems well-known to the users of hearing aids.
When a person equipped with a hearing aid for instance attends a dinner together with several other persons around the dinner table, the incoming sound will provide a noise carpet made up of a plurality of voices impossible to localise, the clatter of knives, forks and spoons against china, foot movements, etc. Another well-known problem is that sudden, loud sounds in the vicinity of the device, which are directly picked up and amplified, may give rise to considerable pain. When the microphone and loudspeaker of the hearing aid are spaced a minor distance apart, of frequent occurrence in modern hearing aids, feedback howls will arise when the amplification of the device is raised above a definite, relatively low threshold. This constitutes a further problem as it may imply that the amplification because of the feedback risk cannot be set at such a level that the impairment is corrected.
As examples of hearing aids adapted to be placed in the cavum conchae and external auditory meatus, reference is made to U.S. Pat. No. 4 069 400 which shows an entry member with an outwardly facing microphone aperture 14, and to U.S. Pat. No. 3 983 336, where the sound entry aperture 15 is pointed forward. Moreover, hearing aids have been presented, which have forwardly pointing microphones located in spectacle frames. All of these devices directly pick up the sound and thus suffer from the above-mentioned drawbacks.
Hearing aids of the type shown in the above-mentioned U.S. patent specifications nowadays are of considerably smaller dimensions and comprise a plug-shaped plastic shell accommodating microphone, loudspeaker, amplifier, filters, possible a microcomputer and current supply. The dimensions of the plug are of size 14.times.12 mm. The microphone at the outwardly facing end of the plug is located adjacent the outwardly facing opening of the auditory meatus and is pointed outwardly. It is then struck not only by direct sound but also by sound treated by the auricle, which in reason would muddle the resulting sound picture. In the following specification and claims the term
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