Assembly comprising a sensor in a spout

Abstract

An assembly of a sound generator having a sound output, a spout connected to the receiver, the spout having a sound channel having a first opening connected to the sound output and a second opening from which sound may be output. The spout has one or more third openings blocked by fastening portions of a dome, and a sensor positioned in the sound channel at the third opening(s). Sound may pass the sensor in the sound channel while travelling in the third opening(s). The assembly may be a personal hearing instrument and the sensor may be a microphone.

Claims

1. An assembly of: a sound generator having a sound output, a spout connected to the sound generator, the spout having a sound channel configured to guide sound away from the sound generator, the sound channel having a first opening, connected to the sound output, and a second opening, —a sensor positioned in the sound channel, and a dome attached to the spout, wherein: the spout has one or more third openings between the first opening and the second opening, the sensor is positioned in the sound channel at the third opening(s), and the dome has a fastening portion engaging the spout and blocking the third opening(s).

2. The assembly according to claim 1, wherein one or more sound passages are provided in the sound channel around the sensor.

3. The assembly according to claim 1, wherein the sensor is generally box-shaped with at least 4 at least substantially plane surfaces and wherein sound passages extend at least 2 of the at least 4 at least substantially plane surfaces.

4. The assembly according to claim 1, wherein the sensor is generally box-shaped and has a longitudinal axis at least substantially parallel to a longitudinal axis of the spout.

5. The assembly according to claim 1, wherein the sensor is a microphone having a sound input.

6. The assembly according to claim 5, wherein a distance of at least 2 mm exists, along the sound channel, between the sound output and the sound input.

7. The assembly according to claim 5, wherein a first distance exists, along the sound channel, from the second opening to the sound input and a second distance exists, along the sound channel, between the second opening and the sound output, wherein the second distance is at least 2 times the first distance.

8. The assembly according to claim 7, wherein the second distance is at least 6 mm longer than the first distance, and where, at all longitudinal positions of the spout where the sensor is present, the sensor covers an area of no more than 95% of an inner cross sectional area of the spout at the longitudinal positions.

9. The assembly according to claim 7, wherein the first distance is no more than 3 mm.

10. The assembly according to claim 5, wherein the spout comprises at least two separate sound transport channels, one sound transport channel of the two separate sound transport channels extending from the second opening to the sound output and another sound transport channel of the two separate sound transport channels extending from the second opening to the microphone.

11. The assembly according to claim 1, wherein, along a longitudinal axis of the sound channel: the sensor is positioned between a first position and a second position and a third opening is positioned between a third position and a fourth position, wherein the first and second positions are provided between the third and fourth positions.

12. The assembly according to claim 1, further comprising an assembly housing, the sound generator being provided in the assembly housing and the spout being part of the assembly housing.

13. A Receiver in the Canal element comprising an assembly according to claim 1.

14. A personal hearing device comprising an assembly according to claim 1.

15. A method of providing an assembly according to claim 1, the method comprising: providing a sound generator having a sound output, attaching a spout to the sound generator at the sound output, and providing a sensor in the spout.

Description

(1) In the following, preferred embodiments are described with reference to the drawing, wherein:

(2) FIG. 1 illustrates a first assembly according to the invention,

(3) FIG. 2 illustrates a second assembly according to the invention,

(4) FIG. 3 illustrates the positioning of the sensor in the sound channel,

(5) FIG. 4 illustrates different positions of the sensor in the sound channel, and

(6) FIG. 5 illustrates the distances in the sound channel.

(7) In FIG. 1, an assembly 10 is illustrated comprising a sound generator 12, called a receiver in hearing aid terms, and a spout unit comprising a spout 14 attached to the receiver. Usually, the receiver is spoutless, so that it has a box-shaped housing with rounded corners and an opening 122 therein for outputting sound from the receiver.

(8) The spout 14 has a sound channel 148 having a first opening 144 for receiving the sound from the receiver and an opening 142 for outputting the sound. Usually, the spout is used for connecting the receiver to a dome (see FIG. 2) or other structures, such as sound guides and/or an outer housing. Thus, the spout unit is usually attached to or fixed in relation to the receiver.

(9) In the sound channel 148 of the spout, a sensor 16 is provided. The sound channel 148, however extends around the sensor so that sound is able to pass the sensor and exit the sound channel.

(10) The spout has openings 149 at the position of the sensor, so that sound may pass around the sensor via the openings 149. The openings 149 are closed by the dome 20 so that sound cannot escape the sound channel via the openings 149. The dome 20 has a fastening portion 210 which engages the spout, typically an outer portion thereof, including the portion(s) of the spout defining the openings 149, so that the portions 210 seal the openings 149 so that the openings form concavities in the sound channel 148 but so that sound cannot to any significant degree escape the sound channel 148 via the openings 149. The openings 149 thus define widenings of the sound channel.

(11) When the sensor is provided at the position(s) of the opening(s), sound may pass the sensor by travelling inside the opening(s) or cavity/ies defined by the opening(s) so that the sensor may take up more space or the sound may more easily pass due to the increased space or cross sectional area at the opening(s).

(12) As described further below, the opening(s) or each opening 149 may extend, along a longitudinal axis of the spout, from a first position to a second position, between which the extreme portions of the sensor, also when projected on to the longitudinal axis, are provided.

(13) The assembly 20 may be a personal hearing instrument, such as a hearing aid, having an outer housing in which the receiver is provided, optionally together with optional elements, such as battery, processor, other microphones, or the like. The element 146 illustrates a portion forming the outer housing together with the spout element with the spout 14.

(14) In FIGS. 3 and 4, different positions of the sensor 16 in the sound channel 148 are illustrated. A single opening 149 is illustrated. Two or more may be used if desired. In FIG. 4, the sensor and the sound channel 148 are rectangular. In FIG. 3, the sound channel 148 is circular, where two other elements 162 and 164 are also provided in the sound channel. The elements 162 and 164 may also be sensors or elements for use with a sensor. In one embodiment, the element 162 is an optical emitter and the element 164 is an optical receiver. In that situation, the present assembly is suited for positioning in the ear canal of a person where sensors may be used for a number of purposes. One purpose is to determine the pulse or other physiological signs of a person like blood pressure, heart rate variability or respiration rate, such as using the so-called PPG (photoplethysmography) which relates to absorption, reflection and/or scattering of radiation in the tissue, including blood vessels. On the basis of the radiation received, the pulse or other physiological parameters of the person may be determined, as the absorption, reflection and/or scattering in the tissue will vary with the perfusion of the tissue and expansion/contraction of the blood vessels. Thus, the variation of received radiation will correspond to the physiological parameters of the person like pulse frequency, blood pressure etc.

(15) Clearly, the dome could be made translucent to the relevant wavelength(s). Actually, providing such elements in or at the dome may be advantageous in that very little movement takes place between the ear canal and the optical elements at this position.

(16) In FIG. 3, it is seen that sound channel portions 148′ exist which may be used for the sound travelling around the sensor. These may be replaced by or supplemented by they opening(s) 149.

(17) One advantage of providing the sensor in the spout is space saving and allowing smaller dimensions of the assembly. Hitherto, sensors have been provided at the side of the receiver, increasing the cross-sectional area, or at the back or front of the receiver, increasing the length of the assembly. This makes it more difficult to obtain a desired positioning of the assembly in an ear canal of a user.

(18) The spout, however, is often present but empty, and it has been found that the quality and intensity of the sound output by the sound generator is not detrimentally affected, if sufficient space is allowed around the sensor to transport this sound. Very small microphones are available, such as the TDK4064 microphone.

(19) In addition, spouts may have standard sizes whereby it will be easy to provide another type or size of receiver with the sensor without having to redesign the system.

(20) Providing an element in the spout may decrease the volume of the spout, whereby the high frequency parameters of the assembly are affected due to the constricted passage around the sensor. Thus, it may be desired to require that a certain area, in the cross section of the spout, is open along the length of the sensor—and this area may depend on a length of the sensor in the spout. Defining a minimum cross-sectional area which is open along this length will determine the overall effect on the presence on the sensor in the spout.

(21) Clearly, the sensor need not have the same cross section or cross section are along its length along the longitudinal axis of the spout, which need not be straight nor have the same inner cross section or cross-sectional area.

(22) In one example, it has been found that if at least 15% of a spout is left open, the second peak frequency of a Sonion H40UA03 receiver is only reduced by 3%, when the sensor has a length of 2.4 mm. If the sensor has a length of 5 mm, 30% of the cross-sectional area should be left open to achieve the same effect.

(23) In FIG. 5, the spout 14 is illustrated with the two openings 142, 144, the sensor 16 therein and the receiver 12 with the sound output 122 opening into the opening 144. Also, the distances D1 and D2 are illustrated from the opening 142 to the sound input 162 and the sound output 122 of the receiver, respectively.

(24) Preferably, the distance between the sound input and the sound output (D2-D1) is as large as possible and preferably at least 2 mm, such as at least 4 mm, such as at least 6 mm.

(25) Also, it is preferred that the distance D1 is as small as possible, as any volume of the spout 14 in front of the sensor may, especially when it is a microphone, affect the signal thereof. Thus, a filtering or adaptation may be desired of the output of the sensor, depending on this volume and thus the distance D1.

(26) In addition, the sound from the receiver has a larger tendency of reaching the sound input, when the distance D1 increases. Again, this may be taken into account in a signal adaptation of the output of the sensor, but reducing the distance D1 is often preferred.

(27) In FIG. 5, a sound guiding element 145 is additionally illustrated. This element may be left out if desired. This element has the function of dividing the sound channel 148 into two sound transport channels, one inside the element 145 and one outside of this element but inside the sound channel. The element 145 guides sound from the opening 142 to the microphone and at the same time guides sound from the receiver to the opening without reaching the microphone. This element thus has the advantage that the sound from the sound generator does not unintentionally reach the microphone.

(28) This element 145 may be designed in many manners. In another embodiment, the element 145 may form a wall inside the spout again dividing the sound channel into sound transport channels.

(29) Naturally, the element 145 may engage the microphone and extend to the opening 142. Alternatively, the element 145 need extend only a portion of the distance to the opening—but may also extend out of the opening 142.

(30) FIG. 5 also illustrates the position of the receiver 16 and an opening 149 within the sound channel. The receiver extends between positions P1 and P2 along the longitudinal direction, which may be an axis of symmetry, of the sound channel 148. An opening 149 extends between positions P3 and P4, and it is seen that the positions P1 and P2 are provided between the positions P3 and P4, so that sound may pass the receiver in the sound channel even in the situation where the receiver takes up all space in the cross section of sound channel (not including the opening 149). The sound channel has (see FIG. 3) an inner cross section and has the opening 149 defined as an opening in the wall and thus not forming part of the definition of the inner cross section.

(31) If the opening 149 was instead positioned so that one or both of the positions was between P1 and P2, sound would only be able to enter the opening if it was able to travel around at least part of the receive within the sound channel 148.