Protective cover for a hearing aid device

Abstract

An object of the present disclosed is to provide a protective cover for a hearing aid device which comprises a cover formed from a substantially flexible material, and where the cover may have a first area with a first hardness and a second area with a second hardness.

Claims

1. A protective cover for a hearing aid device configured to be worn on and behind an ear of a user of the hearing aid device, where the protective cover including the hearing aid device is configured to be worn on and behind an ear of the user, the protective cover comprising: a cover formed from a substantially flexible material, where the cover has a first area with a first hardness and a second area with a second hardness, and the cover has a main opening configured to receive a hearing aid device, and the main opening is arranged in the second area of the cover, a plurality of lips formed on a surface of the cover in the second area, and a closing mean configured to be applied onto the cover for encompassing the at least plurality of lips for sealing the hearing aid device in the cover, wherein the closing mean is applied in such manner that a part of the closing mean applies a compression force to the plurality of lips thereby deforming the plurality of lips, wherein the deformation of the plurality of lips resulting from the applied compression force causes the plurality of lips to press against part of the hearing aid device, thereby sealing the hearing aid device in the cover.

2. The protective cover according to claim 1, where the plurality of lips is formed on an outer surface of the cover, and the closing mean is a lid where a part of the lid is covering the main opening and another part of the closing mean is the part applying the compression force to the plurality of lips.

3. The protective cover according to claim 2, comprising a base plug configured to be inserted into the main opening and arranged at the second area of the cover.

4. The protective cover according to claim 2, wherein the protective cover includes a hinge system configured to attach the closing mean to the outer surface of the cover.

5. The protective cover according to claim 4, comprising a base plug configured to be inserted into the main opening and arranged at the second area of the cover.

6. The protective cover according to claim 1, where the plurality of lips is formed on an inner surface of the cover, and the closing mean is a ring formed from a substantially flexible material configured to provide the compression force between the plurality of lips and the hearing aid device when being inserted into the main opening.

7. The protective cover according to claim 6, comprising a base plug configured to be inserted into the main opening and arranged at the second area of the cover.

8. The protective cover according to claim 6, wherein a part of the closing mean is integrated into the cover.

9. The protective cover according to claim 6, wherein a first outer surface of the cover in the second area, which encompasses at least the plurality of lips, is configured to guide the closing mean.

10. The protective cover according to claim 6, wherein at least one guide is provided on an outer surface of the cover in the second area.

11. The protective cover according to claim 1, wherein the second hardness is harder or the same as the first hardness.

12. The protective cover according to claim 1, comprising a rigid brace integrated into the cover in the second area.

13. The protective cover according to claim 12, wherein the rigid brace includes multiples holes configured to receive the substantially flexible material of the cover during integration of the rigid brace.

14. The protective cover according to claim 1, wherein a subpart of the first area of the cover has a hardness which is harder than the remaining parts of the first area, and the subpart is facing towards the ear when the protective cover is being worn intentionally by a user.

15. The protective cover according to claim 1, wherein at least one microphone window is formed into the cover, and where the at least one microphone window is aligned with one or more microphone inlets of the hearing aid device, when the hearing aid device is arranged within the cover.

16. The protective cover according to claim 15, wherein a thickness of the substantially flexible material of the at least one microphone window is thinner than the remains of the cover.

17. The protective cover according to claim 15, wherein the cover includes one or more protrusions extending outwards from an inner surface of the cover, and the one or more protrusions are arranged in vicinity to the microphone window, and the one or more protrusions provides an air gap between an inner surface of the microphone window and the one or more microphone inlets.

18. The protective cover according to claim 1, wherein the cover includes a rigid locking mean, and the rigid locking mean includes a receive part and a lock part, where the receive part is configured to receive a plug, and the lock part is configured to lock and seal the plug to the cover.

19. A protective cover for a hearing aid device configured to be worn on and behind an ear of a user of the hearing aid device, where the protective cover including the hearing aid device is configured to be worn on and behind an ear of the user, the protective cover comprising: a cover formed from a substantially flexible material, where the cover has a first area with a first hardness and a second area with a second hardness, and the cover has a main opening configured to receive a hearing aid device, and the main opening is arranged in the second area of the cover, a plurality of lips formed on a surface of the cover in the second area, a closing mean configured to be applied onto the cover for encompassing at least the plurality of lips for sealing the hearing aid device in the cover, and a base plug configured to be inserted into the main opening and arranged at the second area of the cover.

20. The protective cover according to claim 19, wherein a part of the closing mean is integrated into the cover.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

(1) The objects of the disclosure may be best understood from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying figures. The figures are schematic and simplified for clarity, and they just show details to improve the understanding of the claims, while other details are left out. Throughout, the same reference numerals are used for identical or corresponding parts. The individual features of each object may each be combined with any or all features of the other objects. These and other objects, features and/or technical effect will be apparent from and elucidated with reference to the illustrations described hereinafter in which:

(2) FIG. 1 illustrates a protective cover described in a known art,

(3) FIGS. 2A and 2B illustrate different example of a protective cover,

(4) FIG. 3 illustrates an example of a protective cover,

(5) FIG. 4 illustrates an example of a protective cover,

(6) FIGS. 5A to 5E illustrate different example of a protective cover,

(7) FIG. 6 illustrates an example of a protective cover,

(8) FIG. 7 illustrates an example of a protective cover,

(9) FIGS. 8A and 8B illustrate an example of a protective cover, and

(10) FIGS. 9A and 9B illustrate an example of a protective cover.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

(11) The detailed description set forth below in connection with the appended drawings is intended as a description of various configurations. The detailed description includes specific details for the purpose of providing a thorough understanding of various concepts. However, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that these concepts may be practiced without these specific details.

(12) A hearing aid device, such as an implant unit and/or a sound processor, may include a hearing aid that is adapted to improve or augment the hearing capability of a user by receiving an acoustic signal from a user's surroundings, generating a corresponding audio signal, possibly modifying the audio signal and providing the possibly modified audio signal as an audible signal to at least one of the user's ears. Such audible signals may be provided in the form of an acoustic signal transferred as mechanical vibrations to the user's inner ears through bone structure of the user's head and/or through parts of middle ear of the user or electric signals transferred directly or indirectly to cochlear nerve and/or to auditory cortex of the user.

(13) The hearing device is adapted to be worn in any known way on, within or around the head of the user. This may include i) arranging a unit of the hearing device behind the ear with a tube leading air-borne acoustic signals into the ear canal or with a receiver/loudspeaker arranged close to or in the ear canal such as in a Behind-the-Ear type hearing aid, and/or ii) arranging the hearing device entirely or partly in the pinna and/or in the ear canal of the user such as in a In-the-Ear type hearing aid or In-the-Canal/Completely-in-Canal type hearing aid, or iii) arranging a unit of the hearing device attached to a fixture implanted into the skull bone such as in Bone Anchored Hearing Aid or Cochlear Implant, or iv) arranging a unit of the hearing device as an entirely or partly implanted unit such as in Bone Anchored Hearing Aid or Cochlear Implant.

(14) In general, a hearing device, such as an implant unit and/or a sound processor unit includes i) an input unit such as a microphone for receiving an acoustic signal from a user's surroundings and providing a corresponding input audio signal, and/or ii) a receiving unit for electronically receiving an input audio signal. The hearing device further includes a signal processing unit for processing the input audio signal and an output unit for providing an audible signal to the user in dependence on the processed audio signal.

(15) The input unit may include multiple input microphones, e.g. for providing direction-dependent audio signal processing. Such directional microphone system is adapted to enhance a target acoustic source among a multitude of acoustic sources in the user's environment. In one aspect, the directional system is adapted to detect (such as adaptively detect) from which direction a particular part of the microphone signal originates. This may be achieved by using conventionally known methods. The signal processing unit may include amplifier that is adapted to apply a frequency dependent gain to the input audio signal. The signal processing unit may further be adapted to provide other relevant functionality such as compression, noise reduction, etc. The output unit may include an output transducer such as a loudspeaker/receiver for providing an air-borne acoustic signal transcutaneously or percutaneously to the skull bone or a vibrator for providing a structure-borne or liquid-borne acoustic signal. In some hearing devices, the output unit may include one or more output electrodes for providing the electric signals such as in a Cochlear Implant.

(16) FIGS. 2A and 2B illustrate both a protective cover for a hearing aid device with different examples on a closing mean. In both figs the protective cover 1 includes a cover 3 formed from a substantially flexible material, where the cover 3 has a first area 2 with a first hardness and a second area 4 with a second hardness, and the cover 3 has a main opening 6 configured to receive a hearing aid device 5, and the main opening 6 is arranged in the second area 4 of the cover 3. A plurality of lips 8 is formed on a surface of the cover in the second area 4, and a closing mean 10 is configured to be applied on to the cover 3 for encompassing the at least plurality of lips 8 for sealing the hearing aid device 5 in the cover 3.

(17) More specifically, in FIG. 2A, the plurality of lips 8 is formed on an outer surface of the cover 3, and the closing mean 10 is a lid where a part of the lid is covering the main opening 6 and another part of the closing mean 10 applies a compression force to the plurality of lips resulting in a sealing of the main opening. The arrows 50 indicate the direction of the applying of the closing mean onto the cover 3.

(18) In FIG. 2B, the plurality of lips is formed on an inner surface of the cover 3, and the closing mean 10 is a ring formed from a substantially flexible material configured to provide a compression force between the plurality of lips 8 and the hearing aid device 5 when being inserted into the main opening. The arrow 51 indicates that the closing mean is at least flexible or elastic in the direction of the arrow 51. The flexibility improves the sealing between the closing mean 10 and the cover 3 and between the hearing aid device 5 and the cover 3.

(19) FIG. 3 illustrates the protective cover with a hinge system 14, wherein the hinge system 14 is fixedly secured onto an outer surface of the cover 3, and connects the closing mean 10 to the cover 8 such that the closing mean 10 can be closed or open without the closing mean is removed from the protective cover 1. The hinge system 14 can be designed differently from what is illustrated in FIG. 3.

(20) FIG. 4 illustrates the protective cover 1 where the hearing aid device 6 within the cover 3 does not have a size which covers the second area 4 of the cover 3. In this example, the protective cover 1 includes a base plug 18 which is configured to be inserted into the main opening and arranged at the second area 4 of the cover 3. The closing mean 10 can be of any type including the examples described in present disclosure, however though, the closing mean 10 has to provide a clamping force onto the second area 4 of the cover 3 which will result in a deformation of the plurality of lips 8.

(21) FIG. 5A illustrates the protective cover 1 where a part of the closing mean 10 is integrated into the cover 3, and FIG. 5B illustrates the protective cover 1 comprising at least one guiding mean 22 formed on at least a first outer surface 4a of the cover 3 in the second area 4, and where the at least one guiding mean 22 is configured to guide the closing mean 10 when the guiding mean 10 is encompassing at least the plurality of lips 8. In this example, the closing mean 10 may be integrated or fixedly secured to the cover 3, and the guiding mean 22 prevents the closing mean 10 to slide off the cover 3 when being applied onto the cover 3 encompassing the plurality of lips 8. FIG. 5 C illustrates an example where two guiding means 22, including a first guiding mean 22 and a second guiding mean 22, are applied on the first outer surface 4a. In this example the closing mean 10 is prevented from sliding off the ideal position of the closing mean when wanting an optimal sealing of at least a part of the hearing aid device 5. FIG. 5D illustrates an example where a guiding mean 22 is arranged on both the first outer surface 4a and the second outer surface 4b. In this example the closing mean 10 is not integrated or fixedly secured onto the cover 3. FIG. 5E illustrates yet another example where at least two guiding means are arranged onto the first outer surface 4a and onto the second outer surface 4b. In this example the closing mean 10 is not integrated or fixedly secured onto the cover 3.

(22) FIG. 6 illustrates the protective cover 1 including a rigid brace 26 integrated or moulded into the cover 3 at the second area 4. In this example the plurality of lips 8 is formed on the outer surface of the cover 3, but the rigid brace 26 is also applicable when the plurality of lips 8 is formed on the inner surface of the cover 3. For improving the integration of the rigid brace 26, the rigid brace includes multiple holes 28.

(23) FIG. 7 illustrates the protective cover 3 where a subpart 2a of the first area 2 of the cover 3 has a hardness which is harder than the remaining parts 2b of the first area 2, and the subpart 2a is facing towards the ear when the protective cover 1 is being worn intentionally by a user. The subpart is also applicable when the plurality of lips 8 is formed on the inner surface of the cover 3.

(24) FIGS. 8A and 8B illustrate the protective cover 3 including at least one microphone window 34 is formed into the cover 3, and where the at least one microphone 34 window is aligned with one or more microphone inlets 37 of the hearing aid device 5, when the hearing aid device 5 is arranged within the cover. The thickness of the substantially flexible material of the at least one microphone window 34 may be thinner than the remains of the cover 3. FIG. 8b illustrates the protective cover 1 including one or more protrusions 38 extending outwards from an inner surface of the cover 3, and the one or more protrusions 38 are arranged in vicinity to the microphone window 34, and the one or more protrusions 38 provides an air gap 39 between an inner surface of the microphone window 34 and the one or more microphone inlets 37.

(25) FIGS. 9A and 9B illustrate the protective cover 1 including a rigid locking mean 40. The rigid locking mean 40 includes a receive part 41 and a lock part 43, where the receive part 41 is configured to receive a plug 45, and the lock part 43 is configured to lock and seal the plug 45 to the cover 3. In FIG. 9A, the rigid locking mean 40 includes a sealing element 40A, e.g. a ring sealer, and a part 40B which includes the receive part 41 and the lock part 43. Furthermore, the plug 45 includes at least two leg means 45A protruding radially out from an elongated plug 45B which is configured to connect to the hearing device arranged within the cover 1. The at least two leg means 45A are configured to be inserted into the receive part 41 and turned so that the lock part receives the at least two leg means 45 and the plug 45 is locked and sealed to the protective cover. The elongated plug 45B is configured to communicate audio and power to an implant. The plug 45 includes sealing elements 45C for improving even more the sealing between the plug 45 and the rigid locking mean 40.

(26) In FIG. 9B, the receive part 41 may be an opening formed into the cover, and when the plug 45 is inserted into the opening 41 and turned, then the lock part 42 is configured to grab the plug 45 such that the user is not able to pull out the plug 45 from the receive part 41. The opening 41 is arranged along a first longitudinal axis 42, and the plug may have locking means arranged along a second longitudinal axis 44. When the locking means are in a first position, the first longitudinal axis 42 and the second longitudinal axis 45 are in parallel, and thereby, the locking means fit into the opening 41 allowing the plug 45 to be received by the receive part 41. When rotating the plug 45 to a second position, the first and the second longitudinal axis are no more in parallel, and thereby, the opening 43 is the lock part because the locking means can no more be pulled out from the receive part 41.