Abstract
The invention relates to an apparatus for recording physiological parameters, which can be inserted in an ear canal. The apparatus is designed with a tube, which is to be introduced into the ear canal, and a housing, which is connected to the tube. The tube comprises a largely cylindrical portion at a distal end that faces toward the eardrum when being worn. At least one sensor device for recording physiological parameters is integrated in the housing. The largely cylindrical portion is designed with at least one sensor opening for at least one sensor component for recording physiological parameters. The at least one sensor opening is spaced apart from the longitudinal axis L.sub.A of the largely cylindrical portion by a distance l.sub.sensoropening. A receiver device for outputting sound signals may also be integrated in the apparatus, so that the apparatus is suitable for applying sound to the eardrum. The invention further relates to an ear adapter for detachable attachment to the largely cylindrical portion of the tube of the apparatus, wherein the ear adapter is attached thereto in such a way that the at least one sensor opening comes to lie in close proximity to an inner surface of the ear canal or comes into contact therewith.
Claims
1-14. (canceled)
15. An apparatus for recording physiological parameters, which can be inserted in an ear canal, comprising: a) a tube adapted to be introduced into an ear canal; and b) a housing connected to the tube, wherein the housing has integrated therein at least one sensor device adapted to record a physiological parameter; wherein the tube comprises a largely cylindrical portion at a distal end of the tube, wherein the largely cylindrical portion is adapted to face toward an eardrum of a user when the apparatus is inserted in an ear canal; wherein the largely cylindrical portion of the distal end of the tube includes at least one sensor opening for the at least one sensor component that is adapted to record a physiological parameter; wherein the at least one sensor opening is spaced apart from a longitudinal axis L.sub.A of the largely cylindrical portion by a distance l.sub.sensoropening and is arranged such that when the apparatus is inserted in an ear canal, the at least one sensor opening contacts an inner wall of the ear canal.
16. The apparatus according to claim 15, wherein the at least one sensor opening is spaced apart from a lateral surface M of the largely cylindrical portion by a distance m.sub.sensoropening, and wherein m.sub.sensoropening is <l.sub.sensoropening.
17. The apparatus according to claim 15, wherein the largely cylindrical portion includes an aperture.
18. The apparatus according to claim 17, wherein the aperture is a through-aperture.
19. The apparatus according to claim 15, wherein a receiver device adapted for outputting sound signals is integrated in the housing such that the apparatus is adapted to apply sound to an eardrum when the apparatus is inserted in an ear canal, wherein the tube includes a sound outlet opening at the distal end of the tube, and wherein the sound outlet opening is spaced apart from the longitudinal axis L.sub.A of the largely cylindrical portion by a distance l.sub.soundoutletopening.
20. The apparatus according to claim 15, further comprising: an ear adapter configured to detachably attach to the largely cylindrical portion, wherein the ear adapter comprises a central piece adapted to engage in the aperture of the largely cylindrical portion; an ear contact surface adapted to engage with an inner wall of an ear canal when the apparatus is inserted in an ear canal; and an endpiece adapted to connect the central piece and the ear contact surface, wherein the ear contact surface at least partially encloses the distal end of the tube and is attached thereto such that when the apparatus is inserted into an ear canal, the at least one sensor opening comes to lie in close proximity to an inner wall of the ear canal.
21. The apparatus according to claim 20, wherein the ear contact surface is arranged on the largely cylindrical portion such that the at least one sensor opening comes to lie in contact with an inner wall of the ear canal when the apparatus is inserted in an ear canal.
22. The apparatus according to claim 18, wherein the receiver device for outputting sound signals and the at least one sensor device adapted to record physiological parameters are designed as an integral component.
23. The apparatus according to claim 15, wherein at least two sensor devices for recording physiological parameters are designed as an integral component.
24. The apparatus according to claim 15, wherein the tube is designed integral with the housing.
25. The apparatus according to claim 15, wherein the largely cylindrical portion is designed with a convexly curved lateral surface.
26. The apparatus according to claim 19, wherein the ear contact surface is designed with a shape that is largely complementary to the largely cylindrical portion.
27. The apparatus according to claim 20, wherein a longitudinal axis of the ear adapter is spaced apart from the longitudinal axis of the largely cylindrical portion.
28. The apparatus according to claim 20, wherein an end face of the largely cylindrical portion of the distal end of the tube has a radius R.sub.A and a center point M.sub.A, and the endpiece of the ear adapter is designed as a circular segment with radius R.sub.O and a center point M.sub.O, wherein R.sub.A<R.sub.O and the distance between the center points M.sub.A, M.sub.O is 0<a<R.sub.O.
29. The apparatus according to claim 19, wherein the sound outlet opening is arranged largely centrally in an end face of the largely cylindrical portion.
Description
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES
[0025] FIG. 1 shows an exemplary embodiment of the apparatus according to the invention in an oblique view from above, wherein a largely cylindrical portion of the distal end of the tube is designed with one sound outlet opening and two sensor openings.
[0026] FIG. 2A shows a detail view of the largely cylindrical portion of the distal end of the tube of the apparatus according to the invention, wherein an ear adapter is separate from the largely cylindrical portion of the distal end of the tube. FIG. 2B shows this arrangement in a further view, while FIGS. 2C and 2D show a view from the side with a cross-sectional view of the ear adapter (FIG. 2C) and a partially transparent plan view of the largely cylindrical portion of the distal end of the tube with the ear adapter plugged thereon (FIG. 2D).
[0027] FIG. 3A shows a detail view of the distal end of the apparatus according to the invention in a further embodiment; FIG. 3B shows a plan view of the largely cylindrical portion at the distal end of the apparatus according to the invention with the ear adapter plugged thereon.
[0028] FIGS. 4A to 4C show a further exemplary embodiment of the apparatus according to the invention, in a plan view without the ear adapter plugged thereon (FIG. 4A), in an oblique view from below with the ear adapter plugged thereon (FIG. 4B), and in a plan view (FIG. 4C).
PREFERRED WAY OF IMPLEMENTING THE INVENTION
[0029] Elements that correspond to one another are in each case provided with the same reference signs in the figures.
[0030] FIG. 1 shows an exemplary embodiment of the apparatus (1) according to the invention in an oblique view from above, the apparatus here being designed as a BTE (Behind-The-Ear) apparatus. The apparatus is designed to be inserted in an ear canal of the user and comprises a tube (20), which is to be introduced into the ear canal of the user, and a housing (21), which is connected to the tube (20) and has a receptacle (25), the interior of which (not shown) is designed to accommodate various components, for example electronic, micromechanical or optical components. By way of example, a receiver device for outputting sound signals and/or at least one sensor device for recording physiological parameters may be accommodated in the receptacle (25). The apparatus further has a distal end (3) of the tube (20), wherein the term “distal”, as used herein, refers to the distance in the direction of the eardrum of the user relative to the sensor device of the apparatus, which is integrated in the housing (21). In the case of a BTE (Behind-The-Ear) apparatus, the sensor device is located in the receptacle (25) of the housing (21), which comes to lie behind the ear when the apparatus is being worn; the distal end (3) is accordingly arranged in the direction of the eardrum. Extending between the receptacle (25) and the distal end (3) of the housing (21) is the tube (20), which may be designed as a plug-on, slim tube element or else as an S-shaped connecting element integral with the housing (21) and the receptacle (25) formed therein, as shown in FIG. 1. By way of example, an optimal bracing of the apparatus in defined anatomical structures of the outer ear can be ensured by a flexible, S-shaped structure. The distal end (3) of the tube (20) is arranged with a largely cylindrical portion (4), which has a larger diameter than the tube (20). The largely cylindrical portion (4) shown is designed with a largely circular base and convexly curved lateral surfaces. In the exemplary embodiment shown, the portion has one sound outlet opening (26) and two sensor openings (22a, 22b). The sound outlet opening (26) is arranged in a distal end face (24) of the largely cylindrical portion (4) of the tube (20), while the illustrated sensor openings (22a, 22b) are located in the convexly curved lateral surface of the portion (4). As an alternative to the sound outlet opening (26), the opening arranged in the distal end face (24) of the largely cylindrical portion (4) of the tube (20) may also be a further sensor opening (22c), for example for accommodating an infrared sensor, by means of which the body temperature can be recorded via an infrared emission of the eardrum. Therefore, once the apparatus shown has been inserted in an ear canal of the wearer, the sound outlet opening (21) is oriented in the direction of the user's eardrum, which is located at the end of the ear canal, while the two sensor openings (22a, 22b) come to lie in close proximity to the inner wall of the ear canal. The sensor openings (22a, 22b) stabilize the sensor components (not shown) arranged therein for recording physiological parameters, for example the body temperature and/or the pulse rate of the user, and ensure contact thereof with the inner wall of the ear canal. The sound outlet opening (26) and the two sensor openings (22a, 22b) are spaced apart from the longitudinal axis L.sub.A (dashed line) of the largely cylindrical portion (4) of the housing (2) by a distance l.sub.soundoutletopening and a distance l.sub.sensoropening, respectively. The largely cylindrical portion (4) of the distal end (3) of the tube (20) is additionally designed with an aperture (23). A through-aperture (23) (i.e. an aperture that is open toward both cylinder bases) can ensure the transmission of sound waves to the eardrum even when the apparatus is inserted in the ear canal.
[0031] FIG. 2A to FIG. 2C each show a detail view of the largely cylindrical portion (4) of the distal end (3) of the tube (20) of the apparatus according to the invention with an ear adapter (5), wherein the latter is separate from the portion (4) of the distal end (3) of the tube (20) (FIGS. 2A-2C). The distal end (3) is designed with two sensor openings (22a, 22b) and with one sound outlet opening (26), which is arranged in the distal end face (24) of the housing. It is clear that the sensor openings (22a, 22b) are each spaced apart from the lateral surface M of the largely cylindrical portion (4) by a distance m.sub.sensoropening, wherein m.sub.sensoropening is l.sub.sensoropening. In the case shown, the sensor openings are located directly in the lateral surface of the largely cylindrical portion (4). Furthermore, the distal end (3) of the tube (2) has an aperture (23). This aperture (23) is arranged to engage with a central piece (6) of the ear adapter (5). The central piece (6) of the ear adapter (5) is designed with a through-aperture (61), the aperture (61) being open toward the endpiece (8) and toward the side facing away from the endpiece (8), so that a continuous space is created. As shown, the ear adapter (5) has a shape that is largely complementary to the largely cylindrical portion (4) of the distal end (3) of the tube (20): the central piece (6) comes to lie in the aperture (23), while the ear contact surfaces (7) engage around the portion (4) so that the sides of the ear contact surfaces (7) facing toward the central piece (6) come to lie on the convexly curved lateral surface of the portion (4) and the sides of the ear contact surfaces (7) facing away from the central piece (6) come to lie on the inner wall of the ear canal. The central piece (6) and the ear contact surfaces (7) are connected by the endpiece (8). The ear adapter (5) is additionally designed with openings (51), which here are arranged at the transition between the endpiece (8) and the ear contact surfaces (7) and in the region of the sound outlet opening (26). Together with the aperture (61) arranged in the central piece (6), the openings (51) enable the transmission of sound waves to the eardrum when the apparatus is inserted in the ear canal. Advantageously, the largely cylindrical portion (4) at the distal end (3) of the housing (2) may be made of a harder material than the ear adapter (5). Advantageously, the ear adapter (5) is made of a flexible material, for example of silicone, as a result of which the form-fitting connection of the ear adapter (5) to the portion (4) is additionally improved by a friction fit. The cross-sectional view of the ear adapter (5), shown in FIG. 2C, illustrates that the ear contact surface (7) of the ear adapter (5) has a much smaller wall thickness in the region that comes to lie in the region of the sensor opening (22) of the largely cylindrical portion (4) during use than in the region that does not come to lie in the region of the sensor opening (22) during use. This relationship is illustrated once again in FIG. 2D, which shows the largely cylindrical portion (4) with the ear adapter (5) plugged thereon, the ear adapter being shown as partially transparent for the sake of better comprehension.
[0032] FIG. 3A shows a detail view of the distal end of the apparatus according to the invention in a further embodiment. The central piece (6) of the ear adapter (5) is designed with a through-aperture (61), the aperture (61) being open toward the endpiece (8, not shown in the perspective view) and toward the side facing away from the endpiece (8), so that a continuous space is created. The ear adapter (5) can engage in the corresponding aperture (23) of the largely cylindrical portion (4) of the distal end (3) of the tube (20). The plan view, shown in FIG. 3B, of the distal end of the apparatus according to the invention with the ear adapter (5) plugged thereon illustrates the eccentric arrangement of the ear adapter (5). The end face (24) of the largely cylindrical portion (4) of the distal end (3) of the tube (20) has a radius R.sub.A, while the endpiece (8) of the ear adapter (5) is designed as a circular segment with radius R.sub.O. If R.sub.A<R.sub.O, the distance a between the center points M.sub.A, M.sub.O of the end faces (24, 8) is 0<a<R.sub.O. Here, M.sub.A denotes the center point of the end face (24) of the largely cylindrical portion (4) of the distal end (3) of the tube (20), and M.sub.O denotes the center point of the endpiece (8) of the ear adapter (5), which is designed as a circular segment with radius R.sub.O. The ear adapter (5) is thus arranged eccentrically in relation to an end face of the largely cylindrical distal end of the tube. As shown here, the ear contact surface (7) of the ear adapter (5) only partially encloses the largely cylindrical portion (4); the ear adapter (5), which is designed in a manner complementary to the largely cylindrical portion (4), is thus designed as a cylinder segment. According to the invention, the ear adapter (5) is eccentric in relation to the largely cylindrical portion (4) so that, during use, at least one sensor opening (shown in FIG. 3A: 22) can come into contact with an inner wall of the ear canal. The sensor component arranged in the sensor opening and stabilized by the latter is advantageously pressed against the inner wall of the ear canal by the eccentrically arranged ear adapter (5) and thus enables an improved signal quality. It is clear from FIG. 3A that, on account of the through-aperture (61) of the central piece (6) of the ear adapter (5), the apparatus inserted in an ear canal of the wearer does not close off this canal in a manner impermeable to sound since sound waves can reach the wearer's eardrum through said opening. One or more additional openings (51) of the ear adapter (5) may be arranged at the transition from the endpiece (8) thereof to the ear contact surface (7) and may thus enable a further permeability to sound (view in FIG. 3B). This arrangement is particularly advantageous if the apparatus according to the invention is designed with multiple sensor devices for recording various physiological parameters, for example for recording body temperature, pulse rate, oxygen saturation, etc. The sensor devices may in this case be installed integrally in a component/assembly.
[0033] FIGS. 4A to 4C show a further exemplary embodiment of the apparatus according to the invention in the form of a BTE apparatus. FIG. 4A shows the apparatus without the ear adapter plugged thereon in a plan view, while FIGS. 4B and 4C show the apparatus with the ear adapter plugged thereon in an oblique view from below and in a plan view (FIG. 4C). The tube (20) is connected to the housing (21) in the region of the receptacle (25) via a plug-in connection (27). The tube (20) is designed as a flexible, preferably transparent tube of small cross-section, which serves to guide the relevant leads into the largely cylindrical portion (4) of the distal end (3). A tube (20) of such design is used for example in conventional BTE hearing aids and is advantageously only slightly visible when the apparatus is being worn. The sensor devices and receiver devices accommodated in the receptacle (25) of the housing (21) end in corresponding contacts in the region of the plug-in connection (27); the leads extending in the tube (20) end in complementary contacts on the plug-in connector side and in corresponding sensor components or loudspeaker components in the region of the largely cylindrical portion.
LIST OF REFERENCE SIGNS
[0034] 1 apparatus for applying sound to the eardrum and/or for recording physiological parameters [0035] 20 tube [0036] 21 housing [0037] 22 sensor opening, portion 4 [0038] 23 aperture, portion 4 [0039] 24 end face, portion 4 [0040] 25 receptacle in housing [0041] 26 sound outlet opening [0042] 27 plug-in connection [0043] 3 distal end of the tube [0044] 4 largely cylindrical portion [0045] 5 ear adapter [0046] 51 opening in ear adapter [0047] 6 central piece [0048] 61 aperture in central piece [0049] 7 ear contact surface [0050] 8 endpiece
