Abstract
An antenna module for a hearing device includes a hollow core provided with an axial passageway and a winding around the core which is connectable with a hearing device. The antenna module is arranged to be at least partially contained within the ear canal of a user. This enables the antenna to be separated from sources of interference, since it can be positioned inside the ear canal away from hearing device electronics, thus reducing requirements for shielding and/or compensation. The invention further relates to an ear tip and a hearing device including such an antenna module.
Claims
1. Antenna module for a hearing device comprising a hollow core, a sound tube arranged in the hollow core, and a winding provided around said core and connectable with said hearing device, wherein said core comprises a hollow passageway and said antenna module is adapted to utilize said hollow passageway through said core as a pathway for the sound tube, wherein said winding is an electrically conductive antenna in the form of a helical coil and is electrically connected to a signal processing unit of the hearing device, wherein said sound tube is arranged to be connected with a sound output of a receiver unit, and wherein said winding is wound directly around said sound tube.
2. Antenna module according to claim 1, wherein the hearing device is a behind-the-ear-type hearing device.
3. Antenna module according to claim 1, wherein said tube is connected with said passageway.
4. Antenna module according to claim 3, wherein said tube passes through said hollow passageway.
5. Antenna module according to claim 1, wherein said tube is arranged in at least one extremity of said hollow passageway.
6. Antenna module according to claim 5, wherein a tube is arranged in each extremity of said hollow passageway.
7. Antenna module according to claim 1, wherein said core is constituted by a flexible or rigid acoustic tube.
8. Antenna module according to claim 7, wherein said core is arranged to be connected directly with the sound output of a receiver unit.
9. Antenna module according to claim 2, wherein said antenna module is adapted to be incorporated into a hook of the behind-the-ear-type hearing device.
10. Antenna module according to claim 2, wherein said antenna module is adapted to be incorporated into a housing of the behind-the-ear-type hearing device.
11. Antenna module according to claim 10, wherein said antenna module is adapted to be incorporated into the housing of the behind-the-ear-type hearing device at an extremity of the housing.
12. Ear tip for a behind-the-ear-type hearing device comprising an antenna module according to claim 1.
13. Hearing device comprising an antenna module according to claim 1.
14. Hearing device according to claim 13, wherein said hearing device comprises a shell, and wherein said shell comprises a seat located on the inside of said shell and conformed to support said antenna module, and wherein said antenna module is supported by said seat.
15. Hearing device according to claim 14, wherein said antenna module is bonded to said seat.
16. Hearing device according to claim 15, wherein said antenna module is bonded to said seat by means of glue.
17. Hearing device according to claim 13, further comprising a wax guard.
Description
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
(1) Exemplary embodiments will be described with reference to the following figures:
(2) FIG. 1 shows a perspective and a sectional view of an antenna module according to a first embodiment of the invention, coupled with a receiver.
(3) FIG. 2 shows a perspective and a sectional view of an antenna module according to a second embodiment of the invention, coupled with a receiver.
(4) FIG. 3 shows a perspective and a sectional view of an antenna module according to a third embodiment of the invention, coupled with a receiver.
(5) FIG. 4 shows a sectional view of a part of a hearing device incorporating an antenna module according to the first embodiment and a receiver within its shell.
(6) FIG. 5 shows a sectional view of a part of a hearing device incorporating a receiver inside its shell and antenna module according to the first embodiment situated outside of said shell.
(7) FIG. 6 shows a sectional view of a part of a hearing device incorporating an antenna module according to the third embodiment and a receiver inside its shell.
(8) FIG. 7 shows a sectional view of part of an ear tip for a Behind-The-Ear hearing aid incorporating an antenna module according to the first embodiment.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
(9) FIG. 1 illustrates an antenna module according to a first embodiment of the invention. This antenna module comprises a core 2 formed substantially as a hollow cylinder, i.e. a cylinder with an axial passageway. Although a hollow cylindrical core is illustrated in the figures with a cylindrical axial passageway, many other shapes are foreseen as falling within the scope of the current invention. The core can be cylindrical, conical, tapered, funnel-shaped, trumpet shaped, of oval longitudinal cross-section, or any other convenient shape. The axial passageway can be cylindrical, trumpet-shaped, horn-shaped, conical, tapered,-funnel-shaped, or any other convenient shape. The shape of the passageway can thereby be conformed so as to tailor the acoustic properties of the overall sound passageway. The core may be constructed of a magnetically permeable material, such as ferrite, or may be constructed of a non-magnetic material such as plastic. Around the core 2 is an electrically-conductive winding 7 in the form of a helical coil. Through the passageway in the core 2 passes a tubing 1 which channels the acoustic output of the receiver 3 with which it is connected. The receiver can be of any type, such as those standard in the art described in section 2.6 of Hearing Aids by Harvey Dillon, Boomerang Press, Australia, 2001, and need not be described further. The winding 7 is electrically connected with the signal processing unit of the associated hearing device (not illustrated).
(10) FIG. 2 illustrates an antenna module according to a second embodiment of the invention. The core 2 and the winding 7 are substantially identical to those in FIG. 1, however two pieces of tubing 1 are provided, one in each end of the axial passageway in the core 2. One of these sections of tubing is connected with the acoustic output of the receiver 3, and the other, in use, will transmit the acoustic output to the user. It should be noted that in this embodiment the passageway through the core 2 itself forms part of the acoustic pathway from the receiver 3 to the user.
(11) FIG. 3 illustrates an antenna module according to a third embodiment of the invention, which differs from that of FIG. 2 only in that a single, short piece of tube 1 is used to connect the passageway through the core 2 to the receiver 3. In this embodiment, the majority of the acoustic pathway from the receiver 3 to the user is constituted by the passageway through the core 2.
(12) FIG. 4 illustrates the antenna module according to the first embodiment of the invention integrated into the shell 4 of an ear tip or a hearing device. A shell may be customised to fit a particular wearer or may by a standard shape. Although the antenna module according to the first embodiment is illustrated here, it is evident that any of the other embodiments could be substituted in its place.
(13) FIG. 5 illustrates the antenna module according to the first embodiment of the invention integrated into an ear tip or a hearing device comprising a shell 4 but situated outside of the custom shell 4. In this case, the antenna module is surrounded by a soft material, for instance soft rubber. One particular advantage of this arrangement is that the antenna module can be easily replaced if required without having to open the shell 4, for instance if the hole through the antenna and/or the tube 1, becomes blocked by cerumen. Although the antenna module according to the first embodiment is illustrated here, it is evident that any of the other embodiments could be substituted in its place.
(14) FIG. 6 illustrates the antenna module of the third embodiment integrated into the custom shell 4 of an ear tip or a hearing device, wherein the antenna module is fixed to the shell, e.g. by glueing. The shell for example comprises a seat 6 for the antenna module configured so as to optimally support and position the antenna module. This results in a particularly robust construction. This construction is particularly well-suited to a horn-shaped passageway in the core instead of the illustrated cylindrical passageway. Although the antenna module according to the third embodiment is illustrated here, it is evident that any of the other embodiments could be substituted in its place.
(15) FIG. 7 illustrates the antenna module of the first embodiment integrated into the custom shell 4 of an ear tip for a BTE application. This differs from the arrangement of FIGS. 4-6 in that the receiver can be positioned at any convenient location, conventionally in a BTE module, and connected by a tube to the antenna module.
(16) Having thus described the present invention in sufficient detail to enable those skilled in the art to make and use the invention, it nevertheless should be appreciated that the illustrated embodiments may be varied in many ways without departing from the scope of the present invention as defined by the appended claims. For instance, the core of the antenna module could be constituted by a flexible or rigid acoustic tube rather than by a separate core, i.e. winding 7 could be wound directly around tube 1.
(17) Alternatively, the core 2 as illustrated in the figures could be connected directly to the audio output of the receiver 3. In addition, the antenna module according to the invention, although suitable for positioning at least partially inside the ear canal, could be positioned conventionally within a BTE shell, or utilising the hollow passageway through the core either as part of the sound pathway or so as a pathway for a sound tube and/or wire tube in a BTE hook or a BTE shell.
