Receiver having a suspended motor assembly

Abstract

A receiver including a housing defining a chamber, and a motor assembly that includes a magnet assembly and an armature. The receiver includes a diaphragm operationally attached to the armature. The motor assembly is attached to the housing by a movable suspension structure. A method of reducing vibrations includes providing a housing defining a chamber, providing a motor assembly including a magnet assembly and an armature, providing a diaphragm, providing a movable suspension structure, attaching the diaphragm to the armature, and attaching the motor assembly to an inner wall of the housing by the movable suspension structure.

Claims

1. A miniature receiver comprising: a housing defining a chamber of the miniature receiver suitable for use in a hearing aid; a motor assembly including a magnet assembly and an armature having at least a first leg and a second leg extending substantially parallel in a first direction; and a diaphragm operationally attached to the armature, wherein the motor assembly is attached at an end face thereof to a movable suspension structure to allow a free end of the motor assembly opposite to the end face thereof to move inside the chamber, wherein the movable suspension structure is attached to an inner wall of the housing at a single attachment point, wherein the motor assembly is configured for pivotal movement around a pivot axis that is substantially perpendicular to the first direction, wherein the movable suspension structure is configured for decoupling the mass of the motor assembly from the housing, the movable suspension structure is configured to isolate movement of the motor assembly from the housing, and the movable suspension structure is configured for reducing vibration transfer from the miniature receiver.

2. A receiver according to claim 1, further comprising a limiting member configured to decrease relative movement between the housing and the motor assembly.

3. A receiver according to claim 1, wherein the magnet assembly is configured for providing a magnetic field in an air gap, and wherein the first leg extends through the air gap.

4. A receiver according to claim 3, wherein the armature forms an E-shape with three legs extending substantially parallel in the first direction, and wherein the first leg forms the central leg of the three legs.

5. A receiver according to claim 4, wherein the first leg extends through a coil tunnel.

6. A receiver according to claim 1, wherein the armature forms a U-shape with two legs extending substantially parallel in the first direction.

7. A receiver according to claim 6, wherein the first leg or a second leg, forming the other one of the two legs of the U-shaped armature, extends through a coil tunnel.

8. A receiver according to claim 1, further comprising a second diaphragm being operationally attached to the motor assembly.

9. A receiver according to claim 1, further comprising a stiffening member coupling the magnet assembly to at least one of the diaphragm, the coil, and the second diaphragm.

10. A hearing aid comprising a receiver according to claim 1, wherein the housing is arranged in a shell formed by the hearing aid.

11. A method of reducing vibrations in a receiver, the method comprising the steps of: providing a housing defining a chamber of the miniature receiver suitable for use in a hearing aid, providing a motor assembly including a magnet assembly and an armature having at least a first leg and a second leg extending substantially parallel in a first direction, providing a diaphragm, providing a movable suspension structure, attaching the diaphragm to the armature, attaching the motor assembly at an end face thereof to the movable suspension structure to allow a free end of the motor assembly opposite to the end face thereof to move inside the chamber, and attaching the movable suspension structure to an inner wall of the housing at a single attachment point such that the motor assembly is configured for pivotal movement around a pivot axis that is substantially perpendicular to the first direction, wherein the movable suspension structure is configured for decoupling the mass of the motor assembly from the housing, the movable suspension structure is configured to isolate movement of the motor assembly from the housing, and the movable suspension structure is configured for reducing vibration transfer from the miniature receiver.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) Embodiments of the invention will now be further described with reference to the drawings, in which:

(2) FIG. 1 illustrates an embodiment of a receiver according to the invention,

(3) FIGS. 2a and 2b schematically illustrate different embodiments of a suspension element according to the invention,

(4) FIGS. 3a and 3b illustrate an embodiment of a housing for a receiver,

(5) FIG. 4 illustrates an alternative embodiment of a receiver,

(6) FIGS. 5a-5c schematically illustrate a different embodiment of a suspension element according to the invention,

(7) FIG. 6 illustrates a further alternative embodiment of a receiver, and

(8) FIGS. 7a and 7b schematically illustrate different embodiments of a limiting member according to the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

(9) It should be understood that the detailed description and specific examples, while indicating embodiments of the invention, are given by way of illustration only, since various changes and modifications within the spirit and scope of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from this detailed description.

(10) FIG. 1 illustrates an embodiment of a receiver 1 which comprises a housing 2 (see FIGS. 3a/3b) defining a chamber.

(11) Additionally, the receiver 1 comprises a motor assembly 100 which comprises a magnet assembly 4 and an armature 5. In the illustrated embodiment, the armature 5 is E-shaped.

(12) The magnet assembly 4 provides a magnetic field in an air gap. The armature 5 comprises a first leg 5a extending in a first direction through the air gap. The two other legs 5b of the E-shaped armature 5 extend parallel to the first leg 5a outside the air gap.

(13) Furthermore, the receiver 1 comprises a diaphragm 6 which is operationally attached to the armature 5. In the illustrated embodiment, the diaphragm 6 is attached via the drive pin 7.

(14) The motor assembly 100 is attached to the housing 2 by a movable suspension structure 8. By attaching the motor assembly to the housing 2 by the movable suspension structure 8, the motor assembly can move in the chamber, whereby the mass of the motor assembly can be decoupled from the housing to isolate movements of the motor assembly from the housing 2.

(15) In the illustrated embodiment, the movable suspension structure 8 comprises a hinge (not shown) which forms part of a bent plate 9 which is attached to the motor assembly. The bent plate 9 increases rigidity of the movable suspension structure 8.

(16) The receiver 1 further comprises a coil 10 which comprises a number of windings defining a coil tunnel through which the first leg 5a extends. In this embodiment, the coil tunnel and the air gap are arranged adjacent to each other so that the first leg 5a extends though both the coil tunnel and the air gap.

(17) The receiver 1 additionally comprises a stiffening member 11 configured to counteract the decreased stiffness of the receiver. In the illustrated embodiment, the stiffening member 11 comprises a substantially rigid element, in the form of a metal plate which is arranged so that it connects the magnet assembly 4, the coil 10, and the armature 5 to provide a more rigid connection between these parts of the receiver 1.

(18) Additionally, the receiver 1 comprises a limiting member 12 configured to decrease the maximal possible relative movement between the housing 2 and the motor assembly 100. In the illustrated embodiment, the limiting member 12 is formed by two sets of elongated blocks between which the two legs 5b of the E-shaped armature 5 can move thereby limiting the movement of the motor assembly 100 comprising the armature 5.

(19) FIGS. 2a and 2b schematically illustrate different two embodiments of a receiver 1, 101 comprising two different suspension elements 8, 108.

(20) The receiver 1 illustrated in FIG. 2a comprises a moveable suspension structure in the form of a hinge 8, which allows the motor assembly 100 to pivot around a pivot axis being substantially perpendicular to the first direction. At FIG. 2a the pivotal movement is illustrated by the arrow P, whereas the first direction is illustrated by the arrow X. As the suspension structure 8 is arranged at the end face 13 which terminates the motor assembly 100 in the first direction X, the largest deflection of the motor assembly 100 will be at the free end 14 of the motor assembly opposite to the end face at which the motor assembly 100 is movably attached to the housing 2.

(21) The receiver 101 illustrated in FIG. 2b comprises a moveable suspension structure in the form of two springs 108, which allows the motor assembly 100 to move in a direction Y being substantially perpendicular to the first direction X. FIGS. 3a and 3b illustrate an embodiment of a housing 2 for a receiver 201. The receiver 201 comprises a diaphragm 6 being operationally attached to the armature (not shown). Additionally, the receiver 201 comprises a second diaphragm 15 which forms part of the movable suspension structure, as shown in more details in FIG. 4.

(22) As illustrated in FIG. 4, the receiver 201 comprises a second diaphragm 15 which forms part of the movable suspension structure. The motor assembly is rigidly attached to the second diaphragm 15 which is movably attached to the housing 2 to allow pivotal movement of the motor assembly with the second diaphragm 12 in the housing 2.

(23) FIG. 5a schematically illustrates the embodiment of the receiver 201 comprising two diaphragms 6, 15 where the second diaphragm 15 is rigidly attached to the motor assembly 100. FIGS. 5b and 5c schematically illustrate a receiver 201 where the second diaphragm 15 forms part of the suspension element 8 in two different ways.

(24) In FIG. 5b, the motor assembly 100 is attached to the housing 2 by the movable suspension structure 8 comprising a hinge which allows the motor assembly 100 to pivot around a pivot axis being substantially perpendicular to the first direction. Additionally, the motor assembly 100 is rigidly attached to the second diaphragm 15 which is movably attached to the housing 2 by two springs 108 allows the motor assembly 100 to move in a direction substantially perpendicular to the first direction. Consequently, the maximal pivotal movement enabled by the hinge 8 may be limited by the springs 108.

(25) In FIG. 5c, the motor assembly 100 is rigidly attached to the second diaphragm 15 which is movably attached to the housing 2 by the movable suspension structure 8 comprising a hinge. This allows the motor assembly 100 and the second diaphragm to pivot around a pivot axis being substantially perpendicular to the first direction.

(26) FIG. 6 illustrates a receiver 301 comprising an alternative movable suspension structure 308 comprising two metal flexure hinges. The two flexure hinges 308 arranged in parallel at the end face 13 reduces the possibilities of movement of the motor assembly in other directions than around the pivot axis being perpendicular to the first direction illustrated by the arrow X.

(27) FIGS. 7a and 7b schematically illustrate two different embodiments of a limiting member 12, 112 according to the invention. In FIG. 7a, a part of the motor assembly 100 including the armature 5 extends into a slot 16 between two parts of the housing 2 whereby movement of the motor assembly 100 is limited. In the illustrated embodiment, the slot 16 is formed in a separate element 2 which is fixedly attached to the housing 2 whereby the slot 16 cannot move relative to the housing 2 thereby providing the required limitation of the movements of the motor assembly 100. It should be understood, that the slot in an alternative embodiment may form part of the inner wall of the housing.

(28) In FIG. 7b, a part of the armature 5 extends into a slot 16 between two parts of the housing 2 which likewise limits movement of the motor assembly 100.