Untitled record

The invention relates to a hearing aid that can be inserted into the auditory canal.

Not every ear canal is suitable for wearing cosmetically trained hearing aids without fitting problems. For many people who are hard of hearing, this is a reason to fall back on traditional rear ear devices. Some "seat variants" are already known, for example. B. a lever that is supported in the auricle, which is visible from the outside.

WO 94/07343 mentions the application of an adhesive to the outer surface of a hearing aid. The main problem here is that such an adhesive becomes soiled relatively quickly and then loses its adhesiveness. US Pat. No. 4,133,984 shows a hearing aid with an inflatable or tactile bellows which expands in the ear canal. However, this construction is relatively complex and can only be operated with difficulty, especially by the elderly. US Pat. No. 4,150,262 likewise shows a hearing aid with a relatively complex structure with a wide variety of, in particular non-sticky, constructions in order to ensure that it is held in the ear.

In order to improve the fit of the hearing aid in the auditory canal, the invention provides that at least one recess formed as an annular circumferential groove is arranged on its outer surface, into which at least one annular, externally sticky adhesive element can be inserted.

The recess allows a simple separate adhesive element, preferably releasably, to be connected to the hearing aid in a positionally secure manner. The adhesive element, for its part, is sticky (or soft-elastic) on the outside in the broadest sense and thus improves the hold of the hearing aid in the auditory canal.

Further advantages and details of the invention are explained in more detail with reference to the following description of the figures.

1 shows a side view of a first exemplary embodiment of a hearing aid according to the invention, the ring functioning as an adhesive element not yet being pushed on.

FIG. 2 shows the same hearing aid with the ring pushed on, that is to say in the ready-to-use state.

3 and 4 each show sectional views in the area of ​​the groove-shaped depression, which preferably runs around the entire hearing aid, that is to say is designed as a circumferential groove.

In the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, the hearing aid inserted into the auditory canal is denoted by the reference number 1. A known battery cover 2 is located on the outside. What is new is the formation of a recess 3, which in the present exemplary embodiment is an annular circumferential groove. This recess 3 allows an elastic ring 4 to be pushed onto the hearing aid in the direction of the arrows 5 until it snaps into the recess, whereby the operational position in FIG. 2 is reached. For a good hold, it is particularly favorable if the recess 3 is arranged in the vicinity of the outer end 1 a of the hearing aid 1. The width and depth of the recess or Annular groove 3 can be adapted to the respective requirements, in general it is favorable if the depth is between 1/20 mm and 1 mm, preferably in the range of 1/10 mm.

For a satisfactory hold of the hearing aid according to the invention in the auditory canal, it is particularly advantageous if the adhesive element 4 inserted into the recess protrudes slightly beyond the peripheral surface of the hearing aid laterally adjoining the recess, so that its sticky surface can be fully effective.

When using an elastic ring, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, no additional measures are required to hold the ring in the circumferential groove 3 if the diameter is dimensioned accordingly. It simply snaps into place due to its elasticity, but can still be easily replaced, which is advantageous for hygienic reasons. The ring is advantageously an O-ring with a circular cross-section.

But you can also use an adhesive tape instead of the elastic ring and insert this into the annular groove or recess in such a way that ultimately a sticky side of the adhesive tape faces outwards. In principle, it is possible to use a double-sided adhesive tape. However, skin-friendly adhesive tapes are mainly available commercially as single-sided adhesive tapes. There are several options for using this. In the first place, it is possible to simply close this adhesive tape with the sticky side outwards to form a solid ring, i.e. to stick it together with itself. In order to improve the hold in the recess or groove, however, according to a preferred embodiment, it can also be provided that in

AT 408 707 B the recess a permanent adhesive 6 is provided with which the non-adhesive side of the adhesive tape 7 can be held in the groove 3. As already mentioned, this works in particular for the adhesive tapes that are commercially available and coated on one side with skin-friendly adhesive 8. This variant is shown in FIG. 3.

An alternative can be found in FIG. 4, in which a Velcro connection 9 is provided instead of the permanent adhesive 6.

The groove can have a rectangular cross-section, but it can also be shaped differently (for example, semicircular). It can also be closer to the inner tube than is shown in FIG. 1.