Hearing aid attachable to a spectacle temple

p0001The invention relates to a hearing aid device attachable to a spectacle bow.

p0002From the <patcit id="pcit0001" dnum="DE8336526U1"><text>DE 83 36 526 U1</text></patcit> known glasses having a temple. Usually, the temple is constructed as a metal rod to the wearer comprises adapting a bendable temples Tail. Also, the needle-shaped temple Tail is usually made of a metal or metal alloy. To increase comfort, is pushed in an ordinary glasses on the temple-end a sleeve, for example made of silicone rubber that encases the temple Tail soft.

p0003From the <patcit id="pcit0002" dnum="DE8706344U1"><text>DE 87 06 344 U1</text></patcit> is a pair of glasses with built-in hearing aid, wherein the hearing aid is divided into at least two units. One of the units is arranged in a connection member connecting one to the socket part of a pivotally mounted yoke having a cross behind the ear end portion of this bracket, and the other unit is arranged in the end piece. A disadvantage of the known hearing glasses that the temple for connection to the hearing aid must be reduced, whereby the glasses only can still be used in conjunction with the hearing aid.

p0004From the <patcit id="pcit0003" dnum="WO02067627A1"><text>WO 02/067627 A1</text></patcit> discloses a hearing device for installation in a side arm of spectacles. The instrument is provided with an elastically deformable, elongated, thin pin 5, which is inserted as a core into an ear-side end portion of the spectacle, where it causes a stiffening and at the same time also allows the individual carrier-related adjustment.

p0005From the <patcit id="pcit0004" dnum="US2999136A"><text>US 2,999,136</text></patcit> is a hearing glasses known in the assembly, first the cross behind the ear part of the temple is separated. a hearing aid with a curved shape casing is slid on the thus formed end of the eyeglass temple then that is traversed this in its front housing portion of a channel.

p0006Object of the present invention is to provide an attachable to a temple hearing aid, in which the glasses can be worn by the temple also after release of the hearing aid.

p0007This object is in a securable to a temple of a carrier portable glasses hearing aid with one hand, the hearing aid at least partly by withdrawing channel for receiving a bendable temple end piece achieved by an at least semi-rigid in one section housing, said housing and the channel are formed in that the housing together with the inserted into the channel eyeglass temple end piece is bendable to customize the shape of the hearing aid to the wearer.

p0008Usually, temples made from a metal or a metal alloy. To adapt to the respective wearer of the ear located in the area part of the temple, called the temple end piece is plastically deformable by bending. The bend for adapting the eyeglass temple is generally carried out under heat.

p0009To increase the comfort and cosmetic reasons is pushed onto the temple Tail a plastic carrying body. This is elastic and therefore adapts to the bend of the temple end piece.

p0010With a hearing aid device according to the invention, it is possible to produce from virtually any commercially available glasses thus constructed a hearing glasses. It has to be deducted from the temple end piece and the hearing aid to be postponed according to the invention for this purpose only the plastic carrying body. Within the housing of the hearing aid according to the invention, a cavity (channel) for receiving the temple end piece is formed. In this channel the temple end piece can be introduced, without this, shorten the temple and thus damage the glasses must. For individual adaptation to the wearer of the hearing glasses so formed, the eyeglass temple end piece is then bent together with the hearing aid in the form. The thus introduced into the housing of the hearing aid glasses strap end piece is therefore used in addition to the fixing of the hearing aid to the spectacles also for shaping and stiffening of the hearing aid housing. The housing of the hearing aid can be constructed from the same plastics that are commonly used for the production of the plastic carrying body. Both cold malleable and under heat plastically deformable (thermoplastic) plastics are possible.

p0011Only the bend of the temple end piece in the hearing aid is sufficient as a rule to permanently connect the glasses and the hearing aid together. Hearing aid and glasses can then also particularly easy one another again solved by the temple end piece and the hearing aid are again straightened.

p0012The invention offers the advantage that it can be used on conventional eyeglasses for producing a hearing glasses. For Hörbrillenträger is therefore a wide range of possible Glasses in many different designs available. Since only the supporting body must be removed for connection to a hearing aid of the spectacles, the spectacles are not damaged and can therefore at any time be put back in its original state. It is the Hörbrillenträger therefore open to try different models like the ordinary glasses purchase, and this can end with a bandaged with the glasses hearing aid.

p0013Due to the advanced miniaturization of hearing aid components, it is possible to make the hearing aid according to the invention so that it is in its outer form of an ordinary plastic carrying body differs only insignificantly. In particular, it has a slender, flexible and traversed by the bendable temples Tail central region. Similarly the opening of a plastic carrying body is also located in the hearing aid at the front of an opening into which the spectacle bow endpiece can be inserted. Preferably, the entire temple Tail is tightly within a channel in the hearing aid. However, the temple end piece may be guided and mounted by several non-contiguous, relatively short duct sections in the hearing aid. It can be improved by screwing, clamping, gluing or other compounds of the temple end piece with the hearing aid attachment.

p0014A preferred embodiment of the invention provides that the hearing aid according to the invention comprises all the components of a conventional, worn behind the ear hearing aid. These are at least one microphone for receiving an acoustic input signal and converting it into an electrical signal, a signal processing unit for processing and frequency-dependent amplification of the electrical signal and a receiver for converting the processed electrical signal into an acoustic signal, which is emitted in the ear canal of Hörbrillenträgers , Further comprises the hearing aid according to the invention designed as a battery or battery pack power source.

p0015For sound transmission between the hearing aid and the ear canal, a sound tube is provided which is attached by means of an ear mold in the ear.

p0016However, the hearing aid according to the invention may differ in some areas by this preferred embodiment. For example, at least one microphone of the hearing aid and outside the casing, be arranged for example on the spectacle frame. Further, it is possible for example that the receiver is arranged outside the housing of the hearing aid. Thus, the handset may be located in the ear mold and only connected via signal lines to the hearing aid device.

p0017In a further embodiment it is provided that only one end of the housing opposite the slim middle portion is increased. For example, the front portion of the case also be carried out with the channel opening for inserting the temple end piece very thin, especially if no other hearing aid components are housed in this partial area.

p0018The invention is explained in more detail using an embodiment. Show it:<ul><li><figref idrefs="f0001">figure 1</figref> a spectacle frame as well as a hearing aid according to the invention and</li><li><figref idrefs="f0002">figure 2</figref> the glasses according to <figref idrefs="f0001">figure 1</figref> with attached and bent hearing aid.</li></ul>

p0019<figref idrefs="f0001">figure 1</figref> shows a commercially available glasses 1 with a left temple 2 and a right temple 3. At the rear end of the right eyeglass temple 3, a support body is conventionally 4 postponed plastic. The support body 4 is opposite to the front portion of the eyeglass temple 3 is bent, so that the right eyeglass temple 3 engages with worn glasses behind the ear and keeps the glasses. Unlike the right eyeglass temple 3 is located at the left temple 2 of the support body, whereby the metallic flexible eyeglass temples Tail 5 is visible.

p0020<figref idrefs="f0001">figure 1</figref> 6 further shows a hearing aid according to the invention. The housing of the hearing aid 6 has a relatively narrow central region B and a relative thereto enlarged front area A with a channel opening 7 into which the spectacle bow endpiece 5 can be pushed for mounting of the hearing aid 6 to the spectacle first For receiving the temple end piece 5, the hearing aid 6 is traversed by a suitably sized channel. 8 Alternatively, the channel 8 also consist of a cavity within the hearing aid and a short, on the spectacle bow endpiece tight channel piece that serves to guide and attachment of the eyeglass temple end piece. Through the elongated and slender, hollow on the inside of the hearing aid housing 6 is inside anyway a "channel" is formed.

p0021The hearing aid 6 according to the embodiment further includes a microphone 9 with a sound inlet opening 10 for receiving an acoustic input signal and converting it into an electrical signal. In a signal processing unit 11, the processing and frequency-dependent amplification of the electrical signal takes place. A handset 12 converts the processed electrical signal back into an acoustic signal which is passed via a sound tube 13 and an earpiece 14 in the ear canal of a hearing aid wearer. For power supply of the hearing aid 6 is a battery located in a battery compartment 15 is used. Further, a volume control 16 the volume set or the hearing aid are 6 off.

p0022At least the central region B of the hearing aid 6 is made of a plastically deformable material such as silicone rubber, so that the housing in this area in accordance with the individual requirements of the Hörbrillenträgers can be bent.

p0023As from <figref idrefs="f0001">figure 1</figref> it can be seen the the function of the hearing aid 6 essential components (microphone 9, receiver 12, signal processing unit 11, battery compartment 15) located in the front portion A and the posterior portion C of the hearing aid 6. In the middle area B therefore are adjacent to the channel 8 only connecting lines between the individual hearing aid components, whereby the housing can be carried out in accordance with slim in this area compared with the enlarged front portion A and the enlarged rear section C.

p0024<figref idrefs="f0002">figure 2</figref> showing the glasses 1 according <figref idrefs="f0001">figure 1</figref> with the attached hearing aid 6. Name and function of each component in accordance with the name and function in accordance with <figref idrefs="f0001">figure 1</figref>, In contrast to<figref idrefs="f0001">figure 1</figref> no longer shows the housing of the hearing aid 6 Now, however, the elongated shape as in <figref idrefs="f0001">figure 1</figref>But the housing is in particular bent in the middle region B, so that the hearing aid 6 to the left temple 2 has the same function (hold the glasses) as the supporting body 4 assumes at the right temple third The arrangement of the components of the hearing aid 6, as in the<figref idrefs="f0001">figures 1</figref> and <figref idrefs="f0002">2</figref> is illustrated, has the advantage that the central region B for bending the temple end piece may even be heated. Also located within the housing spectacle bow endpiece contributes to the fact that the hearing aid 6 after deformation retains its shape permanently (or, if necessary, until a new adjustment).

p0025The invention offers the advantage that for manufacturing a hearing glasses a commercial glasses can be used one which is not damaged by the manufacture of the hearing glasses. The Hörbrillenträger therefore has the opportunity to try various glasses and glasses 1 6 back to its original state restore after release of the hearing aid (with carrying bodies on both temple end pieces).

p0026The hearing glasses is not limited to the illustrated design. Both in the glasses as well as in the hearing aid, many variation possibilities are conceivable. Of course, the hearing glasses with two hearing aids to be (one each on the left and right temple) equipped for the binaural supply according to the invention.