Hearing-aid

The present invention relates to a hearing aid with a housing and an RF antenna and / or electrical coil for electromagnetic energy and / or data transmission.

Basically, the aim is hearing aid as small as possible to shape. On the other hand are to increase functionality of the hearing aid as many electronic components in be accommodated to the hearing aid. Therefore, the miniaturization or features of hearing aids including through the dimensions of, for example, telecoil, battery charging coils or RF antennas for wireless communication is limited.

At the same time attempting the necessary components, such as z. B. coils having the desired properties as far as possible to shrink, so that they in the device only little installation space need. For example, RF antennas are used, the integrated into the circuit boards of electronic hearing aids are. Such printed circuit boards printed antennas for example, from the WHITE PAPER "λ / 4 monopole printed Known antenna for 2.45GHz "from Nordic VLSI ASA February of 2003.

Furthermore, from the documents US 4,495,917 and US 6,272,382 implantable hearing aids with induction coils known. In both cases, the coils are in a casting compound embedded on the outer periphery of the respective hearing aid. there is each a classic coil assembly having a plurality of windings where in many levels.

From the document DE 101 15 896 A1 discloses a hearing aid system with a programmable hearing aid and a transmitting and receiving unit known. In the housing of the hearing aid is for An antenna transmitting and receiving unit arranged.

Furthermore, from the document DE 34 43 907 earpiece bebekannt for the hearing impaired with an induction coil. The induction coil is provided with a flange on the earpiece attached.

A disadvantage of the known coil to prior to such require a relatively large amount of installation space.

The object of the present invention is thus, the need for coils of hearing aids installation space continues to shrink.

This object is achieved by a hearing aid having a housing and an RF antenna and / or electrical Coil for electromagnetic energy and / or data transmission, wherein the RF antenna and / or the electric coil in the Material of the housing or on the housing as an electrically conductive Layer is formed.

The inventive mounting a conductive from a Layer formed coil of the hearing aid housing or their Integration into a housing, the total volume of be hearing further reduced. For some hearing aids will only be opened in this way the possibility of an RF system to integrate.

Preferably, the electrically conductive layer is by a Metallization, which was subsequently structured, formed. This allows the metallization of the hearing aid housing be very simple.

However, it may also be advantageous for the electrically conductive Layer as a patterned metal layer on the inside or applying outside of the housing. Thereby, a below Circumstances elaborate patterning process are avoided.

A further variant for the production of an antenna or Coil in the form of an electrically conductive layer is pouring the electrically conductive layer in the housing. Thus, the coil or antenna is protected against mechanical Influences protected from the outside.

The electrically conductive layer may further from a conductive plastic material. This allows for the Preparation of the coil or antenna, the conventional plastic manufacturing processes be used.

The antenna or coil may also be formed by that in or on the housing a plurality of layers of electrically conductive Layer are arranged one above the other. In this way can be the room's further statement wear, especially when high inductances are required.

The coil can also as a housing about its longitudinal axis peripheral conductor be formed. In BTE hearing aids This example has the advantage that such a parallel aligned to ear coil well as telecoil can be used. Such, the housing encircling Coil can also be used when the housing is divided longitudinally. In this case, the helical coil formed by the assembly of the housing halves. Also any other conductor structure may extend over both housing halves extend.

The present invention will now reference to the accompanying explained drawings, in which:<dl tsize="5" compact="compact"><dt>1 shows</dt><dd>a BTE hearing device with an antenna according to a first embodiment; </dd><dt>FIG 2</dt><dd>a BTE hearing device with an antenna according to a second embodiment; and</dd><dt>FIG 3</dt><dd>an ITE hearing device with an antenna according to a third Embodiment of the present invention.</dd></dl>

The more detail below embodiments preferred embodiments of the present invention represent.

According to the present invention, an in any Form patterned conductors applied to the hearing device housing. Preferably this is done on the inside of Hearing aid housing to damage the conductor structure by To prevent external influences. The conductor structure can also be mounted on the outside of the hearing device housing, where it would probably be useful, a protective layer over it apply.

An example of the invention the hearing device housing formed RF antenna is shown in Fig. 1 The L-shaped RF antenna HA is provided as a metal layer on the BTE hearing aid housing HG applied. Depending on the preferred Production is the RF antenna HA as a preformed film formation on the Hearing device housing HG applied or by subsequent Patterning a metallization of the hearing device housing HG educated. Alternatively, the RF antenna HA, as already mentioned, as conductive plastic layer during injection molding the hearing device housing HG formed in the desired shape will.

Another embodiment of an inventive hearing device is shown in FIG. 2 The coil shown there SU has helical character and turns to the Housing in this FIG 2 as a BTE hearing aid housing HG is shown. Specifically, the coil SU is in a housing section formed and the axis of the coil corresponds to the SU Longitudinal axis of said housing section. Here, the "axis" or "longitudinal axis" as in this case also be curved be.

A third embodiment of the present invention is shown in FIG 3 outlines. Here, a helical antenna at SI the outward-facing side of an ITE hearing aid housing IG appropriate. However, this hearing aid housing IG could also, for example, with a coil-shaped as illustrated in FIG 2 equipped antenna in the conical housing section be. Conversely, of course, a BTE housing with a be provided helical antenna.

By a suitable choice of the conductor geometry, the by the conductor layer generated component to the respective application be optimally adjusted. Thus leading to an improved profit, the directivity and the impedance in the corresponding affecting manner. In addition to multiple layers of laid conductor layer inside the shell layer superposed in order to use the housing as a dielectric material.