Self-drying hearing aid and method for transporting humidity out of such hearing aid

Abstract

This invention relates to a hearing aid (100) comprising at least one electro acoustic transducer (1, 1', 1*);a signal processing circuitry (2, 2AD, 2DA), configured to receive from the at least an electroacoustic transducer (1) an electrical input signal and / or to provide said at least an electroacoustic transducer (1', 1*) with an electrical output signal; and power supply means (4, 5) configured to provide power to the electroacoustic transducer (1, 1', 1*) and to said signal processing circuitry (2, 2AD, 2DA); wherein the hearing aid further comprises at least one electroosmotic pump (6, 6o, 6i) configured to transport liquid and / or vapor outside of the hearing aid (100), or away from a component thereof (1, 1', 1*, 8). The electroosmotic pump (6) comprises a porous intermediate layer(7i) and,on each side thereof, electrode elements (7p, 7n) which are connected to the power supply means (4, 5) so that transport of liquid and / or vapor is induced by an electric field applied betweenthe electrode elements (7p, 7n) across said electroosmotic pump (6).The present invention also relates to a method of drying a wearable device, such as a hearing aid (100), by way of such an electroosmotic pump (6, 6o, 6i).

Description

technical field [0001] The present invention relates generally to hearing aids and in particular to self-drying hearing aids which are capable of removing moisture from their interior and / or from their components by means of at least one electro-osmotic membrane. More specifically, hearing aids according to the invention are designed to convey liquid and / or vapor outside their own housing and / or away from any kind of electro-acoustic transducer or other components they may employ. [0002] The invention also relates to a method of drying a wearable device by associating an electroosmotic membrane with said wearable device, and the corresponding use of such an electroosmotic membrane, to obtain a Transfer of liquids and / or vapors externally and / or away from its components. Background technique [0003] Hereinafter, the term hearing aid shall be understood as a device which is worn near or directly in a person's ear to improve that person's personal hearing. Such improvement...

AI Technical Summary

Problems solved by technology

The rates of moisture transport and drainage achieved by commonly used passive membranes are so low that any moisture trapped in such a wearable device will remain inside the device long enough anyway that different materials in its components A chemical reaction occurs between the metal surface and the contacts, which eventually renders them unusable

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