Hearing aid comprising an induction coil

Abstract

A hearing aid comprising an induction coil is disclosed, wherein the hearing aid comprises: a faceplate; a custom ear shell adapted to at least partly fit into an ear canal of a specific person, the custom ear shell being connected to the faceplate; a rechargeable battery enclosed in the faceplate and the custom ear shell; and an induction coil, e.g. a hearing aid induction coil, for wireless charging of the rechargeable battery, the induction coil being arranged at least partly in contact with the custom ear shell, wherein the induction coil is arranged as a printed or deposited material on a flexible substrate.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The present invention relates to a hearing aid. More specifically, the present invention relates to a hearing aid in which an inductive coil is arranged, at least for charging a battery of the hearing aid, and to a corresponding method and system. BACKGROUND

[0002] The size of a behind-the-ear hearing aid can be considered an important parameter, e.g. because it implies the number of users the instrument can fit and / or because a smaller size is advantageous for reducing or eliminating the visible appearance when the hearing aid is placed in the ear canal of the user / wearer. However, a smaller size, and not necessarily a custom shaped concha, can also increase the requirements for vision and dexterity which is needed to provide power to the hearing aid (e.g. replacing or recharging a discharged battery). Introducing a fixed shaped connection interface can typically increase the size and / or complexity of the instrument, making it less attractive and / or more expensive to manufacture. Furthermore, since a hearing aid is often exposed to harsh environments at or in the ear, it is advantageous if the hearing aid has as few openings as possible. In particular, since a behind-the-ear hearing aid is individually shaped, it is not always possible to predict where a fixed size and shape of an element is best placed without prior knowledge of each ear canal.

[0003] Thus, there is a need to provide a flexible solution which enables reducing the size of a hearing aid and / or facilitates (easily and / or simply) providing a variety of functions. SUMMARY

[0004] According to a first aspect, a hearing aid is provided which is configured to be at least partly arranged in an ear canal of a specific person. The hearing aid can comprise a faceplate or at least a first outer part configured to face the environment when the hearing aid is at least partly located in the ear canal. The hearing aid can comprise a custom concha which is adapted to fit the ear canal of the specific person / user. The custom concha can be connected to the faceplate or the first part. The hearing aid can comprise a rechargeable battery. The hearing aid can comprise an inductive coil, e.g. a hearing aid inductive coil, for wireless charging of the rechargeable battery. The inductive coil can also be used for other purposes, like communication, programming, etc.

[0005] When charging a custom hearing instrument with a rechargeable battery, it can be very difficult to connect the very small and individually shaped instrument by electrical contact or contactless. In addition to the difficulty of charging from a technical point of view, it also makes it increasingly difficult for the user to handle the charging situation due to the need for better vision and dexterity. Introducing a clear identifiable connection interface can typically result in an increased size and / or complexity of the instrument, making it less attractive and / or more expensive to manufacture.

[0006] The hearing aid can be referred to interchangeably with a hearing instrument or instrument.

[0007] At least partly as all hearing aids, e.g. custom made hearing aids such as IIC (In-the-canal concealed) and CIC (Completely-in-the-canal) have a wide rather than a high shape, this results in that the instrument naturally falls over on one side, and if the inductive coil is placed in the same plane as this side, it makes possible inductive charging when the inductive coil is placed in the instrument, and more efficient when the coil is in this plane. The orientation / direction is important as it makes the coupling between the (external) charger and the inductive coil(s) in the instrument better and more appropriate, as a plane with parallel orientation normally is desired. It can be advantageous if the hearing aid inductive coil is thin, soft and free floating, as this makes it possible to adapt to the shape many custom made instruments have.

[0008] It can be seen that the present invention has the advantage that it facilitates charging in an easy and simple way, where the visual and dexterous requirements can be seen as limited or low, e.g. as it only requires that the hearing aid is placed on or in the charger, and as the inductive coil that is fixed to the ear shell or that is fixed by the ear shell can be oriented in a position suitable for charging. This does not require that the electrical leads are carefully placed in contact with the charging pads or that the hearing instrument is carefully positioned and / or oriented in a position and / or direction suitable for charging.

[0009] Further, when designing a custom made hearing instrument, each hearing instrument is made to fit the ear canal of the individual user. As space is needed for all the hearing instrument parts, the shape of the parts and their placement becomes a design limitation, and thus a limitation of the size of the instrument. The size of the instrument is an important parameter as it means the amount of users the instrument can fit. The advantage of fixing the inductive coil to the ear shell is that there is no limitation of the orientation of the inductive coil, e.g. the orientation of the inductive coil relative to the faceplate, which in turn necessarily leads to that the position and / or orientation of the inductive coil can be optimized with respect to the size of the hearing aid, so that the hearing aid is less or not at all visible during use. As an alternative or in combination therewith, the coil can be fixed by the ear shell, meaning that the coil can be placed at a certain position or cavity or area within the ear shell, where at least parts of the coil abut the inner surface of the ear shell so that this or these parts help to keep the coil in place. Further, in either case, a non-essential adhesive can be applied. The adhesive can be or comprise a gel or pad form or other suitable form. The support for keeping the inductive coil in the desired position and / or orientation can be a part of the ear shell, e.g. the ear shell is a custom made ear shell for the hearing aid, and / or a part that engages the faceplate.

[0010] In case the inductive coil is fixed in the hearing aid housing, the inductive coil can be fixed to the ear shell by any conceivable means, e.g. glued to the ear shell and / or fixed to the ear shell by interference fit and / or by means of protruding structures on the inner surface of the ear shell and / or by means of structures connected to the inner surface of the ear shell. The inductive coil can be connected to the faceplate or exclusively to the ear shell. The inductive coil can thus be located in a space created or established by the custom ear shell and the faceplate. The inductive coil can be formed entirely on a single substrate with connections to the energy store to be charged and / or a communication interface as will be described in detail below.

[0011] Generally, a "hearing aid" can be understood as a hearing device adapted to improve or enhance the hearing ability of a user by receiving acoustic signals from the user's environment, generating corresponding audio signals, possibly modifying the audio signals, and providing the possibly modified audio signals as audible signals to at least one of the user's ears. Generally, a hearing device comprises i) an input unit, e.g. a microphone, for receiving acoustic signals from the user's surroundings and providing corresponding input audio signals; and / or ii) a receiving unit for electronically receiving the input audio signals. The hearing device further comprises a signal processing unit for processing the input audio signals and an output unit for providing audible signals to the user in dependence of the processed audio signals. A "hearing aid" can be understood as a hearing aid as commonly known in the art, e.g. a hearing aid adapted to be worn entirely or partially in the pinna and / or in the ear canal of a user.

[0012] The hearing aid can be an in-the-ear hearing aid, e.g. an "in-the-canal" (ITC) hearing aid and / or a "completely-in-the-canal" (CIC) hearing aid and / or an "invisible-in-the-canal" (IIC) hearing aid. An "in-the-ear" hearing aid can be understood as also including an "in-the-canal" (ITC) hearing aid and / or a "completely-in-the-canal" (CIC) hearing aid and / or an "invisible-in-the-canal" (IIC) hearing aid.

[0013] The inductive coil can also be configured for communication, e.g. can be operated between two states (charging and communication), the aforementioned operation can depend on one or more wireless interfaces in the hearing aid. The operation can be switched intermittently, according to a scheme or according to detected conditions. During the charging process, the communication coil can be used to transfer data from the hearing aid to the charger device in certain time slots or via a return channel parallel to the charge being received.

[0014] According to the present application, in a hearing aid, e.g. the inductive coil described herein can be provided as a printed material on a flexible substrate or deposited on a flexible substrate, e.g. the substrate can be bendable and / or deformable and / or elastic. The advantage is to enable pushing the coil into a location that does not accommodate its original size, due to the flexibility of the substrate, the substrate can be bent and / or folded and (slightly) changed in size / volume, thereby enabling mounting the coil in a location in the ear shell that was previously (without damaging the ear shell) not suitable to hold the coil.

[0015] Advantageously, the flexible substrate and the battery are provided as separate components. Although they can be provided as separate components, they can be arranged such that at least parts thereof can be connected.

[0016] In a hearing aid according to the application, the material of the flexible substrate can have a Young's modulus which is lower than the Young's modulus of the ear shell material, e.g. such that the substrate deforms (e.g. not in the opposite direction) when the substrate is pressed against the ear shell. This can ensure that the ear shell is not damaged, or at least reduce the risk of damaging the ear shell. Alternatively or additionally, the flexibility of the substrate is achieved by choosing the thickness of the substrate such that it can deform completely or in shape. The flexible substrate can e.g. be based on or comprise a PI (Polyimide) film and a PET (Polyester) film, have a soft copper-clad laminate, or other suitable printed circuit board technology.

[0017] In a hearing aid according to the application, the inductive coil can be arranged relative to the ear shell such that, when the hearing aid is placed on a planar surface in a direction which results in the centre of gravity being closest to the surface, the inductive coil has a direction for a varying longitudinal magnetic field which results in a maximum induced current (e.g. maximum is to be understood within an angle of e.g. 10 degrees, 5 degrees, 2 degrees, 1 degree from the absolute optimal angle). This direction can not be optimal, the direction should at least provide a sufficient field strength such that the battery can be charged. This can be less than the maximum induced current. The charger can be configured to receive information about the induced current in the coil and / or the battery charging current, such that the field strength can be increased and / or decreased in accordance with the (current) needs of the hearing aid while the hearing aid is still located in / on the charger.

[0018] A hearing aid with an ear shell shaped for a specific ear canal can comprise a specially shaped area to achieve an optimal orientation of the centre of gravity of the hearing aid resulting in the coil relative to the charging coil of an external charger device. This can e.g. be one or more areas of one or more legs or supports which together form the support on which the hearing aid will rest when it is being charged.

[0019] A possible advantage of this embodiment is that, when the external charging magnetic field has longitudinal magnetic field lines, e.g. is or comprises a longitudinal magnetic field, the maximum charging current is induced at the hearing aid in its lowest (potential) energy direction (the direction which results in the centre of gravity being closest to the surface, i.e. has the lowest potential / gravitational energy) which can typically be the case when the hearing aid is simply (unintentionally) placed on a surface, e.g. the surface of an external charger. This can advantageously enable optimal charging to occur simply by placing the hearing aid on a surface, i.e. without requiring much visual and dexterity.

[0020] The coil and / or the hearing aid can be formed such that the area vector of the inductive loop of the hearing aid forms an acute angle of less than 10 degrees, e.g. less than 5 degrees, e.g. less than 2 degrees, e.g. less than 1 degree, with the perpendicular, when the hearing aid is placed on a planar surface in a direction which results in the centre of gravity being closest to the surface.

[0021] In a hearing aid according to the application, the induction coil can be fixed to the ear shell independently of the faceplate, e.g. glued to the ear shell and / or by interference fit and / or by means of protruding structures on the inner surface of the ear shell and / or by means of structures connected to the inner surface of the ear shell. "Fixed to the ear shell independently of the faceplate" can be understood as the induction coil being fixed to the ear shell independently of the faceplate, e.g. the faceplate can be detached, but the induction coil is still fixed to the ear shell. Of course, the induction coil can also be fixed to the faceplate, i.e. the induction coil can be fixed to the ear shell and the faceplate or only to the ear shell. The advantage of the induction coil being fixed to the ear shell independently of the faceplate is that it enables the faceplate to be detached or mounted while the induction coil (or holder) is fixed to the ear shell. Another advantage of the induction coil being fixed to the ear shell independently of the faceplate is that it enables the induction coil to be optimally positioned and / or oriented for the purpose of reducing or minimizing the size of the in-the-ear hearing aid.

[0022] In a hearing aid according to the application, the induction coil can be fixed to the ear shell exclusively / only, e.g. glued to the ear shell and / or by interference fit and / or by means of protruding structures on the inner surface of the ear shell and / or by means of structures connected to the inner surface of the ear shell. The advantage of the induction coil being fixed to the ear shell only is that it enables other components such as the faceplate to be detached or mounted while the induction coil (or holder) is fixed to the ear shell. Another advantage of the induction coil being fixed to the ear shell only is that it enables the induction coil to be optimally positioned and / or oriented for the purpose of reducing or minimizing the size of the in-the-ear hearing aid. "Interference fit" can also be referred to as press fit or friction fit and can be understood as a fixation between two parts which is achieved by friction after the two parts have been brought together, rather than by other means of fixation.

[0023] In a hearing aid according to the application, the main axis of the induction coil, e.g. the axis of the induction coil which has the smallest moment of inertia, is neither orthogonal to the faceplate plane nor parallel to the faceplate plane, e.g. with respect to the optimal mathematical plane of the faceplate, e.g. the angle between said axis and said plane is within 5 to 85 degrees, such as within 10 to 80 degrees, such as within 20 to 70 degrees, such as within 30 to 60 degrees. The possible advantage of the main axis of the induction coil being neither orthogonal to the faceplate plane nor parallel to the faceplate plane is that it enables the orientation of the induction coil to be improved for the purpose of reducing or minimizing the size of the in-the-ear hearing aid.

[0024] In a hearing aid according to the application, the faceplate can comprise an antenna configured to communicate radio waves with an external unit, e.g. an antenna configured to conduct high frequency wireless communication, e.g. an antenna configured to have an operating frequency of 2.4 GHz or 5.8 GHz or other suitable high frequency. A possible advantage can be to create e.g. another communication channel. "Configured to have an operating frequency of 2.4 GHz" can be understood as being adapted to the Industrial, Scientific and Medical (ISM) radio band of 2.4 GHz. "An antenna configured to have an operating frequency of 2.4 GHz" can be understood as an antenna adapted to transmit and / or receive electromagnetic signals within the 2.4 GHz ISM band and / or within the [2.4; 2.5] GHz wavelength range. "Configured to have an operating frequency of 5.8 GHz" can be understood as being adapted to the Industrial, Scientific and Medical (ISM) radio band of 5.8 GHz. "An antenna configured to have an operating frequency of 5.8 GHz" can be understood as an antenna adapted to transmit and / or receive electromagnetic signals within the 5.8 GHz ISM band and / or within the [5.725; 5.875] GHz wavelength range.

[0025] The wireless interface in communication with the antenna can be configured to communicate using a communication protocol, e.g. Bluetooth, e.g. Bluetooth Low Energy, a proprietary protocol or other suitable communication protocol.

[0026] In a hearing aid according to the application, the hearing aid can comprise one or more microphones, e.g. one microphone, e.g. two microphones. The microphone or input transducer can be located at or in the faceplate of the hearing aid, or, generally, in a region of the hearing aid configured to be oriented towards the environment when the hearing aid is at least partly worn in the ear canal of a user / wearer. Each microphone can comprise one, two or more microphone elements, e.g. two elements constituting a directional microphone or one microphone element constituting an omnidirectional microphone, such that a hearing aid comprising two single element microphones together forms a directional microphone.

[0027] In a hearing aid according to the application, the induction coil can be placed in contact with the faceplate. A possible advantage of placing the induction coil in contact with the faceplate can be that the position and / or orientation of the induction coil can be kept independent of the faceplate. Another possible advantage of placing the induction coil in contact with the faceplate can be that the faceplate can be disassembled without disturbing the position and / or orientation of the induction coil. Another possible advantage of placing the induction coil in contact with the faceplate can be that the concha and the induction coil can be assembled before mounting the faceplate.

[0028] In a hearing aid according to the application, the induction coil can float relative to the faceplate or the end of the hearing aid configured to face the environment when the hearing aid is located in the ear canal. If the induction coil in the hearing aid is not fixed to the faceplate but can float freely to best fit the ear canal, e.g. rotate and / or tilt relative to the faceplate, the hearing aid can be made smaller and better fitting, i.e. more users can use the hearing aid. It is possible to float the induction coil. "The induction coil floats relative to the faceplate" can be understood as that the position and / or orientation of the induction coil can vary relative to the faceplate.

[0029] In a hearing aid according to the application, the induction coil can be fixed to the concha via a protrusion integrated with the concha. The protrusion can enable an interference fit.

[0030] In a hearing aid according to the application, a substrate carrying at least one electronic component can be included, wherein the substrate can carry at least one electronic component floating relative to the faceplate or connected to the faceplate.

[0031] In a hearing aid according to the application, a protective layer can be applied to at least one electronic component in the hearing aid. If a protective layer, e.g. a thin liquid protective layer such as epoxy or silicone or polyurethane (PU), is applied on at least one electronic component, e.g. on an integrated circuit (IC), especially on the edges of the IC, the risk of damage can be significantly reduced. The effect of the protective layer can vary with the properties, e.g. the effect is one or more of the following non-exhaustive list: stabilizing and / or increasing the force distribution layer and / or gasket, etc. by filling (micro) cracks.

[0032] In a hearing aid according to the application, the concha can be formed integrally, e.g. as one piece, such as 3D printed. Possible advantages of making the concha integral are that production is simplified, assembly is simplified and / or moisture and liquid resistance is increased.

[0033] In a hearing aid according to the application, the hearing aid can comprise a housing comprising a faceplate and a concha, wherein the hearing aid further comprises a pickup coil arranged in the housing. According to the application, the induction coil is not the pickup coil.

[0034] According to the application, a plurality of hearing aids is proposed, each hearing aid having one or more features of the hearing aid disclosed in the application, e.g. the electronic components in each of the plurality of hearing aids are identical, but the shape and / or size of the concha differ from each other, e.g. the shape and / or size of the concha are shaped for the left and right ear of a specific person or a group of people, respectively, wherein the concha have different geometrical shapes from each other, and wherein the position and / or orientation of the induction coil relative to the respective faceplate differ.

[0035] The possible advantages of making the shape and / or size of the ear shell different from one another can be that the hearing aids can be adapted to different users, e.g. each hearing aid can be optimized for a specific user. The possible advantages of making the position and / or orientation of the induction coil relative to the faceplate different from one another can be to enable minimization or reduction of the size of each individual hearing aid.

[0036] According to the present invention, a binaural system is proposed comprising two hearing aids according to the present invention. The hearing aids can be a "binaural (hearing) system", e.g. a system comprising two hearing aids, wherein the two hearing aids are adapted or configured to cooperatively provide audible signals to the respective ears of a user.

[0037] According to the present invention, a system is also proposed comprising a hearing aid according to the present invention, a charger comprising a charger induction coil, wherein when the hearing aid is positioned on / in the charger, the orientation of the hearing aid induction coil relative to the ear shell can be set such that the hearing aid induction coil can have or has substantially the same direction as the direction resulting in the maximum induced current when the magnetic charging field from the charger induction coil is changed in amplitude. The system has the advantage of facilitating charging in an easy and simple manner, wherein the requirements for vision and dexterity can be considered limited or low, e.g. because it only requires to put the hearing aid on or in the charger, and because the induction coil fixed to the ear shell can be oriented in a position suitable for charging. This does not require to carefully place the electrical leads in contact with the charging pads or to carefully position and / or orient the hearing instrument in a position and / or orientation suitable for charging. "Substantially the same" can be understood as deviating less than 20 degrees, such as less than 10 degrees, such as less than 5 degrees, such as less than 2 degrees, such as less than 1 degree from the respective direction.

[0038] According to the present invention, a method for providing a hearing aid is proposed, which can comprise obtaining data, such as three-dimensional data, representing the shape and / or size of an ear canal of a specific person, such as an ear canal extending at least partially from the outer ear to the middle ear. The method can comprise establishing a digital model of a custom ear shell of the hearing aid for the ear canal based on the data. The method can comprise determining a position and / or orientation of an induction coil in an inner space of the ear shell, which position and / or orientation increases or maximizes the distance from the outer ear to the faceplate. The method can facilitate receiving information about the geometry of the ear canal and providing information, such as a computer aided design (CAD) model or another digital model, for an ear shell for the ear canal, wherein the position and / or orientation of the induction coil is optimized in order to minimize or reduce the size of the ear shell (and / or to maximize the distance from the outer ear to the faceplate, which maximization can reduce or eliminate the visibility of the in-the-ear hearing aid during use). The result of the method is information about the ear shell, such as a digital model of the ear shell.

[0039] Advantageously, the position and / or orientation of the induction coil can be optimized during the design of the in-the-ear hearing aid, e.g. at least during the design of the custom part of the hearing aid (such as the ear shell), and this optimization can be done in order to minimize or reduce the size of the ear shell (and / or to maximize the distance from the outer ear to the faceplate, which can reduce or eliminate the visibility of the in-the-ear hearing aid during use). It will be appreciated that during the design process, the induction coil can be "floating" relative to the faceplate, e.g. the position and / or orientation of the induction coil can be optimized independently of the position and / or orientation of the faceplate. This can enable improved design of the in-the-ear hearing aid for situations where there are limitations on the orientation and / or position of the induction coil, e.g. situations where the induction coil is in a fixed spatial relationship with the faceplate.

[0040] According to the present application, a method for providing a hearing aid can be provided, which can comprise steps such as the following order:

[0041] obtaining data, such as three-dimensional data, representing an ear shell for the ear canal of the specific person;

[0042] providing an ear shell (optionally with a protrusion enabling interference fit with a battery) from the data representing an ear shell for the ear canal, e.g. by three-dimensional printing;

[0043] connecting an induction coil to the ear shell, e.g. by gluing or interference fit;

[0044] connecting a faceplate to the ear shell.

[0045] The result of the method can be an in-the-ear hearing aid.

[0046] The above outlined features and / or technical details can be combined in any suitable manner.

[0047] According to a first alternative aspect, an in-the-ear hearing aid configured to be at least partly arranged in an ear canal of a specific person is presented, the in-the-ear hearing aid comprising:

[0048] - a faceplate;

[0049] - a custom ear shell adapted to fit the ear canal of the specific person, the custom ear shell being connected to the faceplate;

[0050] - a rechargeable battery;

[0051] - an induction coil, such as a hearing aid induction coil, for wireless charging of the rechargeable battery;

[0052] wherein the induction coil is fixed to the faceplate. This first alternative aspect can be combined with features of any embodiment of the present application.

[0053] According to a first alternative aspect, there is provided a hearing aid, wherein the main axis of the induction coil, e.g. the axis of the induction coil having the smallest moment of inertia, is neither orthogonal to the plane of the faceplate nor parallel to the plane of the faceplate, e.g. with respect to the optimal mathematical plane of the faceplate, e.g. the angle between said axis and said plane is within 5 to 85 degrees, such as within 10 to 80 degrees, such as within 20 to 70 degrees, such as within 30 to 60 degrees.

[0054] According to a first alternative aspect, there is provided a hearing aid, wherein the induction coil is connected to the faceplate via a protrusion formed integral with the faceplate or via an insert.

[0055] According to a first alternative aspect, there is provided a hearing aid, wherein the induction coil is connected to the faceplate exclusively, e.g. wherein the induction coil is not connected to the ear shell.

[0056] According to a second alternative aspect, there is provided a hearing aid configured to be at least partially arranged in the ear canal of a specific person, the hearing aid comprising:

[0057] - a faceplate;

[0058] - a custom ear shell adapted to fit in the ear canal of the specific person, the custom ear shell being connected to the faceplate;

[0059] - a rechargeable battery;

[0060] - an induction coil, such as a hearing aid induction coil, for wireless charging of the rechargeable battery;

[0061] wherein said induction coil is floating with respect to the faceplate. This second alternative aspect can be combined with features of any embodiment of the present application.

[0062] According to a third alternative aspect, there is provided a hearing aid configured to be at least partially arranged in the ear canal of a specific person, the hearing aid comprising:

[0063] - a faceplate;

[0064] - a custom ear shell adapted to fit in the ear canal of the specific person, the custom ear shell being connected to the faceplate;

[0065] - a rechargeable battery;

[0066] - an induction coil, such as a hearing aid induction coil, for wireless charging of the rechargeable battery;

[0067] - a substrate carrying at least one electronic component, such as said induction coil;

[0068] wherein said substrate carrying at least one electronic component is floating with respect to the faceplate or connected to the faceplate. This third alternative aspect can be combined with features of any embodiment of the present application.

[0069] The above-summarized features and / or technical details can be combined in any appropriate manner. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0070] Various aspects of the present application will be best understood with the benefit of the following detailed description read in conjunction with the drawings. The drawings are schematic and simplified for clarity and the detailed description is illustrative only. Wherever possible, reference numerals have been used throughout the drawings to promote understanding of the present application. Each aspect of the application can be combined with any or all of the features of the other aspects. These and other aspects, features, and / or technical effects will be apparent from and elucidated with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0071] Figure 1 schematic perspective view of an in-the-ear hearing aid;

[0072] Figure 2 schematic end view of an in-the-ear hearing aid;

[0073] Figure 3 schematic side view of an in-the-ear hearing aid;

[0074] Figure 4 schematic cross-sectional view of an exemplary instrument;

[0075] Figure 5 a method according to an embodiment of the application is shown. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0076] The detailed description set forth below with respect to the appended drawings is presented as a description of various configurations. The detailed description includes specific details for the purpose of providing a thorough understanding of the present concepts. However, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that these concepts can be practiced without these specific details. Several aspects of a hearing aid, hearing aids, a binaural system, and methods are described by various blocks, functional units, modules, elements, circuits, steps, processes, algorithms, etc. (collectively referred to as "elements"). These elements can be implemented using electronic hardware, computer software, or any combination thereof. With the ever increasing complexity of processing devices, the functionality of some elements can be combined in one or more modules for use in different configurations.

[0077] Electronic hardware can include microprocessors, microcontrollers, digital signal processors (DSPs), field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), programmable logic devices (PLDs), gated logic, discrete hardware circuits, and other suitable hardware configured to perform the various functionalities described herein. Computer software should be interpreted broadly to mean instructions, instruction sets, code, code segments, program code, programs, subprograms, software modules, applications, software applications, software packages, routines, subroutines, objects, executables, execution threads, procedures, functions, and so on, whether referred to as software, firmware, middleware, microcode, hardware description language, or otherwise.

[0078] Figure 1 is a schematic perspective view of an in-the-ear hearing aid 100. The hearing aid 100 has a battery drawer in faceplate 102, an ear shell 104, and a charging coil as an induction coil 108. However, since the hearing aid 100 is rechargeable, the battery drawer need not be of the conventional type that can be opened and can be dispensed with, the battery simply being installed within the hearing aid 100, for example, being secured to the faceplate 102 or elsewhere inside the hearing aid 100. The illustrated hearing aid has a wide, rather than a tall, shape, which results in the instrument naturally falling over on one side, and the induction coil being placed in the same plane as the side, facilitating inductive charging that can be performed with the induction coil placed in the instrument, the induction coil having an induced current generated from a varying magnetic field having longitudinal magnetic lines of force. The induction coil 108 is positioned relative to the ear shell 104 so that when the hearing aid is placed on a horizontal surface in an orientation that results in the center of gravity being closest to the surface, the induction coil has an orientation within 10 degrees of vertical. The hearing aid induction coil is thin, flexible, and free-floating, so that it can adapt to the shape that many custom instruments have.

[0079] Figure 2 is a schematic end view of an in-the-ear hearing aid 100. The hearing aid 100 has an ear shell 104 and a flexible coil as an induction coil 108. The figure shows the bending of the induction coil so that it can be soldered within the ear shell and securely attached there. The figure also shows the speaker around which the induction coil is partially placed, where the flexibility of the induction coil enables it to be installed in the ear shell in the space left after the speaker is placed.

[0080] Figure 3 is a schematic side view of an in-the-ear hearing aid 100. A first induction coil (which in this example is a substrate having printed conductors forming a rectangle having sides parallel to the sides of the paper and having a horizontal axis) shows an induction coil orientation that complies with the constraints that the induction coil must be placed in this orientation. The constraints can result in an unnecessarily large in-the-ear hearing aid. A second induction coil 308 (forming a rectangle that is 60 degrees relative to the rectangle formed by the first induction coil) shows an alternative orientation of the induction coil that can be a result of optimization to reduce or minimize the size of the in-the-ear hearing aid, and that can result in a smaller in-the-ear hearing aid than can be achieved under the constraints that the induction coil must be oriented as shown by the first induction coil.

[0081] Figure 4For an illustrative cross-sectional view of an example instrument having a charging coil, the charging coil is a charger induction coil, as indicated by the dashed rectangle (at the bottom of the figure). The charger induction coil is placed in a charger outside the (hearing aid). The charger induction coil provides a varying magnetic field (with varying amplitude) having magnetic field lines as indicated by the dotted curve, e.g. substantially vertical magnetic field lines. The figure also shows the hearing aid (in the fully drawn rectangle with rounded corners) having (from left to right) a loudspeaker, a microphone, an amplifier (below the microphone), and a battery.

[0082] Figure 5 A method according to an embodiment of the application is shown, showing a method of providing a hearing aid, e.g. a hearing aid according to the first aspect, the method comprising:

[0083] At step 532, data, e.g. three-dimensional data, representing a shape and / or size of an ear canal of a specific person, e.g. an ear canal extending at least partly from the outer ear to the middle ear, is obtained.

[0084] At step 534, a digital model of a custom ear shell of the hearing aid is established for the ear canal based on said data, including determining a position and / or orientation of the induction coil 108 in the inner space of the ear shell 104 at step 533, which position and / or orientation increases or maximizes the distance from the outer ear to the faceplate 102, wherein the method further comprises steps, e.g. in the following order:

[0085] - obtaining data, e.g. three-dimensional data, representing an ear shell for the ear canal;

[0086] - at step 536, providing the ear shell 104 (optionally with a protrusion enabling interference fit with the battery) from the data representing an ear shell for the ear canal, e.g. via three-dimensional printing;

[0087] - at step 538, connecting the induction coil 108 to the ear shell;

[0088] At step 540, the faceplate 102 is connected to the ear shell, e.g. via gluing or interference fit.

[0089] The singular forms "a," "an," and "the" include plural referents unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. It will be further understood that the terms "comprises," "comprising," "includes," and / or "including," as used herein, specify the presence of stated features, integers, steps, operations, elements, and / or components, but do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps, operations, elements, components, and / or groups thereof. It will be understood that when an element is referred to as being "connected" or "coupled" to another element, it can be directly connected or coupled to the other element or intervening elements can be present. As used herein the term "and / or" includes any and all combinations of one or more of the associated listed items. The steps of a method disclosed herein need not be performed in the exact order disclosed, unless explicitly stated.

[0090] It is to be understood that the singular forms "a," "an," and "the" include plural referents unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. It will be further understood that the terms "comprises," "comprising," "includes," and / or "including," as used herein, specify the presence of stated features, integers, steps, operations, elements, and / or components, but do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps, operations, elements, components, and / or groups thereof. It will be understood that when an element is referred to as being "connected" or "coupled" to another element, it can be directly connected or coupled to the other element or intervening elements can be present. As used herein the term "and / or" includes any and all combinations of one or more of the associated listed items. The steps of a method disclosed herein need not be performed in the exact order disclosed, unless explicitly stated.

[0091] The claims are not limited to the various aspects shown herein, but include the full scope of the claims made in connection with the various aspects, where the construction of the claims is not dependent on the presence or absence of any particular feature, unless expressly stated in the claims. The terms "a," "an," and "the" are not limited to the singular, but include the plural, unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. The term "some" means one or more, unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. Thus, the scope of the present application should be determined by the appended claims and equivalents thereof.

Claims

1. A hearing aid configured to be at least partially disposed in the ear canal, the hearing aid comprising: panel; Customized ear shells adapted to at least partially fit an ear canal, said customized ear shells being connected to a panel; A rechargeable battery is disposed within a housing formed by the panel and the custom ear shell; and An induction coil for wireless charging of a rechargeable battery, the induction coil being disposed in the housing and at least partially in contact with the customized ear shell at a predetermined orientation relative to the customized ear shell, wherein the induction coil is configured as a printed or deposited material on a flexible substrate; The flexible substrate bends when positioned in the predetermined orientation within the housing to fit the custom ear shell.

2. The hearing aid of claim 1, wherein the induction coil is separate from the rechargeable battery.

3. The hearing aid of claim 1, wherein the material of the flexible substrate has a lower Young's modulus than the material of the custom ear shell, and / or the flexible substrate has a thickness smaller than the thickness of the custom ear shell.

4. The hearing aid according to claim 1, wherein, The induction coil is positioned relative to the custom-designed earpiece such that when the hearing aid is placed on a flat horizontal surface, the hearing aid has a center of gravity closest to the flat horizontal surface.

5. The hearing aid according to any one of claims 1-3, wherein the induction coil is fixed only to the custom ear shell.

6. The hearing aid of claim 1, wherein the axis of the induction coil having minimum rotational inertia is neither perpendicular to nor parallel to the panel plane.

7. The hearing aid of claim 1, wherein the hearing aid includes an antenna configured to communicate radio waves with an external unit.

8. The hearing aid of claim 1, wherein the panel comprises one or more microphones.

9. The hearing aid according to claim 6, wherein, The angle between the axis and the panel plane is between 5 and 85 degrees.

10. A plurality or group of hearing aids according to claim 1, wherein the electronic components in each of the plurality of hearing aids are identical, wherein Custom ear shells are shaped and / or sized differently from each other and are molded separately for the left and right ears of a person, wherein the custom ear shells have different geometries from each other, and The positions and / or orientations of the induction coils relative to the respective panels are different from each other.

11. A binaural hearing aid system comprising two hearing aids as claimed in claim 1.

12. A method for providing a hearing aid according to any one of claims 1-9, the method comprising: Obtain data representing the shape and / or size of the ear canal; A digital model of a custom ear shell for a hearing aid is created, at least in part, based on the data for the ear canal; The establishment includes determining the position and / or orientation of an induction coil within the inner space of a custom ear shell, the induction coil being disposed on a flexible substrate; The establishment includes setting the flexible substrate to bend within the inner space to fit the custom ear shell.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising: Obtain data representing a custom ear shell for the ear canal; A custom ear shell is provided based on data indicating a custom ear shell for use in the ear canal; The induction coil is placed in the inner space of the custom ear shell according to the establishment described above; Attach the panel to the custom earcups / attach it to the custom earcups.

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