Charging device for hearing device

Abstract

The present application discloses a charging device for a hearing device, the charging device comprising: a charger housing having a receiving portion configured to receive at least a portion of the hearing device; a power inlet member disposed to have an opening at the charger housing, the power inlet member having a power inlet member opening configured to receive a plug; a substrate disposed within the charger housing, the substrate having a surface, the power inlet member mounted to the surface and the power inlet member disposed substantially perpendicular to the surface of the substrate, the power entry piece includes a front end configured to receive a charger cable and a rear end configured with a plurality of connection legs extending from the power entry piece body, where, in an installed state, the connection legs extend through the substrate, a tip of at least one of the connection legs is bent to abut the substrate.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present application relates to a charging device configured to charge one or more hearing devices. More specifically, the present application relates to a charging device for wireless or wired charging of a hearing device, such as a single hearing device or a group of hearing devices. The hearing device may be a hearing aid, an earbud / hearable device, or a similar ear-level device. Background Art

[0002] When using a charging device to charge a device configured to be placed at the user's ear, such as a hearing aid, a hearing device, or an earbud, either via a wire or wirelessly, the charging device requires energy. This energy can be provided by an internal battery or an external source. An external source can also be used to charge the internal battery, either wired or wirelessly. When an external power source is used, either to charge a hearing aid or to charge the charger's internal battery, the external power source requires an interface. This interface can be based on a USB-type interface, such as a USB-C interface. The interface is preferably detachably connected to a cable, and as the user removes the cable from the interface, tension is applied to the interface. As a result, there is a risk of damage to the interface.

[0003] Therefore, there is a need to provide a solution that solves at least some of the above-mentioned problems. Summary of the Invention

[0004] The present invention at least provides an alternative to the prior art.

[0005] The present invention provides a charging device for (re)charging a hearing device. The charging device is powered by a mains connection, such as a low-voltage connection. The charging device may include a battery configured to provide charging power to the hearing device when a mains connection is not present or unavailable, such as when the user is traveling. The internal battery can be charged when the charger is connected to an external power source, such as mains power. Mains power can be provided, for example, from a 12 / 24V car power supply, a 110 / 220V wall socket, or a 5V USB connection to a computer or other suitable power source. The charging device may include one or more visual indicators, such as LEDs and / or a graphical display. The visual indicators may be used to convey information such as "device present," "device being charged," "device partially charged," or "device fully charged." The charging device may include a data interface configured to communicate with a server device for providing software / settings updates, such as firmware updates, to the hearing device, or the charging device may be configured to collect data, such as usage data, status data, crash data, etc., from the hearing device. The collected data may be stored in the charging device until the device is inspected / read by a hearing healthcare professional or attendant, or may be transferred from the charging device via a communication interface (e.g., WiFi direct, or via a connection through a smartphone) to, for example, a server, etc. In these cases, the charging device may include a wireless interface, such as WiFi and / or Bluetooth, or another suitable communication interface.

[0006] In a first aspect, the present invention relates to a charging device configured to receive a hearing device, such as a hearing aid, wherein the charging device includes a charger housing having a receiving portion configured to receive at least a portion of the hearing device. The charging device according to the present invention may further include a power inlet disposed at an opening in the charger housing. The power inlet may have an opening configured to receive a connector (either a male or female connector). The power inlet may have a power inlet axis or orientation. This axis may coincide with the insertion direction of the power inlet. This means that when a user plugs in a cable, the cable's plug is inserted into the power inlet (receptacle) along the power inlet axis in an insertion direction. This may mean that when, for example, a plug is inserted into the power inlet, the insertion direction will be along the power inlet axis. The charging device according to the present invention may further include a substrate disposed within the charger housing. The substrate may have a substrate surface, or simply, a surface. The substrate may have a first surface and an opposing second surface. These two surfaces, the first and second surfaces, may be large surfaces (as opposed to edges) where, for example, a plurality of different electronic components will be / can be mounted. On one side, for example the first side, a power inlet may be mounted, for example the power inlet may be mounted to the surface of the substrate such that the axis of the power inlet is substantially perpendicular to the substrate surface. The substrate surface or at least a portion thereof should preferably be substantially flat. The power inlet may include a front end configured to receive a charger cable or other appropriate input and a rear end. The rear end or rear side may be configured or fitted with a plurality of connection legs extending from the body of the power inlet. The connection legs may be small extensions of the body which constitute the outer surface of the power inlet. In the mounted state, the connection legs may be arranged to extend through the substrate, for example through a hole or opening in the substrate. The connection legs may have a tip or distal end which may be bent to abut the substrate. This is intended to provide a retaining force when the power inlet is pulled during the process of a user wanting to remove a cable connected to the power inlet.

[0007] The charging device according to the present invention provides an easy and simple method of securing the connector to the PCB / substrate. Even if the solder joints overheat and melt (which can happen when a user connects a USB connector that provides too high a voltage), they will remain secure and there is no risk of them being pulled out of the charger. For example, the charging device may be configured to accept 5V, but if the power inlet is a USB-C type interface, the user may mistakenly connect a USB-C connector that provides, for example, 48V, suitable for powering a laptop computer. The high voltage / power can cause the connector to overheat (overheat), melting the solder and loosening the connector from the substrate.

[0008] The connecting leg may be non-conductive.The connecting leg is preferably part of the housing of the power receiver.

[0009] Adhesive or solder may be provided at the connection legs. This is expected to increase the force required to remove or dislodge the power inlet, thereby improving the reliability of the charging device.

[0010] A spacer may be provided between the substrate and the power inlet.

[0011] The charging device may include a charger antenna element configured to cooperate with the antenna in the hearing device being charged to increase the performance of the hearing device antenna. This may help the hearing device being charged achieve an improved communication range, for example, to a user's mobile phone or other computing device. The charger antenna may be integral to the charging device, without the curved pins disclosed herein. This charger antenna is expected to be useful because hearing devices such as hearing aids have limited space for Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) antennas. In particular, fully in-the-canal hearing devices need to be very compact. Having an extended Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) range while the hearing device is in the charger is advantageous, allowing the user to check the charging status of the hearing device from, for example, a nearby room. A typical BLE quarter-wavelength antenna is approximately 30 mm in length, and fully in-the-canal hearing devices, or even behind-the-ear hearing devices, typically lack the space to accommodate an antenna of this length.

[0012] When a hearing device is inserted into a charger, the charger establishes electrical contact with the hearing device. For example, by adding additional contact points and possibly some wiring and circuitry, the BLE antenna in the hearing device can be extended, either passively or actively. This increases the BLE range. Instead of a third contact point, one of the existing contact points can be used. This is possible because BLE operates in the GHz range and charging is DC, making separation of the two signals relatively easy through filtering.

[0013] The charger antenna may extend the hearing device's internal antenna (contact point at the end of the hearing device's antenna) or cover / supplement the internal antenna (contact point at the beginning of the hearing device's antenna).

[0014] The charger can also provide the entire antenna function: if the hearing device detects that it is in the charger, it can disconnect its own antenna. Charger-hearing device communication can be in RF (pure antenna signal) or baseband (so that the charger modulates and amplifies the RF). This also applies to other audio signals other than BLE types, such as classic Bluetooth and / or UWB.

[0015] The charging device advantageously comprises a charging interface configured to interface with the hearing device to be charged. The charging interface is configured to provide output power, wherein the charging interface is further configured to be connected to a charger cradle configured to be connected to the hearing aid to be charged, wherein the lead and connector are configured to be connected to the charging interface during use.

[0016] The charging device may include a battery configured to provide power via the charging interface. This can be used to charge the hearing device while the hearing device is still in use at the user's ear. By enabling charging while the hearing device is in use at the ear, the user can avoid range anxiety.

[0017] The charger slot insert can be made removable, or an additional / dedicated connector can be provided. In addition, a wire can be provided that extends between the charger and the insert. The charger can also be hung around the neck, for example in a neckband. The charger slot can be made as small as possible to be inconspicuous. The wire can be made to look like an in-ear earphone. The charger housing should have an indicator LED for the charging status of the hearing device (orange when charging, green when charging is complete). The solution can also include an adapter that fits into a slot on the charger and has a wire that leads to the hearing device / adapter on the ear. The adapter can be stored in a cavity in the charger. The adapter can be separated from the charger.

[0018] A charging device according to the present invention may include a wireless interface configured to receive wireless communications from an external device. Over-the-air (OTA) updates of the charger's firmware are desirable, but require some type of radio connection. This increases the cost and complexity of the charger. Hearing devices typically already have a radio and possibly a smartphone connection, as well as OTA update capabilities.

[0019] The charger has an (electrical) connection to the hearing device, and the hearing device is placed in the charger for extended periods (typically every night / overnight). The hearing device and charger are able to communicate via an electrical interface. By using the hearing device as an intermediary when updating the charger's firmware, no additional component costs are incurred. The charging device is also configured to wirelessly communicate with the hearing device being charged. This wireless communication may include software and / or settings updates for the hearing device and / or the charging device.

[0020] A hearing aid may be adapted to provide frequency-dependent gain and / or level-dependent compression and / or frequency transposition of one or more frequency ranges to one or more other frequency ranges (with or without frequency compression) to compensate for a user's hearing impairment. The hearing aid may include a signal processor for enhancing an input signal and providing a processed output signal. The hearing aid may include an output unit for providing stimulation perceived by the user as an acoustic signal based on the processed electrical signal. The output unit may include a vibrator in a bone conduction hearing aid. The output unit may include an output transducer. The output transducer may include a receiver (speaker) for providing the stimulation as an acoustic signal to the user (e.g., in an acoustic (air-conduction-based) hearing aid). The output transducer may include a vibrator for providing the stimulation as mechanical vibration of the skull (e.g., in a bone-attached or bone-anchored hearing aid). The output unit may (in addition or as an alternative) include a (e.g., wireless) transmitter for transmitting sound picked up by the hearing aid (e.g., via a network, e.g., in telephone mode or in a headset configuration) to another device, such as a remote communication partner.

[0021] The hearing aid may include an input unit for providing an electrical input signal representing sound. The input unit may include an input transducer, such as a microphone, for converting the input sound into the electrical input signal. The input unit may include a wireless receiver for receiving a wireless signal including or representing sound and providing the electrical input signal representing the sound.

[0022] The wireless receiver and / or transmitter may be configured to receive and / or transmit electromagnetic signals in the radio frequency range (3 kHz to 300 GHz), for example. The wireless receiver and / or transmitter may be configured to receive and / or transmit electromagnetic signals in the optical frequency range (e.g., infrared light 300 GHz to 430 THz or visible light such as 430 THz to 770 THz), for example.

[0023] A hearing aid may include a directional microphone system adapted to spatially filter ambient sound to enhance a target sound source among multiple sound sources in the local environment of a user wearing the hearing aid. The directional system may be adapted to detect (e.g., adaptively detect) the direction from which a particular portion of the microphone signal originates. This can be achieved in a variety of different ways, such as those described in the prior art. In hearing aids, microphone array beamformers are commonly used to spatially attenuate background noise sources. The beamformer may include a linearly constrained minimum variance (LCMV) beamformer. Many beamformer variants are available in the literature. Minimum variance distortionless response (MVDR) beamformers are widely used in microphone array signal processing. Ideally, an MVDR beamformer leaves the signal from the target direction (also known as the line-of-sight direction) unchanged while maximally attenuating sound signals from other directions. The generalized sidelobe canceler (GSC) structure is an equivalent representation of the MVDR beamformer, offering computational and digital representation advantages over a direct implementation of the original form.

[0024] The hearing aid may include an antenna and transceiver circuitry that enables a wireless link to an entertainment device (e.g., a television), a communication device (e.g., a telephone), a wireless microphone, a separate (external) processing device, or another hearing aid. The hearing aid may thus be configured to wirelessly receive a direct electrical input signal from another device. Similarly, the hearing aid may be configured to wirelessly transmit a direct electrical output signal to another device. The direct electrical input or output signal may represent or include an audio signal and / or a control signal and / or an information signal.

[0025] In general, the wireless link established by the antenna and transceiver circuitry of the hearing aid may be of any type. The wireless link may be a link based on near field communication, for example an inductive link based on inductive coupling between antenna coils of a transmitter part and a receiver part. The wireless link may be based on far-field electromagnetic radiation. Preferably, the frequency used to establish the communication link between the hearing aid and the other device is below 70 GHz, for example in the range from 50 MHz to 70 GHz, for example above 300 MHz, for example in the ISM range above 300 MHz, for example in the 900 MHz range or in the 2.4 GHz range or in the 5.8 GHz range or in the 60 GHz range (ISM = Industrial, Scientific and Medical, such standardized ranges are defined, for example, by the International Telecommunication Union ITU). The wireless link may be based on standardized or proprietary technologies. The wireless link may be based on Bluetooth technology (for example Bluetooth Low Energy technology, for example LE Audio) or Ultra-Wideband (UWB) technology.

[0026] The hearing aid may consist of or may form part of a portable (ie configured to be wearable) device, eg a device comprising a local energy source such as a battery, eg a rechargeable battery.

[0027] The hearing aid may for example be a low-weight, easily wearable device, for example having a total weight of less than 100 g, such as less than 20 g, for example less than 5 g.

[0028] A hearing aid may include a "forward" (or "signal") path between the input and output of the hearing aid for processing audio signals. A signal processor may be located in this forward path. The signal processor may be adapted to provide frequency-dependent gain according to the specific needs of the user (e.g., hearing loss). The hearing aid may include an "analysis" path having functional components for analyzing signals and / or controlling processing of the forward path. Some or all of the signal processing in the analysis path and / or the forward path may be performed in the frequency domain, in which case the hearing aid includes appropriate analysis and synthesis filter banks. Some or all of the signal processing in the analysis path and / or the forward path may be performed in the time domain.

[0029] The analog electrical signal representing the acoustic signal can be converted into a digital audio signal in an analog-to-digital (AD) conversion process, where the analog signal is sampled at a predetermined frequency or sampling rate f. s Sampling, f s For example, in the range from 8 kHz to 48 kHz (adapted to the specific needs of the application) at discrete time points t n (or n) provides digital samples x n (or x[n]), each audio sample is passed through a predetermined N b The bit represents the sound signal at t n The value when N b For example, in the range from 1 to 48 bits, such as 24 bits. Each audio sample thus uses N b bit quantization (resulting in 2 Nb different possible values). A digital sample x has a 1 / f s The length of time, such as 50μs, for f s = 20kHz. Multiple audio samples can be arranged in time frames. A time frame can include 64 or 128 audio data samples. Other frame lengths can be used depending on the actual application.

[0030] The hearing aid may include an analog-to-digital (AD) converter to digitize an analog input (e.g., from an input transducer such as a microphone) at a predetermined sampling rate, such as 20 kHz. The hearing aid may also include a digital-to-analog (DA) converter to convert the digital signal into an analog output signal, such as for presentation to the user via an output transducer.

[0031] A hearing aid can be configured to operate in different modes, such as a normal mode and one or more special modes, which can be selected by the user or automatically. The operating modes can be optimized for specific acoustic situations or environments, such as a communication mode, for example, a telephone mode. The operating modes can include a low-power mode, in which the functionality of the hearing aid is reduced (e.g., to save energy), such as disabling wireless communication and / or disabling specific features of the hearing aid.

[0032] The hearing aid may include a plurality of detectors configured to provide status signals related to the current network environment of the hearing aid (e.g., the current acoustic environment), and / or the current state of the user wearing the hearing aid, and / or the current state or operating mode of the hearing aid. Alternatively or additionally, one or more of the detectors may form part of an external device that communicates with the hearing aid (e.g., wirelessly). The external device may include, for example, another hearing aid, a remote control, an audio transmission device, a phone (e.g., a smartphone), an external sensor, etc.

[0033] The hearing aid may include a motion detector, such as an accelerometer. The motion detector may be configured to detect movement of a user's facial muscles and / or bones, such as that caused by speech or chewing (e.g., jaw movement), and provide a detector signal indicative of the movement. The hearing aid may be configured to enter certain modes based on the signal from the motion detector.

[0034] The present invention relates to a charging device configured to receive a hearing device, such as a hearing aid, wherein the charging device comprises: a charger housing having a receiving portion configured to receive at least a portion of the hearing device; a power inlet configured to have an opening at the charger housing, the power inlet having a power inlet axis; a substrate disposed within the charger housing, the substrate having a substrate surface, the power inlet being mounted to the substrate surface, and the power inlet axis being substantially perpendicular to the substrate surface, the power inlet comprising a front end configured to receive a charger cable and a rear end having a plurality of connecting legs extending from the power inlet body, wherein, in an installed state, the connecting legs extend through the substrate, at least one of the connecting legs having a tip that is bent to abut the substrate. The aforementioned charging device and / or hearing aid may include any of the features mentioned in the present application.

[0035] A hearing aid may comprise a hearing instrument, such as a hearing instrument adapted to be positioned at the ear of a user or fully or partially positioned in the ear canal, such as an earphone, a headset, an ear protection device, or a combination thereof. A hearing system may comprise a loudspeaker amplifier (comprising a plurality of input transducers (e.g. a microphone array) and a plurality of output transducers such as one or more loudspeakers, and one or more audio (and possibly video) transmitters, such as for use in an audio conferencing situation), such as comprising a beamformer filter unit, such as to provide multiple beamforming capabilities.

[0036] As used herein, a hearing aid, such as a hearing instrument, refers to a device adapted to improve, enhance, and / or protect a user's hearing ability 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 ear of the user. The audible signals may be provided, for example, in the form of acoustic signals radiated into the user's outer ear and / or acoustic signals transmitted as mechanical vibrations through the bony structure of the user's head and / or through portions of the middle ear to the user's inner ear.

[0037] The hearing aid can be configured to be worn in any known manner, such as as a unit worn behind the ear (with a tube that directs the radiated acoustic signal into the ear canal or with an output transducer, such as a loudspeaker, arranged close to or in the ear canal), as a unit arranged entirely or partially in the auricle and / or ear canal, as a unit connected to a fixed structure implanted in the skull, such as a vibrator, etc. The hearing aid can comprise a single unit or several units that communicate with each other (e.g., acoustically, electrically, or optically). The loudspeaker can be arranged in the housing together with the other components of the hearing aid, or it can itself be an external unit (possibly in combination with a flexible guiding element, such as a dome-shaped element).

[0038] Hearing aids can be adapted to the needs of specific users, such as hearing loss. The configurable signal processing circuitry of the hearing aid can be adapted to apply frequency- and level-dependent compression and amplification of the input signal. The customized frequency- and level-dependent gain (amplification or compression) can be determined during the fitting process by the fitting system based on the user's hearing data, such as an audiogram, using basic fitting principles (e.g., adaptation to speech). The frequency- and level-dependent gain can, for example, be reflected in processing parameters, uploaded to the hearing aid via an interface to a programming device (fitting system), and used by a processing algorithm executed by the configurable signal processing circuitry of the hearing aid.

[0039] A "hearing system" refers to a system that includes one or two hearing aids. A "binaural hearing system" refers to a system that includes two hearing aids and is adapted to collaboratively provide audible signals to both ears of a user. A hearing system or binaural hearing system may also include one or more "auxiliary devices" that communicate with the hearing aids and influence and / or benefit from the hearing aids' functionality. Such auxiliary devices may include at least one of the following: a remote control, a remote microphone, an audio gateway device, an entertainment device such as a music player, a wireless communication device such as a mobile phone (e.g., a smartphone) or a tablet, or another device, such as one that includes a graphical interface. A hearing aid, hearing system, or binaural hearing system may be used, for example, to compensate for the hearing loss of a hearing-impaired person, enhance or protect the hearing ability of a person with normal hearing, and / or transmit electronic audio signals to a person. A hearing aid or hearing system may, for example, form part of or interact with a public address system, active ear protection system, hands-free phone system, car audio system, entertainment (e.g., television, music playback, or karaoke) system, teleconferencing system, classroom amplification system, and the like. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0040] Various aspects of the present invention will be best understood from the following detailed description in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. For clarity, the drawings are schematic and simplified, showing only the details necessary for understanding the present invention and omitting other details. Throughout the specification, the same reference numerals are used for identical or corresponding parts. The various features of each aspect may be combined with any or all features of the other aspects. These and other aspects, features, and / or technical effects will be apparent from and elucidated in conjunction with the following figures, in which:

[0041] Figure 1 A hearing aid is schematically shown;

[0042] Figure 2 Schematically shows a substrate and a power inlet member in a charging device according to the present invention;

[0043] Figure 3 Schematically illustrates the steps of inserting and connecting the power inlet piece to the substrate;

[0044] Figure 4 A charger substrate is shown with four connection legs.

[0045] By the detailed description provided below, the further scope of application of the present invention will be apparent. However, it should be understood that while the detailed description and specific examples indicate the preferred embodiments of the present invention, they are provided for illustrative purposes only. For those skilled in the art, based on the following detailed description, other embodiments of the present invention will be apparent. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0046] The detailed description presented below in conjunction with the accompanying drawings serves as a description of a variety of different configurations. The detailed description includes specific details for providing a thorough understanding of a plurality of different concepts. However, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that these concepts can be implemented without these specific details. Several aspects of the apparatus and method are described by a plurality of different blocks, functional units, modules, components, circuits, steps, processes, algorithms, etc. (collectively referred to as "elements"). Depending on the specific application, design limitations or other reasons, these elements may be implemented using electronic hardware, computer programs or any combination thereof.

[0047] The electronic hardware may include microelectromechanical systems (MEMS), (e.g., application specific) integrated circuits, microprocessors, microcontrollers, digital signal processors (DSPs), field programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), programmable logic devices (PLDs), gating logic, discrete hardware circuits, printed circuit boards (PCBs) (e.g., flexible PCBs), and other suitable hardware configured to perform the various functions described in this specification, such as sensors for sensing and / or recording physical properties of the environment, device, user, etc. A computer program shall be construed broadly to mean instructions, an instruction set, code, a code segment, program code, a program, a subroutine, a software module, an application, a software application, a software package, a routine, a subroutine, an object, an executable, a thread of execution, a program, a function, or the like, whether referred to as software, firmware, middleware, microcode, a hardware description language, or otherwise.

[0048] The present application relates to the field of hearing aids, and in particular to the field of chargers for hearing aids.

[0049] Figure 1 A hearing device HD is schematically shown, wherein the hearing device is shaped as a behind-the-ear hearing aid. As disclosed herein, the hearing device can be provided in other form factors and without hearing loss compensation, i.e., as headphones, for example, as wireless headphones for music and / or phone calls. The hearing device HD includes an interconnection element IC that connects a behind-the-ear housing BTE with an inside-the-ear housing ITE. Two microphones constitute the hearing device's input system, which is connected to a processor SPU and a memory MEM arranged in conjunction with a substrate SUB. A battery BAT provides power to the hearing device. Here, the battery BAT is a rechargeable battery.

[0050] The hearing device HD includes a charging interface CI configured to receive energy from an external source during a recharging process and provide this energy as charging energy to the battery. The charging interface CI can be a wired interface and / or a wireless interface. The wired portion of the charging interface may include one or more, for example two, pins configured to connect to corresponding pads in a charging device. The wireless portion of the charging interface may include one or more coils configured to receive a wireless charging field emitted by a charging device having a charging coil. The charging interface CI can be connected via a converter to charge the battery BAT.

[0051] The hearing device HD may include an RF antenna connected to a suitable wireless interface, such as a radio configured to communicate using a data protocol such as Bluetooth / Bluetooth Low Energy. The hearing device HD may include an inductive communication interface having a coil, wherein the inductive communication interface is configured to communicate with a hearing device that is to be placed on the user's contralateral ear. The inductive communication interface may be configured to communicate with a device other than the other hearing device. The coil of the inductive communication interface may be the same coil as the charging interface coil used to harvest energy for wireless charging.

[0052] Insert assemblies are typically secured with screws, which is time-consuming to produce. We've also seen issues with cracked and broken screw heads. Therefore, an easier way to install and secure the inserts would be better for both production and reliability. This solution is also simpler to mold than conventional snap-on solutions.

[0053] Figure 2 A schematic diagram illustrates a substrate 10 within a charging device. The charging device is configured to receive a hearing device and provide power to a built-in battery to recharge it. Within the charger housing, a receiving portion is configured to receive at least a portion of the hearing device and establish an electrical connection to the hearing device via a contact pin or wireless coil for charging. The charging device includes a power inlet 20 having an opening 26 in the charger housing. The power inlet 20 has a power inlet shaft 22.

[0054] The substrate 10 is disposed within the charger housing. The substrate has a substrate surface. The power inlet 20 is mounted to the substrate 10 surface, with the power inlet axis 22 being substantially perpendicular to the substrate surface. The power inlet 20 includes a front end 28 configured to receive a charger cable and a rear end 30 configured to have a plurality of connection legs extending from the power inlet body. In the mounted state, the connection legs extend through the substrate, such as Figure 3 and 4 The connecting legs have a tip or distal end that is bent to abut the substrate.

[0055] Figure 3 The schematic diagram shows two states of power inlet assembly mounted to a substrate. In state 32A, the tip or distal end of the connecting leg extends through a hole or opening in the substrate. In this state, the tip is not bent and simply sticks out straight from the hole. In state 32B, the tip or distal end is bent so that it abuts or contacts the substrate. Due to this angle of the connecting legs, additional force is required to remove / separate the connector and substrate. By bending two such legs, as Figure 3 As shown on the right, even more force is required. This increases the safety of the charging device because the risk of the power inlet (body) being dislodged from the installed state is reduced. Figure 4As can be seen in the figure, two legs are bent while the other two legs extend straight out. For further added security, adhesive or welding can be provided where the legs are connected.

[0056] The structural features of the apparatus described above, described in detail in the "Detailed Description of the Invention" and defined in the claims may be combined with the steps of the method of the present invention when appropriately replaced by corresponding processes.

[0057] Unless expressly stated otherwise, the singular forms "a", "the" and "the" used herein include the plural form (i.e., having the meaning of "at least one"). It should be further understood that the terms "having", "including" and / or "comprising" used in the specification indicate the presence of the described features, integers, steps, operations, elements and / or parts, but do not exclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps, operations, elements, parts and / or combinations thereof. It should be understood that, unless expressly stated otherwise, when an element is referred to as being "connected" or "coupled" to another element, it may be directly connected or coupled to the other element, or there may be an intermediate intervening element. The term "and / or" as used herein includes any and all combinations of one or more listed related items. Unless expressly stated otherwise, the steps of any method disclosed herein do not have to be performed in the exact order disclosed.

[0058] It should be understood that references in this specification to "an embodiment," "an embodiment," "an aspect," or features that "may" include, mean that the specific features, structures, or characteristics described in conjunction with that embodiment are included in at least one embodiment of the present invention. Furthermore, the specific features, structures, or characteristics may be combined as appropriate in one or more embodiments of the present invention. The foregoing description is provided to enable those skilled in the art to practice the various aspects described herein. Various modifications will be apparent to those skilled in the art.

[0059] The claims are not limited to the aspects shown herein, but rather have the full scope consistent with the claim language in which, unless expressly stated otherwise, elements referred to in the singular do not mean "one and only one" but rather "one or more." Unless expressly stated otherwise, the term "some" means one or more.

Claims

1. A charging device configured to receive a hearing device, wherein the charging device comprises: a charger housing having a receiving portion configured to receive at least a portion of a hearing device; a power inlet provided with an opening at the charger housing, the power inlet having a power inlet opening configured to receive a plug; A substrate is disposed within the charger housing, the substrate having a surface, the power inlet being mounted to the surface and the power inlet being disposed substantially perpendicular to the surface of the substrate, the power inlet comprising a front end configured to receive a charger cable and a rear end configured with a plurality of connection legs extending from a main body of the power inlet, wherein, in an installed state, the connection legs extend through the substrate, and a tip of at least one connection leg is bent to abut the substrate.

2. The charging device according to claim 1, wherein: The connecting legs are non-conductive.

3. The charging device according to claim 1, wherein: Adhesive or solder is provided at the connection legs.

4. The charging device according to claim 1, wherein: A spacer is provided between the substrate and the power inlet.

5. The charging device according to claim 1, wherein The charging device comprises a charger antenna element configured to cooperate with an antenna in a hearing device to be charged such that the performance of the hearing device antenna is increased.

6. The charging device according to claim 1, wherein: The charging device includes a charging interface configured to interface with a hearing device to be charged, the charging interface configured to provide output power, the charging interface further configured to connect to a charger cradle configured to connect to the hearing device to be charged, wherein the wire and connector are configured to connect to the charging interface during use.

7. The charging device according to claim 6, wherein: The charging device includes a battery configured to provide power via a charging interface.

8. The charging device according to claim 1, wherein: The charging device further comprises a communication interface configured to receive communications from an external device via a hearing device stored in the charging device.

9. The charging device according to claim 8, wherein: The communication may comprise a software update and / or a settings update to the hearing device and / or the charging device.

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