Hearing Aid Battery Fixed to Ear Shell for Compact Fit
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Solution Overview
Problem
The size of in-the-ear hearing aids is a critical parameter that limits their fit for various users, as traditional designs restrict the placement and orientation of batteries, which in turn affect the overall size and visibility of the device.
Innovation Solution
The battery is fixed to the ear shell independently of the faceplate, allowing for optimal positioning and orientation, enabling a smaller and more versatile design that can fit a wider range of users, with the option for a rechargeable battery and wireless charging, and the removal of traditional battery compartments to minimize size and enhance usability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Volume of moving object
If the battery is fixed to the faceplate using a traditional battery drawer, then the battery placement is stable and secure, but the hearing aid size cannot be reduced and the visual appearance remains visible
Solution Approach 1:
The battery compartment is separated from the faceplate and integrated into the ear shell instead. This segmentation allows the battery to be positioned independently within the ear shell, enabling optimized spatial arrangement that reduces overall device size while maintaining secure battery placement through the ear shell's internal structure
Solution Approach 2:
The battery placement moves from a two-dimensional plane on the faceplate to a three-dimensional space within the ear shell. This dimensional transition provides additional spatial freedom to position the battery optimally, allowing for compact arrangement that minimizes the hearing aid's visible profile while maintaining operational accessibility
2Volume of moving object
If the battery orientation is constrained relative to the faceplate, then the manufacturing process is simplified, but the hearing aid cannot be optimized for minimal size and visibility
Solution Approach 1:
Separating the battery compartment from the faceplate and integrating it into the ear shell removes the rigid orientation constraints between battery and faceplate. The battery can now be oriented independently within the ear shell's three-dimensional space, enabling optimized positioning for minimal device profile while maintaining straightforward manufacturing through modular assembly
Solution Approach 2:
The battery's positional and orientational parameters are changed from being fixed relative to the faceplate to being flexible within the ear shell's internal space. This parameter freedom allows optimization of the battery's location and angle to achieve the smallest possible hearing aid size that remains invisible when placed in the ear canal
3Adaptability or versatility
If the faceplate is directly interconnected with the ear shell, then the structural integrity is maintained, but the battery placement options are restricted
Solution Approach 1:
The battery compartment is segmented as a separate functional element integrated into the ear shell rather than being part of the faceplate assembly. This segmentation maintains the direct faceplate-ear shell connection for structural integrity while providing independent battery placement options within the ear shell's internal volume
Solution Approach 2:
The ear shell acts as an intermediary structure that houses the battery compartment independently from the faceplate. This intermediary arrangement allows the battery to be positioned and oriented optimally within the ear shell while the faceplate maintains its direct structural connection to the ear shell, preserving overall structural integrity
Data Source
AI summary
There is presented an in-the-ear hearing aid comprising a faceplate, an ear shell, such as a custom ear shell, and a battery, wherein the battery is fixed to the ear shell and furthermore a method for providing an in-the-ear hearing aid, said method comprising obtaining data, such as three-dimensional data, representative of a shape and/or size of an ear canal of a specific person, such as the part of an ear canal extending at least partially from the outer ear to the middle ear, establishing a digital model of the ear shell, such as the custom ear shell, of the hearing aid for said ear canal based on said data, wherein said providing includes determining a position and/or orientation of a battery in said ear shell, which position and/or orientation increases or maximizes a distance from the outer ear to the faceplate.