Hearing Aid Wireless Charging via Resonant Receiver Coil
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional hearing aids require users to remove the device from their ear for battery charging, causing inconvenience and disrupting their use.
Innovation Solution
Integration of a receiver oscillator circuit with a receiver coil that resonates at a specific MHz frequency to receive electromagnetic waves and convert them into electrical current for wireless battery charging, allowing charging without removing the hearing aid from the ear.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If conventional battery charging method is used, then battery can be charged, but user must remove hearing aid from ear causing inconvenience and usage disruption
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical contact-based charging system with an electromagnetic induction-based wireless charging system. The hearing aid includes a receiver coil that converts electromagnetic energy from a base station into electrical current to charge the battery, eliminating the need for physical removal and direct electrical contact.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an electromagnetic field as an intermediary between the base station and the hearing aid battery. The base station generates electromagnetic waves that are received by the hearing aid's receiver coil, which converts them into electrical current, serving as a mediator that enables wireless energy transfer.
2Adaptability or versatility
If wireless charging components are added to hearing aid, then wireless charging capability is achieved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The receiver coil is positioned within the hearing aid housing in a compact arrangement that nests the wireless charging components within the existing device structure. This allows the hearing aid to gain wireless charging capability without significantly increasing its external dimensions or overall complexity.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enables convenient and continuous charging of hearing aid batteries without disrupting the user's experience, as the device can charge the battery wirelessly at any time, maintaining uninterrupted usage.
Implementation Method 1
the receiver coil may be configured to receive a magnetic energy in the form of electromagnetic waves of a frequency similar to the resonance frequency of the receiver coil and to convert the magnetic energy of the received electromagnetic waves to an electrical current
Implementation Method 2
the receiver coil may be tuned to resonate at a resonance frequency in a range of MHz and at the resonance frequency, the receiver coil may be configured to receive a magnetic energy
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
AI summary
In an embodiment, a hearing aid (104) is provided. The hearing aid (104) may include a set of battery charging terminals (108) configured to be connected to a battery (130) a receiver oscillator circuit (110) electrically coupled to the set of battery charging terminals (108), the receiver oscillator circuit including a receiver coil (112) wherein the receiver coil may be tuned to resonate at a resonance frequency in a range of MHz and at the resonance frequency, the receiver coil may be configured to receive a magnetic energy in the form of electromagnetic waves of a frequency similar to the resonance frequency of the receiver coil and to convert the magnetic energy of the received electromagnetic waves to an electrical current to charge the battery via the set of battery charging terminals (108).