Mirror-Symmetrical Hearing Aid Earplug for Easier Left-Right Wearing

Solution Overview

Problem

Existing hearing aid devices are difficult for elderly users to wear and distinguish between left and right ears, requiring additional effort and increasing the complexity of use.

Innovation Solution

A hearing aid device with a mirror-symmetrical earplug body and handle design, allowing for shared use on both ears, along with strategically positioned microphones and speakers for intuitive wearing and improved sound reception.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If hearing aid devices are designed for specific left or right ear use, then the device can be optimized for directional sound reception, but the device complexity increases and ease of operation decreases for elderly users

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesound reception qualityVSAvoidwearing difficulty

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies asymmetry in reverse by using symmetry. The earplug body is designed with mirror symmetrical structure relative to a central plane, allowing the same device to be worn on either left or right ear. This symmetrical design eliminates the need for users to distinguish between left and right ear devices, significantly improving ease of operation for elderly users while maintaining effective sound reception through strategic microphone and speaker placement

Inventive Principle:

Principle #4Asymmetry

2Reliability

If hearing aid devices are designed with asymmetric left-right configurations, then the device can provide optimized acoustic performance for each ear, but the device complexity and difficulty of detection increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveacoustic performanceVSAvoidstructural complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements universality by designing a single earplug body structure that can function effectively on both left and right ears. The mirror symmetrical design with strategically positioned microphones and speakers allows the same device to provide optimized acoustic performance for either ear, eliminating the need for separate left and right ear devices and reducing overall device complexity

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

3Reliability

If hearing aid devices require separate left and right ear units, then the device can be optimized for ear-specific anatomy, but the loss of time and productivity increase due to difficulty in distinction and wearing

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveear-specific fitVSAvoidtime to wear

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies asymmetry in reverse by using symmetry. The earplug body is designed with mirror symmetrical structure relative to a central plane, allowing the same device to be worn on either left or right ear. This symmetrical design eliminates the need for users to distinguish between left and right ear devices, significantly improving ease of operation for elderly users while maintaining effective sound reception through strategic microphone and speaker placement

Inventive Principle:

Principle #4Asymmetry

Data Source

PatentUS20250234143A1Hearing aid device

Publication Date: 2025.07.17 COMPAL ELECTRONICS INC

AI summary

Provided is a hearing aid device that includes an earplug, a speaker, a handle, and at least one microphone. A structural profile of the earplug body is mirror symmetrical relative to a plane. The speaker is disposed in the earplug body. The handle extends out of the earplug body from a connection side of the earplug body, and a structural profile of the handle is mirror symmetrical relative to the plane. The microphone is disposed in one or both of the handle and the earplug body.