Modular Hearing Aid Earpiece With Interchangeable Shields
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing hearing aids require a wide variety of earpieces in different sizes and shapes to accommodate individually shaped ear canals, leading to complexity and material wastage in adapting the earpiece to user needs.
Innovation Solution
A modular earpiece design featuring an elongated adapter with interchangeable screens, where the adapter serves as a standard base element, allowing for customization of shape and functionality by adding multiple screens, which can be easily swapped out, reducing the need for complete earpiece replacement.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a wide variety of earpieces in different sizes and shapes are provided to accommodate individually shaped ear canals, then the adaptability to user needs is improved, but the device complexity and material waste increase
Solution Approach 1:
The earpiece is divided into a modular system consisting of a common adapter body and interchangeable dome elements. This segmentation allows the adaptive function to be isolated to the dome component while the adapter remains standardized, reducing the complexity of managing multiple complete earpiece variants.
Solution Approach 2:
The adapter is designed as a universal base component that can accommodate multiple types of domes. This multi-functionality allows a single adapter design to serve multiple user needs by simply changing the dome element, eliminating the need for multiple specialized adapter designs.
2Adaptability or versatility
If multiple earpiece variants are kept in stock to provide suitable earpieces for every user, then the adaptability is improved, but the loss of substance (material waste) increases
Solution Approach 1:
By segmenting the earpiece into a reusable adapter and interchangeable domes, the material that would otherwise be wasted in unused complete earpiece variants is preserved. Only the dome element needs to be replaced, not the entire earpiece assembly.
Solution Approach 2:
The design enables selective discarding and recovery of only the dome element that becomes worn or needs adjustment, while the adapter is recovered and reused. This reduces material waste compared to discarding entire earpiece assemblies.
Data Source
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AI summary
A hearing aid, in particular a BTE hearing aid, includes an ear insert having an earpiece and an attachment part being linked to a receiver. The earpiece includes an elongate adapter and a plurality of shields. The adapter is mounted on the attachment part and extends in a longitudinal direction. The earpiece is in a modular form and the at least one shield is exchangeably fitted onto the adapter. The adapter has a head with a rear abutment contour against which at least one of the shields abuts. In this way, the earpiece is particularly variably and flexibly configurable. A corresponding earpiece is also provided.