RITE Hearing Aid Speaker Assembly for Acoustic Feedback Reduction
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Solution Overview
Problem
RITE type hearing aids face limitations in amplification due to acoustic and vibration feedback, especially when the microphone shares a housing with the receiver, and wearing glasses can introduce noise issues.
Innovation Solution
A speaker assembly for hearing aids with a separate microphone housing positioned away from the receiver, allowing flexible placement and various sound quality versus amplification trade-offs, featuring a connector and multiple microphones for improved directionality and reduced feedback.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If the microphone shares housing with the receiver in RITE hearing aids, then device complexity is reduced, but acoustic feedback and vibration feedback increase limiting amplification
Solution Approach 1:
The hearing aid device is divided into two separate housings: a first housing containing the receiver positioned in the ear canal, and a second housing containing the microphone positioned behind the ear. This segmentation physically separates the acoustic feedback path, eliminating the feedback problem while maintaining a compact overall structure through the connecting member.
Solution Approach 2:
A flexible connecting member with embedded electrical conductors serves as an intermediary element between the two separate housings. This connecting member transmits electrical signals while allowing mechanical flexibility, enabling the microphone and receiver to be spatially separated to reduce feedback while maintaining electrical connectivity.
2Volume of moving object
If the microphone is positioned close to the receiver for compact design, then device size is reduced, but acoustic feedback increases reducing amplification capability
Solution Approach 1:
The hearing aid system is segmented into two spatially separated units: a small receiver housing positioned deep in the ear canal and a microphone housing positioned behind the ear. This segmentation allows the acoustic feedback path to be broken while maintaining compact individual components, enabling high amplification without feedback limitations.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of reducing size by placing components close together in three-dimensional space (which causes feedback), the solution moves the microphone to a different spatial location behind the ear along the connecting member. This dimensional repositioning eliminates the acoustic feedback path while maintaining overall compactness through the flexible connecting structure.
3Device complexity
If a single omnidirectional microphone is used, then device complexity is reduced, but directionality and noise rejection are limited
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple microphone elements are merged into a single microphone housing behind the ear. These multiple elements work together to provide directional sensitivity and noise rejection capabilities, improving sound quality by filtering out unwanted ambient noise while capturing speech signals from specific directions.
Solution Approach 2:
The microphone housing serves multiple functions: it contains multiple microphone elements for directional processing, houses the electrical connector interface, and provides a mounting structure for the flexible connecting member. This multi-functionality reduces overall device complexity while enhancing noise rejection capabilities.
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
Enhances amplification capabilities and reduces acoustic feedback, providing customizable sound quality and directionality options while minimizing noise interference from glasses or other external factors.
Implementation Method 1
a receiver, i.e. an output transducer, for generating an audible acoustic output, which is intended to be input into a user's ear canal in response to an electric signal
Implementation Method 2
a microphone for capturing sound and generating an electric output accordingly
Data Source
AI summary
There is provided a hearing aid with a Receiver In The Ear speaker assembly comprising a connecting member with electric conductors connecting a connector at one end, and a receiver housing with a receiver at the opposite end. A microphone housing with a microphone is attached to the connecting member. The microphone housing with the microphone is separated by a distance from the receiver in the receiver housing, thus reducing acoustic or mechanical feedback problems. Especially, the microphone and connector may share one common housing.