RITE Speaker Assembly With Separated Microphone to Limit Feedback
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Solution Overview
Problem
RITE type hearing aids face limitations in amplification due to acoustic and vibration feedback 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 microphone housed separately from the receiver, allowing flexible positioning along a connecting member, enabling various sound quality and amplification trade-offs, and incorporating 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 type hearing aids, then the device complexity is reduced, but acoustic and vibration feedback occurs limiting amplification
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the hearing aid into separate functional modules: the receiver is housed in a first housing positioned in the ear canal, while the microphone is housed in a second housing positioned behind the ear. This segmentation eliminates acoustic feedback by separating the mic and receiver, while allowing each module to be optimized independently for its specific function.
Solution Approach 2:
The microphone is extracted from the receiver housing and positioned in a separate second housing behind the ear. This extraction removes the source of acoustic feedback while maintaining the hearing aid's functionality, allowing higher amplification levels without feedback interference.
2Device complexity
If the microphone is positioned close to the receiver, then the device structure is simplified, but acoustic feedback increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transitions from a planar arrangement where the mic and receiver are in the same housing to a three-dimensional spatial separation. The receiver is positioned in the ear canal while the microphone is positioned behind the ear, utilizing the third dimension (depth/spatial separation) to eliminate acoustic feedback paths.
3Stability of the object's composition
If the hearing aid housing contacts glasses, then the device provides stable positioning, but noise and clicking sounds are introduced
Solution Approach 1:
The microphone is extracted from the housing that contacts the glasses, positioning it behind the ear where it does not interfere with glass frames. This extraction removes the source of noise and clicking sounds while maintaining stable positioning through the ear hook configuration.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an air gap as an intermediary between the microphone and the glasses. By positioning the microphone behind the ear and the receiver in the ear canal, the system creates a physical separation that prevents direct contact between the hearing aid components and glasses, eliminating friction-based noise.
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 by separating the microphone from the receiver, providing customizable sound settings and improved noise reduction, especially when wearing glasses.
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.