WO2011051469A1 - Electromechanical transducer - Google Patents
Electromechanical transducer Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- WO2011051469A1 WO2011051469A1 PCT/EP2010/066509 EP2010066509W WO2011051469A1 WO 2011051469 A1 WO2011051469 A1 WO 2011051469A1 EP 2010066509 W EP2010066509 W EP 2010066509W WO 2011051469 A1 WO2011051469 A1 WO 2011051469A1
- Authority
- WO
- WIPO (PCT)
- Prior art keywords
- electromechanical transducer
- auditory canal
- active elements
- transducer according
- ear
- Prior art date
Links
Classifications
-
- H—ELECTRICITY
- H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
- H04R—LOUDSPEAKERS, MICROPHONES, GRAMOPHONE PICK-UPS OR LIKE ACOUSTIC ELECTROMECHANICAL TRANSDUCERS; DEAF-AID SETS; PUBLIC ADDRESS SYSTEMS
- H04R25/00—Deaf-aid sets, i.e. electro-acoustic or electro-mechanical hearing aids; Electric tinnitus maskers providing an auditory perception
- H04R25/60—Mounting or interconnection of hearing aid parts, e.g. inside tips, housings or to ossicles
- H04R25/604—Mounting or interconnection of hearing aid parts, e.g. inside tips, housings or to ossicles of acoustic or vibrational transducers
- H04R25/606—Mounting or interconnection of hearing aid parts, e.g. inside tips, housings or to ossicles of acoustic or vibrational transducers acting directly on the eardrum, the ossicles or the skull, e.g. mastoid, tooth, maxillary or mandibular bone, or mechanically stimulating the cochlea, e.g. at the oval window
-
- H—ELECTRICITY
- H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
- H04R—LOUDSPEAKERS, MICROPHONES, GRAMOPHONE PICK-UPS OR LIKE ACOUSTIC ELECTROMECHANICAL TRANSDUCERS; DEAF-AID SETS; PUBLIC ADDRESS SYSTEMS
- H04R2225/00—Details of deaf aids covered by H04R25/00, not provided for in any of its subgroups
- H04R2225/023—Completely in the canal [CIC] hearing aids
-
- H—ELECTRICITY
- H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
- H04R—LOUDSPEAKERS, MICROPHONES, GRAMOPHONE PICK-UPS OR LIKE ACOUSTIC ELECTROMECHANICAL TRANSDUCERS; DEAF-AID SETS; PUBLIC ADDRESS SYSTEMS
- H04R2225/00—Details of deaf aids covered by H04R25/00, not provided for in any of its subgroups
- H04R2225/025—In the ear hearing aids [ITE] hearing aids
-
- H—ELECTRICITY
- H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
- H04R—LOUDSPEAKERS, MICROPHONES, GRAMOPHONE PICK-UPS OR LIKE ACOUSTIC ELECTROMECHANICAL TRANSDUCERS; DEAF-AID SETS; PUBLIC ADDRESS SYSTEMS
- H04R2460/00—Details of hearing devices, i.e. of ear- or headphones covered by H04R1/10 or H04R5/033 but not provided for in any of their subgroups, or of hearing aids covered by H04R25/00 but not provided for in any of its subgroups
- H04R2460/13—Hearing devices using bone conduction transducers
Definitions
- the present invention relates to an electromechanical transducer which can be self-holding positioned in the human ear canal as in-ear bone conduction earphones.
- the electromechanical transducer can be combined with sound pickups and airborne sounders.
- Various hearing aids for the hearing impaired are known from the prior art. All hearing aids contain a microphone, a signal processing unit, batteries and an active element, the z. B. can be realized as air line headphones, mechanical direct drive or bone conduction.
- conventional hearing aids are used with an air line handset. However, their frequency response has often proved unsatisfactory in everyday life. Although the bandwidths of the specified frequency responses to about 8 kHz, the effective gain is limited.
- the use of conventional hearing aids for patients with conductive disorders is sometimes problematic. This problem should be addressed by the use of an electromagnetically driven floating mass transducer attached directly to the ossicular chain or round window (www.medel.com;
- Bone conduction hearing aids have been developed for patients with middle ear deafness who apply the sound signal to the cranial bone (http://www.cochlear.de/PrOducts/1759.asp, accessed on 28.10.2009).
- the disadvantage here is the formation of pressure points or the necessary surgical intervention with a corresponding risk of infection and the relatively large distance from the effector organ, the cochlea. Even with these bone conduction hearing aids that work with electromagnetic listeners, the bandwidth of the frequency response is unsatisfactory.
- closed in-ear bone conduction hearing aids with vibrating elements or vibrators which are placed in the ear and basically consist of a passive, enveloping, open structure and one or more electromechanical transducers.
- the described passive, enveloping structures can be individually adapted to the ear canal shape, for example by injection molding, in that the outer circumference of the passive structure is successively enlarged by new layers in order to achieve an interference fit in the auditory canal.
- 4,150,262 represent a closed system, which means significant occlusion effects, ie closure of the auditory canal with altered perception of one's own voice, which is generally perceived as unpleasant, of chewing noise, etc , causes.
- auditory canal occlusion causes an impairment of the sound transfer in the auditory canal to the eardrum.
- vibration elements or oscillators used in these known in-ear bone conduction hearing aids are embodied with various ring-shaped, cylindrical, or cuboid piezoelectric active elements.
- piezoelectric Substances such as piezoceramics or piezo films are described in US 2008/0159574.
- Transducer which can be self-holding positioned in the human ear canal as in-ear bone conduction earphone, which is characterized by a high level of comfort and a more effective sound transmission, even in the high-frequency range.
- the electromechanical transducer according to the invention is placed self-holding in the human auditory canal with or without surgical intervention. It can consist of one or more active active elements and an acoustically passive, enveloping structure.
- the outer surface contour of the transducer is individually and anatomically adapted to the ear canal. This is achieved by the shape and structure of the active elements and by a custom-made earmold, which takes the active elements ⁇ .
- the active elements are made of a material which is capable of converting electrical signals into mechanical movement, and serve to generate vibrations for transmission to the auditory canal wall.
- the enveloping structure protects the active elements and their electronic contacts from the effects of the environment (temperature, humidity, ear melt, etc.), and on the other hand it is biocompatible with the skin of the auditory canal.
- the environment temperature, humidity, ear melt, etc.
- enveloping structure of the earmold positively and / or positively connected to the ear canal wall and serves to transfer the o. g.
- the converter is open in the central region and has an opening diameter of at least 2 mm.
- the enveloping structure can be designed as a classic earmould and be surrounded by an outer shell layer, the z. B. a curing
- the curing process, the z. B. is triggered by the body heat, then ensures the tightness of the electromechanical transducer in the ear canal without unpleasant pressure feelings during prolonged wear occur.
- Figure 1 - an exemplary positioning of a
- Figure 2 shows a first embodiment of a
- FIG. 3 shows an embodiment of the invention
- electromechanical transducer with a customized, but in a standard form made active element
- Figure 4 shows a second embodiment of an inventive electromechanical transducer with several
- Active elements a fourth embodiment of an electromechanical transducer according to the invention with a rod-shaped active element, a fifth embodiment of an inventive electromechanical transducer with an active element and a sensor element
- the open electromagnetic transducer is designed such that it can be placed self-holding in the human auditory canal. Its shape and shape is anatomically adapted.
- the electromechanical transducer according to the invention embodied as an in-ear bone conduction listener comprises one or more electromechanical active elements, which in one embodiment have an anatomically adapted shape and therefore serve the more effective excitation of bone acoustic vibrations.
- the special, anatomical shape of the in-ear bone ⁇ chen effets facilitateers allows a significant reduction in the occlusion, effect, increases comfort, may contribute to more effective noise transmission and better use of the treble frequency range.
- the in-ear bone conduction earphone of the present invention can be combined with airline handsets to increase the bandwidth of the useful frequency spectrum. The combination with an in-ear microphone is intended to improve the sound recording.
- FIG. 1 shows a placed in the human ear canal 12 of electromechanical transducer is stimulate 17 in the form of an in-ear bone-conduction handset, bone ⁇ chen effetnnensmonyen, but can also detect by sensors, is shown. It can be placed both in the bony part and in the cartilaginous part of the ear canal. But it is also possible that he covers both auditory canal sections. Thus, a placement can be realized near the protagonistororgan.
- the in-ear bone conduction earphone according to the invention can be used in particular as ear canal bone conduction hearing aid, but also, for example, in a measuring device for excitation and measurement of otoacoustic emissions. Further applications are conceivable, for example, in communications technology or for extinguishing or reducing airborne noise or for noise reduction in hearing protection devices.
- FIG. 2 shows a first embodiment of the in-ear bone conduction tube according to the invention.
- the inner part consists of a piezoceramic multilayer element 22 as the active element, the contour of which is largely made individually and anatomically adapted to the ear canal.
- the advantage of using multilayer elements is that the electrical pickup voltage can be significantly reduced in order to achieve a certain deflection for a given size. This makes it possible to operate the device with batteries that are also used for hearing aids.
- the auditory meatus in humans is very complex in shape and deviates significantly in cross-section from the ring shape and along the ear canal significantly from the cylindrical shape.
- the enclosure is here designed as an outer shell 21 of the in-ear bone conduction tube according to the invention and can be made relatively thin.
- the aim here is to optimize the acoustic contact and coupling surface. This increases the transition stiffness to the ear canal compared to the prior art.
- this embodiment provides by the anatomically adapted manufactured, outer contour a more uniform surface pressure in the vibration excitation. Pressure peaks are avoided, so that the wearing comfort is increased.
- the outer shell 21 may for example consist of an earmold material. However, it is also possible to produce the outer shell 21 with a 3-D printing process and stacking of micrometer-thick layers for non-positive tension in the ear canal, in the sense of a press fit.
- FIG. 3 shows a further embodiment in which the
- FIG. 4 shows a third embodiment of the in-ear bone conduction hearing aid according to the invention with a plurality of active elements 22 coupled in the electromechanical auditory canal longitudinal direction in the form of piezoceramic multilayer elements.
- the spatial distribution of the active elements allows, for example, a spatially distributed impedance adaptation to the auditory canal wall and a frequency distribution of the electrical input signal to the various active elements.
- ⁇ piezoelectric specific active elements reinforce better than at low frequencies at high frequencies.
- FIG. 6 shows a fourth embodiment of the in-ear bone conduction hearing aid according to the invention with three rod-shaped piezoceramic multilayer elements 22, surrounded by the shell 21.
- This variant is characterized by a lower production cost with regard to the actuators than for the embodiment shown in FIG.
- the rod-shaped piezoceramic multilayer elements 22 according to the exemplary embodiment according to FIG. 6 are arranged within the enveloping shell 21 having a passage opening in such a way that an optimal transmission of the mechanical vibrations generated by the actuators is ensured with respect to the contact area with the auditory canal.
- the arrangement of the relevant contact or transfer surface can be made individually, ie tailored to the particular patient.
- the actuators are mechanically fixed and held by the earmold shell, without further attachment measures are required.
- the respectively suitable ones for the patient in question can be selected from a group of quasi-standard actuators of different length produced and inserted or worked into an individual earmold.
- FIGS. 7 and 8 show two further embodiments of the in-ear bone conduction tube according to the invention.
- a piezoelectric actuator 22 with a classical cuboid design is installed according to FIG. 7 in an individually manufactured shell 21 and is connected by means of a passive plastic Fabric layer 61, for example in the form of a wedge attached.
- the advantage of the embodiment shown in Figure 6 is the simple design and ease of manufacture.
- a very effective sound transmission is achieved in the ear canal wall by the support on opposite wall parts of the ear canal.
- the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 8 comprises a first and a second opposing actuator element, wherein the first actuator element 72 is provided for static deflection in order to ensure a certain static contact pressure, and sound transmission is realized with the second actuator element 22 (cuboid piezoactuator).
- the two actuators are separated from each other by a passive plastic layer 71.
- FIG. 9 shows a block diagram for the signal processing and signal distribution of a hybrid receiver.
- a hybrid handset is a dual handset consisting of an airline handset and an in-ear bone conduction handset. The airline listener should listen to the low frequencies
- Airline headphones are characterized by efficient sound transmission, especially in the low frequency range, whereas bone conduction headphones have special advantages in the high frequency range. This covers a very wide frequency range (the entire listening range, up to 13 kHz). It is thus possible to select depending on the situation and / or frequency between air and bone conduction listeners, as well as to make the transition from one listener to another variable or adaptive.
- the acoustic signals from the environment are picked up by the microphone assembly and directed to the electronics module.
- the preliminary amplified signals are split into two paths - for air conduction and bone conduction hearing ⁇ .
- the division and processing of the signals can be individually adapted by each hearing aid wearer.
- the converted The analog signals are transmitted to the listeners via a conduit into the ear canal.
- the hybrid receiver in the combination of an in-ear bone conduction hearing aid with an air line handset according to FIG. 9 can also be used, for example, as a measuring device for measuring otoacoustic emissions.
- FIG. 10 shows the associated block diagram for signal processing and signal division for an in-ear bone conduction listener combined with an airline handset and a microphone. This allows the signals to be recorded in "natural" form and thus with the corresponding frequency deviations caused by the auricle, allowing a natural, spatial perception of signals and thus a better local classification of the sound sources
- ear bone conduction earphones with an airline handset and a microphone as shown in FIG. 10 may be used to measure otoacoustic emissions.
Abstract
Description
Claims
Priority Applications (1)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
---|---|---|---|
DE112010004169T DE112010004169A5 (en) | 2009-10-29 | 2010-10-29 | Electromechanical converter |
Applications Claiming Priority (2)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
---|---|---|---|
DE102009051713.8 | 2009-10-29 | ||
DE200910051713 DE102009051713A1 (en) | 2009-10-29 | 2009-10-29 | Electro-mechanical converter |
Publications (1)
Publication Number | Publication Date |
---|---|
WO2011051469A1 true WO2011051469A1 (en) | 2011-05-05 |
Family
ID=43430766
Family Applications (1)
Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
---|---|---|---|
PCT/EP2010/066509 WO2011051469A1 (en) | 2009-10-29 | 2010-10-29 | Electromechanical transducer |
Country Status (2)
Country | Link |
---|---|
DE (2) | DE102009051713A1 (en) |
WO (1) | WO2011051469A1 (en) |
Cited By (4)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
US9401158B1 (en) | 2015-09-14 | 2016-07-26 | Knowles Electronics, Llc | Microphone signal fusion |
US9779716B2 (en) | 2015-12-30 | 2017-10-03 | Knowles Electronics, Llc | Occlusion reduction and active noise reduction based on seal quality |
US9812149B2 (en) | 2016-01-28 | 2017-11-07 | Knowles Electronics, Llc | Methods and systems for providing consistency in noise reduction during speech and non-speech periods |
US9830930B2 (en) | 2015-12-30 | 2017-11-28 | Knowles Electronics, Llc | Voice-enhanced awareness mode |
Families Citing this family (1)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
IT202100023819A1 (en) * | 2021-09-16 | 2023-03-16 | Nino Camillo Rosica | IMPROVED HEARING AIDS |
Citations (8)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
US3688863A (en) * | 1971-10-08 | 1972-09-05 | Rubein V Johnson | Acoustic ear mold for hearing aid |
US4150262A (en) | 1974-11-18 | 1979-04-17 | Hiroshi Ono | Piezoelectric bone conductive in ear voice sounds transmitting and receiving apparatus |
WO2001050815A1 (en) * | 1999-12-30 | 2001-07-12 | Insonus Medical, Inc. | Direct tympanic drive via a floating filament assembly |
US6643378B2 (en) | 2001-03-02 | 2003-11-04 | Daniel R. Schumaier | Bone conduction hearing aid |
WO2008014498A2 (en) | 2006-07-27 | 2008-01-31 | Cochlear Americas | Hearing device having a non-occluding in the-canal vibrating component |
US20080159574A1 (en) | 2007-01-03 | 2008-07-03 | Lenhardt Martin L | Ring Transducers for Sonic, Ultrasonic Hearing |
DE102007003248A1 (en) | 2007-01-23 | 2008-07-24 | GEERS Hörakustik AG & Co. KG | hearing Aid |
US20090192407A1 (en) * | 2007-12-31 | 2009-07-30 | Personics Holdings Inc. | Device and method for radial pressure determination |
-
2009
- 2009-10-29 DE DE200910051713 patent/DE102009051713A1/en not_active Withdrawn
-
2010
- 2010-10-29 DE DE112010004169T patent/DE112010004169A5/en not_active Withdrawn
- 2010-10-29 WO PCT/EP2010/066509 patent/WO2011051469A1/en active Application Filing
Patent Citations (8)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
US3688863A (en) * | 1971-10-08 | 1972-09-05 | Rubein V Johnson | Acoustic ear mold for hearing aid |
US4150262A (en) | 1974-11-18 | 1979-04-17 | Hiroshi Ono | Piezoelectric bone conductive in ear voice sounds transmitting and receiving apparatus |
WO2001050815A1 (en) * | 1999-12-30 | 2001-07-12 | Insonus Medical, Inc. | Direct tympanic drive via a floating filament assembly |
US6643378B2 (en) | 2001-03-02 | 2003-11-04 | Daniel R. Schumaier | Bone conduction hearing aid |
WO2008014498A2 (en) | 2006-07-27 | 2008-01-31 | Cochlear Americas | Hearing device having a non-occluding in the-canal vibrating component |
US20080159574A1 (en) | 2007-01-03 | 2008-07-03 | Lenhardt Martin L | Ring Transducers for Sonic, Ultrasonic Hearing |
DE102007003248A1 (en) | 2007-01-23 | 2008-07-24 | GEERS Hörakustik AG & Co. KG | hearing Aid |
US20090192407A1 (en) * | 2007-12-31 | 2009-07-30 | Personics Holdings Inc. | Device and method for radial pressure determination |
Non-Patent Citations (1)
Title |
---|
WANG Z G ET AL: "Assessment of multi-layer piezoelectric actuator technology for middle-ear implants", MECHATRONICS, PERGAMON PRESS, OXFORD, GB, vol. 12, no. 1, 1 February 2002 (2002-02-01), pages 3 - 17, XP004312361, ISSN: 0957-4158, DOI: DOI:10.1016/S0957-4158(00)00067-2 * |
Cited By (5)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
US9401158B1 (en) | 2015-09-14 | 2016-07-26 | Knowles Electronics, Llc | Microphone signal fusion |
US9961443B2 (en) | 2015-09-14 | 2018-05-01 | Knowles Electronics, Llc | Microphone signal fusion |
US9779716B2 (en) | 2015-12-30 | 2017-10-03 | Knowles Electronics, Llc | Occlusion reduction and active noise reduction based on seal quality |
US9830930B2 (en) | 2015-12-30 | 2017-11-28 | Knowles Electronics, Llc | Voice-enhanced awareness mode |
US9812149B2 (en) | 2016-01-28 | 2017-11-07 | Knowles Electronics, Llc | Methods and systems for providing consistency in noise reduction during speech and non-speech periods |
Also Published As
Publication number | Publication date |
---|---|
DE112010004169A5 (en) | 2012-10-04 |
DE102009051713A1 (en) | 2011-05-05 |
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