초록 ▼

A hearing aid having a battery door seal that substantially reduces or eliminates unwanted air flow from and into a battery compartment is provided. Eliminating unwanted air flow removes a potential source of acoustic feedback and provides significant improvement in frequency response of the hearing

A hearing aid having a battery door seal that substantially reduces or eliminates unwanted air flow from and into a battery compartment is provided. Eliminating unwanted air flow removes a potential source of acoustic feedback and provides significant improvement in frequency response of the hearing aid. The hearing aid includes a battery compartment with sidewalls that have a step joint formed between an opening in a faceplate to the battery compartment and a substantially flat portion of the sidewalls. The battery door has a lip that sets on the step joint when the battery door closes providing an air seal around a substantial portion of the battery compartment. A thin slit is provided between the faceplate and the battery door behind the end of the battery door, where the battery door is connected to the faceplate by a hinge to provide appropriate air flow for proper battery operation.

대표청구항 ▼

What is claimed is: 1. A hearing aid comprising: a faceplate; a battery compartment having sidewalls and an opening in the faceplate, the sidewalls having a substantially flat portion and a step portion connected to the substantially flat portion, the step portion located between the opening in the

What is claimed is: 1. A hearing aid comprising: a faceplate; a battery compartment having sidewalls and an opening in the faceplate, the sidewalls having a substantially flat portion and a step portion connected to the substantially flat portion, the step portion located between the opening in the faceplate and the substantially flat portion, the step portion forming a ridge; and a battery door coupled to the faceplate by a hinge, the battery door having a body and a lip protruding from the body, wherein the lip is adapted to be seated on the ridge formed by the step portion on three sides of the battery compartment when the battery door is in a closed position to provide an air seal around a substantial portion of the battery compartment. 2. The hearing aid of claim 1, wherein the battery door is configured to snap onto hinge connected to the faceplate. 3. The hearing aid of claim 1, wherein the hearing aid further includes a slit in the faceplate located at an end of the battery door behind the hinge, the slit providing an opening to the battery compartment for air flow. 4. The hearing aid of claim 1, wherein the faceplate, the battery compartment, and the battery door are plastic. 5. A hearing aid comprising: a faceplate; a battery compartment having sidewalls and an opening in the faceplate, the sidewalls having a substantially flat portion and a step portion connected to the substantially flat portion, the step portion located between the opening in the faceplate and the substantially flat portion, the step portion forming a ridge; and a battery door coupled to the faceplate by a hinge, the battery door having a body and a lip protruding from the body, wherein the lip is adapted to be seated on the ridge formed by the step portion when the battery door is closed providing an air seal around a substantial portion of the battery compartment, wherein the hearing aid further includes a first gasket affixed to the substantially flat portion of the sidewalls and a second gasket affixed to sides of the body of the battery door, the sides of the battery door body substantially parallel to the substantially flat portion of the sidewalls when the battery door is closed. 6. The hearing aid of claim 5, wherein the first gasket and the second gasket are rubber gaskets. 7. The hearing aid of claim 5, wherein the first gasket affixed to the substantially flat portion of the sidewalls includes the substantially flat portion of the sidewalls molded of hard plastic with the first gasket molded on the hard plastic of the substantially flat portion of the sidewalls, and the second gasket affixed to sides of the body of the battery door includes the battery door molded of hard plastic with the second gasket molded on the hard plastic of the sides of the battery door body. 8. The hearing aid of claim 5, wherein the hearing aid further includes a slit in the faceplate located at an end of the battery door behind the hinge, the slit providing an opening to the battery compartment for air flow. 9. A hearing aid comprising: a faceplate; a battery compartment having sidewalls and an opening in the faceplate, the sidewalls having a substantially flat portion and a step portion connected to the substantially flat portion, the step portion located between the opening in the faceplate and the substantially flat portion, the step portion forming a ridge; and a battery door coupled to the faceplate by a hinge, the battery door having a body and a lip protruding from the body, wherein the lip is adapted to be seated on the ridge formed by the step portion when the battery door is closed providing an air seal round a substantial portion of the battery compartment, wherein the hearing aid further includes a first gasket affixed both to the substantially flat portion and the step portion of the sidewalls and a second gasket affixed to the lip of the battery door such that the second gasket is seated on the first gasket affixed to the step portion when the battery door is closed. 10. The hearing aid of claim 9, wherein the first gasket and the second gasket are rubber gaskets. 11. The hearing aid of claim 9, wherein the first gasket affixed both to the substantially flat portion and the step portion of the sidewalls includes both the substantially flat portion and the step portion of the sidewalls molded of hard plastic with the first gasket molded on the hard plastic of both the substantially flat portion and the step portion of the sidewalls, and the second gasket affixed to the lip of the battery door includes the lip of the door molded of hard plastic with the second gasket molded on the hard plastic of the lip of the battery door. 12. The hearing aid of claim 9, wherein the hearing aid further includes a slit in the faceplate located at an end of the battery door behind the hinge, the slit providing an opening to the battery compartment for air flow. 13. A hearing aid comprising: a faceplate; a battery compartment having sidewalls and an opening in the faceplate, the sidewalls having a substantially flat portion and a step portion connected to the substantially flat portion, the step portion located between the opening in the faceplate and the substantially flat portion, the step portion forming a ridge; a battery door coupled to the faceplate by a hinge, the battery door having a body and a top portion; and a gasket disposed on the top portion of the battery door with at least a portion of the gasket protruding from the body of the battery door forming a lip, wherein the lip of the gasket is adapted to be seated on a ridge formed by the step portion when the battery door is closed providing an air seal around a substantial portion of the battery compartment. 14. The hearing aid of claim 13, wherein the battery door is configured to snap onto hinge connected to the faceplate. 15. The hearing aid of claim 13, wherein the gasket is a rubber gasket. 16. The hearing aid of claim 13 wherein the gasket disposed on the top portion of the battery door includes the battery door molded of hard plastic with the gasket molded on the hard plastic of the top portion of the battery door. 17. The hearing aid of claim 13, wherein the hearing aid further includes a slit in the faceplate located at an end of the battery door behind the hinge, the slit providing an opening to the battery compartment for air flow. 18. A hearing aid comprising: a faceplate; a battery compartment having sidewalls and an opening in the faceplate, the sidewalls having a substantially flat portion; a gasket affixed to the sidewalls, the gasket extending from the opening in the faceplate down along at least a portion of the substantially flat portion of the sidewalls, the gasket having a ridge at the opening in the faceplate; and a battery door coupled to the faceplate by a hinge, the battery door having a body and a lip protruding from the body, wherein the lip is adapted to be seated on the ridge of the gasket when the battery door is closed providing an air seal around a substantial portion of the battery compartment. 19. The hearing aid of claim 18, wherein the battery door is configured to snap onto hinge connected to the faceplate. 20. The hearing aid of claim 18, wherein the gasket is a rubber gasket. 21. The hearing aid of claim 18, wherein the gasket affixed to the sidewalls includes the sidewalls molded of hard plastic with the gasket molded on the hard plastic of the sidewalls. 22. The hearing aid of claim 18, wherein the hearing aid further includes a slit in the faceplate located behind the coupling of the battery door to the hinge providing an opening to the battery compartment for air flow.