Hearing aid dehumidifier and disinfectant chamber

Abstract

A hearing aid dehumidifier and disinfectant chamber. The chamber comprises an enclosure, including a vapor permeable wall, adapted to removably enclose a hearing aid. In vapor transmitting relationship with the vapor permeable wall is an electrochemical ozone generator, which is designed to draw water vapor from inside the enclosure and electrolyze it into at least ozone, which is discharged into the enclosure. Drawing the water vapor from the enclosure dries the hearing aid. The electrochemical action ceases when all water vapor is removed. Bathing the hearing aid in ozone for at least until the ozone decomposes, sterilizes the hearing aid, inside and out.

1 . A hearing aid dehumidifier and disinfectant chamber comprising:
 an enclosure including a vapor permeable wall and being adapted to removably enclose a hearing aid;   an electrochemical ozone generator in vapor transmitting relationship with said vapor permeable wall, said electrochemical ozone generator being adapted to draw water vapor from inside said enclosure and electrolyze it into at least ozone, said electrochemical ozone generator being positioned to discharge said ozone into said to enclosure.   
     
     
         2 . A hearing aid dehumidifier and disinfectant chamber as claimed in  claim 1  in which the minimum percentage of ozone generated from said water vapor is .01. 
     
     
         3 . A hearing aid dehumidifier and disinfectant chamber as claimed in  claim 1  in which said electrochemical ozone generator comprises:
 a wire mesh anodic electrode which is inert to the electrical and chemical environment of the electrochemical ozone generator; 
 a wire mesh cathodic electrode which is inert to the electrical and chemical environment of the electrochemical ozone generator; 
 an absorbent, electrically non-conductive, and chemically inert separator, interposed between said anode and cathode; and 
 a hygroscopic electrolyte adsorbed onto said adsorbent. 
 
     
     
         4 . A hearing aid dehumidifier and disinfectant chamber as claimed in  claim 3  in which a DC current of about 2-3 V and 0.1-1.5 A/cm 2  is impressed across said electrodes. 
     
     
         5 . A hearing aid dehumidifier and disinfectant chamber as claimed in  claim 1  in which said wire is selected from the group consisting of nichrome, nichrome plated with platinum, stainless steel and stainless steel onto which lead dioxide is impressed. 
     
     
         6 . A hearing aid dehumidifier and disinfectant chamber as claimed in  claim 3  in which said electrolyte comprises potassium hydroxide. 
     
     
         7 . A hearing aid dehumidifier and disinfectant chamber as claimed in  claim 3  further comprising a non-hygroscopic electrolyte possessing a large electronegativity adsorbed onto said adsorbent. 
     
     
         8 . A hearing aid dehumidifier and disinfectant chamber as claimed in  claim 7  in which said non-hygroscopic electrolyte is selected from the group consisting of fluoroanions and hexafluoro-anions. 
     
     
         9 . A hearing aid dehumidifier and disinfectant chamber as claimed in  claim 1  further comprising a vent adapted to output hydrogen, which is produced at said cathodic electrode, outside of said chamber. 
     
     
         10 . A hearing aid dehumidifier and disinfectant chamber as claimed in  claim 1  in which said electrochemical ozone generator comprises:
 a wire mesh anodic electrode which is inert to the electrical and chemical environment of the electrochemical ozone generator; 
 a wire mesh cathodic electrode which is inert to the electrical and chemical environment of the electrochemical ozone generator; and 
 a polymer electrolyte membrane interposed between said anode and cathode. 
 
     
     
         11 . A hearing aid dehumidifier and disinfectant chamber as claimed in  claim 10  in which a DC current of about 2-3 V and 0.1-1.5 A/cm 2  is impressed across said electrodes. 
     
     
         12 . A hearing aid dehumidifier and disinfectant chamber as claimed in  claim 1  in which the battery in said hearing aid additionally has a radio frequency energy harvesting diode chargingly associated therewith; and said enclosure further has an open configuration and a closed configuration, said open configuration being adapted to the insertion and removal therefrom of said hearing aid, said closed configuration being adapted to providing radio frequency energy to said radio frequency energy harvesting diode as well as dehumidifying and disinfecting said hearing aid; further comprising a means for providing radio frequency energy to said radio frequency harvesting diode, when said enclosure is in said closed configuration, whereby said battery is charged. 
     
     
         13 . A method of dehumidifying and disinfecting a hearing aid comprising the steps of:
 providing a hearing aid dehumidifier and disinfectant chamber including an electrochemical ozone generator;   selecting a hearing aid that has some moisture and some biological contamination associated therewith;   placing said hearing aid in said chamber;   allowing said electrochemical ozone generator to generate ozone from at least said moisture, thereby dehumidifying said hearing aid;   substantially confining said ozone in said chamber; and   
       allowing said ozone to envelop and remain in contact with said hearing aid for a period of time sufficient to substantially disinfect said hearing aid. 
     
     
         14 . A method as claimed in  claim 13  further comprising the step of also allowing said electrochemical ozone generator to generate ozone from ambient moisture associated with said chamber. 
     
     
         15 . A method as claimed in  claim 13  in which the minimum percentage of ozone generated from said water vapor is .01. 
     
     
         16 . A method as claimed in  claim 13  in which fabricating said electrochemical ozone generator comprises the steps of:
 providing a wire mesh anodic electrode which is inert to the electrical and chemical environment of the electrochemical ozone generator; 
 providing a wire mesh cathodic electrode which is inert to the electrical and chemical environment of the electrochemical ozone generator; 
 providing an absorbent, electrically non-conductive, and chemically inert separator; 
 interposing said separator between said anode and cathode; 
 providing a hygroscopic electrolyte; and 
 adsorbing said electrolyte onto said adsorbent. 
 
     
     
         17 . A method as claimed in  claim 13  in which ozone is generated at a DC current of about 2-3 V and 0.1-1.5 A/cm 2 . 
     
     
         18 . A method as claimed in  claim 16  in which said wire is selected from the group consisting of nichrome, nichrome plated with platinum, stainless steel and stainless steel onto which lead dioxide is impressed. 
     
     
         19 . A method as claimed in  claim 16  in which said electrolyte comprises potassium hydroxide peroxide. 
     
     
         20 . A method as claimed in  claim 16  further comprising the step of also adsorbing a non-hygroscopic electrolyte possessing a large electronegativity onto said adsorbent. 
     
     
         21 . A method as claimed in  claim 20  in which said non-hygroscopic electrolyte is selected from the group consisting of fluoroanions and hexafluoro-anions. 
     
     
         22 . A method as claimed in  claim 13  further comprising the step of venting hydrogen, which is also produced by said generator, outside of said chamber. 
     
     
         23 . A method as claimed in  claim 13  in which fabricating said electrochemical ozone generator comprises the steps of:
 providing a wire mesh anodic electrode which is inert to the electrical and chemical environment of the electrochemical ozone generator; 
 providing a wire mesh cathodic electrode which is inert to the electrical and chemical environment of the electrochemical ozone generator; 
 providing a polymer electrolyte membrane; 
 interposing said polymer electrolyte membrane between said anode and cathode; 
 providing a hygroscopic electrolyte; and 
 adsorbing said electrolyte onto said adsorbent. 
 
     
     
         24 . A method as claimed in  claim 23  in which ozone is generated at a DC current of about 2-3 V and 0.1-1.5 A/cm 2 . 
     
     
         25 . A method as claimed in  claim 13  in which the battery in said hearing aid additionally has a radio frequency energy harvesting diode chargingly associated therewith; and said chamber further has an open configuration and a closed configuration, said open configuration being adapted to the insertion and removal therefrom of said hearing aid, said closed configuration being adapted to providing radio frequency energy to said radio frequency energy harvesting diode as well as dehumidifying and disinfecting said hearing aid; further comprising the steps of: providing a means for transmitting radio frequency energy to said radio frequency harvesting diode, when said enclosure is in said closed configuration; and also transmitting radio frequency energy to said radio frequency harvesting diode, when said enclosure is in said closed configuration, whereby said battery is charged. 
     
     
         26 . A hearing aid dehumidifier and disinfectant chamber comprising:
 an enclosure means for removably enclosing a hearing aid;   an electrochemical ozone generator means in vapor transmitting relationship with said enclosure, for drawing water vapor from inside said enclosure, electrolyzing it into at least ozone, and discharging said ozone into said enclosure.   
     
     
         27 . A hearing aid dehumidifier and disinfectant chamber as claimed in  claim 26  in which the minimum percentage of ozone generated from said water vapor is 0.01. 
     
     
         28 . A hearing aid dehumidifier and disinfectant chamber as claimed in  claim 26  in which said electrochemical ozone generator means comprises:
 a wire mesh anodic electrode which is inert to the electrical and chemical environment of the electrochemical ozone generator; 
 a wire mesh cathodic electrode which is inert to the electrical and chemical environment of the electrochemical ozone generator; 
 an absorbent, electrically non-conductive, and chemically inert separator, interposed between said anode and cathode; and 
 a hygroscopic electrolyte adsorbed onto said adsorbent. 
 
     
     
         29 . A hearing aid dehumidifier and disinfectant chamber as claimed in  claim 28  in which a DC current of about 2-3 V and 0.1-1.5 A/cm 2 is impressed across said electrodes. 
     
     
         30 . A hearing aid dehumidifier and disinfectant chamber as claimed in  claim 28  in which said wire is selected from the group consisting of nichrome, nichrome plated with platinum, stainless steel and stainless steel onto which lead dioxide is impressed. 
     
     
         31 . A hearing aid dehumidifier and disinfectant chamber as claimed in  claim 28  in which said electrolyte comprises potassium hydroxide. 
     
     
         32 . A hearing aid dehumidifier and disinfectant chamber as claimed in  claim 28  further comprising a non-hygroscopic electrolyte possessing a large electronegativity adsorbed onto said adsorbent. 
     
     
         33 . A hearing aid dehumidifier and disinfectant chamber as claimed in  claim 32  in which said non-hygroscopic electrolyte is selected from the group consisting of fluoroanions and hexafluoro-anions. 
     
     
         34 . A hearing aid dehumidifier and disinfectant chamber as claimed in  claim 26  further comprising a vent means for venting hydrogen, which is produced at said cathodic electrode, outside of said chamber. 
     
     
         35 . A hearing aid dehumidifier and disinfectant chamber as claimed in  claim 26  in which said electrochemical ozone generator means comprises:
 a wire mesh anodic electrode which is inert to the electrical and chemical environment of the electrochemical ozone generator; 
 a wire mesh cathodic electrode which is inert to the electrical and chemical environment of the electrochemical ozone generator; and 
 a polymer electrolyte membrane, interposed between said anode and cathode. 
 
     
     
         36 . A hearing aid dehumidifier and disinfectant chamber as claimed in  claim 35  in which a DC current of about 2-3 V and 0.1-1.5 A/cm 2 is impressed across said electrodes. 
     
     
         37 . A hearing aid dehumidifier and disinfectant chamber as claimed in  claim 26  in which the battery in said hearing aid additionally has a radio frequency energy harvesting diode chargingly associated therewith; and said enclosure further has an open configuration and a closed configuration, said open configuration being adapted to the insertion and removal therefrom of said hearing aid, said closed configuration being adapted to providing radio frequency energy to said radio frequency energy harvesting diode as well as dehumidifying and disinfecting said hearing aid; further comprising a means for providing radio frequency energy to said radio frequency harvesting diode, when said enclosure is in said closed configuration, whereby said battery is charged.