Three dimensional substrate for hearing assistance devices

• US 10,142,747 B2
• Filed: 01/23/2017
• Issued: 11/27/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 12/19/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Starkey Laboratories Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Starkey Laboratories Incorporated
• Inventors: Helgeson, Michael, Solum, Jeffrey Paul, Tourtelotte, David, Polinske, Beau Jay
• Primary Examiner(s): Ni, Suhan
• Application Number:
  US15/413,176
• Publication Number:
  US 20170134870A1
• Time in Patent Office: 673 Days
• Field of Search: 381322-324, 381328, 381330, 381380-381
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2225/51 Aspects of antennas or their circuitry in or for hearing aids
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 25/602 of batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 25/603 of mechanical or electronic switches or control elements
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 25/609 of circuitry of electronic switches or control elements H04R25/603
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 25/65 Housing parts, e.g. shells, tips or moulds, or their manufacture
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/189 characterised by the use of a flexible or folded printed circuit H05K3/326 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/056 Folded around rigid support or component
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/10037 Printed or non-printed battery

Abstract

A heating assistance device for a user comprising a housing, a three dimensional electronic substrate disposed in the housing, the substrate adapted to conform to a battery of the hearing assistance device and hearing assistance electronics mounted to the substrate. Various embodiments include a flexible antenna configured to conform around a portion of the substrate, and spring loaded electrical contacts on the substrate, the contacts configured to mechanically engage and electrically connect to the flexible antenna.

Claims

1. A hearing assistance device for a user, device comprising

a housing;

a battery disposed at least partially in the housing;

a substrate disposed at least partially in the housing, the substrate adapted to conform around the battery;

a flexible antenna configured to conform around a portion of the substrate;

hearing assistance electronics mounted to the substrate; and

spring loaded electrical contacts on the substrate, the contacts configured to mechanically engage and electrically connect to the flexible antenna.

2. The device of claim 1, further comprising a metal backing feature configured to constrain the flexible antenna when the spring loaded contacts engage the flexible antenna.

3. The device of claim 1, wherein the spring loaded contacts include pogo pins.

4. The device of claim 1, wherein the spring loaded contacts are non-metallurgical.

5. The device of claim 1, further comprising a moisture resistant seal for preventing moisture ingress into the housing.

6. The device of claim 1, further comprising a battery compartment, and wherein the substrate includes electrical contacts adapted to mechanically contact the battery in the battery compartment.

7. The device of claim 1, wherein the substrate structurally forms a battery compartment.

8. The device of claim 1, wherein the housing is a behind-the-ear housing.

9. The device of claim 1 wherein the housing is an in-the-ear housing.

10. The device of claim 1, wherein the housing is an in-the-canal housing.

11. The device of claim 1, wherein the housing is a receiver-in-the-canal housing.

12. The device of claim 1, wherein the substrate is adapted to be folded to conform to the battery compartment.

13. The device of claim 1, further comprising a microphone electrically connected to the substrate.

14. The device of claim 1, further comprising a speaker electrically connected to the substrate.

15. A hearing assistance device, comprising:

a three-dimensional folded substrate including contours configured to form internal housing surfaces of the hearing assistance device;

hearing assistance electronics mounted to the substrate;

a flexible antenna configured to conform around a portion of the substrate; and

spring loaded electrical contacts on the substrate, the contacts configured to mechanically engage and electrically connect to the flexible antenna.

16. The device of claim 15, further comprising a metal backing feature configured to constrain the flexible antenna when the spring loaded contacts engage the flexible antenna.

17. The device of claim 15, wherein the spring loaded contacts include pogo pins.

18. The device of claim 15, wherein the spring loaded contacts are non-metallurgical.

19. The device of claim 15, further comprising a moisture resistant seal for preventing moisture ingress into the housing.

20. The device of claim 19, wherein the moisture resistant seal includes one or more of a gasket, glue, rubber, a polymer, or a liquid cry seal polymer (LCP).