Antennas for standard fit hearing assistance devices
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A hearing assistance device, comprising:
- a housing including an outer shell;
a power source within the housing;
a radio circuit within the housing and electrically connected to the power source;
a flex antenna configured to be wrapped around the outside surface of the outer shell and having an aperture oriented orthogonal to the axis of symmetry of the hearing assistance device, wherein the radio circuit is at least substantially within the aperture, wherein the power source is not within the aperture, and wherein ends of the flex antenna are physically connected at a seam to fix a wrapped position around the housing; and
a transmission line integrally formed with the flex antenna and configured to electrically connect to the radio circuit, wherein the housing includes a channel around the radio circuit, the channel configured to receive at least a portion of the flex antenna.
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Abstract
An embodiment of a hearing assistance device comprises a housing, a power source, a radio circuit, an antenna and a transmission line. The radio circuit is within the housing and electrically connected to the power source. The antenna has an aperture, and the radio circuit is at least substantially within the aperture. The transmission line electrically connects to the antenna to the radio circuit. Various antenna embodiments include a flex circuit antenna.
106 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A hearing assistance device, comprising:
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a housing including an outer shell; a power source within the housing; a radio circuit within the housing and electrically connected to the power source; a flex antenna configured to be wrapped around the outside surface of the outer shell and having an aperture oriented orthogonal to the axis of symmetry of the hearing assistance device, wherein the radio circuit is at least substantially within the aperture, wherein the power source is not within the aperture, and wherein ends of the flex antenna are physically connected at a seam to fix a wrapped position around the housing; and a transmission line integrally formed with the flex antenna and configured to electrically connect to the radio circuit, wherein the housing includes a channel around the radio circuit, the channel configured to receive at least a portion of the flex antenna. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A method of forming a hearing assistance device, comprising:
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placing a radio circuit and a power source within a housing of the device, wherein the housing includes an outer shell; looping a flex antenna around the outside surface of the outer shell to form an aperture oriented orthogonal to the axis of symmetry of the hearing assistance device, wherein the radio circuit is at least substantially within the aperture, and wherein the power source is not within the aperture; electrically connecting a flexible circuit portion to the radio circuit using a transmission line integrally formed with the flex antenna; and physically connecting ends of the flex antenna at a seam to fix a wrapped position around the housing, wherein the housing includes a channel around the radio circuit, the channel configured to receive at least a portion of the flex antenna. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification