Magnetic shielding for communication device applications

• US 8,798,299 B1
• Filed: 12/22/2009
• Issued: 08/05/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 12/31/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Starkey Laboratories Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Starkey Laboratories Incorporated
• Inventors: Higgins, Sidney A., Newton, James R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Le, Huyen D
• Application Number:
  US12/644,188
• Time in Patent Office: 1,687 Days
• Field of Search: 381/312, 381/319, 381/322, 381/324, 381/328, 381/330, 381/189, 455/300, 455/575.5, 361/816, 361/818
• US Class Current: 381/322
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2225/49 Reducing the effects of electromagnetic noise on the functioning of hearing aids, by, e.g. shielding, signal processing adaptation, selective (de)activation of electronic parts in hearing aid
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 25/658 Manufacture of housing parts

Abstract

A communication device comprising a coated surface having a fine grained coating, the coating including a high nickel content to provide magnetic shielding. The present coating process can be applied to a variety of components and surfaces to provide magnetic shielding in a communications device. Such devices, include, but are not limited to cell phones, hearing aids, and other hearing assistance devices.

Claims

1. A communication device including a component comprising a coated surface having a fine grained coating having an average grain size less than 1000 nm, the coating including a mu-metal having a high nickel content to provide magnetic shielding, wherein the fine grained coating is layered on the component using a plasma process without annealing.

2. The communication device of claim 1, wherein the component is a receiver.

3. The communication device of claim 2, wherein the receiver is used in a hearing assistance device.

4. The communication device of claim 3, wherein the hearing assistance device is a hearing aid.

5. The communication device of claim 4, wherein the hearing aid is a receiver-in-the-canal hearing aid.

6. The communication device of claim 4, wherein the hearing aid is a behind-the-ear hearing aid.

7. The communication device of claim 4, wherein the hearing aid is an in-the-ear hearing aid.

8. The communication device of claim 4, wherein the hearing aid is a completely-in-the-canal hearing aid.

9. The communication device of claim 1, wherein the communication device is a cell phone.

10. The communication device of claim 1, wherein the component includes plastic.

11. The communication device of claim 1, wherein the component includes plastic generated using stereolithography.

12. The communication device of claim 1, wherein the coating includes an alloy comprising about 75% nickel, and about 15% iron, copper and molybdenum.