Flex connector for a hearing assistance device

• US 9,408,004 B2
• Filed: 05/07/2013
• Issued: 08/02/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 05/07/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Starkey Laboratories Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Starkey Laboratories Incorporated
• Inventors: Higgins, Sidney A., Zajicek, Gary
• Primary Examiner(s): Goins, Davetta W
• Assistant Examiner(s): DABNEY, PHYLESHA LARVINIA
• Application Number:
  US13/889,227
• Publication Number:
  US 20130294628A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,183 Days
• Field of Search: 381/312, 381/322, 381/324, 381/323, 381/328, 181/129, 181/130, 181/135
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 25/60 Mounting or interconnection of hearing aid parts, e.g. inside tips, housings or to ossicles ear wax retarders, e.g. mounting thereof H04R25/654
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 25/609 of circuitry of electronic switches or control elements H04R25/603

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to improved receiver connectors for hearing assistance devices. One aspect of the present subject matter relates to a hearing assistance system including a flex connector. A hearing assistance device housing includes hearing assistance electronics for a hearing assistance device. The system also includes a receiver configured to convert an electrical signal from the hearing assistance electronics to an acoustic signal. The receiver is configured to enable a quick connect and disconnect at various degrees on and off vertical axial alignment with repeatable reliability, according to various embodiments.

Claims

1. A receiver module for a hearing aid, the hearing aid including a receptacle connector and circuitry electrically connected to the receptacle connector, the receiver module comprising:

a receiver configured to transmit sound;

a receiver case housing the receiver; and

a flex tab connector coupled to the receiver case and electrically connected to the receiver, the flex tab connector configured to detachably mate with and electrically connect to the receptacle connector to provide electrical connection between the receiver and the circuitry and including a flex substrate and conductive contacts on the flex substrate.

2. The receiver module of claim 1, wherein the conductive contacts are duplicated on both sides of the flex substrate.

3. The receiver module of claim 2, wherein flex tab connector comprises a male connector.

4. The receiver module of claim 1, comprising a long axis, and wherein the flex tab connector is bendable from the long axis.

5. The receiver module of claim 4, wherein the flex tab connector is further bendable about the long axis.

6. The receiver module of claim 4, wherein the flex tab connector is on the long axis when being in an unconstrained state.

7. The receiver module of claim 4, wherein the flex tab connector is off the long axis when being in an unconstrained state.

8. A hearing aid including circuitry to process sounds, the hearing aid comprising:

a receiver module including a receiver configured to transmit the processed sounds and a bendable first flex connector electrically connected to the receiver;

a shell housing the circuitry, the shell including a cavity configured to accommodate at least a portion of the receiver module;

a second connector electrically connected to the circuitry, the second connector configured to detachably mate with and electrically connected to the first flex connector to provide electrical connection between the receiver and the circuitry; and

a connector housing mounted to the shell and accommodating at least a portion of the second connector.

9. The hearing aid of claim 8, wherein the first flex connector comprises a first flex substrate and conductive contacts disposed on the first flex substrate.

10. The hearing aid of claim 9, wherein the conductive contacts are disposed on both sides of the flex substrate.

11. The hearing aid of claim 9, wherein the first flex connector is configured to be a male connector.

12. The hearing aid of claim 9, wherein the shell is configured for a completely-in-canal (CIC) hearing aid.

13. The hearing aid of claim 12, wherein the shell is configured for a custom fit hearing aid.

14. The hearing aid of claim 8, wherein the second connector comprises a bendable second flex connector including a second flex substrate and second conductive contacts disposed on the second flex substrate.

15. The hearing aid of claim 14, wherein the second flex substrate comprises a contact layer and a stiffener layer.

16. The hearing aid of claim 15, wherein the connector housing is made of an elastic material.

17. A method for connecting a receiver module including a receive hearing aid circuitry housed in a hearing aid shell having a cavity shaped to accommodate at least a portion of the receiver module, the method comprising:

providing the receiver module with a first connector being a bendable flex connector electrically connected to the receiver;

connecting a second connector to the hearing aid circuitry; and

mounting the second connector to the shell to allow the second connector to detachably mate with and electrically connected to the first connector to provide electrical connection between the receiver and the hearing aid circuitry.

18. The method of claim 17, comprising constructing the bendable flex connector, including:

providing a bendable first flex substrate; and

constructing first conductive contacts on the first flex substrate.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein constructing the first conductive contacts onto the first flex substrate comprises constructing the first conductive contacts onto both sides of the first flex substrate.

20. The method of claim 18, wherein mounting the second connector to the shell comprises mounding a bendable second flex connector to the shell, and comprising constructing the bendable second flex connector, including:

providing a bendable second flex substrate; and

constructing second conductive contacts on the second flex substrate.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein providing the bendable second flex substrate comprises providing a substrate with a contact layer on a stiffener layer.

22. The method of claim 21, further comprising providing a polymer housing to accommodate at least a portion of the second flex connector, and wherein mounting the second connector to the shell comprises using the polymer housing as a mounting structure.