Three dimensional substrate for hearing assistance devices

• US 8,737,658 B2
• Filed: 12/19/2008
• Issued: 05/27/2014
• 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): Ho, Anthony
• Application Number:
  US12/340,591
• Publication Number:
  US 20100158294A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,985 Days
• Field of Search: 381/324
• US Class Current: 381/323
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2225/0216 BTE hearing aids having a receiver in the ear mould
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2225/023 Completely in the canal [CIC] hearing aids
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2225/025 In the ear hearing aids [ITE] hearing aids
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2225/61 Aspects relating to mechanical or electronic switches or control elements, e.g. functioning
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2225/77 Design aspects, e.g. CAD, of hearing aid tips, moulds or housings
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 25/554 using a wireless connection, e.g. between microphone and amplifier or using Tcoils
• 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 25/604 of acoustic or vibrational transducers
• 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: H04R 25/652 Ear tips; Ear moulds hybrid ear moulds or post-processing thereof for their customisation H04R25/659
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 25/654 Ear wax retarders
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 25/658 Manufacture of housing parts
• 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 hearing 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.

Claims

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

a housing;

a battery disposed in the housing;

a continuous one piece rigid injection-molded substrate disposed in the housing, the substrate adapted to be formed around multiple sides of the battery; and

hearing assistance electronics mounted to the substrate.

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

3. The device of claim 2, further comprising an antenna connected to the hearing assistance electronics.

4. The device of claim 2, further comprising an antenna integrated with the substrate.

5. The device of claim 2, 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 6, further comprising an antenna connected to the hearing assistance electronics.

8. The device of claim 6, further comprising an antenna integrated with the substrate.

9. The device of claim 6, further comprising a moisture resistant seal for preventing moisture ingress into the housing.

10. The device of claim 1, further comprising a battery compartment and including battery contacts coupled to the battery compartment, wherein the substrate is adapted to electrically connect with the battery contacts.

11. The device of claim 10, further comprising an antenna connected to the hearing assistance electronics.

12. The device of claim 10, further comprising an antenna integrated with the substrate.

13. The device of claim 10, further comprising a moisture resistant seal for preventing moisture ingress into the housing.

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

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

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

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

18. The device of claim 1, wherein the substrate includes plastic or ceramic material.

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

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

21. The device of claim 1, further comprising a telecoil connected to the substrate.