Three dimensional substrate for hearing assistance devices
View Patent ↗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.
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).