Cover plate for an earpiece, earpiece and method of producing earpiece

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11523235-B2
Application number	US-202117161542-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 28, 2021
Priority date	Feb 3, 2020
Publication date	Dec 6, 2022
Grant date	Dec 6, 2022

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to a cover plate for covering a lateral opening of a shell of an earpiece configured to be worn at least partially within an ear canal, wherein the cover plate comprises a circumferential trench for receiving an antenna on a medial side of the cover plate, wherein the cover plate comprises a circumferential wall radially outward from the trench and adjacent the wall a surface for gluing the shell on.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A cover plate for covering a lateral opening of a shell of an earpiece configured to be worn at least partially within an ear canal, wherein:
the cover plate comprises a circumferential trench for receiving an antenna on a medial side of the cover plate;
the cover plate comprises a circumferential wall radially outward from the circumferential trench, the circumferential wall fully surrounding the circumferential trench and configured to prevent glue from entering the circumferential trench; and
adjacent to the circumferential wall is a surface for gluing the shell on.

2. The cover plate according to claim 1 , wherein the circumferential wall directly adjoins the circumferential trench.

3. The cover plate according to claim 1 , wherein the circumferential wall is integrally formed with the cover plate.

4. The cover plate according to claim 1 , wherein the circumferential wall protrudes by a height of 1 mm or less above the surface for gluing the shell on.

5. The cover plate according to claim 1 , wherein the circumferential trench is formed in a medial surface of the cover plate.

6. An earpiece, configured to be worn at least partially within an ear canal, the earpiece comprising:
a cover plate comprising a circumferential trench for receiving an antenna on a medial side of the cover plate, wherein the cover plate comprises a circumferential wall radially outward from the circumferential trench, the circumferential wall fully surrounds the circumferential trench and is configured to prevent glue from entering the circumferential trench, and adjacent to the circumferential wall is a surface for gluing a shell on, and
the shell with a lateral opening covered by the cover plate, wherein a lateral end of the shell is glued at least on a medial surface of the cover plate outward from the circumferential wall.

7. The earpiece according to claim 6 , further comprising at least one internal component comprising a transmitter/receiver unit for wireless operation and an antenna arranged in the circumferential trench.

8. The earpiece according to claim 7 , wherein the transmitter/receiver unit has an operational frequency from 2.4 GHz to 2.5 GHz.

9. The earpiece according to claim 7 , wherein the antenna is configured as a dipole antenna.

10. The earpiece according to claim 7 , wherein the antenna is configured as a conductive path on a flexible printed circuit board.

11. The earpiece according to claim 6 , wherein the circumferential wall is positioned to directly adjoin the shell when the shell is glued on the cover plate.

12. The earpiece according to claim 6 , wherein a radially inwardly facing, circumferential recess is provided at the lateral end of the shell, the circumferential recess being designed such that the circumferential wall is at least partially received therein and that a remaining part of the lateral end of the shell is glued on the cover plate.

13. The earpiece according to claim 6 , wherein the shell is made of one of titanium, plastic, and an elastomer.

14. A method of producing an earpiece, the method comprising:
providing a cover plate comprising a circumferential trench for receiving an antenna on a medial side of the cover plate, wherein the cover plate comprises a circumferential wall radially outward from the circumferential trench, the circumferential wall fully surrounds the circumferential trench and is configured to prevent glue from entering the circumferential trench, and adjacent to the circumferential wall is a surface for gluing a shell on;
arranging at least one internal component on a medial side of the cover plate;
arranging an antenna in the circumferential trench; and
gluing a lateral end of the shell at least upon a medial surface of the cover plate outwardly from the circumferential wall.

15. The method according to claim 14 , wherein subsequent to gluing on the shell, a projecting area of the cover plate is cut off along an outer edge of the shell.

16. The method according to claim 14 , wherein the shell is produced by 3D printing.

17. The method according to claim 16 , wherein a recess is formed in the shell during the 3D printing.

18. The method according to claim 16 , wherein a recess is subsequently milled out of the shell.

Assignees

• Sonova Ag

Inventors

• Ochsenbein Andre
• Takacs Michael
• Perez Gabriel

Classifications

• H04R2225/51

  Aspects of antennas or their circuitry in or for hearing aids · CPC title

• H04R25/658 Primary

  Manufacture of housing parts · CPC title

• H04R25/554 Primary

  using a wireless connection, e.g. between microphone and amplifier or using Tcoils · CPC title

• H04R2225/025

  In the ear hearing aids [ITE] hearing aids · CPC title

• H04R1/1058

  Manufacture or assembly · CPC title