Method for manufacturing a hearing device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2021008810-A1
Application number	US-202016913552-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jun 26, 2020
Priority date	Jul 9, 2019
Publication date	Jan 14, 2021
Grant date	—

Abstract

A method for manufacturing a hearing device is disclosed. The hearing device comprises a speaker, a first chamber, and a sound channel arranged between the first chamber and the surroundings of the hearing device or a second chamber. An element of a thermoplastic material being in a solid state is arranged in the sound channel. A laser light is applied to the element to thereby activate the element to change from the solid state to a liquid state. The element then changes from the solid state to the liquid state filling out a cross-section of the sound channel and thereby sealing the sound channel. Finally, cooling of the element is allowed leading to a change of the element from the liquid state to solid state while filling out the cross-section of the sound channel.

First claim

1 . A method for manufacturing a hearing device, the hearing device comprising a speaker, a first chamber, and a sound channel arranged between the first chamber and the surroundings of the hearing device or a second chamber, the method comprising:
arranging an element of a thermoplastic material in the sound channel, the element being in a solid state; forming at least a top part of said sound channel of a light transmissible material capable of passing laser light therethrough; applying a laser light through said top part to the element to thereby activate the element to change from the solid state to a liquid state; sealing the sound channel by means of the element changing from the solid state to the liquid state thereby filling out a cross-section of the sound channel; allowing cooling of the element thereby a change of the element from the liquid state to solid state while filling out the cross-section of the sound channel.

2 . A method according to claim 1 , wherein the hearing device further comprises a microphone, and wherein the speaker is arranged in the first chamber and the microphone is arranged in the second chamber.

3 . A method according to claim 1 , wherein the hearing device further comprises a speaker housing, the first chamber and the second chamber being arranged in the speaker housing.

4 . A method according to claim 1 , wherein the hearing device comprises a bottom part and a top part and wherein the element is provided in a compartment defined by at least a portion of the bottom part and by at least a portion of the top part, and wherein the compartment is further defined by at least one protrusion extending into the interior of the sound channel of hearing device.

5 . A method according to claim 4 , wherein the top part is made of a material transparent to the laser light and wherein the bottom part is made of a material non-transparent to the laser light.

6 . A method according claim 4 , wherein the top part and the bottom part are made of a material transparent to the laser light.

7 . A method according to claim 1 , wherein the element is provided closer to the second chamber than to the first chamber.

8 . A method according to claim 1 , wherein the element is provided closer to the first chamber than to the second chamber.

9 . A method according to claim 2 , wherein the hearing device comprises one or more wires interconnecting the speaker and the microphone, and wherein the one or more wiresare arranged in the sound channel and through the element.

10 . A method according to claim 9 , wherein the element comprises two portions and wherein the one or more wires are arranged between the two portions.

11 . A method according to claim 9 , wherein the one or more wires comprise an insulation material transparent to the laser light.

12 . A method according to claim 1 , wherein the thermoplastic material is a thermoplastic adhesive.

13 . A method according to claim 12 , wherein the thermoplastic adhesive is a hot melt adhesive, such as a hot melt glue.

14 . A method according to claim 4 , wherein the thermoplastic material has a melting point which is lower than a melting point of the top part and a melting point of the bottom part, the melting point of the thermoplastic material being in the range between 85° C. and 100° C.

15 . A method according to claim 1 , wherein the laser light is a continuous wave laser light, and wherein the wavelength of the laser light is about 985 nm.

16 . A method according to claim 1 , wherein the laser light is applied by guiding the light towards the element by means of at least one mirror arranged on a fixture, the mirror reflecting the laser light.

17 . A hearing device being manufactured by a method according to claim 1 .

18 . A hearing device comprising:
a first chamber; a second chamber; a speaker; a sound channel being at least in part light transmissible, arranged between the first chamber and the surroundings of the hearing device or the second chamber; an elementof a thermoplastic material, the element configured to be activated by a laser light through thought said at least in part light transmissible sound channel, and to change from a solid state to a liquid state during manufacturing, the element being configured to seal the sound channel the element by changing from the solid state to the liquid state.

Assignees

• Gn Audio As

Inventors

• Lindgren Erik

Classifications

• H04R25/658

  Manufacture of housing parts · CPC title

• H04R25/65

  Housing parts, e.g. shells, tips or moulds, or their manufacture · CPC title

• H04R31/00 Primary

  Apparatus or processes specially adapted for the manufacture of transducers or diaphragms therefor {(manufacture of microstructural arrangements of deformable or non-deformable structures in general B81C1/00182)} · CPC title

• B29C65/4815

  Hot melt adhesives, e.g. thermoplastic adhesives · CPC title

• B29C65/1635 Primary

  at least passing through one of the parts to be joined, i.e. laser transmission welding · CPC title