Connector arrangement in hearing instruments

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9485594-B2
Application number	US-201514808378-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 24, 2015
Priority date	Aug 6, 2014
Publication date	Nov 1, 2016
Grant date	Nov 1, 2016

Abstract

An acoustic apparatus includes a mechanical shell, a first electronic component, a first connector, and a receiver. The mechanical shell is generally cylindrical in shape and forms a cavity, the shell having an inner surface, the inter surface in communication with the cavity. The first electronic component is disposed in the cavity. The first connector includes electrical contacts and is disposed on the inner surface of the shell. A first electrical connection electrically couples the microphone to the first connector. The receiver is disposed in the cavity, and the receiver has a second connector. An electrical connection is formed between the first electronic component and the receiver via the first connector and the second connector. A rotation of the shell causes the electrical contacts to rotate within or with respect to the second connector such that the rotation does not cause the electrical connection between the first connector and the second connector to be broken.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An acoustic apparatus, comprising;
a mechanical shell generally cylindrical in shape and forming a cavity having an inner surface;
a first electronic component disposed in the cavity;
a first connector including electrical contacts disposed adjacent the inner surface of the cavity;
the first electronic component electrically coupled to the first connector;
a receiver disposed in the cavity, the receiver having a second connector electrically coupled to the first connector;
the first connector movable relative to the second connector while the first connector is electrically coupled to the second connector;
wherein rotation of the shell causes the first connector to rotate relative to the second connector such that the receiver remains electrically coupled to the first electrical component via the first connector and the second connector during rotation.

2. The acoustic apparatus of claim 1 , wherein a contact interconnects a first conductor of the first connector and a second conductor of the second connector during rotation of the first connector relative to the second connector.

3. The acoustic apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first electronic component is a microphone, a digital signal processor, or integrated circuit.

4. The acoustic apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a second electronic component disposed in the cavity.

5. The acoustic apparatus of claim 4 , wherein the second electronic component is a microphone, a digital signal processor, or integrated circuit.

6. The acoustic apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the shell is configured to be disposed at least partially in the human ear.

7. The acoustic apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising an end portion disposed at a first end of the shell.

8. An acoustic apparatus comprising;
a mechanical shell generally cylindrical in shape and forming a cavity, the shell having an inner surface, the inter surface in communication with the cavity;
a microphone that is disposed in the cavity;
a first connector including electrical contacts that is disposed on the inner surface of the shell;
a first wire that electrically couples the microphone to the first connector;
a receiver disposed in the cavity, the receiver having a second connector;
a second electrical connection that is formed between the microphone and the receiver via the first connector and the second connector;
such that a rotation of the shell causes the electrical contacts to rotate within or with the second connector such that the rotation does not cause the second electrical connection between the first connector and the second connector to be broken;
wherein the apparatus is configured to be disposed in or at a human ear.

9. The acoustic apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the second electrical connection includes a direct contact between the first connector and the second connector.

10. The acoustic apparatus of claim 8 , further comprising a second electronic component that is disposed in the cavity.

11. The acoustic apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the second electronic component is a second microphone, a digital signal processor, or integrated circuit.

12. The acoustic apparatus of claim 8 , further comprising an end portion disposed at a first end of the shell.

13. An acoustic apparatus comprising;
a housing having a housing cavity;
an electronic component disposed at least partially within the housing cavity;
a first electrical connector disposed within the housing cavity, the first electrical connector electrically coupled to the electronic component;
a receiver having a second electrical connector, the second electrical connector disposed on an outer surface of the receiver, at least a portion of the receiver disposed within the housing cavity,
the first electrical connector adjacent the second electrical connector, the first electrical connector electrically coupled to the second electrical connector, the first electrical connector movable relative to the second electrical connector while the first electrical connector is electrically coupled to the second electrical connector,
wherein the electronic component remains electrically coupled to the receiver via the first electrical connector and the second electrical connector when the first electrical connector moves relative to the second electrical connector.

14. The acoustic apparatus of claim 13 ,
the housing cavity defines a curved inner surface portion, the first electrical connector has a first conductor portion adjacent the curved inner surface portion of the housing cavity,
the receiver has a curved outer surface portion, the second electrical connector has a second conductor portion disposed on the curved outer surface portion of the receiver,
the first conductor portion adjacent and electrically coupled to the second conductor portion, the first conductor portion movable relative to the second conductor portion while the first conductor portion is electrically coupled to the second conductor portion.

15. The acoustic apparatus of claim 14 , at least one of the first conductor portion or the second conductor portion has a curved shape, the first conductor portion electrically coupled to the second conductor portion by a contact slidably interconnecting the first conductor portion and the second conductor portion.

16. The acoustic apparatus of claim 13 ,
the housing cavity has a generally cylindrical shape, the first electrical connector has a first conductor portion disposed partially about an axis of the housing cavity,
the receiver has a generally cylindrical shape, the second electrical connector has a second conductor portion disposed partially about an axis of the receiver,
the axis of the receiver aligned generally with the axis of the housing cavity wherein the first conductor portion is adjacent the second conductor portion.

17. The acoustic apparatus of claim 16 ,
the first conductor portion rotatable relative to the second conductor portion while the first conductor portion is electrically coupled to the second conductor portion,
wherein the electronic component remains electrically coupled to the receiver via the first conductor portion and the second conductor portion when the first conductor portion rotates relative to the second conductor portion.

18. The acoustic apparatus of claim 17 , a contact physically interconnecting the first conductor portion and the second conductor portion, the contact fixedly disposed on one of the first conductor portion or the second conductor portion, the contact slidably engaged with the other of the first conductor portion or the second conductor portion, wherein the first conductor portion and the second conductor portion remain electrically coupled when the first conductor portion rotates relative to the second conductor portion.

19. The acoustic apparatus of claim 13 , the first electrical connector disposed within the housing cavity in fixed relation to the housing, wherein movement of the housing relative to the receiver causes movement of the first electrical connector relative to the second electrical connector.

20. The acoustic apparatus of claim 13 is an in-the-ear hearing device, wherein the housing has a generally cylindrical outer surface shaped for at least partial insertion in a user's ear canal, and the electronic component includes a microphone.

Assignees

• Knowles Electronics Llc

Inventors

• Grossman Alexander
• Heidenreich Joseph
• Manley Matthew

Classifications

• H04R31/006

  Interconnection of transducer parts (of diaphragm and outer suspension by moulding H04R31/003) · CPC title

• H04R25/608 Primary

  Electricity · mapped topic

• H04R2225/025

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

• H04R25/65

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

• H04R2225/021

  Behind the ear [BTE] hearing aids · CPC title