Cable for a hearing device

Abstract

A cable for a hearing device is provided. The hearing device may have an in-the-canal part with a receiver and a behind-the-ear part with an electronic module. The cable may be adapted to connect the in-the-canal part and the behind-the-ear part. The cable may be a flexible printed circuit board having a plurality of conductor tracks. An end of the flexible printed circuit board is populated with at least one of a sensor, an LED and a push button.

Claims

1. A cable for a hearing device, the hearing device comprising an in-the-canal part with a receiver and a behind-the-ear part with an electronic module, wherein the cable is adapted to connect the in-the-canal part and the behind-the-ear part, wherein the cable is configured as or comprises a flexible printed circuit board having a plurality of conductor tracks, wherein an end of the flexible printed circuit board is populated with at least one of a sensor, an LED and a push button, wherein said cable comprises an electrical insulation formed by one of cable extrusion, embedding in a cast and encapsulating within at least two plastic parts which are connected to each other by gluing or ultrasonic welding, wherein a plastically deformable wire is embedded in the insulation, wherein the electrical insulation is integrally formed with at least one pull relief at at least one end of the flexible printed circuit board, the pull relief being configured to be mechanically fixed to the in-the-canal part or the behind-the-ear part.

2. The cable of claim 1, wherein the end of the flexible printed circuit board is populated with the receiver.

3. The cable according to claim 1, wherein an end of the cable is configured to connect to a connector comprised in the electronic module for connecting a sound delivery system.

4. The cable according to claim 1, further comprising a serial number.

5. The cable according to claim 1, wherein the conductor tracks are disposed on two opposing outer surfaces of the flexible printed circuit board.

6. The cable according to claim 1, wherein the flexible printed circuit board is configured as a multi-layer flexible printed circuit board having two external layers and at least one internal layer, wherein one or more of the conductor tracks are disposed on the at least one internal layer.

7. The cable according to claim 1, having at least six or at least eight conductor tracks.

8. The cable according to claim 1, wherein said cable is in said receiver to connect said in-the-canal part to the behind-the-ear part.

9. The cable according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the conductor tracks is used as an antenna.

10. The hearing device according to claim 1, wherein the at least one pull relief is uniformly distributed entirely about the cable.

11. The hearing device according to claim 10, the at least one pull relief forms an oval shape as it extends about the cable.

12. A hearing device, comprising: an in-the-canal part, a behind-the-ear part, a receiver, and a cable connected to the-in-the-canal part and adapted to connect the in-the-canal part and the behind-the-ear part, wherein the cable is configured as or comprises a flexible printed circuit board having a plurality of conductor tracks, wherein an end of the flexible printed circuit board is populated with at least one of a sensor, an LED and a push button, wherein said cable comprises an electrical insulation formed by one of cable extrusion, embedding in a cast and encapsulating within at least two plastic parts which are connected to each other by gluing or ultrasonic welding, wherein a plastically deformable wire is embedded in the insulation, wherein the electrical insulation is integrally formed with at least one pull relief at at least one end of the flexible printed circuit board, the pull relief being configured to be mechanically fixed to the in-the-canal part or the behind-the-ear part.

13. The hearing device according to claim 12, wherein the hearing device is a hearing aid.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) The present invention will become more fully understood from the detailed description given hereinbelow and the accompanying drawings which are given by way of illustration only, and thus, are not limitive of the present invention, and wherein:

(2) FIG. 1 is a schematic view of a PCB carrier carrying a number of cables,

(3) FIG. 2 is a schematic detail view of the PCB carrier,

(4) FIG. 3 is another schematic detail view of the PCB carrier, and

(5) FIG. 4 is a schematic view of a hearing device comprising the cable.

(6) Corresponding parts are marked with the same reference symbols in all figures.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

(7) FIG. 1 is a schematic view of a PCB carrier 1 carrying a number of cables 2. FIGS. 2 and 3 are schematic detail views of the PCB carrier 1. FIG. 4 is a schematic view of a hearing device 10 comprising a cable 2.

(8) Each cable 2 comprises a flexible printed circuit board 3 having a plurality of conductor tracks 4. In a process of producing the cables 2, the flexible printed circuit boards 3 may have been part of the PCB carrier 1 from which they may have been cut free. The conductor tracks 4 may be produced by a photolithographic process and etching from a plating on a surface of the PCB carrier 1 or they may be produced by laminating or plating.

(9) Each cable 2 may be configured to be used for a hearing device 10, the hearing device 10 comprising an in-the-canal part 11 with a receiver 12 and a behind-the-ear part 13 with an electronic module 14, wherein the cable 2 is adapted to connect the in-the-canal part 11 and the behind-the-ear part 13 or an on-the-ear-part (not shown) instead of the behind-the-ear-part 13.

(10) The cable 2 may comprise an electrical insulation 5 enclosing the flexible printed circuit board 3 except for its ends 6, 7, formed by one of cable extrusion, embedding in a cast and encapsulating within at least two plastic parts which are connected to each other by gluing or ultrasonic welding.

(11) An end 6 of the flexible printed circuit board 3 may be populated with at least one electronic component, in particular at least one of the receiver 12, a sensor, an LED, a capacitor, a resistor and a push button.

(12) In an exemplary embodiment, the end 7 of the cable 2 is configured to connect to a connector comprised in the electronic module 14 for connecting a sound delivery system.

(13) In an exemplary embodiment, the cable 2 may comprise a serial number (not shown).

(14) The electrical insulation 5 is integrally formed with at least one pull relief 8 at at least one of the ends end 6, 7 of the flexible printed circuit board 3, the pull relief 8 being configured to be mechanically fixed to an in-the-canal part 11 or to an on-the-ear part or a behind-the-ear part 13 of a receiver-in-the canal hearing device 10.

(15) In an exemplary embodiment, a plastically deformable wire (not shown) may be embedded in the electrical insulation 5. In an alternative embodiment, the flexible printed circuit board 3 may be plated so as to be plastically deformable. This allows for individually bending the cable 2 to bring it into a desired shape in which it remains to adapt it to the preferences and conditions of a particular user.

(16) In an exemplary embodiment the conductor tracks 4 are disposed on two opposing outer surfaces of the flexible printed circuit board 3.

(17) In an exemplary embodiment, the flexible printed circuit board 3 is configured as a multi layer flexible printed circuit board having two external layers and at least one internal layer, wherein one or more of the conductor tracks 4 are disposed on the at least one internal layer (not shown).

(18) In an exemplary embodiment the cable 2 may have at least six or at least eight conductor tracks 4.

(19) The cable 2 may be part of an arrangement, comprising an in-the-canal part 11 for a receiver-in-the canal hearing device 10. The cable 2 may be connected to the-in-the-canal part 11.

(20) The arrangement may be part of a hearing device 10 also having a behind-the-ear part 13.

(21) In an exemplary embodiment, at least one of the conductor tracks 4 may be used as an antenna.

(22) In an exemplary embodiment, the hearing device 10 may be a hearing aid.

LIST OF REFERENCES

(23) 1 PCB carrier 2 cable 3 printed circuit board, PCB 4 conductor track 5 electrical insulation 6 end 7 end 8 pull relief 10 hearing device 11 in-the-canal part 12 receiver 13 behind-the-ear-part 14 electronic module