Method of manufacturing assemblies for hearing aids

Abstract

The present invention provides a method of manufacturing a receiver-in-canal assembly. The method comprises the steps of providing a receiver housing configured to be positioned in or at the ear canal of a user, and further being configured to comprise a receiver configured to output sound; providing a connector housing configured to be connected to a behind-the-ear part of a hearing aid; and providing an elongated tube configured for transfer of a signal from the connector housing to the receiver housing. In a further step the receiver housing and the connector housing are attached to opposite ends of the elongated tube. Subsequently, the tube is permanently deformed after attachment of the receiver housing and the connector housing to the tube by exposing it to heat in a first predetermined treatment period.

Claims

1. A method of manufacturing one or more receiver-in-canal assemblies, the method comprising steps of: providing a receiver housing configured to be positioned in or at the ear canal of a user, said receiver housing including a receiver to output sound; providing a connector housing configured to be connected to a behind-the-ear part of a hearing aid; providing an elongated tube configured for transfer of a signal from the connector housing to the receiver housing; attaching the receiver housing and the connector housing to opposite ends of the elongated tube, thereby forming the one or more receiver-in-canal assemblies; and permanently deforming the elongated tube after attachment of the receiver housing and the connector housing to the elongated tube by exposing the elongated tube to heat in a first predetermined treatment period t1.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the elongated tube is straight prior to carrying out the step of permanently deforming.

3. The method according to claim 2, wherein the elongated tube comprises at least one wire, and wherein the step of permanently deforming the elongated tube comprises bending of the at least one wire.

4. The method according to claim 2, wherein the step of permanently deforming the elongated tube comprises a step of cooling the elongated tube for a second predetermined treatment period t2 after exposing the elongated tube to heat, the second treatment period t2 being less than 50 percent of the first treatment period t1.

5. The method according to claim 2, further comprising a step of providing a thermal shield, and a step of arranging the thermal shield so that at least one of the receiver housing and the connector housing is not exposed to heat.

6. The method according to claim 2, wherein the step of permanently deforming the elongated tube is simultaneously carried out for a plurality of receiver-in-canal assemblies.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein the elongated tube comprises at least one wire inside the tube extending between the receiver and the connector housing, and wherein the step of permanently deforming the elongated tube comprises bending of the at least one wire, the method further comprising fixing the wire relative to an inner wall of the tube.

8. The method according to claim 7, wherein the step of permanently deforming the elongated tube comprises a step of cooling the elongated tube for a second predetermined treatment period t2 after exposing the elongated tube to heat, the second treatment period t2 being less than 50 percent of the first treatment period t1.

9. The method according to claim 7, wherein the step of permanently deforming the elongated tube by exposing the elongated tube to heat is carried out by heat conduction, and wherein the step of exposing the elongated tube to heat comprises a step of establishing contact between the elongated tube and a heating surface.

10. The method according to claim 1, wherein the step of permanently deforming the elongated tube by exposing the elongated tube to heat is carried out by heat conduction.

11. The method according to claim 10, wherein the step of exposing the elongated tube to heat comprises a step of establishing contact between the elongated tube and a heating surface.

12. The method according to claim 11, wherein the step of establishing contact comprises a step of arranging the elongated tube in a fixture comprising the heating surface, the fixture being configured to fix the elongated tube in a deformed configuration.

13. The method according to claim 12, wherein the elongated tube is arranged in a depression in the fixture while being exposed to the heat.

14. The method according to claim 1, wherein the first predetermined treatment t1 period is less than 6 minutes.

15. The method according to claim 1, wherein the step of permanently deforming the elongated tube comprises a step of cooling the elongated tube for a second predetermined treatment period t2 after exposing the elongated tube to heat, the second treatment period t2 being less than 50 percent of the first treatment period t1.

16. The method according to claim 15, wherein the step of cooling the elongated tube comprises a step of establishing contact between the elongated tube and a cooling surface.

17. The method according to claim 16, wherein the step of establishing contact comprises a step of arranging the elongated tube in a fixture comprising the cooling surface, the fixture being configured to fix the elongated tube in a deformed configuration.

18. The method according to claim 16, further comprising an intermediate treatment period tx between the first and second treatment period t1, t2, the intermediate treatment period tx being less than 10 percent of the first treatment period t1.

19. The method according to claim 15, wherein the second predetermined treatment period t2 is less than 3 minutes.

20. The method according to claim 15, further comprising an intermediate treatment period tx between the first and second treatment period t1, t2, the intermediate treatment period tx being less than 10 percent of the first treatment period t1.

21. The method according to claim 1, further comprising a step of providing a thermal shield, and a step of arranging the thermal shield so that at least one of the receiver housing and the connector housing is not exposed to heat.

22. The method according to claim 1, wherein the step of permanently deforming the elongated tube is simultaneously carried out for a plurality of receiver-in-canal assemblies.

23. The method according to claim 1, wherein the receiver housing includes a front housing part and a rear housing part, and wherein the receiver is positioned in the rear housing part.

24. The method according to claim 1, wherein the first predetermined treatment period t1 is in a range from 3.5 minutes to 6 minutes.

25. The method according to claim 1, wherein the step of permanently deforming the elongated tube comprises a step of cooling the elongated tube for a second predetermined treatment period t2 after exposing the elongated tube to heat, wherein the second predetermined treatment period t2 is in a range from 30 seconds to 3 minutes.

26. A method of manufacturing a receiver-in-canal assembly, comprising steps of: providing a receiver housing configured to be positioned in or at the ear canal of a user, the receiver housing including a receiver to output sound; providing a connector housing configured to be connected to a behind-the-ear part of a hearing aid; providing an elongated tube configured for transfer of a signal from the connector housing to the receiver housing; attaching the receiver housing and the connector housing to opposite ends of the elongated tube, thereby forming the receiver-in-canal assembly; and permanently deforming the elongated tube after attachment of the receiver housing and the connector housing to the elongated tube by exposing at least a portion of the elongated tube to heat by way of heat conduction in a first predetermined treatment period and then by cooling the elongated tube for a second predetermined treatment period that is less than 50 percent of the first predetermined treatment period.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) Embodiments of the invention will now be further described with reference to the drawings, in which:

(2) FIG. 1 schematically illustrates an un-assembled receiver-in-canal assembly comprising a receiver housing, a connector housing, and an elongated tube.

(3) FIG. 2 schematically illustrates an assembled receiver-in-canal assembly before permanent deformation of the elongated tube,

(4) FIG. 3 illustrates a receiver-in-canal assembly after permanent deformation of the elongated tube,

(5) FIG. 4 illustrates a curve for the treatment temperature T in dependency of time t,

(6) FIG. 5 illustrates a fixture configured to fix the tube in a deformed configuration, and

(7) FIG. 6 illustrates a fixture applied in a step of establishing contact between the tube and a heating surface.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(8) It should be understood that the detailed description and specific examples, while indicating embodiments of the invention, are given by way of illustration only, since various changes and modifications within the spirit and scope of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from this detailed description.

(9) FIG. 1 schematically illustrates an un-assembled receiver-in-canal assembly 1 which comprises a receiver housing 2, a connector housing 3, and an elongated tube 4. The receiver housing 2 and the connector housing 3 are configured to be attached to opposite ends 5, 6 of the elongated tube 4.

(10) FIGS. 1 and 2 are for illustration of the different features only, and it should be understood that the features are not correctly scaled relative to each other.

(11) The receiver housing 2 is configured to be positioned in or at the ear canal of a user, and is further configured to comprise a receiver (not shown), which receiver is configured to output sound. The connector housing 3 is configured to be connected to a behind-the-ear part (not shown) of a hearing aid. The behind-the-ear part is configured to generate the sound signal which may be transferred to the receiver housing 2 and the receiver via the elongated tube 4.

(12) FIG. 2 schematically illustrates a receiver-in-canal assembly 1 where the receiver housing 2 and the connector housing 3 have been attached to opposite ends 5, 6 of the elongated tube 4.

(13) FIG. 3 illustrates the receiver-in-canal assembly 1 after permanent deformation of the elongated tube 4. The receiver housing 2 comprises a front housing part 2a and a rear housing part 2b. In the illustrated embodiment, the receiver (not shown) is positioned in the rear housing part 2b.

(14) The connector housing 3 is configured to be connected to a behind-the-ear part (nor shown) of a hearing aid via the plug base 3a.

(15) FIG. 4 illustrates a curve 7 for the treatment temperature T [degrees Celsius] in dependency of time t [minutes]. In the illustrated embodiment, the elongated tube 4 is heated to a process temperature T1 of 160 degrees Celsius+/2 degrees Celsius during a first treatment period t1 till this temperature is reached. The first treatment period t1 is in this embodiment 3.5 minutes. The maximum temperature, being the process temperature T1 is maintained during an additional treatment period of 30 seconds. The additional treatment period starts from the moment when the first treatment period t1 is completed. The additional treatment period does not appear from FIG. 4.

(16) The additional treatment period depends on the material properties of the tubes 4 and more specifically on the relaxation properties. Relaxation should be understood as the process of a material, such as polymers, undergoing a change of internal structure under constant stress. The additional treatment period may be less than 1 minutes, such as about 30 seconds.

(17) Subsequently, the elongated tube 4 is cooled down to about room temperature T2 during a second treatment period t2. In the illustrated embodiment the second treatment period t2 is 1.5 minutes. This second treatment period t2 may however be shorter, such as approximately 1 minute, or even shorter, such as about 30 seconds.

(18) Heating during the first treatment period t1 is carried out by positioning the elongated tube 4 on a heating surface 8 (see FIG. 6) so that it can be heated by conduction. The subsequent cooling of the tube 4 during the second treatment period t2 is carried out by positioning the tube on a cooling surface (not shown) during the second treatment period t2.

(19) The cooling of the tube 4 need not reach room temperature T2 by aid of the cooling surface, as the final cooling may take place after interruption of contact between the tube(s) and the cooling surface. Consequently, the tube(s) may be cooled to a temperature in the range of e.g. 20-40 degrees Celsius by aid of the cooling surface.

(20) The deformation process for the elongated tube further comprises a step of moving the tube from the heating surface to the cooling surface. This intermediate step is performed during an intermediate treatment period tx between the first and second treatment periods t1, t2. Typically, this intermediate treatment period tx has a duration of approximately less than 30 seconds.

(21) FIG. 5 illustrates a fixture 9 configured to fix five tubes 4 in a deformed configuration after attachment of the receiver housing 2 and the connector housing 3. The fixture 9 comprises a plate 10 made of an alloy. The plate 10 is provided with five depressions 11 each having a shape corresponding to the required shape of the tubes 4 in their final configuration. When arranged in the depressions 11, the fixture 9 fixes the tubes 4. Subsequently the permanent deformation can be achieved by exposing the tubes 4 to heat.

(22) FIG. 6 illustrates the tubes (not visible) being exposed to heat by establishing contact between the tubes and the heating surface 8. The tubes 4 are placed in a deformed configuration in the fixture 9, and subsequently the fixture 9 is placed on the heating surface 8 which heats. The fixture 9 is operated by use of the handle 11. When the handle 11 is moved, the plate 10 with the tubes 4 can be moved up and down to establish and interrupt contact between the tubes 4 and the heating surface 8.

(23) Due to temperature gradients present in the plate 10 and to ensure that the deformed tubes 4 present in the fixture 9 reaches the desired temperature, the plate 10 is maintained on the heating surface 8 for an additional treatment period.