Conductive Polymer Battery Door Cradle for Hearing Aids

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Hearing aid devices face increased production costs and potential device failure due to the use of expensive and corrosion-prone metal contacts for battery connections.

Innovation Solution

A battery compartment door with a cradle made of electrically conductive polymer, which partially receives the battery terminal and electrically couples it to the device's electric circuit, reducing the need for metal contacts and minimizing corrosion risks.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If metal contacts are used for battery connections, then electrical connection is achieved, but production cost increases and corrosion risk increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecorrosion resistanceVSAvoidproduction cost

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The patent changes the material parameter from traditional metal to electrically conductive polymer, fundamentally altering the material properties to achieve both corrosion resistance and cost reduction while maintaining electrical conductivity

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The invention uses composite materials by incorporating conductive fillers (such as carbon black, metal powders, or conductive polymers) into a polymer matrix, creating a material that combines the corrosion resistance of polymers with the electrical conductivity of metal-like materials

Inventive Principle:

Principle #40Composite materials

2Reliability

If metal contacts are used for battery connections, then electrical connection is achieved, but device failure risk increases due to corrosion

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveconnection stabilityVSAvoidcorrosion

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The conductive polymer cradle provides a disposable or replaceable solution that is cheaper than metal contacts, allowing for easy replacement if failure occurs without the high costs associated with metal contact replacement

Inventive Principle:

Principle #27Cheap short-living objects (Disposable)

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

The use of electrically conductive polymer cradles in the battery compartment door effectively couples battery terminals to the electric circuit, lowering production costs and reducing the likelihood of device failure from corrosion, while maintaining reliable electrical connections.

Implementation Method 1

a cradle which at least partially receives a terminal of a battery and electrically couples the terminal to an electric circuit of the device

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectElectrical conduction: Conduction (electrical)

Data Source

PatentUS8098861B2Battery compartment door

Publication Date: 2012.01.17 SIVANTOS GMBH

AI summary

A battery compartment door for an electronic device, said door being operable between open and closed conditions of use with respect to the device, including a cradle shaped to at least partially receive a terminal of a battery, wherein the cradle is adapted to electrically couple the terminal to an electric circuit of the device when the door is arranged in the closed condition of use.