Flexible Encapsulated Hearing Aid for Easier Ear Canal Fitting
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing hearing aids that fit entirely or partially in the ear canal often require customized earpieces, which can be uncomfortable and complicate the fitting process, and lack effective sound localization and retention mechanisms.
Innovation Solution
A hearing aid design featuring a flexible, encapsulated middle section with a rechargeable battery, angled front and rear sections, and adaptable earpieces, including microphones for sound localization and retention, along with wireless charging and sensors for user interaction, enhances comfort and fit while improving sound processing and retention.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If customized earpieces are used to ensure secure fit in ear canal, then retention is improved, but device complexity and fitting difficulty increase
Solution Approach 1:
The hearing aid is divided into three distinct sections: a front section with speaker unit, a middle encapsulated section with battery and amplifier, and a rear section with antenna. This segmentation allows each part to be optimized independently while simplifying the overall fitting process through modular design.
Solution Approach 2:
The hearing aid design incorporates multiple functions within a single device: sound output through the speaker unit, wireless communication via the antenna, power supply through the rechargeable battery, and signal processing through the amplifier. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate components and simplifies fitting.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If traditional housing with air gaps is used, then manufacturing is easier, but shielding against ear canal environment is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The middle section is encapsulated by a polymer material that forms a protective barrier around the battery and amplifier. This encapsulation provides shielding against the ear canal environment while maintaining a compact design that is still manufacturable.
3Adaptability or versatility
If front section is positioned at specific angle, then fit into ear canal is improved, but alignment precision requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The hearing aid incorporates flexible elements that allow the front section to be positioned at specific angles relative to the middle section. This flexibility enables adaptation to different ear canal shapes and orientations without requiring extremely tight manufacturing tolerances on angular alignment.
4Reliability
If encapsulation material is applied in liquid state and solidified, then component protection is improved, but manufacturing time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The encapsulation material is applied in a liquid state and allowed to solidify before subsequent assembly steps. This preliminary solidification ensures complete protection of the battery and amplifier components while the timing is optimized to minimize overall manufacturing time.
Data Source
AI summary
Disclosed herein are embodiments of a hearing aid configured to be positioned in an ear canal of a user. The hearing aid includes a number of different structural sections. In certain examples, a middle section includes a rechargeable battery and a substrate carrying one or more electronic components, where the substrate is constructed as a flexible circuit board arranged at the battery, and where the middle section is at least partially encapsulated by a polymer material.