Hearing aid device and a method of manufacturing a hearing aid device

Abstract

A hearing aid device and a method of manufacturing the hearing aid device provide a housing and a first conductive layer. The housing has a first non-conductive layer and a second non-conductive layer. The first conductive layer is disposed between the first non-conductive layer and the second non-conductive layer.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. A hearing aid device, comprising:
 a housing including a first non-conductive layer, a second non-conductive layer, and a third non-conductive layer, said second non-conductive layer having an inner surface, said third non-conductive layer disposed inwardly of said first non-conductive layer and outwardly of said second non-conductive layer; 
 a coil disposed and embedded between said third non-conductive layer and said first non-conductive layer; 
 a first conductive layer disposed between said first non-conductive layer and said second non-conductive layer; 
 a second conductive layer attached onto a portion of said inner surface of said second non-conductive layer; and 
 said inner surface of said second non-conductive layer acting as a support for said second conductive layer. 
 
     
     
       2. The hearing aid device according to  claim 1 , which further comprises an electrical component to which said second conductive layer is conductively connected. 
     
     
       3. The hearing aid device according to  claim 2 , wherein said electrical component is a printed electrical component. 
     
     
       4. The hearing aid device according to  claim 1 , wherein said first conductive layer and said second conductive layer are solid freeform fabricated layers selected from the group consisting of:
 an inkjet printed layer, 
 a pneumatic sprayed layer, 
 a screen printed layer, 
 a pad printed layer, 
 a laser printed layer, 
 a dot matrix printed layer, 
 a thermal printed layer, 
 a lithographic layer, and 
 a 3D printed layer. 
 
     
     
       5. The hearing aid device according to  claim 1 , wherein said first conductive layer and said second conductive layer include an element selected from the group consisting of:
 copper, 
 gold, 
 silver, and 
 electrically conductive polymer. 
 
     
     
       6. A method for manufacturing a hearing aid device, the method comprising the following steps:
 producing a housing of the hearing aid device having a first non-conductive layer, a second non-conductive layer, and a third non-conductive layer disposed inwardly of the first non-conductive layer and outwardly of the first non-conductive layer; 
 embedding a coil between the first non-conductive layer and the third non-conductive layer; 
 embedding a first conductive layer between the first non-conductive layer and the second non-conductive layer; 
 attaching a second conductive layer onto an inner surface of the second non-conductive layer; and 
 supporting the second conductive layer on the inner surface of the second non-conductive layer. 
 
     
     
       7. The method according to  claim 6 , which further comprises embedding the first conductive layer between the first non-conductive layer and the second non-conductive layer by a solid freeform technique selected from the group consisting of:
 inkjet printing, 
 pneumatic spraying, 
 screen printing, 
 pad printing, 
 laser printing, 
 dot matrix printing, 
 thermal printing, 
 lithography, and 
 3D printing. 
 
     
     
       8. The method according to  claim 6 , which further comprises conductively connecting an electrical component to the second conductive layer. 
     
     
       9. The method according to  claim 8 , which further comprises providing the electrical component as a printed electrical component. 
     
     
       10. The method according to  claim 6 , which further comprises including in the first conductive layer, the second conductive layer and the coil an element selected from the group consisting of:
 copper, 
 gold, 
 silver, and 
 electrically conductive polymer. 
 
     
     
       11. The hearing aid device according to  claim 1 , wherein said second conductive layer extends over a substantial surface area of said inner surface of said second non-conductive layer. 
     
     
       12. The method according to  claim 6 , wherein the second conductive layer extends over a substantial surface area of the inner surface of the second non-conductive layer.