CN1638531B - Hydrophobic coating of individual hearing aid components - Google Patents

Abstract

For the liquid impervious sealing of smallest crevices, chinks, capillaries and/or openings within a housing wall, in particular of electronic or electrical devices, it is proposed to provide the housing wall at least in the area of the crevices, chinks, openings or capillaries with a hydrophobic coating. The advantage of applying a hydrophobic coating is that certain gas permeability can be maintained, so that a gas exchange between the interior of the housing and the environment is possible.

Description

The hydrophobic coat of individual hearing aid components

The present invention relates to that the liquid that prevents of minimum slit, crack and/or perforate oozes the method for dew on the sealed box wall, relate to the use of this method, the box that relates to electric or electronic installation, these slits of box, pore, crack, perforate etc. must seal, in case fluid seepage, but this sealing can not stop the infiltration of gas, the invention still further relates to the cell compartments of auditory prosthesis.

For some medical apparatus that are worn on the human body, have a kind of danger especially, promptly under the effect of moisture, sweat etc., some part and the parts of device may corrode, and can not carry out normal running.Especially fluid and sweat saturation may cause for example corrosion of battery in auditory prosthesis, in some cases, may cause that electronic installation and electroacoustic transducer break down.Therefore the seepage that the whole bag of tricks makes the more anti-liquid of auditory prosthesis has been proposed.

The auditory prosthesis of a kind of waterproof of explanation in DE 19502994A1, for example liner and film reach fire resistance characteristic to adopt complicated structural measure in this device.DE 3834316C1 illustrates a kind of complete fluid-tight auditory prosthesis, but compares with above-mentioned patent application, be not shown specifically how to reach watertight, and emphasis is the design that is described in detail the watertight executive component.In addition, explanation ins all sorts of ways and protects the HdO device in JP 11069498, US 5249234A and US 6510230B2, prevents shell infiltration steam, and according to design, this antiseepage also comprises the material of absorption liquid gas or water liquid.

A kind of water loud speaker with fixed attention with hydrophobic film of explanation in US 2002/0181725A1 can prevent that thus sealing and back plate are attached together, and also propose how to obtain other method of hydrophobic character.

US 2002/100605A1 illustrates the particularly hydrophobic coat of high-voltage conducting wires of a kind of electric device box.In addition, for example hydrophobic coat of polymer, plank and cement etc. of end liner is described in other patent, for these end liners, the problems referred to above are not the problems that this paper will study.

Especially be worn over the medical apparatus on the human body, the blood characteristics checkout gear of pulse frequency measurement device, non-dipped type for example, for example oximeter sensor, palmic rate measurement mechanism, hearing aids etc., complicated apparatus normally, this device is made up of many independent mechanical parts or electronic unit, these mechanical parts or electronic unit adopt produced in several ways, fit together at last.Because injection molding process, in most of the cases, the plastic components that is used as box, cell compartments, lid, switch etc. has mechanical tolerance, so under the assembled state of device, small capillary slit always occurs between individual component.

Because these medical apparatus of great majority for example auditory prosthesis adopt the zinc-air battery operation, thus can not these devices of gas-tight seal, because battery needs constant oxygen supply, to keep operating voltage.This requirement also needs for other electronic device or the electric device of certain ventilation of needs.The result is that as part explanation in the present equipment, it is inappropriate not having permeability fully.As before have in the equipment recognize that the complicated mechanical structure with liner and perforated membrane also is inapplicable, this structure makes medical apparatus become bigger usually, and the cost height.

The auditory prosthesis that is roughly minimum medical equipment by design is difficult to predict the influence in capillary slit.Because be used to prevent that the mechanical structure of fluid seepage is no longer without any difficulty in the existing apparatus design, so research object of the present invention is to make a kind of medical apparatus, especially for example minimum device and auditory prosthesis, these install the ventilative design that do not need to change.Importantly prevent moisture penetration fully in the capillary slit, also having gas permeability to a certain degree in this slit.

Along with the exploitation of auditory prosthesis etc., the research tendency concentrates on more and more studies the Modular that can be combined in the different structure device.Be contained in auditory prosthesis in the ear for what is called, in order to reduce machining period, cost and raising reappearance, the module that must advance is sought after.The intrinsic problem of module system is when each module is assembled into device, may produce above-mentioned capillary slit.By these capillary slits, may accelerate the infiltration that fluid enters auditory prosthesis.

At last, it is undesirable adopting the hydrophobic material manufacturing auditory prosthesis of waterproof, this material can reduce wettability, thereby can not make liquid infiltration capillary crack, because work can not change the following fact like this, be that this material such as Teflon can not process with common process, can not meet the requirements of machinery standard and standard attractive in appearance.

In order to solve the problems referred to above of the present invention; proposing the special hydrophobic coat of a kind of usefulness protects electric or electronic installation; especially for example protect the individual component of medical apparatus or the zone of this device box wall; this special hydrophobic coat is coated in above the zone in above-mentioned capillary slit, crack etc.; preventing that liquid from infiltrating because the hydrophobic coat (hydrophobisation) in individual component or box zone reduced material surface energy.As a result, drop for example water, sweat drips etc. and can not scatter on the parts surface or on the surface in box zone, and can only contact with this surface with bigger contact angle, shown in Fig. 1 a, 1b and 2.Therefore drop is difficult to be penetrated into for example inside of auditory prosthesis of medical apparatus by the capillary slit.But this capillary slit or crack still can make gas permeation, do not have fully sealed, so can guarantee the exchange of above-mentioned gas and environmental gas, for example can be to the delivery of oxygen of zinc-air battery.

With reference to the accompanying drawings, be described in more detail the present invention according to the example that designs, these accompanying drawings are:

Fig. 1 a and 1b illustrate hydrophobic coat to the wettable influence of coating surface, perhaps to the influence of the contact angle of water on this surface;

Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional view, is illustrated in pore or hair cracks on the auditory prosthesis box wall for example;

Fig. 3 and 4 is cross-sectional views, and the example of cell compartments in the auditory prosthesis is shown respectively.

Fig. 1 a illustrates the contact angle that water forms on surface 3 untreated or the not for example polymer of coating, this polymer is used to make the parts of auditory prosthesis.Used exemplary polymer is for example polyamide, ABS etc.Significantly be lower than 80 ° according to Fig. 1 a contact angle.

Owing on surface 5, coat water-repellent layer, so contact angle can enlarge markedly, for example be higher than 100 °, this is equivalent to the wettability of Teflon.

Fig. 2 is a schematic cross section, and the slit of capillary shown in the figure 11, this slit are formed on the wall 7 of auditory prosthesis box.Comparison diagram 1a and 1b can find out obviously that the water droplet of Fig. 1 a can easily permeate capillary slit 11, and the water droplet of Fig. 1 b then still remains on the wall surface of box, because infiltrate capillary slit 11 is impossible.But do not have for example rubber gasket of any sealing device on the capillary slit, so still kept gas permeability.

Fig. 3 and Fig. 4 illustrate two concrete examples respectively, and this example illustrates for example cell compartments of auditory prosthesis of the necessary parts of the present invention that seal.

Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional view, and the cell compartments of known auditory prosthesis is shown, and this compartment need seal, to prevent the liquid infiltration.Importantly, be positioned at cell compartments 19 regional all cassette portions and all scribble hydrophobic coat.These parts are battery cover 13, above-mentioned cell compartments 19, box 23 and functional switch 21.

Can be before being assembled into auditory prosthesis and after making or sending, coated on individual other parts.For box for example shown in Figure 3, the result for example is, after injection-molded, at first cleans this box, carries out preliminary treatment then if desired, makes and can adopt the method that will illustrate as following subsequently, coats hydrophobic coat thereon.Must assess specially designed which parts of auditory prosthesis respectively to various auditory prosthesises and need coated and the most effective infiltration that prevents liquid.Basically, various parts must be coated with coating, so that reach the hydrophobisation effect on all sides of capillary system, as shown in Figure 3.

Fig. 4 illustrates another design of auditory prosthesis cell compartments, but also has indicated those device box subdivisions or the box parts that must have hydrophobic coat.These parts are for example functional switch or button 21, battery lid 33 and support 35.

Different with the various such schemes that are used for making the liquid impermeable device among the present invention, the individual component that can adopt electric or the electronic installation for example selective surface of the individual component of auditory prosthesis is handled, and reaches the purpose that prevents fluid seepage.The method that is used for coating water-repellent layer on parts is second important to the present invention, because many suitable methods are known from prior art.Can list following certain methods as an example in order better to understand the present invention.

Basically can adopt immersion coating method and physics coating process.The coating of for example so-called solution gel of known employing (Sol-Gel) method.From known these methods of chemical nanometer technology.The surface nanoparticle coating of hydrophobic, these nanoparticle are included in the derivatized polymers.This coating is to have organic and composite material (nano composite material) inorganic composition, and this composite material by adopting Sol-Gel method is produced.This coating adopts simple immersion method or spray-on process to coat, and then is cured processing.In principle, all these coatings can be coated on all materials that can bear the essential temperature of cured.It is possible adopting the Sol-Gel methods to carry out coating for the most of materials that are used for making auditory prosthesis.By selecting other chemical analysis, surface characteristic can be regulated, and the hydrophobic effect can be reached, perhaps can also reach antibacterial action, for example WO 03/094574 is described.

The advantage of this coating is that operating cost simple to operate and needs is low.

For example among DE 10051182A1, DE 19544763A1 or the DE 19948336A1 nano particle and its application with hydrophobicity and oil repellency is being described also.In addition, in US2002/0192385A1 or DE 10106213A1, the method for coating hydrophobic coat on polymer surfaces has been described.

Certainly also known some other is coated with the chemical method of hydrophobic coat, for example adopts the coating that is formed by aqueous silane (water silicone), fluorine-containing condensation polymer coating etc.

Except that chemical method and, also can use physical method for example to adopt plasma-coated method.

Can adopt low temperature plasma method of evaporating coated, in same production stage, the surface needs cleaning, activation (for example activating with oxygen plasma), coating subsequently.Can on parts, coat the consolidation polymer coating that constitutes by fluoropolymer for coating, perhaps the hydrophobic molecule directly can be bonded on the plastics of parts.

Advantage of the present invention is as follows:

Owing in the zone of for example cell compartments hydrophobic coat is arranged, thus can be reduced in minimum electronic installation by preventing that liquid from entering, the corrosion-damaged property in medical apparatus, the especially auditory prosthesis for example, perhaps even can get rid of this infringement fully.

Method of the present invention is applicable to the product of having sold on market.Even can not change design and the raising anti-liquid penetration.Device can be loaded onto the parts that scribble hydrophobic coat in operation.

The time interval between twice maintenance operation that pollution or corrosion cause can prolong owing to this means that this device has long useful life.At electronic installation for example in medical apparatus or the auditory prosthesis with a lot of capillarys slit, reduce or the infiltration of anti-sealing is possible, the result needs the complicated mechanical sealing no longer in addition, and this device can do forr a short time, and cost is lower.

Claims (13)

1. one kind prevents the method in minimum slit, crack, pore and/or the opening that fluid seepage occurs on box wall because during the assembling of two structure members at least, described minimum slit, crack, pore and/or opening part certainly exist certain at least gas permeability, described box wall, at least on the zone of described slit, crack, opening or pore, has hydrophobic coat, and described slit, crack, opening or pore are not capped, and hydrophobic coat makes water minimal contact angle at room temperature be at least 100 °.

2. the method for claim 1, be used for preventing that fluid seepage is to the box inner chamber, compartment and the part that separate with the external world, and must guarantee to carry out certain Gas Exchange with the external world in these inner chambers, compartment and part, it is characterized in that, on the zone of inner chamber, compartment or part, the slit, crack, the pore that are present on the box wall have hydrophobic coat.

3. method as claimed in claim 1 or 2 is characterized in that, is positioned at the nano particle that box on slit, crack, pore or the opening area or box wall or its surface scribble hydrophobic.

4. the method for claim 1 is characterized in that, adopts so-called Sol-Gel method to form the hydrophobic coat that the hydrophobic nanometre particle constitutes.

5. method as claimed in claim 1 or 2 is characterized in that, aqueous silane or water copper silicon or fluorine-containing condensation polymer are coated on the box wall, obtains hydrophobic coat.

6. method as claimed in claim 1 or 2 is characterized in that, adopts the low temperature plasma evaporation to carry out coating, obtains the coating of consolidation polymer by deposition fluoropolymer on box wall.

7. one kind prevents the method in slit, crack or the pore of fluid seepage to the electric or minimum electronic installation box of the minimum wall, it is characterized in that this method is used the method for claim 1.

8. a method that prevents fluid seepage to the cell compartments of auditory prosthesis is characterized in that, this method is used the method for claim 1.

9. box that contains the electric or electronic installation in slit, pore or crack, these slits must prevent the infiltration of moisture, but do not stop the infiltration of gas, it is characterized in that, box wall in the slit, pore or crack location have hydrophobic coat, and slit, pore or crack are not capped, and hydrophobic coat makes water minimal contact angle at room temperature be at least 100 °.

10. box as claimed in claim 9 is characterized in that, the bed thickness of this water-repellent layer is at least 5 microns.

11. the cell compartments of an auditory prosthesis, it is characterized in that, the auditory prosthesis box wall near or be positioned on that part of zone of cell compartments and have hydrophobic coat, and the slit in the described box wall is not capped, hydrophobic coat makes water minimal contact angle at room temperature be at least 100 °.

12. method as claimed in claim 7 is characterized in that, the electric or minimum electronic installation of described minimum is medical minimum device.

13. box as claimed in claim 12 is characterized in that, described medical minimum device is an auditory prosthesis.

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