Hearing assistance device and method of forming same
AssigneeStarkey Laboratories, Inc.
InventorsChristopher Marxen, Brian Kaspari
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Various embodiments of a hearing assistance device and a method of forming such device are disclosed. The hearing assistance device can provide sound to an ear of a patient. The device includes a housing adapted to be worn on or behind the ear, hearing assistance components enclosed in the housing, and an earmold adapted to be worn in the ear. The device further includes a sound tube adapted to transmit sound from the housing to the earmold, and an earhook adapted to connect the housing to the sound tube. The earmold and the sound tube are printed three dimensionally (3D) as one piece that is custom fit for the patient using a computer-aided design software (CAD) model. Further, a first end of the sound tube is integral with the earmold.
Claims20
A hearing assistance device to provide sound to an ear of a patient, the device comprising:
- a housing adapted to be worn on or behind the ear;
- hearing assistance components enclosed in the housing;
- an earmold adapted to be worn in the ear;
- a sound tube adapted to transmit sound from the housing to the earmold, wherein the sound tube comprises an inner diameter that is equal to at least 0.5 mm and no greater than 5 mm;
- and
- an earhook adapted to connect the housing to the sound tube;
- wherein the earmold and the sound tube are printed three dimensionally (3D) as one piece that is custom fit for the patient using a computer-aided design software (CAD) model, wherein a first end of the sound tube is integral with the earmold.
A method of forming a hearing assistance device, comprising:
- forming a three-dimensional model of an ear cavity of a patient;
- forming a three-dimensional model of an earmold based upon the three-dimensional model of the ear cavity;
- forming a three-dimensional model of a sound tube that is integral with the three dimensional model of the earmold, wherein the three-dimensional model of the sound tube is aligned with a sound hole of the three-dimensional model of the earmold;
- and
- 3D printing an earmold and a sound tube from the three-dimensional models of the earmold and sound tube, wherein a first end of the sound tube is integral with the earmold, wherein the sound tube comprises an inner diameter that is equal to at least 0.5 mm and no greater than 5 mm.
An earpiece comprising:
- an earmold comprising a sound hole;
- a sound tube comprising an inner diameter and a first end that is integral with the earmold such that the sound tube is acoustically connected to the sound hole of the earmold;
- and
- an earhook that is integral with a second end of the sound tube;
- wherein the earmold, sound tube, and earhook are printed three dimensionally (3D) as one piece that is custom fit for the patient using a computer-aided design software (CAD) model.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.