Siemens Aktiengesellschaft

Rainer Basel

Helmut Lebisch

Ernst Wipfelder

Wilhelm Hekele

Georg Fuchs

Hermann Dietmar

Hans Henneberger

A method for forming a part inserted in the auditory canal of a hearing impaired person, said part being either an otoplastic or a carrier part of the hearing aid insertable into the auditory canal or an ear adaptor member for a hearing aid to be worn behind-the-ear, characterized by providing an expandable elastic member, coating said elastic member with a hardenable material, inserting the coated member into an ear of the person who is hearing impaired, allowing the hardenable material to harden to retain the outside contour of the part. The elastic expandable member may be either a porous member which is partially saturated on the outer surfaces or may be a smooth member which is coated with the hardenable material. If desired, a physiologically compatible coating may be applied onto the hardened surface layer subsequent to the hardening process.

Method for manufacturing an otoplastic or an ear adaptor member

An apparatus for manufacturing an otoplastic. An otoplastic is manufactured directly in the ear of a hearing-impaired person in that a deformable envelope is pulled over a die or over a shell or over an overlayed over-shell. This apparatus is then supplied with flowing otoplastic material between the die and the envelope, being supplied therewith in the ear. The envelope expands and assumes the shape of the auditory canal. After hardening or curing of the otoplastic material in the ear of the hearing-impaired person, the envelope and the die are removed and a module of either an in-the-ear or of a behind-the-ear hearing aid is integrated therewith.

Apparatus for manufacturing an otoplastic

An in-the-ear hearing aid has a number of electrical and electro-mechanical discrete components embedded in a flexible plastic compound. The combination of the components in the plastic compound can be introduced into the user's ear, or into a negative of an ear impression, for pre-fitting. Due to the flexibility of the plastic compound, the combination can be shaped as needed. The shaped combination is then cast in an otoplastic material which conforms precisely to the shape of the user's ear, and hardens to retain that shape. A rigid shell for holding the components is thus not needed, and therefore the hearing aid is far more adaptable to different shapes of auditory canals than conventional hearing aids.

Shape adaptable in-the-ear hearing aid

A method and apparatus for manufacturing an otoplastic. An otoplastic is manufactured directly in the ear of a hearing-impaired person in that a deformable envelope is pulled over a die or over a shell or over an overlayed over-shell. This apparatus is then supplied with flowing otoplastic material between the die and the envelope, being supplied therewith in the ear. The envelope expands and assumes the shape of the auditory canal. After hardening or curing of the otoplastic material in the ear of the hearing-impaired person, the envelope and the die are removed and a module of either an in-the-ear or of a behind-the-ear hearing aid is integrated therewith.

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Erlangen, Germany

Rainer Basel