PROFILED EAR PIECE AND DEVICE FOR THE GENERATION OF AN EAR PIECE

Abstract

The invention is related to a casting form (1) for the generation of an ear piece (100or a part of an ear piece (100), wherein the ear piece (100) comprises a contact section (120) and a non-contact section (110). The casting form (1) comprises an inner surface (10) delimiting an inner volume (12) for receiving a casting material, wherein the inner volume (12) is at least a part of the contact section (120). The inner surface (10) comprises at least one profiled section (20) comprising at least one texturing element (30). The invention is further related to a method for generating a casting form (1). The invention further comprises an ear piece (100).

Claims

1. A casting form (1) for the generation of an ear piece (100) or a part of an ear piece (100), wherein the ear piece (100) comprises a contact section (120) and a non-contact section (110), characterised in that the casting form (1) comprises an inner surface (10) delimiting an inner volume (12) for receiving a casting material, wherein the inner volume (12) is at least a part of the contact section (120), wherein the inner surface (10) comprises at least one profiled section (20) comprising at least one texturing element (30).

2. Casting form (1) according to claim 1, characterised in that the inner volume (12) extends along a central axis (2), wherein the at least one texturing element (30) protrudes towards the central axis (2) into the inner volume (12) or wherein the at least one texturing element (30) protrudes away from the central axis (2).

3. Casting form (1) according to c1aim 1, characterised in that the at least one texturing element (30) has a height (32) and/or a width and/or a length (33) of at least 25 μm.

4. Casting form (1) according to claim 1, characterised in that the at least one profiled section (20) comprises or consists of a material for 3D printing, in particular a cured photoreactive material for 3D printing.

5. A method for the generation of a casting form (1) for the generation of an ear piece (100) or a part of an ear piece (100) according to claim 1, comprising the step of printing at least the at least one profiled section (20) by a 3D printer, in particular a printer configured for image projection-based method or laser-based printing.

6. An ear piece (100) for positioning in an ear of a person, wherein the ear piece (100) comprises a non-contact section (110) and a contact section (120), in particular generated by use of the casting form (1) for the generation of an ear piece (100) or a part of an ear piece (100) according to claim 1, characterised in that the contact section (120) comprises at least one structured section (130) comprising at least one structure element (140), or the contact section (120) and the non-contact section (110) each comprise at least one structured section (130) each comprising at least one structure element (140), or the non-contact section (110) comprises at least one structured section (130) comprising at least one structure element (140), wherein the non-contact section (110) consists of one piece and comprises or consists of a silicone or a polyurethan.

7. Ear piece (100) according to claim 6, characterised in that the contact section (120) comprises a distal section (122) and a proximal section (124), wherein the proximal section (124) comprises the at least one structured section (130).

8. Ear piece (100) according to claim 6, characterised in that the contact section (120) comprises a distal section (122) and a proximal section (124), wherein the distal section (122) comprises the at least one structured section (130).

9. Ear piece (100) according to claim 7, characterised in that the distal section (122) comprises a first structured section (130) and the proximal section (124) comprises a second structured section (130′), wherein the first structured section (130) differs from the second structured section (130′).

10. Ear piece (100) according to claim 6, characterised in that the at least one structure element (140) is one of: a burl, a groove, a bar, a recess, or a cavity.

11. Ear piece (100) according to claim 6, characterised in that the at least one structure element (140) has a height (H) and/or a width (W) and/or a length (L) of at least 25 μm.

12. Ear piece (100) according to claim 6, characterised in that the ear piece (100) extends along an extension direction (102), wherein the at least one structure element (130) extends along the extension direction (102) of the ear piece (100).

13. Ear piece (100) according to claim 6, characterised in that the ear piece (100) extends along a circumferential direction (C), wherein the at least one structured element (130) extends along the circumferential direction (C).

14. Ear piece (100) according to claim 6, characterised in that the contact section (120) consists of one piece.

15. Ear piece (100) according to claim 6, characterised in that the ear piece (100) comprises or consists of a silicone, in particular an addition-curing silicone, or a polyurethane, in particular a two-component polyurethane system.

Description

[0114] In the following, further features, advantages and embodiments of the present invention are explained with reference to the Figures, wherein

[0115] FIG. 1 shows a sectional front view of a casting form of an earpiece comprising an outwards directed texturing element,

[0116] FIG. 2 shows a sectional front view of a casting form of an earpiece comprising an inwards directed texturing element,

[0117] FIG. 3 shows a sectional front view of a casting form of an earpiece comprising a plurality of texturing elements,

[0118] FIG. 4 shows a sectional front view of a casting form of a part of an earpiece comprising a plurality of texturing elements,

[0119] FIG. 5 shows an ear piece comprising a structure element sticking out of the volume,

[0120] FIG. 6 shows an ear piece comprising a structure element recessing the volume,

[0121] FIG. 7 shows an ear piece comprising a non-contact section comprising a structure element,

[0122] FIG. 8 shows an ear piece comprising a plurality of structure elements,

[0123] FIG. 9 shows an ear piece comprising a plurality of structure elements,

[0124] FIG. 10 shows a cross sectional view of an ear piece with equally spaced structure elements,

[0125] FIG. 11 shows a cross sectional view of an ear piece,

[0126] FIG. 12 shows a frontal view of an ear piece with a structure element in the distal section,

[0127] FIG. 13 shows a frontal view of an ear piece with a structure element in the proximal section, and

[0128] FIG. 14 shows a frontal view of an ear piece with a first structured section in the proximal section and a second structured section on the distal section.

[0129] FIGS. 1 to 3 show a casting form 1 for the generation of an ear piece 100. The inner surface 10 delimits an inner volume 12. The inner volume 12 can be accessible via an opening 5. The inner volume 12 extends along a central axis 2. The different casting forms 1 presented in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 each comprise a profiled section 20, wherein each profiled section 20 comprises each one texturing element 30.

[0130] In an embodiment, the texturing element 30 protrudes away from the central axis (FIG. 1). Alternatively, the texturing element 30 protrudes towards the central axis (FIG. 2).

[0131] A texturing element 30 can extend in an extension direction 40 (FIG. 1, FIG. 2). Each texturing element 30 can have a particular height 32, length 33 and width. Along the extension direction 40 of the texturing element 30, the length 33 and/or the width of the respective texturing element 30 can remain constant (see e.g. FIG. 1). This means that the length 33 at the foot 36 of the texturing element 30 equals the length 33′ at the head 38 of the texturing element and the width at the foot 36 of the texturing element 30 equals the width at the head 38 of the texturing element. At the foot 36, the texturing element 30 arises from the inner surface 10. The head 38 is distant to the inner surface 10 surrounding the texturing element 30.

[0132] Alternatively, the length 33 and/or the width can change along the extension direction 40. In an embodiment the length 33 and/or the width change such that at the length 33 at the foot 36 of the texturing element 30 differs from the length 33′ at the head 38 of the texturing element (see FIG. 2) and/or the width at the foot 36 of the texturing element 30 differs from the width at the head 38 of the texturing element. The texturing element 30 which is exemplarily shown in FIG. 2 tapers towards its head 38.

[0133] In FIG. 3, an embodiment of a casting form 1 is illustrated that comprises a profiled section 20 comprising a plurality of texturing elements 30a, 30b, 30c, 30d. The texturing elements 30a, 30b, 30c, 30d can differ in size and/or shape and/or orientation.

[0134] The texturing elements 30a, 30b, 30c, 30d of the plurality of texturing elements 30a, 30b, 30c, 30d can be arranged such that they form a pattern 22. Two neighbouring texturing elements 30c, 30d can be positioned such that a gap 35 between the neighbouring texturing elements 30c, 30d exists. Alternatively, two neighbouring texturing elements 30a, 30b can adjoin each other.

[0135] In an alternative embodiment, each texturing element of the plurality of texturing elements has the same shape, the same size and the same orientation. In other words this means that the texturing elements can be equal.

[0136] FIG. 4 shows a casting form 1 for the generation of a part of an ear piece, wherein the casting form 1 is particularly configured for the generation of at least a part of the contact section of the ear piece. The casting form 1 can comprise a plurality of texturing elements 30a, 30b.

[0137] FIG. 5-FIG. 14 show different embodiments of ear pieces 100, wherein FIG. 5-FIG. 9 show frontal sectional views, FIGS. 10 and 11 show cross sectional views, and FIGS. 12-14 show frontal views. The ear piece 100 can extend along an extension direction 102. The ear piece 100 can comprise an outer surface 104.

[0138] In an embodiment according to the invention, the contact section 120 of the ear piece 100 comprises a structured section 130 (FIGS. 5, 6). In FIG. 7, an ear piece 100 is illustrated that comprises a contact section 120 that is comprised in the non-contact section 110.

[0139] The structured section 130 can comprise at least one structure element 140. The structure element 140 can extend along a longitudinal axis A.

[0140] The structure element 140 can be configured such that it sticks out of the ear piece 100. In other words this means that the structure element 140 is configured as a protuberance 146 of the ear piece 100 (FIGS. 5, 7).

[0141] Alternatively, the structure element 140 can be configured such that it recesses the volume V of the ear piece 100. This means that the structure element 140 can be configured as a recess 148 (FIG. 6).

[0142] The structure element 140 comprises a foot 142 and a head 144 of the structure element 140. At the foot 142, the structure element 140 arises from the outer surface 104. The head 144 can be distant to the foot 142 of the structure element 140, in particular along the longitudinal axis A. The distance from the foot 142 to the head 144 is also referred to as the height H of the structure element. In particular, the distance from the foot 142 to the head 144 in the direction of the normal of the surface 104 is also referred to as the height H.

[0143] In an embodiment, the structure element 140 is configured such that the length L of the structure element 140 remains equal along the extension along the longitudinal axis A (FIGS. 5, 6). In an embodiment, the length L and the width remain constant along the extension along the longitudinal axis A.

[0144] According to the invention, an ear piece 100 can comprise a plurality of structured sections 130 (FIGS. 8, 9). The ear piece 100 can comprise a structured section 130 of the plurality of structured sections 130 in the contact section and another structured section 130′ in the non-contact section 130′ (FIG. 8). In an embodiment, the ear piece 100 comprises a plurality of structured sections 130 in the contact section 120 (FIG. 9).

[0145] The ear piece 100 can be configured such that the contact section 120 comprises a distal section 122 and a proximal section 124 (FIGS. 8, 9). The distal section 122 and the proximal section 124 can adjoin each other. The distal section 122 can adjoin the non-contact section 110. The proximal section 124 can comprise the tip 125 of the ear piece 100.

[0146] The distal section 122 and the proximal section 124 can be aligned to each other (FIG. 8). According to an alternative embodiment, the distal section 122 and the proximal section 124 can be arranged at an angle a to each other (FIG. 9). This meant that there can be a tilt between the distal section 122 and the proximal section 124. The tilt can improve the fitting of the ear piece 100 in the ear of a user.

[0147] The structured section 130′ of the distal section 122 can differ from the structured section 130 of the proximal section 124.

[0148] FIGS. 10 and 11 show cross sectional views of an ear piece 100 according to the invention. The cross sectional views illustrate the arrangement of a plurality of structure elements 140 along the circumferential direction C of the ear piece 100.

[0149] Along a circumferential direction C of the ear piece 100, structure elements 140 can be arranged equally spaced (e. g. FIG. 10). This means that the distance D between each two adjacent (i.e. neighbouring) structure elements 140 is equal.

[0150] In an alternative embodiment, along the circumferential direction C, the space D between two neighbouring structure elements 140, 140′ differs from the space D′ between two other neighbouring structure elements 140, 140″.

[0151] FIGS. 12 to 14 show frontal views of an ear piece 100.

[0152] In FIG. 12, an embodiment is presented in that the distal section 122 comprises the structured section 130. The structured section 130 comprises a plurality of structure elements 140. The structure element 140 can be a bar that extends along the alignment direction 150. The alignment direction 150 can extend along the circumferential direction of the contact section 120. The shown exemplary proximal section 124 does not comprise a structured element.

[0153] The ear piece 100 shown in FIG. 13 comprises the structured section 130 in the proximal section 124 of the contact section 120. The distal section 122 does not comprise a structured element.

[0154] In an alternative embodiment (FIG. 14), the ear piece 100 comprises a structured section 130 in the distal section 122 as well as another structured section 130′ in the proximal section 124.

[0155] In an embodiment, the non-contact section 110 comprises the faceplate 112.