Patent ID: 6434248
Filing Date: 2002-08-13
Classification: B01J,C07B,C07D,C07H,C12Q,C40B,G01N,H04R

Abstract:
A hearing aid molding apparatus for constructing a hearing aid that is to be contained in a user's ear during use, comprising:a) a mounting member providing a support for holding one or more electronic hearing aid components mounted thereto; b) a soft polymeric hollow outer shell that is only temporarily joined to the mounting member, the outer shell and mounting member defining a mold cavity that contains a plurality of electronic hearing aid components and that can be filled with a soft polymeric filler material; c) the soft polymeric filler substantially fills the mold cavity, the outer shell being removable from the soft polymeric filler to form a soft polymeric body that engages the inner respective surfaces of the mounting member to thereby minimize the volume of void space and encapsulate the electronic hearing aid components, the soft polymeric body having an inner surface shaped to conform to and that contacts the ear canal of a user; d) the soft polymeric body and the encapsulated electronic hearing aid components defining a soft structure after removal of the shell that directly contacts the ear canal, compliant to the user's ear canal during use, and substantially solid so that it is free of void spaces between the electronic hearing aid components and the ear canal; e) the combination of the soft compliant structure and the encapsulated electronic hearing aid components enabling a precise representation of the user's ear canal, flexing with jaw motion, and a cushioning of the interface between the user's ear canal and the electronic hearing aid components; and f) wherein the soft polymeric body has a Durometer Hardness, Shore A, of less than about 40 points.