Article with internal light source for fitting in-situ and related devices and methods

• US 10,034,105 B2
• Filed: 10/27/2016
• Issued: 07/24/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 01/04/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Starkey Laboratories Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Starkey Laboratories Incorporated
• Inventors: Higgins, Sidney A., Tourtelotte, David, Polinske, Beau Jay
• Primary Examiner(s): Etesam, Amir
• Application Number:
  US15/336,207
• Publication Number:
  US 20170195807A1
• Time in Patent Office: 635 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 2035/0827 using UV radiation
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 35/0805 using electromagnetic radiation
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/1058 Manufacture or assembly
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2225/023 Completely in the canal [CIC] hearing aids
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2460/17 Hearing device specific tools used for storing or handling hearing devices or parts thereof, e.g. placement in the ear, replacement of cerumen barriers, repair, cleaning hearing devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 25/652 Ear tips; Ear moulds hybrid ear moulds or post-processing thereof for their customisation H04R25/659
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 25/659 Post-processing of hybrid ear moulds for customisation, e.g. in-situ curing

Abstract

Articles and related devices and methods for fitting in-situ include a flexible sleeve, a housing assembly fixed to the flexible sleeve, a light source disposed within the flexible sleeve, and a photocurable resin contained within the flexible sleeve. The flexible sleeve may be elastomeric. A transducer may be disposed in the housing assembly.

Claims

1. An article comprising:

a flexible sleeve;

a housing assembly fixed to the flexible sleeve, a distal portion of the housing assembly being surrounded by the flexible sleeve;

a light source disposed within the flexible sleeve; and

a photocurable resin contained within the flexible sleeve.

2. The article of claim 1, wherein the viscosity of the photocurable resin is in a range from 10 to 10,000 millipascal-seconds.

3. The article of claim 1, wherein the housing assembly is configured to elongate along a longitudinal axis in response to a transversely directed force on the flexible sleeve.

4. The article of claim 1, wherein the housing assembly comprises a proximal portion, the distal portion of the housing assembly being movable along a longitudinal axis relative to the proximal portion.

5. The article of claim 4, wherein the proximal portion of the housing assembly is fixed to a proximal end portion of the flexible sleeve and the distal portion of the housing assembly is fixed to a distal end portion of the flexible sleeve, the proximal portion extending through an opening in the distal end portion of the flexible sleeve.

6. The article of claim 4, wherein the housing assembly defines a cavity between the proximal and distal portions of the housing assembly when the housing assembly is elongated along the longitudinal axis, the cavity being in fluid communication with the photocurable resin contained within the flexible sleeve.

7. The article of claim 1, wherein the light source is disposed on the housing assembly.

8. The article of claim 4, further comprising a transducer disposed within the distal portion of the housing assembly, a cavity defined in the proximal portion of the housing assembly, and a connector electrically connected to the transducer via the cavity.

9. The article of claim 1, wherein the flexible sleeve is elastomeric.

10. The article of claim 1, wherein the light source comprises four solid-state devices spaced at 90 degree angles around the housing assembly.

11. An article comprising:

a flexible sleeve;

a housing assembly fixed to the flexible sleeve, a distal portion of the housing assembly being surrounded by the flexible sleeve;

a light source disposed within the flexible sleeve;

a cured resin contained within the flexible sleeve; and

a transducer disposed in the distal portion of the housing assembly.

12. The article of claim 11, wherein the cured resin is not adhered to the flexible sleeve.

13. The article of claim 11, further comprising an acoustic port defined by the distal portion of the housing assembly and a distal end portion of the flexible sleeve.

14. The article of claim 13, further comprising a wax bridge, the acoustic port at least partially extending between the wax bridge and the transducer.

15. The article of claim 11, wherein the cured resin is transparent to ultraviolet light, visible light, or both.

16. The article of claim 11, wherein the flexible sleeve defines two or more lobes and one or more air channels between the lobes exterior to the flexible sleeve, the air channels extending between a proximal end portion and a distal end portion of the flexible sleeve.

17. The article of claim 11, further comprising a power source releasably connected to a proximal portion of the housing assembly, the power source being electrically connected to at least one of the transducer and the light source.

18. A method comprising:

inserting an article into an ear canal, the article having a photocurable resin contained within a flexible sleeve conformable to the ear canal upon insertion; and

activating a light source disposed within the flexible sleeve to cure the photocurable resin while inserted in the ear canal to form a cured resin defining a cured shape that conforms to the ear canal.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising:

connecting an external power source to the light source before activating the light source; and

disconnecting the external power source from the light source after activating the light source.

20. The method of claim 18, wherein the activating comprises:

driving the light source at a first power level for a first time interval; and

driving the light source at a second power level greater than the first power level for a second time interval after the first time interval.