Customized hearing protection earplug and method for manufacturing the same
First Claim
1. A hearing protection earplug to be worn at least in part in a user'"'"'s ear canal, comprising a shell having an outer surface individually shaped according to a measured inner shape of said user'"'"'s outer ear and ear canal, and a functional member engaging said shell in a manner so as to be movable relative to said shell between a first functional position and a second functional position, said shell and said functional member having been produced by an additive layer-by-layer build-up process and having an elasticity of between shore D85 and D65.
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Accused Products
Abstract
The invention relates to a hearing protection earplug (10) to be worn at least in part in a user'"'"'s ear canal, comprising a shell (12) having a outer surface individually shaped according to the measured inner shape of the user'"'"'s outer ear and ear canal, and a functional member (20, 30, 120, 144, 220, 320, 420) engaging said shell in a manner so as to be movable relative to said shell between a first functional position and a second functional position, said shell and said functional member having been produced by an additive layer-by-layer build-up process and having an elasticity of between shore D85 and D65.
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Citations
51 Claims
- 1. A hearing protection earplug to be worn at least in part in a user'"'"'s ear canal, comprising a shell having an outer surface individually shaped according to a measured inner shape of said user'"'"'s outer ear and ear canal, and a functional member engaging said shell in a manner so as to be movable relative to said shell between a first functional position and a second functional position, said shell and said functional member having been produced by an additive layer-by-layer build-up process and having an elasticity of between shore D85 and D65.
- 31. A hearing protection system comprising an earplug to be worn at least in part in a user'"'"'s ear canal and a holder comprising a receptacle for detachably receiving at least part of said earplug when not worn by said user, said earplug comprising a shell having an outer surface individually shaped according to a measured inner shape of said user'"'"'s outer ear and ear canal, said shell and said holder having been produced by an additive layer-by-layer build-up process, and said receptacle of said holder having an individual inner shape corresponding to the shape of said outer surface of said shell.
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36. A method for manufacturing an earplug comprising a shell to be worn at least in part in a user'"'"'s ear canal and a functional member engaging said shell a manner so as to be movable relative to said shell between a first functional position and a second functional position, comprising:
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measuring an inner shape of said user'"'"'s ear canal and outer ear;
selecting at least one earplug function according to said user'"'"'s desires and needs;
determining, based on said measured inner shape of said user'"'"'s ear canal and outer ear and on said at least one selected earplug function, a desired individual shape of said shell and a shape of said functional member, wherein an outer surface of said shell is individually shaped according to said measured inner shape of said user'"'"'s ear canal and outer ear and wherein said functional member is adapted to provide for said at least one selected earplug function; and
simultaneously forming said shell and said functional member according to said determined shapes by an additive layer-by-layer build-up process, thereby movably engaging said functional member with said shell. - View Dependent Claims (37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47)
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48. A method for manufacturing a hearing protection system comprising an earplug having a shell to be worn at least in part in a user'"'"'s ear canal and a holder comprising a receptacle for detachably receiving at least part of said earplug when not worn by the user, comprising:
- measuring an inner shape of said user'"'"'s ear canal and outer ear, determining, based on said measured inner shape of said user'"'"'s ear canal and outer ear, the desired individual shape of said shell and the shape of said functional member, and forming said shell and said holder by an additive layer-by-layer build-up process, wherein said receptacle of said holder is formed with an individual inner shape corresponding to a shape of an outer surface of said shell.
- View Dependent Claims (49)
Specification