Method for manufacturing an ear device and ear device

Abstract

A method for manufacturing ear devices that are individualized for individual. Data of the three-dimensional shape of each individual's area of application for a haring device is provided. Individual shells for the hearing devices are construed by respectively depositing commonly a layer of one of a fluid and a powderous material and solidifying by a laser arrangement in the layer individually shaped layers of the individual shells, thereby controlling the laser arrangement with the data.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1  A method for manufacturing individualized ear device shells comprising providing a support for powder or fluid material, generating in said powder or fluid material at said support a spot of increased energy, controlling a location of said spot to move along at least two different first paths in said material in a first cycle and subsequently along at least two different second paths substantially along said first paths in a second cycle, thereby controlling at least one of said at least two second paths to be located adjacent to one of said at least two first paths and controlling said one of said at least two second paths to be disposed aside said one of said first paths and further wherein another of said at least two second paths is controlled to be adjacent to another of said at least two first paths and said other of said at least two second paths is disposed aside said other of said first paths.  
     
     
         2  The method of  claim 1 , further comprising a bed forming a support for said powder or fluid material.  
     
     
         3  The method of  claim 1 , further comprising a source arrangement for generating said spot wherein the source arrangement comprises at least one laser beam source.  
     
     
         4  The method of  claim 2 , further comprising a dispenser arrangement for dispensing said powder or fluid material as a layer upon said bed.  
     
     
         5  The method of  claim 2 , wherein said bed is planar.  
     
     
         6  The method of  claim 2 , wherein the location of said spot from said first paths along said second paths is controlled by movement of said bed.  
     
     
         7  The method of  claim 1 , wherein the location of said spot is controlled to move first along one of said at least two first paths and subsequently along a second of said at least two first paths.  
     
     
         8  The method of  claim 1 , wherein the location of said spot is controlled to intermittently move along said at least two first paths.  
     
     
         9  The method of  claim 1 , wherein at least two of said spots are generated and the location of said at least two spots is controlled to simultaneously move along said at least two first paths.  
     
     
         10  The method of  claim 1 , further comprising a digital data storage with data defining said at least two first and said at least two second paths.  
     
     
         11  An method for manufacturing individualized ear device shells comprising: 
 depositing fluid or powder material on a support;  
 solidifying the material in layers; and  
 controlling the solidifying based on data of at least two three-dimensional shapes of different areas of application.  
 
     
     
         12  The method of  claim 11 , wherein solidifying is done by a laser.  
     
     
         13  The method of  claim 11 , wherein said support comprises a bed for said powder or fluid material.  
     
     
         14  The method of  claim 13 , wherein the depositing is done by a dispenser arrangement for dispensing said powder or fluid material as a layer upon said bed.  
     
     
         15  The method of  claim 13 , wherein said bed is planar.  
     
     
         16  The method of  claim 11 , wherein solidifying comprises generating in the powder or fluid material at said support a spot of increased energy, and controlling a location of said spot to move along at least two different first paths in said material in a first cycle and subsequently along at least two different second paths adjacent and substantially along said first paths in a second cycle.  
     
     
         17  The method of  claim 11  further comprising lowering the support after each layer is solidified.  
     
     
         18  The method of  claim 11  wherein the method is adapted to manufacture two devices by simultaneously solidifying individual layers of both devices based on data of three-dimensional shapes of different areas of application to solidify the material in layers corresponding to individual contours of each layer.  
     
     
         19  The method of  claim 16 , wherein one of said at least two second paths is adjacent to one of said at least two first paths and said one of said at least two second paths is disposed upon said one of said first paths and further wherein another of said at least two second paths is adjacent to another of said at least two first paths and said other of said at two second paths is disposed upon said other of said first paths.  
     
     
         20  The method of  claim 11  wherein the material is solidified in layers corresponding to individual contours of each layer.  
     
     
         21  The method of  claim 1  wherein a source for generates said spot further comprising moving at least one of the source and the support, wherein the source is located in a first position for moving the spot along the one of the first paths and subsequently in a second position for moving the spot along the other of the first paths.  
     
     
         22  The method of  claim 21  wherein the source is mounted on a conveying device for movement to the first and second positions.  
     
     
         23  The method of  claim 16  further comprising means for moving at least one of the support and a means to solidify, further comprising the step of controlling the means for moving to locate the means to solidify in a first position for moving the spot along one of the first paths and subsequently in a second position for moving the spot along another of the first paths.  
     
     
         24  The method of  claim 23  wherein the means for moving is a conveying device on which the means to solidify is mounted for movement to the first and second positions.