JPS61268234A - Method and apparatus for taking ear mold data - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Summary] This bulletin contains application data before electronic filing, so abstract data is not recorded.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention (Industrial Application Field) The present invention relates to the manufacture of earmolds used in, for example, in-the-ear hearing aids, and particularly relates to a method and apparatus for collecting data quantifying the shape of an earmold. Regarding.

(Technical Background of the Invention) In recent years, significant efforts have been made to make hearing aids comfortable to wear, small, and unobtrusive. The most obvious one is to take a mold of the individual's external auditory canal or external auditory canal and external ear (hereinafter referred to as earmold) (primary earmold),
Hearing aid case (secondary earmold) with the same shape as this ear mold
There are custom hearing aid cases that are molded from synthetic resin or the like and have hearing aid electronic circuits built into the hearing aid case. In this way, a type of hearing aid that is fitted into the ear canal,
They are called in-the-ear or in-ear hearing aids.

Custom in-ear hearing aids, such as those mentioned above, have a hearing aid external shape that conforms to the shape of the user's outer ear, so they are comfortable to wear and can be worn snugly, making it difficult for feedback to occur. Therefore, it can be said that it is an excellent hearing aid.

However, with this custom in-ear hearing aid, it is necessary to take a primary earmold and manufacture a secondary earmold based on it.

In this case, the primary ear mold used as the prototype is formed by injecting viscoplastic liquid resin into the outer ear and solidifying it within the outer ear, so it is relatively easy to manufacture and can be manufactured at retail stores or hospitals. . However, to manufacture a secondary earmold as a product based on this primary earmold, the electronic circuit of the hearing aid must be incorporated therein, and manufacturing work at a factory is essential.

It is fine as long as the manufacturing locations of the primary and secondary earmolds are the same or close to each other, but if they are far away, especially overseas, the primary earmold must be mailed to the factory where the secondary earmold and hearing aid are manufactured. In addition, it takes a lot of time to send the hearing aid by post, which delays delivery of the finished product to the user, and increases the cost, which ultimately increases the price of the hearing aid.

Therefore, since the earmold has a complicated shape, with only the shape data (numeric values) needing to be sent and received through some kind of communication system, accurate earmold data must be devised to collect the earmold data. Restoration/manufacturing via communication is impossible.

(Purpose of the Invention) The present invention was made based on the above-mentioned circumstances, and an object thereof is to provide a method and device for collecting earmold data that can accurately restore an earmold even in a remote location. shall be.

(Summary of the Invention) In order to achieve this object, according to the present invention, at least three virtual planes that extend in substantially the same direction as the extension direction of the protrusion of the earmold corresponding to the ear canal and intersect with each other at equal angles are set as reference coordinate axes. The earmold is placed in a space surrounded by the reference coordinate axes, and the distance from the reference coordinate axes to the earmold is measured and used as earmold data.

Further, according to the present invention, there is provided a reference coordinate axis setting means for setting at least three virtual planes, which extend in a direction substantially equal to the extending direction of the projection of the earmold corresponding to the ear canal and intersect with each other at equal angles, as the reference coordinate axes; distance detection means for detecting the distance from the reference coordinate axis to the earmold placed in a space surrounded by the reference coordinate axis set by the reference coordinate axis setting means; and data for forming an output signal of the distance detection means as earmold data. and a composition processing means.

(Embodiments of the Invention) The present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. The same reference numerals in each figure indicate similar objects.

FIG. 1 is a detailed explanatory diagram of the present invention, and a method for collecting data from the earmold shown in FIG. 2 will be explained.

Although the shape of the human outer ear and, therefore, the shape of the earmold varies greatly, there are many commonalities.

That is, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the earmold 20 has two main peaks 21 and 23, and these peaks 21 and 23 are gently connected via a portion 22. As clearly shown in FIG. 1(a), starting from this portion η, the winter mountain 21. Z3 diverges from each other and forms two sides of a triangle. Connecting portion 22 of one mountain 21
At the opposite end there is a protrusion 25 corresponding to the external auditory canal. Further, there are undercut portions 21a, 21b, 23a, etc. on the peripheral edge of the winter mountain 21.23. Bottom surface 29
is a flat surface for convenience of manufacturing.

Such an earmold 2o is incomplete because the undercant part does not appear in conventional planar analysis, and the XYZ
With three-dimensional field coordinates, analysis is complicated from at least a four-coordinate plane, and when using cylindrical coordinates, the shape is complicated, so it is difficult to analyze with one stroke by rotating the earmold. , a radial multi-point analysis is performed, the analysis density varies depending on the size of the earmold, and the analysis process takes too much time. It is also undesirable to cut and measure the earmold itself in terms of preserving the original.

Therefore, in the embodiment of the present invention, triangular prism coordinates as shown in FIG. 1 are used as a minimum and simple method due to the unique shape of the earmold. Figure 1(a) shows the second
This figure shows how the earmold 20 shown in the figure is arranged.
) indicates only the coordinate axis system.

According to this embodiment, the coordinate axes consist of the A-axis, B-axis, C-axis, and H-axis, and the A, B, and C axes intersect with each other at 60 degrees to form an equilateral triangle. Therefore, the virtual AH plane, BH plane, and CH plane formed together with the H axis indicating the height direction also intersect at 60 degrees.

The origin of each axis A, B, and C is the origin of each axis when tracing each axis counterclockwise in the order of A axis, B axis, and C axis on a plane 10 that is all orthogonal to each height axis H. Take the first point.

According to such a coordinate system, one point P in the coordinate axes is determined by the A-axis value Aj(l!: B-axis value Bj and the height-axis H value Hj) of P(AJ, B'', Hj). It can be expressed as follows.

The arrangement of the earmold within such a coordinate system is as follows. That is, first, the bottom surface 29 of the earmold 20 is positioned on a plane passing through the origin of each coordinate axis (hereinafter referred to as the origin plane). By doing so, the direction of extension of the virtual plane including the coordinate axis ABC (direction of the H-axis) is approximately equal to the direction of extension of the protrusion 25 of the earmold corresponding to the external auditory canal. Further, the extension direction of at least one of the peaks 21 and 23 is arranged substantially parallel to the coordinate axis, and the undercuts of the peaks 21 and 23 are arranged so as to be clearly visible from the coordinate axis. In this case, the undercut 23a of the peak 23 is generally the narrowest and deepest, so for example, from the A-axis, this undercut 23a
It is most practical to arrange it so that a can be clearly seen.

The data of the earmolds arranged within the coordinate axes in this manner is collected by measuring the distance from each coordinate axis to the earmold. That is, for example, the distance Laj from the point Aj on the A-axis to the earmold in the perpendicular direction is determined.

In this way, once the distances from the A, B, and C axes are determined on one plane, similar data is determined on the next plane parallel to this plane, and the data is collected over the entire height of the earmold. do. Alternatively, data may be collected based on a trajectory spirally ascending each face of a triangular prism.

According to such a method, the earmold data is (HJ
, Aj, Laj). Such data may be used as is, but depending on the convenience of later processing, the original triangular prism coordinate parameters (AJI B
You may also convert JI HJ 'yt. Furthermore, it is easy to convert to three-dimensional orthogonal coordinates because the coordinate axes of triangular prism coordinates form 60 degrees.

It is assumed that each coordinate axis of prismatic coordinates forms an equilateral triangle, but
Depending on the case, it may be an isosceles triangle or other triangle, or it may be a square or reciprocal polygon, but when considering post-processing (e.g. coordinate axis transformation, etc.), an equilateral triangle is the simplest. This is the limit and is optimal for performing data processing simply and quickly.

FIG. 4 shows an earmold diagram showing another embodiment of the present invention, in which 40A, 40B, and 40C (simply referred to as 40 if there is no need to distinguish) are distance detection means between each axis and the earmold surface. , 41 A, 41 B, 41
C@ (simply numbered 41 if there is no need to separate) is a scanning deflector of the distance detection means between each axis and the earmold surface.

42 is a coordinate axis setting means, 43 is a data synthesis processing means, 44 is a transmission means, 45 is a demodulation means, 46 is an image signal processing means, and 47 is a display means.

The distance detecting means 40 may be an electric micrometer or the like that converts the length from each axis to the coordinate axis of the measuring needle in contact with the earmold into an electric signal.

It is possible to use the following measurement methods.

The scanning deflection means 41 converts the aforementioned distance detection means 40 into
Various methods are known, including mechanical movement and electronic movement of only a beam of light, etc. good.

The coordinate axis setting means 42 is for predetermining the length of each of the aforementioned coordinate axes, that is, the position and distance to be scanned by each detection means 40. Therefore, depending on the case, the shape of the coordinates (equilateral triangle, isosceles triangle, etc.) is determined. In general, each axis of ABC does not exceed 10L near n, and the H axis also does not exceed 5C7rL.

The data synthesis processing means 43 is for processing the earmold data obtained by moving the distance detection means 40 with the scanning deflection means 41 into a format required at a subsequent stage, , B-axis and C-axis data,
The H-axis value, A-axis data, B-axis data, and C-axis data are arranged in this order and converted into corresponding digital signals. Processing other than this or different processing may be performed. The transmission means 44 is for transmitting the earmold data encoded by Tizikle, and can use high-speed communication such as wired wireless or optical cable, and the earmold data can be sent to a remote location by such transmission means. I can do it.

The demodulating means 45 converts the digitized earmold data into a coordinate axis system on the receiving side.

The image signal processing means 46 is for reconstructing the earmold data by the demodulation means 15 and forming an image signal for forming a visual image of the earmold.

The display device 47 is for obtaining a reproduced visual image of the earmold using the image signal obtained by the image signal processing means 46, and various devices such as a cathode ray tube display or a plotter can be used.

According to the above-described device, the distance detection means 40 is operated sequentially for each axis or operated all at once in response to a command from a control device (not shown) to obtain an ear mold take, and this data is transmitted to a remote location. can be transmitted and displayed.

In addition, in the above embodiment, a case was explained in which a visual image is reconstructed using the transmitted data, but the data values may be displayed as they are, or the data may be used to create an apparatus for manufacturing a secondary earmold. It may also be operated directly.

(Effects of the Invention) According to the present invention, as explained above, triangular prism coordinates are used in accordance with the planar shape of the earmold, and the distance to the earmold is measured along this coordinate axis. To provide a method and device for collecting earmold data that can easily obtain accurate earmold data in a short period of time, facilitate data transmission to a remote location, and enable accurate earmold reconstruction at a remote location. Obtainable.

In other words, when the primary earmold and secondary earmold are located at different locations, the time (including procedures) required to transport the actual item (primary earmold) can be significantly shortened, and the process can be carried out more quickly than before. Completed products can be provided to users.

In addition, secondary earmolds can be produced centrally at the factory, allowing for lengths that contribute to stable improvement of quality.Furthermore, direct processing (on-site processing or mold making processing) is possible based on earmold data, and
The data (numeric values) can be easily stored.

In the explanation of the above-mentioned embodiments, we have only explained the case where the earmold is used as a custom in-ear type hearing aid case, but the earmold can also be used as earplugs that fit the individual's ears. Needless to say, this is possible, and the present invention can be applied to this case as well.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram of an earmold data collection method according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIGS. 2 and 3 are a perspective view and a bottom view, respectively, of an earmold to which this invention is applied.
a), a side view (b), a sectional view (C), and FIG. 4 are system diagrams of a data collection device according to another embodiment of the present invention. 20...Earmold, 25...Protrusion corresponding to the external auditory canal, 40...Distance detecting means, 41...Scanning deflection means, 42...Coordinate axis setting means, A, B, C,
H...Coordinate axis.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. At least three imaginary planes extending in a direction substantially equal to the direction of extension of the protrusion of the earmold corresponding to the ear canal and intersecting each other at equal angles are set as reference coordinate axes, and a space surrounded by the reference coordinate axes is defined as A method for collecting earmold data, comprising arranging the earmold and measuring a distance from the reference coordinate axis to the earmold to obtain earmold data. 2. a reference coordinate axis setting means for setting at least three virtual planes as reference coordinate axes that extend in substantially the same direction as the extension direction of the protrusion of the earmold corresponding to the ear canal and intersect with each other at equal angles; and the reference coordinate axis setting means set a distance detecting means for detecting a distance from the reference coordinate axis to the earmold arranged in a space surrounded by the reference coordinate axes, and a data synthesis processing means for forming an output signal of the distance detecting means as earmold data. An earmold data collection device consisting of: