US 7,600,604 B2
User disposable member for use within the ear canal and methods for manufacturing the same
Martin P. Babcock, White Bear Lake, Minn. (US); Robert J. Oliveira, Maplewood, Minn. (US); William Parish, Maplewood, Minn. (US); Vasant V. Kolpe, Mendota Heights, Minn. (US); and Michael T. Venem, St. Paul, Minn. (US)
Assigned to Hearing Components, Inc., Oakdale, Minn. (US)
Filed on Feb. 03, 2006, as Appl. No. 11/347,600.
Claims priority of provisional application 60/650202, filed on Feb. 04, 2005.
Prior Publication US 2006/0175722 A1, Aug. 10, 2006
Int. Cl. H04R 25/02 (2006.01); A61B 7/02 (2006.01); A61F 11/00 (2006.01)
U.S. Cl. 181—130  [181/135; 128/864] 24 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A user-disposable member for placement within the auditory anatomy of a user, the user-disposable member comprising:
a polymeric foam body having a central longitudinal axis, the polymeric body including a first portion having a peripheral outer surface located radially outward from the central longitudinal axis, and a second portion having a peripheral outer surface located radially outward from the central longitudinal axis;
wherein the peripheral outer surface of the first portion has surface characteristics providing a first coefficient of friction between the peripheral outer surface of the first portion and a surface of an ear canal, and the peripheral outer surface of the second portion has surface characteristics providing a second coefficient of friction between the peripheral outer surface of the second portion and the surface of the ear canal, the second coefficient of friction being less than the first coefficient of friction, the surface characteristics of the peripheral outer surface of the first portion being dissimilar from the surface characteristics of the peripheral outer surface of the second portion.