Earmold

• US 4,878,560 A
• Filed: 03/16/1989
• Issued: 11/07/1989
• Est. Priority Date: 03/16/1989
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Doc's Proplugs, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Robert T. Scott
• Inventors: Scott, Robert T.
• Primary Examiner(s): FULLER, BENJAMIN R
• Application Number:
  US07/323,994
• Time in Patent Office: 236 Days
• Field of Search: 181/129, 181/130, 181/135, 381/68.6, 381/69, 128/864
• US Class Current: 181/130
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/1016 Earpieces of the intra-aural type
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2460/11 Aspects relating to vents, e.g. shape, orientation, acoustic properties in ear tips of hearing devices to prevent occlusion
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 25/656 Non-customized, universal ear tips, i.e. ear tips which are not specifically adapted to the size or shape of the ear or ear canal
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 25/658 Manufacture of housing parts

Abstract

An integrally formed earmold is provided which supports a headset or stethoscope, for example, without requiring either a headband or arms extending into the ear canal. The earmold is formed from a soft, flexible elastic plastic and has an inwardly extending conical portion adapted to fit into the concha and outer portion of the auditory canal, terminating in a rectangular knob with a small flange thereon, the knob sealing off the meatus of the external ear canal without substantially penetrating the external ear canal. A hollow cylinder extends laterally from the knob a sufficient distance to form a support for a headset or the like. The earmold is sufficiently flexible that standard sizes will fit the general population, without requiring molds formed for particular users.

Claims

1. An integrally formed earmold having thin walls and having an inwardly extending conical portion adapted to fit into a concha and outer portion of an auditory canal, terminating in a rectangular knob with a small flange thereon, said knob sealing off a meatus of an external ear canal without substantially penetrating the external ear canal, said flange anchoring an earmold at the entrance of the external ear canal, and a hollow cylinder extending laterally from said knob a sufficient distance to form a support for a headset, said integrally formed earmold being made of a soft, flexible, elastic plastic.

2. The integrally formed earmold of claim 1 wherein a radius of curvature of said inwardly extending conical portion exceeds a radius of curvature of the concha of a user by approximately 2-5%, whereby the earmold tends to extend against the concha of the user in use.

3. The integrally formed earmold of claim 1 made of a styrene-rubber copolymer having a durometer softness of about 42A.

4. The integrally formed earmold of claim 1 further comprising an external flange adapted to engage a crus helix of an ear of a user.

5. The integrally formed earmold of claim 1 wherein said hollow cylinder has an internal diameter of at least 0.060 inches.

6. The integrally formed earmold of claim 1 further comprising a vent passageway extending through said knob.