Earplug with form-fitting fluid chambers
First Claim
1. An ear protective device comprising:
- an outer body defining two resiliently expansible and collapsible fluid chambers;
a quantity of fluid sealed within said outer body;
an elongated relatively rigid core member extending within said outer body and serving to facilitate insertion of at least one of said fluid chambers into an ear canal;
a passageway defined between said two fluid chambers for selectively placing said fluid chambers in fluid communication with each other;
a two-way pressure responsive valve adjacent said passageway operative to close off said passageway and thereby isolate said fluid chambers from each other so as to maintain an equilibrium condition with one of said chambers expanded and the other of said chambers substantially collapsed, said valve being further operative to temporarily open said passageway when an expanded one of said fluid chambers is squeezed, thereby collapsing said expanded chamber and allowing the fluid therein to pass into and expand the other chamber.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A bi-directionally insertable elastomeric ear plug for sealing an ear canal has an outer body defining two identical expansible and collapsible fluid chambers. A fluid, preferably air, is sealed within the outer body, and a passageway is defined between the two fluid chambers for selectively placing the chambers in fluid communication with each other. An elastically displaceable wall bounding the passageway acts as a two-way pressure responsive valve operative to close the passageway and thereby maintain an equilibrium condition with one of the chambers expanded and the other collapsed, and to temporarily open the passageway when one of the chambers is squeezed. The collapsed chamber is insertable into an ear canal with the aid of an elongated semi-rigid core member extending within the outer body. Thereafter, the expanded chamber can be squeezed to expand the collapsed chamber inside of the ear canal to obtain a comfortable yet tight form-fitting seal.
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Citations
30 Claims
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1. An ear protective device comprising:
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an outer body defining two resiliently expansible and collapsible fluid chambers; a quantity of fluid sealed within said outer body; an elongated relatively rigid core member extending within said outer body and serving to facilitate insertion of at least one of said fluid chambers into an ear canal; a passageway defined between said two fluid chambers for selectively placing said fluid chambers in fluid communication with each other; a two-way pressure responsive valve adjacent said passageway operative to close off said passageway and thereby isolate said fluid chambers from each other so as to maintain an equilibrium condition with one of said chambers expanded and the other of said chambers substantially collapsed, said valve being further operative to temporarily open said passageway when an expanded one of said fluid chambers is squeezed, thereby collapsing said expanded chamber and allowing the fluid therein to pass into and expand the other chamber. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. A bi-directionally insertable ear protective device comprising:
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an outer body defining two resiliently expansible and collapsible fluid chambers, each chamber being sized and configured for insertion and expansion inside of an ear canal; a quantity of fluid sealed within said outer body; a passageway defined between said two fluid chambers for selectively placing said fluid chambers in fluid communication with each other; and a two-way pressure responsive valve adjacent said passageway operative to close off said passageway and thereby isolate said fluid chambers from each other so as to maintain an equilibrium condition with one of said chambers expanded and the other of said chambers substantially collapsed, said valve being further operative to temporarily open said passageway when an expanded one of said fluid chambers is squeezed, thereby collapsing said expanded chamber and allowing the fluid therein to pass into and expand the other chamber. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30)
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Specification