Ear protector

• US 5,887,286 A
• Filed: 01/22/1998
• Issued: 03/30/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 01/22/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Carolyn A. Waldron
• Original Assignee: Carolyn A. Waldron
• Inventors: Waldron, Carolyn A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Neas, Michael A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): PATEL, TAJASH D
• Application Number:
  US09/010,755
• Time in Patent Office: 432 Days
• Field of Search: 181/129, 2/209, 2/203, 2/208, 2/423, 2/455, 381/370, 381/371, 381/376, 381/309, 455/351, 455/350, 455/347, 455/568, 455/569, 455/575, 455/90
• US Class Current: 2/209
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 11/14 external, e.g. earcaps or earmuffs
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/1008 Earpieces of the supra-aural or circum-aural type
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/1041 Mechanical or electronic switches, or control elements switches in general H01H
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 5/033 Headphones for stereophonic communication details thereof, e.g. relating to batteries, cables or control elements H04R1/10

Abstract

A child ear protector is provided including a pair of ear enclosures each defining an interior space and a free peripheral edge. Each enclosure has an elastomeric gasket formed about the free peripheral edge thereof. A resilient head set is included having a pair of ends mounted to the ear enclosures to maintain the same over ears of the user during use. A music mechanism is situated within at least one of the ear enclosures for transmitting a melody.

Claims

1. A child ear protector comprising, in combination:

a pair of closed ear enclosures each including a circular face and a cylindrical periphery integrally coupled to a peripheral edge thereof and extending outwardly therefrom to define an interior space and a free peripheral edge, the circular face of each enclosure having a pair of sleeves defining a pair of rectangular slots which are aligned along an axis, a snap mounted below the sleeves on the axis, an elastomeric gasket formed about the free peripheral edge, and an inner divider defined by a portion of a sphere mounted within the interior space of each ear enclosure and protruding inwardly to define a compartment with the circular face, the inner divider having a plurality of annularly aligned apertures formed therein;

a resilient head set having an inverted V-shaped configuration with an inner surface lined with an elastomeric material, the head set including a pair of upturned ends which extend outwardly and a plurality of undulations formed in an outer surface of the head set adjacent the ends, the ends of the head set are each situated through the slots of the sleeves of an associated one of the ear enclosures for being slidably positioned to adjust the head set between discrete lengths so that the ear protector may be worn on a head of a user such that the ear enclosures encompass ears of the user, whereby the extent in which the ends of the head set extend through the slots of the sleeve may be adjusted to conform to heads of various sizes;

a flexible elastic chin strap having an elongated rectangular configuration for encompassing a chin of the user to thereby securely maintain the head set on the head of the user, the chin strap having a pair of ends each equipped with a button for releasably engaging the snap of a corresponding ear enclosure such that the chin strap may be partially released from the head set for placement on and removal from the head of the user and may be completely removed from the head set when securing is not needed; and

music means situated within one of the ear enclosures for transmitting sound through the apertures formed in the inner divider, the music means including a piezo electric sound device coupled to an integrated circuit for producing a single continuous melody upon the actuation thereof and a switch mounted on the periphery of one of the ear enclosures and further electrically connected between the integrated circuit and a battery for selectively actuating the integrated circuit, wherein the switch has a gasket for precluding the entry of water into the compartment of the associated ear enclosure.

2. A child ear protector comprising:

a pair of closed ear enclosures each defining an interior space and a free peripheral edge, each enclosure having an elastomeric gasket formed about the free peripheral edge and an inner divider generally defined by a portion of a sphere mounted within the interior space of each ear enclosure and protruding inwardly to define a compartment, each ear enclosure having a pair of sleeves defining a pair of slots which are aligned along an axis;

a resilient head set having a pair of ends mounted to the ear enclosures to maintain the same over ears of the user, the head set including a pair of upturned ends which extend outwardly and a plurality of undulations formed in an outer surface of the head set adjacent the ends for being slidably positioned through the sleeves of the ear enclosures to adjust the head set between discrete lengths; and

music means situated within at least one of the ear enclosures for transmitting audio signals, the music means including a sound device for producing a single continuous melody upon the actuation thereof via a switch mounted on one of the ear enclosures.

3. A child ear protector as set forth in claim 2 wherein a first coupling means is mounted below the sleeves and a chin strap is included having an elongated configuration with a pair of ends each equipped with a second coupling means for releasably securing with the first coupling means of a corresponding ear enclosure such that the chin strap encompasses a chin of the user thereby maintaining the headset on the head of the user.

4. A child ear protector as set forth in claim 3 wherein the chin strap is flexible and elastic.

5. A child ear protector as set forth in claim 2 wherein the switch has a gasket for precluding the entry of water into the compartment of the associated ear enclosure.