Earplug
First Claim
1. A two piece earplug composed of resilient polymeric material for insertion into an ear canal, includingan elongated hollow member having a thin walled closed nose end formed as a bulbous protrusion and an open rear end and with the interior of the elongated hollow member substantially conforming in shape at the nose end to the outer shape of the nose end,the elongated hollow member also including at least one hollow rearwardly extending flange element located rearward of the bulbous end,both the bulbous end and the at least one flange element having a generally curved cone shape to extend into and conform to the wall of the ear canal, and with the diameter of the curved cone shape of the bulbous end increasing progressively from the closed nose end to a maximum diameter and then decreasing to meet the at least one hollow rearwardly extending flange element,a plug member formed with a rod and with the rod sealed within the open rear end on the hollow member to form an air pocket located adjacent the bulbous end and the at least one flange member,the hollow member composed of a resilient polymer material having a relatively low Shore A Durometer hardness value and the plug member composed of a resilient polymeric material having a relatively high Shore A Durometer hardness value so that the plug member forms a handle of greater stiffness to enable the hollow member to be more easily inserted into the ear canal and with the relatively low Shore A Durometer hardness value and thin walls of the hollow member and the air pocket providing for greater comfort of the earplug in the ear canal after insertion.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An earplug composed of a resilient polymeric material including a first hollow member having a closed end and an open end and with the closed end having a rounded cone shaped configuration. At least one flange member extending from the first hollow member and having a similiar cone shaped rounded configuration as the closed end of the hollow member but larger in diameter and located rearward of the closed end. A plug member for insertion into the open end of the first member and with the plug closing off and sealing the open end of the first member to form an air pocket immediately adjacent the closed end and the flange member.
The plug member serving in combination with the rearward end of the first member as a handle for insertion of the earplug in an ear canal.
157 Citations
23 Claims
-
1. A two piece earplug composed of resilient polymeric material for insertion into an ear canal, including
an elongated hollow member having a thin walled closed nose end formed as a bulbous protrusion and an open rear end and with the interior of the elongated hollow member substantially conforming in shape at the nose end to the outer shape of the nose end, the elongated hollow member also including at least one hollow rearwardly extending flange element located rearward of the bulbous end, both the bulbous end and the at least one flange element having a generally curved cone shape to extend into and conform to the wall of the ear canal, and with the diameter of the curved cone shape of the bulbous end increasing progressively from the closed nose end to a maximum diameter and then decreasing to meet the at least one hollow rearwardly extending flange element, a plug member formed with a rod and with the rod sealed within the open rear end on the hollow member to form an air pocket located adjacent the bulbous end and the at least one flange member, the hollow member composed of a resilient polymer material having a relatively low Shore A Durometer hardness value and the plug member composed of a resilient polymeric material having a relatively high Shore A Durometer hardness value so that the plug member forms a handle of greater stiffness to enable the hollow member to be more easily inserted into the ear canal and with the relatively low Shore A Durometer hardness value and thin walls of the hollow member and the air pocket providing for greater comfort of the earplug in the ear canal after insertion.
-
11. An earplug composed of a resilient polymeric
material, including a first hollow member having a bulbous closed end and an open end and with the closed end having a thin walled cone shaped configuration substantially uniform in thickness at the closed end, at least one flange member extending from the first hollow member and having a similar cone shaped configuration as the bulbous closed end of the hollow member but larger in maximum diameter and located rearward of the closed end, and with the diameter of the bulbous closed end increasing progressively to a particular diameter less than the maximum diameter of the flange member and then decreasing to meet the flange member, a plug member for insertion into the open end of the first member and with the plug closing off and sealing the open end of the first member to form an air pocket immediately adjacent the thin walled portion of the hollow member forming the closed end and the flange member, and the plug member serving in combination with the rearward end of the first member as a handle for insertion of the earplug in an ear canal.
-
22. A two piece earplug composed of resilient polymeric material for insertion into an ear canal, including
an elongated hollow member having a closed nose end formed as a bulbous protrusion and an open rear end, the elongated hollow member also including at least one hollow rearwardly extending flange element located rearward of the bulbous end, both the bulbous end and at least one flange element having a generally curved cone shape to extend into and conform to the wall of the ear canal and wherein the bulbous end and the at least one flange element has a rear chamfered end so as to reduce sharp edges when the earplug is inserted into the ear canal, a plug member formed with a rod and with the rod positioned within the open rear end on the hollow member to form an air pocket located adjacent the bulbous end and the at least one flange member, the hollow member composed of a resilient polymer material having a relatively low Shore a Durometer hardness value and the plug member composed of a resilient polymeric material having a relatively high Shore A Durometer hardness value so that the plug member forms a handle of greater stiffness to enable the hollow member to be more easily inserted into the ear canal and with the relatively low Shore A Durometer hardness value of the hollow member and the air pocket providing for greater comfort of the earplug in the ear canal after insertion.
-
23. An earplug composed of a resilient polymeric material, including
a first hollow member having a closed end and an open end and with the closed end having a rounded cone shaped configuration, at least one flange member extending from the first hollow member and having a similar cone shaped rounded configuration as the closed end of the hollow member but larger in diameter and located rearward of the closed end and wherein the closed end and the at least one flange member has a rear chamfered end so as to reduce sharp edges when the earplug is inserted into the ear canal, a plug member for insertion into the open end of the first member and with the plug closing off and sealing the open end of the first member to form an air pocket immediately adjacent the closed end and the flange member, and the plug member serving in combination with rearward end of the first member as a handle for insertion of the earplug in an ear canal.
Specification
-
- Resources
-
Current AssigneeMoldex-Metric Incorporated
-
Original AssigneeMoldex-Metric Incorporated
-
InventorsDix, Dan, Magidson, Mark
-
Primary Examiner(s)Brown, Michael A.
-
Application NumberUS09/169,742Time in Patent Office355 DaysField of Search128/846, 128/864-868, 181/135US Class Current128/864CPC Class CodesA61F 11/08 internal, e.g. earplugs
