Acoustic valve capable of selective and non-linear filtering of sound

• US 6,068,079 A
• Filed: 08/11/1997
• Issued: 05/30/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 07/30/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Institut Franco-Allemand de Recherches de Saint-Louis
• Original Assignee: Institut Franco-Allemand de Recherches de Saint-Louis
• Inventors: Dancer, Armand, Evrard, Georges, Hamery, Pascal
• Primary Examiner(s): Dang, Khanh
• Application Number:
  US08/909,429
• Time in Patent Office: 1,023 Days
• Field of Search: 181/129, 181/130, 181/135, 381/372, 381/382, 128/864, 128/865, 128/866, 128/867, 128/868, 2/209
• US Class Current: 181/135
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 11/08 internal, e.g. earplugs
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 11/085 including an inner channel

Abstract

Acoustic valve capable of selective and non-linear filtering of sound and placeable in a perforated ear plug. The acoustic valve consists of a tube enclosing two rigid disks axially spaced opposite each other, each of the disks containing at least one perforation. The total perforated surface of at least one disk is between 0.03 and 0.5 mm².

Claims

1. An acoustic valve capable of selective and non-linear filtering of sound and placeable in a perforated ear plug, said valve comprising a cylindrical tube enclosing two rigid planar disks spaced axially opposite each other and fixedly positioned within said cylindrical tube, wherein said disks contain at least one perforation each.

2. The acoustic valve according to claim 1 further comprising two hollow, cylindrical parts, wherein each cylindrical part is closed at one end by one of said rigid disks containing said perforation and open at the other end, the peripheral edge of each open end of each cylindrical part being configured to be fixedly attached to the open end of the other cylindrical part.

3. The acoustic valve according to claim 2 wherein said valve comprises a plastic material.

6. The acoustic valve according to claim 1 wherein said valve comprises a plastic material.

4. An acoustic valve capable of selective and non-linear filtering of sound and placeable in a perforated ear plug, said valve comprising a cylindrical tube enclosing two rigid disks spaced axially opposite each other, said cylindrical tube comprising two hollow, cylindrical parts, each of said parts being closed at one end by one of said disks and being open at the other end, the peripheral edge of each open end of each cylindrical part being configured to be fixedly attached to the open end of the other cylindrical part, and wherein said disks contain at least one perforation each, the thickness of said disks being between 0.05 and 0.5 mm.

5. An acoustic valve capable of selective and non-linear filtering of sound and placeable in a perforated ear plug, said valve comprising a cylindrical tube enclosing two rigid disks spaced axially opposite each other, wherein said disks contain at least one perforation each, and wherein the total perforated surface area of at least one disk is between 0.05 and 0.5 mm².

7. An acoustic valve capable of selective and non-linear filtering of sound and placeable in a perforated ear plug, said valve comprising a cylindrical tube enclosing two rigid disks spaced axially opposite each other, wherein said disks contain at least one perforation each, and wherein the thickness of said disks is between 0.05 and 0.5 mm.