Noise protection verification device

• US 6,567,524 B1
• Filed: 09/01/2000
• Issued: 05/20/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 09/01/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Honeywell Hearing Technologies AS (Honeywell International Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Nacre AS (Honeywell International Inc.)
• Inventors: Svean, Jarle, Sørsdal, Svein, Ottesen, Georg E., Pettersen, Odd Kr. Ø., Stensby, Sverre
• Primary Examiner(s): BARNIE, REXFORD N
• Application Number:
  US09/653,868
• Time in Patent Office: 991 Days
• Field of Search: 381/313, 381/314, 381/315, 381/370, 381/317, 381/324, 381/71.6, 381/312, 381/316, 381/318, 381/320, 381/319, 381/322, 381/323, 381/71.1, 381/71.2, 381/72, 600/25, 600/559, 600/23, 600/24, 623/10
• US Class Current: 381/71.1
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 11/08 internal, e.g. earplugs
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 11/145 electric, e.g. for active noise reduction
• CPC Class Codes: G01H 3/14 Measuring mean amplitude; Measuring mean power; Measuring time integral of power
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/1016 Earpieces of the intra-aural type
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/1083 Reduction of ambient noise active noise reduction per se G10K11/175; protective devices for the ear, e.g. providing acoustic protection A61F11/06
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 25/405 by combining a plurality of transducers
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 25/554 using a wireless connection, e.g. between microphone and amplifier or using Tcoils
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 25/604 of acoustic or vibrational transducers
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 25/652 Ear tips; Ear moulds hybrid ear moulds or post-processing thereof for their customisation H04R25/659
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 25/658 Manufacture of housing parts

Abstract

Ear protecting device with a sealing section for acoustically sealing the meatus of a human, includes a sound generator with a sound outlet for being directed toward the user meatus; an inner microphone with a sound inlet from the meatus, arranged for measuring the resulting sound field in the meatus; connected to an electronics unit including a sound analyser coupled to the inner microphone, for analyzing sound characteristics of the resulting sound field in the meatus, producing analyzed sound characteristics; storing part in the electronics unit for storing measured predetermined sound characteristics of a properly functioning ear protecting device; a comparing part in the electronics unit for comparing the inner microphone analyzed sound characteristics with the stored measured predetermined sound characteristics; indicating part coupled to the comparing part for being activated if the analyzed sound characteristics differ significantly from the predetermined sound characteristics.

Claims

1. Ear protecting device comprising:

a sealing section (2) for acoustically sealing the meatus (3) of a human;

a sound generator;

an electronics unit (E3) connected to supply a predetermined signal to the sound generator (SG);

the sound generator (SG) having a sound outlet (S_SG) directed toward the user meatus (3) and generating a resulting sound field in the meatus (3) in response to the supplied predetermined signal;

an inner microphone (M2) with a sound inlet (S2) directed toward the meatus (3), arranged for measuring the resulting sound field in the meatus (3);

the inner microphone being connected to the electronics unit (11,E3),

the electronics unit comprising a sound analyser coupled to said inner microphone (M2) for analyzing sound characteristics of the resulting sound field in the meatus (3), and producing analyzed sound characteristics;

storing unit in the electronics unit (11,E8,E9,E10) providing storage of measured predetermined sound characteristics of a properly functioning ear protecting device;

a comparing unit in the electronics unit (11,E3) comparing the inner microphone (M2) analyzed sound characteristics with the stored measured predetermined sound characteristics; and

indicating unit coupled to said comparing unit (11,E3) the indicating unit being activated if said analyzed sound characteristics differ significantly from said predetermined sound characteristics.

2. Ear protecting device according to claim 1, wherein the indicating unit in the electronics unit (11,E3) is arranged to generate a warning signal.

3. Ear protecting device according to claim 2, wherein said indicating unit is arranged for sending said warning signal to said sound generator (SG) for releasing an audible signal to the meatus (3).

4. Ear protecting device according to claim 2, wherein the indicating device comprises a radio link.

5. Ear protecting device according to claim 1, comprising a canal (T1) comprised by the sound inlet (S2), the canal (T1) being arranged through the sealing section (2) between the inward facing surface of the sealing section (2) arranged for sealing off a space portion of the meatus (3), and the sound inlet (S2) of the inner microphone (M2).

6. Ear protecting device according to claim 1, comprising a pressure alignment channel (T3) for slow air throughput to and from the meatus (3) through the sealing section (2).

7. Ear protecting device according to claim 6, wherein the pressure alignment channel (T3) includes a pressure release valve (V).

8. Ear protecting device according to claim 7, comprising a bypass channel (T4) in the pressure alignment channel (T3).

9. Ear protecting device according to claim 1, comprising an outer section (1) arranged for sitting adjacent to the outward facing portion of the sealing section (2) and that part of the inward facing portion of the outer section (1) is formed to fit the concha around the outer portion of the meatus (3).

10. Ear protecting device according to claims 1 comprising a filtering means coupled to said inner microphone for filtering the signal from said inner microphone, and sound generation means for generating sounds based on the filtered signal, said filtering means being preprogrammed to transform the signals based on the sounds received in the ear into a sound being recognized by the user as his own voice.

11. Ear protecting device according to claim 10, wherein the sound generator is positioned in a separate unit being placed in the users other ear.

12. Ear protecting device according to claim 1, comprising analyzing means coupled to said inner microphone (M2) and indicator unit coupled to said analyzing means, said analyzing means analyzing the received sounds and comparing this with predetermined values for acceptable noise levels, and activating said indicating unit when said acceptable noise levels are exceeded.

13. Ear protecting device according to claim 1, comprising

an outer microphone (M1) for picking up acoustic signals from the space outside of the ear; and

an electronic unit (11,E3) including filtering means coupled to said inner microphone (M2) for filtering the signal from said inner microphone (M2), said filtering means being programmable to transform the signals based on the sounds received in the ear by said inner microphone (M2) into sounds having essentially the characteristics of spoken sounds of the wearer of the ear protecting device.

14. Ear protecting device according to claim 13, comprising a connection interface (13,E12) for transmitting the filtered signal from the ear protecting device.