Dual mode impulse noise protecting earplug (D-182)

• US 8,161,975 B2
• Filed: 05/21/2009
• Issued: 04/24/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 05/21/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Moldex-Metric Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Moldex-Metric Incorporated
• Inventors: Turdjian, Crest
• Primary Examiner(s): Bianco, Patricia
• Assistant Examiner(s): HAWTHORNE, OPHELIA ALTHEA
• Application Number:
  US12/454,678
• Publication Number:
  US 20100294285A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,069 Days
• Field of Search: 181/135, 181/130, 181/134, 181/129, 181/294, D24/106, D24/174, D29/112, 220/9, 291/8, 2 6/8, 381/324, 381/123, 381/72, 128/864, 128/865, 128/867
• US Class Current: 128/867
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 11/08 internal, e.g. earplugs
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 11/085 including an inner channel

Abstract

A two piece dual mode earplug including an integrally molded elongated member having a nose end and an open rear end and a channel extending through. An integrally molded insert member is formed with a base portion and a rod portion and with the rod portion seated within the open rear end of the elongated member and includes an attenuation filter integrally molded as part of the rod portion and includes first and second openings located on each side of a chamber and with the size and length of the openings together with the chamber providing attenuation of impulse noise. The insert member also includes the base portion integrally molded to have a third opening larger than the first and second openings in the rod portion and with the first, second and third openings together forming a passageway through the insert member to the channel extending through the elongated member.

Claims

1. A two piece dual mode earplug and with each piece molded of resilient polymeric material for insertion into an ear canal, including:

a. an integrally molded elongated member having a nose end and an open rear end and a channel extending through the interior of the integrally molded elongated member from the open rear end to the nose end,

b. an integrally molded insert member formed with a base portion and a rod portion and with the rod portion seated within the open rear end of the integrally molded elongated member and extending into the channel of the elongated member and with the base portion extending out from the open rear end of the elongated member and serving as a handle for aiding insertion of the earplug into an ear canal,

c. the integrally molded insert member additionally including an attenuation filter integrally molded as part of the rod portion and including first and second openings located on each side of a chamber and with the size and length of the openings together with the chamber providing attenuation of impulse noise while allowing the passage of normal speech through the channel extending through the interior of the integrally molded elongated member,

d. the integrally molded insert member also including the base portion integrally molded and including a third opening larger than the first and second openings in the rod portion and with the first, second and third openings together forming a passageway through the insert member to the channel extending through the interior of the integrally molded elongated member,

e. the integrally molded insert member further including an integrally molded cap member and with the cap member including a plug portion having a size complementary to the third opening of the base member where the insertion of the plug portion into the third opening of the base portion would seal off the third opening and with positioning of the cap member providing for the earplug being in a first mode of operation where the passageway through the insert member to the channel extending through the interior of the elongated member is open and a second mode of operation where the passageway through the insert member to the channel extending through the interior of the integrally molded elongated member is closed, and

f. the elongated member composed of a resilient polymer material having a relatively low Shore A Durometer hardness value and the insert member composed of a resilient polymeric material having a relatively high Shore A Durometer hardness value so that the insert member forms a handle of greater stiffness to enable the elongated member to be more easily inserted into the ear canal and allows the cap member to be easily switched between the two modes of operation of the earplug with one hand without removing the earplug from the ear canal.

2. The two piece earplug of claim 1 wherein the exterior configuration of the rod portion of the integrally molded insert member is substantially the same as the interior configuration of the open rear end of the elongated member.

3. The two piece earplug of claim 2 wherein the rod portion of the integrally molded insert member and the open rear end of the integrally molded elongated member have complementary interlocking portions to mechanically lock the rod portion of the integrally molded insert member within the open rear end of the integrally molded elongated member when they are seated.

4. The two piece earplug of claim 1 wherein an attenuation chamber is formed partially by the integrally molded insert member and partially by the open rear end of the integrally molded elongated member.

5. The two piece earplug of claim 1 wherein the cap member is attached to the base portion of the insert integrally molded member by an integrally molded hinge member and with the positioning of the cap member provided by moving the cap member using the hinge member.

6. The two piece earplug of claim 1 wherein the integrally molded elongated member includes at least two hollow rearwardly extending flange elements of serially increasing diameters and with the nose end having a smaller diameter than any of the flange elements.

7. The two piece earplug of claim 1 wherein the base portion of the integrally molded insert member is of substantially the same diameter as the rear end of the integrally molded elongated member to form a smooth shaft portion rearward of the integrally molded elongated member.

8. The two piece earplug of claim 1 wherein the rod portion is mechanically seated within the open rear end of the integrally molded elongated member.

9. The two piece earplug of claim 1 wherein the integrally molded elongated member is composed of a resilient polymeric material having a Shore A Durometer hardness value of between 10 and 30 and the integrally molded insert member is composed of a resilient polymeric material having a Shore A Durometer hardness value of between 50 and 120.

10. The two piece earplug of claim 1 wherein the integrally molded elongated member has a Shore A Durometer hardness value of between 15 and 25 and the integrally molded insert member has a Shore A Durometer hardness value of between 80 and 90.

11. A two piece dual mode earplug and with each piece molded of resilient polymeric material for insertion into an ear canal, including:

a. an integrally molded elongated member having a nose end and an open rear end and a channel extending through the interior of the elongated member from the open rear end to the nose end,

b. an integrally molded insert member formed with a base portion and a rod portion and with the rod portion seated within the open rear end of the integrally molded elongated member and extending into the channel of the integrally molded elongated member,

c. the integrally molded insert member additionally including an attenuation filter integrally molded as part of the rod portion and including first and second openings located on each side of a chamber and with the size and length of the openings together with the chamber providing attenuation of impulse noise while allowing the passage of normal speech through the channel extending through the interior of the integrally molded elongated member,

d. the integrally molded insert member also including the base portion integrally molded and including a third opening larger than the first and second openings in the rod portion and with the first, second and third openings together forming a passageway through the integrally molded insert member to the channel extending through the interior of the integrally molded elongated member, and

e. the integrally molded insert member further including an integrally molded cap member and with the cap member including a plug portion having a size complementary to the third opening of the base member where the insertion of the plug portion into the third opening of the base portion would seal off the third opening and with positioning of the cap member providing for the earplug being in a first mode of operation where the passageway through the integrally molded insert member to the channel extending through the interior of the elongated member is open and a second mode of operation where the passageway through the integrally molded insert member to the channel extending through the interior of the integrally molded elongated member is closed.

12. The two piece earplug of claim 11 wherein the exterior configuration of the rod portion of the integrally molded insert member is substantially the same as the interior configuration of the open rear end of the integrally molded elongated member.

13. The two piece earplug of claim 12 wherein the rod portion of the integrally molded insert member and the open rear end of the integrally molded elongated member have complementary interlocking portions to mechanically lock the rod portion of the integrally molded insert member within the open rear end of the integrally molded elongated member when they are seated.

14. The two piece earplug of claim 11 wherein an attenuation chamber is formed partially by the integrally molded insert member and partially by the open rear end of the integrally molded elongated member.

15. The two piece earplug of claim 11 wherein the cap member is attached to the base portion of the integrally molded insert member by an integrally molded hinge member and with the positioning of the cap member provided by moving the cap member using the integrally molded hinge member.

16. The two piece earplug of claim 11 wherein the integrally molded elongated member includes at least two hollow rearwardly extending flange elements of serially increasing diameters and with the nose end having a smaller diameter than any of the flange elements.

17. The two piece earplug of claim 11 wherein the base portion of the integrally molded insert member is of substantially the same diameter as the rear end of the integrally molded elongated member to form a smooth shaft portion rearward of the integrally molded elongated member.

18. The two piece earplug of claim 11 wherein the rod portion is mechanically seated within the open rear end of the integrally molded elongated member.

19. The two piece earplug of claim 11 wherein the integrally molded elongated member is composed of a resilient polymeric material having a Shore A Durometer hardness value of between 10 and 30 and the integrally molded insert member is composed of a resilient polymeric material having a Shore A Durometer hardness value of between 50 and 120.

20. The two piece earplug of claim 11 wherein the integrally molded elongated member has a Shore A Durometer hardness value of between 15 and 25 and the integrally molded insert member has a Shore A Durometer hardness value of between 80 and 90.