Hearing protector with removable microphone, amplifier, and loudspeaker unit

• US 8,243,943 B2
• Filed: 11/23/2004
• Issued: 08/14/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 11/27/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company (3M Company)
• Original Assignee: 3M Svenska AB (3M Company)
• Inventors: Nordin, Henrik, Nilsson, Sigvard
• Primary Examiner(s): Pan, Yuwen
• Assistant Examiner(s): BLAIR, KILE O
• Application Number:
  US10/580,923
• Publication Number:
  US 20070274529A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,821 Days
• Field of Search: 381/72, 381/57, 381/71.6, 381/71.7, 381/371, 381/383, 381/384, 381/370, 381/374, 381/375, 381/376, 381/309
• US Class Current: 381/72
• 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 1/1025 Accumulators or arrangements for charging secondary cells per se H01M10/00; charging in general H02J7/00
• 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 5/033 Headphones for stereophonic communication details thereof, e.g. relating to batteries, cables or control elements H04R1/10

Abstract

A hearing protector comprises a hearing hood (2), a microphone (7), a loudspeaker and an amplifier. The hearing hood (2) has passive noise damping. The microphone (7) is disposed exteriorly on the hearing protector, while the loudspeaker is disposed inside the hood. The amplifier amplifies and transmits the signals from the microphone (7) to the loudspeaker. The noise damping of the hearing hood (2) is broad band. The frequency range of the amplifier corresponds to the frequency range of human speech. The amplification of the amplifier is variable and the greatest amplification is such that the sum total of the sound levels that are caused, on the one hand, by ambient sound passing through the hood (2) and, on the other hand, by sound from the loudspeaker amounts to a maximum, predetermined value.

Claims

1. A hearing protector comprising

a hearing hood with passive noise damping,

a microphone disposed exteriorly on the hearing protector,

a loudspeaker, and

an amplifier for amplifying sound signals caught by the microphone and passing the signals on to the loudspeaker,

wherein the microphone, amplifier, and loudspeaker are disposed together as a standard removable unit which is insertable in a recess disposed in an outside surface of the hearing hood, with a bottom wall being a closed partition between the recess and an interior of the hearing hood, the bottom wall having a depression inclusive of at least one opening and configured for disposal of the loudspeaker therein, said depression facing towards an inside of the hearing hood, wherein the unit comprises a covering plate for closing the recess.

2. The hearing protector of claim 1, wherein the microphone and an operating device for activating the amplifier are disposed on the covering plate.

3. The hearing protector of claim 1, wherein a portion of the unit around the loudspeaker sealing abuts the bottom wall.

4. The hearing protector of claim 3, wherein the depression is disposed in a recess of the bottom wall, and the sealing abutment of the unit takes place along an edge of the recess.

5. The hearing protector of claim 3, wherein the bottom wall has an opening through which the loudspeaker extends, wherein a sealing ring is disposed around the loudspeaker.