Electronic earplug
First Claim
1. A kit including:
- an electronic earplug battery;
a damper removal tool; and
an electronic earplug comprising;
a microphone configured to convert ambient sound to input electrical signals;
a circuit operatively connected to the microphone, the circuit configured to receive the input electrical signals from the microphone and provide output electrical signals to a receiver, the circuit configured to modify a sound output level from the electronic earplug to a user'"'"'s ear canal based on a sound input level of the ambient sound;
the receiver operatively connected to the circuit, the receiver configured to convert the output electrical signals into sound that is communicated to the user'"'"'s ear canal;
a sound channel configured to communicate sound to the user'"'"'s ear canal; and
an acoustic damper disposed in the sound channel.
3 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Electronic earplugs, methods of enhancing and/or attenuating sound using electronic earplugs, and kits including electronic earplugs are provided. Certain electronic earplugs provided can deliver sound to a user'"'"'s ear canal at levels below, equal to, and/or above ambient sound levels for specified ambient sound level ranges. Certain electronic earplugs provided can be switched between first and second settings with different sound level delivery settings. Certain electronic earplugs provided can be coupled with or integrated into two-way communication devices. Certain of such two-way communication devices can use induction to receive and transmit audio signals. Certain electronic earplugs provided can include a receive coil configured to allow remote radio signals to be received. Certain electronic earplugs provided can block at least about 35 dB of ambient sound when fully inserted into a user'"'"'s ear canal. Kits that include electronic earplugs and accessories for use with electronic earplugs are also provided.
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Citations
50 Claims
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1. A kit including:
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an electronic earplug battery; a damper removal tool; and an electronic earplug comprising; a microphone configured to convert ambient sound to input electrical signals; a circuit operatively connected to the microphone, the circuit configured to receive the input electrical signals from the microphone and provide output electrical signals to a receiver, the circuit configured to modify a sound output level from the electronic earplug to a user'"'"'s ear canal based on a sound input level of the ambient sound; the receiver operatively connected to the circuit, the receiver configured to convert the output electrical signals into sound that is communicated to the user'"'"'s ear canal; a sound channel configured to communicate sound to the user'"'"'s ear canal; and an acoustic damper disposed in the sound channel. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
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6. An electronic earplug comprising:
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a microphone configured to convert ambient sound to input electrical signals; a circuit operatively connected to the microphone, the circuit configured to receive the input electrical signals from the microphone and provide output electrical signals to a receiver, the circuit configured to modify a sound output level from the electronic earplug to a user'"'"'s ear canal based on a sound input level of the ambient sound, wherein the circuit is configured such that for sound input levels between a first value and a second value, the sound output level is about equal to the sound input level, wherein the circuit is configured such that for sound input levels between the second value and a third value that is greater than the second value, the sound output level is equal to about the second value, and wherein the circuit is configured to reduce the second value by about 10 dB using a resistor across terminals of the receiver; and the receiver operatively connected to the circuit, the receiver configured to convert the output electrical signals into sound that is communicated to the user'"'"'s ear canal. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. An electronic earplug comprising:
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a microphone configured to convert ambient sound to input electrical signals; a circuit operatively connected to the microphone, the circuit configured to receive the input electrical signals from the microphone and provide output electrical signals to a receiver, the circuit configured to modify a sound output level from the electronic earplug to a user'"'"'s ear canal based on a sound input level of the ambient sound, wherein the circuit is configured such that for sound input levels between a first value and a second value, the sound output level is about equal to the sound input level, wherein the circuit is configured such that it can be switched between a first setting and a second setting, the first setting having the sound output level be about equal to the sound input level for inputs up to about the first value, the second setting having the sound output level be greater than the sound input level for inputs up to about the first value, and wherein the circuit is configured such that it can be switched between the first setting and the second setting by throwing a single pole single throw switch in series with a threshold knee controlling portion of the circuit; and the receiver operatively connected to the circuit, the receiver configured to convert the output electrical signals into sound that is communicated to the user'"'"'s ear canal. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25)
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26. An electronic earplug comprising:
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a microphone configured to convert ambient sound to input electrical signals; a circuit operatively connected to the microphone, the circuit configured to receive the input electrical signals from the microphone and provide output electrical signals to a receiver, the circuit configured to modify a sound output level from the electronic earplug to a user'"'"'s ear canal based on a sound input level of the ambient sound, wherein the circuit is configured such that for sound input levels between a first value and a second value, the sound output level is about equal to the sound input level, wherein the circuit is configured such that it can be switched between a first setting and a second setting, the first setting having the sound output level be greater than the sound input level for inputs up to about the first value, the second setting having the sound output level be less than the sound input level for at least one input above the second value, and wherein the circuit is configured such that it can be switched between the first setting and the second setting by throwing a single pole double throw switch to select two different volume control resistors; and the receiver operatively connected to the circuit, the receiver configured to convert the output electrical signals into sound that is communicated to the user'"'"'s ear canal. - View Dependent Claims (27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34)
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35. An electronic earplug comprising:
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a microphone configured to convert ambient sound to input electrical signals; a circuit operatively connected to the microphone, the circuit configured to receive the input electrical signals from the microphone and provide output electrical signals to a receiver, the circuit configured to modify a sound output level from the electronic earplug to a user'"'"'s ear canal based on a sound input level of the ambient sound, wherein the circuit is configured such that for sound input levels between a first value and a second value, the sound output level is about equal to the sound input level; the receiver operatively connected to the circuit, the receiver configured to convert the output electrical signals into sound that is communicated to the user'"'"'s ear canal; and a receive coil configured to be magnetically coupled with a remote transmit coil such that signals received from the remote transmit coil are communicated to the electronic earplug, wherein the receive coil includes a long axis that extends substantially parallel to a sound channel configured to deliver sound to a user'"'"'s ear canal such that the receive coil remains similarly oriented relative to the user'"'"'s ear canal when the electronic earplug is rotated in the user'"'"'s ear canal. - View Dependent Claims (36)
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37. An electronic earplug comprising:
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a microphone configured to convert ambient sound to input electrical signals; a circuit operatively connected to the microphone, the circuit configured to receive the input electrical signals from the microphone and provide output electrical signals to a receiver, the circuit configured to modify a sound output level from the electronic earplug to a user'"'"'s ear canal based on a sound input level of the ambient sound, wherein the circuit is configured such that for sound input levels between a first value and a second value, the sound output level is about equal to the sound input level; and the receiver operatively connected to the circuit, the receiver configured to convert the output electrical signals into sound that is communicated to the user'"'"'s ear canal, wherein the electronic earplug includes an exterior facing end that is disposed opposite the user'"'"'s ear canal when the electronic earplug is being worn, and wherein the microphone is configured to receive ambient sound through an inlet disposed on the exterior facing end. - View Dependent Claims (38, 39, 40)
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41. An electronic earplug comprising:
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a microphone configured to convert ambient sound to input electrical signals; a circuit operatively connected to the microphone, the circuit configured to receive the input electrical signals from the microphone and provide output electrical signals to a receiver, the circuit configured to modify a sound output level from the electronic earplug to a user'"'"'s ear canal based on a sound input level of the ambient sound, wherein the circuit is configured such that for sound input levels between a first value and a second value, the sound output level is about equal to the sound input level; and the receiver operatively connected to the circuit, the receiver configured to convert the output electrical signals into sound that is communicated to the user'"'"'s ear canal, wherein the electronic earplug includes an exterior facing end that is disposed opposite the user'"'"'s ear canal when the electronic earplug is being worn, and wherein the microphone is configured to receive ambient sound through an inlet disposed on a side of the electronic earplug that is not the exterior facing end. - View Dependent Claims (42, 43, 44)
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45. An electronic earplug comprising:
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a microphone configured to convert ambient sound to input electrical signals; a circuit operatively connected to the microphone, the circuit configured to receive the input electrical signals from the microphone and provide output electrical signals to a receiver, the circuit configured to modify a sound output level from the electronic earplug to a user'"'"'s ear canal based on a sound input level of the ambient sound, wherein the circuit is configured such that for sound input levels between a first value and a second value, the sound output level is about equal to the sound input level; the receiver operatively connected to the circuit, the receiver configured to convert the output electrical signals into sound that is communicated to the user'"'"'s ear canal; a receive coil configured to inductively receive a first audio signal from a radio interface loop, the first audio signal being communicated from a two-way communication device operably connected to the radio interface loop; and a transmit coil configured to generate a second audio signal, wherein the radio interface loop is configured to inductively receive the second audio signal and communicate the second audio signal to the two-way communication device, wherein the second audio signal is coupled as an FM signal, and wherein the radio interface loop is connected to the two-way communication device via a radio interface module comprising a high-pass filter configured to filter the second audio signal and an FM demodulator configured to demodulate the second audio signal. - View Dependent Claims (46, 47, 48, 49, 50)
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Specification