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US 10,441,472 B2Granted
Selective attenuating earplug
Assignee3M Innovative Properties Company
InventorJacob H. Ely
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A selective attenuating earplug is provided. In an exemplary embodiment, a selective attenuating earplug includes a switch adjustable between a first position and a second position, and the switch includes at least one cantilever spring arm.
Claims11
A selective attenuating earplug, comprising:
- a sound attenuating tip having a first end and a second end;
- a body coupled to the sound attenuating tip;
- an acoustic channel extending from the first end of the sound attenuating tip to an aperture of the body;
- and
- a switch comprising a cantilever spring arm having a sealing pad, the switch adjustable between a first position in which the aperture is at least partially open to allow passage of sound through the aperture and the acoustic channel and a second position in which the aperture is blocked by the sealing pad;
- wherein the cantilever spring arm biases the sealing pad towards the aperture in the second position and towards a surface of the body in the first position;
- and
- wherein the sealing pad moves across the aperture when switched between the first position and the second position.
5 more elements
A selective attenuating earplug, comprising:
- a tip having a first end and a second end;
- a body attached to the tip;
- an acoustic channel extending from the first end of the tip to an aperture of the body;
- a switch that is adjustable between a first position in which the aperture is at least partially open to allow passage of sound through the aperture and the acoustic channel, and a second position in which the aperture is blocked by a sealing pad affixed to and biased toward the aperture by a cantilever spring arm;
- and
- wherein the sealing pad moves across the aperture when switched between the first position and the second position.
3 more elements
A hearing protection device, comprising first and second selective attenuating earplugs joined by a cord, wherein each of the first and second selective attenuating earplugs comprises:
- a tip having a first end and a second end;
- a body attached to the tip;
- an acoustic channel extending from the first end of the tip to an aperture of the body;
- a switch that is adjustable between a first position in which the aperture is at least partially open to allow passage of sound through the aperture and the acoustic channel, and a second position in which the aperture is blocked by a sealing pad affixed to and biased toward the aperture by a cantilever spring arm;
- and
- wherein the sealing pad moves across the aperture when switched between the first position and the second position.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.