# US 11,076,995 B2 · Cold-drawn polyolefin copolymers cord for earplug

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- Number: US 11,076,995 B2
- Document ID: US11076995B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 16/643,153
- Filed: 2018-08-30
- Published: 2020-06-11
- Granted: 2021-08-03
- Earliest claimed: 2017-09-01
- Assignees: 3M Innovative Properties Company
- Applicants: 3M Innovative Properties Company
- Inventors: James D. Brown; Feng Cai; Robert C. Coffin
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11076995B2

## CPC

- A61F 11/12: External mounting means
- B29C 55/00: Shaping by stretching, e.g. drawing through a die; Apparatus therefor (B29C61/08 takes precedence)
- B29C 55/005: {characterised by the choice of materials}
- B29K 2023/083: {EVA, i.e. ethylene vinyl acetate copolymer}
- B29K 2995/0077: Yield strength; Tensile strength
- B29L 2031/768: {Protective equipment (B29L2031/4821 takes precedence)}
- A61F: FILTERS IMPLANTABLE INTO BLOOD VESSELS; PROSTHESES; DEVICES PROVIDING PATENCY TO, OR PREVENTING COLLAPSING OF, TUBULAR STRUCTURES OF THE BODY, e.g. STENTS; ORTHOPAEDIC, NURSING OR CONTRACEPTIVE DEVICES; FOMENTATION; TREATMENT OR PROTECTION OF EYES OR EARS; BANDAGES, DRESSINGS OR ABSORBENT PADS; FIRST-AID KITS (dental prosthetics A61C)
- B29C: SHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING (making preforms B29B11/00; making laminated products by combining previously unconnected layers which become one product whose layers will remain together B32B37/00 - B32B41/00)
- B29K: INDEXING SCHEME ASSOCIATED WITH SUBCLASSES B29B, B29C OR B29D, RELATING TO MOULDING MATERIALS OR TO MATERIALS FOR {MOULDS, } REINFORCEMENTS, FILLERS OR PREFORMED PARTS, e.g. INSERTS
- B29L: INDEXING SCHEME ASSOCIATED WITH SUBCLASS B29C, RELATING TO PARTICULAR ARTICLES

## Abstract

An earplug assembly and method of forming the same is described. The method includes uniaxially stretching a cord formed of copolymer including ethylene segments and vinyl acetate segments to form a cold-drawn cord. The cold drawn cord has an elongation to break of 250% or less. The method then includes fixing the cold drawn cord to an earplug.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method comprising:
uniaxially stretching a cord formed of copolymer comprising ethylene segments and vinyl acetate segments at room temperature to form a cold drawn cord, the cold drawn cord having an elongation to break of 250% or less; and
fixing the cold drawn cord to an earplug.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1, wherein the cold drawn cord has an elongation to break of 200% or less.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1, wherein the uniaxially stretching step comprises uniaxially stretching the cord at least 250%.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1, wherein the cold drawn cord has an elastic modulus of 10 MPa or greater at 100% elongation.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1, wherein the cold drawn cord has an elastic modulus of 20 MPa or greater at 100% elongation.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1, wherein the cold drawn cord has an elastic modulus of 7 MPa or less at 100% elongation.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1, wherein the uniaxially stretching step comprises uniaxially stretching the cord having an initial diameter to a cold drawn cord having a cold drawn diameter in a range from 40% to 80% of the initial diameter.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1, wherein cold drawn cord has a uniform diameter in a range from 0.08 to 1.6 mm.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1, further comprising fixing the cold drawn cord to a second earplug.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1, wherein the fixing step comprises fixing the cold drawn cord to a portion of the earplug formed of polypropylene.

### Claim 11 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1, wherein the copolymer comprises from 80 to 70% wt ethylene segments and from 20 to 30 wt % vinyl acetate segments.