Confirming earplug
AssigneeHoward Leight Industries, LLC
InventorThomas W. Fleming
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An earplug of the type that has a stem (12) and a plurality of flanges (21-23), is constructed to be stiff enough to be easily inserted into the ear canal, and to thereafter press with minimal force against the walls of the ear canal for comfort. The earplug is molded of an elastomeric material whose stiffness decreases considerably, such as at least 4%, when it is warmed from room temperature (about 72° F.) to ear canal temperature (about 100° F.). Each flange has a radially inner portion (52) that extends straight at an angle (B) that is within 15° of a radial direction (62) (a direction perpendicular to the stem axis), and has a radially outer portion (54) that extends straight and at an angle (C) that is within 20° of an axial direction (66).
Claims18
An earplug molded of an elastomeric material, which includes a stem extending along an axis and having front and rear stem portions, said earplug including at least one flange extending from said stem front portion, said flange having a radially outer portion that extends largely rearwardly and which is designed to block a person's ear canal, wherein:
- said elastomeric material has a durometer between 1 and 50 Shore A at 72° F., and its durometer decreases by at least one on the Shore A scale when warmed from 72° F. to 100° F., whereby to obtain higher stiffness during insertion at near room temperature and to obtain lower stiffness for increased comfort at an ear canal temperature.
An earplug which has a stem extending along an axis and having front and rear stem portions, said earplug having a plurality of flanges extending generally radially outward and rearward from said stem front portion at locations thereon that are spaced therealong, wherein:
- said stem and flanges are integrally molded of an elastomeric material which has a durometer between 1 and 50 Shore A, and whose durometer falls by at least 8% when the material is warmed from 72° F. to 100° F.
An earplug molded of an elastomeric material, which includes an axis, a rear stem portion forming a handle and a front stem portion, said earplug including at least one flange that extends from said stem front portion and that is designed to block a person's ear canal, wherein:
- said flange has a radial length, as measured between the flange radially inner end where a front surface of the flange intersects the stem, and a flange radially outer end where the flange front surface is radially furthest from the axis, and said flange has a radially inner half that extends at no more that 15° to the radial direction along a majority of the radial length of said inner half;
- said flange has an axial length, and said flange extends at a rearward and radially outward incline of no more than 25° along at least two-thirds of said flange axial length.
An earplug molded of an elastomeric material, which includes an axis, a rear stem portion forming a handle and a front stem portion, said earplug including at least one flange that extends from said stem front portion and that is designed to block a person's ear canal, wherein:
- said flange has an axial length, as measured between the flange front end where a front surface of the flange intersects the stem, and a flange free rear end;
- said flange extends at a rearward and radially outward incline of no more than 25° along a distance of at least two-thirds of said flange axial length.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.