Hearing protective device with moisture resistant earmuff sound absorbers
Assignee3M Innovative Properties Company
InventorsRAFAEL P. FERNANDES, ELEM CRISTINA CARLOS RIBEIRO, RODRIGO H. MAZZA, EMILIO CARLOS P. DE GOUVEA
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An earmuff hearing protective device whose earmuffs each include a generally cup-shaped, substantially rigid shell having a head-facing rim; a head-engaging, ear-encircling cushion affixed to the rim; and a sound absorber inside the shell. The sound absorber has a moisture-resistant integral skin substantially surrounding an open cell foam interior having lower density and greater porosity than that of the skin. The skin helps discourage moisture pickup and microbial growth.
Claims26
An earmuff hearing protective device comprising:
- a) a headpiece;
- b) a pair of earmuffs affixed to the headpiece, each earmuff comprising:
- i. a generally cup-shaped, substantially rigid shell having a head-facing rim;
- ii. a head-engaging, ear-encircling cushion affixed to the rim:
- iii. a sound absorber inside the shell, the sound absorber having a moisture-resistant integral skin substantially surrounding an open cell foam interior having lower density and greater porosity than that of the skin.
A sound absorber for use in a hearing protective device having an earmuff comprising a generally cup-shaped, substantially rigid shell having a head-facing rim and a head-engaging, ear-encircling cushion affixed to the rim, the sound absorber having a moisture-resistant integral skin substantially surrounding an open cell foam interior having lower density and greater porosity than that of the skin and being shaped to fit inside and line the shell.
A method for making an earmuff hearing protective device, which method comprises:
- a) providing a headpiece
- b) providing a pair of earmuffs comprising a generally cup-shaped, substantially rigid shell having a head-facing rim and a head-engaging, ear-encircling cushion affixed to the rim;
- c) placing a sound absorber inside each shell, the sound absorber having a moisture-resistant integral skin substantially surrounding an open cell foam interior having lower density and greater porosity than that of the skin;
- and
- d) affixing the earmuffs to the headpiece.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.