Earplug with tip cavity and methods of manufacturing the same

An earplug comprising:

• a core comprising a first end, a second end, and a major outer surface, wherein a longitudinal axis extends between the first end and the second end;
• a sound attenuating body attached to the major outer surface of the core, the sound attenuating body comprising a tip and a base, wherein the tip of the sound attenuating body is located proximate the first end of the core and the base is located closer to the second end of the core, and wherein the core extends through at least a portion of the sound attenuating body;
• and
• a tip cavity in the sound attenuating body, wherein the tip cavity extends from the tip of the sound attenuating body towards a bottom nearest to the base of the sound attenuating body, and wherein the tip cavity comprises a tip cavity cross-sectional area that is 1.5 times or more of a core cross-sectional area, wherein the tip cavity cross-sectional area is measured in a first plane located at the first end of the core and transverse to the longitudinal axis, and wherein the core cross-sectional area is measured in a second plane transverse to the longitudinal axis, wherein the second plane passes through the sound attenuating body below the bottom of the tip cavity and above the base of the sound attenuating body;
• wherein the core comprises a head located in the tip cavity, wherein the first end of the core is located on the head and above the bottom surface of the tip cavity, and wherein at least a portion of the head comprises a head cross-sectional area that is greater than the core cross-sectional area, wherein the head cross-sectional area is measured in a plane that is orthogonal to the longitudinal axis and located above the bottom of the tip cavity and below the first end of the core;
• wherein the core is made of a first material and the sound attenuating body is made of a second material, wherein the first material and the second material are different.

A method of making an earplug, the method comprising:

• covering at least a portion of a major outer surface of a core that comprises a first material with a second material that comprises an unactivated foaming agent, wherein the core comprises a first end, a second end, and a major outer surface, wherein a longitudinal axis extends between the first end and the second end;
• inserting the first end of the core and at least a portion of the second material into a mold cavity;
• and
• activating the unactivated foaming agent in the mold cavity to form a sound attenuating body in the mold cavity that is attached to the major outer surface of the core, wherein the sound attenuating body comprises:
• a tip and a base, wherein the tip of the sound attenuating body is located proximate the first end of the core and the base is located closer to the second end of the core than the first end of the core;
• and
• a tip cavity in the sound attenuating body, wherein the tip cavity extends from the tip of the sound attenuating body towards a bottom nearest to the base of the sound attenuating body, and wherein the tip cavity comprises a tip cavity cross-sectional area that is greater than a core cross-sectional area, wherein the tip cavity cross-sectional area is measured in a first plane located at the first end of the core and transverse to the longitudinal axis, wherein the core cross-sectional area is measured in a second plane transverse to the longitudinal axis, wherein the second plane passes through the sound attenuating body below the bottom of the tip cavity and above the base of the sound attenuating body.