Hearing protection device with convoluted acoustic horn
Assignee3M Innovative Properties Company
InventorJacob H. Ely
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An earpiece body with a convoluted acoustic horn and a hearing protection device that includes the earpiece body. The convoluted acoustic horn that is configured to receive airborne sound waves through a first, sound-receiving opening and to emit airborne sound waves through a second, sound-emitting opening, wherein the first, sound-receiving opening is larger in cross-sectional area than the second, sound-emitting opening.
Claims23
An earpiece body that is configured to reside in the concha of a user's ear and that comprises a convoluted acoustic horn that is configured to receive airborne sound waves through a first, sound-receiving opening and to emit airborne sound waves through a second, sound-emitting opening,
- wherein the first, sound-receiving opening is larger in cross-sectional area than the second, sound-emitting opening by an incremental percentage of from about 150 to about 1600;
- wherein the second, sound-emitting opening is an offset opening;
- and wherein the first, sound-receiving opening and the second, sound-emitting opening are fluidly connected with each other so as to provide the convoluted acoustic horn;
- and,
- wherein the earpiece body is configured to accept an eartip that is attachable thereto, the eartip being configured to fit into the ear canal of the user's ear and the earpiece body and the eartip combining to provide a passive hearing protection device.
A passive hearing protection device configured to fit in the ear of a human user, comprising:
- an earpiece body that is configured to reside in the concha of a user's ear and that comprises a convoluted acoustic horn that is configured to receive airborne sound waves through a first, sound-receiving opening and to emit airborne sound waves through a second, sound-emitting opening,
- wherein the first, sound-receiving opening is larger in cross-sectional area than the second, sound-emitting opening by an incremental percentage of from about 150 to about 1400;
- wherein the second, sound-emitting opening is an offset opening;
- and wherein the first, sound-receiving opening and the second, sound-emitting opening are fluidly connected with each other so as to provide the convoluted acoustic horn;
- and,
- an eartip configured to fit into the ear canal of the user's ear, the eartip being attached to the earpiece body and comprising an airborne-sound-transmissive through-passage with a primary, sound-receiving opening that is configured to receive airborne sound that has passed through the convoluted horn of the earpiece body and with a secondary, sound-emitting opening that faces toward the inner ear of the user.
A kit comprising:
- at least one earpiece body that is configured to reside in the concha of a user's ear and that comprises a convoluted acoustic horn that is configured to receive airborne sound waves through a first, sound-receiving opening and to emit airborne sound waves through a second, sound-emitting opening,
- wherein the first, sound-receiving opening is larger in cross-sectional area than the second, sound-emitting opening by an incremental percentage of from about 150 to about 1400;
- wherein the second, sound-emitting opening is an offset opening;
- and wherein the first, sound-receiving opening and the second, sound-emitting opening are fluidly connected with each other so as to provide the convoluted acoustic horn;
- and,
- at least one eartip configured to fit into the ear canal of the user's ear, the eartip being further configured to be attachable to the earpiece body.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.