US 2020/0368070 A1 · ANIMAL HEARING PROTECTION AND COMMUNICATION DEVICE AND METHOD OF OPERATION

Abstract

A sound-limiting device is provided, that includes an earplug body of a resilient elastomeric material, and that has a first portion whose shape corresponds generally to the shape of the vertical canal of a dog's inner ear, and a second portion sized and configured to flex through the elbow region of the dog's inner ear and into the horizontal canal. A spring element can be encapsulated in the first portion of the earplug body, and configured to apply a spring bias radially outward from an axis extending a length of the earplug body. The spring element is of a shape memory alloy having a transition temperature that is below a normal body temperature of a dog. The device can also include a sound conditioning element configured to produce a signal that is audible to an animal wearing the device.

Claims24

Dependent claims

A device, comprising:

an earplug body, of a resilient elastomeric material, having first and second ends and having a first transverse dimension near a first end, and a second transverse dimension near a second end, the second transverse dimension being at least 3.5 times the first transverse dimension, the body tapering from the first end toward the second end at a varying rate, such that at a point about 40 percent of a total length of the body from the first end, the body has a third transverse dimension of less than about 125 percent of the first transverse dimension, and at a point about 60 percent of the total length of the body from the first end, the body has a fourth transverse dimension of between about 190 percent and about 225 percent of the first transverse dimension;
and
a tab extending from the second end of the body and having a length and a height selected to facilitate grasping for removal of the device.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Animal hearing protection and communication device and method of operation

Life of this patent

Animal hearing protection and communication device and method of operation

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims24