# US 4,396,089 A · Sound muffling cup

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- Number: US 4,396,089 A
- Document ID: US4396089A
- Status: Granted
- Kind: A
- Application number: 06/325,178
- Filed: 1981-11-23
- Granted: 1983-08-02
- Earliest claimed: 1980-05-21
- Inventors: Monya Scully
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US4396089A

## CPC

- G10K 11/16: Methods or devices for protecting against, or for damping, noise or other acoustic waves in general (G10K11/36 takes precedence)
- G10K: SOUND-PRODUCING DEVICES; METHODS OR DEVICES FOR PROTECTING AGAINST, OR FOR DAMPING, NOISE OR OTHER ACOUSTIC WAVES IN GENERAL; ACOUSTICS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR

## Abstract

The invention is directed to providing a sound muffling cup into which an enraged person can shout to release tension while avoiding disturbing other persons. The cup comprises an elongated body portion having a substantially closed end wall at one end, and brim shaped to provide a mouthpiece at the other end. The body portion is of a size such that the fingers can be at least partially wrapped around the body portion for holding of the cup, and the mouthpiece is of a size and contour such that it can be place over the mouth with substantially the entire brim contacting the skin along a generally elliptical line spaced from the lips and on the mouth side of the nose and chin.

## Claims

### Claim 1

Sound muffling cup into which an enraged person can shout to release tension while avoiding disturbing other persons, comprising
an elongated body having a closed end wall at one end and a brim shaped to provide an open mouthpiece at the other end,
a first body portion adjacent said closed end wall being of a size such that the fingers can be at least partially wrapped around said first body portion for holding the cup,
said mouthpiece being of a size and contour such that it can be placed over the mouth with substantially the entire brim contacting the skin along a generally eliptical line spaced from the lips and on the mouth side of the nose and chin,
a second body portion adjacent said mouthpiece diverging from said first body portion to the brin and being coaxial with said first body portion,
an axially disposed hollow tube mounted on said closed end portion and having an open end facing said open mouthpiece, and
four rib-baffles substantially equally spaced apart from each other and extending radially from said hollow tube to said first body portion,
whereby sound waves are trapped and compressed by the fins and the tube so that they are hardly audible at close range.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

Sound muffling cup of claim 1, the body portion being of a size such that with the fingers wrapped around the cup, the thumb and index finger substantially meet.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

Sound muffling cup of claim 1, the cup being formed of a shape retaining plastic.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

Sound muffling cup of claim 1 further including a lining of sound absorbing material.

### Claim 5 (depends on 2)

Sound muffling cup of claim 2 wherein said liner is formed of soft perforated vinyl plastic.