# US 8,739,798 B2 · Hearing protection earplug

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- Number: US 8,739,798 B2
- Document ID: US8739798B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 12/676,969
- Filed: 2008-08-27
- Published: 2010-12-09
- Granted: 2014-06-03
- Earliest claimed: 2007-09-07
- Assignees: Uvex Arbeitsschutz GmbH
- Applicants: Göran Berg; Jörgen Hakannson
- Inventors: Göran Berg; Jörgen Hakannson
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8739798B2

## CPC

- A61F 11/08: internal, e.g. earplugs
- A61F: FILTERS IMPLANTABLE INTO BLOOD VESSELS; PROSTHESES; DEVICES PROVIDING PATENCY TO, OR PREVENTING COLLAPSING OF, TUBULAR STRUCTURES OF THE BODY, e.g. STENTS; ORTHOPAEDIC, NURSING OR CONTRACEPTIVE DEVICES; FOMENTATION; TREATMENT OR PROTECTION OF EYES OR EARS; BANDAGES, DRESSINGS OR ABSORBENT PADS; FIRST-AID KITS (dental prosthetics A61C)

## Abstract

In a hearing protection earplug made of foamed material, provision is made in order to attain a defined attenuation and avoid annoyances caused by self-generated sounds, that the surface of the hearing protection earplug has hollows in the area of the inner end face. The hearing protection earplug includes a main body having a central center longitudinal axis and in the direction of this central center longitudinal axis an axially inner end face and an axially outer end face. In the area of the inner end face, surface area enlarging inner hollows are provided, one of which, in the form of an inner central longitudinal hollow, extends inward longitudinally relative to the center longitudinal axis, starting from the inner end face. Also provided is an outer central longitudinal hollow that extends inward longitudinally relative to the center longitudinal axis, starting from the outer end face. The inner and the outer central longitudinal hollow are separated from each other by a continuous transverse wall extending perpendicular to the central center longitudinal axis.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A hearing protection earplug comprising a main body (1) consisting of foamed material, wherein
a) the main body (1) has a central center longitudinal axis (12) and in the direction of said central center longitudinal axis (12) an axially inner end face (2) and an axially outer end face (3),
b) surface area enlarging inner hollows (5, 6) are provided in the area of the inner end face (2), and include an inner central longitudinal hollow (6), which extends inward longitudinally relative to the center longitudinal axis (12), starting from the inner end face (2),
c) an outer central longitudinal hollow (8) is provided that extends inward longitudinally relative to the center longitudinal axis (12), starting from the outer end face (3),
d) the inner and the outer central longitudinal hollows (6, 8) are separated from each other by a continuous transverse wall (7) extending perpendicular relative to the central center longitudinal axis (12), and
e) the surface area enlarging inner hollows (5, 6) further include at least partly circumferential-surface hollows (5) disposed at a circumferential outer surface (13) of the main body (1) and extending in the direction of the central center longitudinal axis (12) and extending to within the inner end face (2) resulting in a texturing of the inner end face (2) and in a formation of cavities in the inner end face (2), and
wherein the hearing protection earplug is formed from an injection molded material and in one piece.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

A hearing protection earplug according to claim 1 wherein four of the circumferential-surface hollows (5) are provided and are evenly distributed about the circumferential surface (13).

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

A hearing protection earplug according to claim 1, wherein the circumferential-surface hollows (5) are channel-shaped and extend starting from a lateral area of the circumferential surface (13) to within the vicinity of an opening of the inner central longitudinal hollow (6) disposed at the inner end face (2).

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

A hearing protection earplug according to claim 1, wherein, in the area of the outer end face (3), a collar-like widening (4) is provided.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

A hearing protection earplug according to claim 1, wherein, at the outer end face (3) a base hollow (9) is provided, into the base bottom (10) of which the outer central longitudinal hollow (8) opens.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

A hearing protection earplug according to claim 1, wherein, laterally next to the outer central longitudinal hollow (8) at least one additional longitudinal hollow (11) is provided that extends parallel to the outer central longitudinal hollow (8) and the central center longitudinal axis (12) into the main body (1).