JP2690458B2 - Earplug manufacturing method - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a method of manufacturing earplugs for preventing divers or other divers or swimmers in scuba diving from entering water underwater.

[0002]

It is generally known to use earplugs to prevent divers or other divers or swimmers from entering the ears underwater. In this earplug, a plurality of disc-shaped bodies which are inserted into the external auditory meatus from the one end to the other end are aligned in parallel with each other at predetermined intervals in the longitudinal direction and integrally formed, and a knob portion is integrally formed at the other end. The molded body has a predetermined length.

That is, as shown in FIG. 6, a plurality of annular rib portions 20 to be inserted into the external auditory meatus of the ear are projected at both ends of the rod portion 21 at predetermined intervals in the length direction and in the radial direction. The diameters of the ribs 20 are gradually increased from both ends to the middle to form a cone shape, and the maximum diameter and the minimum diameter are slightly different on both end sides, so that the diameter of the ear canal varies depending on the person. Because there is, it is designed to be used properly.

Further, as shown in FIG. 7, a plurality of annular rib portions 20 each having a predetermined diameter at a predetermined interval in the length direction are formed on the rod portion 21 so as to project in the radial direction and are integrally formed, and
A thick disk-shaped stopper 22 is provided in the middle of the ribs 20.
And the knob 23 is attached to the other end of the rod 21.
Is formed.

Further, as shown in FIG. 8, a plurality of annular rib portions 20 are provided on a hollow rod portion 21 so as to project in the radial direction, and the rib portion 12 on the one end side which is open has a minimum diameter. The other rib portions 12 have the same diameter, the rib portion 12 on the other end side is formed to be slightly thicker, and all the rib portions 1
The peripheral edge of 2 is rounded, and a knob 23 having a large diameter is integrally formed at the other end.

The rib portion 20 and the rod portion 21 are solid bodies integrally molded by an injection molding method in which molten soft resin is injected into a cavity of a mold for molding.
The stopper 22 is made of foam such as sponge.

In order to load these earplugs into the ear canal, either one of the left and right ribs (FIG. 6) or the knob 2 is provided.
3 (FIGS. 7 and 8) is held by hand and the other end is inserted into the ear canal. In the external auditory meatus, the rib portion 20 comes into contact with the inner wall (skin) to form a seal. Since this seal has a plurality of rib portions 20, it has a double or triple waterproofing effect and water enters the ear canal. It was to prevent double or triple.

To remove the earplug, if the other end of the earplug protruding from the ear canal is held and pulled out as it is, the rib portion 20 has elasticity and can be easily removed from the ear canal. it can.

[0009]

However, according to the conventional earplug, the rib portion 20 and the rod portion 21 formed by the injection molding method are solid, and the stopper 22 and the rib portion 20 completely cover the ear canal. Since it is loaded so as to be blocked, the sound insulation effect becomes large, and there is a fear that it is impossible to talk or to detect a dangerous sound in the water.

Further, since the rib portion 20 is solidly formed, no matter how soft resin is formed, the rib portion 20 presses the skin of the ear canal when loaded, which makes it uncomfortable and uncomfortable. Because it is stiffer than a cotton swab when it is taken out, it may cause abrasion of the skin and eventually purulence at the site.

In addition, although the rib portion 20 is integrally formed with the rod portion 21 by a soft resin, it is lacking in flexibility and poor in contractility, and when it is inserted into the ear canal, it reaches the eardrum in some cases. There is a risk of tearing the eardrum.

Furthermore, since the rib portion 20 is formed integrally with the rod portion 21, it is difficult to maintain a perfect circular shape by being squeezed due to molding strain, deformation due to use, etc. Therefore, when loaded, the skin There may be a gap between them and water may leak in.

Therefore, the present invention solves the above drawbacks,
It has a high water blocking effect, reduces the sound insulation effect, and provides flexible earplugs.

[0014]

In the earplug according to the present invention, a fold portion having a plurality of peaks and troughs is formed in a bellows shape from one end to the other end, and the fold is adjacent to the fold. An earplug consisting of an integral hollow molded body in which an annular stopper is formed and a knob is formed at the other end
Monodea Ru.

In the earplug, the fold portion is thinly formed so that the inside is hollow, the fold portion gradually increases in diameter toward the other end side, and the fold portion has a peripheral edge portion. It is characterized in that a taper surface that is inclined toward one end is formed.

That is , in the earplug manufacturing method according to the present invention, the parison, which is obtained by adding the antibacterial agent to the soft vinyl chloride resin, kneading it, and melting and discharging it from the extruder, is divided into the earplug shapes. It is intended to obtain a hollow blow-molded body in which a parison is expanded by sandwiching it in a mold having a cavity and fastening the mold, inserting a blow pin from the die of the mold.

[0017]

[Function] When the pinch part of the earplug is pinched with the fingertip and the fold part is inserted into the ear canal from the smallest diameter side, and the stopper part stops at the entrance of the ear canal, the peripheral part of the fold part or the tapered surface comes into contact with the skin of the ear canal. This state is formed at a plurality of locations in the ear canal to prevent water from entering the ear canal.

Since the earplug is a hollow molded body, it does not block external sound, and an ear having a desired sound insulating effect can be obtained by inserting a substance corresponding to the sound insulating effect into the hollow molded body. As a plug, it can be used as an earplug against noise and the like other than underwater.

Further, since it is a hollow molded body obtained by a hollow blow molding method of a special resin containing an antibacterial agent, the wall thickness can be made thin, and it is flexible and does not damage the eardrum even when it is inserted into the ear canal. Highly effective, can reduce the sound insulation effect,
It is possible to obtain an earplug in which the fold portion is easily adapted to the external auditory meatus and is free from scratches.

[0020]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. As shown in FIG. 1, in the earplug 1, a fold portion 2 having a plurality of peaks and valleys is formed in a bellows shape from one end to the other end, and an annular stopper portion is adjacent to the fold portion 2. 3 is formed, and is formed of an integral hollow molded body having an opening 4 at one end and a knob 5 at the other end. The length L of the earplug 1 is basically arbitrary, and standard dimensions are adopted according to the depth of the ear canal.

The fold portion 2 is an annular body which is thin and easy to bend and is excellent in deformability, and is generally cone-shaped as a whole so that the opening 4 side has a small diameter D ₁ and the picking portion 5 side has a maximum diameter D _2. It has a shape that makes it easy to insert into the ear canal. Further, the stopper portion 3 has a maximum diameter D _{3 in} order to stop the insertion of the fold portion 2 without being inserted into the ear canal. As the minimum diameter D ₁ and the maximum diameter D ₂ , standard dimensions are adopted corresponding to the diameter of the ear canal.

As shown in FIG. 2, the folds 2 on the side of the opening 4 may have the same diameter in series. Therefore, in this example, the length L ₁ is larger than the length L.
Further, as shown in FIGS. 1 (B) and 2 (B), the fold portion 2 is in a state of being inclined toward the knob portion 4 side, and the peripheral edge portion 6 is sharp and a curved surface or a tapered surface 7 is formed from it to the valley portion. The peripheral edge portion 6 makes point contact with the skin of the ear canal, and the tapered surface 7
Is shaped so as to achieve a sealing function by making surface contact with the skin of the ear canal. The opening 4 allows the inside and outside of the earplug 1 to communicate with each other to facilitate entry of the atmosphere and the like, and to propagate vibration of the atmosphere.

FIG. 3 shows an earplug 10 having a shape different from that of the earplug 1 shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, and a main body 11 made of a cone-shaped hollow molded body having a shaft thicker than the earplug 1. In addition, a protrusion-shaped fold portion 2 protruding in a radial direction at a predetermined interval, an opening portion 4 at one end portion, and a knob portion 5 having a large diameter by closing the other end portion are integrally formed. In this example, the knob 5 is not spherical but cylindrical, and the folds 2 have substantially the same height.

In FIG. 3, the opening 4 may be closed to contain air to the extent that the folds 2 can be easily deformed. Further, as shown in FIG. 4, a substance 8 having a desired sound insulation effect may be inserted into the earplug 1. The substance 8 depending on the sound insulation effect is, for example, sponge, rubber, synthetic cotton, or the like. Further, the fold portion 2 may be integrally formed in a spiral shape.

Regarding the loading of the earplugs 1 and 10, the knob 5 is pinched with the fingertips to hold the earplug 1 in the ear canal 13 of the ear 12 and the stopper 3 to the entrance of the ear canal 13 as shown in FIG. Insert until stopped. At the time of this loading, the knob 5
If is rotated with a fingertip and is rotated so as to screw the entire earplug 1 into the ear canal 13, the water-stopping effect and the sound insulation reducing effect are improved because the earplug 1 is inserted in a very good manner.

When loaded in this way, the stopper portion 3 comes into contact with the entrance of the ear canal 13, and the peripheral edge portion 6 and the tapered surface 7 of the fold portion 2 come into contact with the skin of the ear canal 13 to seal the ear canal. It is prevented from penetrating into the ear canal 13 from the 14 side. Further, since the inside is hollow, the sound insulation effect is reduced.

Next, a method of manufacturing the earplugs 1 and 10 will be described. A so-called blow molding method is adopted by using a resin hollow molding apparatus. That is, in an extruder in a blow molding machine, a soft vinyl chloride resin and an antibacterial agent are kneaded and melted, discharged as a parison, and the parison is clamped by a mold and then the mold is clamped by a mold clamping device. Then, the blow pin is inserted into the die of the mold to expand the parison, and the parison is given a shape along the inner surface of the cavity engraved in the mold, which is solidified to form the earplug. Blow molding work is a normal method without any difference from general blow molding work.

The soft vinyl chloride resin is best known as a medical soft vinyl chloride known as a medical resin often used for molding medical products. In addition, the antibacterial agent has a long antibacterial spectrum that does not denature when heated with resin,
Antibacterial agents with high safety are the best.

Since the earplugs 1 and 10 are hollow moldings formed by the blow molding method, the earplugs 1 and 10 can be formed into a thin wall without completely blocking external sound, and moreover, it is possible to prevent water from entering the ear canal. To prevent.

Moreover, since it is a thin and hollow molded body, it is highly flexible, does not break the eardrum when loaded, is easy to fit in the ear canal, is hard to get a habit, and is made of a soft vinyl chloride resin material. Since an antibacterial agent is added, it is sterilized even if fungi adhere, and there is no fear of damaging the ear canal and causing pus.

Since the folds 2 gradually increase in diameter from one end to the other, the folds with the smallest diameter are drawn into the ear canal, and the knob is rotated to rotate the entire earplug 1. It can be screwed into the ear canal for easy loading. Furthermore, since the folds 2 are formed thinly and the inside is hollow to form a bellows body, the folds 2 are excellent in deformability and easily fit in the ear canal.

Further, the peripheral portion 6 of the fold portion 2 and the tapered surface 7
Since this is formed, the sealability of the external auditory meatus with the skin is improved, and the water blocking effect is improved. In addition, since the opening 4 is formed, the atmosphere can freely flow in and out, and the function of transmitting the vibration to the inside of the ear is not impaired.

When the substance 8 having a sound insulation effect is inserted into the hollow molded body, it is used not only as an earplug used for stopping water in water but also as an earplug for avoiding sleep and noise. In addition to the advantages that can be achieved, mass production with a hollow molding device is easy and can be provided at low cost.

[0034]

As described above, according to the present invention, since it is a hollow molded article produced by the blow molding method, it can be formed into a thin wall without completely blocking external sound, and moreover, water can enter the ear canal. Prevent.

Moreover, since it is a thin hollow molding, it is highly flexible, does not break the eardrum when loaded, easily fits in the ear canal, is hard to get a habit, and is made of a soft vinyl chloride resin material. Since it contains an antibacterial agent, it is sterilized even if fungi adhere to it, and there is no danger of damaging the ear canal and causing pus.

Further, since the fold portion is gradually increased in diameter from one end to the other end, and is formed thinly to form a bellows body with a hollow inside, it easily fits into the external auditory meatus, so that there is little discomfort when loaded. Become. Further, since the peripheral portion and the tapered surface are formed in the fold portion, the sealing property with the skin of the ear canal is improved.

When a substance having a sound insulation effect is inserted into the hollow molded article, it can be used as an earplug for avoiding sleep or noise. In addition, mass production with a hollow molding device is easy and can be provided at low cost.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view (A) and a half sectional side view (B) showing an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view (A) and a half sectional side view (B) showing another embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view (A) and a vertical side view (B) showing still another example of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a vertical sectional side view showing still another example of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating the operation of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view (A) and a vertical sectional side view (B) of a conventional example.

FIG. 7 is a perspective view (A) and a vertical side view (B) of another conventional example.

FIG. 8 is a perspective view (A) and a vertical side view (B) of another conventional example.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1, 10 ... Earplugs 2 ... Folding portion 3 ... Stopper portion 4 ... Opening portion 5 ... Picking portion 6 ... Peripheral portion 7 ... Tapered surface 8 ... Substance according to sound insulation effect

Claims (2)

(57) [Claims] 1. An antibacterial agent is added to a soft vinyl chloride resin and kneaded.
And melt the parison discharged from the extruder,
Clamped in a mold that has a cavity with a split earplug shape
Then fasten the mold and insert the blow pin from the die
Expand parison to manufacture hollow earplugs
A method for manufacturing an earplug, comprising: 2. The earplug shape extends from one end to the other end.
On the other hand, the wall is thin with multiple peaks and valleys and gradually increases toward the other end.
A taper that has a large diameter and inclines from the peripheral edge toward the one end.
A fold portion having a par surface is formed in a bellows shape and is adjacent to the fold portion.
And an annular stopper is formed, and the other end
The feature is that it consists of an integral hollow molded body with a knob formed on the
The method for manufacturing an earplug according to claim 1, which is a characteristic of the earplug.