NL1039885C2

NL1039885C2 - Sound damping ear protector, with a universal fitting.

Info

Publication number: NL1039885C2
Application number: NL1039885A
Authority: NL
Inventors: Rudi Groeneveld
Original assignee: Ontwerpstudio Dunc B V; Rudi Groeneveld
Priority date: 2012-11-09
Filing date: 2012-11-09
Publication date: 2014-05-12

Description

Application for a Patent

Title: Sound damping ear protector, with a universal fitting.

5 This development relates to a sound damping hearing protector placeable in the auditory duct of an individual. The hearing protector has a universal fitting. Such a hearing protector is known from practice. Hearing protectors consist of different materials and have different shapes. In practice there are hearing protectors with and without filters in use.

10 A disadvantage of the known hearing protectors with a universal fitting is the bad fitting and the lack of comfort mainly due to the straight construction. The straight construction is placed into a bended ear canal. Hearing protectors need to be placed deep and carefully in the ear canal. It is known from practice that most users do not place the protectors in the ear correctly due to 15 fact that the geometry of the current universal plugs makes it difficult to place the protectors correct. This results often in a bad sealing and subsequently in insufficient protection.

Due to the construction of the plug and movement of the jaws, it can come loose en will be pushed out of the ear canal. This will result in the loss of 20 protection.

The existing (flange type) universal hearing protectors often have a simple small channel filter. The high frequencies, for example between 1 kHz and 3 kHz, will be perceived only relatively weak. This negatively affects the speech intelligibility when the hearing protector is used. Other (foam type) existing 25 universal hearing protectors have no filter. The higher frequencies will be muted in this case even more. These do not offer ventilation to the ear canal which normally is experienced as unpleasant and contributes to loosening of the plug from the ear.

Due to the straight construction and depending on the depth of insertion, 30 existing universal hearing protectors stick out often relatively far from the ear. This is less aesthetically, has a funny look and is perceived as dangerous in case of impact from the outside.

1039885 2

The straight construction of some universal hearing protectors results, depending on the size and shape of the ear canal, in unpleasant pressure points and discomfort.

5 The aim of the development is to ensure a universal hearing protector without the disadvantages described above. This means that the universal hearing protector is easy to fit in most ears and is comfortable to wear. Due to the construction the hearing protector remains in the ear and will not come loose in case of moving the jaws.

10 Due to the shape which is corresponding to the ear canal, this hearing protector is not sticking out from the ear canal and is because of this, less vulnerable to an outside impact.

The ergonomically and graceful shaped handgrip will encourage the use of this protector.

15

The construction consists of a sleeve attached to a backbone. This backbone consists of a channel with a sound filter. The shape of the sleeve is unique and established from a long study and many measurements on imprints of the ear canal. The shape obtained in this way, in combination with the air 20 chambers will seal almost all ear canals.

The material properties, like the hardness, and the shape of the sleeve are determined in such a way that it feels soft but gives enough pressure by following the geometry of the ear canal, and by simultaneously trying to reestablish the initial shape, that it will seal the ear canal against outside noise. 25 Due to the fact that the canal of the backbone is made from a stiff or less flexible material, it stays open to transport a safe level of sound form the outside to the eardrum.

The filter is made from a metal foil with one or more small perforations placed in a frame which fits in the backbone. The position of this filter is as close as 30 possible near to entrance of the ear canal, deeply in the shell of the outer ear. This will contribute to a better perception of the high frequencies.

To cover a population as big as possible and in order to achieve a good sealing, two sleeves come along with the backbone. The right size is chosen 3 by first trying the large sleeve. In the event that this is not possible or painful, it is possible to remove the sleeve and replace it by the smaller sleeve.

The invention will now be further elucidated on the basis of an exemplary 5 embodiment represented in a drawing.

Fig 1 shows a cross section of a hearing protector with sleeve, backbone and filter in accordance with the invention.

Fig 2 shows a second sleeve 10 It is noted that the figures are only schematic representations of preferred embodiments of the invention. In the figures the same or like parts have been indicated by corresponding reference numerals.

Figure 1 shows an ear protector 10 having a sleeve 1 and a backbone 2 placeable in the auditory duct of a person. The backbone 2 comprises a canal 15 3 which extends from side 4 of the sleeve which is in use is located on the ear shell side of the ear, to the side 5 of the auditory duct which is in use is located on the eardrum side of the ear. Fitted in the backbone 2 is a sound damping filter 6 .

20 Figure 2 shows a sleeve 7 with an other outside geometry than sleeve 1. Sleeve 7 can be attached to backbone 2 similarly as sleeve 1.

By using sleeve 1 most of the ear canals can be sealed. By changing the sleeve 1 for sleeve 7 most of the smaller ear canals will be sealed with a 25 better comfort. Ear canals with a nominal size can be sealed by both sleeves.

The passage of the sound damping canal is closed off by means of a metal foil 6. The foil 6 is substantially disc shaped. The foil 6 is provided with a single or a multiple number of perforation(s) 8. By adjusting the size of the 30 perforation the damping characteristic can be altered.

The invention is not limited to the embodiments discussed here, but may be practiced in other ways.

4

Thus the sleeve and backbone may also be fitted to an in-ear monitor. In such a case the filter will be replaced with a housing that consists of a in-ear monitor. The combination of the in-ear monitor and backbone with sleeve 5 results in an in-ear monitor with a universal fitting.

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Claims

1. A sound-damping hearing protector placeable in the ear canal of a person, comprising a frame core and a casing with an outer surface that is more flexible than the frame core that carries the casing, in an assembled state of the hearing protector, and wherein the casing is removable from the frame core in a reusable manner.

2. Hearing protector according to claim 1, wherein the casing substantially surrounds the frame core.

3. Hearing protector according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the frame core has a substantially elongated structure with a first end near the eardrum of the person, and a second end near the ear of the person when the hearing protector is placed in the ear canal, and wherein the sheath surrounds the elongated structure in circumferential direction such that the outer surface of the sheath comes into contact with the ear canal.

Ear canal as claimed in any of the foregoing claims, wherein the frame core is resilient.

5. Ear canal as claimed in any of the foregoing claims, comprising a single or a plurality of air chambers that are at least partially bounded by the radial inner side of the envelope.

6. Ear canal as claimed in any of the foregoing claims, wherein the frame core defines a channel between ends of the frame core.

An auditory canal as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, further comprising a filter, preferably formed as a metal foil with at least one opening, placed in the channel defined by the frame core or at one of its ends.

Ear canal as claimed in any of the foregoing claims, further comprising an internal monitor (in-ear monitor) placed in the channel defined by the frame core or at one of its ends.

A kit of parts for forming a sound-damping hearing protector that can be placed in the ear canal of a person, comprising a frame core and at least one cover with an outer surface that is more flexible the frame core, and wherein the frame core and the cover can be assembled such that the frame core carries the casing, and wherein the casing 5 is removable from the frame core in a reusable manner.

Kit or parts according to claim 9, comprising at least two sheaths with an outer surface that is more flexible than the frame core, wherein the sheaths have mutually different dimensions and / or geometries. 10

11. Method for assembling or disassembling a sound attenuating hearing protector placeable in a person's auditory canal, comprising a step of attaching or removing a sheath to / from a frame core, the sheath having an outer surface that is more flexible than the frame core that carries the sheath, in the assembled state of the hearing protector, and wherein the sheath is removable from the frame core in a reusable manner.

12. Method as claimed in claim 11, comprising a step of replacing a first casing carried by the frame core with a second casing. 1 03 9 8 85