US3603309A

US3603309A - Ear mold protector

Info

Publication number: US3603309A
Application number: US866797A
Authority: US
Inventors: Fred Wesemann
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1969-10-14
Filing date: 1969-10-14
Publication date: 1971-09-07
Anticipated expiration: 1988-09-07

Abstract

This invention relates to a new method of ear protection embodying a combined ear plug and protector, having a medicated salve sealant cavity, and made of resilient material and embodying a manually operable ball valve of the same material at the innermost end in the auditory canal extension thereof.

Description

0 United States Patent m1 3,603,309

[72] Inventor Fred Wesemann 2,88l,759 4/1959 Hocks et al 128/152 239 Villa Vista, Sterling, Colo. 80751 FOREIGN PATENTS ii fi No $13 120.571 1/1948 Sweden 128/152 Pmcmed Sept. 74,488 8/l9l7 Switzerland 128/152 Primary Examinen-Lawrence Charles Attorney-Wilbur A. E. Mitchell [54] EAR MOLD PROTECTOR Claims, 7 Drawing Figs.

[52] US. Cl 128/152 [51] inLCl A6li 11/02 Of Search inventign relatgs to a new method of ear protection embodying a combined ear plug and protector, 56 R f ed having a medicated salve sealant cavity, and made of resilient l e erences material and embodying a manually operable ball valve of the UNITED STATES PATENTS same material at the innermost end in the auditory canal ex- 2,785,675 3/1957 Berkman 128/152 tension thereof.

PATENIEDSEP new 3,603, 303

INVENTOR: Fred Wesemann ATTORNEY! EAR MOLD PROTECTOR Noise is a threat to hearing and a serious health problem. Factory workers show twice the hearing loss of office workers at the same age. Wheat farmers working with noisy tractors also show such hearing loss. The permanent hearing loss produced by extended exposure to certain occupational noises is one of the common types of neurosensory deafness and constitutes, in our increasingly industrial and mechanized civilization, a serious health problem. Four factors have emerged as.

basic considerations: characteristics of the noise (primarily its tone or pitch); length of exposure to the noise; the intensity (volume) of the noise; and individual susceptibility. The human ear has a built-in mechanism which protects hearing, to a certain extent, against loud noises. The muscles attached to two of the small conducting bones of the middle ear contract when noise volume is high, thus diminishing the vibratory pressures on the inner ear and auditory nerve. The susceptibility of an individual to loud noises depends upon how well these muscles function.

Sound frequencies above l6,000 cycles are generally inaudible and are known as ultrasonics. The speech zone is from 500 to 2,000 cycles, and hearing loss in this area results in handicap. The decibel range of sound is from a whisper at about db. to ajet aircraft at 160 or more. Ordinary conversation take place at a volume of about 60 db. It has been determined that there is a very high probability of damage in noises starting at levels of 120 to 130 db., even with short exposure. Volume of 100 to 120 db. is likely to produce ultimate damage over longer periods of exposure, and noise at even 90 to 100 db. may produce damage in highly susceptible individuals. The level of 90 db. lies about midway between the noise of heavy auto traffic and that of a subway. Some of the types of noise known to be damaging include firecrackers, firearm shots and industrial and occupational noises, such as those in a tin shop, a factory, around aircraft, or those encountered in using tractors with faulty mufflers in farming. Drivers of sports cars and the mechanics who tune them often suffer noise damage. Persons who shoot a rifle or shotgun right-handed may damage the left ear, and vice versa. Hearing loss caused by noise may be either temporary or permanent. All of us have noticed that we are briefly deafened after a sudden, loud noise. Since the auditory nerve can rehabilitate itself in about six months after minor damage, the division between temporary and permanent loss is set at that point. Prevention is the most important. Noises found to be dangerous should be controlled by providing protective equipment such as earplugs or muffs.

Some people have perforated conditions of the ear drum causing middle ear infection, such as on swimming, so it is necessary to effect an ear seal. For them I provide my ear plug with a peripheral pocket or groove in which a medicated antibiotic sealant salve can be placed, to better seal out water in combination with my novel ball valve and to assure infection prevention of the inner ear, on use of my novel ear protector.

The conventional heretofore ear plug or muff-shell type protector used has been without too much success, to protect the sensory cells of the inner ear from high and low frequency sound waves common to irritating noises, such as in manufacturing plants, as far as known. The primary fault of the commonly used ear plugs has been their tendency to cause discomfort to the wearer.

It is to be remembered that the tympanic membrane constitutes complete physical partition between the auditory meatus and the cavity containing the tympanum and which cavity is connected to the mouth cavity by the eustachian tube. This tube, in its pneumatic functioning, is intended to effect a balance in air pressure between the auditory meatus and the tympanic cavity. This function is effective when air pressures vary gradually, but it fails completely with the violent pressure change in the auditory meatus caused by sudden intense sound waves. It is the purpose of ear protecting devices to annul the injurious effect of this air concussion.

The heretofore conventional solid or noncircumferentially expandable ear plug is held in place as: a result of fitting snugly within the auditory canal of the wearer, and results in an effectiveness in proportion to its snug fit therein. To overcome the uncomfortableness to the wearer they are usually made of a rubberlike material and they are solid to completely block off or dampen noise sound wave transmission.

A real problem exists for shooters and at shooting matches, in that there is great danger of injuring the shooters hearing from the excessive noise. An effort to meet that complete blockage of that sound transmission has been heretofore made by the use of conventional solid ear plugs of the type mentioned. There are times however, when the shooter has to be able to hear, so he has to remove the plug for that purpose, with resultant need of repeated insert and removal periodically throughout the meet.

Applicant's novel ear protector is made of a conventional resilient, medically qualified and so-called plastic, material in its entire outer configuration, comprisinga combined auditory canal ear plug and ear or pinna shell, with novel features, namely: by providing an internal completely enclosed sound dampening area filled with sound dampening acoustical material, such as styrofoam; by providing a small attenuator opening from the exterior longitudinally throughout the ear plug portion which leads into the ear canal, and at the extreme inner end of that canal projection portion providing a novel operable ball-valve for closing that end whenever the wearer wishes to close it and with that ball operable by a pull-string extending through that attenuator hole, for a closing operation on the wearer pulling the string to seat the ball into the flared inner end of the attenuator opening; the wearer may manipulate the unit in the ear with his fingers when he wishes to release the ball from sealing that inner end opening without removing the protector unit from his ear; and by providing that combination with a salve sealant carried in an outer pocket at the ear plug end thereof.

This invention relates to a method of protecting the tympanic membrance and tympanum of the ear and the inner car by providing such a novel soft resilient operable ball valve with such resilient auditory canal plug, with the latter having a salve sealant carrying pocket and having a small attenuator opening, combination, on a closing of the attenuator opening for prevention of sound entering the auditory canal. Further, by providing that novel operable method of expanding said resilient inner end of the canal plug portion by means of such ball valve while within the inner canal of the ear, in combination with the medicated salve sealant, effects a tight seal of the plug extension in the ear auditory canal while accomplishing that closing of the attenuator opening.

This invention is unique and entirely different from the heretofore ear plugs and shells conventionally used, in that, in addition to my novel operable ball-valve expansible-canaltube, of my protector unit, providing a novel mechanical means to protect the pinna of the ear from concentrating sound waves into the external auditory canal towards the tympanic membrane, also provide a sound, dampening acoustical material embodied in a sound trap in the main pinna shell portion of my overall protector unit.

By the use of my ear protector, l interfere with the concentration of sound waves, and l substantially reduce the number of such waves reaching the tympanic membrane and ear drum. 1 also provide medicated sealant salve with such sound wave protection for the wearer having an injured ear drum.

l form my ear protector unit for the individual wearer by first making an ear mold impression, by the simple method of placing a piece of cotton in the canal of the ear with the index finger as far as reasonably possible without causing pain and which cotton has a string attached thereto extending out of the car; then I mix the conventional medically qualified plastic material into its soft mass form and, before the mixture congeals, form that mixture into an elongated portion about the size of a small carrot and insert the small end thereof into the canal portion of the ear and press it firmly with the index finger to cause the material to enter the canal and reach the cotton pellet with just enough force that the material expands and completely fills the canal to that cotton pellet, and then I spreadingly press and work the remaining material completely over the exterior pinna configurations and cavity of the ear. After the material sets for about ten minutes in the ear it is then removed, by a working of the jaws a few times, as if chewing and by opening the mouth several times, and by gently pulling that string and rotating the material into the angle of least resistance. Then with that impression mold, in my laboratory, I make an exact ear protector combined single unit ear plug and shell for that individual wearer. It is to be noted, as shown in the drawing, that in the formation thereofl provide a small approximate to decibel attenuator opening from the exterior of the protector shell inwardly and completely through the canal plug extension portion thereof, and which extends into the auditory canal. I provide a medicated salve sealant pocket on the outer surface of the inner ear end portion of the plug, to assist in sealing the plug in the ear, and to protect the inner ear of those wearers not having an ear drum from infection, on my novel valve closing of that plug, as will be explained. The inward end of that attenuator opening of the plug portion is formed as a conical outwardly flared extension of that attenuator opening. I provide a ball of the same plastic material, having a diameter of about four times the size of that of the attenuator opening, with a nylon string embedded in the ball and with that string loosely extending throughout the length of that attenuator opening and with a grasping ring on the outer end thereof. It will be seen when my protector is in place in the ear that an outward pulling of the ring, at the outer end of the string extending from the ball valve, will cause that ball to wedge within the conical extension of the attenuator opening in direction outwardly of the ear canal thus closing the attenuator opening. The wearer may release that ball by opening and working his mouth and jaws, which will cause the ball to slightly move and thereby be released, due to the conical angular wall pressure of the resilient side of that conical extension causing the ball to slip out therefrom. Likewise the wearer can accomplish such a ball opening by a manual manipulation of the protector outer pinna portion in place in the ear with his fingers, which will cause that release movement of the ball at that inner end.

Therefore it is a principal object of my invention to provide a novel hearing depressor ear piece of resilient material having a ball valve and adapted for mechanical operation of the ball valve, in combination with the resilient auditory canal portion thereof, into closed and open valve relationship, by the wearer as may be desired, without the necessity of removing the protector from the ear, in combination with such resiliency in affecting such valve operation.

Another object is to provide one or more medicated sealant salve pockets externally of the canal portion thereof, so the sealant may assist in a better valve seal and also to thereby carry a medication in the sealant to guard against inner ear infection for wearers having ear drum deformity.

Other objects will be apparent to those skilled in the art.

Throughout the drawings I have used like or similar characters of reference to indicate like or similar parts in the various views, and in which: i

FIG. 1 is an elevational view of the outer pinna portion of the ear and showing a partial vertical crosssectional extended auditory canal portion therefrom;

FIG. 2 is a similar view but with my novel ear protector in place therein and its ball 23 wedgedly in place;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged view similar to the one in FIG. 2 but with ball 23 loosely inoperative;

FIG. 4 isan elevational view of my novel ear protector by itself, rotated so that the auditory canal extension portion thereof is totthe right as illustrated, instead as to the left as in the other views, to show the configuration of the inner side of the entireprotector which fits into the ear;

is a reduced partial vertical cross-sectional view of FIG. 6 is an enlarged partial cross-sectional view of the inner end of the auditory canal extension portion of my protector and with the ball thereof pulled into valve closed opera- .ble position; and

FIG. 7 is a similar view to that as shown in FIG. 6 but with the operable ball having been released from valve closed position.

FIGS. 2, 3, and 4 show my novel ear protector finished product in its entirety. FIGS. 6 and 7 show the novel innermost end of my auditory canal extension portion 20 having the conically outwardly flared extension 22, of the attenuator opening 21. I provide a ball 23 at that conical extremity. Ball 23 is secured to one end of a string 24 extending through opening 21. FIG. 6 shows closed ball valve 2322 condition and FIG. 7 shows that valve in open condition. String 24 is approximately inch longer than the overall length of the attenuator hole 21 centrally of my protector 10. I secure a grasping ring at the outer end of the string 24. As explained, in the formation of the individual ear protector, I form the elongated ear plug 20 with a relatively small attenuator opening 21, extending completely from the outer surface of my protector 10 throughout the length of that auditory canal or plug extension 20 portion thereof, and forming the inner end or extremity of opening 21 as outwardly conically flared, as shown. Ball 23 is made of the same relatively resilient plastic material, of which the entire protector 10 is made, with ball 23 of a diameter slightly less than the inner peripheral diameter of the outwardly flared and conical rim of portion 22 of attenuator opening 21.

In this illustrated embodiment of my invention, I provide a peripheral groove 30, in which the wearer places a suitable antibiotic medicated sealant salve, before insert of plug 20 into the ear canal, which acts at body temperature to be dispersed around plug 20 for better sealing thereof in the ear canal on closing operation of my novel ball valve, and such as in swimming for a wearer without an ear drum, to keep out water, and for medical reasons, to avoid inner ear infection for such a wearer.

FIG. 6, I illustrate how a pulling of the string 24, by its ring 50, has caused the ball 23 to wedgingly be pulled into the resilient conical cavity 22, and thereby caused a slight resilient expansion of the outer periphery of that end inner of the auditory canal plug extension 20 of my protector, for closed valve tube 21 condition, to prevent any sound waves passing through that attenuator tube 21 into the inner auditory canal extremity and against the tympanic membrane. That is the closed valve condition which a shooter, for example, uses to block out the noise, at a shooting match or a trap shoot or other firearm firing range. Also, such closed valve condition would prevent water entering into the inner ear. It is to be noted that expansion, caused by that closed valve condition affected by the ball 23 wedging into cone end 22 of that auditory canal end, effects a holding of that canal extension end of my protector plug portion 20 in place in the car, by the illustrated peripheral expansion of that plug end.

It should further be noted that such valve 2322 closing, by that slip-joint expansion, as just explained, effected by a pulling to the right, as illustrated in FIG. 7, of the ball 23 within the funnel like cone 22, by string 24, is capable of adjustment by the wearer. Should that ball valve expansion be uncomfortable, the wearer may adjustingly reduce same by a manipulating of that auditory canal extension.20 portion of my protector as explained, by a yawning or opening of the mouth or working of the jaws, or a slight compressive movement of the outer ear-shell protector surface, by his fingers, toward each other on the outer exterior of my protector 10, at the points indicated by the dotted line reference characters R. Thereby such slight manipulation will cause a slight flexing extended movement throughout the inner canal plug portion 20 sufficiently to cause the ball 23 to slip outwardly from its the ability to be able manually to adjustably partially or completely release the ball 23 from that closed condition, in cooperation with the resiliency of the material at that inner end of that canal extension of my protector, is a very important, essential and novel part of my novel composite car protector. Further, the use of the medicated sealant salve, ex plained, carried in groove 30, accentuates that closed ball valve condition, as explained, and as will be understood,

As explained, it is to be noted in the formation of my entire outer pinna portion, fitting into the outer ear, that l imbed sound dampening acoustical material, such as styrofoam 48, in an enclosed inner cavity K therein and which inner cavity extends completely around the attenuator hole 21, as illustrated. That acoustical material, in that enclosed cavity, increases the sound deadening affect of the main resilient plastic material used in the formation of my entire ear protector and assists in deadening the sound which otherwise would pass through the outer and upper thin parts thereof and of the ear tissue, and which sound otherwise would proceed into the wearers mastoids and cause a bone conduction thereof. The size and placement of that enclosed cavity is illustrated by the dotted lines 40 of FIG. 3, and as shown in FIG. 5.

As explained heretofore, my composite ear protector is a combination of a novel ear plug, in the inner auditory canal, of a pinna ear shell portion having the sound dampening acoustical material imbedded in an enclosed inner cavity therein, with a small attenuator hole extending from the ear shell exterior longitudinally through the auditory canal ear plug extension portion, and with that attenuator hole being conically flared outwardly at its inner end, and with a ball-valve in that attenuator hole flared portion and secured to a pull string extending through the attenuator hole, with said ball-valve being in the form of a ball larger than the hole yet smaller than the peripheral extremity of the outer rim of that conical extension, with the ball attached to said string for an operable closing of that inner end of the attenuator hole of the ear plug auditory canal extension, in cooperation with the resiliency of the material at that end, for effecting a ball-valve closing or opening of that canal end, as may be desired, by a pulling of that string having its other end extending exteriorally of the protector, in combination with the quality of suitable body temperature sealant salve material carried in groove pocket around the periphery of that ball-valve end of the ear plug.

1 thus have an operable water, sound and air control valve in the auditory canal portion of my novel car plug by an expansion thereof effected by a novel ball-valve. Stated differently, have provided a novel ball-valve expansion control of the resilient auditory canal portion of my novel combined ear protector for effecting a closing of the attenuator hole thereof and in combination with a suitable medicated sealant salve, among others.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

l. in combination, in a resilient expandable elongated car protector tubelike plug having an attenuator opening extending centrally longitudinally through the plug and with the inner end thereof formed in a substantially conical outward flare and the plug adapted for coextensive placement within the auditory canal of an car, a ball of lessor diameter than the overall inner diameter of the protector tub-plug outward conical portion and of greater diameter tlhan the internal diameter of the attenuator opening and positioned to be held normally loosely within said conically flared opening by a string secured thereto and with the string extending slidably throughout the attenuator opening and slightly beyond the outer surface of the ear plug, and a grasping member secured to the outer end of said string, said string being in overall length longer than the length of said attenuator opening, whereby upon a pulling of the outer end of the string the ball will form a releasable valve closing of the attenuator opening at that flared end.

2. In an ear protector plug combination as defined in the preceding claim 1, and characterized further by said ball also being of resilient material and being adapted to be resiliently and removably wedged into and held by and within said co nical portion of the attenuator opening upon an outward pulling of the string by the wearer of the ear plug to thereby effect a valve closing of the inner end of that attenuator opening while said ear plug is in place in said canal, and by the inner end of the protector plug having an external salve cavity formed therein.

3. An ear protector plug as defined in preceding claim 1 and characterized further by the definition of said plug having an ear shield extension portion around the outer end of the attenuator opening and said extension being of a configuration to conform precisely and coextensively to the surface of the outer ear of the wearer and having a sound dampener sealed space-trap formed within the material of that extension and around said attenuator opening and with a sound dampening acoustical material within said dampener trap.

4, In combination with an ear plug ear protector having a plug portion of substantially resilient material and having an attenuator opening throughout the length of the plug to permit sound waves to enter therethrough from the exterior thereof into the ear, an internally outwardly flared extension of said opening at its inner end, a moveable ball in said flared opening and of greater diameter than that of said attenuator opening, a string secured to and extending from said ball and through said attenuator opening and to a point on the exterior of the plug, and a grasping means on that exterior end of the string, said ball and internal flared opening being adapted and formed so that upon a manual pulling of the string outwardly that the ball will thereby slideably and frictionally effect a self holding seal closing of said attenuator opening outwardly flared extension by then being releasably frictionally held within and by said resilient conical opening end.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent No. 3 603 309 Dated September 7 1971 Inventor) Fred Wesemann It is certified that error appears in the above-identified patent and that said Letters Patent are hereby corrected as shown below:

Column 1, line 8, "neurosensory" should read neuro-sensory lines 26, 27, 29, 30, 32 and 33, "db." should read dcb Column 2, line 1, "noncircumferentially" should read non-circumferentially line 6, "rubberlike" should read rubber-like Column 4; line 33, "tibiotic" should read ti-biotic Column 5, line 42, "quality" should read quantity line 46, "car" should read ear Column 6, line 2, "tubelike" should read tube-like Column 3, line 51, "af" should read ef- Signed and sealed this lst day of August 1972.

(SEAL) Attest:

EDWARD M. FLETCHER,JR. ROBERT GOTTSCHALK Attesting Officer Commissioner of Patents uscoMM-Dc 6D376-P69 .5, GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE; '9! 0-355334,

Claims

1. In combination, in a resilient expandable elongated ear protector tubelike plug having an attenuator opening extending centrally longitudinally through the plug and with the inner end thereof formed in a substantially conical outward flare and the plug adapted for coextensive placement within the auditory canal of an ear, a ball of lessor diameter than the overall inner diameter of the protector tub-plug outward conical portion and of greater diameter than the internal diameter of the attenuator opening and positioned to be held normally loosely within said conically flared opening by a string secured thereto and with the string extending slidably throughout the attenuator opening and slightly beyond the outer surface of the ear plug, and a grasping member secured to the outer end of said string, said string being in overall length longer than the length of said attenuator opening, whereby upon a pulling of the outer end of the string the ball will form a releasable valve closing of the attenuator opening at that flared end.

2. In an ear protector plug combination as defined in the preceding claim 1, and characterized further by said ball also being of resilient material and being adapted to be resiliently and removably wedged into and held by and within said conical portion of the attenuator opening upon an outward pulling of the string by the wearer of the ear plug to thereby effect a valve closing of the inner end of that attenuator opening while said ear plug is in place in said canal, and by the inner end of the protector plug having an external salve cavity formed therein.

4. In combination with an ear plug ear protector having a plug portion of substantially resilient material and having an attenuator opening throughout the length of the plug to permit sound waves to enter therethrough from the exterior thereof into the ear, an internally outwardly flared extension of said opening at its inner end, a moveable ball in said flared opening and of greater diameter than that of said attenuator opening, a string secured to and extending from said ball and through said attenuator opening and to a point on the exterior of the plug, and a grasping means on that exterior end of the string, said ball and internal flared opening being adapted and formed so that upon a manual pulling of the string outwardly that the ball will thereby slideably and frictionally effect a self holding seaL closing of said attenuator opening outwardly flared extension by then being releasably frictionally held within and by said resilient conical opening end.