WO2001076519A1

WO2001076519A1 - Ear protection plug

Info

Publication number: WO2001076519A1
Application number: PCT/EP2001/004119
Authority: WO
Inventors: Max Zillinger
Original assignee: Max Zillinger
Priority date: 2000-04-10
Filing date: 2001-04-10
Publication date: 2001-10-18
Also published as: DE20006593U1

Abstract

The invention relates to an ear protection plug (10) that consists of a sound insulating inset (12) and a handling component (14, 16, 18) that is connected thereto. The sound insulating inset can be inserted into the acoustic meatus of the ear by means of said handling component which is provided with a carrier element that is visible outside the ear.

Description

Ear plugs

Field of the Invention

The invention relates to an earplug for protecting the hearing from high sound pressure caused by strong sound sources.

An earplug includes a soundproofing insert and an associated handling part.

The soundproofing insert is used to close the ear canal. This is particularly necessary for people who have to work in noise-intensive areas, such as in manufacturing or on construction sites. Reliable hearing protection is necessary here, which is achieved in particular through the appropriate design of the soundproofing insert. The soundproofing insert is inserted into the ear canal with the handling part so that it comes to rest in the intended place. In the case of professional use ear plugs, it is usually desirable that they are completely heard and not visible. Furthermore, no disturbing parts should protrude from the ear in this case.

For this purpose, a conventional earplug is inserted into the ear canal to protect the inner ear or eardrum. The ear canal is closed as soundproof as possible. However, embodiments are also known in which a handling part which is connected to the soundproofing insert and protrudes slightly from the auditory canal or the auricle is visible. This is used to quickly remove the earplugs from the ear. However, noise protection by earplugs can also be desired in areas other than everyday work. It is known, for example, that in discotheques, at loud pop concerts, at fairs and other things, the volume that occurs there is beyond the medically harmless value.

In all ages and in different cultures, it has been and is common to use the human ear to attach jewelry such as earrings, plugs, piercing, tattoos and the like. An important property of all attachment forms is the exposure, i.e. the free and unobstructed visibility in reflecting surfaces for the person himself and especially towards an observer. The display of the jewelry item and thus the desired association of a desired prestige or image is only given when the viewer is free to view.

State of the art

Earplugs of the usual type have a soundproofing insert and a handling part connected to it. In the simplest case, they consist of the soundproofing insert with an integrated handling part. The handling part is so short that it can be largely inserted into the ear canal.

A hearing protection plug "Bilsom 556" with a safety line is known from the brochure from Dalloz Safety GmbH from 10/1997. This earplug shows in his

Soundproofing insert on spaced, circular and extremely soft slats, which are attached to a fixed handle as a handling part. After inserting the soundproofing insert into the ear canal, the handling part protrudes from the ear canal so that it can be removed with two fingers. In the handling part, a safety cord can optionally be received in a hole at the end opposite the soundproofing insert, which then also protrudes from the ear when inserted. Two of these earplugs are connected to each other via such a band and form a unit. The band is led over the neck or the area of the back of the head similar to the safety band of sports glasses. The attachment to the safety cord prevents an earplug from being accidentally removed from the ear canal, e.g. in production in the chemical or food industry. In various embodiments, e.g. B. by a clamp of the safety line ensures that this detaches itself directly from the handling part when detected by a machine and the earplugs are not torn from the ear canals. Any injuries can thereby be avoided.

Presentation of the invention

The invention is based on the object of proposing an earplug which fulfills the required sound attenuation functions and additionally has an optically appealing design. This object is achieved by a soundproof plug with the features of claim 1.

The invention is based on the idea of modifying a conventional earplug, which is composed of a soundproofing insert for protecting the hearing from high sound pressure due to strong sound sources and a handling part, by providing the earplug with a carrier element that is visible from the outside. With the invention it is achieved that after the introduction of the

Soundproofing insert in the ear canal with the help of the handling part, a correspondingly large support element attached to the handling part is clearly visible outside the ear.

An earplug with a visible carrier element has the advantage that those circles that have so far resisted can also be made to wear earplugs by appropriately designing the carrier element accordingly. For example, adolescents are a possible target group of the earplugs according to the invention, which help to avoid hearing damage at loud pop concerts or when visiting the disco. The earplugs can be considered as an alternative to wearing earrings.

Advantageous embodiments are characterized by the remaining claims.

According to a preferred embodiment, the carrier element is designed as a plate. This embodiment has the advantage that the side surfaces outside the auricle are clearly visible and stand out clearly from the contour of the head. A carrier element designed as a plate is thus extremely suitable as an advertising medium for use e.g. B. as a company logo in product advertising. A plate can advantageously be attached such that it is oriented essentially perpendicular to the respective head side after the sound insulation insert has been inserted. With this vertical orientation, depending on the orientation of the surface normals, the plate is particularly well visible to a viewer from the front, back, below and / or above. If, on the other hand, the plate is attached to the handling part parallel to the head half, it is preferably visible to people who are to the side of the person with inserted protective plugs. Alternatively, the combination of essentially parallel attachment in one and essentially vertical attachment in the other ear is also conceivable. The different types of attachment increase the attention that can be achieved by the viewer.

According to a further advantageous embodiment, the carrier element is designed as a spatial object. A spatial object offers a multitude of design options and can be adapted to current fashion trends.

The carrier element can advantageously have a flat surface. A coating, such as an adhesive film, is particularly easy to apply to a flat surface. This considerably simplifies the manufacturing process of the earplug provided with a surface ob ect and thus reduces the costs.

In an advantageous embodiment, the carrier element has a surface structure or texture. This embodiment can be in one Simply manufacture injection molding processes or other suitable processes.

According to an advantageous embodiment, the carrier element is perforated. This has the advantage that a high plasticity of the carrier element can be achieved.

According to a further advantageous embodiment, the carrier element is designed as a symbol known at least in defined receiver circles. A symbol enables the display of a variety of logos, in particular company logos, such as B. the Mercedes star.

According to a preferred embodiment, the carrier element is an advertising area on which a large number of advertising texts and advertising objects can be attached.

A coating which has a large number of is preferably applied to the carrier element

Offers design options and z. B. can be produced by spraying with or immersing in suitable materials.

According to a further embodiment, the coating of the carrier element is an adhesive film. The application of an adhesive film is particularly easy and quick.

In a further embodiment, the coating of the carrier element is a layer of color, which can be designed to suit the operating habits or be designed in accordance with the respective fashion colors At least part of the carrier element advantageously consists of a fluorescent material. If, for example, the soundproofing insert is fluorescent, something special is used in dark or darkened rooms, e.g. B. in discos or evening events outdoors, the perception of the soundproof plugs or the protective insert prior to insertion into the ear canal accordingly facilitated. Particularly interesting as an advertising medium is the replication or visualization in the dark or semi-darkness of logos or symbols with the help of fluorescent material.

In a further embodiment, at least part of the earplug consists of a reflective material. The part made of a reflective material is particularly well visible in both daylight and artificial light and advantageously attracts the attention of outside viewers due to reflected light of varying intensity and is therefore particularly suitable as a fashionable aid or as an advertising medium.

According to a preferred embodiment, the handling is rod-shaped and has the soundproofing insert at one end and the carrier handling part at the opposite other end. With a rod-shaped handling part, the carrier element can be positioned sufficiently far from the ear so that it is clearly visible from afar and is accordingly easily perceptible.

In a preferred embodiment, the handling part consists of a rigid material. A rigid material cannot deform, in particular bend, and thus facilitates the safe insertion of the soundproofing element into the ear canal. In a further preferred embodiment, the handling part consists of a flexible material. The use of a flexible material, especially in crowds of people, e.g. discotheques, open-air concerts, motorsport events and other mass events, ensures that the flexible material yields accordingly when in contact with the body and that an injury to the ear or the touching person is excluded.

In an advantageous embodiment, the handling part on the part facing the soundproofing insert is made of a flexible material and on the part facing the carrier element is made of a rigid material. The combination of rigid and flexible material facilitates the insertion of the soundproofing insert into the auditory canal and the use of a flexible material on the side of the handling part facing the support element makes it particularly in dense crowds, e.g. Discotheques, open-air concerts, motor sport events and other mass events, make sure that the flexible material yields in the event of physical contact and that an ear injury is excluded.

The material of the carrier element is advantageously deformable. A support element made of a deformable material can be designed by the user to suit the current mood.

In a preferred embodiment, the handling part is an integral part of the soundproofing insert and protrudes from the auditory canal, the support surface being the visible end _. of the handling part. In particular, the transition between carrier part and handling part smooth. In this embodiment, the earplug according to the invention can be made particularly compact. The space required for storage and transport is correspondingly low.

According to a preferred embodiment, the soundproofing insert, the handling part and the carrier element are formed in one piece. For example, casting processes make it possible to produce at low cost.

In a preferred embodiment, the soundproofing insert and the handling part are formed in one piece and the carrier element is brought into engagement with the handling part. It is advantageous that the manufacturer can combine the unit consisting of the soundproofing insert and the habitation part with the various carrier elements according to the individual requirements of the customer.

The one-piece design of at least two elements is particularly advantageous for the manufacturer, since this can be produced in large numbers at low unit costs and for the respective customer only with individual carrier elements, for. B. is to be provided by means of an adhesive. Interchangeable carrier elements, which can be adapted to the fashionable interests of the carrier, are particularly suitable for use. B. also interesting by combining two different support elements.

According to a further preferred embodiment, the carrier element is exchangeable and the soundproofing insert and the handling part are formed in one piece. A support element which can be brought into engagement with the one-piece unit consisting of soundproofing insert and handling part interchangeable and can be adapted to changing preferences of the user or to different occasions for which the earplug according to the invention is to be worn.

In a further preferred embodiment, the carrier element and the handling part are formed in one piece and the handling part can be brought into engagement with the soundproofing insert. It is particularly advantageous in this embodiment that soundproofing inserts of different designs in size, shape, material and color can be attached to the unit comprising the carrier element and the handling part.

The means for engaging between the carrier element and the handling part or the handling part and soundproofing insert is advantageously a snap lock. A snap lock is e.g. B. for earplugs with interchangeable support elements a particularly reliable type of attachment.

In another advantageous embodiment, the means for engaging between the carrier element and the handling part or the handling part and the soundproofing insert is a clamping fit. The use of a clamp fitting represents e.g. B. ensure that when a selected tensile force is exceeded, the part fastened by the clamp fitting is released and the soundproof plug cannot be torn out of the ear.

In yet another advantageous embodiment, the means for engaging between the carrier element and the handling part or handling part and

Soundproofing insert a screw connection. The engagement in the form of a screw connection advantageously enables easy assembly before use and easy disassembly after use.

The elements which can be brought into engagement, ie the soundproofing and the handling part, the handling part and the carrier element, are advantageously bonded to one another. ^• The bonding is particularly inexpensive and offers a permanent connection.

The soundproofing insert is preferably elastically deformable. The soundproofing insert made of an elastically deformable material is particularly well suited to adapting to the individual shape of the ear canal and thereby closing it particularly soundproof. The pressure force is distributed over a particularly large area on the inner wall of the ear canal, which increases the wearing comfort for the user and thus the possible wearing time.

In a further embodiment, the soundproofing insert is made from PU foam. A soft, deformable material such as B. a PU foam exerts only a negligible pressure due to the good fit on the ear canal, which significantly increases the comfort and wearing time.

In yet another embodiment, the soundproofing is conical. A conical sound insulation insert corresponds particularly well to the inwardly decreasing diameter of the ear canal. That is why a conically shaped sound insulation insert fits the tapered auditory canal particularly precisely and without pressure.

According to a preferred embodiment, the soundproofing insert consists of spaced, circular and elastically deformable slats. Such slats are very easy to clean. Furthermore, due to the small contact area and the good mobility or deformability, they exert a slight pressure on the inner ear wall.

Brief description of the drawings

An embodiment of the invention is explained with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2.

Fig. 1 shows an earplug with a hemispherical soundproofing element, a rod-shaped handling element and a carrier element symbolized advertising imprint.

Fig. 2 shows an earplug with a hemispherical soundproofing element, a rod-shaped handling element and a carrier element which is designed as a symbol.

Fig. 3 shows a tapered earplug with an integrated handling element and a support element oriented parallel to the head half, which carries a symbolized advertising print.

4 shows a tapered earplug with an integrated handling element and a carrier element oriented parallel to the head half, which is designed as a symbol. Ways of Carrying Out the Invention

FIGS. 1 to 4 each show a perspective view of an earplug 10 according to the invention. This earplug has an essentially elongated shape. At one end is the

Soundproofing insert 12. This soundproofing insert 12 is preferably rounded, as shown in FIGS. 1 to 4. In this way, injuries to the ear can essentially be ruled out. The soundproofing insert is made of a relatively soft material so that it adapts to the anatomy of the ear.

In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the soundproofing insert 12 has an essentially hemispherical shape. However, this shape can also be modified into an egg-like shape or ellipsoids. Rounding off is always desirable.

A handling part 14 adjoins the soundproofing insert 12 opposite its rounded end. The handling part 14 is located essentially in the center of the soundproofing part 12. The handling part 14 has a length which is sufficient to grip the earplug when inserted into the ear in order to remove it from the ear. The handling part 14 is each cylindrical in Figures 1 and 2. The diameter of the cylindrical handling part 14 is significantly smaller than the diameter of the hemisphere 12 of the soundproofing insert.

A support element 16 is connected to the handling part 14 opposite the soundproofing insert 12. The carrier element 16 is in no way limited in terms of its design. As shown in Figure 1, is a possible embodiment of the carrier element 16 a surface-like design, which is shown here as a rectangular surface. Of course, any other surface-like design is also conceivable, such as round, polygonal or irregular contours. As shown in FIG. 1, a flat design of the carrier element 16 is particularly suitable for applying advertising prints or the like. May ^• Of course, it makes sense to also to provide the handling part 16 without printing so attached by labels or the like by the user the desired label and the desired pattern.

FIG. 2 shows a three-dimensional carrier element 18 in the form of a flower. With regard to the choice of material, there are no restrictions for the carrier element. A soft material is preferred for the carrier element. This applies equally to a flat support element 16 as well as to a three-dimensional support element 18. This minimizes the risk of injury to the wearer of the earplugs and also to bystanders.

Figures 3 and 4 show a further embodiment of the earplug according to the invention. This embodiment differs from the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 in that the handling part adjoins the soundproofing part with the same radius as that of the soundproofing part. The handling part thus consists of a cylinder of relatively large diameter, the support element 20 protruding from the ear essentially consisting of the end face of the cylinder. This applies to the same extent for the embodiments shown in FIGS. 3 and 4. The embodiments shown in FIGS. 3 and 4 differ in that, in FIG. 3, a flat carrier element is again provided as a termination, while the termination in FIG. 4, which the carrier element for the handling part forms, is designed in three dimensions.

In all of the embodiments shown, there are no restrictions with regard to the design of the carrier element. The carrier element can be designed in luminous colors, colorful, monochrome, two-dimensional, three-dimensional and in almost any size. With regard to the handling part, which is largely inserted into the auditory canal, its design is subject to barriers insofar as the area that adjoins the soundproofing insert must be shaped in accordance with the anatomy of the ear.

The essential aspect of the invention is to modify an ordinary earplug so that part of the handling part of the earplug is visible from the outside. As a result, a wide variety of designs, depending on the wishes of the user, can be seen outside the ear.

Claims

claims

1. earplugs consisting of a soundproofing insert and a handling part connected to it, the soundproofing insert being insertable into the ear canal by means of the handling part,

characterized in that the handling part is equipped with a carrier element visible outside the ear.

2. earplugs according to claim 1, characterized in that the carrier element is a plate.

3. earplugs according to claim 1, characterized in that the carrier element is a spatial object.

4. Earplugs according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the carrier element has a flat surface

5. earplug according to one of claims 2 to 3, characterized in that the carrier element has a surface structure.

6. earplugs according to at least one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the carrier element is perforated.

7. earplugs according to at least one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the carrier element is designed as a symbol.

8. earplugs according to at least one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the carrier element has an advertising surface.

9. earplugs according to at least one of the preceding claims, characterized in that a coating is applied to the carrier element.

10. earplugs according to claim 9, characterized in that the coating is an adhesive film.

11. earplugs according to claim 9, characterized in that it consists of a color layer.

12. Earplug according to at least one of the preceding claims, characterized in that at least part of the earplug consists of fluorescent material.

13. Earplug according to at least one of the preceding claims, characterized in that at least part of the earplug consists of reflective material.

14. Earplugs according to at least one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the handling part is rod-shaped and has the soundproofing insert at one end and the carrier element at its other end.

15. earplugs according to claim 14, characterized in that the handling part consists of a rigid material.

16. earplugs according to claim 14, characterized in that the handling part consists of a flexible material.

17. Earplugs according to claim 14, characterized in that the material of the handling part on the part facing the soundproofing insert consists of a flexible material and on the part facing the carrier element consists of a rigid material.

18. Earplugs according to at least one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the material of the carrier element is deformable.

19. Earplugs according to at least one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the handling part is an integral part of the soundproofing insert, protrudes from the auditory canal that there is a smooth transition between the support element and the handling part and that the support element forms the visible end of the handling part.

20. earplugs according to at least one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the soundproofing insert, the handling part and the carrier element are integrally formed.

21. Earplugs according to at least one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the soundproofing insert and the handling part are formed in one piece and the carrier element can be brought into engagement with the handling part.

22. Ear protection plug according to claim 21, characterized in that the carrier element is interchangeable.

23. Ear protection plug according to at least one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the carrier element and the handling part are formed in one piece and the handling part can be brought into engagement with the soundproofing insert.

24. Earplugs according to one of claims 21 to 23, characterized in that the ^•

A snap closure is a means of engagement.

25. Ear protection plug according to one of claims 21 to 23, characterized in that the means for engagement is a clamping fit.

26. Ear protection plug according to one of claims 21 to 23, characterized in that the means for engagement is a screw.

27. Earplugs according to claim 21 or 23, characterized in that in each case the elements which can be brought into engagement are glued to one another.

28. Earplugs according to at least one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the soundproofing insert is elastically deformable.

29. Ear protection plug according to claim 28, characterized in that the soundproofing insert is made of PU foam.

30. earplugs according to at least one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the soundproofing insert is conical.

31. Earplugs according to at least one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the soundproofing insert is formed from spaced, circular and elastically deformable lamellae.