Patent · US Expired

Adjustable earplug

US6082485A · kind A · utility

58Cited by
3References
6Claims
0Family size

Inventor

Key dates

Filing dateAug 10, 1999
Grant dateJul 4, 2000
Priority date
Expiry dateAug 10, 2019

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC A)Human Necessities
  • CPC primaryA61F11/085
  • WIPO fieldMedical technology
  • WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

An earplug has a rotationally adjustable gating mechanism for adjustable attenuation of treble sounds. The plug includes a conventional earplug foam body for conforming to and wedging in the ear canal. This earplug foam body includes at least a partial aperture axially of the plug leading from the exterior of the ear canal toward the interior of the car canal with its hearing sense. A two-part counter rotating gating member fits to the aperture of the earplug. One part of the two part counter rotating gating member has a conical through aperture concentric to the earplug and ear canal. This conical through aperture is partially obstructed by an eccentrically mounted gate. The remaining part of the two part counter rotating gating member defines a rotating cover over the conical aperture and defines at least one and preferably a plurality of sound apertures enabling sound to pass from the exterior of the earplug into the conical aperture. These sound apertures are eccentrically mounted with respect to the conical aperture and the relative rotation to come into and out of registry with the eccentrically mounted gate. The two-part counter rotating gating member has an interference fit…

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.