BRPI0617132A2 - hearing protection device - Google Patents

Abstract

<B> POSITIVE HEARING PROTECTOR <D> is a hearing protection device (10) that includes a first shell (16a), a second shell (16b) and a headpiece (8). The first shell is held in a fixed position at the first end of the headpiece by a friction coupling and the second shell is held in a fixed position at the second end by a friction coupling. The hearing protection device is beneficial in that the user can easily change the shell if it is damaged or if a different level of sound attenuation is desired. The user does not need to buy a completely new hearing protection device.

Description

"HEARING PROTECTIVE DEVICE" Background to the Invention

The invention relates to holding headphones (shells) on a headband by frictional engagement.

Hearing protectors in the form of hearing protectors are widely used in the industry to protect workers against environmental noise. Traditional hearing protectors include a pair of bulge-shaped rigid wraps that attach to a headband. The headband is commonly designed to attach permanently to headphones (shells). For these constructions, an attempt to remove the headset from the headband may damage or destroy the headset, headband, or both.

Some hearing protection settings are designed to allow the headset (shell) to be removed from the headband. In these constructions, mechanical mechanisms such as male-female connectors, pins, threads, nuts and bolts can be used to secure and separate the headband and headphones (shells). These mechanisms often involve relatively difficult manipulations of the connection mechanism or may require additional tools to separate the headset from the headband.

Summary of the Invention

This invention describes a hearing protection device that includes a first headset (shell), a second headset (shell) and a headpiece. The headpiece has first and second ends extending therefrom. The first headset (shell) is held in a fixed position at the first end by a frictional engagement. The second headset (shell) is also held in a fixed position at the second end by a frictional engagement.

The invention describes a hearing protection device in which the headband ends at ends that are capable of holding the headphones (shells) therein by a frictional engagement between the headset (shell) and the end. In some embodiments, the nature of the headband ends allows the headband to be worn in multiple positions on the head including, for example, the position behind the neck, while keeping the ear plugs in the proper position over the ears.

The invention also describes a hearing protection device in which the frictional engagement that exists between the headset (headband) and the headband allows a user to insert and remove the headset (shell) from the headband as shown. without damaging the headphones (shells) or the headband. The headband's ability to releasably retain headphones (shells) facilitates removal and replacement in a variety of situations including, for example, when the earplugs become damaged or dirty or when a sound attenuation level not suitable for the environment in which the hearing protection device will be used. Ear protectors can be replaced with a second set of ear protectors that provide the indispensable sound attenuation.

The invention is also beneficial in that headphones (shells) can be retained in the headband without the use of additional attachment mechanisms such as adhesives, threads, screws and fittings, although these mechanisms may optionally be included.

Other features and advantages will become apparent from the following description of the drawings, preferred embodiments and claims.

Glossary

The term "frictional engagement" means that there is resistance to movement and that resistance occurs so that an external force is required to achieve movement.

The term "headband" means a device constructed to retain a hearing protector and aid in the compression of a hearing protector against a user's head.

The term "headphone (shell)" means a component that is sized to receive an ear from a user and that is built to provide sound attenuation.

Brief Description of the Drawings

Figure 1 is a plan view of a headband including ends terminating in a C-shaped hook.

Figure 2 is a side plan view of one end of a headband in the form of a curved hook.

Figure 3 is a side plan view of one end of a headband in the form of a square hook. Figure 4 is a side plan view of one end of a headband in the form of a rectangular hook.

Figure 5 is a side plan view of one end of a headband in the form of a hexagonal hook.

Figure 6 is a side plan view of one end of a headband in the form of two parallel teeth.

Figure 7 is a side plan view of one end of a headband in the form of a rectangular hook and a portion of a headset positioned in the opening defined by the hook.

Figure 8 is a side plan view of one end of a headband in the form of a square hook and a portion of a headphone (shell) positioned in the opening defined by the hook.

Figure 9 is a side view of a hooked end of a headband and a circular portion of a headphone (shell) positioned in the opening defined by the hook.

Figure 10 is a side view of a hooked end of a headband and an octagonal portion of a headphone (shell) positioned in the opening defined by the hook.

Figure 11 is a perspective view of one embodiment of a headband including ends terminating in two parallel teeth.

Figure 12 is a front view of the headband of Figure 11.

Figure 13 is a front view of a hearing protection device including the headband of Figure 1.

Figure 14 is a side view of one end of a headband and a headphone (shell) positioned at the end according to another embodiment.

Figure 15 is a perspective view of a hearing protection device according to another embodiment.

Similar reference symbols in the various drawing figures indicate similar elements. Elements in drawings should not be represented to scale.

Detailed Description

Figure 1 illustrates a hearing protection device 10 including a headpiece 8 and ear protectors 15a, 15b including a headset 16a, 16b and a padded 17a, 17b. The headpiece may be in the form of a headband that includes a generally U-shaped headband terminating at two ends 14a, 14b, each of which is capable of holding a headset 16a, 16b positioned. through a frictional hitch. Frictional engagement between the headphones (shells) 16a, 16b and the ends 14a, 14b allows the headphones (shells) to be held in a fixed position over the headband without the aid of another source. Frictional engagement can be achieved in a number of ways including, for example, the portion of the headset (shell) that is received by the headband being sufficiently larger than the opening in the headset (shell) that receives the end of the headband. headband. The resistance exhibited by the frictional engagement may be increased by increasing the size of the headset (shell) or by reducing the size of the headset receiving portion (shell) of the headband (relative to each other). At least one of the headphones (shells) or one end may partially deform to accommodate the other and achieve frictional engagement.

The ends of the U-shaped headband are shaped and sized to receive a headset (shell) and hold it in a fixed position in the headband through a frictional engagement with the headset (shell). The ends can also be optionally shaped and sized to releasably retain the headset (shell) on them and allow insertion and removal of a headset (shell) without damaging the headset (shell) or the end. . Headsets (shells) 16a, 16b remain in a fixed position at ends 14a, 14b until they are moved or removed by the user.

The hearing protection device 10 may be mounted by sliding the ends 14a, 14b of the headband 8 around the headphones (shells) 16a, 16b to frictionally engage the headphones (shells) 16a, 16b or by inserting See the headphones (shells) 16a, 16b at the ends 14a, 14b. The headband may be configured to be capable of adopting a variety of positions including, for example, being positioned under the user's chin, behind the user's neck and combinations thereof. In some embodiments, the position of the headband may be modified by constructing the headband and the headphone (shell) so that the headband can rotate around the headphone (shell) from a first position. to a second position. In these embodiments, the user may rotate the ends 14a, 14b around the headphones (shells) 16a, 16b to achieve a desired headband orientation and position.

In some embodiments, the headset 16 includes a channel 44a, 44b for receiving an end 14 of the headband. The channel 45 is defined by two sidewalls 43a, 43b and a bottom wall 45 extending from a first sidewall 43a to a second sidewall 43b. The shape defined by a cross-section of the headset (shell) taken from the lower wall 45 of channel 44a and its dimension correspond to the opening defined by the end of the headband, so that when the headset (shell) is positioned at the opening defined by the end of the headband, the headset (shell) remains in position through a friction fit. The shape defined by the lower channel wall may match or differ from the aperture shape defined by the headband receiving end (shell) inner wall (s) of the headband. The shape defined or partially defined by the inner headband receiving wall (s) of the headband end may differ from the shape defined by the cross-section of the headphone (shell) taken on the bottom wall of the channel. The lower channel wall can define any of a variety of shapes including, for example, circle, oval, ellipse, and polygon including, for example, triangle, square, pentagon, hexagon, heptagon, octagon, eneagon, and decagon.

The headset (shell) is sized to receive a user's ear. The headphone (shell) is generally bulge-shaped, so that the distal outer surface is generally arcuate in shape and the proximal outer surface, that is, the surface closest to the flap, is generally concave and provides an open region. where a user's ear can be located. The headset (shell) can be made of any suitable material, existing or later developed. The headphone (shell) may include material that can attenuate the sound. Sound attenuation materials include gas-filled cellular materials that exhibit acoustic attenuation, mechanical hardness, and formability (e.g., the ability to modify material, for example by cutting, forming, shaping, or a combination thereof). Examples of useful gas-filled cellular materials include, for example, foams (e.g. closed cell foams, open cell foams, slow recovery resilient foams (e.g. pressure molded slow recovery resilient foams), recovery foams. bonded fiber structures, airgel, acoustic composite materials including, for example, hollow ceramic particles in a synthetic resin binder matrix, multilayer acoustic composite materials and combinations thereof. Examples of suitable cell bound fiber structures are described in U.S. Patent No. 5,841,081 and incorporated in the present invention. Examples of airgel are described in U.S. Patent Nos. 4,954,327 and 6,598,358 and incorporated in the present invention. Examples of suitable acoustic composite materials are described in U.S. Patent Nos. 5,813,180 and 5,688,860 and incorporated in the present invention. The cellular material may be an open cell foam. The foam may be a hard foam, a semi-rigid foam or a flexible foam.

Foam cells may have a relatively larger average cross-sectional area within the foam and a relatively smaller average cross-sectional area on the outer surface of the foam. The presence of smaller cells on the outer surface of the headset provides a stiffer outer layer to the inner foam. In some embodiments, the smaller cells compacted on or near the outer surface of the headset (shell) form an integral coating on the headset (shell), for example, a film layer that results from the shaping process on the surfaces of the headset. Earphone (shell). The integral liner essentially includes closed cells and may include some open cells to allow the release of gas, for example air. Modifying various parameters of the manufacturing process can modify the thickness of the integral coating. The mold temperature may, for example, influence the presence and nature of the integral coating. In some foam shaping processes, a relatively thinner coating is formed at increasing temperatures, while a relatively thicker, thicker coating forms at lower temperatures. An example of a mold temperature range useful for forming an integral coating is from about 35 ° C to about 70 ° C. The integral coating may be of any desired thickness. An example of a useful coating thickness range is from about 1 mm to about 5 mm.

Useful compositions from which the foam may be formed include, for example, polyurethanes, polyvinyl chloride and combinations thereof. Suitable rigid polyurethane foams may be formed from polyols having a molecular weight of less than 800. Suitable semi-rigid polyurethane foams may be formed from polyols having a molecular weight of about 800 to 2000 and flexible polyurethane foams. Suitable foams may be formed from polyols having a molecular weight greater than 2000. Useful foams may have any desired density including, for example, a density in the range from about 200 g / l (200 kg / m3) to about 1100 g. / L (1100 kg / m3) or even about 200 g / L (200 kg / m3) to about 800 g / L (800 kg / m3). Suitable foams and methods for producing them are also described, for example, in U.S. Patent No. 5,979,451 and incorporated in the present invention.

The sound attenuating material may optionally include a dye, for example dye, pigment and combinations thereof. The coloring agent may provide a desired aesthetic property, a visible indication of the headset's sound attenuation properties (shell) and combinations thereof. Headphones (shells) may optionally include other sound attenuation level markings including, for example, markings, colors and combinations thereof.

Alternatively or in addition, the headphones (shells) may include markings in a variety of ways including, for example, logos, colors, designs, prints, reliefs and combinations thereof.

A pad 17a, 17b is present in the ear protectors 15a, 15b of Figure 13. A pad seals the ear protector around the wearer's ear and cushions the pressure exerted by the hearing protection device against the wearer's head. The cushion is preferably annular so that it defines an opening that accommodates a user's ear. Useful pads define a generally rectangular shape with four concave corner segments and four connecting segments defining the opening. Alternatively, the cushion may be of any suitable shape including, for example, oval, round, square and rectangular, and may define an aperture having any suitable shape including, for example, oval, round, square and rectangular. The pad may be an integral unit element of the ear protector, for example, formed simultaneously with the earpiece (shell) or may be a separate component.

Useful pads include examples of cellular material which are set forth above and incorporated into the present invention. Suitable foams for the cushion include, for example, the foams set forth above including, for example, closed cell foams, open cell foams and combinations thereof. The cushion foam preferably has viscoelasticity, high resilience or a combination thereof. Useful foam compositions include, for example, polyurethanes, polyvinyl chloride and combinations thereof. Preferably, the cushion foam has instant recovery.

The cushion may optionally include an integral lining as described above with respect to the foam headset.

Alternatively or in addition, the cushion may include a cover, for example a cover, a layer, a film, a coating and combinations thereof. A cover can protect the integrity of the foam, inhibit the foam and improve the cleaning properties of the cushion. The cover can also provide aesthetic appeal to the cushion including, for example, texture, color and combinations thereof. Coverage can be continuous or discontinuous. Preferably, the cover is present in the foam so as to allow air to be released from it. To facilitate air release, the cover may include micro orifices (eg drill holes) or cracks of sufficient size to allow air to be released from the foam. Alternatively, the cover may include a single orifice of sufficient size to permit air release to adapt the cushion to the surface in contact with the wearer. The cover may be in the form of a film (e.g. self-supporting film), woven blanket (e.g. cloth) or nonwoven and comprising any suitable composition including, for example, synthetic polymer, natural polymer and combinations thereof.

The headband is generally U-shaped and resilient enough to allow the open end of the U to be widened to fit the device to the user's head. When the device is in place on the user's head, the recovery forces generated on the elongated headband tilt the ear protectors inwards against the user's head and promote the secure attachment and good acoustic locking of the ear protectors on the user's head. Several headband configurations are suitable. The headband may be relatively thin and include at least one band, an example thereof is illustrated in Figures 1 and 13.

The headband can be adjustable in length. Mechanisms for making length-adjustable headbands are well known in the art and include, for example, a pair of overlapping sliding elements with mechanisms for keeping the elements in alignment and mechanisms for securing the overlapping portions to the desired length. a pair of telescopic nested elements having mechanisms for securing the nested portions to each other at the desired length and a fixed length center headband including a mechanism, for example, cooperative toothed rack gear and interrupted thread or a combination thereof, so that each end of the headband can be adjusted separately from the center headband and fixed at the adjusted length. An example of a useful adjustable headband is present in product number 1440, available from 3M Company (St. Paul, Minnesota).

The headband can be made of any suitable material. Useful headband materials include, for example, plastic and metal, for example, spring steel, beryllium copper alloys, composites and combinations thereof. Plastic materials include, for example, thermoplastic polymers (e.g., polypropylene, polyethylene, polyamide, e.g. nylon, polyester and combinations thereof), thermoplastic elastomers, thermoset polymers and combinations thereof. Useful composites include a polymer matrix and a filler that includes, for example, fibers, particulate and combinations thereof. The surface of one end of the headband that engages a hearing protector can be treated to increase its coefficient of friction. Useful surface treatments include, for example, texturing (e.g., rubbing the surface), coating the surface (for example with a composition, particles and combinations thereof), overlapping modeling (for example with a thermoplastic elastomer) and combinations thereof. A useful headband construction includes an end that includes an elastomer (e.g. natural rubber or synthetic elastomer) disposed on (e.g. overmolded) a thermoplastic or thermosetting base.

The headset may optionally include an external rigid casing.

While the ends 14a, 14b of the headband illustrated in Figures 1 and 13 form a C-shaped hook, the ends 14a, 14b of the headband may end in any shape or shape suitable for releasably retaining a headset. (shell) into this through a frictional engagement with the headset (shell). For example, ends 14a, 14b may be defined by any number of sidewalls, which at least partially define a variety of configurations including, for example, a letter (e.g., J, U1 C, V and D), loop, spiral (e.g. curly), circle, oval, ellipse, polygon including, for example, a triangle, square, pentagon, hexagon, heptagon, octagon, eneagon and decagon.

Figures 2a 5, 7-10 and 11 illustrate a variety of hook-shaped configurations. Figure 2, for example, illustrates one end of a headband in the form of a smooth backward curved J-shaped hook. A gain shaped end that includes three side walls that partially define a square shaped opening is shown in Figure 3. A gain shaped end as a partial rectangle defined by three side walls is shown in Figure 4. A gain shaped end that includes six sidewalls that partially define an octagonal shaped aperture is shown in Figure 5.

The ends of the headband may also end in parallel teeth 20a, 20b, as illustrated in Figures 6, 11 and 12. In some embodiments, the teeth 20a, 20b extend downwardly from the crown of the headband. In other embodiments, teeth 22a, 22b extend upwardly toward crown 24 of headband 30 as shown in Figures 11 and 12.

Figure 7 illustrates one embodiment of the hearing protection device wherein a rectangular portion 46 of a headset (shell) is positioned in the partially rectangular shaped aperture defined by the rectangular hooked end 48 of the headband.

Figure 8 illustrates one embodiment of the hearing protection device wherein a square portion 50 of a headset (shell) is positioned in the partially square shaped opening defined by the partially square shape 52 of the headband.

Figure 9 illustrates one embodiment of the hearing protection device wherein a circular portion 56 of a headset (shell) is positioned in the hooked opening 54 of the headband. Arrows A-A indicate the direction of movement of the headset (shell) when the headset (shell) is placed and removed from the gain-shaped end of the headband. Arrows BB indicate a rotational direction of movement that hook 54 may be subjected when the user exerts a force on hook 54 while holding the headset 56 in a stationary position to rotate hook 54 relative to the hook. 56. The circular shape of the portion of the headset (shell) that is in the opening formed by the hook 54 allows relatively smooth rotation of the hook around the headset (shell) relative to a ratchet-like movement that may exist when the end-held portion of the headset (shell) has linear sidewalls.

Figure 10 illustrates one embodiment of the hearing protection device wherein an octagonal 60 portion of a headset (shell) is positioned at a hooked end 62 of a headband. Arrows C-C indicate the direction of movement through which the headset (shell) travels when the headset (shell) is inserted and removed from the gain-shaped end of the headband. The headset can also be moved toward C-C to position the headset as desired on the user's head, which effectively lengthens and shortens the headband. Arrows D1-D11 D2-D2 indicate the rotational direction of hook movement around the headset. The octagonal shape of the headset (shell) may result in a ratchet-type rotation of the hook around the headset (shell).

Figure 14 illustrates one embodiment of the hearing protection device wherein the inner walls of one end 70 of the headband form a surface that includes a series of rounded protuberances 72 and the end-positioned headset (shell) 74 includes a complementary series of rounded protuberances 76 on its surface. The setting allows ratchet rotation of the end around the headset (shell) when a force is applied to the end or headset (shell) to rotate one end or the headset (shell) relative to the other. .

Figure 15 illustrates another embodiment of hearing protection device 100 wherein the headpiece 102 is a headgear in the form of a helmet. The ends 104a, 104b of the headpiece are affixed to the outer surface of the helmet 102 and extend from the helmet 102 to the ear of a wearer. The ear protectors 106a, 106b are positioned in an opening at the ends 104a, 104b and the ends 104a, 104b incline the ear protectors 106a, 106b inwards against the user's head. The ends are movable between a first position in which they are inclined against the user's head and a second position in which they are kept away from the user's head. Examples of mechanisms that attach an extension to a helmet and allow movement of the extension from a first position to a second position can be found in U.S. Patent No. 5,546,610 and incorporated in the present invention.

Although the device has been described as having a frictional engagement between an end and a headset (shell), the frictional engagement may exist anywhere on the ear protector including for example the padding.

All patents and patent applications cited above, including those in the Fundamentals section, are fully incorporated into this patent application.

The invention may adopt various modifications and alterations without departing from its spirit and scope. Accordingly, this invention is not limited to what has been described above, but should be controlled by the limitations set forth in the following claims and any equivalents thereof.

This invention may also be suitably practiced in the absence of any element not specifically disclosed in the present invention.

Claims (10)

1. HEARING PROTECTIVE DEVICE, characterized in that it comprises: a first ear shell, a second ear shell; a headpiece comprising a first end extending from the head piece and a second end extending from the head piece, the first ear shell being held in a fixed position at the first end by frictional engagement between the first end and the first ear shell, whereas the second ear shell is held in a fixed position at the second end by frictional engagement between the second end and the second ear shell. HEARING DEVICE according to claim 1, characterized in that each end defines at least one of a C-shaped hook, a J-shaped hook and a U-shaped hook. HEARING PROTECTIVE DEVICE according to claim 1, characterized in that each end comprises a hook defined by a plurality of side walls. Hearing protector according to claim 3, characterized in that the sidewalls are curved. Hearing protector according to claim 1, characterized in that at least one end comprises at least three sidewalls that partially define a polygon selected from the group consisting of square, triangle, pentagon, hexagon, heptagon, octagon , eneagon and decagon. HEARING PROTECTIVE DEVICE according to claim 1, characterized in that the first and second ends comprise at least two teeth. HEARING PROTECTIVE DEVICE according to claim 1, characterized in that the earshells comprise an exposed external foam surface. Hearing protector according to Claim 1, characterized in that the earshells comprise an inner foam and an outer shell, the outer shell being integral with the inner foam. HEARING PROTECTIVE DEVICE according to claim 1, characterized in that the headpiece comprises at least one of a helmet and a headband. Hearing protector according to Claim 1, characterized in that the outer distal surfaces of the first and second earshells comprise exposed foam.