Earplug assemblies are provided for mounting at the ends of a resilient band, which readily deform to tightly seal to the walls of the ear that surround the entrance to the ear canal. Each assembly includes a shell having a closed forward end that presses against the ear and an open rear end that receives an armature mounted on the band. The shell has a front end tapered at a large angle such as 90.degree., while the armature has a forward portion tapered at a small angle such as 20.degree., to leave an air gap between the forward portions of the shell and armature. With the forward tip of the armature pressing against the center of the shell front, outer portions of the shell front can deflect rearwardly and radially inwardly into the air gap.
A noise blocking band earplug has a band (12) with outer portions (44, 46) that are bent to prevent the ear-engaging pods (20, 22) from touching the ground, whether placed right-side-up or upside-down on the ground. When the middle region (32) of the band rests on a horizontal surface (64), a band inner end part (70) extends at an upward incline (C) with its outer end forming a second bend (80) so the outer end part (72) extends at a downward incline (D), with the second bend preventing the pods from touching the ground when the earplug is laid upside-down. At the second bend (80), the largely vertical height (J) of the band is increased and its outer surface (102) is made convex to provide pods for more readily pressing the pods against the outside of the ear canals.
A band earplug apparatus is described, of the type which includes a pair of earplug devices (20, 22) lying on the ends of a band (12) that fits halfway about a person's head, which avoids soiling of the earplug devices when the band is laid on a dirty surface. The band is designed so its middle portion (24) rests stably on a horizontal surface (5), and with the end portions then extending at an incline (A) away from the horizontal surface to hold the ends (14, 16) of the band and the earplug devices (20, 22) thereon spaced from the horizontal surface.
A sun and sound shielding arrangement (10) for allowing a person to sleep in a bright noisy environment wherein the arrangement (10) includes a sun shade member (20) having an open end box configuration provided with air flow openings (24); and, an ear plug unit (11) including ear plug members (13) mounted on a spring element (14) such that the ear plug members (13) will cause the tragus (101) of the user's ear (100) to block the auditory canals (102).
A hearing protection device insertable into an ear canal is provided, the device generally including a stem portion, a sound attenuating portion affixed to and extending at least partially over the stem portion, and a volume of space disposed between and delimited by the sound attenuating portion and the stem portion, where at least a part of the sound attenuating portion is collapsible into the volume of space during insertion of the hearing protection device into the ear canal.
A foam earplug that includes a first segment a second segment and a predetermined articulation zone disposed between the first segment and the second segment. The earplug exhibits an equilibrium bend force of no greater than about 10 g.
