Ear-plugs

July 16, 1963

L. SANTI EAR-PLUGS Filed Aug. 24, 1961

3,097,643

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Lou/S SfiNTl

United States Patent Office

3,097,643

Patented July 16, 1963

3,097,643 EAR-PLUGS

Louis Santi, 1506 Rue Paradis, Marseille, France Filed Aug. 24, 1961, Ser. No. 133,710

Claims priority, application France Aug. 26, 1960 3 Claims. (Cl. 128—152)

The purpose of the invention is to construct auricular sealing-devices in order to provide, either with or without an auxiliary casing, ear-plugs forming a complete protective unit against noise and the penetration of water.

These plugs have the following characteristics:

(1) Different degrees of sound-reduction can be obtained, according to need, ranging from attenuation to the total elimination of noise.

(2) Atmospheric pressure is maintained in the ear, physiological trouble thus being avoided.

(3) Rigidity at the moment of penetration, so that the device can be introduced into the ear without crushing.

(4) Flexibility after being placed in position, so that all discomfort is avoided.

(5) The device can be adapted to auricular canals of any conformation.

In the attached drawings, illustrating, by way of an example, and without any limitative effect, one of the ways in which the invention can be constructed:

FIGURE 1 is a sealing-device shown in longitudinal section.

FIG. 2 is a similar view of a semi-rigid sealing-device.

FIG. 3 is a cross section showing the indentations provided up the side of the sealing-device.

FIG. 4 is a sectional illustration of a sealing-device with casing.

FIG. 5 illustrates a metallic sealing-device with casing.

The sealing-device in FIG. 1, preferably of plastic and semi-rigid, consists of a rigid base 1 with tabs 1'. It is provided with an orifice 2 and is axially surmounted by a stem 3 to which are affixed circular sound-damping blades 4. These blades ‘are provided, at 5, with perforations flush with the stem 3, and are staggered in relation to one another from top to bottom of the apparatus.

The sealing-device shown in FIG. 2, made of semi-rigid plastic, likewise comprises a base 6, with tab 6', as well as a stem 7 and an orifice 8. This stem likewise bears blades 9, indented over a part of their external periphery, in accordance with the profile 10 shown in FIG. 3. They are staggered in respect of one another in a vertical direction.

The sealing-device shown in FIG. 4 constitutes the assembly of a plastic sealing-device of which the material has very low sound-conductivity. It consists of a base 11 provided with a perforation 12 and surmounted by a stem 13 which has staggered semi-circular blades or projections 14. An auxiliary casing 15 surrounds the stem. This casing is made of rubber or of a very flexible plastic material. The hollowed-out interior forms a conduit 16 which is opened at its two ends. The upper extremity bears fixing-flanges 17 which penetrate the user’s ear. An internal circular shoulder 18 is provided in the center, and the base includes an internal groove 19 and an external tab 20 to enable the device to be withdrawn.

The base 11 is embedded in the groove 19, and the blades 14 are in contact with the wall of the casing except at their upper extremity, which is at a distance from the shoulder 18.

The route taken by the sound-waves and the air is shown by the dotted line X. The sound is damped by the projections 14, but atmospheric pressure is maintained in the ear.

At the moment when the device is introduced into the ear, the thrust exerted at the base 11 of the plug causes the sealing-device to come to rest against the shoulder 18, which enables the device to be introduced in a rigid state, without any compression. As soon as the pressure ceases, the sealing-device moves away from the shoulder 18, as a result of the elasticity of the casing 15, and resumes its entire flexibility.

The plug shown in FIG. 5 is intended, in particular, to prevent the ingress of water, and consists of a casing 21, identically similar to that shown in FIG. 4, and of a rigid metallic sealing-device.

This sealing-device consists of a tubular fitting 22 of which the base is formed by a resonance-plate 23.

This plate is embedded in the groove 24 and entirely seals the conduit 25. The tube 22 is at a distance both from the casing 21 and from the shoulder 26, thus providing a hermetic chamber of resonance for the transmission of the vibrations received by the plate 23.

A characteristic of this device is that owing to the casing it can be introduced in a rigid state into the auditory canal by the thrust of the tube 22 on the shoulder 26, and that the casing returns to its position by virtue of its elasticity and propels the sealing device· as a result of the groove 24.

The sealing-devices shown in FIGS. 1, 2 and 3 enable a sound-reduction of the order of 30 decibels to be obtained in an octave with a frequency-range of 6400-12,800 for the first, and 60 decibels for the second. Placed in the ear, they are flexible as a result of the fineness of the projecting blades and are easily positioned in the auditory canal 27 as a result of the rigidity of their stems 3 and 7.

The passage of the air between the projections ensures that atmospheric pressure is maintained in the auditory canal.

The sealing-devices shown in FIG. 4, combined with the casing 15, result in an average sound-reduction of about 15 decibels in an octave with a frequency-range of 3200-6400.

The sealing-devices shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 may also be combined with casings 15 and 21, and their shape, that of a truncated cone, enables them to be cut at the top, if necessary, in order to adapt them to the conformations of the auditory canals.