WO2003037235A2

WO2003037235A2 - Universal ear-plug with anatomically designed elastic ear-piece and pull-out extension

Info

Publication number: WO2003037235A2
Application number: PCT/HU2002/000109
Authority: WO
Inventors: Szentiványi ISTVÁN
Original assignee: Istvan Szentivanyi
Priority date: 2001-10-30
Filing date: 2002-10-29
Publication date: 2003-05-08
Also published as: WO2003037235A3; HU0100278V0; AU2002339204A1; HU2352U

Abstract

Universal ear-plug with anatomically designed elastic ear-piece and pull-out extension; ear-piece (6) comes in at least two sizes consisting of an conical-shaped outer section (7) tapered from the outer section to which the pull-out extension (5) is affixed, and which continues in the inner section (8) that is shaped to fit the Isthmus of the auditory meatus of the ear, bevelled toward the outer section (7) at an obtuse angles , featuring a decreasing diameter in smaller sizes or even or increasing in diameter in larger sizes.

Description

UNIVERSAL EAR-PLUG WITH ANATOMICALLY DESIGNED ELASTIC EARPIECE AND PULL-OUT EXTENSION

This design pertains to universal ear-plugs with anatomically designed elastic ear-piece and pull-out extension.

Ear-plugs have been popular for quite some time. People whose ears are sensitive or impaired usually resort to making cotton balls and used them as simple plugs, although there are ear-plugs available in commercial circulation for a long time past.

Whether used to block harmful noises or to keep water out when bathing, ear-plugs are generally made from elastic materials, like rubber or sponge, or from soft plastic, most of them tapered and rounded at the end. An ear-plug that fits this description is illustrated in a Hungarian patent application published under No. 58990.

There are some ear-plugs, which are constructed of flexible laminas, where the laminas fixed around the central axis are meant to line the inside of the ear. An ear-plug that fits this description is illustrated in a Hungarian patent application No. 61187.

Some ear-plugs that are available on the market are plastic, most of them made of wax or cotton, and can be shaped for best fitting. An ear-plug that fits this description is illustrated under the No. 191782 patent description.

One major disadvantage the above defined ear-plugs have in common is that they do not accommodate the anatomical shape of the ear, or to the external auditory canal, which means that if worn for any extended period they become uncomfortable, sometimes even causing tensive pain.

The other disadvantage of plastic ear-plugs is that they tend to wax up, contaminating the ear and the environment alike.

Apart from being uncomfortable, another handicap of these commercially available earplugs is their poor insulation properties. The external auditory canal of the human ear is anywhere between 2.5 to 3.5 cm long and more-or-less decidedly S-shaped, having two horizontal curves. Diagonally, it is an upright, oval entrance. This cross-section, however, changes in consequence of any movement of the jaws, such as when speak or chew, which means that the efficiency of these otherwise poorly fitting ear-plugs gets even worse. In general, ready-made ear-plugs end at the first bend of the auditory canal, which means that their insulation properties leave something to be desired and that they slide out easily. If we were to try to insert them a little deeper, they would become too painful to wear within a short period of time, and would have to be removed. The efficiency of known ear-plugs is further corrupted by the fact that the size and shape of each auditory canal is different, and this means that for all practical purposes a generally suitable shape is impossible to create.

Consequently, an ear-plug that is truly fitting and that offers sufficient sealing properties as well can only be made in due consideration of the unique shape and size of each external auditory canal. Such ear-plugs are supplied with hearing aids.

The so called fitted ear-plugs are custom made and are shaped after individual impressions, in result of which they provide perfect protection from ambient conditions. They are not uncomfortable to wear while featuring an option to provide acoustical transmission without any feedback.

The major drawback of these custom-made fitted ear-plugs is that they can only be produced in special laboratories, and that the impression and the actual manufacturing process must be supervised by a physician. The manufacturing process is time consuming and costly procedure, which makes the ear-plug itself is very expensive.

This new ear-plug design, therefore, is aimed to eliminate the above defined failures and disadvantages; to provide a universal ear-plug line that can be mass produced and made available in commercial circulation, and that comes as close as possible to custom-made ear-plugs in terms of efficiency and comfort.

These ear-plugs feature anatomically designed elastic ear-pieces and pull-out extensions, where the ear-pieces are made in at least two sizes consisting of a conical-shaped outer section tapered from the outer section to which the pull-out extension is affixed, and which continues in the inner section that is shaped to fit the Isthmus of the auditory meatus of the ear, bevelled toward the outer section featuring a decreasing diameter in smaller sizes or even or increasing in diameter in larger sizes. For the most part, these ear-plugs come in small, medium and large sizes, complemented with extra large sizes too (XL, XXL). They also feature a transit pipe with acoustical and selective noise filtering.

The essence of this ear-plug line lies in the solution that they are made in several different sizes and shapes, designed on the basis of extensive sampling.

We have based this invention on the perception that the shape of the external auditory canal is different in smaller and in larger ears, which means that different sizes require different shapes to achieve tight fitting.

We have also realized that the efficiency of ear-plugs largely depend on where the earpiece is positioned within the auditory canal and that optimum efficiency can be achieved if the ear-piece reaches the Isthmus section beyond the first bend of the auditory canal. To accomplish this design features two conical-shaped bevelled parts. In larger sizes the top of the second part is not necessarily tapered, it may be even throughout or even wider at the top.

These ear-plugs are comfortable to wear and they do not cause any pain even if worn for any extended period of time, while they fit tightly enough to block out noise, water and any unwanted substance at much better rate that their predecessors.

Further details of this new design are illustrated by drawings and charts.

Chart 1 contains a sketch of an external auditory canal, indicating the fitting characteristics of conventional ear-plugs and our ear-plugs.

Chart 2 demonstrates the new ear-plug in various shapes in a side-view, front-view and rear-view.

Chart 3 illustrates a profiled ear-plug fitted with noise filter.

Chart 4 illustrates an ear-plug in another shape, with an acoustical transit pipe. Chart 1 illustrates a profiled human ear. The auricular (1) continues in the external auditory canal (2), the middle Isthmus section (3) of which contains the ear-plug (4). For comparison we have demonstrated on the left with a dotted line the position of conventional earplugs in the auditory canal (2), and on the right the position of custom-made ear-pieces.

It is plain to see that the custom-made models are better fitting, and that our ear-plug also reaches into the Isthmus section (3) on account which it is more stable and fits tighter.

Chart 2 demonstrates the new ear-plug in various shapes in a side-view, front-view and rear-view, showing the tip (4) of the ear-plug in variations according to sizes. The different sizes are marked by the common symbols used in commercial circulation (S = small, M = medium, L = large, X = extra large, XXL = extra extra large).

All ear-plugs (4) come with a pull-out extension (5) and an ear-piece (6). The ear-piece (6) consists of an outer section (7) and an inner section (8). The outer section (7) is similar to the corresponding sections of conventional ear-plugs, slightly tapered. However, instead of a straight conical form, it continues in the inner section (8) in an obtuse Q^ angle with the outer section (7). The D angle is always obtuse. The ear-plug (4) ends in round tip (9).

The shape of the inner section (8) differs in all sizes. In smaller sizes it tapered toward the tip, meaning that the diameter of the ear-plug (4) is gradually decreasing toward the tip (9). In the larger sizes (L, XL, XXL) the inner section (8) is not tapered, rather it is more like a cylindrical shape, or even wider toward the tip, for this structure proved the most befitting according to the extensive tests we have conducted.

The arched design of the new ear-plug (4) that follows the shape of the Isthmus section (3) and the varying sizes to accommodate the size of the auditory canal (2) ensure the best fitting for each and every patient, offering practically the same qualities in terms of fitting and efficiency as custom-made models.

The ear-plug shown in Chart 3 has a drill hole (10) with a noise filter inserted in its outer section, which improves the noise inhibiting characteristics of the ear-plug (4).

The design also permits the ear-plug to be used with hearing aids, telephones or electronic devices (radio, tape or record player), with a transit pipe (12) inserted into the ten holes for acoustical sound transmission, as it illustrated in Chart 4. In this case the transit pipe (12) replaces the pull-out extension as well. The new ear-plug design features better comfort characteristics for it is shaped to best accommodate the external auditory canal of each individual. It is made of durable, yet elastic silicon that is capable to adapt minor changes. It offers protection against penetrating water or noise, while permitting it to be used with hearing aids as well.

Naturally, the demonstrated designs merely examples of the numerous other variations that can be accomplished within the range to which the protection applies as defined according tc the patent requirements.

Claims

1. Universal ear-plug with anatomically designed elastic ear-piece and pull-out extension; ear-piece (6) comes in at least two sizes consisting of a conical-shaped outer section (7) tapered from the outer section to which the pull-out extension (5) is affixed, and which continues in the inner section (8) that is shaped to fit the Isthmus of the auditory meatus of the ear, bevelled toward the outer section (7) at an obtuse angle (έfi.), featuring a decreasing diameter in smaller sizes or even or increasing in diameter in larger sizes.

2. Same as 1, typically made in small (S), medium (M) and large (L) sizes.

3. Same as 2, also made in extra large (XL, XXL) sizes.

4. Same as 1-3, with a drill hole (10).

5. Same as 4, with a transit pipe (12) installed through the drill hole (10) for acoustical sound transmission.

6. Same as 4, with a noise filter (11) installed through the drill hole (10).