Comfort headband for hearing protectors

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10722404-B2
Application number	US-201615548049-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 27, 2016
Priority date	Feb 3, 2015
Publication date	Jul 28, 2020
Grant date	Jul 28, 2020

Abstract

A hearing protection apparatus is provided. The apparatus comprises a removable compressible pad having a top portion and a bottom portion wherein the compressible pad is configured to be secured to the headband when the apparatus is worn. The compressible pad can provide increased comfort and an improved fit to the user.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An apparatus for hearing protection, comprising:
first and second ear cups, each ear cup defining a cavity configured to fit a user's ear;
a headband having a first end affixed to a first ear cup and a second end affixed to a second ear cup, the headband having a central line along its length from the first end to the second end and the headband also having a front side, a back side, a top side, a bottom side, and a thickness extending between the top side and bottom side, the headband defining one or more openings along the central line that span the thickness of the headband from the top side to the bottom side; and
a removable compressible pad having a top surface and a bottom surface wherein the compressible pad is configured to be secured to the headband when the apparatus is worn, and the compressible pad spans at least a portion of at least one or more of the one or more openings, wherein the bottom surface is configured to contact the head of a user when the apparatus is worn, and wherein the compressible pad is secured to the headband through one or more openings of the headband, wherein the compressible pad comprises one or more openings that are configured to align with one or more openings in the headband when the apparatus is worn.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the compressible pad comprises a top portion and a bottom portion, and wherein the top portion is fastened to the bottom portion through the one or more openings of the headband.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein the top portion is fastened to the bottom portion through a snap fit, a press fit, an injection-molded insert, a hook and loop fastener, one or more magnets, a friction fit, buttons, or a shaped insert and matching opening.

4. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein the bottom portion of the compressible pad comprises a bottom material layer with first and second end regions, and the top portion of the compressible pad comprises a top material layer with first and second end regions, the first and second material layers each having a thickness, a length, and a width.

5. The apparatus of claim 4 wherein the bottom material layer is attached to the top material layer at the first and second end regions of each of the respective layers.

6. The apparatus of claim 4 wherein the width of the top material layer is less than the width of the bottom material layer.

7. The apparatus of claim 4 wherein the length of the top material layer is less than the length of the bottom material layer.

8. The apparatus of claim 4 wherein the thickness of the top material layer is less than the thickness of the bottom material layer.

9. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein the top portion, the bottom portion, or both top and bottom portions of the compressible pad comprises a fabric, a skinned foam, an open-cell foam, a closed-cell foam, a woven or nonwoven fabric, a woven or nonwoven mesh, a natural or synthetic leather, or a low density silicone.

10. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein the top portion and the bottom portion are made of different materials than each other.

11. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein the compressible pad comprises one or more openings in both the top portion and bottom portion that are configured to align with one or more openings in the headband when the apparatus is worn, wherein the one or more openings in the top portion are a different size from the one or more openings in the bottom portion.

12. The apparatus of claim 11 wherein the number of openings defined through the compressible pad when the top portion and bottom portion are attached to each other is different from the number of openings in the headband.

13. The apparatus of claim 2 further comprising an attachment device fastening the top portion to the bottom portion, wherein the device includes an insert having one end with a mushroom-cap type shape.

14. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the compressible pad spans at least a portion of each of the one or more openings in the headband.

15. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the bottom surface of the compressible pad extends at least 5 mm below the bottom side of the headband.

16. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising
a processor, configured to receive an incoming signal and create an output signal; and a speaker disposed on the apparatus, the speaker configured to produce the output from the processor.

17. The apparatus of claim 16 further comprising a microphone disposed on the apparatus, the microphone configured to pick up an input sound wave from the environment and convert the input sound wave to an incoming signal.

18. An apparatus for hearing protection, comprising:
first and second ear cups, each ear cup defining a cavity configured to fit a user's ear;
a headband having a first end affixed to a first ear cup and a second end affixed to a second ear cup, the headband having a central line from the first end to the second end and the headband also having a front side, a back side, a top side, a bottom side, and a thickness, the headband defining one or more openings along the central line that span the thickness of the headband from the top side to the bottom side; and
a removable compressible pad spanning at least a portion of the one or more openings, the removable compressible pad having a top surface, a bottom surface, and an attachment region comprising a channel or groove wherein the attachment region is disposed between the top surface and bottom surface, wherein the channel or grove is configured to position at least a portion of the compressible pad inside the one or more openings so that the bottom surface of the compressible pad contacts the head of a user when the apparatus is worn, and wherein the compressible pad comprises one or more openings that are configured to align with one or more openings in the headband when the apparatus is worn.

Assignees

• 3M Innovative Properties Co

Inventors

• Echeverri Nicolas A
• Fletcher Douglas D
• Hemberg Oscar M
• Hemberg Eric O

Classifications

• A61F11/145

  electric, e.g. for active noise reduction · CPC title

• H04R5/0335

  Earpiece support, e.g. headbands or neckrests (for monophonic headphones H04R1/105) · CPC title

• G01K11/16

  of organic materials · CPC title

• A61F11/14 Primary

  external, e.g. earcaps or earmuffs · CPC title

• H04R1/105

  Earpiece supports, e.g. ear hooks (for stereophonic headphones H04R5/0335) · CPC title