Ear protection device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12274602-B2
Application number	US-202217732664-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 29, 2022
Priority date	May 5, 2021
Publication date	Apr 15, 2025
Grant date	Apr 15, 2025

Abstract

The present invention relates to an ear protection device, which comprises an ear cushion for contacting around an ear to seal off an interior space of the ear protection device from surroundings, a switch comprising a holder portion and a shaft with a guide, a shell comprising an interior section and a shell aperture wherein edges of the shell aperture engage with the guide of the switch, and said shell is provided between the ear cushion and the switch. The switch is rotatable between a first position and a second position, wherein in the first position ventilation holes are exposed from the interior section of the shell allowing air to flow inside the interior space, and in the second position the ventilation holes are covered inside the interior section of shell preventing the air to flow inside the interior space.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An ear protection device, comprising:
an ear cushion for contacting around an ear to seal off an interior space of the ear protection device from surroundings,
a switch comprising a holder portion and a shaft with a guide,
a shell comprising an interior section and a shell aperture wherein edges of the shell aperture engage with the guide of the switch, and said shell is provided between the ear cushion and the switch,
the switch is rotatable between a first position and a second position, wherein in the first position, ventilation holes are exposed from the interior section of the shell allowing air to flow inside the interior space,
and in the second position, the ventilation holes are covered inside the interior section of shell and directly covered by the shell, preventing the air to flow inside the interior space and,
a sealing ring next to the ventilation holes and said sealing ring contacts the shell in the second position.

2. The ear protection device according to claim 1 , wherein the shaft comprises a stopper for preventing the rotation of the switch past a predetermined distance from the ear cushion.

3. The ear protection device according to claim 1 , wherein the ventilation holes are arranged at a same transverse plane of a rotation axis of the shaft.

4. The ear protection device according to claim 1 , wherein the guide is threads on outer surface of the shaft of the switch contacting a counterpart on the shell aperture.

5. The ear protection device according to claim 4 , wherein the ventilation holes are arranged around the shaft between the sealing ring and the threads.

6. The ear protection device according to claim 1 , wherein the ear protection device further comprises an intermediate shell provided between the shell and the ear cushion, wherein the inner surface of the shell and the inner surface of the intermediate shell and optionally the outer surface of the shaft of the switch defines a space for a main sound-absorbing element.

7. The ear protection device according to claim 6 , wherein an inner section of the shaft of the switch is hollow and defines a space for an additional sound-absorbing element.

8. The ear protection device according to claim 1 , wherein the ear protection device further comprises an inner shell comprising an inner shell aperture and a counterpart.

9. The ear protection device according to claim 8 , wherein the counterpart is a protrusion extending from the inner shell aperture, and the guide of the shaft is an inclined step contacting said protrusion.

10. The ear protection device according to claim 8 , wherein the inner surface of the inner shell and the transverse plane of the end of the shaft of the switch defines a space for a sound-absorbing element.

11. The ear protection device according to claim 8 , wherein the ventilation holes are arranged at the inner shell and the sealing ring surrounds the inner shell.

12. The ear protection device according to claim 8 wherein the ear protection device further comprises a second sealing ring surrounding the switch and contacting the shell aperture.

13. The ear protection device according to claim 8 , wherein the ear protection device further comprises at least one switch holder surrounding at least partially the circumference of the shaft of the switch and configured to prevent the switch to separate from the shell aperture and inner shell aperture.

14. The ear protection device according to claim 1 , wherein the shell is free of ventilation holes.

15. An ear protection device, comprising:
an ear cushion for contacting around an ear to seal off an interior space of the ear protection device from surroundings,
a switch comprising a holder portion and a shaft with a guide,
a shell comprising an interior section and a shell aperture wherein edges of the shell aperture engage with the guide of the switch, and said shell is provided between the ear cushion and the switch,
the switch is rotatable between a first position and a second position, wherein in the first position, ventilation holes are exposed from the interior section of the shell allowing air to flow inside the interior space,
and in the second position, the ventilation holes are covered inside the interior section of shell and directly covered by the shell, preventing the air to flow inside the interior space,
an inner shell comprising an inner shell aperture and a counterpart, and
wherein the ventilation holes are arranged at the inner shell and a sealing ring surrounds the inner shell.

16. The ear protection device according to claim 15 , wherein the shaft comprises a stopper for preventing the rotation of the switch past a predetermined distance from the ear cushion.

17. The ear protection device according to claim 15 , wherein the ventilation holes are arranged at a same transverse plane of a rotation axis of the shaft.

18. The ear protection device according to claim 15 , wherein the guide comprises threads on an outer surface of the shaft of the switch contacting the counterpart on the shell aperture.

19. The ear protection device according to claim 15 wherein the ear protection device further comprises a second sealing ring surrounding the switch and contacting the shell aperture.

20. The ear protection device according to claim 15 , wherein the ear protection device further comprises at least one switch holder surrounding at least partially the circumference of the shaft of the switch and configured to prevent the switch to separate from the shell aperture and inner shell aperture.

Assignees

• Fiskars Finland Oy Ab

Inventors

• Masalin Petteri

Classifications

• A61F11/06

  Protective devices for the ears · CPC title

• A61F11/12

  External mounting means · CPC title

• H04R1/1083

  Reduction of ambient noise (active noise reduction per se G10K11/175; protective devices for the ear, e.g. providing acoustic protection A61F11/06) · CPC title

• F41H1/00

  Personal protection gear (shields for personal use F41H5/08; {footwear for use in minefields A43B3/0026}; for protection against chemical warfare A62B) · CPC title

• A42B3/16

  Ear protection devices · CPC title