Hearing protection device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9426559-B2
Application number	US-201514695875-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 24, 2015
Priority date	Apr 24, 2014
Publication date	Aug 23, 2016
Grant date	Aug 23, 2016

Abstract

A hearing protection device for use in magnetic resonance devices is provided. The hearing protection device has a first hearing protection unit for disposal on a first ear of a patient and a second hearing protection unit for disposal on a second ear of a patient. The first hearing protection unit and/or the second hearing protection unit has a fluid cushion unit.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A hearing protection device comprising:
a first hearing protection unit for disposal on a first ear of a patient, the first hearing protection unit comprising a first fluid cushion unit having a first fluid cushion and a first opening;
a second hearing protection unit for disposal on a second ear of the patient, the second hearing protection unit comprising a second fluid cushion unit having a second fluid cushion and a second opening; and
a pump unit operable to feed a fluid into the first fluid cushion unit via the first opening, the second fluid cushion unit via the second opening, or a combination thereof,
wherein the first opening and the second opening are each individually configured to receive the fluid from the pump unit and to drain out the fluid.

2. The hearing protection device of claim 1 , wherein the first hearing protection unit further comprises a first ear pad with a first ear accommodating area such that the first fluid cushion unit of the first hearing protection unit is disposed on a side of the first ear pad facing away from the first ear accommodating area, and
wherein the second hearing protection unit further comprises a second ear pad with a second ear accommodating area such that the second fluid cushion unit of the second hearing protection unit is disposed on a side of the second ear pad facing away from the second ear accommodating area.

3. The hearing protection device of claim 1 , wherein the first fluid cushion and the second fluid cushion are each individually fillable with a filler.

4. The hearing protection device of claim 1 , wherein the first fluid cushion and the second fluid cushion each individually comprise a foam material that is compressable in a first operating state and expandable in a second operating state as a result of a spring force of the foam material, and wherein each cushion accepts a filler.

5. The hearing protection device of claim 3 , wherein the filler comprises air.

6. The hearing protection device of claim 1 , wherein the first hearing protection unit and the second hearing protection unit each individually further comprise a shell having a flexible material that varies a shape and volume of the respective hearing protection unit.

7. The hearing protection device of claim 1 , wherein the pump unit comprises a mechanical pump unit.

8. The hearing protection device of claim 1 , wherein the first fluid cushion, the second fluid cushion, or both the first fluid cushion and the second fluid cushion comprise at least one valve unit.

9. A magnetic resonance device comprising:
a hearing protection device comprising:
a first hearing protection unit for disposal on a first ear of a patient, the first hearing protection unit comprising a first fluid cushion unit having a first fluid cushion and a first opening;
a second hearing protection unit for disposal on a second ear of the patient, the second hearing protection unit comprising a second fluid cushion unit having a second fluid cushion and a second opening; and
a pump unit operable to feed a fluid into the first fluid cushion unit via the first opening, the second fluid cushion unit via the second opening, or a combination thereof,
wherein the first opening and the second opening are each individually configured to receive the fluid from the pump unit and to drain out the fluid.

10. The magnetic resonance device of claim 9 , wherein the first hearing protection unit further comprises a first ear pad with a first ear accommodating area such that the first fluid cushion unit of the first hearing protection unit is disposed on a side of the first ear pad facing away from the first ear accommodating area, and
wherein the second hearing protection unit further comprises a second ear pad with a second ear accommodating area such that the second fluid cushion unit of the second hearing protection unit is disposed on a side of the second ear pad facing away from the second ear accommodating area.

11. The magnetic resonance device of claim 9 , wherein the first fluid cushion and the second fluid cushion are each individually fillable with a filler.

12. The magnetic resonance device of claim 9 , wherein the first fluid cushion and the second fluid cushion each individually comprise a foam material that is compressable in a first operating state and expandable in a second operating state as a result of a spring force of the foam material, and wherein each cushion accepts a filler.

13. The magnetic resonance device of claim 11 , wherein the filler comprises air.

14. The magnetic resonance device of claim 9 , wherein the first hearing protection unit and the second hearing protection unit each individually further comprise a shell comprising a flexible material that varies a shape and volume of the respective hearing protection unit.

15. The magnetic resonance device of claim 9 , wherein the pump unit comprises a mechanical pump unit.

16. The magnetic resonance device of claim 9 , wherein the first fluid cushion, the second fluid cushion, or both the first fluid cushion and the second fluid cushion comprise at least one valve unit.

Assignees

• Candidus Yvonne
• Fischer Hubertus
• Siemens Ag

Inventors

• Candidus Yvonne
• Fischer Hubertus

Classifications

• G01R33/283

  Intercom or optical viewing arrangements, structurally associated with NMR apparatus · CPC title

• A61F2250/0003

  having an inflatable pocket filled with fluid, e.g. liquid or gas · CPC title

• G01R33/288

  Provisions within MR facilities for enhancing safety during MR, e.g. reduction of the specific absorption rate [SAR], detection of ferromagnetic objects in the scanner room · CPC title

• A61B5/055

  involving electronic [EMR] or nuclear [NMR] magnetic resonance, e.g. magnetic resonance imaging · CPC title

• H04R1/1008

  Earpieces of the supra-aural or circum-aural type · CPC title