DK142263B - Hearing protection for use with eyeglasses. - Google Patents

Description

142253

The present invention relates to a hearing protector for use with eyeglasses and other of the type specified in the preamble of claim 1. More particularly, the invention relates to a hearing protector containing a sheath which is adapted to enclose the wearer's ear and which is provided with a sealing ring attached around the opening or rim of the sheath. Usually two such hearing protectors are mounted on a suitable bracket, but hearing protectors can also be mounted in another way, for example on a protective helmet. The invention is also adapted for use with conventional models of hearing protection or other equipment where additional sealing pads are needed for eyeglasses.

The hearing protectors available on the market are arranged so that when used with glasses, they come into a position such that the eyeglasses are inserted between the hearing protector sealing ring and the wearer's head. The sound leakage resulting from this causes the damping ability of the hearing protection to be greatly reduced. In addition, discomfort to the wearer occurs as the eyeglass bar presses against the ear and head.

It is also known to provide eyeglasses with earplugs. However, this solution is not always satisfactory when a proper, attenuated damping is obtained for each case. Furthermore, earplugs must be considered unhygienic.

The present invention has for its object to provide a hearing protector of the current type which is convenient to wear with glasses and which is effectively noise suppressant and adapted to be worn on and off independently of the wearer's eyeglasses. This is achieved with the characteristics of the hearing protection according to the invention stated in the characterizing part of claim 1.

After a sealing pad is placed on each eyeglass rod, the wearer can put on the glasses and then the hearing protectors can otherwise be taken off and on as needed, placing the sealing rings of the hearing protectors outside of the eyeglasses with the sealing pads applied thereto. An eyeglass bar is then enclosed between the hearing protector sealing ring and sealing pad, whereby the eyeglass rod does not bother the wearer or diminish the hearing protector's damping ability.

Conveniently, the sealing cushion according to the invention can be attached to an eyeglass by means of the fastening means specified in claim 2 which are convenient and easy to manufacture.

In an embodiment as claimed in claim 3, the sealing pad is constituted by a sealing ring or sealing ring segment, which is provided with a pocket arranged in the main axis parallel to the plane of the sealing ring for the eyeglass rod. An annular sealing pad is simple to manufacture by cutting discs from a hollow cylinder, whereupon such a sealing disc can be enclosed between two annular outer layers joined along their boundary circles. If the material is very resilient, the sealing pad can be designed as a ring segment without losing the hearing protection's damping ability. Furthermore, a sealing pad in the form of a ring segment is more comfortable to wear than a sealing pad in the form of an entire ring, especially when the sheath of the hearing protector is removed. When the outer layer of the sealing pad is not glued to the actual sealing material, the sealing pad can be attached or applied to an eyeglass bar if it is inserted through a hole made in the outer layer of the sealing pad, and along the inside of the outer layer so that the eyeglass occupies a position between the inside of the outer layer and the sealing material. whereby the material is compressed by the eyeglass rod. Alternatively, the sealing material may be provided with a recess for the eyeglass rod.

3 142263

Claim 4 relates to an embodiment whereby an eyeglass rod can be inserted between the layers of the double layer padding. This is a very simple embodiment in which the sealing pad can be made as a profile consisting of two uniform padding layers held together by a surrounding tubular outer layer. Such a profile can be cut into suitable lengths, thereby providing pads without outer layers at the end surfaces. Such a sealing pad can be secured to an eyeglass rod by inserting it between the two padding layers from one end surface of the sealing pad.

Claim 5 also specifies a suitable embodiment. The sealing pad can be attached to an eyeglass rod by inserting it through a slot in the outer layer, further between the outer layer and padding of the pillow and out through an additional slot in the outer layer. This embodiment allows the sealing pad to be made relatively small in that it can be displaced along the eyeglass rod to the position where the eyeglass tang touches the sealing ring on the sheath of the hearing protection.

Finally, claim 6 relates to an embodiment which is suitable in that the sealing pad can be designed with reduced thickness, which is in favor of the carrier.

In the following, the invention will be described in more detail from embodiments shown in the drawing, in which fig. 1, 3, 5 and 8 show alternative embodiments of the hearing protection according to the invention; 2 is a sectional view of a spectacle bar with a sealing cushion along B-B in FIG. 1, FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional spectacle bar with a seal cushion along C-C in FIG. 3, FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional spectacle bar with a seal cushion along D-D in FIG. 5, FIG. 7 is a modification of the sealing pad of FIG. 5, FIG. 9 is a sectional view of a spectacle bar with a sealing cushion along E-E in FIG. 8, and FIG. 10 is a modification of the sealing pad. 6th

A sound insulating jacket 2 encloses the wearer's one ear. Around the aperture of the jacket, a sealing ring 3 is attached. Until and coaxially with the sealing ring, an additional sealing pad 4 is placed removably. This comprises a soft padding which is surrounded by an elastic outer layer and is provided with a hole 6 in the part of the outer layer which is intended to abut the fixed sealing ring 3, see Figures 1-4. The cushion has the shape of a ring, see Figures 1-2, or as a wedge-shaped ring segment, see Figures 3-4.

4 142263

Using the hearing protector, the eyeglass rod 5 is passed through the hole in the outer layer of the sealing pad and along the inside of the outer layer so that it occupies a position between the inside of the surface layer and the outside of the padding, whereby the padding is compressed by the rod. Alternatively, the padding may be provided with a recess for the eyeglass bar.

The glasses with the sealing pads thus applied are put on and then the sheaths with the fixed sealing rings are put on.

Figures 5, 6 and 7 show another embodiment of the invention in which the cushion, in its longitudinal direction, is formed with a vaulted and a generally flat surface. The cushion is substantially rectangular in longitudinal section and is preferably made by cutting a straight profile constructed in a manner similar to the previously mentioned cushion to suitable lengths. This provides cushions which do not have an outer layer at the end surfaces, which facilitates the insertion of the cushions onto the eyeglasses.

Using this embodiment of the hearing protector according to the invention, the eyeglass bar is passed through the end faces of the cushion and practically in its longitudinal direction so that the bar occupies a position between the outer layer and the cushion of the cushion. The sealing pad can also be designed with double-sided padding or filling 9, see fig. 7, whereby the rod is inserted between the filling layers.

Figures 8, 9 and 10 show a further embodiment in which the sealing pad is formed with a double curvature and a generally flat surface. The flat face is provided with two substantially parallel and opposed grooves or slots 7 through which the rod can be inserted when the hearing protector is to be used, see FIG. 9. Alternatively, the pad may be provided with a terminal 8 according to FIG. 10, with which the pad is clamped to the eyeglass rod.

In all embodiments of the hearing protection, the fixed sealing ring 3 can be provided with a recess 10 which provides extra space for the eyeglass rod, ie. the sarse pressure by the rod's effect on the cushion's cushioning is diminished, but alternatively the recess in the cushioning can be made less deep.

In addition to being a conventional hearing protector for protecting the ear against noise, the hearing protector of the invention may also be adapted for more special purposes, for example as headphones intended to keep unauthorized sounds out and partly to ensure that the sounds in question are produced and transmitted to the ear.