Acoustics – Anatomic or prosthetic relation – Ear and mouth
Patent
1993-10-05
1996-09-17
Dang, Khanh
Acoustics
Anatomic or prosthetic relation
Ear and mouth
128864, A61B 702
Patent
active
055570771
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a hearing-protector plug, in the following referred to as an ear plug, which is designed to be applied in the ear and comprises means that enable it to be detected if lost.
DISCUSSION OF BACKGROUND MATERIAL
In the food industry, in particular, it is important that foreign objects are not lost, thereby possibly ending up in the foodstuff. This also goes for ear plugs.
Previously, efforts have been made to eliminate this inconvenience by interconnecting two ear plugs by a band or a cord. Under unfavourable conditions, however, an ear plug may nevertheless be lost. Further, the entire unit comprising the two ear plugs and the band or string may, of course, be lost as well.
In recent years, ear plugs have therefore been equipped with special means that can be detected with the aid of conventional detection equipment usually operating magnetically or electrically, whereby a lost ear plug can be traced.
EP-A1-0,244,979 discloses the provision of a special metal ferrule in the shank portion of an ear plug, one end of a connecting cord being fixed in the metal ferrule which in turn is mounted by press fit in an axial hole formed in the shank of the plug. If a lost ear plug of this type is to be detected, the metal ferrule has to stay in place in the ear plug. However, this is not always the case, and the metal ferrule may instead stick to the end of the connecting cord. When it does, the lost ear plug, of course, cannot be detected.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,936,411 discloses an ear plug similar to that described in EP-A1-0,244,979. In this case, however, a detectable metal sphere is mounted in the hole formed in the shank of the ear plug, inwardly of the fixing point of the end of the associated connecting cord. This is meant to ensure that the metal sphere will at all times stay with the ear plug if this is lost.
It will, however, be appreciated that a lost ear plug may easily be exposed to such conditions that it comes apart, in particular so that the shank portion of the ear plug detaches itself from the main body thereof. If so, the main body cannot possibly be detected.
OBJECT OF THE INVENTION
The object of the present invention is to provide an improved ear plug of the type stated in the introduction to this specification, thereby obviating the above inconveniences while affording advantages of manufacturing technique and economy, without adversely affecting the other properties of the ear plug.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The ear plug according to the invention is thus mainly characterized in that the means added to give detectability is finely divided and distributed in the plug material, preferably, homogeneously distributed throughout the plug. The detectable means can thus be in powder form and be an integral part of the plug material.
According to the invention, the detectable means can be simply added to the plug material before the plug is manufactured. As will be appreciated, this involves considerable advantages as to processing technique and costs.
With a homogeneous mixing of the means in the entire plug, also small pieces of a lost plug can be detected, e.g., magnetically or electrically, with the aid of conventional equipment used, e.g., in the food industry.
Distributing the means in the plug material according to the invention has been found to have no negative effects on the function of the ear plug or its wearing comfort.
The detectable means advantageously consists of a metal powder, preferably iron powder. It will, however, be appreciated that any detectable powder material can be used.
Use is advantageously made of iron powder of the type employed in the food and pharmaceutical industries, e.g., in iron tablets. It may thus be a question of water-atomized, sponge-iron-base or electrooxidized iron powders. The powder particles are advantageously surface-treated prior to admixture so as to improve adhesion to the plug material and prevent oxidation.
Conveniently, the particle size of the pulverulent means should not exceed about 300 .mu
REFERENCES:
patent: 3696090 (1972-10-01), Lampe
patent: 3782379 (1974-01-01), Lampe
patent: 3897376 (1975-07-01), Lampe
patent: 4314553 (1982-02-01), Westerdal
patent: 4498469 (1985-02-01), Csiki
patent: 4614487 (1986-09-01), Csiki
patent: 4936411 (1990-06-01), Leonard
International Search Report and Annex.
International Preliminary Examination Report.
Bilsom AB
Dang Khanh
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