Hearing protective earmuff device having frictionally engageable ear cups

Abstract

A hearing protective device that includes a first ear cup, a second ear cup, and a headpiece. The first ear cup is maintained in a fixed position in the first end of the headpiece through a frictional engagement, and the second ear cup is maintained in a fixed position in the second end through a frictional engagement. The hearing protection device is beneficial in that the user can easily change the ear cup if damaged or if a different level of sound attenuation is desired. The user does not have to buy a whole new earmuff apparatus.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0001] The invention relates to maintaining ear cups in a headband through a frictional engagement. [0002] Hearing protective devices in the form of earmuffs are widely used in industry to protect workers against environmental noise. Traditional hearing protective earmuffs include a pair of cup-shaped rigid shells that are attached to a headband. The headband is commonly designed for permanent attachment to the ear cups. For these constructions, an attempt to remove the ear cup from the headband can damage or destroy the ear cup, the headband or both. [0003] Some hearing protective earmuff configurations are designed to allow the ear cup to be removed from the headband. In these constructions, mechanical mechanisms such as male-female connectors, prongs, screws, nuts, and bolts can be used to secure and separate the headband and ear cups. These mechanisms often involve relatively difficult manipulations of the connection mechanism or may require additiona...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0005] The invention features a hearing protective device in which the headband terminates in ends that are capable of maintaining ear cups therein through a frictional engagement between the ear cup and the end. In some embodiments, the nature of the ends of the headband permits the headband to be worn in multiple positions on the head including, e.g., behind the neck, while maintaining the earmuffs in proper position on the ears.

[0006] The invention also features a hearing protective device in which the frictional engagement that exists between the ear cup and the headband allows a user to insert and remove the ear cup from the headband as desired without damaging the ear cups or the headband. The ability of the headband to releasably retain the ear cups facilitates ear cup removal and replacement for a variety of situations including, e.g., when the earmuffs have become damaged or soiled or when a level of sound attenuation is not appropriate for the environment in which the hearing protection device will be used. The earmuffs can be replaced with a second set of earmuffs that provide the requisite sound attenuation.

Problems solved by technology

For these constructions, an attempt to remove the ear cup from the headband can damage or destroy the ear cup, the headband or both.

These mechanisms often involve relatively difficult manipulations of the connection mechanism or may require additional tools to separate the ear cup from the headband.

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