Nano-otologic protective equipment for impact noise toxicity and/or blast overpressure exposure

Abstract

An apparatus for preventing hearing loss having a body made of a soft compliant material having first and second ends and a channel extending therethrough, an acoustically limp material adjacent one of the ends of the body with the acoustically limp material having a hole therein aligned with the channel extending through the body, and a component film, disc or other structure covering or sealing the opening in the acoustically limp material. The film or disc may be formed of a high-strength polymer material and may be less than 10 micrometers in thickness. Rather than having a single channel extending through the body, a plurality of channels may extend therethrough and a plurality of corresponding holes may be provided in the acoustically limp material. The film, disc or other structure covers or seals the plurality of holes in the acoustically limp material. The film, disc or other structure may be attached in such a fashion as to behave like a flap whose operation is to close in response to high energy sound waves. The flap is pressed shut from the high intensity shock wave itself. The body may cylindrical in shape or may have another shape to fit snugly in a human ear canal.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS[0001]The present application claims the benefit of the filing of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60 / 757,673 filed on Jan. 10, 2006 by inventors Rick Rogers, Brendan Clifford and Oldmixon Eben entitled “Nano-Otologic Protective Equipment for Impact Noise Toxicity and / or Blass Overpressure Exposure” and U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60 / 747,246, filed on May 15, 2006 by inventors Richard Rogers, Brendan Clifford, Robert Westervelt, John Hutchinson, and Howard Stone entitled “Sound Aperture Protective Equipment for Impact Noise Toxicity and / or Blass Overpressure Exposure.”[0002]The aforementioned prior application is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT[0003]Not Applicable.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0004]1. Field of the Invention[0005]The present invention relates to the field of prevention of post-concussive hearing trauma, and more specifical...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0019]The present invention prevents hearing damage from occurring by means of highly engineered ear protection utilizing microdevices and components, inserted into the ear canal of individuals or worn as a covering over the outer ear prior to military or industrial operations. The solutions are based on multidisciplinary problem-based learning approach to understand the at-risk anatomical features of the hearing organ, a thorough understanding of hearing physiology, firsthand medical assessment of soldiers injured in battle, and engineering application of the most up-to-date nanotechnology principles and designs. The devices resulting from the present invention hold no resemblance to hearing aids, which only filter or amplify selected sounds. Instead, the devices in accordance with the present invention intercepts high energy acoustic waves and / or reflect acoustic energy away from the ear canal, and is transparent to low intensity sound waves for normal hearing and ambient environments.

Problems solved by technology

However, a crucial aspect of this communication network has been overlooked—blast induced hearing loss.

Hearing damage encountered in what we term the otologic disablement zone extending hundreds of meters away from the impact area remains an unaddressed component of battlefield morbidity and tactical incapacitation.

This acute hearing loss results from sharp impulse rise in sound wave intensity produced by proximity to battlefield explosions.

Battlefield management of the effective force assets become secondarily compromised when the disabled team members are unable to respond to commands.

This loss of unit cohesion impedes the attainment of mission objectives.

Valuable time is lost as the effective force adapts to this compromised situation.

According to the office of the Army Surgeon General, hearing loss in soldiers sustained to blast injuries are running 64%, by far the highest category of battlefield injuries, resulting in significant reduction in effective force in the current War Against Terrorism.

However, there are no medical / surgical procedures to repair cochlear damage.

Impact noise in the industrial sector presents a problem similar to blast overpressure in the military sector.

The problem is that they transmit noise and directed communication with equal intensity making no distinction between the two.

Although they do not electronically transmit noise over a set dB range (often set to >85 dB), they are unable to intercept harmful sound energy which continue onto the middle and inner ear unabated.

Such past attempts include U.S. Pat. No. 4,807,612 entitled “Passive Ear Protector,” U.S. Pat. No. 4,852,683 to “Earplug with Improved Audibility,” U.S. Pat. No. 5,113,967 entitled “Audibility Earplug,” U.S. Pat. No. 6,070,693 entitled “Hearing Protector Against Loud Noise,” and U.S. Pat. No. 6,148,821 entitled “Selective Nonlinear Attenuating Earplug.” While these past attempts may have provided some attenuation of or protection against loud noises, they did not provide the protection provided by the present invention in combination with not substantially limiting or adversely affecting normal hearing.

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