Airbag Earplug with Frustum Airbag and Metal Filter
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing noise-cancelling earplugs face issues such as bacterial growth leading to non-reusability, discomfort due to over-compression, and a one-size-fits-all solution that fails to accommodate different ear sizes, resulting in sound leakage and ear swelling.
Innovation Solution
An airbag-type earplug with a support part and an airbag part shaped like a frustum, featuring a through ventilation channel and a metal filter, which allows for adjustable fit and effective sound insulation by expanding to fit the ear canal closely.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If silicone noise-cancelling earplugs are made with high structural support strength, then durability is improved, but ear comfort deteriorates due to over-compression causing pain, headaches and dizziness
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the material parameter from high-strength silicone to low-strength foam sponge material. This parameter change reduces the compression force applied to the ear canal, eliminating over-compression symptoms while maintaining sufficient structural support for the earplug's function.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs a foam sponge material that inherently provides flexibility and conformability to the ear canal shape. This flexible material adapts to the ear's contours without exerting excessive compressive force, resolving the contradiction between structural support and comfort.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If foam sponge earplugs are used for noise cancellation, then sound insulation is improved, but reusability deteriorates due to bacterial growth
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses a foam sponge material enclosed within a protective structure that allows for easy removal and replacement. The foam core provides excellent sound insulation, while the design enables periodic replacement to prevent bacterial accumulation, thus maintaining both sound insulation performance and hygiene.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs a cost-effective foam sponge material that can be easily replaced. While the foam itself is not reusable due to bacterial growth concerns, the overall earplug design allows for economical replacement, maintaining sound insulation quality without the hygiene issues of reusable materials.
3Device complexity
If a one-size-fits-all earplug design is used, then device complexity is reduced, but adaptability deteriorates as it fails to accommodate different ear sizes resulting in sound leakage
Solution Approach 1:
The patent incorporates an expandable airbag structure within the earplug that can dynamically adjust its volume and shape after insertion. This dynamic adaptation allows a single-size earplug to conform to different ear canal dimensions, achieving both design simplicity and size adaptability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent utilizes material parameter changes through the use of compressible foam sponge that changes density and volume under compression. When inserted, the foam compresses to fit smaller ear canals and expands to fill larger ones, enabling one-size-fits-all design to adapt to various ear sizes while maintaining sound insulation.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The airbag-type earplug provides effective sound insulation and noise reduction by ensuring a uniform force distribution and airtight fit, addressing issues of sound leakage and ear discomfort associated with traditional earplugs.
Implementation Method 1
the airbag part is arranged outside the support part, and the whole airbag part is in the shape of a frustum... the ear canal first contacts and presses an expansion end of the airbag, and then presses the entry end to be gradually level with the expansion end
Data Source
AI summary
The utility model discloses an airbag-type earplug comfortable to wear and offering sound insulation and noise reduction, which comprises a support part and an airbag part, a through ventilation channel is arranged in the middle of the support part, the airbag part is arranged outside the support part, and the whole airbag part is in the shape of a frustum, that is, an internal cavity of the airbag part gradually expands outward from one end to the other. This utility model can adaptively adjust to the size of different individuals' ear canals, providing a better fit and addressing the issues of sound leakage and ear swelling associated with traditional silicone and foam earplugs. Furthermore, a metal filter allows for the adjustment of micropore sizes from 1 μm to 40 μm according to different scenarios, overcoming the limitation of common foam filters on the market that cannot be washed.