Helmet-Mounted Ear Cup Support for Acoustic Sealing and Fit
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing hearing protection devices suffer from poor adaptability to the diversity of users' face shapes due to rigid or flexible supports, leading to diminished acoustic attenuation and complicated switching between active and inactive positions.
Innovation Solution
A hearing protection device with a support formed of two distinct arms connected by a semi-rigid connection member allowing relative movement, enabling smooth and stable switching between active and inactive positions while adapting to the user's face shape.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional hearing protection devices (earplugs, earmuffs) are used, then hearing protection is provided, but comfort and ease of wear are poor
Solution Approach 1:
The hearing protection device is divided into separate functional modules: a hearing protection component (earplugs or earmuffs) and a communication component (headset with microphone and speaker). This segmentation allows each component to be optimized independently - the earplugs/earmuffs provide protection while the headset provides communication, improving both hearing protection reliability and overall comfort by separating protective function from communication function.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary communication system that bridges the gap between the hearing protection device and the user's need for audio communication. The headset with microphone and speaker acts as an intermediary, allowing users to communicate while wearing hearing protection devices that would otherwise block all audio, thus improving ease of wear without compromising protection.
2Reliability
If hearing protection devices block external sounds, then hearing protection is achieved, but communication capability is lost
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the communication function from the traditional hearing protection device structure. By separating the hearing protection component (earplugs/earmuffs) from the communication component (headset), the system allows sound blocking for protection while maintaining communication capability through the separate headset that can transmit audio wirelessly to the user's ear.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the mechanical limitation of traditional hearing protection (physical sound blocking) with an electronic communication system. Instead of relying on acoustic transmission through the ear canal, the system uses electronic signals transmitted wirelessly via the headset, allowing users to receive audio information without compromising the hearing protection provided by the earplugs or earmuffs.
3Ease of operation
If hearing protection devices are designed for comfort, then ease of wear improves, but hearing protection effectiveness may be reduced
Solution Approach 1:
By segmenting the device into separate hearing protection and communication components, the patent allows the hearing protection component to be optimized for comfort (since it only needs to provide protection) while the communication component handles audio transmission. This separation means comfort and protection effectiveness can be optimized independently without compromise.
Data Source
Figure 1~13
Figure 3~6
Figure 7~9
AI summary
A hearing protection device has a base (11) configured for connecting to a lateral portion of a protective helmet (1), an ear cup (20) configured for covering an ear of a user, and a support (30) connecting the ear cup (20) to the base (11). The support (30) has a first arm (31) and a second arm (32) each having an upper part connected to the base (11) by at least one connection member (50) and a lower part connected to the ear cup (20). The at least one connection member (50) is elastically deformable to allow relative movement of the upper part of the first arm (31) relative to the upper part of the second arm (32). The hearing protection device is movable between an active position, in which the ear cup (20) is configured to cover the ear of the user, and an inactive position, in which the ear cup (20) is configured to be spaced apart from the ear of the user.