Wearable Earplug Coupling for Tangle-Free Noise Protection
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing hearing protection devices, such as earplugs and earmuffs, are difficult to manage, prone to loss, tangling, and bulky, leading to suboptimal usage and hearing protection.
Innovation Solution
A wearable noise-reducing device with interchangeable ear plugs that can be worn as a necklace when not in use, featuring a flexible coupling and removably connected connectors, allowing easy storage and quick deployment for noise reduction.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If earplugs are made detachable and wearable as accessories, then ease of operation is improved, but reliability deteriorates due to risk of loss
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the earplug with a wearable accessory (necklace, bracelet, or clothing attachment) to create a unified device. The earplug is integrated into the accessory structure, ensuring that when the user wears the accessory, the earplug remains securely attached and cannot be lost separately. This merging resolves the contradiction by making the earplug both easy to store (worn on body) and reliable (attached to accessory).
2Reliability
If earplugs are connected by a cord, then connection between earplugs is maintained, but ease of operation deteriorates due to tangling
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a flexible coupling element that connects the earplugs, allowing it to bend and conform to the user's body movements without tangling. This flexible connection maintains the link between earplugs while eliminating the tangling problem associated with rigid cords, thus resolving the contradiction between connection reliability and ease of storage.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If earmuffs are designed for effective noise reduction, then noise protection is improved, but ease of operation deteriorates due to bulky size
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the noise-blocking function from the bulky earmuff structure and concentrates it into compact earplug form. The earplugs provide effective noise reduction at the ear canal level without requiring the large external housing of earmuffs. This extraction allows the device to maintain noise protection while becoming small and easy to store, resolving the contradiction between noise protection and ease of storage.
4Ease of operation
If hearing protection devices are made compact, then ease of storage is improved, but noise protection deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by concentrating the noise-blocking material precisely at the ear canal entrance where it is most needed. The earplugs are designed with optimized material placement and density at the critical sealing interface, providing effective noise reduction in a compact form. This localized approach ensures maximum noise protection without requiring bulky construction, resolving the contradiction between compact size and noise protection.
Data Source
AI summary
A wearable noise-reducing device is provided. The device may have ear plugs which may be engaged to the user's ears for sound blocking and reducing purposes, and the device may be configured to be worn on the body of a user when not engaged to the user's ears. The device may include a first connector that may be coupled to a first ear plug, and the first ear plug may surround at least a portion of the first connector. A second connector may be coupled to a second ear plug, and the second ear plug may surround at least a portion of the second connector. The first connector and second connector may be configured to be removably coupled together. A flexible coupling, having an elongated length, may be coupled to both the first ear plug and to the second ear plug.