Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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Ear protector with headband
Field of application of the invention
s The present invention relates to an ear protector with an elastic
headband and with an earpiece arranged on each side of the headband. To
secure the earpieces, support elements are provided on the headband and
securing members are provided on the earpieces. Ear protectors of this type
encapsulate the ears of the user and serve to attenuate sound in order to
o reduce the noise effect on the human hearing. The invention is concerned in
particular with the design of headband, support element and securing member.
Prior art
The catalog "Arbeitsschutz - Sicherheit 1999, 2000, 2001" from ASSI-
Arbeitsschutz GmbH & Co. KG, Berlin, includes, for example on page 27, top,
an ear protector of the "Peltor H6" type with headband. The headband shown
has two wire holding brackets which are welded into a closed arch part made of
plastic. Support elements are situated at the ends of the holding brackets,
the
zo securing cams are fixed on the earpieces. To adjust the height of the
earpieces,
the ends of the holding brackets can be pushed to different depths into the
support elements. This construction has considerable drawbacks, namely:
- The relatively wide and closed plastic arch part causes moisture to
build up under the arch part, especially in the event of strong physical
exertion,
zs since the body sweat arising there cannot be conveyed away.
- The holding brackets are embedded in the arch part so as to be
easily displaceable, which makes the whole ear protector unstable while being
handled.
- The ends of the holding brackets inserted into the support elements
so cause additional instability of the ear protector when it is adjusted
because of
the lack of more stable guidance.
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- Finally, the arrangement of the arch part and the embedding of the
holding brackets is relatively labor-intensive for serial production.
Object of the invention
In view of the abovementioned disadvantages of the ear protectors
already known from the prior art, the object of the invention is to improve
the
wearing characteristics of the headband, to make the mechanism for adjusting
the earpieces more stable, and to permit more efficient serial production.
,o
Disclosure of the invention
The ear protector has an elastic headband, with an earpiece
arranged at each of its ends. To hold the earpieces, the headband has support
,5 elements which engage with complementary securing members on the
earpieces. The headband has an arch part which extends over the area of the
skull and which has through-openings for letting air through to the part of
the
skull of the user covered by the arch part.
The following features concern advantageous embodiments of the
2o ear protector. At least one holding bracket is firmly embedded in the arch
part
and projects from the arch part at both side edges. The support elements for
connection to the securing members of the two earpieces are arranged at both
ends of the at least one holding bracket. Two holding brackets, generally of
wire, are firmly embedded in the arch part, which is advantageously made
25 preferably by plastic injection-molding, said two holding brackets
projecting on
both sides from the arch part. A support element for connection to the
securing
members of the two earpieces is in each case arranged at both ends of each
holding bracket. Both holding brackets are embedded in the arch part near its
long edges. Behind the two side edges, where the holding brackets leave the
so arch part, these spread apart in a fork shape in order to hold the
earpieces
laterally on the securing members via the support elements arranged at the
ends of the holding brackets.
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The openings are systematically arranged slots extending lengthways
between the outer edges, with crosspieces remaining between the openings
and connecting the outer edges. However, other geometries of polygonal or
round configuration could also be considered as openings. The support element
has the shape of an elongate buckle in which an axially extending guide slot
is
provided. On the inside of the support element facing toward the earpiece, a
free cutting runs round the guide slot, so that the guide slot is surrounded
by a
shoulder surface and an edge perpendicular thereto, which are accessible from
the direction of the earpiece. The edge has, on its long sides, a notched
pattern
~o with valleys and peaks giving an undulating contour. The valleys and peaks
are
in each case congruently positioned at the same height on both sides of the
guide slot.
The securing member has the shape of a cam, of which two are
provided on one earpiece. The securing members are symmetrically positioned
~s on both side flanks of the earpiece. A securing member consists principally
of a
base which rises from the side flank of the earpiece and is intended to sit in
the
notched pattern in the assembled state. The securing member also has a
central section which rises from the base and which, in the assembled state,
sits
in the guide slot and has a smaller cross section than the base, as a result
of
2o which a shouldered stop is created at the transition from the central
section to
the base. Finally, the securing member has at the front a knob which forms its
free end and which is wider than the guide slot and, in the assembled state,
lies
on the outside of the support element.
The base has a circular cross section, and the central section has a
25 lens-shaped cross section whose apices lie above and below. In the
assembled
state, the base comes to lie between two opposite valleys of the notched
pattern.
Upon desired height adjustment of the earpieces, the base can be
pushed inside the notched pattern over the peaks with resistance, the limit
stop
30 of the securing member sitting on the shoulder surface of the support
element.
The earpiece can be easily pivoted about an axis which extends from one
securing member right through the earpiece to the opposite securing member.
The pivot range - for adaptation to the anatomy of the user - is limited by
the
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apices. By means of the elasticity of the support elements, the knobs can be
pressed from the inside through the narrower guide slot.
The aims of the invention having been achieved, the special
advantages of the ear protector according to the invention lie in the markedly
s improved user friendliness, both in terms of wearing the ear protector and
also
in terms of adjusting it to the anatomy of the individual's head. The hitherto
inconvenient and uncomfortable build-up of sweat under the arch part is
avoided. The device as a whole is of more robust construction, which is
particularly noticeable when putting it on or taking it off and also when
adjusting
~o it. Finally, the further development permits more efficient serial
production.
Brief description of the attached drawings
~s Figure 1 shows a perspective representation of a complete ear
protector with headband and suspended earpieces;
Figure 2A shows a front view of the separate headband;
Figure 2B shows a side view of the headband according to Figure 2A;
Figure 2C shows a perspective representation of a support element
Zo of the headband, looking toward its inside;
Figure 3A shows a perspective view of a separate earpiece;
Figure 3B shows an enlarged perspective representation of a
securing element of the earpiece according to Figure 3A;
Figure 4A shows the securing member locked in the support element,
2s as partial section from Figure 1 along the line A-A;
Figure 4B shows the securing member locked in the support element,
as section from Figure 4A along the line B-B;
Figure 4C shows the securing member locked in the support element,
as section from Figure 1 along the line C-C.
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Illustrative embodiment
Referring to the attached drawings, there follows a detailed
description of a preferred illustrative embodiment of the ear protector
according
to the invention.
The following observation applies to the whole of the description
given below. If, for reasons of clarity of the drawings, reference numbers are
included in a figure but are not discussed in the immediately relevant text of
the
description, reference is made to their mention in preceding or subsequent
figure descriptions. In the interests of clarity, repeated mention of
components in
subsequent figures is avoided insofar as the drawings make clear that the
parts
involved are "recurring" component parts.
F i_~ ua re 1
Considered in its overall structure, the ear protector consists of an
elastic headband 1 and two earpieces 6 arranged on the headband 1. The
headband 1 has an arch part 3 which extends over the area of the skull and
which has through-openings 30 for letting air through to the part of the skull
of
the user covered by the arch part 3. The openings 30 are, for example,
2o systematically arranged slots extending lengthways between the outer edges
31, and between the openings 30 crosspieces 33 remain connecting the outer
edges 31. Polygonal or circular geometries would be equally suitable for the
openings 30. Two holding brackets 4, preferably of wire, are firmly embedded
in
the arch part 3, which is preferably produced by plastic injection-molding,
said
Zs two holding brackets 4 projecting at both side edges 32 from the arch part
3.
Behind the two side edges 32, where the holding brackets 4 leave the arch part
3, said two holding brackets 4 spread out in a fork shape in order to hold the
earpieces 6 laterally on securing members 7 via the support elements 2 sitting
at the ends 40 of the holding brackets 4. The support element 2 has the shape
so of an elongate buckle and the securing member 7 that of a cam. Two securing
members 7 are provided symmetrically on both side flanks 60 of each earpiece
6.
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Figures 2A through 2C
In the buckle-shaped support element 2 there is an axially extending
guide slot 20. On the inside 28 of the support element 2 facing toward the
earpiece 6, a free cutting 21 runs round the guide slot 20, as a result of
which
s the guide slot 20 is surrounded by a shoulder surface 22 and an edge 23
perpendicular thereto, which are accessible from the direction of the earpiece
6.
The edge 23 has, on its long sides, a notched pattern 24 with valleys 25 and
peaks giving an undulating contour, in which the valleys 25 and peaks 26 are
in
each case positioned at the same height on both sides of the guide slot 20.
The
~o support elements 2 are also advantageously cast integrally as plastic
components onto the ends 40 of the holding brackets 4.
Figures 3A througih 4C
A securing member 7 consists principally of a base 70 of circular
cross section which rises from the side flank 60 of the earpiece 6 and is
intended to sit in the notched pattern 24 in the assembled state. The securing
member 7 additionally has a central section 71 which rises from the base 70
and which, in the assembled state, sits in the guide slot 20 and has a smaller
cross section than the base 70, as a result of which a shouldered stop 72 is
zo created at the transition from the central section 71 to the base 70.
Finally, the
securing member 7 has at the front a knob 73 which forms the free end and
which extends beyond the width of the guide slot 20 and, in the assembled
state, comes to lie on the outside 29 of the support element 2. The central
section 71 has a lens-shaped cross section whose apices 74 lie above and
is below.
In the assembled state, the base 70 assumes its position between
opposite valleys 25 of the notched pattern 24. Upon desired height adjustment
of the earpieces 6, the base 70 can be pushed inside the notched pattern 24
over the peaks 26 against an appreciable resistance. The limit stop 72 of the
so securing member 7 sits on the shoulder surface 22 of the support element 2.
The earpiece 6 can be easily pivoted about an axis X which extends from one
securing member 7 right through the earpiece 6 to the opposite securing
member 7. The limited pivot range derives from the travel on the central
section
CA 02324534 2000-10-27
71 between its two apices 74 and serves to adapt to the anatomy of the user.
By
means of the elasticity of the support element 2, the knob 73 can be pressed
from the inside 28 through the narrower guide slot 20.
