Patent US4471496A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US4471496A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Articulated earmuff-to-headband attachment construction
Assignee: Cabot Safety Intermediate LLC
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Filing: 1983-06-27
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Granted: 1984-09-18
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Expires: 2003-06-27
Abstract
Abstract There is disclosed an acoustic earmuff device wherein there is provided an articulated earmuff-to-headband attachment construction which is readily fabricated and assembled and which provides sufficient freedom of pivotal motion of the earmuff relative to the headband as to allow each earmuff to readily assume the proper wearing position with respect to the head of the user. The invention utilizes a soft resilient grommet fitted through an aperture in the back wall of a rigid earcup to articulatingly capture a rigid stud extending inwardly from an end portion of a resilient headband.
Inventors
- 👤 Ross Gardner, Jr.
- 👤 Robert Falco
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-05 18:13
CPC Classifications
H; H04; H04R; H04R1/00; H04R1/10; H04R1/1058; H04R1/1066; A; A61; A61F; A61F11/00; A61F11/06; A61F11/14; F; F16; F16B; F16B2200/00; F16B2200/10; H04R1/1008; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S411/00; Y10S411/904; Y10S411/907; Y10T; Y10T403/00; Y10T403/60
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 11
Claim 1
Independent Claim
216 words
An articulated earmuff-to-headband construction for acoustic earmuff devices which comprises: a rigid stud having an outboard shaft portion for interiorly directed fixation to an end portion of a resilient headband and an expanded free end inboard portion of substantially greater maximum diameter than said shaft portion; an acoustic earmuff comprising a rigid earcup element having a back wall, said back wall having an aperture therethrough; and a grommet composed of a soft resilient material and comprising (a) a internal bore, the diameter of said bore, in the unconstructed state, being not substantially less than the maximum diameter of said expanded free end inboard portion of said stud, and (b) a circumferential external groove of a size and shape to receive said aperture of said earcup; the diameter of said aperture being sufficiently less than the diameter of said grommet taken at the bottom of said groove such that, upon said receiving of said aperture in said groove, the material of said grommet underlying said groove is inwardly deformed to define an indwelling ridge on said internal bore of sufficiently lesser diameter than the maximum diameter of said expanded free end inboard portion of said stud as to lockingly and articulatingly capture said stud with said expanded free end inboard portion thereof being inboard of said ridge.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
216 words
An articulated earmuff-to-headband construction for acoustic earmuff devices which comprises: a rigid stud having an outboard shaft portion for interiorly directed fixation to an end portion of a resilient headband and an expanded free end inboard portion of substantially greater maximum diameter than said shaft portion; an acoustic earmuff comprising a rigid earcup element having a back wall, said back wall having an aperture therethrough; and a grommet composed of a soft resilient material and comprising (a) a internal bore, the diameter of said bore, in the unconstructed state, being not substantially less than the maximum diameter of said expanded free end inboard portion of said stud, and (b) a circumferential external groove of a size and shape to receive said aperture of said earcup; the diameter of said aperture being sufficiently less than the diameter of said grommet taken at the bottom of said groove such that, upon said receiving of said aperture in said groove, the material of said grommet underlying said groove is inwardly deformed to define an indwelling ridge on said internal bore of sufficiently lesser diameter than the maximum diameter of said expanded free end inboard portion of said stud as to lockingly and articulatingly capture said stud with said expanded free end inboard portion thereof being inboard of said ridge.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
25 words
The construction of claim 1 wherein said grommet is composed of material having a Shore A Durometer hardness value of no greater than about 60.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
16 words
The construction of claim 1 wherein said grommet is composed of a thermoplastic styrene-butadiene-rubber block copolymer.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
27 words
The construction of claim 1 wherein said grommet takes the general form of a closed-ended thimble, the closed end of said thimble defining the inboard end thereof.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
34 words
The construction of claim 4 wherein the exterior of said closed end of said thimble form grommet comprises a removable pull tab extending therefrom, said tab being of substantially smaller diameter than said aperture.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
12 words
The construction of claim 4 comprising a compatible lubricant within said thimble.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
34 words
The construction of claim 4 wherein the internal bore of said thimble form grommet inboard of said groove and said expanded free end inboard portion of said stud are in light interference fit relationship.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
23 words
The construction of claim 1 wherein said expanded free end inboard portion of said stud has the shape of a single blunt barb.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
25 words
The construction of claim 8 wherein said barb-shaped expanded free end inboard portion of said stud comprises an outboard shoulder portion of constant maximum diameter.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
39 words
The construction of claim 9 wherein said barb-shaped expanded free end inboard portion of said stud comprises an essentially flat outboard wall extending inwardly from the outboard end of said shoulder, transversely to the longitudinal axis of said stud.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1987-09-18 | 1988-03-19 | 1988-09-18 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1991-09-18 | 1992-03-19 | 1992-09-18 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1995-09-18 | 1996-03-19 | 1996-09-18 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |