US5333622A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Earplug and hearing devices formed in-situ
Assignee: Virginia Tech Intellectual Properties Inc
•
Filing: 1992-07-17
•
Granted: 1994-08-02
•
Expires: 2012-07-17
Abstract
Abstract A custom-molded earplug (18) for swimming protection, hearing protection, and the like, is fabricated in situ by depositing a foaming material (14 or 24) within a person's ear (10 or 42) and allowing the foaming material to form foam (16 or 44). Acoustic and electronic equipment such as a Helmholtz resonator or other tuned device capable of modifying sound waves, a communications transmitter, a communications receiver, a communications transceiver, a hearing aid, an ear microphone, a personal earphone, and a hearing test transducer or probe tube can be fabricated in the ear in a similar fashion. Temperature sensing elements may also be incorporated within or positioned by the foaming material to provide an in the ear thermometer.
Inventors
- 👤 John G. Casali
- 👤 Daniel W. Mauney
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-02 15:21
CPC Classifications
A; A61; A61F; A61F11/00; A61F11/06; A61F11/08; H; H04; H04R; H04R25/00; H04R25/65; H04R25/652; H04R25/656; H04R25/658; H04R25/659
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 9
Claim 1
Independent Claim
76 words
An in the ear, custom-fit, electronic device, comprising: a body member positionable within an ear canal of a person; an electronic device; and a foaming material in a non-foamed state carried by said body member, said foaming material in said non-foamed state being activatable to fill said ear canal with a foam material, said body member and said electronic device being positioned within said foam material after activation of said foaming material in said non-foamed state.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
76 words
An in the ear, custom-fit, electronic device, comprising: a body member positionable within an ear canal of a person; an electronic device; and a foaming material in a non-foamed state carried by said body member, said foaming material in said non-foamed state being activatable to fill said ear canal with a foam material, said body member and said electronic device being positioned within said foam material after activation of said foaming material in said non-foamed state.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
25 words
An in the ear, custom-fit, electronic device as recited in claim 1 wherein said electronic device is a tuned device capable of modifying sound waves.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
49 words
An in the ear, custom-fit, electronic device as recited in claim 1 wherein said electronic device is selected from the group consisting of a communications transmitter, a communications receiver, a communications transceiver, a hearing aid, an ear microphone, a personal earphone, a hearing test transducer, and a probe tube.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
22 words
An in the ear, custom-fit, electronic device as recited in claim 1 wherein said body member is a cylindrical hollow core member.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
27 words
An in the ear, custom-fit, electronic device as recited in claim 4 further comprising a means for mounting said electronic device on said cylindrical hollow core member.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
30 words
An in the ear, custom-fit, electronic device as recited in claim 1 wherein said body member is a plastic disk and said electronic device is positioned on said plastic disk.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
21 words
An in the ear, custom-fit, electronic device as recited in claim 1 wherein said electronic device is a temperature sensitive element.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
31 words
An in the ear, custom-fit, electronic device as recited in claim 7 wherein said temperature sensitive element is selected from the group consisting of a thermometer, a thermistor, and a thermocouple.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US3344220A
Cited
US1753817A
Cited
US2967913A
Cited
US3097059A
Cited
US3041856A
Cited
US3440314A
Cited
US3696090A
Cited
US3897376A
Cited
US4459247A
Cited
US5131411A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1997-08-01 | 1998-01-31 | 1998-08-02 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2001-08-01 | 2002-01-31 | 2002-08-02 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2005-08-01 | 2006-01-31 | 2006-08-02 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |