Patent ID: 8413663
Filing Date: 2013-04-09
Classification: A61F

Abstract:
1. A hearing protective earplug insertable into a human ear canal having sidewalls and a typical curved portion, comprising, a soft main resilient body having a main body element having a front end and an exterior shape, an elongated stem having two ends, one end attached to the main body element, the stem extending outward from the main body element and away from the front end, the other end of the stem forming a handle portion of the stem, the stem being sufficiently stiff as to allow manipulation of the main body element during insertion into the ear canal the stem member having a portion with a crooked or wavy configuration as it extends outward from the main body to the handle portion of the stem and so that during insertion of the front end of the main body element into the ear canal, rotation of the stem member with the handle portion will fit the stem member around the typical curved portion in the human ear canal so as to seat the main body element to acoustically block the ear canal while at the same time spacing the stem member within the typical curved portion of the ear canal to minimize contact with the sidewalls of the ear canal, and wherein the length of the crooked or wavy portion of the stem member as it extends outward from the main body to the handle portion has a range of 6 m to 25 m and wherein the stem member along the length of the crooked or wavy portion having at least three changes in direction along the length.