Patent ID: 8113207

Claim:
A self-conforming sound attenuation earplug comprising: a stem made of a stem material and having a stem ear end and an opposite stem user end; a first support joined with the stem and made of a deformable-resilient support material and having at least a part of the first support located between the stem ear end and the stem user end, wherein the first support extends radially outward from the stem; a shell made of a deformable-resilient shell material and having a tapered exterior that increases in circumference when moving from the stem ear end to the stem user end, the shell engaging at least a portion of the first support and engaging at least a portion of the stem located between the stem ear end and the stem user end, wherein at least a portion of the first support is free from contact with the shell and the first support material is a different type of material than the shell material; and a second support joined with the stem, wherein the second support extends radially outward from the stem and the second support is free from contact with the shell; and wherein the stem and both the first and second supports are composed of the same type of material.