Patent ID: 7305992

Claim:
An earplug molded of an elastomeric material, which includes an axis, a rear stem portion forming a handle and a front stem portion, said earplug including at least one flange that extends from said stem front portion and that is designed to block a person's ear canal, wherein: said flange has a radial length, as measured between the flange radially inner end where a front surface of the flange intersects the stem, and a flange radially outer end where the flange front surface is radially furthest from the axis, and said flange has a radially inner half that extends at no more that 15° to the radial direction along a majority of the radial length of said inner half; said flange has an axial length, and said flange extends at a rearward and radially outward incline of no more than 25° along at least two-thirds of said flange axial length.