Patent ID: 7967015

Claim:
An earplug of elastomeric material having an axis ( 16 ) extending in front and rear directions, said earplug having a front end part ( 20 ), a stem ( 12 ) extending rearward from said front end part, a main flange ( 14 ) having an inside forming an inner surface ( 22 ) and an outside forming an outer surface ( 30 ) with each surface extending at a rearward and radially outward incline from a stem front location, and with said inner surface spaced outward from said stem at all main flange locations that lie rearward of a front end ( 44 ) of the main flange, said inner surface lying closer to said axis than said outer surface, wherein: said stem and said main flange are integrally molded so they are formed of the same material, and said flange has a free rear end ( 48 ); said main flange has an outside diameter that is fitable into a human ear canal to block it with the flange rear end being radially inwardly deflected, and the flange has a length (L) along said axis along which said flange outer surface extends at a rearward and outward incline away from the axis that is at least 80% of the maximum outside diameter (D) of said main flange, and said main flange inner and outer surfaces each extends at a rearward and outward incline along a majority of the main flange length, with said outer surface ( 30 ) extending at an angle (C) with respect to said axis ( 16 ) along a majority of the main flange length (L), where said angle (C) is between 5° and 25°.