Enhanced earplug with bendable stiffener

Abstract

An earplug with a soft body and a stiffener in the body, the stiffener being tapered in diameter, with a rear end (34) of greatest diameter.

1 . An earplug comprising a soft and resilient body and a stiffener of material that is more rigid than the material of said body and that lies primarily in said body, said body having a front body portion with a front end for insertion into a person's ear canal and a rear end, and said stiffener having front and rear ends lying respectively closest to said body front and rear ends, wherein: 
 said stiffener is tapered in diameter with said stiffener rear end being of larger diameter than said stiffener front end.    
     
     
         2 . The earplug described in  claim 1  wherein: 
 said stiffener rear end is at least 50% wider than said front end.    
     
     
         3 . The earplug described in  claim 1  wherein: 
 said stiffener rear end is at least 200% of the width of said stiffener front end.    
     
     
         4 . The earplug described in  claim 1  wherein: 
 said earplug has an axis, and said stiffener is gradually tapered in diameter along a majority of its length, with the stiffener outside surface angled no more than 10° to said axis along a majority of the stiffener length.    
     
     
         5 . The earplug described in  claim 1  wherein: 
 said stiffener has an axis and said stiffener has a rear portion with a plurality of radially outwardly projecting wings.    
     
     
         6 . The earplug described in  claim 1  wherein: 
 said earplug has an axis and said stiffener has at least one flange that is surrounded by material of said body and that extends at least partially radially outward by at least half the distance between an outer surface of said flange and an adjacent outside surface of said body.    
     
     
         7 . An earplug that has an axis that extends in front and rear directions and that comprises a soft and resilient body and a stiffener of elastomeric material that is more rigid than material of said body and that is more dense than the material of said body, said stiffener lying in said body with said foam material of said body lying around much of said stiffener and said body and stiffener bonded together by one being molded to the other, said body having a front body portion for insertion into a person's ear canal, wherein: 
 said stiffener includes a post-like portion and at least one flange projecting at least partially radially outward from said post-like portion and surrounded by said foam.    
     
     
         8 . The earplug described in  claim 7  wherein: 
 said at least one flange extends at least  3  mm from said axis.    
     
     
         9 . The earplug described in  claim 7  wherein: 
 said at least one flange extends radially outward and at a rearward incline from said post-like portion.    
     
     
         10 . The earplug described in  claim 7  wherein: 
 said stiffener post-like portion is tapered in diameter, with its rear end being at least 50% greater in diameter than its front end.