Cap for hearing protection

Abstract

The present invention relates to a cap intended for use as hearing protection and adapted to enclosed the external ear of a user, comprising a cap shell ( 4 ) at least partly made of a substantially transparent material, characterized in that the cap ( 3 ) is arranged to support at least one object or layer ( 9 ) on the side of the cap shell ( 4 ) which, in use of the cap ( 3 ), is arranged to face the user, and that said object or layer ( 9 ) is visible through the cap shell ( 4 ). The present invention also concerns a method of producing such a cap.

1 . A cap for use in hearing protection that at least partially encloses the external ear of a user, comprising a shell ( 4   a - b ) which has inside and outside surfaces and which is at least partly made of a substantially transparent material, characterized by: 
 the shell is arranged to support at least one object within the shell ( 4   a - b ), said object being visible through said transparent material of the shell ( 4   a - b ).    
     
     
         2 . The cap claimed in  claim 1  wherein: 
 said cap has a front end for pressing against the user's external ear and said shell has a transparent rear wall lying opposite said front end, said object being attached to the inside surface of said rear wall.    
     
     
         3 . The cap claimed in  claim 1  wherein: 
 said object carries information in a form that includes at least one of the media that consists of text, picture, color coding, luminous object and light-reflecting material.    
     
     
         4 . The cap claimed in  claim 1  wherein: 
 said object is mounted against an inside surface of the cap shell ( 4   a - b ).    
     
     
         5 . The cap as claimed in  claim 1  wherein: 
 said shell is molded and said object ( 9 ) is attached to the cap shell ( 4   a - b ) by said object ( 9 ) being at least partly molded into the cap shell ( 4   a - b ).    
     
     
         6 . The cap as claimed in  claim 1  including: 
 a pad ( 6 ) of a sound-absorbing material which lies in the cap ( 3   a - b ) and which covers the user's external ear.    
     
     
         7 . The cap described in  claim 1  wherein: 
 said object comprises at least one vibration-damping weight element ( 9 ) mounted on the shell ( 3   a - b ), said weight element being arranged to at least partly block an audio mode of vibration that would have existed in the cap ( 3   a - b ) in the absence of said weight element ( 9 ).    
     
     
         8 . A method of producing a cap for hearing protection ( 1 ), comprising the steps of: 
 providing a shell ( 4   a - b ) formed at least partly of a substantially transparent material;    arranging at least one object ( 9 ) in the shell so it is visible through the transparent material of the shell ( 4   a - b ).    
     
     
         9 . The method claimed in  claim 8  wherein: 
 said step of providing a shell ( 4   a - b ) comprises the steps of providing an openable and closable mold ( 20 ) which in the closed state defines a cavity ( 21   a - b ), supplying at least one substantially transparent polymer material in a moldable state to the cavity ( 21   a - b ) defined by the mold ( 20 ) to produce a shell ( 4   a - b ), and removing from the mold ( 20 ) the shell ( 4   a - b ) produced in the mold.    
     
     
         10 . The method claimed in  claim 9 , comprising: 
 before the step of supplying a polymer material to the cavity ( 21   a - b ), positioning an object ( 9 ) in the cavity ( 21   a - b ), which object ( 9 ) is positioned to be at least partly molded into the shell ( 4   a - b ).    
     
     
         11 . The method claimed in  claim 9  comprising: 
 after said step of removing the shell ( 4   a - b ) from the mold, applying an object in the shell ( 4   a - b ) which is visible through the shell ( 4   a - b ).    
     
     
         12 . A hearing protector that includes a head band and a pair of caps mounted on the band to seal against the external ears of the wearer, wherein each cap includes a shell having a front end forming an elastomeric seal, a rear wall, and top, bottom and side walls extending from said rear wall toward said shell front end, wherein: 
 at least a part of said rear wall is transparent; and including    an object that carries information, said object being mounted in said shell so the object moves with the shell when the shell is placed on and taken off the wearer, said object being positioned so said information carried by the object is viewable through the shell rear wall.    
     
     
         13 . The hearing protector described in  claim 12  wherein: 
 said object is a sheet that is bonded to an inside surface of said rear wall.    
     
     
         14 . The hearing protector described in  claim 12  wherein: 
 said object is a decal applied to a front surface of said rear wall.    
     
     
         15 . The hearing protector described in  claim 12  wherein: 
 said object is overmolded by said rear wall.