Method of forming an earplug by laser ablation and an earplug formed thereby

1. A method of forming an earplug, comprising:

removing a material by laser ablation;

wherein said removing the material comprises forming a cavity in the earplug;

wherein said removing the material further comprises forming the cavity in a first end of a sound attenuating portion of the earplug, the cavity having a cylindrical shape and extending into the sound attenuating portion, along a longitudinal axis of the sound attenuating portion, toward a second end of the sound attenuating portion opposite the first end;

wherein said removing the material further comprises exposing the sound attenuating portion to laser light emitted from a carbon dioxide laser including a power output of about twenty-five watts, a pulse of about 250 mili-seconds, and an air assist of about five pounds per square inch to form the cavity including a diameter of about 0.050 inches.

2. A method of forming an earplug, comprising:

removing a material by laser ablation;

wherein said removing the material comprises forming a channel through at least a portion of the earplug;

wherein said removing the material further comprises forming the channel in a sound attenuating portion of the earplug, the channel having a first opening at a first end of the sound attenuating portion and a second opening at a second end of the sound attenuating portion opposite the first end, the channel traversing a longitudinal length of the sound attenuating portion from the first opening to the second opening;

wherein said removing the material comprises exposing the sound attenuating portion to laser light emitted from a carbon dioxide laser including a power output of about twenty-five watts, a speed of about twenty inches per minute, and an air assist of about forty pounds per square inch to form the channel including a diameter of about 0.090 inches.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the material that is removed by laser oblation comprises foam.

4. A method of forming an earplug, comprising:

removing a material by laser ablation;

wherein said removing the material comprises forming a channel through at least a portion of the earplug;

the method further comprising disposing an insert in the channel for facilitating communication with a wearer of the earplug.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein said disposing the insert comprises inserting a receiver or transducer in the channel and bonding the receiver or transducer to the earplug at the channel.

6. The method of claim 4 , wherein said disposing the insert comprises inserting a tubular element in the channel and bonding the tubular element to the earplug at the channel, the tubular element extending from a first end of the earplug to an exterior of the earplug and including a passageway formed therethrough.

7. The method of claim 6 , further comprising operatively connecting the extending end of the tubular element to a communication assembly for producing a sound which propagates through the passageway to an ear canal of a wearer.

8. A method of forming an earplug, comprising:

positioning the earplug proximate a laser;

identifying a portion of the earplug to be ablated;

activating the laser so as to direct an emitted laser light toward the portion to be ablated; and

ablating the portion to be ablated;

wherein the portion to be ablated comprises a portion of the earplug corresponding to a channel to be formed through at least a portion of the earplug, and wherein said ablating the portion forms the channel; the method further comprising disposing an insert in the channel for facilitating communication.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the portion of the earplug to be ablated comprises foam.