Ear protection device
View Patent ↗An apparatus comprising a first curved band portion and a second curved band portion. The first curved band portion has a first end, a second end, an inner curved side and an outer curved side. The first curved band portion defines a passageway between the first end and the second end of the first curved band portion. The passageway has a first opening. The second curved band portion has a first end, a second end, an inner curved side and an outer curved side. A motion-restraint portion is proximate to the first end of the second curved band portion. The first end of the second curved band portion is insertable into the first opening of the passageway of the first curved band portion. The first curved band portion has a range of motion within the passageway of the second curved band portion.
1. An apparatus, comprising:
an outer membrane including a first ear portion and a second ear portion,
a first piece of elastic material coupled to a first end portion of the outer membrane, the first end portion of the outer membrane including a portion of a perimeter of the first ear portion of the outer membrane and excluding a center of the first ear portion of the outer membrane, the first piece of elastic material having a length and a width shorter than the length, the first piece of elastic material not directly coupled to the center of the first ear portion of the outer membrane;
a second piece of elastic material coupled to a second end portion of the outer membrane;
an inner membrane including a first ear portion and a second ear portion, the inner membrane coupled to the outer membrane;
a third piece of elastic material coupled to a first end portion of the inner membrane; and
a fourth piece of elastic material coupled to a second end portion of the inner membrane.
2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein:
the outer membrane includes a middle portion located between the first ear portion of the outer membrane and the second ear portion of the outer membrane, and
the inner membrane includes a middle portion located between the first ear portion of the inner membrane and the second ear portion of the inner membrane.
3. The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the first ear portion of the outer membrane is disposed between the first end portion of the outer membrane and the middle portion of the outer membrane, and the second ear portion of the outer membrane is disposed between the second end portion of the outer membrane and the middle portion of the outer membrane.
4. The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein a first perimeter portion of the outer membrane is sewn to a perimeter portion of the inner membrane, a second perimeter portion of the outer membrane is not sewn to the inner membrane, the second perimeter portion of the outer membrane including the first end portion of the outer membrane.
5. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first piece of elastic material is configured to apply a force to cause at least a portion of the outer membrane to conform to an ear member of a frame disposed between the inner member and the outer member.
6. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first piece of elastic material is configured to cause the outer membrane to form gathers when the first piece of elastic material is in a relaxed configuration.
7. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein:
the first end portion of the inner membrane is along a perimeter of the first ear portion of the inner membrane; and
the second end portion of the outer membrane is along a perimeter of the second ear portion of the outer membrane.
8. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein each of the second piece of elastic material, the third piece of elastic material, and the fourth piece of elastic material have a length and a width shorter than the length.
9. An apparatus, comprising:
an ear warmer shell having a first membrane, a second membrane, and an elastic membrane,
the first membrane having a first ear portion, a second ear portion, and a middle portion,
at least a portion of the second membrane coupled to the first membrane,
the elastic membrane disposed between the second membrane and the first ear portion of the first membrane, the elastic membrane not disposed between the second membrane and the middle portion of the first membrane,
the first ear portion of the first membrane includes a central portion, the elastic membrane not disposed between the second membrane and the central portion of the first membrane; and
a frame, at least a portion of the frame configured to be disposed within the ear warmer shell via an opening defined, at least in part, by a portion of the first membrane and a portion of the second membrane, when the ear warmer shell is fully assembled the elastic membrane configured to be disposed around a perimeter portion of the frame when the frame is disposed within the ear warmer shell.
10. The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the elastic membrane is a first elastic membrane, the first elastic membrane is coupled to the first membrane, the apparatus further comprising:
a second elastic membrane coupled to the second membrane.
11. The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the portion of the first membrane and the portion of the second membrane define, at least in part, the opening such that the opening is configured to receive an ear portion of the frame, the elastic membrane is configured to apply a force to secure the apparatus to the frame.
12. The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the first membrane and the second membrane collectively define an outer perimeter, the portion of the second membrane coupled to the first membrane along the outer perimeter to define an attachment portion, the attachment portion being entirely disposed within an interior region defined by the first membrane and the second membrane.
13. The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the elastic membrane is coupled to at least a portion of a perimeter portion of the first membrane, the elastic membrane configured to apply a force to cause at least a portion of the first membrane to conform to an ear portion of the frame.
14. The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein a first perimeter portion of the middle portion is configured to be coupled to a second perimeter portion of the middle portion defining a pocket, the pocket configured to receive at least a portion of the frame.
15. The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the elastic membrane is configured to cause the first membrane to form gathers when the elastic membrane is in a relaxed configuration.
16. The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein a first perimeter portion of the first membrane is coupled to the second membrane, the first perimeter portion of the first membrane is mutually exclusive from a second perimeter portion of the first membrane, the second perimeter portion of the first membrane defining, at least in part, the opening.
17. The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the first membrane is physically distinct from the second membrane.
18. The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the at least the portion of the frame is configured to be removeably inserted into the ear warmer shell via the opening.
19. An apparatus, comprising:
an ear warmer shell including a first membrane and a second membrane, the second membrane being physically distinct from the first membrane, the first membrane having a first ear portion, a second ear portion, and a middle portion;
an elastic membrane disposed between the second membrane and the first ear portion of the first membrane, the elastic membrane not disposed between the second membrane and the middle portion of the first membrane, the elastic membrane has a length and a width shorter than the length, the elastic membrane disposed along a perimeter portion of the first ear portion of the first membrane; and
a frame configured to be disposed between the first membrane and the second membrane via an opening defined by the ear warmer shell.
20. The apparatus of claim 19 , wherein the opening is defined by the ear warmer shell when the ear warmer shell is fully assembled.