Earplug and pumping systems
An earpiece, earphone, earbud or earplug includes an inflatable element operatively attached to a distal end by an inflation channel, and an anti-distal end of the inflation channel that provides a pressuring force via fluid transfer of a fluid to maintain an expansion of the inflatable element. The inflatable element can be pressurized to a gauge pressure range between 0.05 bar and 3.0 bar. In some embodiments, the inflatable element is pressurized to a gauge pressure range from 0.3 bar to 0.25 bar and maintains such gauge pressure range for at least 12 hours. In some embodiments, the inflatable element uses a material of a predetermined permeability for a given density of fluid and a given thickness of the inflatable element such that an inflation pressure drops from 1.2 atmospheres to 1 atmospheres in 8 hours after the inflatable element is pressurized to 1.2 atmospheres. Other embodiments are disclosed.
1. An earpiece, earphone, earbud or earplug, comprising:
a reservoir at least partially enclosed by a stop flange and an elastic membrane;
a having an inflation channel distal section;
an inflatable element attached to the inflation channel distal section;
a movable plate coupled to the elastic membrane, wherein moving the movable plate towards the distal section inflates the inflatable element and wherein moving the movable plate away from the distal section stretches the elastic membrane of the reservoir away from the distal section and deflates the inflatable element; wherein the reservoir, the inflation channel, and the inflatable element form a closed pneumatic system containing a fluid;
wherein the reservoir is attached to the inflation channel and being seperate from the inflatable element;
wherein the elastic membrane is configured to provide a force to maintain an expansion of the inflatable element; and
wherein the elastic membrane is configured such that stretching the elastic membrane of the reservoir away from the distal section moves the fluid through the inflation channel from the inflatable element to the reservoir deflating the inflatable element.
2. The earpiece, earphone, earbud or earplug of claim 1 , wherein the inflatable element is pressurized to a gauge pressure range from 0.05 bar to 0.25 bar for a given fluid used within the inflatable element.
3. The earpiece, earphone, earbud or earplug of claim 1 , wherein the inflatable element is composed of a permeable material so that less than 0.1 bar gauge pressure is leaked in 12 hours.
4. The earpiece, earphone, earbud or earplug of claim 1 , wherein the inflation channel is made of a material of a predetermined permeability and a material of the inflatable element is of a given permeability such that an inflation pressure drops from 1.2 atmospheres to 1 atmospheres in a 8 hour time period after the inflatable element is initially pressurized to 1.2 atmospheres.
5. The earpiece, earphone, earbud or earplug of claim 1 , wherein the inflatable element is a balloon or bladder.
6. The earpiece, earphone, earbud, or earplug of claim 1 , where the fluid in the reservoir is a liquid.
7. The earpiece, earphone, earbud or earplug of claim 1 , wherein the inflatable element is a constant volume balloon.
8. The earpiece, earphone, earbud or earplug of claim 1 , wherein the inflatable element is a variable volume balloon.
9. The earpiece, earphone, earbud or earplug of claim 1 , wherein the reservoir of fluid comprises a volume encompassed by the stop flange and the elastic membrane.
10. The earpiece, earphone, earbud or earplug of claim 1 , wherein the inflatable element is made of a material having a durometer of 50 Shore or less.
11. The earpiece, earphone, earbud or earplug of claim 1 , wherein the elastic membrane that provides the pressuring force is made of a material having a durometer of 50 Shore or less.
12. The earpiece, earphone, earbud or earplug of claim 1 , wherein the inflatable element is made of one of butyl rubber, polystyrene, polyethylene high density, or nylon 6.
13. The earpiece, earphone, earbud or earplug of claim 1 , wherein the inflatable element is made of a material having a durometer that is less than a durometer of the elastic membrane.