Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company

Hearing Components, Inc.

Sony Corporation

Davis W Chamberlin

Gerald J Niles

Robert J Oliveira

Martin P Babcock

Carl S Ahlberg

Jacqueline J Forbes

Vasant V Kolpe

Osamu Koizumi

Susan K Jongewaard

Jon R Clark

Vurnen J Leonard

Frank A Sommerfeldt

John A Heveron

Jerold W Bushong

F Edward Terwilliger

Forrest A Johnsen

Thomas P Biebel

A simple and inexpensive sleeve assembly that is easy to apply to and remove from the distal end portion of a sound control device and can be adapted to provide circumferential contact with a user's ear canal to control sound delivered to that ear canal at a desired level, to provide a cerumen guard at the end of a sound deliver tube included in the sound control device, or to provide both of those functions. The sleeve assembly comprises a first layer of flexible material (e.g., sound attenuating slow recovery foam, closed cell foam, open cell foam, reticulated open cell foam, or non-foamed polymeric material depending on the requirements of the sound control device on which the sleeve assembly is used) having a periphery that can be adapted to make partial or complete contact with or conform to the car canal of a user into which the sleeve assembly is inserted, or to make little or no contact with that ear canal. A stiff resiliently flexible attachment member having a through opening is fixed to one surface of the first layer. The first layer of material can have a hole between its first and second surfaces aligned with the opening in the attachment member to afford movement of a knob-like part at the distal end portion of a sound control device through the first layer and the opening in the attachment member, or alternatively, the knob-like part can be moved through the opening in the attachment member from its side opposite the first layer. The knob-like part and the area circumjacent to the opening in the attachment member then cooperate to provide complementary interlocking holding of the sleeve assembly on the end portion of the sound control device.

Disposable sleeve assembly for sound control device and container therefor

An assembly that affords easy application of a phone cover of thin, flexible, resiliently stretchable material around a bulbous phone (e.g., a microphone or earphone such as an ear bud). The assembly includes the phone cover that defines a socket adapted to closely receive the phone, and also includes a frame of stiff material having a passageway from which the phone cover is supported with an inlet opening to the socket aligned with the passageway on the frame. The phone can be moved along the passageway into the socket in the phone cover, whereupon the phone cover is separated from the frame.

Assembly including a phone cover

A composite reusable sound attenuating or transmitting device, especially an ear plug, is formed from a core, about which is adhered a strip of slow recovery foam. After each use of the device, the strip of foam is generally removed and discarded; typically, a new strip is applied the next time the device is used.

Sealing strip for ear plugs and the like

An improved sleeve for mounting on the distal portion of a hearing aid or other sound control device to provide circumferential contact to the ear canal of a person into which the device is inserted. A currently preferred embodiment of the sleeve comprises a foam cylinder having an axial hole therethrough, with a washer-like disc axially aligned with the hole in the cylinder, the inner diameter of the disc being approximately the same as that of the hole through the cylinder. A knob-terminated sound delivery tube on the device snaps into the disc. A plurality of these sleeves can be stored in a novel tray-like container that permits removal only when a snap fit has been achieved between the sound delivery tube and the plastic disc. Used sleeves can be removed and stored in a separate compartment of the container.

Disposable foam sleeve for sound control device and container therefor

A system for securing a plurality of tape pancakes includes a compressible core support on which the pancakes can be mounted. An interior rod having a head fits and is received within the core support. A nub on the inside surface of the core support engages a groove on the outside surface of the interior rod to provide a threaded engagement between the interior rod and the core support. Rotation of the interior rod within the core support after the head contacts the end of the core support provides an axial compression load onto the core support to hold together the pancakes. This axial compression also expands the baffles which contact and tighten against the inside of the tape pancake cores and provide a radial force to secure the pancakes in place.

Support for tape pancakes

A parallelepipedal storage container is formed of at least two sections. Each section is foldable to separate the section into a central base wall and two side walls. The adjacent base and side walls can be oriented at right angles to each other. The storage container is formed by mating the sections so that the side edges of the side walls on one section are disposed adjacent the side edges of the side walls of the other section to form edges of the storage container. The sections are secured together using a tongue and groove connection to mate the sections along respective edges. Three and four section containers can be formed.

Reusable, multiple-piece storage container

A parallelepipedal storage container is formed of at least two-sections. Each section is foldable to separate the section into a central base wall and two side walls. The adjacent base and side walls can be oriented at right angles to each other. The storage container is formed by mating the sections so that the side edges of the side walls on one section are disposed adjacent the side edges of the side walls of the other section to form edges of the storage container. The sections are secured together using a tongue and groove connection to mate the sections along respective edges. Three and four section containers can be formed.

Stacking device for containers

A reclosable light-tight container for storing a plurality of sheets of light-sensitive material includes a lower wall, an upper wall, and a plurality of side walls. A door is formed as part of the upper wall, and a door hinge permits the container to be opened and closed. A reclosable light-tight closure is created by an unbroken wall formed on the inner surface of the lower wall and extending around and enclosing the portion of the inner surface corresponding to the door location when the door is closed. A raised platform on the inner surface of the upper wall door has a top surface which abuts the inner surface of the lower wall outside of the unbroken wall when the door is closed. The raised platform blocks light from entering the container by covering the parting line between the unbroken wall on the lower wall and the upper wall. A tab on the unbroken wall blocks light at the door hinge.

Light-tight container

A parallelepipedal storage container is formed of two sections. Each section is rectangular and is foldable to separate the section into a central base wall and two side walls. The adjacent base and side walls can be oriented ar right angles to each other to form a U-shape. The storage container is formed by mating the two U-shaped sections so that the side edges of the side walls of the U-shape on one section are disposed adjacent the side edges of the side walls of the other U-shape to form edges of the storage container. The two sections are secured together using a tongue and groove connection to mate the sections along respective edges.

Reusable, two-piece storage container

A system securing a plurality of tape pancakes includes a compressible baffled core support on which the pancakes can be mounted. An interior rod having a head fits and is received within the baffled core support. A nub on the inside surface of the core support engages a groove on the outside surface of the interior rod to provide a threaded engagement between the interior rod and the core support. Rotation of the interior rod within the core support after the head contacts the end of the core support provides an axial compression load onto the core support to hold together the pancakes. This axial compression also expands the baffles which contact and tighten against the inside of the tape pancake cores and provide a radial force to secure the pancakes in place.

A shock shield formed of an annular body having a central axial hole which mounts within a case is disclosed. A cylindrical axial ring is formed around the central axial hole. The shock shield permits a tape reel stored within the case to rotate within the case and absorbs shocks to prevent damage to the tape reel. A tab on the shield mates with the tape reel to prevent relative rotation therebetween. Shock absorption is accomplished by compressible elements formed on the shield body. The compressible elements are annular bearing rings concentric with the annular circumference. The annular bearing rings have a generally V-shaped cross section and an axial height less than the axial height of the axial ring. The shield body preferably is formed of four spaced radial members to enhance flexion.

Shock shield for shipping cases

A container for pancakes of recording tape has an L-shaped base, mandrels extending horizontally from the base on which pancakes are placed, and a cover which encloses the pancakes. A compression ring provides a compression load to hold the pancakes together. The compression ring is placed around and rotated onto the outside of the mandrel. The compression ring includes an inner ring and an outer ring which engage each other. The outer ring is rotated relative the inner ring to apply the pressure on the pancake cores. Alternatively, the compression load is applied by a callapsible, one-piece unit. Two retractable wings are mounted on the free end of the mandrel and extend to engage the pancake cores. Rotation of a shaft forces the wings toward the pancakes to apply the compression load.

Reusable container for tape pancakes

A blow molded box having (1) corner structures including hollow post-like supports against an outer polymeric sheet defining the corner, which supports are formed in inner polymeric sheets defining the inner surfaces of the intersecting walls at the corner; (2) dust resistant hinge that has central parts that engage when the box is opened or closed to retain the relative positions of those central parts against radial movement; and (3) locating portions on the sidewalls of the box that engage mating locating portions on the sidewalls of adjacent similar boxes to restrict slippage between the boxes and facilitate carrying a stack of the boxes, but which are resiliently flexible so that they do not greatly restrict removing the box from between adjacent boxes stored side by side on a shelf or hanging from a support member.

Blow molded box

An over-center toggle latch which can be integrally molded with the first and second members of a case. The over-center toggle latch includes a hinge arm that has first and second spaced ends. A first living hinge attaches the first end of the hinge arm to the first case member. A second living hinge is for coupling a lever arm to the second end of the hinge arm. An engagement member-receiving seat is formed on the second member of the case. An engagement member is mounted to the lever arm and is spaced from the second hinge. The engagement member pivotally engages the seat with the hinge arm in an over-center position with respect to the engagement member. The latch is configured for use with first and second case members that have sides and edges. When the first and second case members are secured by the latch, the edges are generally coplanar and perpendicular to the sides. When latched, the latch arm is positioned within recesses in the edges while the handle is positioned within a recess in the second member.

Growing community of inventors

Saint Paul, MN, United States of America

Davis W Chamberlin