Dual density earplug

Abstract

An earplug () that includes a soft foam body () and a stiffener () in the body, is produced by a method that has minimum steps and that results in an earplug of attractive design and that uses a minimum of material. One method includes molding an earplug body in a body cavity () while a mandrel () lies in the body cavity. After the foam material in the body cavity has at least partially solidified, the mandrel is removed, leaving an empty stiffener cavity () in the foam body (). With the body remaining in the body mold (), flowable stiffener material (A) is poured into the stiffener cavity of the body and allowed to solidify, to produce an earplug with a molded-in stiffener (). Another method, results in an earplug () with a stem () having a rearwardly-projecting stem portion (). This method includes molding a stem rear portion () in a stiffener cavity () while allowing stiffener material to project forward of the rear portion to form a stem free front portion (). The free front portion is projected into a body cavity () while foam material in the body cavity is still plastically deformable.