170 results about "Ear protection" patented technology

The application relates to a method of improving a user's perception of an input sound. The application further relates to an audio processing device and to its use. The object of the present application is to increase the sound quality of a sound signal as perceived by a user, e.g. a hearing impaired user. The method comprises a) Defining a critical frequency f_crit between a low frequency range and a high frequency range; b) Analyzing an input sound in a number of frequency bands below and above said critical frequency; c) Defining a cut-off frequency f_cut below said critical frequency f_crit; d) Identifying a source frequency band above said cut-off frequency f_cut; e) Extracting the envelope of said source band; f) Identifying a corresponding target band below said critical frequency f_crit; g) Extracting the phase of said target band; h) Combining the envelope of said source band with the phase of said target band. This has the advantage of increasing the sound quality, and the potential to further improve speech intelligibility in frequency transposition, e.g. frequency lowering systems. The invention may e.g. be used in communication devices, such as telephones, or listening devices, e.g. hearing instruments, headsets, head phones, active ear protection devices or combinations thereof.

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.

A tube hat is described which is constructed from at least one collapsible, generally tubular member having two open ends, one end thereof being adapted to fit over the head of a person. The other open end may be gathered to form a smaller opening through which a ponytail or braid may be passed, or closed for warmth or style. In another embodiment of the invention, the tube hat may include a headband/ear warmer and a head-covering portion. The headband/ear warmer may be constructed such that the head-covering portion may be stowed therein when weather conditions warrant the use of ear protection, but not a head covering. If the temperature drops, the head-covering portion may be deployed with the now empty head band remaining useful as an ear protector. Some embodiments of the tube hat may be reversible, showing different patterns or colors for the exposed surfaces.

Methods and apparatus are provided for protecting the external ear from the elements, heat, cold, wind, rain and/or snow. In some embodiments, an ear protector comprises a conforming anchor with an opening through which the external ear may be passed. The ear protector further comprises an insulating outer covering that, in combination with the anchor, forms the ear protector with a chamber positioned between the outer covering and the anchor. During use, the chamber is configured to receive the external ear, with the anchor's opening conformably positioned in proximity to at least a portion of the ear's root. The perimeter of the conforming anchor's opening resiliently deforms during passage of the external ear through the opening and into the chamber, and then conforms to the geometry of at least a portion of the ear root in order to securely and comfortably maintain the ear protector in position over the external ear without additional external support. The conforming anchor preferably is fabricated from a closed cell foamed elastomer.

An ear protection device (18) that includes a pair of ear protectors (23), each ear protector (23) having a pocket (64) associated therewith that is sized and shaped to be received over the top of the user's ear to support the device (18) on the ear; and a band (22) connected to the pair of ear protectors (23), the band (22) formed of lightweight resilient material and configured to position the ear covers in alignment with the user's ears and with the pockets (64) positioned over the tops of the respective ears. A selectively positionable door (30) is provided on the exterior of each ear protector (23) to cover and uncover an opening in each protector to facilitate the passage of sound to the user's ear through the ear cover when the door (30) is in an opened position.

A device for facilitating eye and ear protection. The device includes an eyeglass frame having left and right temple pieces, a lens support member and lenses appended to the lens support member. Left and right ear plug housings are supported by each of the left and right temple pieces and ear plugs being removably retained within the ear plug housings. Umbilicals connect the ear plugs to the eyeglass frame which are of a length to enable a user to remove the ear plugs from their housings and to insert the ear plugs within ear canals of the user whenever the eyeglass frame is worn.

The application relates to a method of reproducing an acoustical sound field to a listener at a first location using a sound reproduction system comprising a microphone array comprising a plurality of microphone units and a loudspeaker array comprising a plurality of loudspeaker units. The application further relates to a method of testing a hearing assistance system and to a hearing assistance test system. The object of the present application is to provide an improved sound field reproduction. The problem is solved in that the method comprises 1) determining a transfer function from each loudspeaker unit of the loudspeaker array to all microphone units of the microphone array, thereby providing a set of transfer functions; 2) Inverting the set of transfer functions and determining a system of optimal filters; 3) Placing the microphone array in a possible, intended position of the listener's head in a particular sound scene at a second location and recording sound of the particular sound scene at the second location; 4) Determining the loudspeaker signals of the particular sound scene configured to be played to the listener at the first location by the loudspeaker array by convolving the inverted system of optimal filters with the recorded signals. An advantage of the method is that since the (true) sound field around the head has been reproduced (for a particular listening situation), a listener is allowed to freely move the head. The invention may e.g. be used in sound reproduction systems, virtual reality systems, mobile telephones, hearing assistance systems, e.g. hearing aids, headsets, ear phones, active ear protection systems, etc.

A combination eye and ear protection apparatus includes an eye protection portion which includes respective ends, an ear protection portion which includes a pair of ear-covering portions, and a pair of bridge portions connected between the respective ends of the eye protection portion and outer portions of the respective ear-covering portions. The eye protection portion includes a frame which includes frame ends, and lenses are received in the frame. The bridge portions include VELCRO bridge-to-ear-cover connectors and the ear-covering portions include complimentary VELCRO ear-cover-to-bridge connectors. With the combination eye and ear protection apparatus of the invention both ear protection and eye protection are provided for a wearer without the eye protection assembly interfering with good ear protection.

The invention relates to a method of processing an audio signal in a portable listening device, the audio signal comprising a low frequency part having an LF-bandwidth f LF and a high-frequency part having a HF-bandwidth deltaf HF . The invention further relates to a listening device and to a listening system. The object of the present invention is to improve performance or save power in a portable listening device. The problem is solved in that the method comprises a) providing an audio input signal consisting of said low frequency part having an LF-bandwidth deltaf LF ; b) performing at least one signal processing step on the low frequency part of the audio signal; and c) performing a bandwidth extension process on said low frequency part of the audio signal to generate said high-frequency part of the audio signal, thereby generating or regenerating said audio output signal with a full bandwidth deltaf full comprising said LF-bandwidth f bF and said HF-bandwidth deltaf HF. An advantage of this is that power consumption is reduced. The invention may e.g. be used for portable communication device, mobile telephones or listening devices, such as a hearing aids, ear protection devices, headsets, head phones, etc.

Ear defenders (33) for fastening to a protective helmet (30), in particular for forestry workers, are described. The ear defenders (33) have two ear protection devices (34a, 34b), each of which has a supporting strap (37a, 37b) which is designed in the manner of a fork and has an ear protection capsule (35a, 35b) mounted pivotably thereon, and a rotary plate which is connected to the supporting strap (37a, 37b) by a tilting joint and in relation to which the supporting strap (37a, 37b) can be bistably tilted into a swung-out and a swung-in position. The rotary plate is mounted rotatably in a receiving part (80a, 80b) attached to the helmet (30). A strap spring arranged between the rotary plate and the supporting strap (37a, 37b) prestresses the supporting strap (37a, 37b) to bear against stops which fix the swung-out and the swung-in position of the supporting strap. The receiving part (80a, 80b) is attached on the inside to the helmet (30). The ear protection devices (34a, 34b) can therefore be rotated into a parking position within the helmet.

An eye and ear protection system includes a pair of ear muffs connected together by a strap, the ear muffs include a slot in their forward side that is connected to a cavity within the ear muffs. The arms of a pair of glasses are positionable within the slots and allow a user to move the glasses between an in the line-of-sight position and an out of the line-of-sight position. The ear muffs also include one or two doors that can be opened, to allow the user to hear sounds in the environment, and closed to protect the user from loud noises in the environment. This system improves comfort and allows the user to selectively deploy hearing protection and/or eye protection without the need to remove the system from their head which saves time and reduces the potential for losing or misplacing either the hearing or eye protection.

The invention discloses a field operation helmet which is characterized in that sound-proof earmuffs are arranged inside the helmet, an electronic clinical thermometer occultation band is embedded in the helmet, an interphone speaker and a micro LED anti-explosion flashlight are arranged outside the helmet, a photochromic ocular lens is adopted, and reflective materials and fluorescence materials are sprayed on a helmet body. The field operation helmet integrates multiple functions, namely, a use function, a comfortably wearing function, a head safety protection function, an illuminating function, a body temperature measuring function, a camera shooting function, a communication function, a sound recording function, an eye protection function and an ear protection function. An embedded type and an outside hung type are combined to form the assembly structure of all functional assemblies, convenience and simplicity are obviously displayed, and meanwhile complex functional combination is achieved. The field operation helmet has the advantages that the categories, the number and the weight of tools which are carried by engineering workers are reduced, complexity of achieving operation through a specific function is reduced, labor intensity of the workers is lowered, and labor productivity is improved.