An earpiece is provided. The earpiece can deform flexibly so as to follow the earhole when in use, and the earpiece can be manufactured easily. An earpiece includes an earpiece body and a filler filled in the earpiece body. The earpiece body has a container-like base member formed of a rubber-like elastic diaphragm that is shaped like a container and has an opening portion. The earpiece body also has a lid member that seals the opening portion liquid-tightly. The filler is flowable at room temperature.

Guards for a space access device are configured to be attached to, as well as removed from the space access device by hand, without the need to resort to any tools to perform the attachment or the removal. A distal guard includes at least first and second filters separated by at least one convoluted pathway, and also includes outwardly extending members projecting outwardly from a base of the distal guard. A proximal guard forms at least one convoluted pathway with a cap forming a proximal end of the space access device. A pull tab provides redundancy against failure. The pull tab may be incorporated into the distal guard.

Sound attenuation devices are provided that may be temporarily worn in a person's ear. The devices generally include a first flange that is configured to be disposed in a person's ear; a second flange that is positioned proximate to the first flange and is also configured to be disposed in the person's ear (with the second flange having a proximate end that exhibits an oblong perimeter); and a cylindrical shaft extending from an interior portion of the second flange. The shaft includes an integrally connected pull tab; it extends beyond the proximate end of the second flange; and the shaft includes an integrally formed reinforcing member that spans an exterior side of the shaft and at least a portion of the pull tab. The devices further include a sound filter disposed within an internal cavity of the shaft.

A push-in earplug including an elongate core and outer layer is disclosed. The outer layer includes a sound attenuating portion having a first average density and a stem portion having a second average density, and the second average density is greater than the first average density.

An inflatable in-ear device includes a core member with a platform provided with a sealing assembly in the form of a locating recess for the registration of a retention ring formed around a defining opening of a sheath arranged in close circumjacent manner around the platform attached to the core member, an abutment surface being formed on a capping for the platform and the core member whereby in use positive location of the retention ring within the recess is achieved by the closure of the recess by the abutment surface. A space is defined between the sheath and the core member for the injection of a settable material used for the inflation of the sheath once the device is emplaced within the ear canal of the ear.

Systems and methods for occluding a duct and attenuating sound may be provided. In some embodiments, a device for attenuating sound passing through a duct or orifice may include a body sized and shaped to be inserted, at least partially, into a duct or orifice. The body may have an interior volume that contains a fluid suspension. In some embodiments, the fluid suspension may include a plurality of gas-filled spheres dispersed in an interstitial fluid. The gas-filled spheres may increase an acoustic attenuation of the fluid suspension relative to the interstitial fluid alone.

A sound attenuation system can include a first end that can include a shaft and a flange, the flange can be coupled to the shaft, and a second end that can include a filter stem and a cap. The filter stem can have a hole. The cap can have a first position in which the cap occludes the hole and can have a second position in which the cap is clear of the hole.

An aural iris includes a lumen and an actuator coupled on or in or to the lumen for at least partially attenuating sound traversing through the lumen by selectively actuating the actuator on and off. Other embodiments are disclosed.

An earpiece including an intra-auricular support, a projection element coupled thereto, and a flexible body disposed thereon and inside an external ear canal of an ear, and a moldable earpiece material moldable about the intra-auricular support to conform to the auricle of an ear and curable to provide a fixed configuration of the earpiece.

Sound attenuation devices are provided that may be temporarily worn in a person's ear. The devices generally include a first flange that is configured to be disposed in a person's ear; a second flange that is positioned proximate to the first flange and is also configured to be disposed in the person's ear (with the second flange having a proximate end that exhibits an oblong perimeter); and a cylindrical shaft extending from an interior portion of the second flange. The shaft includes an integrally connected pull tab; it extends beyond the proximate end of the second flange; and the shaft includes an integrally formed reinforcing member that spans an exterior side of the shaft and at least a portion of the pull tab. The devices further include a sound filter disposed within an internal cavity of the shaft.