EAR CLEANER

Abstract

The present invention is an ear cleaner designed to have limited insertion into the ear canal so as not to impact ear wax, also known as cerumen, or damage the ear drum. The ear cleaner has several possible form-factors. All form-factors are designed to be fit over the user's finger. The user's finger is the limiting factor in how far the ear cleaner is inserted. The ear cleaner has a limited surface area. The ear cleaner can have one or more features to entrap ear wax. The ear cleaner is made from a coarse woven fabric to entrap ear wax. The ear cleaner is impregnated with an antimicrobial agent, a lubricant, and a stiffener.

Claims

1. An ear cleaner comprised of a single layer of coarse woven fabric, impregnated with a topical anti-microbial, a lubricating agent, and a stiffener, wherein, when inserted into an ear canal, the coarse woven fabric and stiffener of the ear cleaner abrade the cerumen, and the coarse woven fabric and lubricating agent trap the cerumen in the coarse woven fabric for removal from the ear canal.

2. The ear cleaner in claim 1, wherein said coarse woven fabric is at least one of cotton and blended polyester.

3. The ear cleaner in claim 2, wherein coarse woven fabric has a thread count of between 10 and 30 threads per inch in the warp direction and between 10 and 30 threads per inch in the weft direction.

4. The ear cleaner in claim 1, wherein the topical anti-microbial is at least one of hydrogen peroxide, carbamide peroxide, tetracycline, bacitracin, neomycin, and polymixin B.

5. The ear cleaner in claim 1, wherein the lubricating agent is at least one of glycerin, mineral, and baby oil.

6. The ear cleaner in claim 1, wherein the stiffener is at least one of a phenolic acid, a starch, and a polymer. The ear cleaner in claim 1, wherein the ear cleaner is a substantially circular planar disk.

8. The ear cleaner in claim 7, wherein the ear cleaner has a diameter of less than 3.

9. The ear cleaner in claim 1, wherein the ear cleaner is substantially a frusto-conical.

10. The ear cleaner in claim 9, wherein the ear cleaner has a height, from the base of the frusto-conical to the top of the frusto-conical, of no more than 3.

11. The ear cleaner in claim 7, wherein the lubricating agent is mineral oil and the stiffener is phenolic acid.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0020] The present invention, an ear cleaner, is illustrated with six figures on four sheets. FIG. 1A is a perspective view of the present invention using a frusto-conical form factor. FIG. 1B is a lateral in situ side drawing of the present invention on a user's finger.

[0021] FIG. 2 is a top view of the present invention.

[0022] FIG. 3 is a bottom view of a first embodiment of the present invention.

[0023] FIG. 4 is a top view of the present invention using a circular planar form factor.

[0024] FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the circular planar form factor of the present invention being flexed.

[0025] FIG. 6 is a bottom view of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0026] The following descriptions are not meant to limit the invention, but rather to add to the summary of invention, and illustrate the ear cleaner. The ear cleaner comes in four embodiments, each of which will be discussed.

[0027] FIG. 1A shows the present invention, an ear cleaner 100 with a frusto-conical form factor. This form-factor of the ear cleaner 100 is thimble-like, with a top surface 3, a lateral surface 9, a lateral edge 5, a rim 8, a flange 6, and a flange perimeter 7. A frusto-conical shape is a cone with the top removed. The top surface 3 has a dimple 1. The periphery 2 of the dimple is coplanar with the remainder of the top surface 3. The rest of the dimple 1 is indented, and therefore not coplanar with the top surface 3.

[0028] The ear cleaner 100 is made from a single layer of coarse woven cotton or polyester and cotton blend fabric. The exterior surface of the ear cleaner 100, specifically the lateral surface 9 and top surface 3 are made from coarse, open-weave fabric. A coarse, open-weave fabric is more likely to entrap cerumen. A stiffener, such as phenol, is used to help the fabric hold its shape and to assist in dislodging cerumen from the ear canal. The ear cleaner 100 is impregnated with common over-the-counter antimicrobial agents such as hydrogen peroxide, carbamide peroxide, tetracycline, bacitracin, neomycin, or polymixin B. Additionally, the ear cleaner 100 is impregnated with a lubricating agent such as glycerin, mineral oil, or baby oil.

[0029] FIG. 1B shows the present embodiment of the ear cleaner 100 used in situ on the end of a user's finger 200. The lateral surface 9 and flange perimeter 7 are visible in this view. When inserted into an ear canal (not shown), the size of the finger limits the penetration of the ear cleaner 100 into the ear canal (not shown). The height 88 of this form-factor is, at most, 0.75. Being on the end of the user's finger 200, the ear cleaner 100 is assured of stopping well short of the ear drum. Additionally, the combination of a coarse woven fabric, a stiffener, and a lubricating agent dislodges and traps cerumen.

[0030] FIG. 2 shows a top view of the frusto-conical form-factor of the ear cleaner 100. The top surface 3, dimple 1, the periphery 2 of the dimple 1, the lateral surface 9 and the flange perimeter 7 are all visible. FIG. 3 shows a bottom view of the first embodiment of the ear cleaner 100. The interior of the lateral surface 19, the interior of the top surface 23, the interior surface of the dimple 21, the interior periphery 22 of the dimple 21, and the flange perimeter 7 are all visible. Since the coarse woven fabric is a single layer, the interior surface 19 is the same material, but the obverse surface, as the exterior surface 9.

[0031] FIG. 4 shows a top view of a circular planar form-factor of the ear cleaner 302. The ear cleaner has a surface 300 and a perimeter 301. FIG. 5 shows a perspective view of the circular planar form-factor of the ear cleaner 302, showing that it would drape 320 around a finger. The top surface 300 and thickness 303 can be seen. FIG. 6 is a bottom view of a circular planar form-factor of the ear cleaner 302. The bottom surface 310 is visible as is the perimeter 301. The ear cleaner 302 has a diameter 311. The maximum diameter 311 of the ear cleaner 302 is approximately 3. This means the maximum surface 310 area is approximately 9 in.sup.2 or 60 cm.sup.2.

[0032] The ear cleaner 302 is made from a single layer of coarse woven cotton or polyester and cotton blended fabric. A stiffener, lubicating agent, and anti-microbial are impregnated into the coarse woven fabric of the ear cleaner 302. Common stiffeners suitable for the present invention are phenolic acid (phenol), starch, or polymers. Common microbial agents suitable for the present invention are hydrogen peroxide, carbamide peroxide, tetracycline, bacitracin, neomycin, or polymixin B. Common lubricating agents suitable for the present invention are glycerin, mineral oil, or baby oil.