Abstract: A hearing device including a foam, a foam insertable portion, a component, and a foam handle portion, and a method of forming the same. The component is nestable with and bondable with the foam such that the component is at least partially within the foam insertable portion and the foam handle portion. The hearing protective device includes earplugs attached to a flexible cord, under-the-chin element, or headband. A method of making a hearing protective device including disposing a component into a mold, introducing a foam or foamable mixture into the mold, causing the foam to rise such that the component is nested within and bonded with the foam.

Abstract: A hearing protection device and a method of manufacturing thereof is provided. The device includes a sound attenuating portion for being disposed within an ear canal of a user to obstruct the passage of sound and a channel formed through the sound attenuating portion for allowing sound to pass through the sound attenuating portion.

Abstract: A charged multilayer filter includes a hydrocharged filtration layer containing a plurality of intertwined nanofibers that have a finite length of about 12 to about 300 mm, atop a porous roll-to-roll processable support layer.

Abstract: Melt blown or spun bond nonwoven webs are formed by flowing fiber-forming material through a die cavity having a substantially uniform residence time and then through a plurality of orifices to form filaments, using air or other fluid to attenuate the filaments into fibers and collecting the attenuated fibers as a nonwoven web. Each die orifice receives a fiber-forming material stream having a similar thermal history. The physical or chemical properties of the nonwoven web fibers such as their average molecular weight and polydispersity can be made more uniform. Wide nonwoven webs can be formed by arranging a plurality of such die cavities in a side-by-side relationship. Thicker or multilayered nonwoven webs can be formed by arranging a plurality of such die cavities atop one another.

Abstract: A facepiece insert (16) that has a fluid communication component (30, 32) non-integrally joined to a supporting portion (34). The insert can be made by (a) providing at least one supporting portion (34) of a facepiece insert (16); (b) providing at least one fluid communication component (30, 32) separately from the supporting portion (34) of the facepiece insert (16); and (c) securing the at least one fluid communication component (30, 32) to the at least one supporting portion (34).

Abstract: A respiratory device includes a face seal and a unitary body that forms an interface with the face seal and includes a lens and a chassis. The chassis includes at least one port for fluidic connection.

Abstract: A filtering face mask that includes a mask body that is adapted to fit at least over the nose and mouth of a wearer to create an interior gas space when worn; and an exhalation valve that is in fluid communication with the interior gas space. The exhalation valve includes a valve seat with a seal surface and an orifice through which exhaled air may pass to leave the interior gas space; and a flexible flap that is mounted to the valve seat such that the flap makes contact with the seal surface when the valve is in its closed position and such that the flap can flex away from the seal surface during an exhalation to allow exhaled air to pass through the orifice. The flap is unbiased when in its closed position and exhibits a cantilever bend ratio of 0.0050 or less.

Abstract: Method for making a filter cartridge that is suitable for attachment to a respiratory mask. The method comprises the steps of (a) providing a mass of filter material; (b) providing a filter cartridge housing that has an inlet and outlet and a sidewall that includes sheet material; and (c) thermoforming the sheet material of the housing sidewall around at least part of the mass of filter material to place the housing sidewall in direct contact with the mass of filter material to encapsulate the filter material so that fluid is prevented from passing through the filter cartridge from the inlet to the outlet without being filtered by the mass of filter material.

Abstract: A filtering face mask that has a mask body and an exhalation valve. The mask body is adapted to fit over the nose and mouth of a wearer. The exhalation valve is attached to the mask body and includes a valve seat that comprises a seal surface, an orifice that is circumscribed by the seal surface, a flap-retaining surface, and a single flexible flap that has a fixed portion and a free portion and first and second opposing ends. The first end of the single flexible flap is associated with the fixed portion of the flap so as to remain at rest during an exhalation, and the second end is associated with the free portion of the flexible flap so as to be lifted away from the seal surface during an exhalation. The second end also is located below the first end when the filtering face mask is worn on a person. The flexible flap is positioned on the valve seat such that the flap is pressed towards the seal surface in an abutting relationship therewith when a fluid is not passing through the orifice.

Abstract: A hearing protective device that includes a headpiece, a first earmuff affixed to the headband, and a second earmuff affixed to the headband, each earmuff including an ear cup that includes a cellular material and that has a distal exterior surface that includes exposed cellular material, and a proximal exterior surface.

Abstract: A filtering face mask that has a mask body and an exhalation valve. The mask body is adapted to fit over the nose and mouth of a wearer. The exhalation valve is positioned on the mask body substantially opposite to a wearer's mouth. The exhalation valve comprises a valve seat that has a seal surface, an orifice that is circumscribed by the seal surface, and cross members that extend across the orifice to create a plurality of openings within the orifice. The valve also includes a single flexible flap that has a fixed portion and a free portion and first and second opposing ends. The first end of the single flexible flap is associated with the fixed portion of the flap so as to remain at rest during an exhalation, and the second end being associated with the free portion of the flexible flap so as to be lifted away from the seal surface during an exhalation. The second end also is located below the first end when the filtering face mask is worn on a person.

Abstract: Conformal filter cartridges, filtering apparatus using the conformal filter cartridges, and methods of manufacturing the conformal filter cartridges are disclosed. The conformal filter cartridges may include a bed of filter material between a pair of support plates, wherein the major surfaces of the support plates facing the bed of filter material are each curved about at least one axis. The curvature imparted by the support plates provides the conformal configuration to the filter cartridge. The bed of filter material may be loose particulate filter material that may be retained under residual compression between the support plates within the filter cartridge.