Abstract: An earplug and a method of manufacturing the earplug are provided, the earplug including a sound attenuating element and a stem where the sound attenuating element includes a flange which extends rearwardly over a portion of the stem, and where the sound attenuating element and the stem are integrally formed of a resilient compressible material.

Abstract: A mold for forming a foam earplug including a lower mold portion including a lower cavity; and an upper mold portion including an upper cavity and a means for venting a gas during a rising of the foam, wherein the lower and upper mold portions are engageable so as to communicably engage the lower and upper cavities.

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 insertable into an ear canal is provided, the device generally including a stem portion, a sound attenuating portion affixed to and extending at least partially over the stem portion, and a volume of space disposed between and delimited by the sound attenuating portion and the stem portion, where at least a part of the sound attenuating portion is collapsible into the volume of space during insertion of the hearing protection device into the ear canal.

Abstract: An earplug and a method of manufacturing the earplug are provided, the earplug including a sound attenuating element and a stem where the sound attenuating element includes a flange which extends rearwardly over a portion of the stem, and where the sound attenuating element and the stem are integrally formed of a resilient compressible material.

Abstract: A method for providing airplane transportation service is disclosed. A customer is allowed to purchase a first number of flight units, which can be used on any one of a group of airlines. A customer flight request is received to depart a particular airport at a particular time, on a particular day, for a particular destination. It is determined if the first number of flight units is greater than an anticipated number of flight units for a typical flight departing from the particular airport for the particular destination. The customer is booked on a first flight of a plurality of flights if the first number of flight units is greater than or equal to the anticipated number of flight units for the typical flight, wherein the first flight is closest in time of the plurality of flights to the particular time specified by the customer flight request.

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 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: An earplug comprising a foam composition comprising a polyvinyl chloride resin and less than about 5 wt % monomeric phthalate, based on the total weight of the foam composition, is described. The foam composition may comprise a plasticizer comprising less than or equal to about 2 wt % monomeric phthalate, based on the total weight of the plasticizer. The earplugs have slow recovery times from 60 percent compression to 10 percent compression of about 10 to about 60 seconds.

Abstract: A hearing protection device insertable into an earcanal is provided, the device generally including a stem portion, a sound attenuating portion affixed to and extending at least partially over the stem portion, and a volume of space disposed between and delimited by the sound attenuating portion and the stem portion, where at least a part of the sound attenuating portion is collapsible into the volume of space during insertion of the hearing protection device into the earcanal.

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: Hearing protective devices having glow-in-the-dark properties are presented in the present invention. In an exemplary embodiment, the hearing protective device comprises a semi-aural device, an earplug, or an earmuff device. In all embodiments, a glow-in-the-dark material is incorporated into at least a part of the hearing protective device so that the glow-in-the-dark material continues to emit light for an extended period of time in a dark environment after the material has been excited by irradiation. Preferred and exemplary glow-in-the-dark materials comprise phosphorescent materials. The glow-in-the-dark materials may be disposed on a surface of the hearing protective part or dispersed throughout the material which forms this part.