The present invention relates to an earmuff assembly compris¬ ing two earmuffs fitted with sealing rings, wherein a fork- shaped member is pivotally connected on the one hand - at the end of each fork leg -to a corresponding earmuff and on the other hand - centrally - to a resilient headstrap unit at its other end, wherein the earmuffs and associated sealing rings can be collapsed towards one another beneath the headstrap for self-locking through the medium of the spring force of said strap, when the earmuffs are not in use.

Different types of earmuff assemblies of the aforesaid kind are known to the art and the object of the invention is to provide improvements in traditional earmuff assemblies, primarily with respect to enabling the earmuffs to be assembled quickly and reliably. In this regard, the primary improvement afforded by the invention resides in a novel pivot connection between an arched headstrap unit of the earmuff assembly and its fork-shaped members.

Another object of the invention is to enable the assembly components, i.e. the headstrap unit and the fork-shaped members, to be mutually connected in without the use of supplementary aids, e.g. metal pins, in the actual pivot connection. This object also includes the provision of a firm connection with fully reliable locking between the compo¬ nents, instead of earlier used pivot connections whose functions are enabled by a so-called snap-action, wherein the elements active in said pivot connection are locked in their intended functional positions by pressing the elemnts together. Another object of the invention is to provide an alternative arrangement in which firm connection is achieved with fully reliable locking between the components involved.

These objects are achieved with an earmuff assembly of the kind defined in the introduction which is mainly charac-

terized in that the connection between a fork-shaped member and the arched headstrap unit is effected with the aid of pivot hooks which are formed on respective ends of the headstrap or, alternatively, on central parts of the fork- shaped member, and which are intended for gripping engagement with one or more corresponding pivot pins at the central part of the fork-shaped member or on a respective end of the headstrap unit; in that the pivot hooks can only be engaged on the pivot pins when the fork-shaped members and the headstrap unit are in a mutual predetermined position with the earmuffs dismantled in relation to the fork-shaped members, and in that said position is locked by the earmuffs subsequent to fitting the same.

A construction of this kind also enables the connection between fork-shaped members and headstrap unit to be effected solely with the use of plastic parts fully integrated in said components. The use of pivot hooks which engage pivot pins instead of using a snap-function connection also affords a manufacturing advantage. For instance, the actual assembly is simplified and the number of components required are minimal. As before mentioned, the assembled earmuffs will be both reliable and stable. After having assembled the earmuff assembly, i.e. after fitting the earmuffs, the fork-shaped members and headstrap unit will be mutually self-locking, wherein self-locking between said components is achieved with the aid of the earmuffs.

Further characteristic features of the novel earmuff assembly are set forth in the dependent Claims.

The invention will now be described in more detail with reference to an exemplifying embodiment thereof and also with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of an earmuff assembly con¬ structed in accordance with the principles of the invention;

Fig. 2 is a front view of the earmuff assembly shown in Fig. l;

Figs. 3A-E illustrate the various components of the invention and also the different stages in their assembly; and

Fig. 4 is a front view showing the earmuff assembly in a collapsed state.

Corresponding components in the Figures have been identified with the same reference signs.

Figs. 1 and 2 illustrate an earmuff assembly constructed in accordance with the principles of the invention and also show the main assembly components. As will be seen, the main components of the assembly comprise two identical earmuffs 10, each provided with a corresponding resilient sealing ring 12, two fork-shaped members 14 and a headstrap unit 16.

The connection between an earmuff and the headstrap unit 16 is effected with the arcutate fork-shaped member 14. The ends 18 of the fork-shaped member 14 are pivotally connected to a respective earmuff 10 by means of a snap-connection 20. The snap-connection 20 is of a conventional kind and has not therefore been shown in detail. However, in principle, the construction is such that each end 18 of a fork-shaped member is pressed firmly over a pin projecting from an earmuff 10 therewith to pivotally connect the same. The headstrap unit 16 includes an arched headstrap 22 which is provided with a forked gripping slide 24 on each end thereof. The total length of the headstrap unit 16 can be adjusted to a desired head size, by moving the position of the headstrap 22 in relation to the two forked gripping slides 24, i.e. by pushing-in or pulling-out the headstrap 22. Each forked slide 24 is provided along its length on the inner surface thereof with mutually spaced and mutually equidistant recesses or notches, such as snap-lock serrations, which are intended for

coaction with corresponding resilient projections on respec¬ tive ends of the headstrap. A construction of this type is known, however, and is not therefore shown in the drawings. The headstrap 22 and forked slides 24 are held together by the gripping action of the projections in selected ser¬ rations, so as to prevent said parts from being moved accidentally relative to one another. Subsequent to being assembled, these parts cannot be separated from one another without using a tool to this end.

The present invention is mainly concerned with the coupling of a fork-shaped member 14 to the headstrap unit 16, this aspect being described in more detail with reference to Figs. 3A-E.

Fig. 3A is a side view of a fork-shaped member 14 and the corresponding forked slide 24 belonging to the headstrap unit 16 and intended for connection to the fork-shaped member. The downwardly facing part of the fork-shaped member 14 is cut away (also applies to Figs. 3B and 3C) to expose a pivot pin 26 formed integrally with the fork-shaped member 14. It will be understood that several pivot pins 26 may be formed integrally with the device 14 along its central part of the fork-shaped member 14. The illustrated embodiment preferably includes three pivot pins 26 which are integral with the member 14 in the form of trunnion-like mounts. The forked slide 24 carries a corresponding number of pivot hooks 28, in the illustrated case three such hooks. The hooks are integral with the forked sjide 24. The size of the hooks 28 matches the size of the pins 26, so as to provide a stable and positive pivotal function subsequent to assembly.

The pivot hooks 28 are brought into engagement with respec¬ tive pivot pins 26, by inserting the outer ends of the hooks 28 between the pins 26 and a respective supportive and covering part 30 which partially covers the pins 26 in spaced relationship therewith. This can only be achieved in a

particular predetermined position - prior to assembling the earmuffs 10 on the fork-shaped members 14 - as particularly shown in Fig. 3B, wherein in the illustrated case an angle of roughly 5° is defined between the vertical line showing the position of the forked slide 24 in the drawing, and the fork-shaped member 14. It will be noted that the fork-shaped member 14 and the forked slide 24 cannot be assembled when said angle is greater than about 5°, since the supportive and covering part 30 on the member 14 will then prevent the hooks 28 from engaging in beneath corresponding pivot pins 26.

Fig. 3C shows the forked slide 24 and the fork-shaped member 14 in an assembled state, with the fork-shaped member 14 swung down in relation to the position shown in Fig. 3B. Although the components have been pivotally connected, it is still possible to unhook the hooks 28 from the pivot pins 26. The components are thus not yet self-locking, i.e. no positive locking between these components has yet been achieved. The forked slide 24 has a first stop surface 25 which is intended to coact with a second stop surface 27 on the fork-shaped member 14, such as to limit the mutual pivotal movement of the fork-shaped member 14 and the headstrap element 16.

Fig. 3D shows the assembly with an earmuff 10 snapped onto a fork-shaped member 14. The forked slide 24 and the fork-sh¬ aped member 14 have therewith also become self-locking, i.e. mutual positive locking thereof has been achieved.

This is shown particularly in Fig. 3E, which illustrates the manner in which an earmuff 10 can be lifted up beneath the headstrap 22. The Figure illustrates the earmuff in its maximum collapsed state, i.e. the angle between the vertical line while retaining the position of the forked slide 24 with respect to the position in Fig. 3B, and the fork-shaped member 14 in this example is about 17°. The forked slide 24 cannot be released from the fork-shaped member 14 in this

state of the assembly.

Fig. 4 illustrates an earmuff assembly with the earmuffs 10 fully collapsed, said earmuff assembly comprising the same components as the assembly illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2. It will be evident from Fig. 4 that when in a collapsed state, the earmuff assembly is a very small and compact unit of attractive outer appearance. The assembly can be readily opened from the collapsed state shown in Fig. 4 and adjusted to a desired size by a simple hand action.

It will be understood that the invention is not restricted to the described and illustrated exemplifying embodiment thereof and that modifications can be made within the scope of the invention defined in the following Claims.