JP2024066058A - Electronics - Google Patents

Abstract

[Problem] To provide a means for a user to hear external sounds. [Solution] Earphones 1 include a shell 2 that constitutes the outer shell of the earphones 1, and a bone conduction device 4 that is provided inside the shell 2 and has a vibration surface 4a exposed to the outside from the shell 2. A through hole 21a that penetrates from the inside to the outside of the shell 2 is provided at the tip of the shell 2, which extends toward the inside of the ear when worn. A slit 21b is also provided at the tip of the shell 2. The shell 2 has a first shell 21 that is located on the ear side when worn, and a second shell 22 that is located on the opposite side of the ear from the first shell 21 when worn. [Selected Figure] Figure 1

Description

The present invention relates to electronic devices for listening to sound, such as earphones, hearing aids, and sound amplifiers.

Among earphones, there is an earphone called a custom IEM (In Ear Monitor). Patent documents 1 to 3 describe custom IEMs. In custom IEM earphones, the user's ear shape is taken and a shell is made for use. FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an example of a custom IEM earphone. FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing the process by which a user orders a custom IEM earphone. The shell is made based on the ear shape taken from the user and is the part that becomes the outer shell of the earphone. The faceplate is a part that decorates the earphone. A cable is connected to the connector. The connector is, for example, a type of connector called "T2" or a type of connector called "MMCX". In general, custom IEM earphones have the following advantages and disadvantages.

Advantage (1) The fit is good and the earphones are less likely to fall out of the ears.
(2) It has high sound insulation, so users can hear clearly even at low volume, causing less damage to their eardrums.
(3) You can enjoy creating your own design by combining your favorite colors for the faceplate, etc.
(4) Since earpieces are not used, problems such as changes in sound quality and earphones not fitting well in the ears are eliminated.

Disadvantages (1) Ear impressions must be taken at a specialty store that handles hearing aids, etc.
(2) Delivery will take time (approximately 2 to 4 months).
(3) It is more expensive (at least 30,000 to 50,000 yen) than a universal model that is versatile for a variety of users.
(4) Because outside sounds are blocked, users are at risk of danger when going out.
(5) Because it is a made-to-order product, refunds or returns cannot be accepted, each product is unique, and there is little flexibility in design.

JP 2016-201786 A Patent No. 5872722 Japanese Patent No. 5849296

Because earphones block the ears, there is a problem that users cannot hear outside sounds, which is dangerous, especially in the case of the custom IEM earphones mentioned above, which fit tightly to the ears.

The object of the present invention is to provide a means for users to hear external sounds.

The electronic device of the first invention is characterized by comprising a shell that constitutes the outer shell of the device itself, and a bone conduction device that is provided inside the shell and has a vibration surface exposed to the outside from the shell.

In the present invention, the vibration surface of the bone conduction device is exposed to the outside from the shell. Therefore, the vibration of the bone conduction device is transmitted directly to the ear of the user wearing the electronic device, so the user can fully hear the sound generated from the electronic device. Therefore, the user can hear the sound generated from the electronic device without blocking their ears, and can fully hear external sounds (sounds from outside). This means that the user is not exposed to danger when going out. Furthermore, because the user does not need to insert the electronic device into the ear canal, there is no ear pain caused by wearing it for a long time.

The electronic device of the second invention is the electronic device of the first invention, characterized in that a through hole is provided at the tip of the shell, which extends toward the inside of the ear when worn, and penetrates from the inside to the outside of the shell.

In the present invention, a through hole that penetrates from the inside to the outside of the shell is provided at the tip of the shell that extends toward the inside of the ear when worn. The through hole ensures a sound path for air-conducted sound from the bone conduction device in addition to bone conduction.

The electronic device of the third invention is the electronic device of the first invention, characterized in that a slit is provided in the tip portion of the shell that extends toward the inside of the ear when worn.

In the present invention, a slit is provided at the tip of the shell that extends toward the inside of the ear when worn. The slit allows the user to be more fully aware of external sounds.

The electronic device of the fourth invention is the electronic device of the second invention, characterized in that the through hole is connected to the bone conduction device by a cavity inside the shell.

Conventional electronic devices using bone conduction devices (e.g. earphones) generate muffled sounds because vibrations are transmitted to the bone. In the present invention, the through hole is connected to the bone conduction device through a cavity inside the shell. This ensures a sound path for air conduction sound from the bone conduction device, making it possible to achieve a wide range, just like regular earphones that use air conduction sound.

The electronic device of the fifth invention is the electronic device of the second invention, characterized in that the tip portion of the shell that extends toward the inside of the ear when worn has a plurality of slits around the through hole.

The electronic device of the sixth invention is the electronic device of the third invention, characterized in that the slit extends from the tip portion of the shell toward the rear, and the depth of the slit becomes shallower from the tip portion toward the rear.

The electronic device of the seventh invention is the electronic device of the first invention, characterized in that the shell has a first shell that is positioned on the ear side when worn, and a second shell that is positioned on the opposite side of the ear from the first shell when worn.

The electronic device of the eighth invention is the electronic device of the seventh invention, characterized in that the first shell is based on the shape of the concha.

In the present invention, the first shell is based on the shape of the concha. This eliminates the negative impact on sound quality caused by contact pressure with the bone, which is a concern with earphones that use bone conduction devices.

The electronic device of the ninth invention is the electronic device of the first invention, further comprising a mounting part that is located on the side of the shell opposite to the side closest to the ear when worn.

In the present invention, the electronic device has a decorative part that is located on the side of the shell closest to the ear and on the opposite side when the electronic device is worn. Therefore, the decorative part can be used to decorate the electronic device.

The electronic device of the tenth invention is the electronic device of the ninth invention, characterized in that the decorative part is detachable from the shell.

For example, with conventional custom IEM earphones, because they are made to order, you can freely choose your favorite design, but you cannot, for example, change the design to suit your mood on that day. With the present invention, the decorative part is detachable from the shell. This allows the user to freely choose from a variety of decorative parts to match their mood and outfit of the day.

The electronic device of the eleventh invention is the electronic device of the ninth invention, characterized in that the shell has a detachable part for detachably fixing the decorative part, and the decorative part is a detachable part for detachably fixing the decorative part itself.

The electronic device of the twelfth invention is the electronic device of the eleventh invention, characterized in that the detachable part and the detachable part are each a magnet.

The electronic device of the thirteenth invention is the electronic device of the first invention, further comprising a connector to which a plug that outputs sound from a sound source is connected.

The present invention includes a connector to which a plug that outputs sound from a sound source is connected. This allows the electronic device to be wired by connecting a cable with a plug. Also, the electronic device can be wireless by connecting a wireless receiver with a plug.

The electronic device of the 14th invention is the electronic device of the 1st invention, characterized in that the bone conduction device is a dynamic type vibrator.

The electronic device of the fifteenth invention is the electronic device of the first invention, characterized in that it is an earphone.

The electronic device of the sixteenth invention is the electronic device of the first invention, characterized in that it is a hearing aid.

The electronic device of the seventeenth invention is the electronic device of the first invention, characterized in that it is a sound collector.

According to the present invention, the user can hear the sounds generated by electronic devices without covering their ears, and can hear external sounds (sounds from outside) sufficiently.

1 is a perspective view showing an earphone according to an embodiment of the present invention. 1 is an exploded perspective view showing an earphone according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing an example of an ear. FIG. 1 illustrates an example of a custom IEM earphone. 1 is a flowchart illustrating a process for a user to order custom IEM earphones.

An embodiment of the present invention will be described below. In this embodiment, an earphone will be described as an example of an electronic device for listening to sound. FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an earphone 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view showing an earphone 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention. The earphone 1 (electronic device) is a custom IEM (In Ear Monitor) earphone. As shown in the figure, the earphone 1 includes a shell 2, a faceplate 3, a bone conduction device 4, etc.

The shell 2 is a part that constitutes the outer shell of the earphone 1. The shell 2 has a first shell 21 and a second shell 22. The first shell 21 is a part based on the shape of only the user's concha. For this reason, the manufacturer of the earphone 1 takes an ear mold of only the user's concha and creates the first shell 21. FIG. 3 shows a schematic diagram of an ear. In conventional custom IEM earphones, an ear mold is taken including parts other than the concha, and a shell is created. In this embodiment, the shell 2 includes two shell parts 21 and 22, but in conventional custom IEM earphones, the shell does not include two shell parts. In this embodiment, the first shell 21 side of the earphone 1 is defined as the tip side, and the direction away from the tip side is described as the rear. In other words, when the earphone 1 is worn on the user's ear, the side of the earphone 1 that is closer to the ear is defined as the tip side.

The tip portion of the first shell 21, that is, the tip portion that extends toward the inside of the ear when the earphone 1 is attached to the user's ear, is provided with a through hole 21a and a slit 21b. The through hole 21a is a hole that penetrates from the inside to the outside of the first shell 21. Slits 21b are provided around the through hole 21a. In this embodiment, five (multiple) slits 21b are provided at equal intervals around the through hole 21a. It goes without saying that the number of slits 21b is not limited to five. The slits 21b extend from the tip of the first shell 21 toward the rear, and the depth of the slits 21b is deepest at the tip side and becomes shallower toward the rear. In addition, an MMCX type connector 21c is provided inside the first shell 21 at a portion that leads to the through hole 21a.

The second shell 22 is located behind the first shell 21. A magnet 22a is provided on the rear surface of the second shell 22. The magnet 22a (detachable part) is used to detachably fix the face plate 3 to the shell 2.

The faceplate 3 (decorative part) is located behind the shell 22, at the rearmost part of the earphone 1. In other words, the faceplate 3 is located on the opposite side to the side of the second shell 22 (shell 2) closest to the ear when the earphone 1 is worn in the user's ear. Because the faceplate 3 is located at the rearmost part of the earphone 1, it is an exposed part when the user wears the earphone 1, and people other than the user will see the faceplate 3. The faceplate 3 can also be said to be a decorative part of the earphone 1.

A magnet (not shown) is provided on the surface of the tip side of the faceplate 3. The magnet (detachable part) is for removably fixing the faceplate 3 to the shell 2. The faceplate 3 is removably fixed to the shell 2 by the magnets of the second shell 22 and the faceplate 3.

The bone conduction device 4 is a device that allows the user to hear sounds by bone conduction. The bone conduction device 4 is, for example, a dynamic type vibrator with a diameter of 10 mm and an overall height of 6.1 mm. The bone conduction device 4 is provided inside the first shell 21. The vibration surface 4a of the bone conduction device 4 is exposed to the outside from the first shell 21. The bone conduction device 4 is provided in the first shell 21 so that the vibration surface 4a of the bone conduction device 4 contacts the concha cavity of the user's ear when the earphone 1 is worn on the user's ear. In addition, the above-mentioned through hole 21a is connected to the bone conduction device 4 by a cavity inside the first shell 21.

The earphone 1 according to this embodiment uses cartilage conduction, which transmits sound by vibrating the ear cartilage. Conventionally, sound transmission paths have been classified into air conduction and bone conduction, but cartilage conduction has been proven to provide better hearing than air conduction and bone conduction.

The earphone 1 further includes a connector 21c to which a plug that outputs sound from a sound source is connected. In this embodiment, the connector 21c is an MMCX type connector, but it may also be a T2 type connector.

As described above, in this embodiment, the vibration surface 4a of the bone conduction device 4 is exposed to the outside from the first shell 21 (shell 2). Therefore, the vibration of the bone conduction device 4 is transmitted directly to the ear of the user wearing the earphone 1, so the user can fully hear the sound generated from the earphone 1. Therefore, the user can hear the sound generated from the earphone without blocking the ear, and can fully hear external sounds (sounds from outside). This prevents the user from being in danger when going out. Furthermore, since the user does not need to insert the earphone 1 into the ear canal, the ears do not hurt due to wearing the earphone for a long time. Note that since the first shell 21 is based on the shape of the concha, when the user wears the earphone 1 in the ear, the earphone 1 is held by the concha, and the tip of the first shell 21 does not come into contact with the user's ear canal. In other words, when the earphone 1 is worn in the user's ear, the tip of the first shell 21 is not inserted into the user's ear canal.

In this embodiment, a through hole 21a that penetrates from the inside to the outside of the first shell 21 is provided at the tip of the first shell 21 (shell 2), which extends toward the inside of the ear when worn. The through hole 21a ensures a sound path for air-conducted sound from the bone conduction device 4 in addition to bone conduction.

In addition, in this embodiment, a slit 21b is provided at the tip of the first shell 21 (shell 2), which extends toward the inside of the ear when worn. The slit 21b allows the user to be more fully aware of external sounds.

In conventional electronic devices using bone conduction devices (e.g., earphones), the vibrations are transmitted to the bones, resulting in muffled sounds. In this embodiment, the through hole 21a is connected to the bone conduction device 4 through a cavity inside the first shell 21 (shell). This ensures a sound path for air conduction sound from the bone conduction device 4, making it possible to achieve a wide range, just like regular earphones that use air conduction sound.

In addition, in this embodiment, the first shell 21 is based on the shape of the concha. This eliminates the negative impact on sound quality caused by contact pressure with the bone, which is a concern with earphones that use bone conduction devices.

In addition, in this embodiment, the electronic device has a decorative part that is located on the side of the shell opposite to the side closest to the ear when worn. Therefore, the electronic device can be decorated with the decorative part.

For example, with conventional custom IEM earphones, because they are made to order, you can freely choose your preferred design, but you cannot, for example, change the design to suit your mood on that day. In this embodiment, the faceplate 3 is detachable from the shell 2. This allows the user to freely select from a variety of faceplates 3 to suit their mood and outfit of the day.

In this embodiment, the earphone 1 is also provided with a connector 21c to which a plug that outputs sound from a sound source is connected. This allows the electronic device to be wired by connecting a cable with a plug. Also, the earphone 1 can be wireless by connecting a wireless receiver with a plug.

JP 2020-174294 A (see abstract and FIG. 1) discloses a cartilage conduction earphone that includes an electromechanical converter 12 that converts an electrical signal into mechanical vibration, and a vibrating member 13 that transmits the mechanical vibration. The vibrating member 13 has a flat diaphragm 20 that vibrates in the thickness direction in response to the mechanical vibration while engaged with the electromechanical converter 12, and a plurality of contact parts 21 that protrude in the thickness direction from a plurality of ends of the diaphragm 20. When the cartilage conduction earphone is worn, each of the plurality of contact parts 21 is in contact with the side wall of the concha cavity, and the vibrating member 13 is supported with the diaphragm 20 facing the ear canal.

In the invention described in JP 2020-174294 A, the vibration member 13 that transmits the mechanical vibration from the electromechanical converter 12 has a flat vibration plate 20 that vibrates in the thickness direction in response to the mechanical vibration while engaged with the electromechanical converter 12, and a plurality of abutment parts 21 that protrude in the thickness direction from a plurality of ends of the vibration plate 20, resulting in a large dimension in the thickness direction and a large device. In addition, because the mechanical vibration from the electromechanical converter 12 is transmitted via the vibration member 13, the vibration cannot be transmitted sufficiently.

In contrast, in the earphone 1 according to this embodiment, the vibration surface 4a of the bone conduction device 4 is exposed to the outside from the first shell 21 (shell 2), so vibrations can be transmitted sufficiently by directly contacting the ear. Also, because the vibration surface 4a of the bone conduction device 4, which is exposed to the outside, is directly contacted with the ear, no extra components are required, and the earphone 1 does not become larger.

Although the embodiments of the present invention have been described above, the forms to which the present invention can be applied are not limited to the above-mentioned embodiments, and appropriate modifications can be made without departing from the spirit of the present invention.

In the above-described embodiment, earphones are exemplified as an electronic device for listening to sound. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and may be any electronic device for listening to sound, such as a sound collector or hearing aid. In addition, although custom IEM earphones created from an ear impression taken from the user are exemplified as earphones, they may be other than custom IEM earphones.

In the above embodiment, the magnet 22a is used as an example of the detachable part for removably fixing the face plate 3 and the detachable part, but this is not limiting.

The present invention can be suitably used in electronic devices for listening to sound, such as earphones, hearing aids, and sound amplifiers.

1. Earphones (electronic device)
2 Shell 21 First shell 21a Through hole 21b Slit 21c Connector 22 Second shell 22a Magnet (detachable part)
3. Face plate (decorative part)
4 Bone conduction device 4a Vibration surface

Claims (17)

A shell that constitutes the outer shell of the device itself;
a bone conduction device provided inside the shell and having a vibration surface exposed to the outside from the shell;
An electronic device comprising: The electronic device according to claim 1, characterized in that a through hole that penetrates from the inside to the outside of the shell is provided at the tip of the shell that extends toward the inside of the ear when worn. The electronic device according to claim 1, characterized in that a slit is provided in the tip portion of the shell that extends toward the inside of the ear when worn. The electronic device according to claim 2, characterized in that the through hole is connected to the bone conduction device by a cavity inside the shell. The electronic device according to claim 2, characterized in that the tip portion of the shell that extends toward the inside of the ear when worn has multiple slits around the through hole. The slit extends rearward from the tip portion of the shell,
4. The electronic device according to claim 3, wherein the depth of the slit decreases from the tip portion toward the rear. The shell is
A first shell positioned on the ear side when worn;
A second shell located on the opposite side of the ear when worn relative to the first shell;
2. The electronic device according to claim 1, further comprising: The electronic device according to claim 7, characterized in that the first shell is shaped based on the shape of the concha. The electronic device according to claim 1, further comprising a mounting portion that is located on the opposite side of the shell to the ear when the electronic device is mounted. The electronic device according to claim 9, characterized in that the decorative part is detachable from the shell. The shell has a detachable portion for detachably fixing the decorative portion,
10. The electronic device according to claim 9, wherein the decorative part is a detachable part for detachably fixing the decorative part. The electronic device according to claim 11, characterized in that the detachable part and the detachable part are each a magnet. The electronic device according to claim 1, further comprising a connector to which a plug that outputs sound from a sound source is connected. The electronic device according to claim 1, characterized in that the bone conduction device is a dynamic type vibrator. The electronic device according to claim 1, characterized in that it is an earphone. The electronic device according to claim 1, characterized in that it is a hearing aid. The electronic device according to claim 1, characterized in that it is a sound collector.

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