AU7737901A

AU7737901A - Sound ear pieces

Info

Publication number: AU7737901A
Application number: AU77379/01A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Geoffrey Allan Thomas
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2001-10-03
Filing date: 2001-10-03
Publication date: 2003-04-10

Description

P/00/01 I Regulation 3.2

AUSTRALIA

Patents Act 1990

ORIGINAL

COMPLETE SPECIFICATION STANDARD PATENT 0@Oe S 0 6S 0

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0 0O@ 0* 00 .~nvention Title: 0@

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@0 0 0S@ Sound ear pieces The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to us: 0 000S@S 0 @000 0 00@0 gee.

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0 S. CS S C 0 0 000 0 Freehills Carter Smith Beadle Melbourne\00391 4647 Printed 3 October 2001 (15:03) Freehills Carter Smith Beadle Melbourne\003914647 Printed 3 October 2001 (15:03) TITLE: SOUND EAR PIECES Field of the Invention This invention relates to earpieces for acoustic devices such as hands-free kits for mobile phones, portable radios, tape players, airline acoustic tube devices and the like.

Background of the Invention The earpiece is a critical element of any acoustic device, since unless the earpiece fits comfortably and securely in the ear, with a substantial air seal, sound transmission will be reduced. Many earpieces rely on separate outer ear engaging hooks to locate the device. Other devices fit in the ear canal but are often ill-fitting, uncomfortable and do not effectively seal with the ear. As a result, bad sound Stransmission and escape of sound, which will annoy in public places, occurs.

Summary of the Invention and Object It is an object of the present invention to provide an earpiece having features S which at least ameliorate some of the above disadvantages.

The invention provides an earpiece including ear canal engaging protuberance means, shaped to engage the ear cartilage around the ear canal with a portion projecting into the ear canal, a portion connected to the protuberance means "20 which engages that portion of the ear surrounding the ear canal, said portion being shaped to substantially conform to the physical profile of said portion of the ear 0*S surrounding the ear canal, said ear canal engaging protuberance means and said portion incorporating a sound transmission channel, a sound conducting hollow means attached to the sound conducting channel of the earpiece, said sound 25 conducting means having means for receiving a sound conducting tube or electrical connector means.

The sound conducting means is preferably a hollow elbow having a lateral tail piece for the tube or electrical connector.

The tail piece is preferably shaped to conform to the profile of the V-shaped portion of the ear just above the ear lobe.

Melbourne\003886484 Printed 3 October 2001 (12:20) The ear canal engaging protuberance means and the outer-ear engaging portion is preferably made from moulded soft rubbery material to conform to the canal and to the ear shape to improve the acoustic seal therewith. Most preferably, the soft rubbery material is silicon of the type Santoprene 11-45, preferably black.

In a preferred form of the invention, the protuberance preferably has a slightly enlarged flange to assist in engaging the ear canal and to acoustically seal the earpiece in the canal. The outer ear engaging portion preferably has a lobe proportion which engages the behind the cartilage portion overlying the ear canal to assist in holding the earpiece in the ear. The protuberance also preferably has a necked-in portion which engages the outer edge or rim of the ear canal to further secure the earpiece in position.

The elbow is preferably mounted in the earpiece so as to swivel with respect Sthereto. This enables the position of the earpiece to be adjusted including for both *se the left and right ear.

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15 A preferred form of the present invention will now be described with S0° reference to the accompanying drawings in which: se Figure 1 is a top view of an ear with an earpiece embodying the invention in place; Figure 2 is a side elevation of the earpiece in place, and "20 Figure 3 is a perspective view of the earpiece which also illustrates the

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alternative of an internal speaker within the earpiece.

o0*o Description of Preferred Embodiment 6: •In the following description it will be appreciated that while the embodiment is described in relation to an acoustic tube connecting the earpiece and the source of sound, that tube may equally be electrical wiring which powers a speaker S housed 0: in the earpiece in an appropriate position.

In Figures 1 and 2 of the drawings, the earpiece 1 includes a protuberance 2 having a flanged portion 2a which engages the ear canal E and a necked in portion 3 which engages the cartilage of the ear surrounding the canal E to form a contact which creates a substantial acoustic seal with the ear. The earpiece further has a Melbourne\003886484 Printed 3 October 2001 (12:20) shaped portion 4 which engages the outer ear surrounding the ear canal E, the shaped portion 4 including a rounded portion 5 which engages the cartilage surrounding the entrance to the ear canal E, requiring only shallow insertion and an enlarged lobe portion 6 which engages under the portion of the ear which overlies the canal E. In this way, the earpiece comfortably and securely fits within the outer ear of the user and forms a substantial acoustic seal with the ear whereby sound transmission is maximised.

A passage 7 for acoustic transmission is formed in the earpiece 1, the passage 7 receiving a portion of a hollow elbow 7 in a manner which is free to swivel to enable the position of the earpiece 1 to be adjusted relative to the hollow elbow 7.

This enables the earpiece to fit with left and right ears.

The elbow 8 has an elongate shaped tail 9 which extends at approximate right angles to the earpiece 1 and is shaped to fit within the outer ear in the groove immediately above the ear lobe to positively locate the earpiece in position in the S 15 ear. The elbow 1 is connected to an acoustic tube which is, in turn, connected to a source of sound (not shown), such as the speaker of a mobile phone. Alternatively, the tube is replaced by electrical wires and a speaker is fitted in the earpiece to provide a source of sound.

By adopting the above described construction, the earpiece 1 is positively •20 and acoustically located within the ear of the user and is difficult to dislodge other than by physical removal. The earpiece 1 is nevertheless adaptable while providing S a much more positive location in the ear. The earpiece constitutes and advance on all previous earpieces in that it is much more positively located in the ear and forms a better acoustic seal.

Since other modifications within the spirit and scope of the invention may be readily effected by persons skilled in the art, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the particular embodiment described, by way of example, hereinabove.

Melboume\003886484 Printed 3 October 2001 (12:20)

Claims

1. An earpiece including ear canal engaging protuberance means, shaped to engage the ear cartilage around the ear canal with a portion projecting into the ear canal, a portion connected to the protuberance means which engages that portion of the ear surrounding the ear canal, said portion being shaped to substantially conform to the physical profile of said portion of the ear surrounding the ear canal, said ear canal engaging protuberance means and said portion incorporating a sound transmission channel, a sound conducting hollow means attached to the sound conducting channel of the earpiece, said sound conducting means having means for receiving a sound conducting tube or electrical connector means.

2. The earpiece of claim 1, wherein the sound conducting means is a hollow elbow having a lateral tail piece for the tube or electrical connector. 0500

3. The earpiece of claim 1 or 2 wherein the tail piece is shaped to •S conform to the profile of the V-shaped portion of the ear just above the ear lobe. 15

4. The earpiece of any preceding claim, wherein the ear canal engaging 0 0 protuberance means and the outer-ear engaging portion is made from moulded soft rubbery material to conform to the canal and to the ear shape to improve the acoustic seal therewith.

The earpiece of claim 4 wherein the soft rubbery material is a silicon 20 rubber material, such as Santoprene (registered trade mark) for example 11-45.

6. The earpiece of any preceding claim wherein the protuberance has a S00 slightly enlarged flange to assist in engaging the ear canal and to acoustically seal 00 •othe earpiece in the canal. :00

7. The earpiece of any preceding claim wherein the outer ear engaging a 0 portion has a lobe portion which engages behind the cartilage portion of the pinna overlying the ear canal to assist in holding the ear piece in the ear.

8. The earpiece of any preceding claim wherein the protuberance also has a necked-in portion which engages the outer edge or rim of the ear canal to further secure the earpiece in position.

9. The earpiece of any preceding claim, wherein the sound conducting Melboume\003886484 Printed 3 October 2001 (12:20) hollow means is mounted in the earpiece so as to swivel with respect thereto to enable the position of the earpiece to be adjusted to fit both left and right ears. An earpiece substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings. DATED: 3 October 2001 FREEHILLS CARTER SMITH BEADLE Patent attorneys for the applicant: GEOFFREY THOMAS 00***0 0 .0 S* 0O 0* *0e *0 00 0600* S 0 005 0 Melbourne\003886484 Printed 3 October 2001 (12:20)