GB2375000A

GB2375000A - Adaptable moulded radio/telephone ear piece

Info

Publication number: GB2375000A
Application number: GB0109242A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Andrew Charles Shiach
Original assignee: ADVANCED COMM SOLUTIONS Ltd; INNOTALENT HOLDINGS Ltd
Current assignee: ADVANCED COMM SOLUTIONS Ltd; INNOTALENT HOLDINGS Ltd
Priority date: 2001-04-12
Filing date: 2001-04-12
Publication date: 2002-10-30
Also published as: WO2002084982A2; GB0109242D0; WO2002084982A9; AU2002251263A1; GB2376832B; WO2002084982A3; GB0208491D0; GB2376832A

Abstract

A two-part ear-piece for holding a sound reproducing device, such as an earphone 4 comprises a first part 2 adapted to fit within a human ear canal including a connectable portion 7. A second sound reproduction portion 3 including a recess 15 adapted to contain a sound reproduction unit 4 and a connectable portion, is adapted to mate with the first part 2. Preferably the first part is moulded to the shape of the wearers ear canal and outer ear so as to make a tight fit therewith. The ear piece may have a protrusion 6 extending from it, which may include a duct 10 which is received in use in the wearer's ear canal. The recess 15 have a cylindrical form with an annular lip to accept standard sound units.

Description

Radio/Telephone Ear Piece This invention relates to an ear-piece for mounting a communication device such as an ear phone for use in a two way radio or telephone communication system.

Moulded ear-pieces are known which house an ear-phone, the ear piece having a protrusion extending therefrom which is received in the wearer's ear canal to locate the ear-piece therein. A problem with such devices is that they have to be moulded to the exact shape needed to accept the particular ear-phone of the manufacturer whose product is to be mounted in the ear-piece. As a result, if a different earphone is to be used, the whole ear-piece has to be re-moulded to accommodate it which is extremely expensive as a new moulding tool is required.

It is the object of the present invention therefore to overcome this problem by forming the ear-piece in two parts, namely a first moulded part which is mountable in the user's ear and a second removably attached thereto part in which the earphone is mounted. As the second can be moulded from a much cheaper material and its shape is not critical, it is much cheaper to manufacture.

According to the invention there is provided an ear-piece for holding a communication device such as an ear-phone for use in a two-way communication system comprising a) a ear-part shaped to fit in the user's ear canal and outer ear, said part having a socket formed therein to receive and locate b) a second part provided with a recess for mounting said communication device, said second part having a portion which is releasably received in said socket in the ear-part Preferably the ear-part is moulded to the shape of the wearer's ear canal and outer ear so as to make a tight fit therewith.

Conveniently, the ear-part has a protrusion extending therefrom which is received, in use, in the wearer's ear canal. Preferably a duct extends through this protrusion and communicates with the socket in the ear-part. In the preferred embodiment, the socket in the ear-part comprises a first cylindrical section of a first diameter and second cylindrical section of a second smaller diameter. Preferably, the protrusion extending from the second part has a first cylindrical section of said first diameter and a second cylindrical section coaxial therewith of said second smaller diameter.

Conveniently, the remote end of the second cylindrical section of reduced diameter has an annular lip or enlargement therearound extending radially outwardly therefrom. In the preferred embodiment, the recess in the second part has an annular radially inwardly extending lip around its outer edge adapted to co-operate with the communication device (when fitted therein) to retain it in said recess.

In the preferred embodiment, a duct extends from the socket through the first and second cylindrical sections.

Preferably, the second part is moulded from a flexible material. The ear-part is preferably moulded from silicone rubber which can be cold cured thereby enabling the ear-part to be moulded in situ to exactly fit the user's ear.

A preferred embodiment of the invention will now be described, by way of example only, with only reference to the accompany drawings in which Figure 1 is a schematic view of a person's ear with an ear-piece of the invention mounted therein; and Figure 2 is a schematic exploded view of the ear-piece shown in Figure 1.

Referring to the drawings, therein shown in Figure 1, a person's ear 1 in which an ear-part 2 is fitted with a microphone 4 mounted therein. A protrusion 6 extends forwardly from the ear-part 2 into the user's ear canal to locate and retain said earpart 2 in the user's ear.

Referring now to Figure 2, the construction of the ear-piece can be seen in more detail to comprise the ear-part 2, a second part or adapter 3 in which microphone 4 is mounted. The protrusion 6 is moulded to the approximate shape of the user's ear canal. The ear-part 2 is moulded from silicone by a cold curing process which involves injection a silicone based material into the user's ear almost up to the ear drum and then leaving it to set for about five minutes. The hardened silicone can then be removed from the user's ear and a mould made therefrom to mass produce the ear part 2.

A recess 7 is formed in one end of the ear-part 2 and connected to the other end of the protrusion 6 by duct 10. The recess 7 has a first cylindrical section 8 of a first diameter which leads into a second cylindrical section 9 of a smaller diameter. The recess 7 acts as a socket for reasons to be explained hereafter.

The second part or adapter 3 has a main cylindrical body section 5 with a stepped socket portion 11 at one end thereof. This socket section 11 comprises a first cylindrical section 12 of a diameter less than the main body section 5 and a second cylindrical section 13 of diameter less than that of the portion 12. An enlargement or lip 14 extends around the remote end of the adapter 3. A recess 15 is provided inside the other end of the adapter 3 and includes a cylindrical section 16 connected by an annular radially inwardly extending wall 20 to a part spherical recess 17 which is connected to the remote end of adapter 3 by duct 19. The second part is preferably moulded from a flexible plastics material.

Microphone 4 has a cylindrical main body 23 connected by a radially extending annular wall 22 to part spherical end 21. The other end of the microphone 4 is closed by end wall 25 and has a wire 26 connected thereto. The microphone 4 is received within the recess 15 with its part spherical end 21 located within the part spherical recess 17 in the adapter 3. The outer edge of the recess 15 is formed with an annular radially inwardly extending rib 27 which fits over the annular edge 24 of the microphone 4 to retain it therein.

In use, the socket 11 on the adapter 3 pressed into the recess 7 in the ear-part 2 and retained therein due the engagement of the annular lip 14 with the resilient wall 9 of the ear-part 2. When engaged, the duct 10 in the ear-piece 2 aligns with the duct 19 in the adapter 3 to allow the passage of sound through it.

Claims

Claims 1. An ear-piece for holding a communication device such as a ear-phone for use in a two-way communication system comprising a) an ear-part shaped to fit in the user's ear canal and outer ear, said part having a socket formed therein to receive and locate b) a second part provided with a recess for mounting said communication device, said second part having a portion which is releasably received in said socket in the ear part
2. An ear-piece as claimed in claim 1 wherein the ear-part is moulded to the shape of the wearer's ear canal and outer ear so as to make a tight fit therewith.
3. An ear-piece as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2 wherein the ear-part has a protrusion extending therefrom which is received, in use, in the wearer's ear canal.
4. An ear-piece as claimed in claim 3 wherein a duct extends through said protrusion on the second part and communicates with the socket therein.
5. An ear-piece as claimed in any proceeding claim wherein the socket in the ear part comprises a first cylindrical section of a first diameter and second cylindrical section of a second smaller diameter coaxial therewith.
6. An ear-piece as claimed as in claim 5 wherein the protrusion received in said socket in the ear-part has a first cylindrical section of said first diameter and a second cylindrical section coaxial therewith of said second smaller diameter.
7. An ear-piece as claimed in claim 6 wherein the remote end of the second tubular section of reduced diameter on the second part has an annular lip therearound extending radially outwardly therefrom.

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8. An ear-piece as claimed in claim in any proceeding claim wherein the recess in the second part has an annular radially inwardly extending lip around its outer periphery adapted to co-operate with a communication device when fitted therein to retain it said recess.
9. An ear-piece as claimed in any of claims 6-8 wherein a duct extends through the first and second coaxial cylindrical sections.
10. An ear-piece as claimed in any proceeding claim wherein the second part is moulded from a flexible material.
11. An ear-piece as claimed in any proceeding claim wherein the ear-part is moulded from silicone.
12. An ear-piece as claimed in claim 11 wherein the silicone is of the cold curing variety.
13. An ear-piece as claimed in claim 11 or claim 12 wherein the ear-part is moulded in situ to exactly fit the user's ear.
14. An ear-piece substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.