JP2009027675A - Earphone attachment - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an earphone attachment that further utilizes features of an open earphone that a speaker size is larger compared with that of a closed earphone and acoustic characteristics are natural. <P>SOLUTION: The earphone attachment includes a cylinder 11 which has an outer diameter tightly fitted to the external ear canal, and also, has a length tightly fitted to the external ear canal in a prescribed length on the depth side of the opening of the external ear canal when its one end is inserted to the external ear canal; and a cone 12 that connects a small-diameter end to the other end of the cylinder 11, connects a large-diameter end to the outer periphery of the open type earphone 20, and brings its outer face into contact with the vicinity of the antilobium so as to have a shape that holds a prescribed space in between the auricle near the antilobium, wherein a slit is provided in a lengthwise direction of the cylinder. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2009,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention mainly relates to an earphone attachment of an earphone used for personal music enjoyment with a portable music player.

Advances in electronic technology have significantly improved the performance of portable music players. In such circumstances, since headphones and earphones are worn on the ear and used, weight and wearability are required. Furthermore, it is required to exhibit excellent characteristics over a wide frequency range under such severe restrictions. Therefore, in order to achieve these various conditions, many improvements have been made on the acoustic characteristics of the speakers for both headphones and earphones. There are currently two known methods for transmitting sound output from these to the ear. That is, in order to shield external noise and efficiently transmit the sound of the headphones or earphones to the eardrum, the sealed type that shields the ears and the outside, and the earphones toward the ear canal without shielding the ears and the outside There is an open type that is used by being worn on the ear in a state of opening (Patent Documents 1-7).
JP 2003-284177 A JP 2000-152938 A Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 7-115696 JP-A-8-88890 JP 2000-349878 A Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 2-82191 Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 10-98792

The reason why the above two types coexist is based on each feature described below. Each type has a difficult point that cannot be solved, so it is used in combination according to the environment.
First, the headphones have a sufficiently large speaker compared to the earphones, so that the user can enjoy realistic sounds. However, the sealed headphone blocks the external sound by pressing almost the entire ear with a powerful spring that goes around the head and connects the left and right speakers. Therefore, long-term use may be painful. Moreover, since it is bulky, it is inconvenient to carry. On the other hand, an open-type headphone is used on the ear and is suitable for enjoying realistic music in a quiet environment.
Moreover, although the portability is improved, the burden on the ear is too great for long-time use in weight. In addition, there is a problem that sound leaks to the surroundings, and in a noisy environment, the music at the corner is not suitable because it is affected by the noise.

  When portability is important, a small-sized and lightweight earphone is suitable, but an earphone with a small speaker is acoustically inferior to a headphone. In particular, the sealed earphone has an ear pad for shielding the external environment at a portion inserted into the ear canal, and therefore there is a problem that a sound passage to the ear canal is small and sound quality cannot be sufficiently guaranteed.

  The sealed earphone inserts the tip into the ear canal to shield external noise and seal between the eardrum and the earphone. And the sound which the speaker accommodated in the earphone main body emits can be directly transmitted to the eardrum. However, since the tip of the earphone is inserted into the ear canal to support the earphone, the acoustic path is inevitably narrowed. In addition, the mass of a pair of earphones is about 4 grams excluding the cord, the size of the speaker is as small as about 9 mm in diameter, and the reproduction frequency band is approximately 6 to 23000 Hz. However, there is a problem that the sound is likely to be wrinkled due to the humming sound generated to shield from the outside world.

  On the other hand, an open-type earphone is used with an opening that radiates the sound of a speaker facing the ear canal and hung on the lower side of the auricle and does not seal the ear canal. The mass of a pair of earphones is about 6 grams excluding the cord, and the speaker has a large diameter of about 15 mm. Acoustically, since it is released not only on the front side but also on the back side, there is a feature that a sound with less distortion is likely to occur. The reproduction frequency band is approximately 6 to 23000 Hz. However, in the open type earphone, the generated sound leaks to the surroundings, and external noise enters the ear as it is, so that it may be difficult to hear the sound from the speaker. Therefore, there is a drawback that the use is limited by the environment. The price of a commercially available product is generally higher for sealed earphones than open earphones.

  Various types of attachments have been developed to prevent leakage of sound generated from the earphones and to reduce external noise (Patent Document 7) (Patent Document 3). However, as will be described later in detail, there is a portion in which sound is irregularly reflected when inserted into the ear canal, and thus the function of faithfully transmitting sound from low to high is insufficient. As a result, in order to design and develop an earphone designed in consideration of the occurrence of such distortion, there is a problem to be solved that the price becomes expensive. In the following description, irregular reflection refers to an irregular reflection of sound inside the ear canal or earphone attachment, and a phenomenon that substantially affects sound quality.

  The present invention has been made paying attention to the above points, and it is an object of the present invention to provide an earphone attachment that further utilizes the characteristics of an open-type earphone that has a larger speaker size and natural acoustic characteristics than a sealed earphone. And It is another object of the present invention to provide an earphone attachment that can transmit sound generated in front of a speaker as it is to the eardrum without distortion and reproduce high-quality sound without any special design. Furthermore, the present invention eliminates the inconvenience that the user has to select an earphone attachment that suits his / her own from several types of cylindrical outer diameters, and one earphone attachment supports the diameter of the ear canal, which varies from person to person. An object of the present invention is to provide an earphone attachment that can be smoothly inserted into the ear canal up to a predetermined depth.

The following configuration is means for solving the above problems.
<Configuration 1>
A cylindrical portion having an outer diameter that is in close contact with the inner surface of the ear canal, and having a length that allows a predetermined length of the outer peripheral surface to be in close contact with the ear canal at the back of the ear canal opening when one end is inserted into the ear canal, A small-diameter portion is connected to the end, a large-diameter portion is connected to the outer periphery of the open-type earphone, and the outer surface is brought into contact with the vicinity of the tragus so that a predetermined space is maintained between the pinna and the auricle. An earphone attachment comprising: a conical portion, wherein the cylindrical portion is an elastic body having a substantially constant outer diameter, and has one or a plurality of slits in a longitudinal direction thereof.

  The cylindrical part has a length that allows the outer peripheral surface of a predetermined length to be in close contact with the ear canal at the back side of the opening of the ear canal. To communicate. Since there is no diffuse reflection of sound as a whole on the path from the open earphone to the ear canal, the sound is not distorted. The conical part guides sound from the open earphone to the cylindrical part and positions the cylindrical part. Since the conical portion holds a predetermined space between the outer ear wall in the vicinity of the tragus, there is no feeling of pressure, and the external sound is not completely blocked and the safety is high. Furthermore, even if there are individual differences in the inner diameter and hole shape of the ear canal, the cylindrical portion is reduced in diameter by the action of the slit. At this time, since irregular irregular wrinkles do not occur in the cylindrical portion, irregular reflection is prevented and a smooth sound path is formed.

<Configuration 2>
The earphone attachment according to Configuration 1, wherein the slit is a V-shaped notch that is narrower toward a side closer to the conical portion.

  Due to the V-shaped notch, the cylindrical portion is deformed into a smooth tapered cylinder.

<Configuration 3>
The earphone attachment according to Configuration 1, wherein the slit is a notch having a length that reaches the conical portion and does not exceed a half as viewed in a longitudinal direction of the conical portion. attachment.

  The entire earphone attachment can be gently deformed to absorb individual differences in the ear canal. Moreover, irregular reflection of the sound in the earphone attachment can be suppressed.

<Configuration 4>
A cylindrical portion having an outer diameter that is in close contact with the inner surface of the ear canal, and having a length that allows a predetermined length of the outer peripheral surface to be in close contact with the ear canal at the back of the ear canal opening when one end is inserted into the ear canal, A small-diameter portion is connected to the end, a large-diameter portion is connected to the outer periphery of the open-type earphone, and the outer surface is brought into contact with the vicinity of the tragus so that a predetermined space is maintained between the pinna and the auricle. An earphone attachment comprising: a conical portion, wherein the cylindrical portion is an elastic body having a substantially constant outer diameter, and has a strip-shaped thin portion parallel to the longitudinal direction thereof.

  The effect is the same as when a slit is provided, but it is also mechanically strong and durable.

<Configuration 5>
The earphone attachment according to Configuration 1, wherein the thin portion has a V-shape that is narrower toward a side closer to the conical portion.

  If the strip-like thin portion parallel to the longitudinal direction is V-shaped with a narrower width toward the side closer to the conical portion, generation of wrinkles when the diameter is reduced can be minimized.

<Configuration 6>
The earphone attachment according to Configuration 1, wherein the thin-walled portion reaches the conical portion and has a length that does not exceed a half as viewed in a longitudinal direction of the conical portion.

<Configuration 7>
The earphone attachment according to any one of Configurations 1 to 6, wherein the total length of the cylindrical portion is 4 mm or more.

  By taking a length of 4 mm or more, the outer peripheral surface of a predetermined length can be brought into close contact with the ear canal at the back side of the opening of the ear canal and the sound path for resonance can be maintained.

<Configuration 8>
The earphone attachment according to any one of configurations 1 to 7, wherein the conical portion has a symmetrical shape with respect to a central axis of the conical portion, and an inner wall of the conical portion has an angle of 15 degrees or more with respect to the central axis of the earphone attachment. An earphone attachment characterized by having an inclination of less than 1 degree.

Appropriate sound collection effect is obtained by providing an inclination of 15 degrees or more and 70 degrees or less.
If the inclination is less than 15 degrees, the entire length of the conical portion becomes long to have a large diameter portion of the size of the earphone. Moreover, it becomes difficult to support the outer ear wall near the tragus. On the other hand, when the inclination exceeds 70 degrees, reflection of sound at the conical portion increases.

<Configuration 9>
The earphone attachment according to any one of configurations 1 to 8, wherein the conical portion is symmetrical with respect to a central axis of the conical portion, and the cylindrical portion and an inner surface of the conical portion are relative to the central axis of the earphone attachment. Earphone attachment characterized by being axisymmetrically molded.

  The inner surface of the cylindrical portion and the conical portion can form an ideal acoustic space with respect to the ear canal. In addition, when the flexible cylindrical portion is attached to the ear canal entrance while rotating, a predetermined acoustic effect can be obtained regardless of the orientation.

<Configuration 10>
The earphone attachment according to any one of Configurations 1 to 9, wherein the small-diameter portion and the large-diameter portion of the conical portion are connected by a curved surface.

  In order to make the contact between the vicinity of the tragus 82 and the conical part 12 more fit, the conical part is formed into a curved surface shape to improve the wearability to the ear.

<Configuration 11>
The earphone attachment according to any one of Configurations 1 to 7 and Claim 10, wherein the conical portion is provided to be inclined with respect to a sound emitting surface of the open-type earphone.

  In order to make it fit with the structure of the external auditory canal, it has an inclined shape to improve wearability to the ear.

<Configuration 12>
The earphone attachment according to any one of Configurations 1 to 11, wherein the cylindrical portion and the conical portion are made of elastic rubber or plastic that is continuously integrated, and the hardness thereof is 70 degrees or more and 90 degrees or less. .

  It is easy to maintain the shape when worn on the ear and has good acoustic characteristics.

<Configuration 13>
The earphone attachment according to any one of Configurations 1 to 11, wherein the cylindrical portion and the conical portion are made of elastic rubber or plastic that is continuously integrated, and the hardness thereof is 20 degrees or more and 30 degrees or less. .

  When inserted into the ear canal, it is flexible and easy to adapt to the shape of the inner surface of the ear canal. Therefore, the outer peripheral surface is easily brought into close contact with the external auditory canal and is not painful even when used for a long time.

<Configuration 14>
In the earphone attachment according to any one of Configurations 1 to 13, a boot surrounding the outer periphery of the disc-shaped open earphone is connected to the large-diameter portion of the conical portion, and the boot side of the boot surrounding the outer periphery is connected. The earphone attachment is characterized in that the surface is formed with an articulating surface capable of holding the sound emitting surface of the open-type earphone with a predetermined range of inclination relative to the central axis of the conical large-diameter portion surface.

  If a boot that surrounds the outer periphery of the open earphone via a joint surface such as a so-called universal joint is provided, a shape having a good acoustic effect can be maintained as a whole. In addition, the direction of the open earphone can be freely changed to a direction with a good wearing feeling.

<Configuration 15>
The earphone attachment according to any one of Configurations 1 to 14, wherein the outer diameter of the cylindrical portion is substantially equal to the inner diameter of the opening of the ear canal.

  If the inner diameter of the ear canal opening is substantially equal, the cylindrical portion can be brought into close contact with the inner surface of the ear canal opening.

<Configuration 16>
The earphone attachment according to any one of Configurations 1 to 14, wherein an inner diameter of the cylindrical portion is larger than a minimum inner diameter of the ear canal.

  If the inner diameter of the cylindrical portion is larger than the minimum inner diameter of the ear canal, the outer ear canal is not narrowed by the cylindrical portion, so that the volume and sound quality emitted by the open earphone are not reduced.

<Configuration 17>
15. The earphone attachment according to any one of Configurations 1 to 14, wherein the outer diameter of the cylindrical portion is substantially equal to the inner diameter of the opening of the ear canal, and the inner diameter of the cylindrical portion is larger than the minimum inner diameter of the ear canal.

  With this setting, the cylindrical portion can be made to have an appropriate thickness without irregular reflection.

<Configuration 18>
15. The earphone attachment according to any one of configurations 1 to 14, wherein the thickness of the cylindrical portion is equal to or less than a difference between an inner diameter of the ear canal opening and a minimum inner diameter of the ear canal.

  The cylindrical part of the earphone attachment can be set to the optimum wall thickness for sound effect.

<Configuration 19>
A cylindrical portion having an outer diameter that is in close contact with the inner surface of the ear canal, and having a length that allows a predetermined length of the outer peripheral surface to be in close contact with the ear canal at the back of the ear canal opening when one end is inserted into the ear canal, A small-diameter portion is connected to the end, a large-diameter portion is connected to the outer periphery of the open-type earphone, and the outer surface is brought into contact with the vicinity of the tragus so that a predetermined space is maintained between the pinna and the auricle. An earphone comprising: a conical portion, wherein the cylindrical portion is an elastic body having a substantially constant outer diameter, and has one or a plurality of slits in a longitudinal direction thereof.

<Configuration 20>
A cylindrical portion having an outer diameter that is in close contact with the inner surface of the ear canal, and having a length that allows a predetermined length of the outer peripheral surface to be in close contact with the ear canal at the back of the ear canal opening when one end is inserted into the ear canal, A small-diameter portion is connected to the end, a large-diameter portion is connected to the outer periphery of the open-type earphone, and the outer surface is brought into contact with the vicinity of the tragus so that a predetermined space is maintained between the pinna and the auricle. An earphone comprising: a conical portion, wherein the cylindrical portion is an elastic body having a substantially constant outer diameter, and has a strip-shaped thin portion parallel to a longitudinal direction thereof.

The above-mentioned earphone attachment can be manufactured by being integrally molded with an open type earphone.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail for each example.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view illustrating an earphone attachment 10 according to the first embodiment.
The earphone attachment 10 includes a cylindrical portion 11, a conical portion 12, and a boot 13. The cylindrical portion 11 has an outer diameter that is in close contact with the inner surface of the ear canal, and has a length that allows a predetermined-length outer peripheral surface to be in close contact with the ear canal at the back of the ear canal opening when one end is inserted into the ear canal. The conical portion 12 connects the small diameter portion to the other end of the cylindrical portion 11 and connects the large diameter portion to the outer periphery of the open-type earphone. Thus, a cylindrical sound path 14 surrounded by the conical portion 12 and the cylindrical portion 11 is formed. The boot 13 has a function of surrounding the outer periphery of the open earphone and integrating the earphone attachment 10 and the open earphone. In addition, as will be described later, the conical portion 12 has a shape that holds a predetermined space between the conical portion 12 and the auricle near the tragus by bringing the outer surface into contact with the vicinity of the tragus. The cylindrical portion 11 is an elastic body having a substantially constant outer diameter, and has a single or a plurality of slits 50 in the longitudinal direction.

FIG. 2 is a three-side view of the earphone attachment 10. (A) is a front view, (b) is a left side view, and (c) is a right side view. FIG. 3A is a vertical cross-sectional view taken along the line AA in FIG. FIG. 3B is a longitudinal sectional view showing a state in which the earphone attachment is attached to the open-type earphone. FIG. 4 shows a state immediately before the earphone attachment 10 is worn on the ear. FIG. 5 is a longitudinal sectional view showing the structure of the ear.
The earphone attachment 10 is manufactured from a flexible material such as silicon rubber, for example. As shown in FIG. 3, the thickness of the cylindrical portion 11, the conical portion 12, and the boot 13 is selected to be sufficiently thin so that it can be easily attached to the open earphone. The selection of the thickness will be described later in detail.

  The cylindrical portion 11 (FIG. 2) has an outer diameter that just fits into the opening of the ear canal 83 (FIG. 5). There are individual differences in the inner diameter and hole shape of the ear canal 83 (FIG. 5). Therefore, the diameter of the cylindrical portion 11 (FIG. 2) is reduced by the action of the slit 50. The entire earphone attachment is gently deformed to absorb individual differences in the ear canal 83 (FIG. 5). Moreover, the diffuse reflection of the sound in the earphone attachment is suppressed. The side surface of the conical part 12 contacts the tragus 82. The weights of the earphone attachment 10 and the open-type earphone 20 are supported by the side surfaces of the cylindrical portion 11 and the conical portion 12. The cylindrical portion 11 attached to the ear so as to be in close contact with the ear canal 83 for a predetermined length behind the opening of the ear canal 83 faithfully transmits the sound of the open earphone 20 without disturbing the function as a resonance box of the ear canal. . The effect will be described later. The inner surface of the connecting portion between the cylindrical portion 11 and the conical portion 12 may be smoothly curved. There is no diffuse reflection of sound as a whole on the path from the open earphone 20 to the ear canal, and no distortion occurs in the sound. Since the conical portion 12 holds a predetermined space between the concha 81 near the tragus 82, there is no feeling of pressure, and the external sound is not completely blocked, so that safety is high. This will be described in more detail later.

  In order to explain the function of the earphone attachment 10 of the present invention, the exact structure of the ear will be described with reference to FIG. As shown in this figure, the auricle 81 and the tragus 82 are present in the portion visible from the outside. The tragus 82 is connected to the opening 88 of the external auditory canal 83. An eardrum 84 is located behind the ear canal 83. Ear ossicles 85 in contact with the eardrum 84 transmit the vibration of the eardrum 84 to the cochlea 86. Cochlea 86 is connected to the nerve and transmits sound to the brain. In addition, the periphery of the opening of the ear canal 83 is surrounded by cartilage. The side near the eardrum 84 of the ear canal 83 is surrounded by the skull. The earphone attachment of the present invention is designed by paying attention to the feature of the shape of the ear canal 83.

FIGS. 6A and 6B are side views of sealed earphones, and FIG. 6C is a side view of open earphones. FIG. 7 is a longitudinal sectional view of an ear showing a usage state of a sealed earphone.
As shown in FIG. 7, the sealed earphone 21 is used with its distal end portion 22 inserted into the ear canal 83. The distal end portion 22 of the sealed earphone 21 is in close contact with the inner wall of the opening 88, and the sealed earphone 21 is supported by this force. The same applies to the tip portion 22 provided with fins as shown in FIG. At this time, the sound path of the portion of the opening 88 of the ear canal 83 is remarkably narrowed, where the sound is irregularly reflected and the sound quality is degraded. In addition, the external ear canal 83 is completely sealed by the sealed earphone 21, so that the sound is muffled.

FIG. 8 is a longitudinal sectional view of the ear showing the usage state of the open earphone 20.
The open-type earphone 20 is supported by a headband or the like in a state in which the open-type earphone 20 faces straight to the opening 88 of the ear canal 83. In this case, since there is a sufficient gap between the open-type earphone 20 and the opening 88, there is no sound, and the output of the open-type earphone 20 can be received and listened as it is. However, there are too many gaps between the open earphone 20 and the pinna 81, and sound leakage is severe. In addition, there is a problem that the sound jumps directly from the outside and is anxious.

FIG. 9 is a longitudinal sectional view showing a use state of a known earphone attachment.
This earphone attachment is the earphone of Patent Document 7 introduced in the prior art. This shape is similar to the earphone attachment 10 of the present invention, and includes a cylindrical portion 31 and a conical portion 32. Further, the end of the conical portion 32 can be attached to the open-type earphone 20. Therefore, the sound output from the open earphone 20 is collected and sent from the cylindrical portion 31 to the ear canal 83. However, as apparent from the cross-sectional view of the figure, the cylindrical portion 31 of the earphone attachment has a thick wall pressure. Moreover, they are connected by a plane substantially perpendicular to the conical portion. This is designed in the image of the tip of the conventional sealed earphone 21. Actually, when a product of this design was made as a prototype, the sound was severely diffused at the opening 88 and at the connecting portion between the cylindrical portion and the conical portion, and sufficient sound quality was not improved.

FIG. 10 is a vertical cross-sectional view showing a known usage state of the earphone attachment.
This earphone attachment is the earphone of Patent Document 3 introduced in the prior art. This shape is also similar to the earphone attachment of the present invention, and includes a conical portion 42 that can be attached to the open-type earphone 20. However, there is no portion corresponding to the cylindrical portion. That is, the connection with the ear canal is not considered. Therefore, there is a problem in that the aperture diameter is greatly changed at the opening 88 and the sound is irregularly reflected at the opening of the ear canal.

FIG. 11 is a longitudinal sectional view showing a usage state of the earphone attachment 10 of the present invention.
As shown in the figure, the cylindrical portion 11 of the earphone attachment 10 of the present invention is inserted deeply and substantially linearly in close contact with the opening 88 of the ear canal 83. And since the flesh pressure is sufficiently thin, a straight cavity with a straight inner surface from the eardrum 84 to the open earphone 20 through the ear canal 83 is formed. This cavity functions as a resonance box for sound output from the open earphone 20. The sound output from the open earphone 20 is a dense wave, but the sound propagates through this space and reaches the eardrum 84. When viewed in the direction of the arrow A3, the unevenness is very small, so there is very little irregular reflection of sound, and high sound quality can be ensured. Further, since the cylindrical portion 11 is thin, it vibrates integrally with the inner wall of the ear canal 83. Further, the vibration is efficiently propagated in the direction of arrow A4. This improves bass transmission. This vibration is called bone conduction and propagates through the bone. Therefore, according to experiments, it was found that even the hearing impaired can enjoy music sufficiently.

  Further, the conical portion 12 has a shape that maintains a predetermined space between the conical portion 12 and the auricle 81 in the vicinity of the tragus 82 by contacting the outer surface thereof in the vicinity of the tragus 82. Exposed outside. Since the thickness of this portion is also thin, sound jumps in the direction of arrow A5. That is, for example, the sound of a telephone call, the call of a nearby person, etc. can be heard even when the earphone attachment 10 is worn. Therefore, the sound from the outside is not completely cut off, which is excellent in safety.

  When the slit 50 is provided in the cylindrical portion 11, the cylindrical portion 11 is reduced in diameter by an external force. When the cylindrical portion 11 is inserted into the external auditory canal 83, the cylindrical portion 11 is deformed and reduced in diameter according to the shape of the external auditory canal 83. Thereby, it can insert smoothly into the ear canal 83 to a predetermined depth, and can respond widely to the ear canal 83 with individual differences. Moreover, irregular wrinkles do not occur in the cylindrical portion 11. As will be described later, even if a thin portion is provided in a part of the cylindrical portion 11, the cylindrical portion 11 is easily reduced in diameter in accordance with the shape of the external auditory canal 83. In any case, the entire cylindrical portion 11 is in close contact with the external auditory canal 83 with almost no gap, and external noise can be blocked, and an acoustically optimal space can be formed in the external ear canal 83 and the cylindrical portion 11.

FIG. 12 is an explanatory diagram for explaining the relationship between the structure of the ear canal 83 and the thickness of the earphone attachment.
In FIG. 5A, the external auditory canal 83 is not uniform in inner diameter as shown. The inner diameter R1 of the back side portion of the opening 88 is large, and there is a portion with the minimum inner diameter R2 on the side close to the eardrum 84. The inner diameter R3 of the outermost portion of the opening 88 is even larger. Although it is the average value of a general adult boy, R1 is 9 mm, R2 is 7 mm, and R3 is about 10 mm. It has a gentle taper surface as a whole. When the cylindrical portion 11 of the earphone attachment 10 is inserted from the opening 88 to a location of the length L2 in the portion having the inner diameter R1 of the opening 88, the outer peripheral surface of the cylindrical portion 11 is in close contact with the external auditory canal 83 by the length L3. If this length L3 is insufficient, a linear sound path cannot be secured. Most preferably, the outer peripheral surface of the cylindrical portion 11 is in close contact with the ear canal 83.

  Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 12B, the inner diameter of the cylindrical portion 11 is preferably larger than the minimum inner diameter R <b> 2 of the ear canal 83 so as not to reduce the cross-sectional area of the sound path inside the ear canal 83. And in order to satisfy | fill both said conditions, it is desirable that the thickness of the cylindrical part 11 is (R1-R2) or less. In fact, the earphone attachments manufactured according to the present invention all had good characteristics of thicknesses of 0.5 mm, 1 mm, and 1.5 mm. In this way, as shown in the figure, it is possible to form a sound transmission path with very few irregularities and no irregular reflection. Note that the earphone attachment of the present invention is characterized in that both the cylindrical portion 11 and the conical portion 12 vibrate greatly due to sound output from the earphone. This is considered to be a factor of the effect of improving sound quality. Moreover, since the wall thickness is thin as a whole, the sound from the outside cannot be completely blocked. That is, safety is high. When the thickness was evaluated from these points, a result that a thickness of 1 mm or less was appropriate was obtained.

  It was also found that it is important to secure a smooth sound path corresponding to the entire length L1 of the ear canal 83 in order to listen to sound with good sound quality. That is, as described with reference to FIGS. 6, 7, etc., it has been found that it is not preferable to insert the projections of the earphones with severe irregularities deep into the ear canal 83. However, if the thin cylindrical portion 11 is short, the cylindrical portion 11 is deformed by bending stress and does not adhere to the ear canal 83, so that the wearability is deteriorated. L2 preferably has a length of at least 4 mm, as will be described later with reference to FIG. Therefore, it is preferable that the cylindrical portion 11 has a length of at least 4 mm, based on when the conical portion 12 is brought into contact with the outer surface in the vicinity of the tragus.

  In addition, as shown in FIG. 12B, when the conical portion is provided symmetrically with respect to the central axis of the cone, the inner wall of the conical portion 12 is at least 15 degrees with respect to the central axis 90 of the earphone attachment 10. It is preferable to have an inclination θ of less than or equal to degrees. By providing an inclination of 15 degrees or more and 70 degrees or less, an appropriate sound collection effect is obtained for the sound output from the open earphone 20. If the inclination is less than 15 degrees, the entire length of the conical portion becomes long in order for the conical portion 12 to have a large diameter portion of the size of the earphone. Moreover, it becomes difficult to support the outer ear wall near the tragus. On the other hand, when the inclination exceeds 70 degrees, irregular reflection of sound at the connecting portion between the cylindrical portion 11 and the conical portion 12 increases. Patent document 7 corresponds to this. This is as described in FIG.

  As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, when the inner surfaces of the cylindrical portion 11 and the conical portion 12 are formed symmetrically with respect to the central axis 90 of the earphone attachment 10, the flexible cylindrical portion 11 is used as the entrance to the ear canal 83. When mounted, a predetermined acoustic effect can be obtained regardless of the orientation. Although the cylindrical portion 11 is long but has a slit 50 or the like, if it is gently inserted as it is, it is deformed so as to match the ear canal 83 and can be mounted straight. Regardless of the direction of the final state, the same condition is satisfied, so that an ideal acoustic space can always be formed for the ear canal 83.

  In order to improve wearability to the ear, the small diameter part and the large diameter part of the conical part may be connected with a curved surface (FIG. 20). Fit property increases in the contact between the vicinity of the tragus 82 and the conical portion 12. Moreover, it is good to make it the shape which inclined the cone part with respect to the sound emission surface of an open type earphone (FIG. 21). With this shape, the positional relationship of the angle between the pinna 81 and the external auditory canal 83 becomes closer, and the ear can be easily put into the ear.

  The cylindrical portion 11 and the conical portion 12 are made of continuously integrated elastic rubber or plastic, and preferably have a hardness of 70 degrees or more and 90 degrees or less. It is easy to maintain its shape when worn on the ear and has good acoustic characteristics. When a slightly harder cylindrical portion is used, the transmission performance is particularly excellent in a high temperature region.

  The cylindrical portion 11 and the conical portion 12 are made of continuously integrated elastic rubber or plastic, and preferably have a hardness of 20 degrees or more and 30 degrees or less. If the cylindrical portion is sufficiently flexible, it is easy to become familiar with the shape of the inner surface of the ear canal 83 when inserted into the ear canal 83. Therefore, a smooth resonance box can be formed as a whole.

FIG. 13 is a vertical cross-sectional view of an open-type earphone held with an inclination.
(A) of a figure shows the state which covered the boot 13 on the open type earphone 20 straight, (b) shows the state which attached the inclination.
In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the large diameter portion of the conical portion 12 is connected to a boot 13 that surrounds the outer periphery of the disc-shaped open earphone 20. The boot 13 is formed with a joint surface that can hold the sound emitting surface of the open-type earphone 20 with a predetermined range of inclination with respect to the central axis of the conical portion 12. The surface surrounding the open-type earphone 20 of the boot 13 may have a cross-sectional shape such as a semicircular shape, a trapezoidal shape, or a triangular shape. By providing a boot 13 that surrounds the outer periphery of the open earphone via a joint surface such as a so-called universal joint, the orientation of the open earphone can be freely adjusted so as to maintain a good acoustic effect as a whole. Can be adjusted.

FIG. 14 is a graph showing the results of evaluating the length of the cylindrical portion 11 from the wearability.
In this evaluation, a plurality of evaluators were allowed to use the earphone attachment 10 having actually different lengths of the cylindrical portion 11, and the evaluation results were evaluated in five levels with respect to wearability, ease of hearing of sound, sound quality, and the like. Show. Although it is evaluated that it is effective if the cylindrical portion 11 is longer than a certain length, it is difficult to measure the minimum length required. Therefore, the user's feeling of use was mainly evaluated. As a result, it was found that the feeling of use was good if it was at least 4 mm.

FIG. 15 is a graph showing a comparison result with the case where the cylindrical portion is short and a gap is formed between the external ear canal opening.
In the earphone attachment of the present invention, since the cylindrical portion 11 is 4 mm or more, the cylindrical portion 11 is in close contact with the inner surface of the ear canal opening at the back of the ear canal opening. That is, there is almost no gap between the inner surface of the ear canal. On the other hand, if the cylindrical portion 11 is only about 2 mm, for example, even if it is worn on the ear, the close contact with the ear canal opening is poor and a gap is likely to occur. Therefore, the acoustic characteristics of both were measured. In the graph, the horizontal axis represents the frequency (unit Hz) of the sound source that drives the earphone, and the vertical axis represents the output sound pressure (unit dB) of the earphone detected by the microphone for measuring sound pressure frequency characteristics. A solid line is the thing of this invention, and a broken line is a thing of a comparative example. It can be seen that the earphone attachment of the present invention is overwhelmingly effective in the bass region as shown in the graph of FIG. This is because the sound path is not only hermetically sealed, but also because the cylindrical portion 11 is in close contact with the inner surface of the ear canal over a predetermined length, so that low sound is transmitted not only through the air but also through the skin and bones. Conceivable. For the high sound region, it is considered that the S / N ratio is improved by ensuring the linearity of the sound path and blocking external noise. Note that this sound pressure characteristic was obtained with a predetermined measurement system that allows relative comparison, and other measurement systems may have different characteristic curves, but similar comparison results including the following measurement results It goes without saying that it can be obtained.

FIG. 16 is a graph showing a comparison result between the case where the earphone attachment is attached to the open type earphone and the case where the earphone attachment is not attached.
The solid line is the characteristic when the earphone attachment 10 of the present invention is attached to the open earphone 20. A broken line is a characteristic of the state where it is not attached. When the earphone attachment 10 according to the present invention is used, the sound pressure level is significantly improved over the entire band including both the high frequency range and the low frequency range, as indicated by the broken line in the figure. There is a clear difference in volume and sound quality. Therefore, with the earphone attachment 10 of the present invention, it is possible to listen to a sound with a very clear volume even if the output of the open-type earphone 20 is sufficiently small. In addition, when the case where the slit 50 is present is compared with the case where the slit 50 is not present, there is almost no difference in sound volume and sound quality.

FIG. 17 is a graph showing a comparison result when the irregular reflection occurs largely and when it does not occur.
When the thickness of the cylindrical part is increased, or when there are complex irregularities in the connection part between the earphone attachment and the ear canal, irregular reflection occurs and the sound quality deteriorates. A comparative experiment was conducted to prove this. The earphone for evaluation was a relatively inexpensive product with natural sound quality. When the earphone attachment of the present invention was worn, the characteristic of the solid line in the figure was obtained. When the known earphone attachment shown in FIG. 9 or FIG. 10 was attached, the characteristic indicated by the broken line in the figure was obtained. There is clearly a difference in characteristics at high frequencies. If an evaluation earphone with improved high-frequency characteristics is used, the difference between the two is reduced, but an expensive earphone must be used. It can be said that the earphone attachment of the present invention is excellent in that sound quality can be improved by attaching it to an inexpensive earphone already in use.

FIG. 22 is a longitudinal sectional view of an earphone integrated with the above-described earphone attachment.
The earphone attachment described so far can be easily attached to an open-type earphone, for example, in the manner shown in FIG. The structure for connecting the large diameter portion of the conical portion 12 to the outer periphery of the open-type earphone is not limited to the above embodiment. It is also possible to fix the conical portion 12 to the outer periphery of the open-type earphone with a butterfly stop, a snap stop, or a bundle with a wire. Furthermore, the cylindrical part 11 and the conical part 12 may be fixed integrally to the open earphone 20 so that they cannot be separated. An example is shown in FIG. For example, as shown in this figure, a method of molding the conical portion 12 and the cylindrical portion 11 integrally with the case of the open type earphone can be included. Of course, besides this, a method of fixing the large-diameter portion of the conical portion 12 to the outer periphery of the open-type earphone with an adhesive, or a method of fusing both of them can be employed.

  The known earphone attachment has a tendency to increase distortion due to irregular reflection or the like due to its configuration even when a natural sound is output from the earphone. Therefore, since the earphone is designed in consideration of the overall characteristics including the characteristics of the earphone attachment, the earphone becomes expensive. On the other hand, the earphone attachment of the present invention creates an extremely ideal cylindrical acoustic space between the earphone and the eardrum, and thus has the effect of bringing out the characteristics of the earphone as it is. Further, since the cylindrical portion is thin and is in close contact with the ear canal for a predetermined length, the cylinder portion itself vibrates and transmits the vibration to the inner surface of the ear canal. Therefore, there is an effect similar to that of attaching an ideal resonance box to a sound source such as a musical instrument. For this reason, even a relatively low-priced earphone can form a sound field comparable to or higher than a high-priced earphone. This was demonstrated by the above comparative experiment.

FIG. 18 shows a specific example 1 of the earphone attachment, in which (a) is an end view and (b) is a longitudinal sectional view.
In Example 1, the structure shown in FIG. 2 is embodied in an actual product. The slit 50 is a V-shaped cutout that is narrower toward the side closer to the conical portion 12.
FIG. 19 shows a specific example 2 of the earphone attachment, in which (a) is an end view and (b) is a longitudinal sectional view.
In Example 2, instead of the slit 50, a strip-shaped thin portion 52 parallel to the longitudinal direction of the cylindrical portion 11 is provided. The thin portion 52 is easily deformed as compared with other portions, and therefore has the same effect as when the slit 50 is provided. Furthermore, it is characterized by mechanical strength and durability.
In Example 2, the belt-like thin portion 52 reaches the conical portion 12. Furthermore, the tip of the strip-shaped thin portion 52 extends to about one half when viewed in the longitudinal direction of the conical portion 12. In the drawing, the length of the conical portion 12 is L, and the extended portion of the thin-walled portion 52 is indicated as L of 2 minutes. In this way, the entire earphone attachment is gently deformed, and individual differences in the ear canal can be absorbed more greatly. The slit 50 shown in FIG. 18 can be similarly extended. It is preferable that the slit 50 and the thin portion 52 have a length that does not exceed a half when viewed in the longitudinal direction of the conical portion 12. This is for maintaining the shape of the entire earphone attachment during insertion into the ear canal and for preventing damage.

  FIG. 20 shows a third specific example of the earphone attachment, in which (a) is an end view and (b) is a longitudinal sectional view. In this example, the small diameter part and the large diameter part of the conical part are connected by a curved surface in order to increase fit and improve wearability to the ear. The earphone attachment has a thin portion 52 formed in a U shape. The slit 5 of the specific example 1 shown in FIG. 18 may have the same shape. FIG. 21 shows a specific example 4 of the earphone attachment, in which (a) is an end view and (b) is a longitudinal sectional view. In this example, the conical portion is inclined with respect to the sound emitting surface of the open earphone in order to improve wearability to the ear. The earphone attachment has a slit formed in a U shape. This thin portion may have the shape of the thin portion 52 of the specific examples 2 and 4 shown in FIGS.

FIG. 22 is a longitudinal sectional view of an earphone integrated with an earphone attachment.
As shown in this figure, the product in which the conical portion 12 and the cylindrical portion 11 are integrally molded with the earphone 20 has the same function. In the example of this figure, a slit 50 is provided in the cylindrical portion 11. However, a thin portion can also be provided as in the above embodiment.

The earphone attachment described above can be easily fixed to the ear and does not fall off, is light, has a good fit, has good sound quality, has little distortion in the sound, has a sense of presence, and shields external noise to some extent. It is possible to satisfy various demands such as not to cut off the external sound completely. Moreover, the following effects can be expected by adopting the configuration as shown in each embodiment.
1. Since there is no irregular reflection of sound, the sound generated on the front surface of a relatively large open-type earphone that allows air flow to the outside world can be transmitted to the eardrum in a state of being stretched from low to high and without any wrinkles.
2. If the step due to the difference in inner diameter between the ear canal and the cylindrical portion is small and is closely attached to the ear canal by a flexible material, the occurrence of irregular reflection of sound can be minimized.
3. The cylindrical portion can be brought into close contact with the inner surface of the opening of the ear canal for a predetermined length, thereby preventing displacement and dropout.
4). Since the cylindrical portion is in direct contact with the external auditory canal, an ideal acoustic space can be maintained and good sound quality and volume can be maintained.
5). Even when the output of the earphone (volume of the sound source) is reduced to about one-half of the conventional level, it is possible to form a sound field without distortion faithfully from low to high.
6). Since the volume can be reduced, the signal-to-noise ratio is improved, and you can enjoy clear and realistic sounds. In addition, power consumption can be suppressed, and in one example, the battery can last 50% longer.
7). If a slit or a thin part is provided so that the cross-sectional shape can be changed in accordance with the shape of the ear canal, the degree of adhesion to the outer ear can be increased and the fit can be improved.
8). Since the earphone attachment can be connected to the earphone like a universal joint, the earphone can be held at an angle with the best fit.
9. Since the cylindrical portion and the conical portion can be formed using a very thin and flexible material, the sound heard from the outside is not completely blocked. Therefore, safety is also high. In addition, since a flexible material is used, a feeling of pressure when worn on the ear can be reduced.
10. When the wall thickness is reduced, the conical part and the cylindrical part resonate and vibrate with sound. This is presumed to be the cause of high sound quality and realism. Therefore, as long as the strength allows, thin-walled ones are preferred.
11. If a thick material with high mechanical strength is used, all of the high sound pressure reaches the eardrum, which may damage the eardrum especially with heavy bass. On the other hand, if the cylindrical portion or the conical portion is made thin as in the present invention, it is effective in protecting the ear because it absorbs a sudden increase in sound pressure due to its deformation.
12 The cylindrical part is in close contact with the inner surface of the opening of the ear canal, and the cylindrical part as a whole resonates with the sound output from the earphone, so that sound is transmitted through the cartilage around the outer ear canal opening. Could also be heard enough.
13. Even if it is attached to a relatively inexpensive open-type earphone, sound transmission is good, so you can enjoy sophisticated music as if you were in a performance hall. Compared to sealed earphones with a price range of 1 to 2 ranks, it is advantageous in that it is not bothered by a booming sound.
14. Since the front surface of the earphone is sealed as compared with the conventional open type earphone, there is less sound leakage. Of course, since it is an open-type earphone, it is hard to generate a muffled sound.

1 is a perspective view showing an earphone attachment 10 of Example 1. FIG. 3 is a three-side view of the earphone attachment 10. FIG. (A) is a front view, (b) is a left side view, and (c) is a right side view. a) It is an AA longitudinal cross-sectional view of Fig.2 (a). Moreover, (b) is a longitudinal sectional view showing a state in which the earphone attachment is attached to the open-type earphone. A state immediately before the earphone attachment 10 is worn on the ear is shown. It is a longitudinal cross-sectional view which shows the structure of an ear | edge. (A) And (b) is a side view of a closed type earphone, (c) is a side view of an open type earphone. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view of an ear showing a usage state of a sealed earphone 21. FIG. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view of an ear showing a usage state of the open earphone 20. FIG. It is a longitudinal cross-sectional view which shows the use condition of a known earphone attachment. It is a longitudinal cross-sectional view which shows the use condition of a known earphone attachment. It is a longitudinal cross-sectional view which shows the use condition of the earphone attachment 10 of this invention. It is explanatory drawing explaining the relationship between the structure of the ear canal 83, and the thickness of an earphone attachment. It is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of a state where the open type earphone is held with an inclination. It is a graph which shows the result of having evaluated the length of cylindrical part. Comparison with the case where a gap is generated between the cylindrical portion and the ear canal opening. 6 is a graph showing a comparison result between when the earphone attachment 10 is attached to the open earphone 20 and when the earphone attachment 10 is not attached. It is a graph which shows a comparison with the case where irregular reflection arises largely. The example 1 of an earphone attachment is shown, (a) is an end view, (b) is a longitudinal cross-sectional view. The example 2 of an earphone attachment is shown, (a) is an end view, (b) is a longitudinal cross-sectional view. The example 3 of an earphone attachment is shown, (a) is an end view, (b) is a longitudinal cross-sectional view. The example 4 of an earphone attachment is shown, (a) is an end view, (b) is a longitudinal cross-sectional view. It is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of the earphone which integrated the earphone attachment.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 Earphone attachment 11 Cylindrical part 12 Conical part 13 Boot 14 Sound path 20 Open type earphone 21 Sealed type earphone 22 Tip part 50 Slit 52 Thin part

Claims (20)

A cylindrical portion having an outer diameter that is in close contact with the inner surface of the ear canal, and having a length that allows a predetermined length of the outer peripheral surface to be in close contact with the ear canal at the back side of the ear canal opening when the one end is inserted into the ear canal;
A small-diameter portion is connected to the other end of the cylindrical portion, a large-diameter portion is connected to the outer periphery of the open-type earphone, and an outer surface is contacted in the vicinity of the tragus so that a predetermined space is formed between the auricle near the tragus. A conical portion having a shape to hold,
The earphone attachment according to claim 1, wherein the cylindrical portion is an elastic body having a substantially constant outer diameter and has one or more slits in a longitudinal direction thereof. The earphone attachment according to claim 1,
The earphone attachment according to claim 1, wherein the slit is a V-shaped notch having a narrower width toward a side closer to the conical portion. The earphone attachment according to claim 1,
The earphone attachment, wherein the slit is a notch having a length that reaches the conical portion and does not exceed a half as viewed in a longitudinal direction of the conical portion. A cylindrical portion having an outer diameter that is in close contact with the inner surface of the ear canal, and having a length that allows a predetermined length of the outer peripheral surface to be in close contact with the ear canal at the back side of the ear canal opening when the one end is inserted into the ear canal;
A small-diameter portion is connected to the other end of the cylindrical portion, a large-diameter portion is connected to the outer periphery of the open-type earphone, and an outer surface is contacted in the vicinity of the tragus so that a predetermined space is formed between the auricle near the tragus. A conical portion having a shape to hold,
The earphone attachment according to claim 1, wherein the cylindrical portion is an elastic body having a substantially constant outer diameter, and has a strip-shaped thin portion parallel to the longitudinal direction thereof. In the earphone attachment according to claim 4,
The earphone attachment characterized in that the thin-walled portion has a V-shape narrower toward the side closer to the conical portion. In the earphone attachment according to claim 4,
The earphone attachment characterized in that the thin-walled portion has a length that reaches the conical portion and does not exceed a half as viewed in the longitudinal direction of the conical portion. The earphone attachment according to any one of claims 1 to 6,
An earphone attachment characterized in that the total length of the cylindrical portion is 4 mm or more. The earphone attachment according to any one of claims 1 to 7,
The earphone attachment characterized in that the conical portion has a symmetrical shape with respect to a central axis of the conical portion, and an inner wall of the conical portion has an inclination of 15 degrees or more and 70 degrees or less with respect to the central axis of the earphone attachment. The earphone attachment according to any one of claims 1 to 8,
The earphone attachment characterized in that the conical portion has a symmetrical shape with respect to the central axis of the conical portion, and the cylindrical portion and the inner surface of the conical portion are formed axially symmetrical with respect to the central axis of the earphone attachment. . The earphone attachment according to any one of claims 1 to 9,
An earphone attachment, wherein a small diameter portion and a large diameter portion of the conical portion are connected by a curved surface. The earphone attachment according to any one of claims 1 to 7 and claim 10,
An earphone attachment, wherein the conical portion is provided to be inclined with respect to a sound emitting surface of an open type earphone. The earphone attachment according to any one of claims 1 to 11,
The earphone attachment is characterized in that the cylindrical portion and the conical portion are made of continuously integrated elastic rubber or plastic and have a hardness of 70 degrees or more and 90 degrees or less. The earphone attachment according to any one of claims 1 to 11,
The earphone attachment is characterized in that the cylindrical portion and the conical portion are made of continuously integrated elastic rubber or plastic and have a hardness of 20 degrees or more and 30 degrees or less. The earphone attachment according to any one of claims 1 to 13,
A boot that surrounds the outer periphery of the disc-shaped open earphone is connected to the large-diameter portion of the conical portion, and the sound emission surface of the open earphone is conically enlarged to the surface on the boot side that surrounds the outer periphery. An earphone attachment characterized in that an articulating surface that can be held with a predetermined range of inclination with respect to the central axis of the diameter surface is formed. The earphone attachment according to any one of claims 1 to 14,
An earphone attachment wherein the outer diameter of the cylindrical portion is substantially equal to the inner diameter of the ear canal opening. The earphone attachment according to any one of claims 1 to 14,
An earphone attachment characterized in that the inner diameter of the cylindrical portion is larger than the minimum inner diameter of the ear canal. The earphone attachment according to any one of claims 1 to 14,
The earphone attachment characterized in that the outer diameter of the cylindrical portion is substantially equal to the inner diameter of the ear canal opening, and the inner diameter of the cylindrical portion is larger than the minimum inner diameter of the ear canal. The earphone attachment according to any one of claims 1 to 17,
The earphone attachment characterized in that the thickness of the cylindrical portion is equal to or less than the difference between the inner diameter of the ear canal opening and the minimum inner diameter of the ear canal. A cylindrical portion having an outer diameter that is in close contact with the inner surface of the ear canal, and having a length that allows a predetermined length of the outer peripheral surface to be in close contact with the ear canal at the back side of the ear canal opening when the one end is inserted into the ear canal;
A small-diameter portion is connected to the other end of the cylindrical portion, a large-diameter portion is connected to the outer periphery of the open-type earphone, and an outer surface is contacted in the vicinity of the tragus so that a predetermined space is formed between the auricle near the tragus. A conical portion having a shape to hold,
The cylindrical part is an elastic body having a substantially constant outer diameter, and has one or a plurality of slits in the longitudinal direction thereof. A cylindrical portion having an outer diameter that is in close contact with the inner surface of the ear canal, and having a length that allows a predetermined length of the outer peripheral surface to be in close contact with the ear canal at the back side of the ear canal opening when the one end is inserted into the ear canal;
A small-diameter portion is connected to the other end of the cylindrical portion, a large-diameter portion is connected to the outer periphery of the open-type earphone, and an outer surface is contacted in the vicinity of the tragus so that a predetermined space is formed between the auricle near the tragus. A conical portion having a shape to hold,
The earphone is characterized in that the cylindrical portion is an elastic body having a substantially constant outer diameter and has a strip-like thin portion parallel to the longitudinal direction thereof.

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