JP2009055202A - Earphone - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a novel earphone which is small and light-weighted with excellent feeling in wearing, and demonstrates high listening performance in a noisy state. <P>SOLUTION: The earphone 1 comprises an earplug body 2 cast by injecting and solidifying silicone 12 into the meatus acusticus externus of an earphone user, a vibrating body 3 embedded in the earplug body 2, and an acoustic vibration generating element 4 for vibrating the vibrating body 3. The earplug body 2 is fitted properly to the meatus acusticus externus of each earphone user to shut down noise from the outside and to maintain the inside of the external acoustic meatus in a quiet ambient. When the acoustic vibration generating element 4 is driven, the vibration of the vibrating body 3 is delivered to the inner wall of the meatus acusticus externus through the earplug body 2, and delivered to bones around the meatus acusticus externus through skin. Since the earplug body 2 is fitted to the meatus acusticus externus properly, the delivery efficiency of vibration from the vibrating body 3 to bones around the meatus acusticus externus is extremely high. Thereby, a sound can be heard by bone conduction when the acoustic vibration generating element 4 is driven by a sound signal. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2009,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to an earphone suitable for use under high noise, and more particularly, to an earphone having an earplug made individually for each user so as to fit well to the external auditory canal of each user.

  As devices for facilitating listening to sound under high noise, earmuffs with built-in speakers, headsets with a noise canceling function that silences ambient noise, and the like are known (Patent Documents 1 to 6).

A bone conduction speaker having an earplug that can be inserted into the ear canal is also known (Patent Documents 7 and 8).
JP 2006-337939 A Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 10-294989 JP-A-9-37380 JP-A-8-70493 JP-A-7-303135 Registered Utility Model No. 3023116 JP 2002-165938 A JP 2006-211317 A

  Ear muffs and headsets are large and heavy, making them unsuitable for long-time wearing.

  A bone conduction speaker provided with an earplug can be reduced in size and weight, but since the shape and dimensions of the earplug portion are uniform, it does not necessarily fit into the external ear canal of each user. For this reason, there exists a problem that a feeling of wearing is bad and a bone conduction sound becomes difficult to hear under high noise due to insufficient soundproofing effect against noise.

  The problem to be solved by the present invention is to provide a novel earphone that is compact and lightweight, has a very good wearing feeling, and exhibits high listening performance even under high noise.

  In order to solve the above-described problems, the earphone of the present invention includes an earplug body individually molded for each user so as to fit (fit) the earphone user's external ear canal, and the earplug. A vibration body embedded in the body and an acoustic vibration generating element that vibrates the vibration body are provided, and the vibration of the vibration body is transmitted to the inner wall of the ear canal via the earplug body. “Fit to the ear canal of the earphone user” means that the entire outer surface (excluding the tip of the nipple portion) excluding the portion exposed to the body of the earphone user when wearing the earphone (almost the entire nipple portion) This means that when the earphone is worn, the earphone user is in airtight contact with the inner wall of the ear canal.

  Since the earplug of the earphone is a special product that is individually molded for each user so as to fit the ear canal of the earphone user, the earplug body fits well to the ear canal of the individual earphone user. In other words, the earplug body hermetically contacts the inner wall of the ear canal and closes the ear canal. Therefore, by wearing this earplug, it is possible to maintain a quiet environment in which the noise from the outside is blocked with high efficiency in the external ear canal of the wearer.

  On the other hand, when the vibrating body is vibrated with the earplug body mounted, that is, when the acoustic vibration is applied to the vibrating body by driving the acoustic vibration generating element, the vibration of the vibrating body constitutes the earplug body. It is transmitted to the inner wall of the ear canal via the elastomer and to the surrounding bone. Since the earplug fits well to the inner wall of the ear canal, the transmission efficiency of vibration from the vibrating body to the bone around the ear canal is extremely high. Therefore, the sound can be heard by bone conduction by driving the acoustic vibration generating element with the sound signal.

  Therefore, according to this earphone, while maintaining a quiet environment in which the external ear canal of the wearer is blocked with high efficiency, the vibrating body is vibrated in the ear canal, and acoustic vibration is extremely applied to the surrounding bone. Since it can be transmitted with high efficiency, the voice can be heard very clearly.

  In the earphone of the present invention, the earplug is preferably formed by injecting an elastomer material into an ear canal of the earphone user and allowing it to harden.

  It is desirable that the earplug body has an acoustic hole penetrating along the external auditory canal, and the vibrating body is inserted in the acoustic hole in an airtight manner.

  The vibrating body extends from the outer opening end of the acoustic hole to a position before the inner opening end (near the inner opening end or the middle portion of the acoustic hole), and the acoustic vibration generating element is connected to the vibrating body. It is desirable to be connected to the outer end.

  The earplug is a state in which a material receiving unit including a tube having a cavity serving as the acoustic hole and an elastomer (rubber) balloon through which the tube passes airtightly is inserted into the ear canal of the earphone user It is desirable that the elastomer material is injected into the balloon.

  Preferably, the elastomeric material is silicone ketone.

  It is desirable that the vibrating body is a metal rod, cylinder or plate, or a coupling body between a metal rod and a coil or a coupling body between a metal rod and a cylinder.

  The earphone of the present invention is small and light, has a very good wearing feeling, and exhibits extremely high listening performance even under high noise.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described.

  FIG. 1 is a side view showing an example of an earphone according to the present invention. FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the earphone of FIG.

The earphone 1 belongs to an ear canal-mounted hearing device that is individually created for each user so as to fit well to the external auditory canal and the concha of each user.
The earphone 1 has at least an ear plug 2, a vibrating body 3, and an acoustic vibration generating element 4.

The earplug 2 is molded by injecting an elastomer material into the ear canal of the earphone user and allowing it to harden. Silicone can be mentioned as a representative example of the elastomer material.
The earplug 2 includes a nipple portion 2A that is inserted into and fitted into the ear canal and a platform portion 2B that fits into the concha cavity. The tip of the nipple portion 2A reaches the back of the ear canal (near the eardrum). When the earphone 1 is worn, the distance from the tip of the nipple portion 2A to the eardrum is 5 mm to 15 mm (preferably about 5 mm).
The ear plug 2 has an acoustic hole 5. The acoustic hole 5 is formed by penetrating the ear plug 2 so as to follow the ear canal of the earphone user when the earphone is used.

  More specifically, the ear plug 2 is formed by injecting and hardening an elastomer material into the earphone user's ear canal with the distal end side (nipple portion 2A) of the material receiving unit 6 inserted into the ear canal. . The material receiving unit 6 includes a rubber balloon (bag body) 7 and a thin plastic tube 8 penetrating the rubber balloon 7 in an airtight manner. The cavity of the tube 8 forms the acoustic hole 5. The outer peripheral edge portions of both ends of the tube 8 are airtightly coupled to the balloon 7. An inlet 7 a is formed in the platform portion 2 </ b> B of the balloon 7. When the elastomer material is injected into the balloon 7 from the injection port 7a, the balloon 7 is inflated and deformed following the shape of the external auditory canal and the concha conchae. In this state, when the elastomer material in the balloon 7 is solidified (the elastomer material is solidified to become the elastomer 12), the earplug body 2 having a shape and size that perfectly matches the shape of the external auditory canal and the concha concavity. Is obtained. After the completion of the injection of the elastomer material, the injection port 7a is closed by the seal body 9.

The vibrating body 3 is embedded in the earplug body 2.
More specifically, the vibrating body 3 is inserted in the acoustic hole 5 in an airtight manner.
The vibrating body 3 extends from the outer opening end 5o of the acoustic hole 5 to the vicinity of the inner opening end 5i.
The vibrating body 3 is an elongated bar made of metal (for example, brass).
The cross section of the vibrating body 3 is circular.
The outer end 3 o of the vibrating body 3 is located in the cap (casing) 10. The cap 10 is fixed to the end surface portion of the platform portion 2B of the earplug 2 so as to cover the open end 5o outside the acoustic hole 5.

The acoustic vibration generating element 4 is connected to the outer end 3 o of the vibrating body 3.
The acoustic vibration generating element 4 is accommodated in the cap 10.
A signal line 11 is connected to the acoustic vibration generating element 4.
The acoustic vibration generating element 4 converts an audio signal (electric signal) transmitted from an audio signal generation source (not shown) via the signal line 11 into an acoustic vibration.
A typical example of the acoustic vibration generating element 4 is a piezoelectric element. The piezoelectric element includes various forms such as a flat plate type piezoelectric element, a laminated piezoelectric element, and a cylindrical piezoelectric element.

  3 to 5 exemplify how the acoustic vibration generating element 4 and the vibrating body 3 are connected to each other. In the example of FIG. 4, the outer end 3 o of the vibrating body 3 is cut obliquely with respect to the axis of the vibrating body 3, and the acoustic vibration generating element 4 is joined to the inclined end surface. In the example of FIG. 5, the acoustic vibration generating element 4 is bonded to the side surface of the outer end portion 3 o of the vibrating body 3.

  Since the earplug 2 of the earphone 1 is molded by injecting an elastomer material into the ear canal of the earphone user and allowing it to harden, the earplug 2 fits very well to the ear canal of the individual earphone user. That is, the earplug 2 is in close contact with the inner wall of the ear canal. The ear plug 2 is formed with an acoustic hole 5 penetrating along the external auditory canal, and the acoustic hole 5 is closed by the vibrating body 3. Therefore, by wearing the earphone 1, it is possible to maintain a quiet environment in which the noise from the outside is blocked with high efficiency in the external ear canal of the wearer.

  On the other hand, when the acoustic vibration generating element 4 is driven to vibrate the vibrating body 3 with the earphone 1 attached, the vibration of the vibrating body 3 is caused by the vibration of the vibrating body 3 through the elastomer 12 constituting the ear plug body 2. To the bones around the ear canal through the skin on the inner wall. Since the earplug 2 is well fitted to the inner wall of the ear canal, the transmission efficiency of vibration from the vibrator 2 to the bone is extremely high.

Therefore, according to the earphone 1, the vibrating body 3 is vibrated in the ear canal while the inside of the ear canal of the wearer is maintained in a quiet environment in which noise from the outside is blocked with high efficiency. Can be transmitted with extremely high efficiency, so that the voice can be heard very clearly.
In addition, when the earphone 1 is worn, the tip (opening end 5i) of the nipple portion 2A of the earplug 2 reaches the back of the ear canal (near the eardrum), and the vibrating body 3 extends to the vicinity of the tip of the nipple portion 2A. By being present, the vibration of the acoustic vibration generating element 4 is transmitted to the inner part of the ear canal (in the vicinity of the eardrum), so that extremely good listening performance by bone conduction can be realized.
In addition, since the tip (opening end 5i) of the nipple portion 2A of the ear plug body 2 faces the eardrum when the earphone 1 is worn, acoustic vibrations are adjusted by adjusting the vibration mode of the vibrating body 3 and the like. It can also function as a method of transmitting to the eardrum, that is, an airway type earphone.

  In the above embodiment, the case where the vibrating body 3 extends from the outer opening end 5o of the acoustic hole 5 to the vicinity of the inner opening end 5i has been described. However, the earphone 1 is shown in FIG. As described above, if the vibrating body 3 reaches the middle portion of the acoustic hole 5, it can function sufficiently as a bone-conduction type earphone, but the distance from the ear canal opening to the tip of the vibrating body 3 when the earphone 1 is worn is 5 mm. The above is desirable. The distance from the tip of the nipple portion 2A (open end 5i) to the tip of the vibrating body 3 is preferably 2 mm or more.

  Further, in the above embodiment, a rod having a circular cross section is used as the vibrating body 3, but a metal tube or a plate-like rod having a rectangular cross section may be used as the vibrating body 3. It is. Furthermore, as the vibrating body 3, a metal rod (solid body) 3R and a coil 3C as shown in FIG. 7, a metal rod (solid body) 3R and a cylinder (hollow) as shown in FIG. Body) connected to 3T, a metal rod (solid body) 3R and a plate (solid body) 3P as shown in FIG. Also good.

  10 to 12 are enlarged views of main parts showing an example of an embodiment in the case where a plate-like bar having a rectangular cross section is used as the vibrating body 3. The outer end 3 o of the vibrating body 3 is fixed to the inner fixed portion 10 a of the cap 10. An acoustic vibration generating element 4 is fixed to one surface of the vibrating body 3 by adhesion. This acoustic vibration generating element 4 is a piezoelectric ceramic element. The acoustic vibration generating element 4 includes a plate-like piezoelectric element 13 made of PZT ceramics and electrodes 14 a and 14 b formed on both surfaces of the piezoelectric element 13. The piezoelectric element 13 is a known piezoelectric element formed of a compound of lead (Pb), zirconium (Zr), titanium (Ti) and oxygen. Conductive wires 15a and 15b are connected to the electrodes 14a and 14b. The piezoelectric element 13 expands and contracts in the thickness direction by applying an AC voltage between the electrodes 14a and 14b via the conductive wires 15a and 15b. A weight 16 made of metal (for example, iron or brass) is fixed to the surface of the acoustic vibration generating element 4 opposite to the vibrating body 3 by adhesion. Since the weight 16 is fixed to the acoustic vibration generating element 4, vibration caused by the expansion / contraction operation of the piezoelectric element 13 is applied to the vibrating body 3 with high efficiency using the inertial force of the weight 16, so that the vibrating body 3 Can be vibrated.

  FIG. 13 is an enlarged view of a main part showing another example of the embodiment in the case where a plate-like bar having a rectangular cross section is used as the vibrating body 3. As shown in this figure, the acoustic vibration generating elements 4 (4A, 4B) may be fixed to both surfaces of the vibrating body 3, and both the acoustic vibration generating elements 4 (4A, 4B) may be alternately vibrated.

  FIG. 14 is an enlarged view of a main part showing still another example of the embodiment in which a bar having a rectangular cross section is used as the vibrating body 3. As shown in this figure, instead of providing the weight 16, the acoustic vibration generating element 4 may be connected to the inner wall 10 b of the cap 10. The connection form of the acoustic vibration generating element 4 and the cap 10 may be completely fixed or slightly elastic.

  Further, in the above embodiment, the vibrating body 3 is embedded in the ear plug body 2 by inserting it into the acoustic hole 5, but the acoustic hole 5 is omitted, and the molded ear plug body 2 is provided with holes and slits. Or the like, and the vibrator 3 may be embedded therein. In this case, the tube 8 can also be omitted.

  In the above-described embodiment, a piezoelectric element is used as an example of the acoustic vibration generating element 4. However, other types of vibration generating means such as a moving coil and a capacitor-type vibrator can be used as the acoustic vibration generating element. .

  Further, in the above embodiment, the acoustic vibration generating element 4 is provided outside the earplug body 2, but the acoustic vibration generating element 4 may be embedded in the earplug body 2. In this case, since both the vibrating body 3 and the acoustic vibration generating element 4 are embedded in the earplug body 2, the vibration of the acoustic vibration generating element 4 is transmitted to the earplug body 2 via the vibrating body 3 and at the same time, directly. Can be transmitted to the earplug 2.

  In the above embodiment, the tube 8 of the material receiving unit 6 is made of plastic. However, an elastomer may be used as the material of the tube 8. It is desirable that the tube 8 has such a rigidity that it is not easily crushed when an elastomer material is injected into the balloon 7.

  The earphone of the present invention can be used for a hearing aid. That is, the earphone of the present invention includes a microphone, a drive circuit (including an amplifier circuit, a filter circuit, etc.) that drives the acoustic vibration generating element according to an output signal of the microphone, a battery, a volume controller (output volume controller), By adding the above, it is possible to realize a hearing aid that is compact and lightweight, has a very good wearing feeling, and exhibits extremely high listening performance even under high noise.

The side view which shows the form example of the earphone concerning this invention Cross section of the earphone of FIG. The partial side view which illustrates the connection aspect of an acoustic vibration generating element and a vibrating body The partial side view which illustrates the connection aspect of an acoustic vibration generating element and a vibrating body The partial side view which illustrates the connection aspect of an acoustic vibration generating element and a vibrating body Sectional drawing which shows the other example of an earphone concerning this invention Sectional drawing which shows the example of a form of a vibrating body Sectional drawing which shows the example of a form of a vibrating body Sectional drawing which shows the example of a form of a vibrating body The principal part enlarged side view which shows an example of embodiment at the time of using the plate-shaped stick | rod with the rectangular cross section as a vibrating body The principal part enlarged plan view which shows an example of embodiment at the time of using the plate-shaped rod whose cross section is a rectangle as a vibrating body Side view illustrating structure of acoustic vibration generating element The principal part enlarged side view which shows another example of embodiment at the time of using the plate-shaped stick | rod whose cross section is a rectangle as a vibrating body The principal part enlarged view which shows another example of embodiment at the time of using the plate-shaped rod whose cross section is a rectangle as a vibrating body.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Earphone 2 Earplug body 3 Vibrating body 3C Coil 3P board 3R Bar 3T Tube 4 Acoustic vibration generating element 5 Acoustic hole 5i Inner opening end 5o Outer opening end 6 Material receiving unit 7 Balloon 8 Tube 12 Elastomer (silicone)

Claims (8)

Earplugs individually molded for each user to fit the earphone user's ear canal,
A vibrator embedded in the earplug,
An acoustic vibration generating element for vibrating the vibrating body;
Earphone characterized by comprising   The earphone according to claim 1, wherein the earplug is formed by injecting an elastomer material into an ear canal of the earphone user and solidifying the same. The earplug has an acoustic hole penetrating along the ear canal,
The earphone according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the vibrating body is inserted in an airtight manner into the acoustic hole. The vibrating body extends from the outer opening end of the acoustic hole to the front of the inner opening end,
The earphone according to claim 3, wherein the acoustic vibration generating element is connected to an outer end portion of the vibrating body.   The earplug body includes a material receiving unit including a tube having a cavity serving as the acoustic hole and an elastomeric balloon through which the tube penetrates in an airtight manner in the earphone user's outer ear canal. The earphone according to claim 3 or 4, wherein the elastomer material is injected into the earphone.   The earphone of claim 2, 3, 4, or 5 wherein the elastomeric material is silicone.   The earphone according to claim 1, wherein the vibrating body is a metal rod, tube, or plate.   The earphone according to claim 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, or 6, wherein the vibrating body is a connecting body of a metal rod and a coil or a connecting body of a metal rod and a tube.

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