JP2021087210A - Listening device - Google Patents

Abstract

To provide a listening device which requires only one kind of a code which has conventionally required a plurality of kinds of different lengths to be prepared depending on a wearer.SOLUTION: A listening device includes an earphone 2, a body 1 having a housing 4 for housing an electronic component, and a cord 3 for connecting the earphone 2 and the electronic component, and has an adjusting mechanism capable of changing length of the cord 3 extended from the housing 4 between the body 1 and the cord 3.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

The present invention relates to a listening device.

Conventionally, various listening devices for listening to voice, music, etc. have been used. For example, as a hearing device that supplements the hearing of a deaf person, an ear-hook type or glasses-type RIC (Receiver in the canal) type hearing aid that incorporates a receiver (speaker) that generates air-conducted sound in earphones worn in the ear canal is used. It has been. As disclosed in Patent Document 1, the RIC type hearing aid includes an earphone that is generally worn on the auricle or the ear canal, a hearing aid body that is placed on the base of the back of the auricle, and an earphone and a hearing aid body. Consists of the cord that connects the.

Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2011-188334 Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 10-56698

By the way, since the shape of the pinna varies depending on the wearer, the length of the above cord also varies depending on the wearer. For this reason, a company that manufactures such a hearing aid must prepare a plurality of types of cords having different lengths, which causes time and effort for inventory management. Further, even in a company that fits and sells a hearing aid so as to be in a state suitable for the wearer, it is necessary to prepare cords having different lengths as inventory, and inventory management is troublesome.

A listening device that can be easily adjusted according to the shape and size of the wearer's auricle is disclosed in Patent Document 2 as an electroacoustic conversion device. However, in the electroacoustic conversion device disclosed in Patent Document 2, the slide shaft 44 of the ear hook portion 4 can slide and rotate with respect to the mounting hole 43 provided in the mounting portion 2 worn on the pinna. Therefore, the length of the code cannot be changed.

In view of these points, it is an object of the present invention to provide a listening device in which only one type of cord, which has conventionally had to be prepared in a plurality of types with different lengths depending on the wearer, is required.

The listening device in the present invention includes an earphone, a main body having a housing for accommodating electronic components, and a cord for connecting the earphone and the electronic component, and between the main body and the cord, from the housing. It is characterized by having an adjustment mechanism capable of changing the length of the extended cord.

In such a listening device, the adjusting mechanism is provided on the main body, a plurality of first main body side connection portions arranged along the direction in which the cord is extended, and the first main body provided on the cord. It is preferably composed of a first cord side connecting portion connected to the side connecting portion.

Further, the adjusting mechanism is provided on the main body and extends along the direction in which the cord extends, and a second cord provided on the cord and in contact with the second main body side connecting portion. It may be composed of a side connection portion.

Further, the adjustment mechanism is provided on the main body and is provided on the cord and is provided on the third main body side and is provided on the third main body side connection portion which is provided on the main body and can move along the direction in which the cord extends with respect to the housing. It may be composed of a third cord side connection part connected to the connection part.

It is preferable that the main body can be placed behind the auricle of the wearer, and the cord is configured to extend forward from the main body.

Further, the main body may be configured as a temple of the spectacles, a tip cell, or a portion from the temple to the tip cell, and the cord may be configured to extend forward from the main body.

According to the listening device of the present invention, the length of the cord extending from the housing can be changed by the adjusting mechanism. Therefore, conventionally, a plurality of types having different lengths have to be prepared according to the wearer. Only one type of code is required, the cost can be suppressed, and the troublesomeness of inventory management can be reduced.

It is a figure which shows the 1st Embodiment of the hearing aid (ear-hook type hearing aid) which embodied this invention schematically, (a) is a perspective view, (b) is an exploded perspective view. It is a figure which showed typically the 2nd Embodiment of the listening apparatus (ear-hook type hearing aid) which embodied this invention, (a) is a side view, bottom view, and a rear view of a connector, (b). Is a plan view of the main body side connection portion, (c) is a plan view of a metal plate constituting the main body side connection portion, and (d) is a situation in which a connector is connected to the main body side connection portion (b) A. It is a figure shown in the cross section along −A. It is a figure which showed the modification of the 2nd Embodiment, (a) is a plan view of the metal plate which comprises the main body side connection part, (b) is the situation which connects the connector to the main body side connection part. It is a figure shown according to the cross section along AA of FIG. 2 (b). It is a figure which showed the further modification of the 2nd Embodiment. It is a figure which showed typically the 3rd Embodiment of the listening apparatus (ear-hook type hearing aid) which embodied this invention, (a) is the side view, the bottom view, and the rear view around the connector, and (b). ) Is a plan view around the main body side connection portion, and (c) is a view showing a situation in which a connector is connected to the main body side connection portion in a cross section along BB of (b). Regarding one embodiment of a listening device (glasses type hearing aid) embodying the present invention, (a) schematically shows a part (a part called a temple (vine) or a tip cell (modern)) that touches the auricle. (B) is a perspective view shown from a different viewpoint from (a).

Hereinafter, a listening device embodying the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. First, a first embodiment of a listening device embodying the present invention will be described with reference to FIG.

As shown in FIG. 1, the listening device 100 of the present embodiment is configured as an ear-hook type hearing aid, and has a main body 1 that can be placed on the base of the back side of the auricle of the wearer, and an ear canal and an ear. The earphone 2 that can be worn on the auricle, the main body 1 and the earphone 2 are connected to each other, and a cord 3 that extends in front of the auricle when worn is provided. Further, an adjustment mechanism composed of a main body side connection portion (first main body side connection portion) 5 and a connector (first cord side connection portion) 6 described later is provided between the main body 1 and the cord 3. For convenience, as shown in FIG. 1A, the side on which the code 3 extends from the main body 1 is referred to as “front” and the opposite side is referred to as “rear” in the present specification and the like. Further, "top", "bottom", "right", and "left" are the directions when viewing from "front" to "rear". The directions of "front", "rear", "right", "left", "up", and "down" are also directions for the wearer in the state of wearing the listening device 100.

The main body 1 includes a housing 4 that forms the outer shell of the main body 1. The housing 4 of the present embodiment is composed of a housing body 4a and a cover 4b that can be attached to and detached from the housing body 4a, and is behind the auricle in a state where the cover 4b is attached to the housing body 4a. It is shaped to fit on the side. Here, in the present embodiment, the cord 3 extends from between the housing body 4a and the cover 4b along the longitudinal direction (front-back direction) of the housing 4.

The main body 1 includes an electronic component for electrically operating as a hearing aid inside the housing main body 4a. The electronic component of the present embodiment is provided with a microphone that converts sound into an electric signal and a DSP (Digital Signal Processor) that executes hearing aid processing so that the electric signal output from the microphone matches the hearing of the wearer. Includes electric circuits, batteries, various switches, etc.

Further, as shown in FIG. 1B, the main body 1 includes a main body side connection portion (first main body side connection portion) 5 at a portion of the housing main body 4a to which the cover 4b is attached. The main body side connection portion 5 of the present embodiment includes a base 5a having a rectangular shape in a plan view, and a plurality of circular insertion holes 5b are provided on the upper surface of the base 5a. In the main body side connection portion 5 in the present embodiment, two insertion holes 5b arranged in the lateral direction (left-right direction) of the base 5a are set as a set, and the two insertion holes 5b are oriented along the longitudinal direction (front-rear direction) of the base 5a. Multiple sets are arranged at equal intervals. The wall surface of the insertion hole 5b is made of metal and has conductivity, is electrically connected to each row in the longitudinal direction, and is electrically connected to the above electric circuit.

The cover 4b is provided with a protrusion 4c on the back surface thereof as shown in FIG. 1 (b). A plurality of protrusions 4c in the present embodiment are provided at equal intervals in the longitudinal direction of the cover 4b.

The earphone 2 generates air conduction sound and vibration transmitted to the ear cartilage, and has a function of transmitting the air conduction sound and the like to the auditory organ by wearing the earphone 2 on the auricle and the ear canal. Various types of earphones 2 can be used, for example, one that generates air conduction sound from a receiver (speaker) incorporated inside, or an electromechanical converter that vibrates the housing of the earphone 2. An air conduction sound may be generated in association with the vibration. In addition, when worn on the auricle, the vibrating surface vibrated by the electromechanical converter built into the auricle is kept in contact with the wall surface of the auricle, and the vibration from the vibrating surface is transmitted to the auricle. Earphones may be used.

The cord 3 includes a relatively small-diameter electric wire and a covering material that covers the outside of the electric wire, and connects the main body 1 and the earphone 2. The cord 3 of the present embodiment includes a connector (first cord side connection portion) 6 at an end portion on the side connected to the main body 1. The connector 6 has a shape like a pin that can be inserted into the insertion hole 5b, and includes a metal terminal 6a that is connected to the above-mentioned electric wire and has conductivity. The connector 6 of the present embodiment includes two terminals 6a arranged in a row in the left-right direction, and the distance between the two terminals 6a is substantially the same as the distance between the two insertion holes 5b arranged in the left-right direction. Is. Then, by inserting the two terminals 6a into the two insertion holes 5b, the cord 3 can transmit an electric signal from the electronic component of the main body 1 to the earphone 2. Further, the connector 6 is provided with a recess 6b on the opposite surface (upper surface) where the terminal 6a is provided. The recess 6b is formed in such a size that any one of the protrusions 4c provided on the cover 4b fits.

The listening device 100 configured in this way has two terminals of the connector 6 for two sets of insertion holes 5b arranged at equal intervals in a direction along the longitudinal direction (front-back direction) of the base 5a. 6a can be inserted into any of the sets. That is, when the terminal 6a is inserted into the insertion hole 5b provided behind the base 5a, the length of the cord 3 extending from the housing 4 becomes shorter, and the terminal 6a is inserted into the insertion hole 5b provided in front of the base 5a. When inserting the cord 3, the length of the cord 3 extending from the housing 4 becomes long. As described above, according to the listening device 100 of the present embodiment, the length extending from the housing 4 can be changed by the main body side connecting portion 5 and the connector 6 even if the cord 3 is the same.

Further, in the listening device 100, even when the terminal 6a is inserted into any of the insertion holes 5b, any protrusion 4c provided on the cover 4b is fitted into the recess 6b of the connector 6, so that the recess 6b and the protrusion The position of the connector 6 can be fixed by 4c. Therefore, even if a tensile force acts on the cord 3, the connector 6 is not pulled together, so that it is possible to prevent a problem that the terminal 6a inserted in the insertion hole 5b bends at the root. .. Further, the protrusions 4c and the recesses 6b are preferably configured so that the vertical gap between them becomes smaller when they are fitted to each other, whereby the connector 6 is lifted and the terminal 6a is inserted from the insertion hole 5b. It is possible to prevent the problem of slipping out.

In the present embodiment, the protrusion 4c is provided on the back surface of the cover 4b, and the recess 6b is provided on the upper surface of the connector 6. However, the positions where the protrusion 4c and the recess 6b are provided are not limited to this, and for example, the side surface of the cover 4b and the connector 6 are provided. The protrusions 4c and the recesses 6b may be provided on the side surfaces of the above, respectively. Further, the recess 6b may be provided on the lower surface of the connector 6, and the protrusion 4c may be provided on the upper surface of the base 5a. Further, it is possible to arbitrarily change which member the protrusion 4c and the recess 6b are provided with, and the cover 4b may be provided with the recess 6b and the connector 6 may be provided with the protrusion 4c.

Further, an elastic member (rubber, sponge, etc.) may be provided between the cover 4b and the connector 6 instead of (or in combination with) the protrusion 4c and the recess 6b. Since the connector 6 is pressed downward by the elastic member, the position of the connector 6 can be fixed in this case as well.

Next, a second embodiment of the listening device embodying the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. The listening device 200 of the present embodiment replaces the adjustment mechanism composed of the main body side connection part (first main body side connection part) 5 and the connector (first cord side connection part) 6 described above, and replaces the main body side connection part (first main body side connection part) It has an adjustment mechanism composed of a second main body side connection portion) 15 and a connector (second cord side connection portion) 16. Since the other parts in the second embodiment are the same as those in the first embodiment, the description thereof will be omitted.

As shown in FIG. 2B, the main body side connection portion 15 includes a flat plate-shaped base 15a provided in the housing main body 4a, and two insertion holes 15b extending long in the front-rear direction and penetrating the base 15a. It has. Further, as shown in FIGS. 2 (c) and 2 (d), a pair of metal plates 15c located on both the left and right sides of the insertion hole 15b and extending long in the front-rear direction are provided below the base 15a. .. Since the two insertion holes 15b are provided in the present embodiment, a total of two pairs of metal plates 15c are provided. As shown in FIG. 2D, the metal plate 15c of the present embodiment is formed by bending so that the cross-sectional shape has an inverted V shape, and is elastic so that the width narrows in the left-right direction. It can be transformed. Further, the pair of metal plates 15c are electrically connected to each other by a cord or the like as shown in FIG. 2C. This cord or the like is electrically connected to the electronic component described in the first embodiment.

The connector 16 is provided at the end of the cord 3. The connector 16 is provided with a conductive terminal 16a which is formed in a rectangular parallelepiped shape and can be inserted into the insertion hole 15b instead of the terminal 6a described above. The connector 16 of the present embodiment includes two terminals 16a arranged in a row in the left-right direction, and the distance between them is substantially the same as the distance between the two insertion holes 15b. Further, the terminal 16a is sandwiched between the paired metal plates 15c by being inserted into the insertion hole 15b, and is electrically connected to the metal plate 15c.

According to the listening device 200 of the present embodiment, the terminal 16a can be inserted at any position of the insertion hole 15b extending long in the front-rear direction. That is, when the terminal 16a is inserted into the rear portion of the insertion hole 15b, the length of the cord 3 extending from the housing 4 becomes shorter, and when the terminal 16a is inserted into the front portion of the base 15a, the housing 4 The length of the cord 3 extended from is increased. As described above, also in the listening device 200 of the present embodiment, the length of the cord 3 extending from the housing 4 can be changed by the main body side connecting portion 15 and the connector 16.

The metal plate 15c is not limited to that shown in FIG. 2, and for example, the metal plate 15d shown in FIG. 3 may be adopted. The metal plate 15d is formed in a plate shape without being bent like the metal plate 15c. Then, as shown in FIG. 3B, when the terminal 16a is inserted into the insertion hole 15b, the side surface of the terminal 16a is brought into contact with the side surface of the metal plate 15d (the side surface facing the adjacent metal plate 15d). Both can be electrically connected. When the terminal 16a is brought into contact with the metal plate 15d, the side surface opposite to the side surface of the illustrated metal plate 15d (the side surface opposite to the adjacent metal plate 15d) may be used. Further, as shown in FIG. 4, a thin plate-shaped metal plate 15e is provided on the surface of the base 15a, and a low-height terminal 16b is provided on the connector 16 so that the upper surface of the metal plate 15e and the terminal 16b are in contact with each other. May be good.

Further, although not shown, in this embodiment as well, the protrusions 4c and the recesses 6b described in the first embodiment may be provided, or an elastic member for pressing the connector 16 may be provided.

Next, a third embodiment of the listening device embodying the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. The listening device 300 of the present embodiment replaces the adjustment mechanism composed of the main body side connection portion (first main body side connection portion) 5 and the connector (first cord side connection portion) 6 in the first embodiment on the main body side. It has an adjustment mechanism composed of a connection portion (third main body side connection portion) 25 and a connector (third cord side connection portion) 26.

As shown in FIG. 5B, the main body side connection portion 25 includes a base 25a provided in the housing main body 4a and a through hole 25b extending in the front-rear direction at the central portion in the width direction of the base 25a. .. Further, as shown in FIG. 5C, a groove portion 25c is provided on the inner side surface of the base 25a on which the through hole 25b is formed. The groove portion 25c also extends long in the front-rear direction. A slide member 25d is arranged inside the through hole 25b. The slide member 25d includes a protrusion 25e that fits into the groove 25c and is slidable with respect to the groove 25c. As a result, the slide member 25d can move in the front-rear direction with respect to the housing body 4a. Further, a circular insertion hole 25f is provided on the upper surface of the slide member 25d. Two insertion holes 25f of the present embodiment are provided in a row in the left-right direction with respect to the slide member 25d. Further, the wall surface of the insertion hole 25f has conductivity, and as shown in FIG. 5B, the insertion hole 25f is electrically connected to the electronic component housed in the housing body 4a by a cord or the like. ..

The connector 26 is provided at the end of the cord 3 in place of the connector 6 described in the first embodiment. Further, the connector 26 includes a terminal 26a similar to the terminal 6a described in the first embodiment. The connector 26 of the present embodiment includes two terminals 26a arranged in a row in the left-right direction, and the distance between them is substantially the same as the distance between the two insertion holes 25f. Further, the terminal 26a has conductivity, and the terminal 26a and the insertion hole 25f are electrically connected by inserting the terminal 26a into the insertion hole 25f.

In the listening device 300 of the present embodiment, the slide member 25d can be moved to an arbitrary position in the front-rear direction with respect to the housing body 4a. That is, if the terminal 26a is inserted into the insertion hole 25f with the slide member 25d moved rearward, the length of the cord 3 extending from the housing 4 becomes shorter, and the slide member 25d is moved forward. If the terminal 26a is inserted into the insertion hole 25f, the length of the cord 3 extending from the housing 4 becomes longer. As described above, also in the listening device 300 of the present embodiment, the length of the cord 3 extending from the housing 4 can be changed by the main body side connecting portion 25 and the connector 26.

In this embodiment as well, the protrusions 4c and the recesses 6b described in the first embodiment may be provided, or an elastic member for pressing the connector 26 may be provided. Further, when moving the slide member 25d in the front-rear direction, a plurality of convex portions are provided on the base 25a so that the slide member 25d can be stopped stepwise at a predetermined position, and the slide member 25d is provided with concave portions that engage with the convex portions. It may be provided (a concave portion may be provided on the base 25a and a convex portion may be provided on the slide member 25d).

The listening device of the embodiment described so far has been configured as an ear-hook type hearing aid, but the listening device of the present invention is not limited to this, and can be embodied as, for example, a spectacle-type hearing aid. is there. FIG. 6 is a diagram showing a portion (a portion referred to as a temple (vine) or a tip cell (modern)) that touches the auricle with respect to the listening device 400 embodied as a spectacle-type hearing aid. In the present embodiment, the portion of the auricle corresponds to the main body 1 in FIG. 1, and electronic components and the like are housed therein. Further, the cover 4b is provided at the lower part of the portion that touches the auricle (the front portion of the portion that bends so as to wrap around the back side of the auricle). The cord 3 is provided so as to extend forward from the front side portion of the cover 4b, and an earphone 2 that can be worn on the ear canal is provided at the tip portion thereof. Although not shown, the listening device 400 of the present embodiment also adopts the same configuration as the listening devices 100, 200, and 300 described above, and even if the same code 3 is used, the length extended from the main body 1 is increased. Can be changed.

Although the embodiment embodying the present invention has been described above, the present invention is not limited to such a specific embodiment, and unless otherwise specified in the above description, the present invention described in the claims. Various modifications and changes are possible within the scope of the above. For example, the terminals 6a and the insertion holes 5b of the first embodiment shown in FIG. 1 are arranged in a set of two in the left-right direction, but may be three or more, and the number may be arbitrarily changed. Further, the configuration provided in one of the above embodiments may be applied to other embodiments. It should be noted that the effects in the above embodiments merely exemplify the effects arising from the present invention, and do not mean that the effects according to the present invention are limited to the above effects. Further, the listening device is not limited to the hearing aid described above, and may be a sound collector or an audio device.

1: Main body 2: Earphone 3: Cord 4: Housing 5: Main body side connection (first main body side connection)
6: Connector (first cord side connection)
15: Main body side connection (second main body side connection)
16: Connector (second cord side connection)
25: Main body side connection (third main body side connection)
26: Connector (third cord side connection)
100, 200, 300, 400: Listening device

Claims (6)

It includes an earphone, a main body having a housing for accommodating an electronic component, and a cord for connecting the earphone and the electronic component.
A listening device having an adjusting mechanism capable of changing the length of the cord extending from the housing between the main body and the cord. The adjustment mechanism is
A plurality of first main body side connection portions provided on the main body and arranged along the direction in which the cord is extended, and
The listening device according to claim 1, further comprising a first cord-side connecting portion provided on the cord and connected to the first main body-side connecting portion. The adjustment mechanism is
A second main body side connection portion provided on the main body and extending along the direction in which the cord is extended,
The listening device according to claim 1, further comprising a second cord-side connection portion provided on the cord and in contact with the second main body-side connection portion. The adjustment mechanism is
A third main body side connection portion provided on the main body and movable along the direction in which the cord extends with respect to the housing.
The listening device according to claim 1, further comprising a third cord-side connecting portion provided on the cord and connected to the third main body-side connecting portion. The main body can be placed behind the auricle of the wearer, and the cord extends forward from the main body according to any one of claims 1 to 4. The listening device described. Any of claims 1 to 4, wherein the main body is configured as a temple of spectacles, a tip cell, or a portion from the temple to the tip cell, and the cord extends forward from the main body. The listening device according to the first paragraph.

Images