JP4190988B2 - Ear-mounted sound information transmitter - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to an ear-mounted sound information transmitter that uses bone conduction vibration of sound, and more particularly, to a vibration isolation structure of the ear-mounted sound information transmitter.

  2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, miniaturized ear-mounted sound information transmitters are known in which a microphone unit and an earphone unit are simply mounted on the concha cavity portion without bothering a user during a call. Examples thereof are disclosed in Patent Document 1 and Patent Document 2. Due to the downsizing of signal processing circuits and advances in wireless technology, such ear-mounted sound information transmitters incorporate not only microphone and earphone units, but also signal processing units such as necessary peripheral circuits and power supplies. It has become possible to form an integral structure as a device to be attached to the part. Therefore, a compact vibration-proof structure suitable for this form and having good damping performance is desired.

A conventional ear-mounted sound information transmitter is configured such that input / output lines are output from a microphone unit and an earphone unit and are physically connected to a separate signal processing unit. When a signal processing unit such as a wireless module or a circuit board for wireless communication with such a separate signal processing unit is built in an ear-mounted sound information transmitter to form an integrated structure, the internal space is the circuit board. Or will be filled with batteries. If the conventional vibration isolating structure is applied as it is to the ear-mounted sound information transmitter having this integral structure, the product becomes large due to the large space required for the vibration isolating structure. For this reason, there are disadvantages such as being unable to be mounted on the ear part, or having a narrow installation space, so that the vibration isolation structure is limited and the vibration isolation is not sufficient, and the call quality deteriorates. Therefore, there is a need for an appropriate vibration-proof structure with an integral structure.
Japanese Patent No. 3247935 JP 2000-261875 A

  As described above, in the conventional ear-mounted sound information transmitter, when the signal processing unit is also integrated, the signal processing unit occupies a large spatial position inside, so that a conventional large space is required. There has been a problem that it is not possible to provide a simple anti-vibration structure.

  The present invention has been made to solve such problems, and an object thereof is to provide an ear-mounted sound information transmitter having a compact vibration-proof structure suitable for the form and having good vibration damping characteristics. And

An ear-mounted sound information transmitter according to the present invention is attached to a human ear and detects a bone conduction sound transmitted to a cartilage of a human ear, an earphone that outputs a sound wave, and an output from the earphone. A sound conduit for guiding the sound wave to the outside, a signal processing circuit board for processing an electric signal output to the earphone, and a wiring for transmitting the electric signal output from the signal processing circuit board to the earphone. An ear-mounted sound information transmitter comprising an audio output member in which the earphone and the sound conduit are integrated, and the audio output member is at least for a housing that covers the earphone and the sound conduit; mounting et is the first vibration isolating member and the second vibration isolating member made of viscoelastic material, the wiring outer peripheral portion of the opposite side of the earphone from the provided terminals near an outer periphery of the earphone Not contacted with the earphone to the vicinity near pull the vibration direction substantially perpendicular direction of the earphone, which are connected to the terminals of the signal processing circuit board.
First, the mass of the sound output unit integrated by providing the sound conduit in the earphone is increased, the amplitude of vibration generated by the earphone is reduced, and the first and second vibration isolation members are moved from the sound output unit to the housing. Since the vibration transmitted to is reduced by the viscoelasticity, it is possible to realize a compact anti-vibration structure having good vibration damping characteristics. Furthermore, since the wiring for transmitting an electric signal to the earphone is drawn substantially at right angles to the vibration direction of the earphone, it is difficult to vibrate in the vibration direction. Therefore, the vibration propagating through the wiring can be reduced.

  In such an ear-mounted sound information transmitter, the first vibration isolation member is the earphone, the audio output member is attached to the housing, and the second vibration isolation member is the sound conduit. The sound output member is attached to the housing. Furthermore, an earphone can be provided between the first vibration isolation member and the second vibration isolation member. Thereby, the vibration generated in the earphone can be suppressed in the sound conduit on the front face of the earphone and in the rear part of the earphone on the back face.

  Preferably, the vibration isolating member is composed of a plate-like member made of a viscoelastic material. The plate-shaped vibration-proof member is attached to the sound output member so that its main surface is substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the sound conduit. Thereby, since the plate-shaped vibration-proof member has viscoelasticity in the vibration direction, vibration can be reduced by this viscoelasticity.

  The sound conduit can be made of a metal material. Thereby, the mass of the sound conduit can be increased, and the vibration can be reduced in the sound conduit where the vibration is easily transmitted.

  According to the present invention, it is possible to provide an ear-mounted sound information transmitter having a vibration-proof structure that is compact and has good vibration damping characteristics suitable for the form.

  First, an ear-mounted sound information transmitter according to the present invention will be schematically described with reference to FIG. FIG. 1 is a view showing the appearance of an ear-mounted sound information transmitter according to the present invention. Further, description will be made with reference to FIG. 2 showing the wearing state of the ear-mounted sound information transmitter as appropriate.

  In FIG. 1, A is a signal processing circuit board housing part, B is an earphone part, and C is a microphone part. The signal processing circuit board storage part A is a part that stores the signal processing circuit board and the battery. As will be described later, the signal processing circuit board housing section A includes a circuit that amplifies an electrical signal from a bone conduction microphone and transmits it as a radio wave, a circuit that amplifies a radio wave received from the outside and outputs it to an earphone, A battery, operation buttons, a charging terminal, and the like. The earphone part B is a part that outputs an electrical signal of sound information as a sound wave. The microphone part C is a part that houses a so-called bone conduction microphone, and this bone conduction microphone picks up the voice vibration transmitted through the bone, cartilage, body, etc. of the head and converts it into an electrical signal.

  As shown in FIG. 1, in the ear-mounted sound information transmitter, an earphone part B and a microphone part C mainly project on the ventral side of the signal processing circuit board housing part A. Both the earphone part B and the microphone part C are parts inserted into the concha cavity part as shown in FIG. In addition, both parts of the earphone part B and the microphone part C have such a shape that the entire device is hooked and held on the ear part. The signal processing circuit board storage portion A is located on the outer side of the ear in a state where the earphone portion B and the microphone portion C are inserted into the concha cavity portion. Such an ear-mounted sound information transmitter emits a sound wave from the hole at the tip of the earphone part B while being inserted into the concha cavity part, and the tip part of the microphone part C is located in the concha cavity. It has a structure that picks up the voice vibrations that are applied to the lower part.

  Next, the ear-mounted sound information transmitter according to the present invention will be described in detail. In the following, the vibration isolation structure in the ear-mounted sound information transmitter will be mainly described specifically. The anti-vibration structure in the ear-mounted sound information transmitter according to the present invention includes an anti-vibration structure in the earphone part B, an anti-vibration structure in the microphone part C, and an anti-vibration structure in the wiring of these parts B and C. . Hereinafter, these vibration-proof structures will be described in order. In addition, here, the ear-mounted sound information transmitter according to the present invention includes all of these anti-vibration structures, but is not limited to this. May be provided in combination.

  The internal configuration of the ear-mounted sound information transmitter according to the present invention is shown in the sectional view of FIG. FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the ear-mounted sound information transmitter vertically cut at the center. In FIG. 3, 1 is a signal processing circuit board, 2 is an output line, 3 is an earphone, 4 is a sound conduit, 5 is a rear gel plate, 6 is a tip gel plate, 7 is a gel receiver, 8 is a vibration pickup sensor, 9 Is a microphone, 10 is on the microphone gel, 11 is below the microphone gel, 12 is a microphone holder, 13 is a housing, and 14 is an input line. 15 is a battery stored in the signal processing circuit board storage part A, 16 is an operation button provided on the upper side surface of the signal processing circuit board storage part A, and 17 is provided at the bottom of the signal processing circuit board storage part A. Charging terminal.

First, with reference to FIG. 3, the sound output and vibration generation by the earphone 3 will be specifically described, and then the first vibration isolation structure for reducing the vibration by the earphone 3 will be described.
In FIG. 3, a signal processing circuit board 1 processes a radio wave received from the outside and transmits it as a received audio electrical signal to an earphone 3 through an output line 2. The earphone 3 converts the transmitted electrical signal into a sound wave and emits it into the funnel-shaped sound conduit 4 that covers the front surface of the earphone 3. The emitted sound wave is guided by the sound conduit 4 and emitted from the hole at the tip of the sound conduit 4, and propagates toward the ear canal mouth through the hole in the housing at the tip of the earphone part B.

  When the sound wave propagates, the earphone 3 itself vibrates as a reaction of the force that oscillates the sound wave, and this vibration is transmitted to the surrounding member supporting the earphone 3 and attenuates while propagating. If no positive vibration isolation and attenuation means are used here, the vibration is not sufficiently attenuated and is transmitted to the vibration pickup sensor 8 of the microphone section C. Then, the vibration pickup sensor 8 detects the vibration in the same manner as the sound vibration transmitted through the head. At this time, if the vibration transmitted from the earphone 3 is not sufficiently smaller than the voice vibration transmitted from the vocal cords through the head, the voice of the caller returns to the other party at a high level in the call. That is, the so-called echo phenomenon becomes large, and the call quality is significantly deteriorated as a disturbance factor of the call due to the vibration propagating from the earphone 3.

  In the ear-mounted sound information transmitter according to the present invention, in order to reduce the vibration amplitude of the earphone 3, first, the sound conduit 4 integrated with the earphone 3 by adhesive bonding is made of a material having a high specific gravity, such as brass. Then, the mass of the integral part of the earphone 3 as a rigid body is made sufficiently large. Because of the size of the earphone 3, in the case of a small ear, it is difficult to place the earphone 3 together with the microphone portion C in the concha cavity, so that the earphone 3 is arranged on the outer side far from the ear canal opening. Therefore, it is the original purpose of the sound conduit 4 to guide the sound wave generated by the earphone 3 to the vicinity of the ear canal mouth without leaking aside. Even if the sound conduit 4 is made of a material such as plastic, the sound conduit 4 also serves to reduce the amplitude by simply changing the material to one having a large specific gravity, where the original purpose can be achieved. Accordingly, the vibration amplitude of the earphone 3 can be reduced without requiring a new space or structure.

In order to reduce the amplitude of vibration of the earphone 3, the integrated member of the earphone 3 and the sound conduit 4 is then supported on the housing of the earphone part B by the rear gel plate 5 and the front end gel plate 6. An example of the configuration of the earphone 3 and the sound conduit 4 constituting the integral member is shown in the perspective view of FIG. In FIG. 4, the output line 2 of the earphone 3 is drawn from above, but the earphone 3 and the sound conduit 4 are housed in an ear-mounted sound information transmitter in an upside-down state. As shown, the output line 2 is drawn from below.
The rear gel plate 5 and the front gel plate 6 are support members made of a plate-like viscoelastic material having a plane in a direction substantially perpendicular to the vibration direction of the earphone 3 and the sound conduit 4. The rear gel plate 5 is fitted with a ring-shaped groove of a gel receiver 7 whose central hole is coupled to the rear part of the earphone 3. The distal end gel plate 6 is also fitted with a ring-shaped groove provided in the outer periphery of the distal end portion of the sound conduit 4 at the center.

  As for the support by the rear gel plate 5 and the front end gel plate 6, the front end gel plate 6 has a thin plate shape in the longitudinal direction (sound propagation direction) of the cylindrical sound conduit 4, and therefore the vibration direction of the earphone 3 It is flexible with respect to (sound wave propagation direction), and has a relatively high rigidity in a direction substantially perpendicular to the vibration direction. Such a support has a structure suitable for supporting the weight of the earphone 3 and the sound conduit 4 in the usage posture of the device and lowering the cut-off frequency that interrupts vibration transmission. In addition, by using the viscoelastic material for the rear gel plate 5 and the front end gel plate 6, there is an effect of greatly attenuating the energy of vibration transmitted from the earphone 3.

  The vibration caused by the reaction force of the earphone 3 is attenuated and greatly attenuated by the structure using the rear gel plate 5 and the front gel plate 6, but the sound vibration transmitted through the head and picked up by the microphone 9 is weak. For this reason, sometimes it is not possible to obtain a sufficiently satisfactory anti-vibration effect. In addition, it is not possible to attenuate the amount of operation vibration generated when the device is operated or sliding vibration generated when the main body is rubbed against the finger or the skin around the ear and transmitted to the microphone 9.

In view of this, it is necessary to take vibration damping and damping means in the path from the earphone 3 to the microphone 9.
Next, a means for blocking and attenuating vibration in the path to the microphone 9 will be described with reference to FIG. In FIG. 3, the microphone 9 that houses and holds the vibration pickup sensor 8 has a structure in which the holding foot portion 9 a is sandwiched between the upper microphone gel 10 and the lower microphone gel 11. The microphone 9 is supported by a microphone holder 12, and the microphone holder 12 includes a holding leg portion 9 a, a microphone gel upper portion 10, and a microphone gel lower portion 11 that accommodates and holds a box body portion 12 a. The microphone holder 12 is held by the housing 13 on the outer periphery of the bowl-shaped portion 12b that extends around the box portion 12a. The hook-shaped portion 12b has a shape with a undulating cross section at the center thereof.

  The microphone holder 12 is made of an elastomer material having a relatively good attenuation characteristic, and has an effect of attenuating vibration transmitted from the earphone part B, operation vibration, and the like by its structure and material. The upper microphone gel 10 and the lower microphone gel 11 hold the microphone 9 so as to easily vibrate due to its elastic characteristics. At the same time, the upper microphone gel 10 and the lower microphone gel 11 are made difficult to resonate at a specific frequency due to their high attenuation characteristics. In addition, they serve to block and attenuate vibration transmitted from the housing 13 to the microphone holder 12. There is also.

  Since the microphone part C has to press the microphone 9 to the lower part of the concha concavity with an appropriate pressure in order to pick up sound vibrations, the flexible structure cannot be made as large as when the earphone 3 is supported. For this reason, since the vibration blocking and damping effects are small compared to the earphone 3 side, the structure of the earphone part B is particularly important in the ear-mounted sound information transmitter according to the present invention. As described above, the structure that can be said to be a three-stage structure (the material of the sound conduit 4, the vibration isolation by the microphone gel top 10 and the microphone gel bottom 11) blocks and attenuates vibration transmitted from the earphone 3 or vibration caused by operation. To make the effect sufficient.

  As described above, the vibration-proof and vibration-damping structure using the viscoelastic material has been described, but there is still a vibration propagation path that cannot be ignored. That is, from the earphone 3 to the output line 2 of the earphone 3, the signal processing circuit board 1 to which the output line 2 is connected, the input line 14 of the microphone 9 connected to the signal processing circuit board 1, and the microphone 9. Is the propagation of vibration in the path connected to

  As a means for reducing the propagation of this vibration, it is a known means to use an extremely thin, long and low rigidity wire. However, the thinness has an upper limit of soldering workability in terms of strength, and in this embodiment, the limit is an enameled wire of about φ0.1 mm. Further, since the input signal from the microphone has a circuit characteristic that easily picks up electromagnetic wave noise, it is required to shorten the length of the input line as much as possible. Therefore, it is desired to devise a wiring structure that blocks vibration and is difficult to transmit.

Such a wiring structure will be specifically described with reference to FIG.
Since the wiring on the earphone 3 side has a circuit characteristic that is strong against external electromagnetic waves, it takes advantage of the fact that it can be lengthened. As shown in FIG. 3, the output line 2 connected to the terminal of the earphone 3 is drawn in a direction substantially perpendicular to the vibration direction of the earphone 3 from the outer peripheral end of the earphone 3 to the vicinity of the opposite end. It is connected to the signal processing circuit board 1. In such a structure, the rigidity of the output line 2 with respect to the vibration direction of the earphone 3 becomes low, the vibration energy propagated becomes small, and as a result, the vibration transmitted to the microphone 9 can also be reduced.

  On the other hand, on the microphone 9 side, it is necessary from the aspect of noise reduction to shorten the line of the input line 14 and to use a twisted line. Therefore, a method of lengthening the output line 2 used for the earphone 3 as described above Is not preferred in this case. In the ear-mounted sound information transmitter according to the present invention, the input line 14 of the microphone 9 is first wired so as to be sandwiched between the holding foot portion 9a of the microphone 9 and the upper microphone gel 10 that supports the input foot 14a. The signal processing circuit board 1 is drawn out so as to be sandwiched between the microphone gel bottom 11 and the wall of the box portion 12 a of the microphone holder 12. By doing so, the vibration is attenuated sequentially in the same manner as the vibration intensity level of the member sandwiching each wiring, and the vibration from the earphone 3 is directly transmitted to the microphone 9 when wiring is performed without pinching anything. Compared to the above, it is possible to attenuate vibrations that propagate greatly.

  As described above, in the ear-mounted sound information transmitter according to the present invention, first, the support of the earphone 3 that is a vibration source is flexible with respect to the vibration direction and in a direction substantially perpendicular to the vibration direction. On the other hand, the structure has a relatively high rigidity, and the support is made of a viscoelastic material. Specifically, the earphone 3 and the sound conduit 4 integrally joined thereto are supported by a plate-like rear gel plate 5 and a tip gel plate 6 in the vicinity of the outer periphery thereof, and these plate-like rear gel plates 5 are supported. The tip gel plate 6 is fixed so that its main surface is substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal direction (sound wave propagation direction) of the sound conduit 4. Thereby, it is possible to reduce the transmission of vibration from the earphone 3 without taking a space necessary for providing the vibration isolation structure. Furthermore, in order to reduce the vibration width itself, the material of the earphone 3 is changed to increase the mass, so that it can be used as a member that is originally required for the function, and a highly effective anti-vibration structure without taking up extra space. Can be realized.

  Secondly, the ear-mounted sound information transmitter according to the present invention employs a structure in which a plurality of structures in a path from the earphone 3 to the microphone 9 have an anti-vibration effect. Specifically, the microphone 9 is sandwiched between the upper microphone gel 10 and the lower microphone gel 11 of the viscoelastic material at the holding foot portion 9a. Thereby, the vibration transmitted from the earphone 3 to the microphone 9 through the housing 13 can be cut off and attenuated. Further, since only the microphone gel upper part 10 and the microphone gel lower part 11 sandwiching the microphone 9 are provided with a soundproofing effect, the vibration-proof structure can be realized economically without adversely affecting the size and appearance of the entire product. Moreover, it can be made easy in terms of design.

  Thirdly, in the ear-mounted sound information transmitter according to the present invention, the amount of vibration transmitted through the output line 2 of the signal processing circuit board 1 and the input line 14 from the microphone 9 to the earphone. Reduce. Specifically, the output line 2 of the earphone 3 is drawn in a direction substantially perpendicular to the vibration direction of the earphone 3 from the outer peripheral end of the earphone 3 to the vicinity of the opposite end. Thereby, it is possible to prevent the vibration of the earphone 3 from being transmitted to the output line 2. At the same time, the input line 14 of the microphone 9 is drawn between the holding foot portion 9a of the microphone 9 and the upper microphone gel 10 while being sandwiched between the box body portion 12a of the microphone holder 12 and the lower microphone gel 11. . Thereby, the vibration transmitted to the input line 14 can be cut off and attenuated by the upper microphone gel 10 and the lower microphone gel 11. Therefore, a highly effective anti-vibration structure can be realized by providing a wiring configuration in which vibration is not easily transmitted and a wiring route that is easy to block vibration without providing an additional member for vibration isolation.

  As described above, according to the ear-mounted sound information transmitter according to the present invention, vibration generated by the earphone 3 suitable for the form is cut off without adding a dedicated member for vibration isolation, A compact vibration-proof and vibration-damping structure that can be damped can be realized. Further, by constructing the anti-vibration structure in a plurality of stages, the effect can be further enhanced, and the amount of vibration generated from the earphone 3 transmitted to the microphone 9 can be greatly attenuated, so that disturbances such as echoes are improved. In addition, it is possible to provide an ear-mounted sound information transmitter that can realize a clear call state with little disturbance.

It is a perspective view which shows the external appearance of the ear mounting | wearing type sound information transmitter concerning this invention. It is a figure which shows the mounting state of the ear mounting | wearing type | mold sound information transmitter concerning this invention. It is a longitudinal cross-sectional view which shows the center part of the ear mounting | wearing type sound information transmitter concerning this invention. It is a perspective view inside the earphone part of the ear-mounted sound information transmitter according to the present invention.

Explanation of symbols

A signal processing circuit board storage part, B earphone part, C microphone part 1 signal processing circuit board, 2 output lines, 3 earphones, 4 sound conduits, 5 rear gel plate, 6 tip gel plate, 7 gel receiver, 8 vibration pickup Sensor, 9 Microphone, 9a Holding foot part, 10 Microphone gel, 11 Microphone gel, 12 Microphone holder, 12a Box body, 12b Hook-shaped part, 13 Housing, 14 Input line, 15 Battery, 16 Operation button, 17 Charging terminal

Claims (6)

A microphone that is attached to a person's ear and detects bone conduction sound transmitted to the cartilage of the person's ear, an earphone that outputs a sound wave, a sound conduit that guides the sound wave output from the earphone to the outside, and the earphone An ear-mounted sound information transmitter comprising: a signal processing circuit board that processes an electrical signal that is output; and a wiring that transmits the electrical signal output from the signal processing circuit board to the earphone. ,
An audio output member in which the earphone and the sound conduit are integrated is configured, and the audio output member has at least a first vibration isolation member and a second viscoelastic material with respect to a housing that covers the earphone and the sound conduit. mounting et is the anti-vibration member,
The signal processing circuit draws the wiring from a terminal provided near the outer periphery of the earphone to the vicinity of the outer periphery on the opposite side of the earphone in a direction substantially perpendicular to the vibration direction of the earphone without contacting the earphone. Ear-mounted sound information transmitter connected to terminals on the board. The ear-mounted sound information transmitter according to claim 1,
In the earphone, the first vibration isolation member is attached to the housing with the audio output member.
In the sound conduit, the second vibration isolation member has the audio output member attached to the housing. The ear-mounted sound information transmitter according to claim 1,
An ear-mounted sound information transmitter, wherein an earphone is provided between the first vibration isolation member and the second vibration isolation member.   The ear mounted sound information transmitter according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the vibration isolating member is composed of a plate-like member made of a viscoelastic material.   5. The ear-mounted sound information transmission according to claim 4, wherein the plate-like vibration isolating member is attached to the sound output member such that a main surface thereof is substantially perpendicular to a longitudinal direction of the sound conduit. vessel.   6. The ear-mounted sound information transmitter according to claim 1, wherein the sound conduit is made of a metal material.

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