JP6429415B2 - earphone - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to an earphone.

An earphone is an audio device in which a housing for housing a speaker is inserted into an ear (concha) and a sound conduit that transmits sound emitted from the speaker is inserted into an outer ear hole (see, for example, Patent Document 1). The ear has a recess called the concha cavity between the anterior trabecula (facial side) tragus and the posterior (occipital side) antitragus (and the anterior ring). The outer ear canal extends from the position close to the tragus to the back at an angle of about 60 degrees forward with respect to the inner surface of the concha cavity. (See Figure 1)

To obtain good low frequency characteristics of sound, for example, a large speaker having an outer diameter of 13 mm or more is required, and in order to obtain good high frequency characteristics, sound output from the speaker is placed in the housing with the sound conduit close to the speaker. It needs to be transmitted to the sound conduit without reflection.

However, because the ear canal is close to the tragus and the tragus protrudes from the eardrum on the opposite side of the ear canal, the housing is inserted into the ear canal cavity without interfering with the tragus and the sound conduit is inserted into the ear canal. If it is comprised (for example, refer patent document 1), the axial direction of a sound conduit will have an angle with respect to the sound emission direction of a speaker. That is, sound is reflected in the housing and the high frequency characteristics are degraded.

In order to arrange the axial direction of the sound conduit and the sound emission direction of the speaker together, there are the following problems. If the speaker is made small so as to avoid the tragus, the low-frequency characteristics are degraded. On the other hand, if a large speaker is arranged in front of the tragus, the speaker is separated from the sound conduit and the high frequency characteristics are degraded. (See Figure 2)

JP 2006-195469 A

An object of the present invention is to provide an earphone with good sound quality by arranging a large speaker close to the sound conduit by aligning the axial direction of the sound conduit and the sound emission direction of the speaker.

First, the shape of the ear causing the problem will be described. FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating an ear. FIG. 1A is a view of the ear as seen from the side. The ear 7 has the ear 7a, the concha cavity 7b, and the scaphoid 7c, and the outer ear hole 8 reaches the eardrum. That is, the sound pipe 3 is inserted into the outer ear hole 8 and the earphone 1 is used.

FIG. 1B is a cross-sectional view taken along the dashed-dotted line in FIG. When the ear 7a protrudes and the housing 2 is large, it is difficult to arrange it close to the outer ear hole 8. Although the scaphoid fossa 7c also protrudes, there is a concha cavity 7b between the outer ear hole 8 and the scaphoid fossa 7c, and the large housing 2 can be arranged in contact with the concha cavity 7b. The concha cavity 7 b has a substantially planar shape and is inclined by θ with respect to a plane perpendicular to the axis of the outer ear hole 8. θ≈30 degrees.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a comparison between the earphone of the prior art and the earphone of the present invention. FIG. 2A shows an earphone configured such that a large speaker is arranged in front of the tragus. The speaker 4 is separated from the sound conduit 3. High frequency characteristics will be degraded. FIG. 2 (B) is an earphone configured such that the housing 2 is placed in the ear canal cavity without interfering with the tragus. The axial direction of the sound conduit 3 has an angle θ with respect to the sound output direction of the speaker 4. High frequency characteristics will be degraded.

FIG. 2C illustrates an earphone of the present invention. The housing 2 has an asymmetric shape, is widened on the concha cavity 7b side, and has an inclined surface 2b. The present invention solves the problem with such a housing.

The earphone of the present invention includes a speaker that outputs sound in a uniaxial direction, and a sound conduit that is displaced from a center of the speaker to one side in a direction orthogonal to the uniaxial direction and extends in a direction parallel to the uniaxial direction. And a housing that accommodates the speaker and supports the proximal end of the sound conduit, and the housing is widened from the proximal end to the other side opposite to the one side toward the location where the speaker is accommodated. And an inclined surface inclined at the widened portion.

According to this feature, a large speaker can be accommodated in the widened housing. The axial direction of the sound conduit and the sound output direction of the speaker can be combined and arranged near the sound conduit.

The earphone of the present invention is characterized in that the inclined surface is inclined at an angle of 25 to 35 degrees in the uniaxial direction with respect to a direction toward the other side among the orthogonal directions.

According to this feature, when the earphone is worn on the ear, the inclined surface comes into contact with the inner surface of the concha cavity, and a fit can be obtained.

The earphone of the present invention is characterized in that the distance between the center of the speaker and the central axis of the sound conduit is smaller than the inner diameter of the sound conduit.

According to this feature, sound output in a uniaxial direction from the speaker can be directly passed through the sound conduit without being reflected in the housing, and high sound quality can be obtained.

The earphone of the present invention is characterized in that at least one of the housing and the sound conduit has a vent on the sound conduit side of the speaker.

According to this feature, the air pressure at the location from the speaker to the outer ear hole can be adjusted to the atmospheric pressure by air entering and exiting through the vent hole. It adjusts the change in sound quality based on the difference between the pressure inside the sound conduit and the outside pressure touching the eardrum.

The earphone of the present invention further includes a valve that opens and closes the vent and an elastic member that adjusts opening and closing of the valve.

According to this feature, by opening and closing the valve with the elastic member, it is possible to adjust the air pressure at the location from the speaker to the outer ear hole according to the user's preference.

ADVANTAGE OF THE INVENTION According to this invention, a large speaker can be arrange | positioned in the vicinity of a sound conduit, combining the axial direction of a sound conduit and the sound emission direction of a speaker, and an earphone with good sound quality can be provided.

FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating an ear. FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a comparison between the earphone of the prior art and the earphone of the present invention. FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating a configuration of the earphone. FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating an inclined surface of the housing. FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating an internal configuration of the housing.

Examples of the present invention will be described below.

FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating a configuration of the earphone. 3A is a diagram of the earphone 1 viewed from the outer ear hole 8 side, FIG. 3B is a diagram of the earphone 1 viewed from the side opposite to the outer ear hole 8, and FIG. It is the figure seen from the direction perpendicular | vertical to 3 (A) (B). The axial direction of the sound conduit 3 is defined as the Z-axis direction, the direction of the cord for transmitting signals from the outside is defined as the Y-axis direction, and the direction perpendicular thereto is defined as the X-axis direction.

The earphone 1 is an earphone for the left ear, and includes a housing 2, a sound conduit 3, a speaker 4, and a cord holding unit 5. The right-ear earphone is symmetrical with respect to the earphone 1 in the X-axis direction.

The housing 2 is a housing that houses the speaker 4 and has a main body and a head. The main body and the head can be integrally formed from the same material as the sound conduit 3 including the sound conduit 3.

The sound conduit 3 is a tubular member that transmits sound output from the speaker 4. The sound conduit 3 is formed into a cylindrical shape centered on the central axis 3L using, for example, a thermoplastic resin. The inner radius of the hollow portion is set to 3 mm or more, for example. The sound conduit 3 has a central axis 3L parallel to the Z-axis direction, and is on one side (−X) of a direction (X ′ axis described later) orthogonal to the Z-axis direction from the central axis 4L of the speaker 4 on the + Z side of the speaker 4. Arranged on the 'side). Here, the distance L between the central axis 4L of the speaker 4 and the central axis 3L of the sound conduit 3 is smaller than the inner radius of the sound conduit 3 (that is, less than 3 mm). Thereby, the sound output in the Z-axis direction from the speaker 4 can be passed through the sound conduit 3 without being reflected in the hollow portion 2a of the housing 2 or with little reflection.

Note that an earpiece molded from silicon rubber or the like may be provided at the tip of the sound conduit 3. Thereby, when the sound conduit 3 is inserted into the outer ear hole, the ear piece is deformed and fits into the hole, so that the sound conduit 3 can be supported while maintaining the inside of the outer ear hole airtight.

The speaker 4 is a device that outputs sound. A large speaker with an outer diameter of 13 mm or more is adopted so as to output sound having good low-frequency characteristics. The speaker 4 includes, for example, a voice coil, a diaphragm, and a driver (all not shown), and controls the boil coil in accordance with an electric signal input from the outside to vibrate in one axis direction (here, the Z axis direction). By vibrating the plate, sound is emitted along the central axis 4L parallel to the Z axis passing through the center of the speaker 4 (that is, the diaphragm) (see FIG. 2A). In addition, by shaping the center of the diaphragm into, for example, a dome shape having an outer diameter of 8 mm, it is possible to output good sound with respect to the mid-high frequency characteristics.

The cord holding unit 5 is a member that holds the cord 5a connected to the speaker 4, extends from the lower surface of the head of the housing 2 in the + Y direction, and sends the cord 5a from the tip. Note that a plug (not shown) to be inserted into a jack of an audio device such as a CD player is provided at the tip of the cord 5a.

Hereinafter, the housing 2 will be described in detail.

The main body has an elliptical shape in front view (-Z direction view). A direction in which the elliptical shape is inclined with respect to the X axis (X ′ axis direction) is defined as a major axis direction. A direction perpendicular to the X′-axis direction on the XY plane is taken as a Y′-axis direction.

FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating an inclined surface of the housing. FIG. 4 is a diagram viewed from the −Y ′ direction in FIG. The main body has an inclined surface 2b inclined from the proximal end of the sound conduit 3 on the outer surface. Here, the inclined surface 2 b is inclined at an angle of, for example, 25 to 35 degrees, preferably about 30 degrees with respect to the X′-axis direction. Thus, when the earphone 1 is worn on the ear, the inclined surface 2b can be brought into contact with the inner surface of the concha cavity and the sound conduit 3 can be inserted into the ear canal in the direction of the outer ear canal.

The head 2c is erected on the surface opposite to the sound conduit 3 of the main body, and the cord holding part 5 is connected thereto.

FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating an internal configuration of the housing. It is sectional drawing which cut | disconnected the dashed-dotted line part in FIG. 3 (A) by the X'-Z plane. The main body portion has a hollow portion 2a, and accommodates the speaker 4 with the sound emitting direction in the + Z direction inside, and the hollow portion 2a is connected to the hollow portion of the sound conduit 3 so that the base end is on the front side. To support.

The speaker 4 is supported by a support (not shown) provided on the head 2c.

Incidentally, on the side of the sound guiding tube 3 than the speaker 4 of the body (or the sound guide tube 3) is preferably provided with a vent hole 2b _0. A closed space is formed by the housing 2, the sound conduit 3, the outer ear hole 8, and the eardrum. The air pressure in this space may be higher than the external air pressure. In that case, the characteristics of the sound transmitted through this space may change. This characteristic change is prevented. In this embodiment, it is assumed that comprises a vent 2b ₀ the inclined surface 2b.

It has a vent hole 2b ₀ to open the inclined surfaces 2b, may further comprise an elastic member 6 such as a spring for adjusting the opening and closing of the valve and the valve for opening and closing the vent hole 2b ₀ in the hollow portion 2a. Thereby, the sound quality can be adjusted according to the user's preference by opening and closing the valve by the elastic member 6.

Since the housing 2 has the inclined surface 2b on the outer surface, the housing 2 is placed on the concha with the + X ′ side end portion and the −X ′ side end portion of the housing 2 facing the anti-tragus (and anti-ring) and the tragus, respectively. The earphone 1 can be attached to the ear by inserting the sound conduit 3 into the outer ear canal and supporting the inclined surface 2b by the inner surface of the concha concavity. A fit can be obtained.

As described above in detail, the earphone 1 of the present embodiment has a large speaker placed close to the sound conduit by combining the axial direction of the sound conduit and the sound emission direction of the speaker by devising the shape of the housing 2. It is a thing.

A large speaker is arranged near the sound conduit by aligning the axial direction of the sound conduit and the sound output direction of the speaker, and thus the earphone has good sound quality. Expected to be used by many earphone manufacturers.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Earphone 2 Housing 2a Hollow part 2b Inclined surface 2b ₀ Vent hole 2c Head part 3 Sound conduit 4 Speaker 5 Cord holding part 5a Cord 6 Elastic member 7 Ear 7a Ear especially 7b Ear concha space 7c Boat-like cavity 8 Outer ear hole

Claims (5)

A speaker that outputs sound in one axial direction;
A sound conduit that is displaced from the center of the speaker to one side perpendicular to the uniaxial direction and extends in a direction parallel to the uniaxial direction;
A housing that houses the speaker and supports the proximal end of the sound conduit;
Said housing, said toward the portion for housing the speaker from the base end is widened opposite to the other side and the one side, have a sloping surface inclined in the widened portion,
The earphone , wherein a separation distance between a central axis of the speaker and a central axis of the sound conduit is smaller than an inner radius of the sound conduit . The inclined surface, the inclined at an angle of a uniaxial direction to 25 to 35 degrees with respect to a direction toward the other side in the direction of the perpendicular, characterized that you have a concave shape, to claim 1 The listed earphone. 3. The earphone according to claim 1 , wherein the housing has an elliptical shape having a major axis direction in a direction orthogonal to the uniaxial direction when viewed from one side in the uniaxial direction to the other side .   The earphone according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein at least one of the housing and the sound conduit has a vent hole closer to the sound conduit than the speaker.   The earphone according to claim 4, further comprising a valve that opens and closes the vent and an elastic member that adjusts opening and closing of the valve.

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