JP6835093B2 - Earplugs and ear sets - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to earplugs and ear sets that ensure sound insulation while perceiving bone conduction sound.

The so-called bone conduction earphone causes the user to perceive an acoustic signal as sound by directly vibrating the user's bone without passing through the eardrum (see Patent Document 1). That is, the bone conduction earphone converts an electric acoustic signal into a physical vibration, transmits the vibration to the user's bone, and perceives the bone conduction sound transmitted to the cochlear through the vibration of the bone. is there.
Such bone conduction earphones do not block the ear canal. Therefore, the user perceives the airway sound transmitted to the cochlea through the vibration of the eardrum, and can listen to the surrounding environmental sound.

Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2010-273804

However, in such bone conduction earphones, the bone is compared to the environmental sound in a situation where the environmental sound is relatively loud such as in an airplane and a race track (driver's seat, spectator's seat and paddock). The sound perceived by conduction becomes relatively small, and the function as earphones deteriorates significantly.
The present invention has been made in view of such circumstances, and one of the objects thereof is to provide a technique for improving sound insulation while ensuring sound perception by bone conduction. ..

In order to achieve the above object, the earplug according to one aspect of the present invention is attached to and detachable from an actuator that converts an acoustic signal into vibration and is inserted into the ear canal while being attached to the actuator. Includes a porous elastic body for.

It is a figure which shows the structure of the earplug which concerns on 1st Embodiment. It is a figure which shows the state that the earplug was disassembled. It is a figure which shows the 1st modification of the earplug which concerns on 1st Embodiment. It is a figure which shows the 2nd modification of the earplug which concerns on 1st Embodiment. It is a block diagram which shows the structure of the earplug which concerns on 2nd Embodiment. It is a block diagram which shows the structure of the earplug which concerns on 3rd Embodiment. It is a block diagram which shows the structure of the ear set which concerns on 4th Embodiment. It is a figure which shows the structure of the ear set which concerns on 5th Embodiment. It is a figure which shows the use state of the ear set which concerns on 5th Embodiment.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
FIG. 1 is a diagram showing the configuration of earplugs 10 according to the first embodiment, and FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the earplugs 10 in an exploded manner.
As shown in these figures, the earplug 10 includes elastic bodies 110 and 120, an actuator 130, and a support 140, and the actuator 130 and the support 140 are sandwiched and included by the elastic bodies 110 and 120. It has a structure of The elastic bodies 110 and 120 have a cylindrical shape with the actuator 130 and the support 140 sandwiched therein. However, in the used state, the tip of the elastic body 110 (the right end in FIG. 1) is compressed by the user and inserted into the ear canal of the user. Therefore, in the used state, the elastic body 120 is deformed according to the shape of the ear canal, for example, as shown by the broken line 120a in FIG.

The actuator 130 is a type of transducer that converts an electrical acoustic signal supplied via wiring 136 into physical vibration. Specifically, the actuator 130 has a columnar base 132 to which a coil is fixed, and a columnar vibrating body 134 including a magnet that is movable with respect to the magnetic field generation direction of the coil, and the acoustic signal is described above. When it flows through the coil, the vibrating body 134 vibrates together with the magnet due to electromagnetic induction.
Since the actuator 130 vibrates according to the acoustic signal by the coil and the magnet, the actuator 130 itself does not require a power supply. Further, the coil and magnet included in the actuator 130 are not shown.

The support 140 has a large disc-shaped base 142 fixed to the vibrating body 134 and a columnar protrusion 144 that is substantially coaxial with the vertical axis of the base 142 and projects vertically from the upper surface 143 thereof. Be separated.
The substrate 142 and the protrusion 144 may be separate bodies or integrally molded. Further, although the protrusion 144 has a smaller diameter than the substrate 142 in the figure, it may have the same diameter.
The material of the support 140 is harder than the elastic body 120 described below, and for example, plastic or metal is preferable.

The elastic body 110 is detachable from a part of the actuator 130, for example, the substrate 132. In order to make it detachable in this way, the elastic body 110 is provided with a recessed hole 112 into which the base 132 is fitted and a slit 114 for pulling out the wiring 136 when the base 132 is fitted. There is.
The elastic body 120 is removable from the rest of the actuator 130 except for a part and the support 140. In order to make it detachable in this way, the elastic body 120 is provided with a recessed hole 122 into which the vibrating body 134 and the base 142 are fitted, and the hole 124 into which the protrusion 144 is inserted is the hole 122. It is continuously provided in.
The inner diameter of the hole 112 does not have to be the same as the outer diameter of the substrate 132. Similarly, the inner diameter of the hole 122 does not have to be the same as the outer diameter of the substrate 142, and the inner diameter of the hole 124 does not have to be the same as the outer diameter of the protrusion 144. The reason for this is that the elastic bodies 110 and 120 are highly flexible as described below.

Each of the elastic bodies 110 and 120 is formed by molding a porous member into the above-mentioned shape. Here, the porous means that there are many holes of bubbles and the surface area is large as compared with the case where there are no holes, and therefore, it is highly flexible and has high resilience and sound insulation. The resilience referred to here refers to the property of returning to the original shape before deformation even if it is deformed by an external force or the external force is released.
Polyurethane is a typical example of a porous member. Polyurethane contains a polyol and a polyisocyanate as main components, and is foamed while being resinified by mixing a foaming agent, a foam stabilizer, a catalyst, a colorant, and the like. The members applicable to the elastic bodies 110 and 120 are not limited to polyurethane, and may have similar properties. For example, it may be a porous silicone rubber.

When the base 132 is fitted into the elastic body 110, the wiring 136 is pulled out from the slit 114, and the vibrating body 134 and the support 140 are fitted into the elastic body 120, the actuator 130 and the support are as shown in FIG. The entire 140 will be covered by the close contact between the elastic bodies 110 and 120.

When using earplugs 10 having such a configuration, the user compresses the tip of the elastic body 120 and inserts it into the ear canal. At this time, since the protrusion 134 serves as the core material of the elastic body 120, the insertability into the ear canal is improved.

For the user wearing the earplugs 10, the ear canal is blocked by the elastic body 120. Therefore, the user can hardly hear the airway sound. On the other hand, the vibration converted from the acoustic vibration by the actuator 130 is efficiently transmitted to the user's bone not only in the vibrating body 134 but also in the entire base 142 and the protrusion 144. Therefore, the user can clearly hear the bone conduction sound due to the vibration of the bone as compared with the airway sound.
Therefore, according to the earplugs 10, it is possible to improve the sound insulation while ensuring the perception of sound by bone conduction.

In the earplugs 10, the elastic bodies 110 and 120 are detachable from the actuator 130 and the support 140. Therefore, the hygiene of the ear canal can be maintained by replacing the elastic bodies 110 and 120 with new ones.

The detachability of the elastic bodies 110 and 120 also has the following advantages.
As described above, the elastic bodies 110 and 120 are made of a porous resin such as polyurethane. At the time of resinification of polyurethane, the bubble density can be controlled to some extent by selecting a foaming agent. Generally, as the bubble density increases, it becomes harder and the sound insulation becomes higher. In addition, it is considered that the frequency characteristics at the time of sound insulation differ depending on the material and the like.
Therefore, a plurality of elastic bodies 110 and 120 having different bubble densities and materials are prepared in advance, respectively, and the plurality of elastic bodies 110 and 120 are prepared according to the loudness of the environmental sound and the frequency characteristics of the sound to be insulated. From 120, appropriate ones can be used in combination one by one.

Further, at the time of resinification, the colors of the elastic bodies 110 and 120 can be selected depending on the colorant. Therefore, the colors of the elastic bodies 110 exposed to the outside can be made conspicuous, and the colors of the elastic bodies 110 and 120 can be made different, so that improvement in fashionability can be expected.

When the support 140 is provided in the earplug 10, the elastic body 120 can be easily inserted into the ear canal, and the vibration can be efficiently conducted to the bone. However, the perception of the bone conduction sound and the sound insulation are provided. From the point of view of improvement, it is not always essential. Therefore, as in the first modification shown in FIG. 3, the earplugs 10 may be configured not to have the support 140.
On the other hand, in the case of the configuration without the support 140, as in the second modification shown in FIG. 4, holes 124 similar to those in FIGS. 1 and 2 are provided, and the holes 124 are more than the elastic body 120. A hard elastic body 126 may be filled. As a result, the elastic body 126 functions as a protrusion.
The elastic bodies 120 and 126 may be separated or integrally formed by partially differentizing the bubble densities.

Further, in the earplug 10, the base 132 of the actuator 130 located on the side opposite to the ear canal is covered with the elastic body 110 in the actuator 130, so that the sound accompanying the vibration of the actuator 130 is prevented from leaking to the outside. can do. However, assuming use under noisy conditions, there is little need to worry about sound leakage to a third party, so the elastic body 110 may not be necessary.

The elastic bodies 110 and 120 may be integrated instead of being separate bodies. When integrated, for example, the portion corresponding to the elastic body 110 opens and closes in a door shape with respect to the elastic body 120, and when the elastic body 120 is in the open state, the actuator 130 and the support 140 are attached and detached. Further, as another example of the case of being integrated, a slit may be provided in the elastic body of the internal cavity, and the actuator 130 and the support 140 may be attached / detached through the slit.
Further, in the case of being integrated, as described above, the bubble densities may be partially different from each other.

The earplugs 10 described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 4 have a configuration in which an acoustic signal is supplied to the actuator 130 via the wiring 136. For this reason, the user has a problem that the wiring 136 is troublesome and the activity range is limited to the range of the length of the wiring 136. Therefore, next, a second embodiment for solving such a problem will be described.

FIG. 5 is a block diagram showing the configuration of earplugs according to the second embodiment.
The earplug 10 shown in this figure has a battery 150 and a receiver 160 that wirelessly receives an acoustic signal from the outside and supplies it to the actuator 130. The battery 150 is the power source for the receiver 160. The battery 150 may be a button-type dry battery, but a small secondary battery that can be repeatedly charged and discharged is preferable. In addition, examples of wireless reception include those using wireless or infrared rays.
According to the second embodiment, since there is no wiring 136, the user can be freed from the troublesomeness due to the existence of the wiring and the limitation of the activity range. Moreover, since there is no wiring, no rubbing noise of the wiring is generated.

In the earplugs 10 described above, since the user perceives the sound almost exclusively by bone conduction, the sound quality and the volume are inevitably lowered as compared with the perception of the airway sound. Therefore, next, a third embodiment in which the decrease in sound quality is suppressed will be described, a third embodiment in which the decrease in sound quality is suppressed will be described, and a fourth embodiment in which the decrease in volume will be suppressed will be described.

FIG. 6 is a block diagram showing the configuration of earplugs according to the third embodiment.
The earplug 10 shown in this figure has a configuration including a battery 150 and a signal processing unit 170. The battery 150 is a power source for the signal processing unit 170. The signal processing unit 170 applies an equalizing process to the acoustic signal supplied via the wiring 136 and supplies the acoustic signal to the actuator 130. The equalizing process referred to here is, for example, a process for compensating for deterioration of sound quality caused by bone conduction. Since the actuator 130 vibrates in anticipation of deterioration due to bone conduction due to the acoustic signal subjected to the equalizing process, deterioration of sound quality can be suppressed in the third embodiment.

FIG. 7 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the ear set 20 according to the fourth embodiment.
The ear set 20 shown in this figure has earplugs 10, an actuator 138, and a hook 202.
The hook 202 connects the earplug 10 and the actuator 138, and is hung on the user's auricle in the used state. The actuator 138 is a separate body independent of the actuator 130, but the same acoustic signal is distributed and supplied. Further, unlike the actuator 130 in the earplugs 10, the actuator 138 is not covered with an elastic body and is substantially exposed.

When the tip of the earplug 10 is inserted into, for example, the user's right ear and the hook 202 is hung on the right pinna, the actuator 138 comes into contact behind the user's pinna.
Therefore, in the conversion from the acoustic signal to the vibration, since the actuator 138 is added to the actuator 130 in the earplug 10, an increase in the volume perceived by bone conduction is expected as compared with the case where the actuator 130 alone is used.

The earplugs 10 according to the first to third embodiments and the earplugs 20 according to the fourth embodiment are worn on only one ear of the user, and the other ear does not have an actuator 130. That is, it may be used in a state where earplugs containing only an elastic body are attached. This is because even if it is used in such a state, it is possible to achieve both the perception of bone conduction sound and the improvement of sound insulation.
As for the other ear, as in the next fifth embodiment, earplugs having an actuator 130 are attached to achieve both the perception of bone conduction sound in both ears and the improvement of sound insulation. Is also good.

FIG. 8 is a diagram showing the configuration of the ear set 22 according to the fifth embodiment.
As shown in this figure, the ear set 22 has a configuration in which the earplugs 10L for the left ear and the earplugs 10R for the right ear are connected by a neckband 212. In the earplugs 22, the earplugs 10L are supplied with the stereo left channel acoustic signal Lin via the wiring 136L, and the earplugs 10R are supplied with the right channel acoustic signal Rin via the wiring 136R. To.

FIG. 9 is a diagram showing a usage state of the ear set 22. As shown in this figure, the user W hooks the neckband 212 on the ear from behind the user W so that the earplugs 10L and 10R come forward, and the tip of the elastic body of the earplug 10L is on the left. It is inserted into the ear canal of the ear, and the tip of the elastic body of the earplug 10R is inserted into the ear canal of the right ear. Then, the user W outputs the acoustic signals Lin and Rin from the terminal device 40, for example, by operating the terminal device 40.

Of course, the acoustic signal supplied to the ear set 22 is not limited to stereo, but may be monaural.
According to this ear set 22, the sound due to bone conduction can be perceived in stereo or monaural, and the sound insulation can be improved.
Further, the earplugs 10L and 10R may be connected by a headband instead of the neckband 212. Further, the ear set 22 may be provided with the receiver 160 described in FIG. 5 or the signal processing unit 170 described in FIG. Further, the ear set 22 may be provided with another actuator 132 described with reference to FIG. 7 in each of the left and right ears, or in the unilateral of both ears.

The present invention is not limited to the various embodiments described above, and various applications and modifications as described below are possible, for example. It should be noted that one or a plurality of arbitrarily selected modes of application / modification described below can be appropriately combined.

A microphone may be provided to input the voice of a user wearing earplugs 10 or ear sets 20. If the microphone is expected to be used under noisy conditions, the sound may be buried in the ambient sound in the microphone that converts the vibration of the air into a signal. Therefore, as the microphone applied to the earplug 10 or the ear set 20, a bone conduction microphone is preferable. The bone electric microphone referred to here refers to a microphone that converts the vibration transmitted to the ear canal by the voice into an electric signal and outputs it when the user emits a voice.

In addition to the actuator 130, a sensor for measuring the surrounding environment may be provided. Measurement targets of the sensor include temperature, humidity, noise level (sound pressure), and atmospheric pressure.
Earplugs 10 (10L and 10R) may be provided with a waterproof function.

From the above-described embodiment and the mode of application / modification, the following inventions are grasped from the viewpoint of achieving both the perception of bone conduction sound and the improvement of sound insulation.

First, earplugs including an actuator that converts an acoustic signal into vibration and a porous elastic body that is removable from the actuator and can be inserted into the ear canal while attached to the actuator are grasped. To. According to the above earplugs, sound insulation can be improved while ensuring sound perception by bone conduction.

In the earplugs, the configuration of the elastic body covering the portion of the actuator opposite to the ear canal in use is grasped. According to the above configuration, sound leakage from the actuator can be suppressed.

The earplug includes a columnar protrusion protruding from the actuator in a direction along the ear canal, the protrusion is harder than the elastic body, and the protrusion is inserted into the elastic body. The configuration is grasped. According to the above configuration, the elastic body can be easily inserted into the ear canal, and the vibration generated by the actuator can be efficiently transmitted to the bone.

In the earplugs, a configuration having a receiver that wirelessly receives an acoustic signal and supplies the received acoustic signal to the actuator is grasped. According to the above configuration, the point that the activity range of the user who wears the earplugs is narrowed by wiring is solved.

In the earplug, a configuration having a signal processing unit that applies predetermined signal processing to the acoustic signal and supplies it to the actuator is grasped. According to the above configuration, deterioration of sound quality due to bone conduction can be suppressed.
In the earplugs, a configuration having a microphone that converts the vibration of the ear canal into which the elastic body is inserted into an audio signal and outputs it is grasped. According to the above configuration, the voice of the user wearing the earplugs can be picked up without being buried in the ambient sound.

Next, it has the earplug, another actuator different from the actuator, another actuator that converts the acoustic signal into vibration, and a hook that connects the earplug and the other actuator. The earset is grasped. According to the ear set, the shortage of the vibration of the actuator in the earplug is compensated by another actuator, and the wearability to the ear is improved by the hook.

Further, a first actuator that converts an acoustic signal into vibration and a porous body that is detachable from the first actuator and can be inserted into the external auditory canal of the left ear while being attached to the first actuator. The first elastic body, the second actuator that converts the acoustic signal or an acoustic signal different from the acoustic signal into vibration, and the second actuator that is detachable from the second actuator. An ear set containing a porous second elastic body for insertion into the external auditory canal of the right ear while worn on is grasped. According to the above ear set, the sound due to bone conduction due to bone conduction can be perceived by the user in stereo or monaural, and the sound insulation can be improved.

10 ... earplugs, 20, 22 ... ear sets, 110 ... elastic body, 112 ... hole, 120 ... elastic body, 122, 124 ... hole, 130 ... actuator, 132 ... base, 134 ... vibrating body, 140 ... support, 160 ... receiver, 170 ... signal processing unit, 202 ... hook, 212 ... neckband.

Claims (4)

An actuator that converts an acoustic signal into vibration,
A porous first elastic body and a second elastic body that are removable from the actuator and can be inserted into the ear canal while being attached to the actuator.
Including
It said first elastic member, of the actuator, and the ear canal has covered a portion of the opposite side,
The second elastic body is an earplug that covers a portion of the actuator on the side of the ear canal. Includes columnar protrusions that project from the actuator in the direction along the ear canal.
The protrusion is harder than the first elastic body and the second elastic body.
The earplug according to claim 1, wherein the protrusion is inserted into the second elastic body. The earplug according to claim 1, further comprising a receiver that wirelessly receives an acoustic signal and supplies the received acoustic signal to the actuator. The first actuator that converts the acoustic signal into vibration,
A porous first elastic body and the second elastic body that are detachable from the first actuator and can be inserted into the ear canal of the left ear while being attached to the first actuator.
A second actuator that converts the acoustic signal or an acoustic signal different from the acoustic signal into vibration.
A porous third elastic body and a fourth elastic body that are detachable from the second actuator and can be inserted into the ear canal of the right ear while being attached to the second actuator. /> and
Including
The first elastic body covers the portion of the first actuator on the side opposite to the ear canal of the left ear.
The second elastic body covers the left ear side portion of the first actuator.
It said third elastic body of the second actuator, the ear canal of the right ear has covered a portion of the opposite side,
The fourth elastic body is an ear set that covers the right ear side portion of the first actuator.

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