WO2008012401A1

WO2008012401A1 - Self-supporting in-ear headphone, particularly independent in-ear headphone for mobile telephone

Info

Publication number: WO2008012401A1
Application number: PCT/FR2007/000897
Authority: WO
Inventors: Jean Etcheparre
Original assignee: Parrot
Priority date: 2006-07-25
Filing date: 2007-05-31
Publication date: 2008-01-31
Also published as: FR2904504A1

Abstract

The in-ear headphone comprises a rigid protruding tip (14) extending from a housing (12), and intended to be placed in the concha cavum of a user's ear. A conformable skirt (22) made of elastic material is arranged around the tip and includes a sleeve (36) surrounding the foot (18) of the tip, a tapered part (38) extending around the head (16) of the tip, and an adjacent peripheral fold (40). The fold and the tapered part are connected at their adjacent ends by an edge (54) proportioned so as to leave an interval (56) between them to enable a relative clearance. With the elasticity of the material of the skirt, this clearance allows the fold to come into contact with the tragus, the anti-tragus and the user's helix root when the in-ear headphone is placed in the ear, and to keep the headphone in functional position by the tip solely by this contact.

Description

Self-Supported Earpiece, Including Mobile Phone Headset

The invention relates to atria, including wireless earpieces for mobile phones.

Next-generation mobile phones include short-range wireless links, typically Bluetooth (registered trademark of Bluetooth SIG Inc.). The Bluetooth specifications provide for the ability to remotely couple via a two-way wireless link a mobile phone to a variety of peripherals, including a user-supplied stand-alone headset.

Such a standalone headset includes an earphone, a microphone, various lights and push buttons for remotely controlling the phone (including line and hang-up), and an electronic circuit and a rechargeable battery. One of the main advantages of these headsets is to leave the user's hands free, while allowing him to continue a telephone conversation. However, these atria have a significant weight (15 to 25g or more) and an elongate shape, off-center with respect to the ear. This elongated shape is necessary to bring the microphone, located at one end of the atrium, closer to the mouth of the user, but it has the effect of moving away the center of gravity (near the center of the atrium) and the center of rotation (near the ear canal). These considerations make it necessary to provide means for effectively holding the atrium in its position of use. The effectiveness of this maintenance is however generally obtained at the expense of comfort and ease of implementation, both hands are sometimes necessary to set up the headset. In addition, these atria are often lateralized, that is to say that their holding system requires the choice of an ear, right or left, except possibly to disassemble and a modification of the holding system.

Another difficulty to consider with this type of earpiece is that of the necessary decoupling between the earpiece and the microphone: if undesirable acoustic coupling remains or may appear, then it is necessary to provide complex algorithms for neutralizing the effects of this coupling, algorithms implemented by the electronic signal processing circuit incorporated in the headset. The direct consequence is the need for more complex, and therefore more expensive, circuits with increased consumption, with repercussions on the battery's autonomy and / or the mass and volume of the battery. the headset.

A first type of atrium, called "intra-auricular", comprises a tube penetrating the ear canal. This type of atrium is very effective in terms of maintaining (thanks to the tube) and that of the absence of acoustic coupling, because of the proximity of the earpiece to the eardrum and its isolation by the inner tube. atrial.

This type of headset however requires miniaturized components, including a very small diameter earpiece (a few millimeters), and for the user it is quite uncomfortable in case of heat or prolonged wear, due to the lack of air passage between the outside and the ear canal.

The second type of auricle, called "intra-conque", and to which belongs the present invention, comprises a earpiece disposed in the region of the conch, more precisely the conch-or conch-less cone, that is to say the region central depression of the outer ear located at the outlet of the ear canal.

Some of these intra-conical earpieces are provided with a clip, clip or fastening loop to be arranged around the ear of the ear, such as that described in WO 03/107716.

The clip certainly provides a very good support of the headset, but it has several disadvantages: the headset is awkward to set up, the comfort is variable according to users, the application of the earpiece facing the ear canal is often imperfect - hence the risk of acoustic coupling with the microphone - and finally this type of atrium is lateralized, that is to say that it is suitable for only one of the two ears, except to disassemble and reassemble the clip in another position. Also known intra-conque earpieces without clip, where the maintenance is obtained by means of an approximately triangular profile appendix that the user comes to lock in position in the region of the conque by a rotational movement on a fraction of a turn. Such an atrium with a triangular appendage is for example described in US D 469 081. The effectiveness of this holding system largely depends on the individual morphology of the ear of the user, with a risk of significant acoustic coupling. In addition, this headset is fully lateralized and, once in place, provides no degree of freedom in rotation, for example to bring the microphone of the mouth of the user. Various improvements to these intra-conical earpieces have been proposed, for example by mounting the earpiece on an articulated support for pressing the atrium against the cheek (as in US 2005/020890), or by providing a spring intended to exert a support on the interior of the flag of the ear to improve its maintenance (WO 04/056152). These solutions prove in practice unsatisfactory, often uncomfortable, and do not solve all the difficulties described above.

The invention aims to provide a headset, including a wireless headset for mobile phone, which overcomes all of the disadvantages described above, including: - maintaining the headset despite the absence of any clip, clip or loop,

- effective maintenance even for very different ear morphologies,

- acoustic coupling earphone / microphone minimized,

- maximum comfort for the user, - absence of lateralization, and

- possibility of setting up a single hand by a simple gesture.

In this respect, the headset of the invention is particularly suitable for applications where it is not intended to be worn permanently, but only during the duration of the telephone communication: this situation is particularly in the case of accessories for mobile phones used in a motor vehicle. Drivers are generally reluctant to accept the permanent wearing of a headset, especially for long journeys or if they do not consider an intensive use of their phone while driving. The headset of the invention is an intra-conque-type earpiece which is self-expanding, that is to say without a clip, clip or loop around the ear-piece. It comprises, in itself known manner, an elongate housing containing an electrical circuit, and a rigid protruding end extending from the housing. This projecting tip comprises a tubular tip foot, connected to the housing at one end and extended at its opposite end by an enlarged tip head enclosing an acoustic transducer. It is suitable and intended to be placed in the shell of a user's ear outside and close to the ear canal. In a characteristic manner of the invention, this atrium further comprises a conformable skirt disposed around the tip, made of an elastically deformable material and successively comprising a sleeve wrapping the foot of the tip, a flared portion extending around the head of the mouthpiece, and an adjoining peripheral fold. This fold extends radially outwards and axially towards the housing from the distal end of the flared portion, the fold and the flared portion being connected at their adjoining ends by a rim sized so as to provide a gap between the peripheral fold and the flared part. The gap and the fold are radially dimensioned so as to allow a relative deflection of the fold relative to the flared portion. In this way, with the inherent elasticity of the material of the skirt, the movement allows the contact with the tragus, the antitragus and the root of the helix of the user when the atrium is put in place. in the ear, ensuring the maintenance of the atrium in the operative position by the tip simply because of this contact.

According to various advantageous subsidiary characteristics: the flared portion of the conformable skirt is dimensioned so as to provide a radial clearance between the flared portion and the head of the nozzle over at least a portion of the height of this flared portion; the sleeve and the flared portion of the conformable skirt are connected by a deformable connection region, which is configured to provide an axial degree of freedom allowing a radial telescopic displacement of the flared portion on the sleeve under the effect an external axial bias applied to said flange; - The tip head comprises an acoustic vent in its rear region facing the housing, and the sleeve and the flared portion of the conformable skirt are dimensioned radially and axially so as to provide a residual volume peripheral between the flared portion and said region posterior of the tip head, with in the flared portion at least one through opening of communication of the peripheral residual volume with the outside air;

- The rigid tip and the conformable skirt form a non-lateralised assembly, having a symmetry with respect to the plane defined by the axis of the tip and the axis of the largest dimension of the housing;

- The rigid tip and the conformable skirt form an assembly having a symmetry of revolution relative to the axis of the tip;

- The rigid tip is fixed relative to the housing;

the conformable skirt is a one-piece piece made of silicone elastomer; and

the maximum value of the relative deflection of the fold relative to the flared portion is between +/- 10% and +/- 20% of the radial dimension of the fold at its free end.

. 0

An embodiment of the invention will now be described with reference to the appended drawings in which the same reference numerals designate identical elements from one figure to another. Figure 1 is a general perspective view of the headset of the invention. Figure 2 shows, in elevation, the ear of a user with dashed, the manner in which there is positioned the headset of the invention. Figure 3 is a perspective view showing the various elements of the conformable skirt of the headset of the invention, with the various degrees of integrity provided by this skirt.

FIG. 4 is an enlarged detail, in section along a longitudinal plane, of the atrium of FIG.

FIGS. 5 and 6 are views similar to the detail of FIG. 4 taken in plan, illustrating the various possible deformations of the conformable skirt of the headset of the invention. 0

Figure 1 generally illustrates the atrium 10, which is in the form of an elongate housing 12 with a rigid projecting tip 14 to be introduced into the ear. This earpiece, which carries the earpiece, comprises a tubular tip foot 18 connected to the housing at one end and extended at its opposite end by an enlarged tip head 16 enclosing the earpiece. At the end of the headset opposite to that carrying the headphone is a microphone 20. The housing 12 may also include one or more indicator lights or pushbuttons, and incorporates an electronic circuit and its battery pack rechargeable (these elements, which are not part of the invention will not be described in detail). The invention essentially resides in the use of a conformable skirt 22 surrounding the projecting tip 14, a skirt which will be described in more detail with reference to FIGS. 3 to 6.

The object of this conformable skirt 22 is to maintain the atrium 10 in the appropriate position when it is placed in the ear.

Figure 2 illustrates this configuration, the ear being represented in solid lines and the atrium 10 in dashed lines. The atrium 10 is disposed and held in place by the conformable skirt 22 so that the tip head 16 is placed in the conchae cavum (lower conus) 24 in the immediate vicinity of the orifice of the auditory canal. external 26.

The atrium is held by the conformable skirt 22 in this particular position, in contact between the three protruding formations bordering the conch, namely the tragus 28, the antitragus 30 and the root 32 of the helix 34. The tragus 28 and the antitragus 30 are two similar formations in shape and size, located face to face and in the same planes, approximately defining the two branches of a V bordering in the lower part the conchae cavum 24, overlooking it. In the upper part, the cavum conchaa is limited by the oblique fold of the root 32 of the helix 34 of the auricle. The headset of the invention is thus self-supporting in the functional position only by its endpiece, this end being wrapped by the conformable skirt 22 which comes into contact with the tragus, the antitragus and the root of the helix by holding the endpiece slightly below the underside of these folds.

FIGS. 3 and 4 show in more detail the configuration of the various elements of the projecting tip 14 and of the conformable skirt 22. The conformable skirt 22 comprises a cylindrical sleeve 36 surrounding and at least partially enclosing the end-piece. 18, and then a flared portion 38 extending around the tip head 16 and extended by a peripheral fold 40 extending radially outwardly and then axially towards the housing 12 from the distal end of the portion 38. The tip head 16 encloses an acoustic transducer (earphone) 42 housed in an interior cavity of the head having a wall 44 opposite the housing (i.e., the side facing the ear canal). breakthrough openings 46 for the transmission of sound. In the opposite region, facing the housing, the tip head has a wall 48 defining the cavity housing the transducer 42 and through which one or more orifices 50 acting as an acoustic vent function for putting this cavity into communication with the surrounding atmosphere. The tip is also provided with an axial conduit 52 for connecting the connecting conductors of the transducer 42 to the electronic circuit located inside the housing 12. The tip 14 is rigid, that is to say that unlike some devices that may have been proposed previously, the tip foot 18 is not hinged and the assembly formed by the housing 12, the tip foot 18 and the tip head 16 is functionally a non-deformable one-piece assembly constituting a geometric reference for the conformable skirt 22 surrounding this mouthpiece.

The skirt 22 is made of a flexible material such as a molded silicone elastomer in one piece. In an exemplary embodiment, for a tip head 16 with a diameter of 13 mm (housing a transducer 10 mm in diameter), the overall diameter of the skirt 22 is 19 mm in the inferior state, ie a radius of 9.5 mm. The elasticity of the material and the configuration Peripheral foldback accommodates variations of +/- 15%, or more, of this dimension, corresponding to an overall radius that can vary between 8.5 and 10.5 mm around the nominal value. This positive or negative radial displacement, illustrated in a and b in Figure 6, results from the relative geometry of the flared portion 38 and the peripheral fold 40 and the position of the flared portion 38 relative to this nozzle 16; more specifically, the flared portion 38 and the peripheral fold 40 are connected at their adjoining ends by a flange 54 forming a hinge, dimensioned so as to provide a gap 56 between the peripheral fold 40 and the flared portion 38. On the other hand, the flared portion 38 is sized to provide a radial clearance 58 between the flared portion and the tip head 16 over at least a portion of the height of the flared portion. The radial displacement a and b makes it possible to accommodate variations in diameter in all the directions situated in a radial plane, as suggested in ç in FIG.

Furthermore, the flared portion 38 and the sleeve 36 are connected by a deformable connecting region 60 configured to provide an axial degree of freedom allowing, under the effect of external axial stress applied to the flange 54, a telescopic movement of the flared portion 38 in the direction and partial overlap of the sleeve 36, as illustrated in the right half-section of FIG. 5.

This characteristic makes it possible in particular, in addition to the radial clearance a or b (FIG. 6), to allow an axial displacement d (FIG. 5) of the conformable skirt. Given the flexibility of the material, this axial displacement is possible, in the circumferential direction, on only part of the conformable skirt, which not only allows the axial deformation thereof, but also allows an inclination of the radial plane relative to to the main reference axis YY of the mouthpiece, as suggested by the arrows e and f in FIG. 3 (the radial plane being defined approximately by the plane tangent to the flange 54 when the skirt is in the free state ). This multiplicity of degrees of freedom and possibilities of deformation of the skirt 22 allows a very good conformation thereof to the morphology of the ear of the user and, consequently, a very good maintenance of the atrium with maximum comfort. The introduction of the headset is very simple, and can be done with one hand, the conformable skirt immediately take the position ensuring optimal maintenance.

The position obtained is then that illustrated in Figure 2 above. The housing 10, which is held in the ear just because of the deformation of the skirt 22, can slightly press against the maxillary region. Note also the possibility of adjusting the orientation of the main axis XX of the housing so as to place the microphone located at the distal end thereof in the direction of the mouth; this adjustment is obtained by a slight rotation of the housing 10 around the axis of the endpiece (arrow g in Figure 2). This additional degree of freedom is made possible in particular by the fact that the tip and the skirt are parts having a symmetry of revolution relative to the axis YY of the tip. According to another advantageous characteristic, the flared portion 38 is configured so as to leave a residual peripheral volume 62 between the posterior region 48 of the tip head and the region of the flared portion 38 situated in the vicinity of the connection region 60. with the sleeve 36. The flared portion 38 also comprises at least one through opening 64 placing in communication this residual volume 62 with the surrounding atmosphere. This configuration makes it possible in particular to ensure that in all cases the internal volume of the tip head 16 containing the transducer 42 will always be in communication with the outside air, the orifice 50 still fulfilling its role of vent: indeed, this orifice 50 will always be in communication with the peripheral residual volume 62, the latter being itself in communication with the environment through the opening 64. Note that this condition is assured regardless of the circumferential position relative to the vent 50 and the opening 64, which do not need to be located opposite each other since they are still in communication via the peripheral volume 62. This arrangement makes it possible to ensure in the atrium of the invention excellent acoustic qualities in all circumstances.

Claims

A self-supporting atrium (10), comprising:

an elongated housing (12) containing an electric circuit, and

a rigid protruding endpiece (14) extending from the housing, this projecting endpiece comprising a tubular end of foot (18) connected to the housing at one of its ends and extended at its opposite end by a head of an enlarged tip (16) enclosing an acoustic transducer (42), the protruding tip being adapted and adapted to be placed in the cavum conchœ (24) of a user's ear (22) outside and near the auditory canal (26), atrium characterized in that it further comprises a conformable skirt (22) disposed around the tip, this conformable skirt being made of an elastically deformable material and comprising successively:

- a sleeve (36) wrapping the foot of the tip, - a flared portion (38) extending around the head of the tip, and

an adjoining peripheral fold (40), this fold extending radially outwards and axially towards the housing from the distal end of the flared portion, the fold and the flared portion being connected to their adjoining ends by a flange (54) dimensioned to accommodate an interval (56) between the circumferential fold and the flared portion, said gap and fold being radially sized to allow a relative deflection (a, b) of the fold relative to the flared part, so that, with the inherent elasticity of the material of the skirt, said debonding makes it possible for the fold to come into contact with the tragus (28), the antitra- gus (30) and the root (32). ) of the helix (34) of the user when the atrium is placed in the ear, and the maintenance of the atrium in the operative position by the tip simply by this contact.

2. The headset of claim 1, wherein the flared portion (38) of the conformable skirt (22) is dimensioned so as to provide a radial clearance (58) between the flared portion and the head of the nozzle on at least part of the height of this flared part.

3. The headset of claim 1, wherein the sleeve (36) and the flared portion (38) of the conformable skirt (22) are connected by a deformable connecting region (60), this connecting region being configured so to provide an axial degree of freedom allowing a radial (d) telescopic displacement of the flared portion on the sleeve under the effect of external axial stress applied to said flange.

The atrium of claim 1, wherein:

the tip head (16) comprises an acoustic vent (50) in its rear region (48) facing the housing, and

the sleeve (36) and the flared portion (38) of the conformable skirt (22) are dimensioned radially and axially so as to provide a residual peripheral volume (62) between the flared portion and said posterior region of the tip head; .

5. The headset of claim 4, wherein the flared portion (38) has at least one through opening (64) for placing the peripheral residual volume (62) in communication with the outside air.

6. The atrium of claim 1, wherein the rigid tip (14) and the conformable skirt (22) form a non-lateralised assembly, having a symmetry with respect to the plane defined by the axis of the tip (YY). and the axis of the largest dimension of the housing (XX).

7. The headset of claim 1, wherein the rigid tip (14) and the conformable skirt (22) form an assembly having a symmetry of revolution relative to the axis of the tip (YY).

8. The headset of claim 1, wherein the rigid tip (14) is fixed relative to the housing.

9. The headset of claim 1, wherein the conformable skirt (22) is a one-piece piece of silicone elastomer.

10. The atrium of claim 1, wherein the maximum value of the relative deflection (a, b) of the fold (40) relative to the flared portion (38) is between +/- 10% and +/- 20% the radial dimension of the fold at its free end.