WO2021099540A1

WO2021099540A1 - Support shackle for a vibro-acoustic device

Info

Publication number: WO2021099540A1
Application number: PCT/EP2020/082829
Authority: WO
Inventors: Alban Duroy
Original assignee: Studio Duroy
Priority date: 2019-11-20
Filing date: 2020-11-20
Publication date: 2021-05-27
Also published as: FR3103121B1; FR3103121A1

Abstract

The invention concerns a vibro-acoustic device (2) comprising an arch (3) extended on either side by end branches (6), (7) at least one of which (6) is defined as capable of receiving the vibro-acoustic device (2). This support shackle (1) is defined by a strip of elastic, in particular synthetic, material, of width at least five times greater than its thickness, shaped so as to define the arch (3) and the end branches (6), (7) extending it on either side, and that the unwound length of one of the edges (13), (14) of the strip defining the arch (3) is greater than the unwound length of the opposite edge (14).

Description

Title of the invention: Support handle for vibroacoustic device

[0001] [The invention relates to a support handle for a vibro-acoustic device comprising an arch extended on either side of end branches, at least one of which is defined capable of receiving the vibro-acoustic device.

The present invention relates to the field of vibro-acoustic devices.

[0003] Document WO 2019/166705 provides a vibro-acoustic device housed in a housing carried by a support handle corresponding to the description above.

[0004] Thus, this support handle essentially comprises a part in the form of an arch extended on either side of end branches, on at least one of which can be attached the housing of the vibro-acoustic device. The other end branch is also capable of receiving a housing for housing a battery.

The objective sought through this support handle consists, after engagement on the shoulder of a user, to position the vibro-acoustic device against the thorax by ensuring that the latter, such as the membrane of a speaker, emits sound inside the body, using the rib cage as a sound box.

[0006] To improve the efficiency of the vibro-acoustic device, it is more particularly desirable that the vibrating part of its vibratory mechanism is directly in contact with the thorax.

[0007] For this purpose, this known vibro-acoustic device comprises a permanent magnet generating a permanent magnetic field in an air gap in which an electric coil is arranged axially. It carries a disc provided with an elastomeric coating constituting this vibrating part brought into direct contact with the user's thorax.

[0008] However, the quality of this contact depends exclusively on the elastic nature of the support handle in the solution according to the state of the art. Through this elasticity, the elastomeric layer of the vibrating disc must be kept intimately in contact with the user's body, without hindering his breathing. [0009] The difficulty lies in the positioning of the thorax with which the vibro-acoustic device must be in contact with respect to the necessarily offset shoulder and on which the support handle is engaged.

Due to the weight of the vibro-acoustic device, or even of the battery at the ends of the branches of the support handle, the latter tends to fall vertically under the shoulder, except to ensure an elastic tightening of intensity sufficient to maintain these branches inclined, for one, in the direction of the thorax and, for the other, under the scapula. However, the higher this tightening intensity, the more the user is hampered in his breathing.

[0011] The advantage of a support handle compared to a strap to be closed as a shoulder strap around the user lies in the ease of engagement of this support handle on the shoulder, without further manipulation. In particular, at the entrance of a cinema or concert hall, such a vibro-acoustic device can be made available to users who can easily engage it on the shoulder and just as easily remove it when leaving.

[0012] Furthermore, it is important for the user to avoid placing the vibrating part in the right of the heart, which is all the more risky if the support loop is engaged on the left shoulder rather than the right shoulder. Indeed, as indicated above, due to its weight, this support handle tends to pivot in a vertical position, the vibrating part, following the movement, would thus tend to move from the thorax towards the heart.

A first objective of the present invention is to ensure that the support handle is held in the correct position on the shoulder so that the vibrating part remains in contact with the thorax of the user, regardless of the movements performed. by the latter, without constraining this user. In this regard, the vibro-acoustic device can be worn as part of a musical evening, dancing to prevent participants from being subjected to excessively high sound levels while offering them a perfect perception of sound. It is therefore important that even under these conditions the device remains perfectly in place to continuously perceive its effectiveness.

To achieve this objective it was imagined, in a first inventive step, a support handle offering a large contact surface to the user so as to ensure a better distribution of the pressure exerted on the latter and to avoid localized pressure too important. Through a second inventive step, we imagined an ergonomic configuration of this support handle so that, the part of the hoop pressed against the shoulder, the branches extending the latter extend naturally, for the 'one, in the direction of the thorax and, for the other, of the scapula.

[0016] Above all, this ergonomic configuration surprisingly constitutes foolproof means naturally leading the user to engage the support handle on the right shoulder and not on the left shoulder, thereby avoiding the crossing of the heart. by the vibrating part.

[0017] To this end, the invention relates to a support handle for a vibro-acoustic device comprising an arch extended on either side of end branches of which at least one is defined capable of receiving the vibro-device. acoustic, characterized in that the support handle is defined by a strip of elastic material, in particular synthetic, of width at least five times greater than its thickness, shaped to define the arch and the end branches extending the latter by on both sides, and that the unwound length of one of the edges of the strip defining the arch is greater than the unwound length of the opposite edge.

The advantages resulting from this configuration consist in that the band of the arch, in the top part of the latter, is inclined relative to the horizontal when the end branches extending this arch extend substantially vertically .

Thus, by engaging the support handle on the right shoulder and by applying the band of the arch flat on the shoulder, the end branches necessarily come to incline relative to the vertical, forming a angle defined with respect to the latter. This inclination has the consequence of positioning the vibrating part of the vibro-acoustic device, at the end of one of the end branches, in line with the thorax, while the other branch extends in the back, under the 'scapula.

Note, in this regard, that this inclination relative to the vertical taken by the end branches may be different from one branch to the other when the arch is applied on the shoulder of a user. Moreover, the configuration of these branches can be adapted to the anatomy of a wearer to best reach the thorax by means of that equipped with the vibro- device. acoustically and position yourself comfortably under the scapula in relation to the other limb.

[0021] Other advantageous objects of the present invention will become apparent from the description which follows relating to an exemplary embodiment given by way of indication and not by way of limitation.

The understanding of this description will be facilitated by referring to the attached drawing in which:

• [Fig.1] Figure 1 is a schematic and perspective representation of a vibro-acoustic device associated with a support handle according to the invention;

• [Fig.2] Figure 2 is a schematic and perspective representation of the support shackle according to the invention, the end branch on which is fixed the vibro-acoustic device extending to the front of the end branch designed to slip under the user's scapula;

• [Fig.3] Figure 3 is a representation similar to Figure 2, the support shackle being rotated 180 °, the end branch receiving the vibro-acoustic device located at the rear;

• [Fig.4] Figure 4 is another schematic perspective representation of the same support handle.

As shown in the various figures of the attached drawing, the present invention relates to a support handle 1 for a vibro-acoustic device 2, one embodiment of which is more particularly visible in Figure 1.

Thus, this support handle 1 comprises a hoop 3 extended on either side, at its ends 4, 5, by end branches 6, 7, one of which 6 comprises fixing means 8 suitable for cooperate with complementary fixing means (not visible in the figures) of said vibro-acoustic device 2.

Such fixing means 8 can take different embodiments, for example that of buttonholes 9, as shown in Figures 2 to 4, able to cooperate with hooking lugs corresponding to the complementary fixing means equipping the device vibro-acoustics 2.

Note that these fixing means 8 and the complementary fixing means can still be of the magnetic type, or even be in the form of a slide. Particularly preferably, these fixing means 8 and those additional associated with the vibro-acoustic device are adjustable to adjust the latter along the end branch 6.

The other end branch 7 is of configuration adapted to its function, that is to say extend in the back, preferably under the scapula of a user when the support handle 1 is engaged on the shoulder.

Advantageously, the end 10 of this end branch 7 can be provided with an opening 11 for receiving a battery or a battery box (not shown) capable of supplying the vibro-acoustic device. through the support handle 1. For this purpose, the latter can integrate means of interconnection between such a battery at the end 10 of the end branch 7 and the vibro-acoustic device 2 mounted on the branch end 6.

It should also be noted that this support handle 1 can be equipped with acoustic speakers so as to broadcast, very close to the user's ear, the sound waves emitted, in a given environment, by emitting means appropriate, and captured by receiving means again associated with the support handle 1.

[0031] On the latter can also be installed light signaling means such as LEDs, whether for the purpose of providing information on the proper functioning of the vibro-acoustic device and / or on the charge level of the battery or again, the operation of which is related to a rhythm of perceived acoustic waves.

Essentially, this support handle 1 is defined by a strip 12 of elastic material, preferably synthetic, of width at least five times greater than its thickness and shaped to define the arch 3 and the end branches 6, 7.

[0033] Thus, this strip may have a thickness of a few millimeters for a width of one or more centimeters.

Also this strip 12 of elastic material is curved around an axis substantially parallel to the plane of the strip to form the curved part of the hoop 3.

According to a very particular characteristic of the invention, the unwound length of one of the edges 13, 14 of the strip 12 is greater than the unwound length of the opposite edge 14. The peculiarity of this characteristic results in that in the top part 15 of the arch 3, the generator 16 at this arch 3 extends at an angle of inclination a greater than 90 ° relative to the vertical when the end branches 6, 7 fall vertically on either side of this arch 3. This angle a is of the order of 95 ° to 115 °, preferably between 100 ° and 110 °, advantageously of the order of 105 °.

The consequence of this configuration is that by bringing this generator 16 in a horizontal plane corresponding to the application of the band forming the arch 3 on the shoulder, the result is a natural inclination of the end branches 6 , 7.

The objective sought through this natural inclination once the support handle 1 engaged on the shoulder of a user is that the end branches 6.7 are oriented, for the first, in the direction of the thorax with which the vibrating part of the vibroacoustic device 2 must come into contact and, for the other, towards the back, more particularly under the scapula.

[0039] To prevent the vibro-acoustic device from crossing the heart, it is important that the carrying handle 1 be worn on the right shoulder of a user. Also if we define as being the inner side 17 of the support handle 1 that oriented towards the neck of the user when this support handle is engaged on the right shoulder, the edge 14 of the shortest unrolled length is located on this inner side 17, while the edge 13 of longer unwound length is on the outer side 18.

Furthermore, according to another characteristic of the invention, at least on a top portion 19 of the arch 3 the radius of curvature R13 of the edge 13 of longer unwound length is greater than the radius of curvature R14 of the edge 14 of shorter unrolled length.

According to an advantageous embodiment, the radius R13 of the edge 13 of longer unwound length at the level of the hoop 3 is of the order of 55 to 70 mm, while the radius of curvature R14 of the edge 14 is between 45 and 54 millimeters.

This feature causes the end branches 6.7 to adopt a divergence arrangement with respect to each other from the outer side 18 towards the inner side 17. Thus, the angle formed between these branches d 'end 6, 7 is between 3 ° and 15 °, preferably between 5 ° and 7 °. The advantages resulting from the present invention consist of perfect contact between the support handle 1 with the user and a vibrating part of the vibro-acoustic device held intimately in contact with the thorax without shifting at the slightest movement made by this user.

In particular, the vibro-acoustic device associated with such a support handle 1 can be easily made available at the entrance to a concert hall or cinema to equip spectators by simple engagement on their right shoulder from which results perfect positioning on this user for optimum efficiency of this vibro-acoustic device. It is just as easy to remove this support handle when leaving the premises, without necessarily having to undo a strap or other fastening element.

Claims

[Claim 1] Support handle (1) for a vibro-acoustic device (2) comprising a hoop (3) extended on either side of end branches (6), (7) of which at least one (6) is defined capable of receiving the vibro-acoustic device (2), the support handle (1) being defined by a strip (12) of elastic material, in particular synthetic, of width at least five times greater than its thickness and shaped for define the arch (3) and the end branches (6), (7) extending the latter on either side, characterized in that,

• the unwound length of one (13) of the edges (13), (14) of the band defining the arch (3) is greater than the unwound length of the opposite edge (14);

• in the top part (15) of the arch (3), the generator (16) to this arch (3) extends at an angle of inclination a greater than 90 °, preferably between 100 ° and 110 ° , relative to the vertical when the end branches (6), (7) fall substantially vertically on either side of this hoop (3).

• that at least on a top portion (19) of the arch (3) the radius of curvature (R13) of the edge (13) of longer unwound length is greater than the radius of curvature (R14) of the edge (14) of shorter unrolled length; the radius of curvature (R13) of the edge (13) of longer unwound length being of the order of 55 to 70 mm, while the radius of curvature (R14) of the edge (14) being between 45 and 54 millimeters

[Claim 2] Support handle according to Claim 1, characterized in that the edge (14) of the shortest unwound length is located on this inner side (17) of the support handle (1), intended to be oriented in the direction of the neck when this support handle is engaged on the right shoulder of a user, the edge (13) of longer unrolled length being located on the outer side (18) opposite.

[Claim 3] Support handle according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the end branches (6), (7) adopt a divergent arrangement with respect to each other from the outer side (18 ) towards the inner side (17). Thus, the angle formed between these end branches (6), (7) is between 3 ° and 15 °, preferably between 5 ° and 7 °.

[Claim 4] Support handle according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the end (10) of the end branch (7) is provided with an opening (11) for receiving a battery or a supply battery box, in particular for the vibro-acoustic device (2).

[Claim 5] Support handle according to claim 4caractérisé in that it incorporates interconnection means between a battery at the end (10) of the end branch (7) and the associated vibroacoustic device (2) at the end branch (6).

[Claim 6] Support handle according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it is equipped with acoustic speakers picked up by receiving means also associated with this support handle (1).

[Claim 7] Support handle according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it comprises light signaling means such as LEDs.]