Cartilage conduction hearing device using an electromagnetic vibration unit, and electromagnetic vibration unit

• US 10,356,231 B2
• Filed: 06/16/2017
• Issued: 07/16/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 12/18/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Finewell Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Finewell Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Hosoi, Hiroshi, Hosoi, Yoji, Tanaka, Masahide
• Primary Examiner(s): Gauthier, Gerald
• Application Number:
  US15/625,114
• Publication Number:
  US 20170295269A1
• Time in Patent Office: 760 Days
• Field of Search: 379 8818, 381 716, 381102, 381151, 381162, 381191, 381309, 381315, 381318, 381401, 381 60, 381326, 455 413, 4555501, 455566, 4555751, 455563, 600 25
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/02 Constructional features of telephone sets
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/03 Constructional features of telephone transmitters or receivers, e.g. telephone hand-sets
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/02 Casings; Cabinets ; Supports therefor; Mountings therein H04R1/28 takes precedence ; attachments for microphones H04R1/08; mounting of transducers in earpieces H04R1/1075
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/10 Earpieces; Attachments therefor ; Earphones; Monophonic headphones H04R1/28 takes precedence; stereophonic headphones H04R5/033
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/1008 Earpieces of the supra-aural or circum-aural type
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/1016 Earpieces of the intra-aural type
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2460/13 Hearing devices using bone conduction transducers
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2499/11 Transducers incorporated or for use in hand-held devices, e.g. mobile phones, PDA's, camera's
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 5/033 Headphones for stereophonic communication details thereof, e.g. relating to batteries, cables or control elements H04R1/10

Abstract

Provided is a portable telephone or an earphone or an electromagnetic-type vibration unit that comprises an electromagnetic-type vibrator including two mutually relatively moving portions supported via an elastic body, and that is configured to produce vibrations from at least one of the two portions for cartilage conduction. The elastic body provides a cartilage conduction portion to be contacted with the ear cartilage. The elastic body is disposed on or in the vicinity of an upper corner portion of a housing. One of the two portions is supported on a housing structure with the elastic body supported by the housing structure, and the other of the two portions is supported by the elastic body. Of the two portions, one with a greater weight is supported by the elastic body.

Claims

1. A hearing device, comprising:

an electromagnetic vibrating element including two parts that move relative to each other; and

an elastic body, wherein

one of the two parts includes a voice coil bobbin around which a voice coil is wound,

the other of the two parts includes;

a yoke holding a magnet and a central magnetic pole, and

a top plate anchored to the magnet and the central magnetic pole,

the voice coil penetrates into a gap in the top plate without making contact with the top plate,

the other of the two parts is movable relative to the one of the two parts,

the elastic body is in contact with at least one of the voice coil bobbin and the yoke, and

vibration for cartilage conduction is extracted from at least one of the two parts.

2. The hearing device of claim 1, wherein the elastic body is exposed.

3. The hearing device of claim 1, wherein the hearing device is configured as a mobile telephone having a casing, and the elastic body is arranged in or near a corner part of a top part of the casing.

4. The hearing device of claim 1, wherein

the hearing device is configured as a mobile telephone having a casing,

one of the two parts is supported on the casing structure,

the elastic body is supported on the casing structure, and

the other of the two parts is supported on the elastic body.

5. The hearing device of claim 4, wherein one of the two parts that is heavier is supported on the elastic body.

6. The hearing device of claim 1, wherein

one of the two parts or a part that connects thereto serves as a cartilage conduction unit that makes contact with the ear cartilage, and

the elastic body is interposed between the two parts.

7. The hearing device of claim 1, wherein

the hearing device is configured as a mobile telephone having a casing, and

the two parts and the elastic body are arranged inside the casing.

8. The hearing device of claim 1, wherein

the hearing device is configured as an earphone, and

the elastic body serves as a cartilage conduction unit that makes contact with an ear cartilage.

9. The hearing device of claim 1, wherein

the hearing device is configured as an earphone, and

vibration that conducts from both of the two parts to the elastic body is extracted.

10. The hearing device of claim 1, wherein

the hearing device is configured as an earphone, and

the two parts are supported respectively on opposite faces of a space inside the elastic body.

11. The hearing device of claim 1, wherein

the hearing device is configured as an earphone, and

one of the two parts is supported on one of opposite faces of a space inside the elastic body, with the elastic body interposed in between, and

the other of the two parts is supported on the other of the opposite faces.

12. The hearing device of claim 1, wherein

the two parts that move relative to each other and the elastic body are configured as an electromagnetic vibration unit, and

vibration for cartilage conduction is extracted at least one of the two parts.

13. An electromagnetic vibration unit, comprising:

an electromagnetic vibrating element including two parts that move relative to each other; and

an elastic body, wherein

one of the two parts includes a voice coil bobbin around which a voice coil is wound,

the other of the two parts includes;

a yoke holding a magnet and a central magnetic pole, and

a top plate anchored to the magnet and the central magnetic pole,

the voice coil penetrates into a gap in the top plate without making contact with the top plate,

the other of the two parts is movable relative to the one of the two parts,

the elastic body is in contact with at least one of the voice coil bobbin and the yoke, and

vibration for cartilage conduction is extracted from at least one of the two parts.

14. The electromagnetic vibration unit of claim 13, further comprising:

a unit housing, wherein

one of the two parts is supported inside the unit housing, and

the other of the two parts is supported with the elastic body interposed in between.

15. The electromagnetic vibration unit of claim 13, wherein

the elastic body is exposed.

16. The electromagnetic vibration unit of claim 13, wherein the other of the two parts or a part that connects thereto serves as a cartilage conduction unit.

17. The electromagnetic vibration unit of claim 14, wherein the unit housing is formed of an elastic body.

18. The electromagnetic vibration unit of claim 13, further comprising:

a cartilage conduction unit that forms a corner part of a mobile telephone, wherein

vibration is conducted to the cartilage conduction unit from at least one of the two parts.

19. An electromagnetic vibration unit, comprising:

an elastic body in which a space having a pair of opposite faces is provided; and

two parts that move relative to each other, wherein

one of the two parts is supported on one of the pair of faces, and

the other of the two parts is supported on the other of the pair of faces, and wherein

the one of the two parts includes a voice coil bobbin around which a voice coil is wound,

the other of the two parts includes

a yoke holding a magnet and a central magnetic pole and

a top plate anchored to the magnet and the central magnetic pole,

the voice coil penetrates into a gap in the top plate without making contact with the top plate,

the other of the two parts is movable relative to the one of the two parts,

the elastic body is in contact with both of the voice coil bobbin and the yoke, and

vibration for cartilage conduction is extracted from the elastic body.

20. The electromagnetic vibration unit of claim 19, wherein

the electromagnetic vibration unit is configured as an earphone in which the elastic body is exposed.