Earphone having vibration conductor which conducts vibration, and stereo earphone including the same

• US 10,506,343 B2
• Filed: 05/15/2018
• Issued: 12/10/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 06/29/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Finewell Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Finewell Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Hosoi, Hiroshi, Hosoi, Yoji, Morimoto, Masashi, Tanaka, Masahide
• Primary Examiner(s): Fischer, Mark
• Application Number:
  US15/980,461
• Publication Number:
  US 20180262839A1
• Time in Patent Office: 574 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/03 Constructional features of telephone transmitters or receivers, e.g. telephone hand-sets
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/05 specially adapted for use on head, throat or breast
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/6058 involving the use of a headset accessory device connected to the portable telephone
• 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 1/086 Protective screens, e.g. all weather or wind screens
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/1041 Mechanical or electronic switches, or control elements switches in general H01H
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/1075 Mountings of transducers in earphones or headphones
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/1083 Reduction of ambient noise active noise reduction per se G10K11/175; protective devices for the ear, e.g. providing acoustic protection A61F11/06
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 17/00 Piezoelectric transducers; Electrostrictive transducers piezoelectric or electrostrictive elements in general H10N30/00; details of piezoelectric or electrostrictive motors, generators or positioners H10N30/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2225/61 Aspects relating to mechanical or electronic switches or control elements, e.g. functioning
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2410/05 Noise reduction with a separate noise microphone
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2420/07 Applications of wireless loudspeakers or wireless microphones
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2460/01 Hearing devices using active noise cancellation
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2460/13 Hearing devices using bone conduction transducers
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2460/17 Hearing device specific tools used for storing or handling hearing devices or parts thereof, e.g. placement in the ear, replacement of cerumen barriers, repair, cleaning hearing devices
• 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 25/606 acting directly on the eardrum, the ossicles or the skull, e.g. mastoid, tooth, maxillary or mandibular bone, or mechanically stimulating the cochlea, e.g. at the oval window
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 29/001 for loudspeakers H04R29/007 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 5/02 Spatial or constructional arrangements of loudspeakers
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 5/027 Spatial or constructional arrangements of microphones, e.g. in dummy heads
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 5/033 : Headphones for stereophonic communication details thereof, e.g. relating to batteries, cables or control elements H04R1/10
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 5/04 : Circuit arrangements, e.g. for selective connection of amplifier inputs/outputs to loudspeakers, for loudspeaker detection, or for adaptation of settings to personal preferences or hearing impairments combinations of amplifiers H03F3/68; stereophonic systems H04S

Abstract

An earphone has a vibration conductor and a vibration source for the vibration conductor. The vibration conductor fits in a cavum conchae to make contact with an ear cartilage having an external auditory meatus in an open state, and conducts vibration to a contact part of the ear cartilage.

Claims

1. An earphone comprising:

a vibration conductor which fits in a cavum conchae to make contact with an ear cartilage, with an external auditory meatus in an open state, and conducts vibration to a contact part of the ear cartilage; and

a vibration source for the vibration conductor, wherein

when the vibration conductor is fitted in the cavum conchae, the vibration conductor as a whole is located below an entrance to the external auditory meatus,

the vibration conductor fits in the cavum conchae by resting on an intertragic notch forming a lower part of the cavum conchae, and

the external auditory meatus is closed by inserting the vibration conductor into the entrance to the external auditory meatus.

2. The earphone according to claim 1, wherein

the vibration conductor conducts the vibration from the contact part to a cartilage around an entrance to the external auditory meatus to generate air-conducted sound in the external auditory meatus from a surface thereof so that the air-conducted sound reaches an eardrum.

3. The earphone according to claim 1, wherein the vibration source is provided within the vibration conductor.

4. Stereo earphones comprising a pair of earphones of which each is the earphone according to claim 1.

5. An earphone comprising:

a vibration conductor which fits in a cavum conchae to make contact with an ear cartilage, with an external auditory meatus in an open state, and conducts vibration to a contact part of the ear cartilage; and

a vibration source for the vibration conductor, wherein

when the vibration conductor is fitted in the cavum conchae, the vibration conductor as a whole is located below an entrance to the external auditory meatus,

the vibration conductor conducts the vibration from the contact part to a cartilage around an entrance to the external auditory meatus to generate air-conducted sound in the external auditory meatus from a surface thereof so that the air-conducted sound reaches an eardrum, and

the external auditory meatus is closed by inserting the vibration conductor into the entrance to the external auditory meatus.

6. The earphone according to claim 5, wherein the vibration source is provided within the vibration conductor.

7. Stereo earphones comprising a pair of earphones of which each is the earphone according to claim 5.

8. An earphone comprising:

a vibration conductor which fits in a cavum conchae to make contact with an ear cartilage, with an external auditory meatus in an open state, and conducts vibration to a contact part of the ear cartilage; and

a vibration source for the vibration conductor, wherein

the external auditory meatus is closed by inserting the vibration conductor into an entrance to the external auditory meatus.

9. The earphone according to claim 8, wherein the vibration source is provided within the vibration conductor.

10. Stereo earphones comprising a pair of earphones of which each is the earphone according to claim 8.