Piezoelectric bone conductive in ear voice sounds transmitting and receiving apparatus

• US 4,150,262 A
• Filed: 04/21/1977
• Issued: 04/17/1979
• Est. Priority Date: 11/18/1974
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Hiroshi Ono
• Original Assignee: Hiroshi Ono
• Inventors: Ono, Hiroshi
• Primary Examiner(s): Stellar, George G.
• Application Number:
  US05/789,606
• Time in Patent Office: 726 Days
• Field of Search: 179/102, 179/107 BC, 179/107 E, 179/110 A
• US Class Current: 381/326
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/62 Constructional arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/14 Throat mountings for microphones
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/22 for obtaining desired frequency characteristic only circuit for combining transducers having different responses H04R3/00; for hearing aids H04R25/407
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/46 Special adaptations for use as contact microphones, e.g. on musical instrument, on stethoscope throat mountings H04R1/14
• 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 17/02 Microphones
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2460/13 Hearing devices using bone conduction transducers

Abstract

A voice sound transmitting and receiving apparatus suitable for the use under noisy circumstances and designed to be inserted into the external auditory canal of a user for attaining the voice sound transmitting and receiving operation using the vibrations of the external auditory canal wall.

Claims

1. A voice sound transmitting and receiving apparatus comprising an earpiece means adapted to be inserted in the auditory canal of a user to contact the bones of a user within the ear to use bone conductive voice vibrations, said earpiece means having a hollow portion, converting means in said hollow portion operable to convert bone conductive voice vibrations to electrical signals and vice versa, said converting means comprising a piezo element in the form of a strip arranged in said hollow portion in said earpiece means, a space portion in the earpiece means to communicate with the air in the space of the external auditory canal, and a speaker in said space portion.

2. A voice sound transmitting and receiving apparatus comprising an earpiece means adapted to contact the bones of a user within the ear to use bone conductive voice vibrations, said earpiece means having a hollow portion, converting means in said hollow portion operable to convert bone conductive voice vibrations to electrical signals and vice versa, said converting means comprising a piezo element in the form of a strip arranged in said hollow portion in said earpiece means, and a weight fixed on the piezo element.

3. A voice sound transmitting and receiving apparatus comprising an earpiece means adapted to contact the bones of a user within the ear to use bone conductive voice vibrations, said earpiece means having a hollow portion, and converting means in said hollow portion operable to convert bone conductive voice vibrations to electrical signals and vice versa, said converting means comprising a pluarlity of piezo elements in strip form arranged in said hollow portion in such different directions that the piezo effect of respective piezo crystals and the bone conductive voice signals can be picked up without being influenced by the difference in the vibration amplitudes of the piezo elements which may be caused from the directional property of respective piezo crystals.

4. A voice sound transmitting and receiving apparatus comprising an earpiece means adapted to contact the bones of a user within the ear to use bone conductive voice vibrations, said earpiece means having a hollow portion, and converting means in said hollow portion operable to convert bone conductive voice vibrations to electrical signals and vice versa, said converting means comprising a piezo element in the form of a strip arranged in said hollow portion in said earpiece means, said piezo element comprising a piezo crystal of zirconic acid titanium acid lead in ring form with the outer and the inner surfaces of the ring-shaped piezo crystal being covered by a polarization material so that the bones conductive voice signals can be picked up without being influenced by the difference in the vibration amplitude of the piezo element which may be caused from the directional property of the piezo crystal.

5. A voice sound transmitting and receiving apparatus according to claim 4 wherein said polarization material is ceramic.