Ear microphone for insertion in the ear in connection with portable telephone or radios

• US 5,659,620 A
• Filed: 03/10/1995
• Issued: 08/19/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 09/10/1992
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Nextlink IPR AB (INVISIO AB)
• Original Assignee: Peer Kuhlman
• Inventors: Kuhlman, Peer
• Primary Examiner(s): Kuntz, Curtis
• Assistant Examiner(s): NGUYEN, DUC MINH
• Application Number:
  US08/397,230
• Time in Patent Office: 893 Days
• Field of Search: 381/68, 381/68.3, 381/68.6, 381/69, 381/68.2, 381/68.7, 381/68.1, 381/68.5, 381/68.4, 381/151, 381/173
• US Class Current: 381/312
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/19 Arrangements of transmitters, receivers, or complete sets to prevent eavesdropping, to attenuate local noise or to prevent undesired transmission; Mouthpieces or receivers specially adapted therefor circuit arrangements for preventing eavesdropping H04M1/68; telephone cabinets E04H1/14
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/083 Special constructions of mouthpieces
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/1016 Earpieces of the intra-aural type
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/46 Special adaptations for use as contact microphones, e.g. on musical instrument, on stethoscope throat mountings H04R1/14

Abstract

An ear microphone includes a holder (2) adapted to be disposed and retained entirely in a wearer'"'"'s outer ear region, that is, outside the wearer'"'"'s auditory meatus (ear canal), and, a microphone unit (4) mounted in the rim of the holder for reception of speech sounds transmitted through the wearer'"'"'s tissue from the jawbone. The microphone unit is mounted in a portion of the edge of the holder (2) facing the bottom of the wearer'"'"'s tragus when the holder is worn in the ear, disposed in the wearer'"'"'s outer ear region. The microphone unit is insensitive to airborne sounds by having a rubber cover. Sound blocking is included between the microphone unit and a sound generator placed in the holder adjacent to the ear canal.

Claims

1. An ear microphone comprising

a holder (2) including means for retention and disposition entirely in a wearer'"'"'s outer ear region, the region being outside the wearer'"'"'s auditory meatus;

and

a microphone unit (4) mounted in the holder for reception of speech sounds transmitted through tissue of the wearer, the microphone unit being insensitive to airborne sound signals,

the microphone unit (4) being mounted in an edge of the holder (2) facing the bottom of the wearer'"'"'s tragus, the microphone unit being pressed into the wearer'"'"'s tragus in vibration transmitting tissue contact therewith when the holder is disposed in the wearer'"'"'s outer ear region.

6. The ear microphone as claimed in claim 1, wherein said microphone unit (4) is an accelerometer.

7. The ear microphone as claimed in claim 6 for use in a full duplex ear communication unit, wherein said microphone has a softly suspended (8) electroacoustic sound generator (7) mounted in a side of the holder (2) facing the auditory meatus.

9. The ear microphone as claimed in claim 7, wherein the entire holder is made substantially of a heavy vibration absorbing material having a density greater than 2 g/cm³.

10. The ear microphone as claimed in claim 9, wherein said microphone comprises means for allowing the feeder cable (3) to be replaced by a wireless transmission.

11. The ear microphone as claimed in claim 1, wherein said microphone unit (4) is positioned inside the holder (2) and is connected with a sound duct said sound duct being substantially hermetically connected with said coating (10).

12. The ear microphone as claimed in claim 1, wherein said microphone unit (4) has a low-frequency cutoff.

13. The ear microphone as claimed in claim 1 including means for use in full duplex ear communication unit, wherein said microphone has a softly suspended (8) electroacoustic sound generator (7) mounted in a side of the holder (2) facing the auditory meatus.

16. The ear microphone as claimed in claim 1, wherein the entire holder is made substantially of a heavy vibration absorbing material having a density greater that 2 g/cm³.

17. The ear microphone as claimed in claim 1, wherein said microphone comprises means for allowing the feeder cable (3) to be replaced by a wireless transmission.

18. The ear microphone as claimed in claim 9, wherein said material is a metal.

19. The ear microphone as claimed in claim 16, wherein said material is a metal.

2. The ear microphone as claimed in 1, wherein the sound pressure sensitive face (wall) of the microphone unit (4) is substantially hermetically covered by a coating (10) of a flexible material which in use is in vibration transmitting contact with the tissue.

3. The ear microphone as claimed in 2, wherein said coating (10) is made of a rubber elastic material.

4. The ear microphone as claimed in claim 3, wherein said microphone unit (4) is positioned inside the holder (2) and is connected with a sound duct, said sound duct being substantially hermetically connected with said coating (10).

5. The ear microphone as claimed in claim 4, wherein said microphone unit (4) has a low-frequency cutoff.

14. The ear microphone as claimed in claim 5 including means for use in a full duplex ear communication unit, wherein said microphone has a softly suspended (8) electroacoustic sound generator (7) mounted in a side of the holder (2) facing the auditory meatus.

15. The ear microphone as claimed in claim 14, wherein a vibration absorbing insert (9) is mounted in an area of the holder (2) between the sound generator (7) and the microphone unit (4).

8. The ear microphone as claimed in 7, wherein a vibration absorbing insert (9) is mounted in an area of the holder (2) between the sound generator (7) and the microphone unit (4).