Transducer device for use with communication apparatus

• US 5,909,498 A
• Filed: 03/25/1993
• Issued: 06/01/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 03/25/1993
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Timothy J. Martin
• Original Assignee: Jerry R. Smith
• Inventors: Smith, Jerry R.
• Primary Examiner(s): LE, HUYEN D
• Application Number:
  US08/037,567
• Time in Patent Office: 2,259 Days
• Field of Search: 381/686, 381/96, 381/183, 381/187, 381/158, 381/68, 381/68.2, 381/68.4, 381/68.7, 381/71, 381/72, 381/68.6, 381/74, 381/322, 381/328, 381/71.6, 381/71.7, 381/327 , 381/370, 381/371, 381/375, 381/376, 381/380, 379/430
• US Class Current: 381/380
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/1016 Earpieces of the intra-aural type
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/1075 Mountings of transducers in earphones or headphones
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2201/107 Monophonic and stereophonic headphones with microphone for two-way hands free communication

Abstract

A transducer device includes a pair of transducers in the form of a speaker element and a microphone element mounted in a common housing that may be positioned and retained in the external auditory canal of the human ear thereby allowing the user to interface with communications apparatus. The housing is structured to acoustically isolate the microphone and the speaker sufficiently to avoid feedback, i.e., audio coupling. In one embodiment, this isolation is accomplished by a layer of acoustical damping material interposed between the two transducers. In another embodiment, isolation is accomplished by using a separate guide structure for each transducer. In a third embodiment, isolation is accomplished by a ported metallic plate interposed between the two transducers.

Claims

1. A transducer device adapted to be placed proximately to the external auditory canal of a user'"'"'s ear in order for the user to interface with communications apparatus and operative to produce audible output in response to input signals received from said communications apparatus and operative to produce output signals in response to audible input for transmission by said communications apparatus, comprising:

(a) a housing sized and configured to be positioned in a mounted state at a location proximately to the external auditory canal of the user'"'"'s ear;

(b) a speaker element disposed in said housing in communication with said communications apparatus, said speaker element having a primary audio output vector and being oriented so that the primary audio output vector is directed toward the external auditory canal when in the mounted state, said speaker element operative in response to said input signals to produce audible output primarily in a direction along the primary audio output vector;

(c) a microphone element disposed in said housing in communications with said communications apparatus, said microphone element oriented proximately to the ear when in the mounted state and operative to receive audible input and produce output signals in response thereto, said microphone element having a primary audio input vector, said speaker element and said microphone element oriented so that the primary audio output vector and the primary audio input vector are in opposite directions; and

(d) an isolation structure of a type configured and positioned to acoustically isolate said microphone element sufficiently from said speaker element such that the audible output from said speaker element does not create feedback to said microphone element.

2. A transducer device operative to permit two-way communication between a user and another party, said transducer device adapted to be placed proximately to the external auditory canal of a user'"'"'s ear in order for the user to interface with communications apparatus and operative to produce audible output in response to input signals received from said communications apparatus and operative to produce output signals in response to audible input for transmission by said communications apparatus, comprising:

(a) a housing having an internal chamber, said housing sized and configured to be position in a mounted state at a location proximately to the external auditory canal of the user'"'"'s ear;

(b) a speaker element disposed in said internal chamber in communication with said communications apparatus, said speaker element operative to receive input signals and produce the audible output in response thereto;

(c) a microphone element disposed in said internal chamber in communication with said communications apparatus, said microphone element oriented proximately to the ear when in the mounter state and operative to receive audible input from a user and produce output signals in response thereto;

(d) isolation means including a ported metallic plate interposed between said speaker element and said microphone element, said isolation means for acoustically isolating said microphone element sufficiently from said speaker element such that the audible output from said speaker element does not create feedback to said microphone element, said transducer device thereby operative to permit two-way communication between a user and another party.