Antibacterial material, ear cap and earphone

Abstract

The application provides an antibacterial material ear cap and earphone. The antibacterial material comprises a body, an antibacterial agent and an antibacterial indicator, wherein the antibacterial agent is dispersed in the body, the antibacterial indicator is dispersed in the body, or the antibacterial indicator is connected with the body, and the antibacterial indicator is used for indicating the antibacterial property of the antibacterial material. Thus, by adding the antibacterial agent in the body, the antibacterial material has better antibacterial function; the setting of the antibacterial indicator can directly and obviously indicate the antibacterial effect of the antibacterial material, and let the consumer directly perceive the antibacterial effect of the antibacterial material, thereby improving the trust of the consumer on the antibacterial material.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the technical field of headphones, specifically to antibacterial materials, ear caps, and headphones. Background Technology

[0002] As an important structural component of in-ear headphones, the ear cap comes into direct contact with the skin of the ear. When in-ear headphones are used for a long time, the ear cap fits tightly to the ear canal, which prevents good air circulation inside the ear canal. In addition, the humidity may increase due to sweating, and the temperature of the ear canal may rise. Furthermore, some people's ears may secrete more due to their sensitivity to "foreign objects," which reduces the local defense function of the ear canal. Therefore, the antibacterial effect of the ear cap is particularly important in order to reduce the discomfort caused by the closed ear canal and the inflammation and allergies it may cause during the wearing process. Summary of the Invention

[0003] This application aims to at least partially address one of the technical problems in the related art. To this end, one objective of this application is to provide an ear cap that not only has antibacterial properties but also allows consumers to directly perceive the antibacterial effect of the headphones.

[0004] In one aspect, this application provides an antimicrobial material. According to an embodiment of this application, the antimicrobial material includes a substrate, an antimicrobial agent, and an antimicrobial indicator. The antimicrobial agent is dispersed within the substrate, and the antimicrobial indicator is dispersed within the substrate, or the antimicrobial indicator is connected to the substrate. The antimicrobial indicator is used to indicate the antimicrobial activity of the antimicrobial material. Thus, by adding an antimicrobial agent to the substrate, the antimicrobial material can possess better antimicrobial function; the antimicrobial indicator directly and clearly indicates the antimicrobial effect of the antimicrobial material, allowing consumers to directly perceive the antimicrobial effect and thereby increasing consumer trust in the antimicrobial material.

[0005] In another aspect of this application, an ear cap is provided. According to an embodiment of this application, the ear cap includes: an ear cap body; an antibacterial agent dispersed in the ear cap body, and / or the antibacterial agent dispersed in a tactile oil on the outer surface of the ear cap body; and an antibacterial indicator or sensor, the antibacterial indicator being dispersed in the ear cap body or the tactile oil, and the sensor being disposed on the inner surface of the ear cap body. Thus, by incorporating an antibacterial agent into the ear cap, the ear cap can possess good antibacterial function; the inclusion of an antibacterial indicator or sensor can directly and clearly indicate the antibacterial effect of the ear cap, allowing consumers to directly perceive the antibacterial effect, thereby increasing consumer trust in the ear cap.

[0006] In another aspect of this application, we provide an earphone. According to an embodiment of this application, the earphone includes: an earphone shell; and ear tips disposed on the earphone shell. Therefore, the ear tips of this earphone have a superior antibacterial effect, allowing consumers to directly perceive the antibacterial effect, thereby increasing consumer trust in the earphone. Those skilled in the art will understand that this earphone possesses all the features and advantages of the aforementioned ear tips, which will not be elaborated upon further here. Attached Figure Description

[0007] The above and / or additional aspects and advantages of this application will become apparent and readily understood from the description of the embodiments taken in conjunction with the following drawings, in which:

[0008] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a gas sensor in one embodiment of this application.

[0009] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the headphone structure in another embodiment of this application. Detailed Implementation

[0010] The following will explain the solution of this application with reference to embodiments. Those skilled in the art will understand that the following embodiments are for illustrative purposes only and should not be considered as limiting the scope of this application. Where specific techniques or conditions are not specified in the embodiments, they are performed according to the techniques or conditions described in the literature in the art or according to the product instructions. Reagents or instruments whose manufacturers are not specified are all conventional products that can be obtained commercially.

[0011] In one aspect, this application provides an antimicrobial material. According to an embodiment of this application, the antimicrobial material includes a substrate, an antimicrobial agent, and an antimicrobial indicator. The antimicrobial agent is dispersed within the substrate, and the antimicrobial indicator is dispersed within the substrate, or the antimicrobial indicator is connected to the substrate. The antimicrobial indicator is used to indicate the antimicrobial activity of the antimicrobial material. Thus, by adding an antimicrobial agent to the substrate, the antimicrobial material can possess better antimicrobial function; the antimicrobial indicator directly and clearly indicates the antimicrobial effect of the antimicrobial material, allowing consumers to directly perceive the antimicrobial effect and thereby increasing consumer trust in the antimicrobial material.

[0012] The body comprises at least one of silicone and hand-feel oil. Thus, silicone and hand-feel oil with antibacterial properties can be obtained, and the antibacterial properties of the silicone and hand-feel oil can be visually observed according to the indication of an antibacterial indicator.

[0013] The antibacterial agent includes at least one of TiO2, ZnO, SnO2, and ZrO2. Thus, under light irradiation, the antibacterial agent generates free radicals through the catalytic action of light, water, and oxygen, thereby killing bacteria. Furthermore, the antibacterial efficiency can be controlled by the light intensity, with higher light intensity resulting in better antibacterial efficiency.

[0014] According to embodiments of this application, the antimicrobial indicator includes an antimicrobial indicator, wherein the antimicrobial indicator (or antimicrobial indicator) can be a photochromic material, an odor indicator, or a color-changing indicator. The following describes these three types of antimicrobial indicators respectively:

[0015] In some embodiments, the antibacterial indicator is a photochromic material used to indicate the antibacterial activity of the antibacterial material. The antibacterial agent is at least one of TiO2, ZnO, SnO2, and ZrO2. Thus, under light exposure, the photochromic material changes color, and simultaneously, the antibacterial agent generates free radicals under the catalytic action of light, water, and oxygen, thereby killing bacteria. Therefore, the color change of the photochromic material can clearly indicate that the ear cap has an antibacterial effect. Furthermore, the antibacterial efficiency can be controlled by the light intensity; the greater the light intensity, the better the antibacterial efficiency and the more pronounced the color change of the photochromic material.

[0016] The photochromic material can be a photochromic polymer with a sulfur-containing carbazone structure, which is a photochromic polymer copolymerized from p-methacrylamide phenylmercuric dithiohydrazone complex with styrene, methyl methacrylate, butyl acrylate, and acrylamide, as shown in the structural formula below. This photochromic material changes from orange-red to dark brown or purple upon exposure to sunlight. Therefore, the antibacterial material changes color from orange-red to dark brown or purple under light, indicating that the ear cap is undergoing sterilization. Furthermore, the photochromic material is a photochromic polymer with a sulfur-containing carbazone structure, and the mass ratio of the silica gel, the antibacterial agent, and the photochromic material is 1:(0.02-0.05):(0.03-0.07). Within the above ratio range, the antibacterial material is sensitive to light, can quickly enter an antibacterial state, and undergoes a color change, allowing consumers to clearly perceive the antibacterial efficiency of the antibacterial material. However, if the concentration of the photochromic material is too high, the excessive sulfur content in the material will cause it to lose its color more quickly in the environment, and inorganic ions such as Ag will also be affected. + Zn 2+ It will also react with S to produce yellow or black precipitates; if the amount of antibacterial agent and antibacterial indicator is too small, it will affect the color change indicator effect and the antibacterial effect.

[0017] In some other embodiments, the antimicrobial indicator includes an antimicrobial indicator used to indicate the concentration of the antimicrobial agent in the body. Thus, by indicating the concentration of the antimicrobial indicator in the antimicrobial material, the user can intuitively understand the concentration of the antimicrobial indicator in the antimicrobial material, and thereby determine information such as the antimicrobial properties, antimicrobial efficiency, or antimicrobial duration of the antimicrobial material.

[0018] Furthermore, the antibacterial indicator includes an antibacterial indicator whose indication duration corresponds to the antibacterial duration of the antibacterial agent. The antibacterial indicator is a color-changing indicator, and its color changes with the indication duration. Therefore, the remaining antibacterial duration of the antibacterial material can be determined by the color change of the antibacterial material. Furthermore, since the color of the antibacterial material changes according to the color change of the color-changing indicator, the change in the color of the antibacterial material can indicate the change in its antibacterial duration.

[0019] The antibacterial agent is dispersed within the main body. During use, the antibacterial material will wear down or be lost. After a certain period of use, the antibacterial material will be completely worn away, and simultaneously, the color-changing indicator will completely change from the first color to the second color after a certain period, completing the color-changing indicator's color-changing process. Therefore, ideally, the lifespan of the antibacterial material should be close to the color-changing period of the color-changing indicator. Thus, the antibacterial indicator will provide indication throughout the entire effective period of the antibacterial agent. It should be noted that "the lifespan of the antibacterial material" refers to the time from the start of use until complete wear-off, and "the color-changing period of the color-changing indicator" refers to the time it takes for the color-changing indicator to completely change from the first color to the second color. Of course, multiple color changes or a gradual change effect are also possible.

[0020] In some specific embodiments, the color-changing indicator is an organic carrier doped with cerium and yttrium metal ions. This indicator can change from an initial bright red to a light blue. The organic carrier doped with cerium and yttrium metal ions is composed of numerous interlaced high-molecular-weight long chains, with the metal ions located at the intersections of the long chains. This carrier is added to solid silica gel along with additives, and after mixing and vulcanization, an antibacterial material is formed. Because this carrier is in an amorphous, non-crystalline state, it has a uniform defect distribution inside, thus avoiding the appearance rust spots caused by rapid oxidation at local defect sites in crystals. This results in a uniform oxide layer thickness inside and on the surface of the silica gel. The ratio of cerium and yttrium doping can adjust the color-changing rate and color appearance. According to the embodiments of this application, during the use of the antibacterial material, the color of the antibacterial indicator gradually changes. The color-changing period of the indicator is about 2 years, while the antibacterial activity of the antibacterial agent in the antibacterial material gradually weakens or even disappears within 2 years.

[0021] In some other embodiments, the antimicrobial indicator (such as an antimicrobial agent) is used to indicate the degree of release of antimicrobial factors in the antimicrobial agent. Therefore, the degree of release of antimicrobial factors in the antimicrobial material can be determined based on the indication of the antimicrobial indicator, thereby obtaining the remaining antimicrobial duration of the antimicrobial material.

[0022] Furthermore, the indication duration of the antibacterial indicator corresponds to the antibacterial duration of the antibacterial agent. The antibacterial indicator (e.g., the antibacterial indicator itself) is an odor indicator, and its odor changes with the indication duration. Therefore, the odor of the antibacterial indicator is the same as the odor of the antibacterial material. Thus, changes in the antibacterial activity, antibacterial efficiency, or antibacterial duration of the antibacterial material can be determined based on the odor change of the odor indicator. For example, if the odor of the antibacterial material gradually weakens from strong to weak, it indicates that the antibacterial activity or efficiency of the surface antibacterial material is gradually decreasing, and the remaining antibacterial duration is gradually decreasing.

[0023] Specifically, the antibacterial agent is dispersed within the product. During use, the antibacterial material will wear down or be lost, eventually becoming completely depleted. Simultaneously, the odor indicator will gradually lose its fragrance over time. Therefore, ideally, the lifespan of the antibacterial material should be close to the period of fragrance loss of the odor indicator. This ensures that the antibacterial indicator provides indication throughout the entire shelf life of the antibacterial material. It should be noted that "the lifespan of the hand-feel oil" refers to the time from the initial use of the ear cap until the antibacterial material is completely used up, while "the fragrance loss period of the odor indicator" refers to the time it takes for the odor indicator's scent to completely dissipate.

[0024] Furthermore, the odor indicator can be made of mugwort, borneol, frankincense, jasmine, lavender, agarwood, sandalwood, or natural fragrances. The scents of these odor indicators are easily identifiable, allowing users to clearly perceive them, and they will not harm the human body. Based on the aforementioned principle that "the shelf life of the antibacterial material can be made close to the dissipation period of the odor indicator's fragrance," the dosage of the antibacterial material and the type of odor indicator can be flexibly set.

[0025] According to embodiments of this application, the antibacterial indicator includes a sensor, which is used to indicate the release concentration of the antibacterial agent; or, the sensor is used to indicate the remaining effective antibacterial time of the antibacterial material; or, the sensor is used to indicate the antibacterial grade of the antibacterial material; or, the sensor is used to indicate the antibacterial activity of the antibacterial material. Thus, the sensor provides a direct view of information such as the antibacterial efficiency and remaining antibacterial duration of the antibacterial material.

[0026] Specifically, the sensor is used to indicate the release concentration of the antibacterial agent. The higher the release concentration of the antibacterial agent indicated by the sensor, the better the antibacterial effect; the lower the release concentration of the antibacterial agent, the lower the antibacterial effect. The sensor is also used to indicate the remaining effective antibacterial time of the antibacterial material, thereby directly obtaining the remaining usage time of the antibacterial material. For example, the total antibacterial time can be calculated in the laboratory first, and then the time can be started from the time of unpacking and installation to obtain the remaining antibacterial time in real time. The sensor is also used to indicate the antibacterial grade of the antibacterial material. The higher the antibacterial grade, the better the antibacterial effect of the antibacterial material; the lower the antibacterial grade, the lower the antibacterial effect of the antibacterial material.

[0027] The sensor is a gas sensor, as referenced. Figure 1 The gas sensor includes: a protective tube 10 defining a containment space and having an air inlet 11; a gas-sensitive resistor 20 and a compensation resistor 30 connected in series, the gas-sensitive resistor 20 and the compensation resistor 30 being disposed within the containment space, the compensation resistor 30 being grounded. When the antibacterial agent kills bacteria, it produces intermediate products such as carbon dioxide and / or hydrogen peroxide. After carbon dioxide and / or hydrogen peroxide enter the containment space through the air inlet, the gas-sensitive resistor is highly sensitive to carbon dioxide and / or hydrogen peroxide (the concentration of the gas significantly affects the resistance), causing a sudden change in the current through the gas-sensitive resistor or the voltage across its terminals. This is further controlled by logic circuitry to control the effect of the LED light, or converted into a real-time antibacterial rate value via analog-to-digital conversion, and the change in the LED light or the antibacterial value is directly displayed on the display panel, allowing consumers to directly see the antibacterial effect.

[0028] In some specific examples, the display panel is used to show the color changes of the LED lights, informing consumers of the real-time antibacterial and sterilization status through different colored LEDs. For example, a red light indicates insufficient antibacterial activity (below 30%), a yellow light indicates good antibacterial activity (between 30% and 70%), and a green light indicates excellent antibacterial activity (between 70% and 99%). The concentration range of carbon dioxide generation is 0-1000 micrograms / mol, and the concentration range of hydrogen peroxide intermediate product generation is 0-200 micrograms / mol.

[0029] The aforementioned protective tube 10 defines a containment space and has an air inlet 11, which is a gas channel that allows small molecules such as carbon dioxide and hydrogen peroxide to pass through as much as possible.

[0030] It is understandable that the antibacterial properties of the aforementioned antibacterial materials may begin to decline after production, or their antibacterial properties may only begin to change significantly during use through sealing, vacuuming, or light protection. The specific characteristics are determined by the antibacterial agent itself. Correspondingly, the indication time of the antibacterial indicator is set to achieve the indication effect. For example, if antibacterial materials are used to make ear caps, the status of the antibacterial indicator can remind the user to replace the ear caps in a timely manner. Of course, this antibacterial material can also be made into other items, such as watch straps, earphone shells, mobile phone shells, etc., and can be applied to various items, especially electronic devices, without any restrictions.

[0031] In another aspect of this application, an ear cap is provided. According to an embodiment of this application, the ear cap includes: an ear cap body; an antibacterial agent dispersed in the ear cap body, and / or the antibacterial agent dispersed in a tactile oil on the outer surface of the ear cap body; and an antibacterial indicator or sensor, the antibacterial indicator dispersed in the ear cap body or the tactile oil, and the sensor disposed on the inner surface of the ear cap body. Thus, by incorporating an antibacterial agent into the ear cap, the ear cap can possess good antibacterial function; the inclusion of an antibacterial indicator or sensor can directly and clearly indicate the antibacterial effect of the ear cap, allowing consumers to directly perceive the antibacterial effect, thereby increasing consumer trust in the ear cap.

[0032] According to an embodiment of this application, the material of the ear cap body is raw silicone. The ear cap body formed by this material has better flexibility, which makes the ear cap more comfortable when it fits the ear canal and will not cause discomfort to the ear canal.

[0033] It should be noted that the "outer surface" mentioned above refers to the surface of the ear cap that contacts the ear canal, while the "inner surface" refers to the surface of the ear cap that does not contact the ear canal. By placing the sensor on the inner surface of the ear cap, the comfort of the ear cap when it is inserted into the ear will not be affected.

[0034] According to an embodiment of this application, the ear cap includes: an ear cap body; a hand-feeling oil disposed on the outer surface of the ear cap body; an antibacterial agent dispersed in the ear cap body; and an antibacterial indicator dispersed in the ear cap body. In the manufacturing process, the antibacterial agent and the antibacterial indicator can be uniformly mixed with raw rubber or silicone, and then the ear cap body can be formed through processes such as mixing and vulcanization. Afterward, the hand-feeling oil is applied to the outer surface of the ear cap body to obtain the ear cap.

[0035] The antibacterial indicator is a photochromic material, and the antibacterial agent is at least one of TiO2, ZnO, SnO2, and ZrO2. Thus, under light exposure, the photochromic material changes color in the ear cap, and simultaneously, the antibacterial agent generates free radicals under the catalytic action of light, water, and oxygen, resulting in sterilization. Therefore, the color change of the photochromic material clearly indicates to the consumer that the ear cap has an antibacterial effect. Furthermore, the antibacterial efficiency can be controlled by the light intensity; the greater the light intensity, the better the antibacterial efficiency, and the more obvious the color change of the photochromic material.

[0036] In addition, photochromic materials undergo the following reactions under the influence of light: valence bond isomerism, cis-trans isomerism, bond breaking, polymerization, redox reactions, and pericyclic reactions. Taking azo compounds as an example, their photochromic effect is based on the cis-trans isomerism of the azo group -N=N- in the molecule. Typically, the cis-trans isomers of azo compounds have different absorption peaks, although the differences are generally small, their molar extinction coefficients often differ significantly. Furthermore, azo compounds exhibit a significant photopolarization effect, meaning the photochromic effect is related to the polarization state of light. Spiropyran is a molecule that responds to external forces; when subjected to physical stimuli, it changes color due to changes in its chemical structure. Its chemical formula can be expressed as follows:

[0037]

[0038] In some specific embodiments, the photochromic material is a photochromic polymer with a sulfur-containing carbazone structure. It is a photochromic polymer obtained by copolymerizing a p-methacrylamide phenylmercuric dithiohydrazone complex with styrene, methyl methacrylate, butyl acrylate, and acrylamide, as shown in the structural formula below. This photochromic material changes from orange-red to dark brown or purple upon exposure to sunlight. Therefore, when the ear cap is exposed to light, its color changes from orange-red to dark brown or purple, indicating that the ear cap is undergoing sterilization. The specific values ​​of x, y, and z in the chemical formula can be flexibly selected by those skilled in the art based on actual conditions such as the degree of polymerization.

[0039]

[0040] Furthermore, the photochromic material is a photochromic polymer with a sulfur-containing carbamate structure. The mass ratio of the ear cap body, the antibacterial agent, and the photochromic material is 1:(0.02-0.05):(0.03-0.07). Within this ratio range, the ear cap is sensitive to light and can quickly enter an antibacterial state, changing color and allowing consumers to clearly perceive the antibacterial efficiency of the ear cap. However, if the concentration of the photochromic material is too high, the excessive sulfur content in the photochromic material will cause it to lose its color more quickly in the environment, and inorganic ions such as Ag will also be affected. + Zn 2+It will also react with S to produce yellow or black precipitates; if the amount of antibacterial agent and antibacterial indicator is too small, it will affect the color change indicator effect and the antibacterial effect.

[0041] According to an embodiment of this application, the ear cap includes: an ear cap body; a tactile oil disposed on the outer surface of the ear cap body; an antibacterial agent dispersed in the tactile oil; and an antibacterial indicator dispersed in the ear cap body. In the manufacturing process, the antibacterial indicator can be uniformly mixed with raw rubber and silicone, and then the ear cap body can be formed through processes such as mixing and vulcanization. Afterward, the tactile oil containing the antibacterial agent is coated onto the outer surface of the ear cap body to obtain the ear cap.

[0042] The antibacterial indicator is either an odor indicator or a color-changing indicator, and the antibacterial agent is at least one of TiO2, ZnO, SnO2, ZrO2, and organic antibacterial agents. Thus, antibacterial agents such as TiO2, ZnO, SnO2, and ZrO2 sterilize under light, while organic antibacterial agents do not require light and automatically sterilize throughout the ear cap's use. Simultaneously, the odor indicator releases an odor, or the color-changing indicator gradually changes color during use, clearly indicating the antibacterial function of the ear cap and allowing the consumer to perceive its antibacterial efficiency. The specific type of organic antibacterial agent is not particularly required; those skilled in the art can flexibly select any antibacterial organic antibacterial agent available in the field according to actual needs. For example, in some embodiments, the organic antibacterial agent is a quaternary ammonium salt organic antibacterial agent.

[0043] Furthermore, the antibacterial agent is dispersed in the hand-feel oil. The hand-feel oil wears down during the use of the ear cap, eventually becoming completely worn away after a certain period. Simultaneously, the odor indicator gradually loses its fragrance over time, and the color-changing indicator completely changes from its first color to its second color after a certain period, completing the color-changing process. Therefore, ideally, the wear-off period of the hand-feel oil should be close to the fragrance loss period of the odor indicator or the color-changing period of the color-changing indicator. Thus, an antibacterial indicator provides indication throughout the entire effective period of the antibacterial agent. It should be noted that "the wear-off period of the hand-feel oil" refers to the time from the start of use of the ear cap until the hand-feel oil is completely worn away; "the fragrance loss period of the odor indicator" refers to the time when the odor indicator's scent completely dissipates; and "the color-changing period of the color-changing indicator" refers to the time when the color-changing indicator completely changes from its first color to its second color.

[0044] The thickness of the hand-feeling oil is 8 to 20 micrometers. Within this thickness range, the ear cap can have a good hand feel and a long wear period. Those skilled in the art can flexibly select the specific type of odor indicator based on the specific thickness of the hand-feeling oil and the amount of antibacterial agent added, so that the wear period of the hand-feeling oil is close to the dissipation period of the odor indicator's fragrance.

[0045] Furthermore, the fragrances include mugwort, borneol, frankincense, jasmine, lavender, agarwood, sandalwood, or natural essences. The scents of these fragrances are easily identifiable, allowing users to clearly perceive them, and they do not cause harm to the human body. Based on the aforementioned principle that "the wear period of the hand-feel oil can be made close to the dissipation period of the fragrance," the thickness of the hand-feel oil and the types of fragrances can be flexibly adjusted. In one specific embodiment, the hand-feel oil has a thickness of 14-16 micrometers, the fragrance is sandalwood, the antibacterial agent is zinc oxide, and the mass content of the antibacterial agent in the hand-feel oil is 0.6%-0.9%. Under normal conditions, the wear period of the hand-feel oil is about 4 years, and the dissipation period of the sandalwood fragrance is also about 4 years. In another specific embodiment, the hand-feel oil has a thickness of 8-12 micrometers, the fragrance is borneol, the antibacterial agent is zinc oxide, and the mass content of the antibacterial agent in the hand-feel oil is 0.3%-0.4%. Under normal conditions, the wear period of the hand-feel oil is about 2 years, and the dissipation period of the borneol fragrance is also about 2 years.

[0046] Furthermore, the color-changing indicator is an organic carrier doped with cerium and yttrium metal ions. This indicator can change from an initial bright red to a light blue. The organic carrier doped with cerium and yttrium metal ions is composed of numerous interlaced high-molecular-weight long chains, with the metal ions located at the intersections of the long chains. This carrier is added to solid silicone along with additives, and after mixing and vulcanization, the ear cap body is formed. Because this carrier is in an amorphous, non-crystalline state, it has a uniform defect distribution inside, thus avoiding the appearance rust spots caused by rapid oxidation at local defect sites in crystals. This results in a uniform oxide layer thickness inside and on the surface of the silicone. The ratio of cerium and yttrium doping can adjust the color-changing rate and color appearance. According to the embodiments of this application, the color-changing period of this indicator is about 2 years.

[0047] According to some embodiments of this application, the indicator of antibacterial efficiency is a sensor, meaning that no other antibacterial indicator needs to be added to the ear cap. The sensor is a gas sensor. Figure 1The gas sensor includes: a protective tube 10 defining a containment space and having an air inlet 11; a gas-sensitive resistor 20 and a compensation resistor 30 connected in series, the gas-sensitive resistor 20 and the compensation resistor 30 being disposed within the containment space, and the compensation resistor 30 being grounded. When the antibacterial agent kills bacteria, it produces intermediate products such as carbon dioxide and / or hydrogen peroxide. After carbon dioxide and / or hydrogen peroxide enter the containment space through the air inlet, the gas-sensitive resistor is highly sensitive to carbon dioxide and / or hydrogen peroxide (the concentration of the gas significantly affects the resistance), causing a sudden change in the current through the gas-sensitive resistor or the voltage across its terminals. This is further controlled by logic circuitry to control the effect of the LED light, or converted into a real-time antibacterial rate value via analog-to-digital conversion. The change in the LED light or the antibacterial value is then directly displayed on the display panel on the earpiece, allowing consumers to directly see the antibacterial effect.

[0048] In some specific examples, the display panel is used to show the color changes of the LED lights, informing consumers of the real-time antibacterial and sterilization status through different colored LEDs. For example, a red light indicates insufficient antibacterial activity (below 30%), a yellow light indicates good antibacterial activity (between 30% and 70%), and a green light indicates excellent antibacterial activity (between 70% and 99%). The concentration range of carbon dioxide generation is 0-1000 micrograms / mol, and the concentration range of hydrogen peroxide intermediate product generation is 0-200 micrograms / mol.

[0049] The aforementioned protective tube 10 defines a containment space and has an air inlet 11, which is a gas channel that allows small molecules such as carbon dioxide and hydrogen peroxide to pass through as much as possible.

[0050] In another aspect of this application, an earphone is provided. According to an embodiment of this application, referring to... Figure 2 The earphones include: an earphone shell 1; and an ear cap 2, wherein the ear cap 2 is disposed on the earphone shell 1. The ear cap of the earphone is the ear cap described above, or the ear cap is made of the aforementioned antibacterial material. Therefore, the ear cap of the earphone has a superior antibacterial effect, allowing consumers to directly perceive this effect, thereby increasing consumer trust in the earphones. Those skilled in the art will understand that the earphones possess all the features and advantages of the ear cap described above, and will not be elaborated further here.

[0051] Furthermore, refer to Figure 2 The earphone also includes: an ear rod 3, which is connected to the earphone shell 1; and a display panel (not shown in the figure), which is located on the ear rod 3 and connected to a gas sensor for displaying an antibacterial indicator light or antibacterial rate.

[0052] In the description of this specification, the references to terms such as "one embodiment," "some embodiments," "example," "specific example," or "some examples," etc., indicate that a specific feature, structure, material, or characteristic described in connection with that embodiment or example is included in at least one embodiment or example of this application. In this specification, the illustrative expressions of the above terms do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment or example. Furthermore, the specific features, structures, materials, or characteristics described may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments or examples. Moreover, without contradiction, those skilled in the art can combine and integrate the different embodiments or examples described in this specification, as well as the features of different embodiments or examples.

[0053] Although embodiments of this application have been shown and described above, it is understood that the above embodiments are exemplary and should not be construed as limiting this application. Those skilled in the art can make changes, modifications, substitutions and variations to the above embodiments within the scope of this application.

Claims

1. An antibacterial material, characterized in that, Includes the silicone body, antibacterial agent, and antibacterial indicator. The antibacterial agent is dispersed in the silicone body, and the antibacterial material can be used to make in-ear ear caps; The antibacterial indicator is dispersed in the silica gel body, and the antibacterial indicator includes an antibacterial indicator, which is a photochromic material. The photochromic material is a sulfur-containing carbazoyl-type photochromic polymer, used to indicate that the antibacterial material is exerting an antibacterial effect through its state change under light conditions. The mass ratio of the silicone body, the antibacterial agent, and the photochromic material is 1:(0.02-0.05):(0.03-0.07).

2. The antibacterial material according to claim 1, characterized in that, The silicone body also includes a tactile oil, which is disposed on the outer surface of the body to replace the body in wear and tear, thereby improving the feel of the body.

3. The antibacterial material according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, The antimicrobial indicator further includes a sensor for indicating the release concentration of the antimicrobial agent; or, the sensor for indicating the remaining effective antimicrobial time of the antimicrobial material; or, the sensor for indicating the antimicrobial grade of the antimicrobial material; or, for indicating the antimicrobial activity of the antimicrobial material.

4. An ear cap, characterized in that, include: A silicone body, the silicone body being made of the antibacterial material according to any one of claims 1-3, is used to make in-ear ear caps.

5. The ear cap according to claim 4, characterized in that, The antibacterial agent is dispersed in the hand-feeling oil, the antibacterial indicator is dispersed in the ear cap body, and the thickness of the hand-feeling oil is 8-20 micrometers.

6. The ear cap according to claim 4, characterized in that, The antibacterial agent is at least one of TiO2, ZnO, SnO2, ZrO2, and organic antibacterial agents.

7. The ear cap according to claim 5, characterized in that, The antibacterial agent is zinc oxide, and the antibacterial agent has a mass content of 0.6% to 0.9% in the hand-feel oil; or, The antibacterial agent is zinc oxide, and the mass content of the antibacterial agent in the hand-feel oil is 0.3%~0.4%.

8. The ear cap according to claim 4, characterized in that, The ear cap also includes a sensor, which is a gas sensor, and the gas sensor includes: A protective tube, which defines an accommodating space and has an air inlet; A gas-sensitive resistor and a compensation resistor are connected in series, and the gas-sensitive resistor and the compensation resistor are disposed within the accommodating space, with the compensation resistor being grounded.

9. An earphone, characterized in that, include: Earphone shell; The ear cap according to any one of claims 4 to 8, or the ear cap comprising the antibacterial material according to any one of claims 1 to 3; the ear cap is disposed on the earphone shell.

10. The earphone according to claim 9, further comprising: Ear rod, the ear rod being connected to the earphone shell; The display panel, located on the lug and connected to the gas sensor, is used to display the antibacterial indicator light or the antibacterial rate.

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