Transducer holding module for earphones

Abstract

In-ear earphones should be as small as possible. A transducer holding module is disclosed that it allows very compact semi-open in-ear earphones to be made. The transducer holding module (600) comprises a front side (601) and a back side (602), a first receptacle (670) adapted for mounting a first sound transducer (700) on the back side (602), a second receptacle (650) adapted for mounting a second sound transducer (500) on the front side (601), a first opening (645), a second opening (655) and a third opening (625), each connecting the back side with the front side. The first opening (645) is adapted for sound output, the second opening (655) is adapted for connecting a feedback microphone (500) with the front volume (300), and the third opening is a vent.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to earphones, in particular in-ear earphones.Background of the Invention

[0002] In order to achieve the best sound reproduction, in-ear earphones typically have an acoustic setup as depicted in Fig. 1. A speaker assembly comprising a speaker 700 and a back-cover 710 is placed within a housing 100, separating it into a front volume 300 and a back volume 400. The back volume 400 is often used for housing electronic components. Front volume 300 connects a speaker membrane 705 to a user's ear canal through a sound duct 340 with an opening 345, while back volume 400 is behind the speaker assembly. The front volume 300 is typically connected to the environment through an acoustically defined opening 320 to avoid occlusion. Similarly, also the back volume 400 is usually connected to the environment via an opening 430. The back-cover 710 of the speaker module creates a volume 720 that is connected to the back volume 400 of the housing via an opening 730. Especially for true wireless earphones, where electronic circuitry, microphones for calls and automatic noise canceling (ANC) functionality and a battery need to fit into the back volume 400, it is desirable to limit the space required by the speaker assembly and the front volume 300 to a minimum, thus keeping the overall size as low as possible to increase wearing comfort. Therefore, the ANC feedback microphone 500 in ANC earphones is typically located inside the sound duct 340, which allows the speaker assembly to be placed very close to the sound duct 340. In order to further increase available space in the back volume 400, the back-cover 710 is omitted in most in-ear earphones, leaving a configuration as shown in Fig. 2.

[0003] In front of the speaker 700, there is typically a resonator 350 that acts as an impact stop for the speaker membrane 705 and that creates a defined acoustic volume with an opening to the sound duct 340, boosting high frequencies for an optimized high frequency reproduction. Resonator 350 is usually a part of the speaker assembly or a further separate component.

[0004] In some cases, it is not possible to place the feedback microphone 500 inside the sound duct 340. Figs. 3 and 4 show examples where other sensors 510 such as a heart rate sensor and / or a temperature sensor are placed in the sound duct. In other examples, the sound duct 340 should be as wide as possible for an optimized high frequency reproduction, or the feedback microphone 500 should be protected against environmental influence, e.g. for sports usage. In such cases, the feedback microphone 500 needs to be placed somewhere else, namely either in the front volume 300 as depicted in Fig. 3 or in the back volume 400 as depicted in Fig. 4.

[0005] If it is placed in the front volume 300, as in Fig. 3, the back volume 400 becomes smaller (compared with Fig. 1 and assuming a constant total size of the housing 100), since the speaker 700 needs to be placed further inside the housing in order to make space for the feedback microphone 500. On the other hand, if the feedback microphone 500 is placed inside the back volume 400, it should preferably be no further away from the sound output 345 than the speaker 700 since this would increase acoustical sound delay and impair ANC performance. Therefore, speaker 700 and microphone 500 are often arranged side-by-side, as in Fig. 4. However, in this case either the required housing width W increases, or the speaker assembly and microphone 500 need to be placed further inside the housing 100, which also reduces the rear volume 400. Furthermore, it is desirable to place the feedback microphone 500 as close as possible to the ear canal or sound duct opening 345 to optimize ANC performance. It is therefore difficult to position the feedback microphone 500 in an in-ear earphone housing in an optimal manner, at least if additional sensors 510 are present or if a placement of the microphone 500 in the front volume 300 should be avoided.Summary of the Invention

[0006] It is an object of embodiments described herein to address these and other problems. This and similar objects are achieved by a transducer holding module according to claim 1. Claim 9 relates to a corresponding earphone.

[0007] According to embodiments of the present invention, a transducer holding module comprises a front side and a back side, with a first receptacle for mounting a first sound transducer acting as a loudspeaker on the back side and a second receptacle for mounting a second sound transducer acting as a microphone on the front side (or vice versa), and at least three openings connecting the front side with the back side. A first opening is adapted for connecting the first receptacle to a sound duct; its purpose is to acoustically connect the first sound transducer to the sound duct to enable sound output. A second opening connects the second receptacle to the first receptacle; its purpose is to acoustically connect the second sound transducer to the front volume, which is created by a portion of the back side of the transducer holding module after a first transducer has been mounted. A third opening is for venting the front volume to the ambient air. One advantage of the transducer holding module is that it allows in-ear earphones that are very compact without compromising the sound quality.

[0008] Further advantageous embodiments are disclosed in the dependent claims and the following detailed description. It is noted that various of the embodiments can be combined with each other, even if not expressly mentioned.Brief description of the drawings

[0009] Further details and advantageous embodiments are depicted in the drawings, showing in Figs. 1 and 2simplified sketches of known configurations for positioning sound transducers in an in-ear earphone; Figs. 3 and 4simplified sketches of known configurations for positioning sound transducers and additional sensors in an in-ear earphone; Fig. 5a simplified sketch of a configuration for positioning sound transducers and additional sensors in an in-ear earphone according to a first embodiment; Fig. 6an exemplary comparison between the known configuration of Fig. 4 and the embodiment of Fig. 5 showing a reduction of required space; Fig. 7a simplified sketch of a configuration with a separate back volume in a second embodiment; Fig. 8a view of the front side of a transducer holding module, according to some embodiments; Fig. 9a sectional view of a transducer holding module, according to embodiments; Fig. 10a view of the back side of a transducer holding module, according to some embodiments; Fig. 11a view of a transducer holding module, according to embodiments, which is mounted into an exemplary earphone housing; Fig. 12a sectional view of a transducer holding module with transducers mounted, according to embodiments; Fig. 13a sectional view of a transducer holding module with transducers mounted, according to embodiments, in an exemplary earphone housing; and Fig. 14a sectional view of an earphone with a transducer holding module, according to embodiments, an exemplary earphone housing and cushion. Detailed Description

[0010] Fig. 5 shows a simplified sketch of a configuration for positioning sound transducers and additional sensors in an in-ear earphone, in an embodiment of the invention. Different from known configurations, an earphone transducer module 600 is used that combines a first receptacle 670 and a second receptacle 650, which are on different sides 601, 602 of the module 600, as well as at least three openings 625, 645, 655 and, in this embodiment, a lid portion 610 defining a resonator volume when the speaker 700 is mounted. The first receptacle 670 is adapted for mounting the speaker 700, and the second receptacle 650 is adapted for mounting a feedback microphone 500. The at least three openings comprise a sound duct opening 645 for sound output, a feedback path opening 655 for the feedback microphone 500 and a vent opening 625 for a front volume port 320 to the environment. The vent opening 625 may optionally comprise a tube or tunnel 620. The sound duct opening 645 may optionally comprise a sound duct support 640 for mounting a "nozzle" or sound duct 340. The first receptacle 670 is on the back side 602 of the module 600, and the second receptacle 650 is on the front side 601. The sound duct opening 645 is located within the first receptacle 670 but spaced apart from the second receptacle 650. The feedback path opening 655 is located within the first receptacle 670 and within the second receptacle 650. The vent opening 625 is located within the first receptacle 670 and spaced apart from the second receptacle 650. At least two transducers 500, 700 can be mounted at the respective receptacles 650, 670 such that the transducers face each other.

[0011] The module 600 with the transducers 500, 700 is mounted in the housing 100 such that an opening, clearance or gap 110 between the front side 601 of the module 600 and the back volume 400 within the housing 100 remains. Thus, the feedback microphone 500 is acoustically positioned in front of the speaker 700, i.e. between the speaker 700 and the sound duct opening 340, while it is also positioned in the back volume 400 of the housing. This optimizes ANC performance. Mechanically, the feedback microphone 500 is positioned in the back volume 400 because the parting between front volume 300 and back volume 400 is achieved partially at the sound duct 340, while usually it is achieved in the plane of the speaker 700 (as in Fig. 4). The back volume 400 may be vented through a separate vent opening 430 to the ambient air.

[0012] Since the inner wall of the transducer module 600 opposing the speaker is shaped to form a lid portion or recess portion 610, in this embodiment, which together with the speaker 700 forms the resonator, a speaker 700 can be used that does not have a separate resonator, so that the speaker can be smaller than usual. The module in this configuration provides a resonator and a vent opening, thus allowing a high sound quality, without requiring a feedback microphone to be positioned within the sound duct 340. This allows an optional sensor 510 or other element to be placed inside the sound duct 340, and / or to make the sound duct 340 as wide as possible for guiding sound.

[0013] The present invention combines a placement of the feedback microphone 500 in the back volume 400 for protection against environmental influences, while acoustically it is positioned between the speaker 700 and the sound duct opening 345 towards the ear canal. At the same time, the space required for the front volume 300 is kept to a minimum.

[0014] Fig. 6 shows an exemplary comparison between the known configuration of Fig. 4 and the embodiment of Fig. 5. A reduction of space required within the earphone housing 100 is achieved. The reduction may comprise a length reduction dL and / or a width reduction dW (depending e.g. on the width and position of the gap 110).

[0015] Fig. 7 shows a simplified sketch of a configuration with a separate back volume 720, in a second embodiment. A speaker assembly with a back cover 710 can be used in this case. Alternatively, the back cover 710 may be integrated in the earphone transducer module 600 or fixed to it, in some embodiments, e.g. with welding, glue or a clip fastener. In other embodiments, such back cover 710 can also be a separate part or integrated into the transducer 700. This back volume 720 may have a separate vent opening 740 to the environment. Thus, venting of the back volume 400 of the housing can be omitted, which may sometimes be desirable. Further, a possible small leakage in the feedback microphone 500 or its receptacle will not lead to an acoustic short circuit and thus not to an unwanted "howling".

[0016] Fig. 8 shows a view of the front side 601 of a transducer holding module 600, according to embodiments. The front side 601 comprises a sound opening 645 with a support 640 for mounting a sound duct tube, a receptacle 650 for mounting a feedback microphone and a vent opening 625, which in this case comprises a vent tube 620. In this example, the sound duct support 640 for mounting a nozzle at least partly surrounds the sound opening 645. A further opening 655 is provided within the receptacle 650. If a microphone is mounted on the receptacle 650, this opening 655 within the receptacle provides an acoustic connection for the feedback microphone to the back side 602 of the module 600 at a position which will be part of the front volume once the speaker is mounted. The receptacle 650 has a shape, protrusions and / or edges that support the positioning of a feedback microphone. Such microphone may be mounted e.g. on a flexible printed circuit (FPC).

[0017] Fig. 9 shows a sectional view along line 1001 (see Fig. 10) of a transducer holding module 600, according to embodiments. The back side 602 of the transducer holding module 600 has a first receptacle 670 for receiving a first transducer 700 for generating sound, i.e. a kind of loudspeaker. The first receptacle 670 is a substantially annular step in this case. When the first transducer 700 is mounted, e.g. with glue or adhesive tape, it forms a front volume 300 together with one or more lid areas or recess portions 610 of the back side 602 of the transducer holding module 600. The recess portion 610, in this embodiment, comprises a substantially annular outer section 610a and a substantially circular inner section 610b, with an annular crest 610c. It is therefore adapted to the shape of the first transducer 700, as will be explained below. As shown in a view of the back side 602 in Fig. 10, the openings 625, 645, 655 are located in one or more of the outer section 610a, the inner section 610b and the crest 610c. Fig. 11 shows, for explanatary purpose only, how the transducer holding module 600 can be mounted into an exemplary earphone housing 1100 that has a nozzle 1140 for the sound duct 340. While the first transducer 700 is omitted in Fig. 11 and the second transducer 500 is on the front side 601 of the module 600 and therefore not visible, it may be advantageous to mount also the first transducer 700 to the transducer holding module 600 before mounting the transducer holding module into the housing 1100. The earphone housing 1100 may house one or more electronic components, such as e.g. a receiver, amplifier, antenna, touch pad etc., and a battery (not shown). The earphone housing 1100 may be made of plastic, e.g. by injection molding.

[0018] Fig. 12 shows a sectional view of a transducer holding module 600, substantially along line 1002 in Fig. 10, with transducers 500, 700 mounted on different sides 601, 602 and facing each other, according to embodiments. The first transducer 700 may provide sound through the first opening 645. The recess 610 at the back side 602 of module 600 at least partially follows the shape of the membrane 705 of the first transducer 700, with a portion of the front volume 300 between them. For example, the shape of the crest 610c may match the shape of a calotte portion of the first transducer 700. The second transducer 500 is mounted in receptacle 650, connected via electrical connector 520 and communicates through the second opening 655 with the front volume 300. The vent opening 625 is not visible in this sectional view.

[0019] Returning to Figs. 8 and 9, the vent opening 625 will be discussed in the following. The main purpose of the vent opening 625, beyond the venting effect, is passive sound isolation. The opening 625 may therefore be small in diameter (< 1 mm, e.g. 0,8 mm) for a good passive sound isolation. In one embodiment, the vent opening 625 has an acoustically resistive component. It may e.g. be covered by a mesh. The front side 601 of the transducer holding module 600 may comprise a thin duct, e.g. a tube 620 or tunnel, for the vent opening 625. The tube or duct acts as an acoustically inductive element, and simultaneously an optional mesh may act as resistive element. Thus, the vent opening 625 in this embodiment may comprise a series connection of a resistive and an inductive component. This has the advantage that occlusion can be greatly reduced while at the same time high frequency environmental noise is blocked from entering the earphone. For the duct or tube 620, a total length of less than 10 mm, and preferably less than 5 mm (e.g., 2-3 mm) is sufficient to achieve the above-mentioned effects.

[0020] Fig. 13 shows a sectional view of a transducer holding module 600 with transducers 500, 700 mounted, according to embodiments, in an exemplary earphone housing 1300 that may be similar to the housing 1100 described above. Note that this section is substantially along line 1001 in Fig. 10, so that only the first transducer 700 is visible. The second transducer 500 is not visible here, but it can be mounted as shown in Fig. 12. A sensor module 510 is mounted within the nozzle 1140. In this example, sensor module 510 comprises two biometrical sensors 510a, 510b, such as a heart rate sensor and a temperature sensor. Since the feedback microphone 500 is not placed within the nozzle 1140, there is still ample space for the sound duct 340. In this example, the nozzle 1140 is a part that is separate from the housing 1300. It has a shape that is adapted for being mounted on the support 640 of the transducer module 600, e.g. it may have a suitable protrusion 1120, and it may be fixed by one or more protrusions 1310 of the housing. The nozzle 1140 may be covered by an optional grid 1145 for howling protection and / or an ear wax protection.

[0021] Further in this example, the vent opening 625 is covered by an optional mesh 660 that is on the back side 602 of the transducer holder module 600. An opening is provided in the housing 1300 for accomodating the outer end of the tube 620 with the vent opening 625, which is therefore connected to the ambient air.

[0022] Fig. 14 shows a sectional view of an earphone with a transducer holding module 600, according to embodiments, mounted in an earphone housing 1300 and equipped with a nozzle 1140 and a cushion 1400 or an earpad. The cushion 1400 comprises a sealing part 1410 for sealing a user's ear canal and a stem part 1420 that is mounted on the nozzle 1140, as usual. At least one of the sensors 510a, 510b may be an optical sensor, and the nozzle 1140 and cushion 1400 may comprise an optical window for the sensor to operate (not shown). As can be seen, the vent opening 625 connects the front volume 300 to the ambient air. The earphone can therefore be regarded as semi-open, since it is not closed but also not fully open. As can be seen from the above description, the transducer holding module 600 enables a particularly small design of in-ear earphones, while leaving sufficient space for electronic components in the back volume.

[0023] In one embodiment, the invention relates to an earphone comprising a transducer holding module 600 as described above, a housing 1300 and a nozzle 1140 adapted for receiving a cushion 1400. The nozzle may be part of the housing or a separate part. The module 600 comprises at least two sound transducers 700, 500 mounted in the respective receptacles 650, 670 of the module. The earphone may further comprise at least one biometrical sensor or sensor module 510 mounted within the nozzle 1140.

[0024] Earphones, especially in-ear variants, require a vent 320 that connects the air volume 300 within a housing and in front of a speaker 700 either directly to the environment, as depicted in Fig. 2 and Fig. 5, or to the volume 400 behind the speaker, similar to Fig. 4. This vent 320 has the task to prevent excessive pressure build-up while inserting / removing the earphone into / from the ear canal. Furthermore, the reproduction of low frequencies can be tuned by modifying an acoustic resistance of the vent. While conventionally such vents are just openings, which may optionally be covered by a resistive material, a corresponding improvement is disclosed herein. It has been found that adding a duct structure 620 as described above, such as a tube or tunnel, to a vent opening for the front volume 300 is advantageous in that it provides an additional inductive component. Such inductive component enables venting, but prevents high frequency environmental noise from entering the front volume 300 of the earphone. It may be supplemented by a mesh in order to obtain a series connection of an inductive and a resistive component, as also mentioned above.

[0025] A known solution for an earphone vent is described in US8565466B2. It comprises a slit incorporated in the nozzle of an earphone, wherein the width, depth and length of the slit enables tuning of the resistance and inductance of the vent. However, it has a few drawbacks; first, the slit depth is limited by material thickness. Second, the slit width is limited: it has a lower limit due to production requirements and an upper limit since the earpad will bend into the slit if the slit is too wide. Third, the slit length is limited: it has a lower limit due to the earpad covering the slit and an upper limit because the portion that is inserted into the ear canal should be as short as possible for an increased wearing comfort. The present improvement avoids these drawbacks by providing a semi-open earphone that achieves venting with a very low resistance but a high inductivity, which results from the inner diameter and length of the sound tube. These parameters can be tuned in a wide range. This creates a very comfortable earphone with reduced occlusion but still the best possible passive high frequency attenuation. While in the above-described embodiments the resistive tube vent 320 connects the front volume 300 with the ambient air, which is advantageous for in-ear earphones, it is possible and preferable in headband headphones to use a similar tube vent for connecting the front volume with the back volume.

[0026] Thus, in one aspect the present invention relates to a semi-open in-ear earphone with a tube or duct vent that has an inductive component and a resistive component and that connects the front volume of the in-ear earphone directly to the ambient air.

Examples

Embodiment Construction

[0010]Fig. 5 shows a simplified sketch of a configuration for positioning sound transducers and additional sensors in an in-ear earphone, in an embodiment of the invention. Different from known configurations, an earphone transducer module 600 is used that combines a first receptacle 670 and a second receptacle 650, which are on different sides 601, 602 of the module 600, as well as at least three openings 625, 645, 655 and, in this embodiment, a lid portion 610 defining a resonator volume when the speaker 700 is mounted. The first receptacle 670 is adapted for mounting the speaker 700, and the second receptacle 650 is adapted for mounting a feedback microphone 500. The at least three openings comprise a sound duct opening 645 for sound output, a feedback path opening 655 for the feedback microphone 500 and a vent opening 625 for a front volume port 320 to the environment. The vent opening 625 may optionally comprise a tube or tunnel 620. The sound duct opening 645 may optionally co...

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to earphones, in particular in-ear earphones.Background of the Invention

[0002] In order to achieve the best sound reproduction, in-ear earphones typically have an acoustic setup as depicted in Fig. 1. A speaker assembly comprising a speaker 700 and a back-cover 710 is placed within a housing 100, separating it into a front volume 300 and a back volume 400. The back volume 400 is often used for housing electronic components. Front volume 300 connects a speaker membrane 705 to a user's ear canal through a sound duct 340 with an opening 345, while back volume 400 is behind the speaker assembly. The front volume 300 is typically connected to the environment through an acoustically defined opening 320 to avoid occlusion. Similarly, also the back volume 400 is usually connected to the environment via an opening 430. The back-cover 710 of the speaker module creates a volume 720 that is connected to the back volume 400 of the housing via an opening 730. Especially for true wireless earphones, where electronic circuitry, microphones for calls and automatic noise canceling (ANC) functionality and a battery need to fit into the back volume 400, it is desirable to limit the space required by the speaker assembly and the front volume 300 to a minimum, thus keeping the overall size as low as possible to increase wearing comfort. Therefore, the ANC feedback microphone 500 in ANC earphones is typically located inside the sound duct 340, which allows the speaker assembly to be placed very close to the sound duct 340. In order to further increase available space in the back volume 400, the back-cover 710 is omitted in most in-ear earphones, leaving a configuration as shown in Fig. 2.

[0003] In front of the speaker 700, there is typically a resonator 350 that acts as an impact stop for the speaker membrane 705 and that creates a defined acoustic volume with an opening to the sound duct 340, boosting high frequencies for an optimized high frequency reproduction. Resonator 350 is usually a part of the speaker assembly or a further separate component.

[0004] In some cases, it is not possible to place the feedback microphone 500 inside the sound duct 340. Figs. 3 and 4 show examples where other sensors 510 such as a heart rate sensor and / or a temperature sensor are placed in the sound duct. In other examples, the sound duct 340 should be as wide as possible for an optimized high frequency reproduction, or the feedback microphone 500 should be protected against environmental influence, e.g. for sports usage. In such cases, the feedback microphone 500 needs to be placed somewhere else, namely either in the front volume 300 as depicted in Fig. 3 or in the back volume 400 as depicted in Fig. 4.

[0005] If it is placed in the front volume 300, as in Fig. 3, the back volume 400 becomes smaller (compared with Fig. 1 and assuming a constant total size of the housing 100), since the speaker 700 needs to be placed further inside the housing in order to make space for the feedback microphone 500. On the other hand, if the feedback microphone 500 is placed inside the back volume 400, it should preferably be no further away from the sound output 345 than the speaker 700 since this would increase acoustical sound delay and impair ANC performance. Therefore, speaker 700 and microphone 500 are often arranged side-by-side, as in Fig. 4. However, in this case either the required housing width W increases, or the speaker assembly and microphone 500 need to be placed further inside the housing 100, which also reduces the rear volume 400. Furthermore, it is desirable to place the feedback microphone 500 as close as possible to the ear canal or sound duct opening 345 to optimize ANC performance. It is therefore difficult to position the feedback microphone 500 in an in-ear earphone housing in an optimal manner, at least if additional sensors 510 are present or if a placement of the microphone 500 in the front volume 300 should be avoided.Summary of the Invention

[0006] It is an object of embodiments described herein to address these and other problems. This and similar objects are achieved by a transducer holding module according to claim 1. Claim 9 relates to a corresponding earphone.

[0007] According to embodiments of the present invention, a transducer holding module comprises a front side and a back side, with a first receptacle for mounting a first sound transducer acting as a loudspeaker on the back side and a second receptacle for mounting a second sound transducer acting as a microphone on the front side (or vice versa), and at least three openings connecting the front side with the back side. A first opening is adapted for connecting the first receptacle to a sound duct; its purpose is to acoustically connect the first sound transducer to the sound duct to enable sound output. A second opening connects the second receptacle to the first receptacle; its purpose is to acoustically connect the second sound transducer to the front volume, which is created by a portion of the back side of the transducer holding module after a first transducer has been mounted. A third opening is for venting the front volume to the ambient air. One advantage of the transducer holding module is that it allows in-ear earphones that are very compact without compromising the sound quality.

[0008] Further advantageous embodiments are disclosed in the dependent claims and the following detailed description. It is noted that various of the embodiments can be combined with each other, even if not expressly mentioned.Brief description of the drawings

[0009] Further details and advantageous embodiments are depicted in the drawings, showing in Figs. 1 and 2simplified sketches of known configurations for positioning sound transducers in an in-ear earphone; Figs. 3 and 4simplified sketches of known configurations for positioning sound transducers and additional sensors in an in-ear earphone; Fig. 5a simplified sketch of a configuration for positioning sound transducers and additional sensors in an in-ear earphone according to a first embodiment; Fig. 6an exemplary comparison between the known configuration of Fig. 4 and the embodiment of Fig. 5 showing a reduction of required space; Fig. 7a simplified sketch of a configuration with a separate back volume in a second embodiment; Fig. 8a view of the front side of a transducer holding module, according to some embodiments; Fig. 9a sectional view of a transducer holding module, according to embodiments; Fig. 10a view of the back side of a transducer holding module, according to some embodiments; Fig. 11a view of a transducer holding module, according to embodiments, which is mounted into an exemplary earphone housing; Fig. 12a sectional view of a transducer holding module with transducers mounted, according to embodiments; Fig. 13a sectional view of a transducer holding module with transducers mounted, according to embodiments, in an exemplary earphone housing; and Fig. 14a sectional view of an earphone with a transducer holding module, according to embodiments, an exemplary earphone housing and cushion. Detailed Description

[0010] Fig. 5 shows a simplified sketch of a configuration for positioning sound transducers and additional sensors in an in-ear earphone, in an embodiment of the invention. Different from known configurations, an earphone transducer module 600 is used that combines a first receptacle 670 and a second receptacle 650, which are on different sides 601, 602 of the module 600, as well as at least three openings 625, 645, 655 and, in this embodiment, a lid portion 610 defining a resonator volume when the speaker 700 is mounted. The first receptacle 670 is adapted for mounting the speaker 700, and the second receptacle 650 is adapted for mounting a feedback microphone 500. The at least three openings comprise a sound duct opening 645 for sound output, a feedback path opening 655 for the feedback microphone 500 and a vent opening 625 for a front volume port 320 to the environment. The vent opening 625 may optionally comprise a tube or tunnel 620. The sound duct opening 645 may optionally comprise a sound duct support 640 for mounting a "nozzle" or sound duct 340. The first receptacle 670 is on the back side 602 of the module 600, and the second receptacle 650 is on the front side 601. The sound duct opening 645 is located within the first receptacle 670 but spaced apart from the second receptacle 650. The feedback path opening 655 is located within the first receptacle 670 and within the second receptacle 650. The vent opening 625 is located within the first receptacle 670 and spaced apart from the second receptacle 650. At least two transducers 500, 700 can be mounted at the respective receptacles 650, 670 such that the transducers face each other.

[0011] The module 600 with the transducers 500, 700 is mounted in the housing 100 such that an opening, clearance or gap 110 between the front side 601 of the module 600 and the back volume 400 within the housing 100 remains. Thus, the feedback microphone 500 is acoustically positioned in front of the speaker 700, i.e. between the speaker 700 and the sound duct opening 340, while it is also positioned in the back volume 400 of the housing. This optimizes ANC performance. Mechanically, the feedback microphone 500 is positioned in the back volume 400 because the parting between front volume 300 and back volume 400 is achieved partially at the sound duct 340, while usually it is achieved in the plane of the speaker 700 (as in Fig. 4). The back volume 400 may be vented through a separate vent opening 430 to the ambient air.

[0012] Since the inner wall of the transducer module 600 opposing the speaker is shaped to form a lid portion or recess portion 610, in this embodiment, which together with the speaker 700 forms the resonator, a speaker 700 can be used that does not have a separate resonator, so that the speaker can be smaller than usual. The module in this configuration provides a resonator and a vent opening, thus allowing a high sound quality, without requiring a feedback microphone to be positioned within the sound duct 340. This allows an optional sensor 510 or other element to be placed inside the sound duct 340, and / or to make the sound duct 340 as wide as possible for guiding sound.

[0013] The present invention combines a placement of the feedback microphone 500 in the back volume 400 for protection against environmental influences, while acoustically it is positioned between the speaker 700 and the sound duct opening 345 towards the ear canal. At the same time, the space required for the front volume 300 is kept to a minimum.

[0014] Fig. 6 shows an exemplary comparison between the known configuration of Fig. 4 and the embodiment of Fig. 5. A reduction of space required within the earphone housing 100 is achieved. The reduction may comprise a length reduction dL and / or a width reduction dW (depending e.g. on the width and position of the gap 110).

[0015] Fig. 7 shows a simplified sketch of a configuration with a separate back volume 720, in a second embodiment. A speaker assembly with a back cover 710 can be used in this case. Alternatively, the back cover 710 may be integrated in the earphone transducer module 600 or fixed to it, in some embodiments, e.g. with welding, glue or a clip fastener. In other embodiments, such back cover 710 can also be a separate part or integrated into the transducer 700. This back volume 720 may have a separate vent opening 740 to the environment. Thus, venting of the back volume 400 of the housing can be omitted, which may sometimes be desirable. Further, a possible small leakage in the feedback microphone 500 or its receptacle will not lead to an acoustic short circuit and thus not to an unwanted "howling".

[0016] Fig. 8 shows a view of the front side 601 of a transducer holding module 600, according to embodiments. The front side 601 comprises a sound opening 645 with a support 640 for mounting a sound duct tube, a receptacle 650 for mounting a feedback microphone and a vent opening 625, which in this case comprises a vent tube 620. In this example, the sound duct support 640 for mounting a nozzle at least partly surrounds the sound opening 645. A further opening 655 is provided within the receptacle 650. If a microphone is mounted on the receptacle 650, this opening 655 within the receptacle provides an acoustic connection for the feedback microphone to the back side 602 of the module 600 at a position which will be part of the front volume once the speaker is mounted. The receptacle 650 has a shape, protrusions and / or edges that support the positioning of a feedback microphone. Such microphone may be mounted e.g. on a flexible printed circuit (FPC).

[0017] Fig. 9 shows a sectional view along line 1001 (see Fig. 10) of a transducer holding module 600, according to embodiments. The back side 602 of the transducer holding module 600 has a first receptacle 670 for receiving a first transducer 700 for generating sound, i.e. a kind of loudspeaker. The first receptacle 670 is a substantially annular step in this case. When the first transducer 700 is mounted, e.g. with glue or adhesive tape, it forms a front volume 300 together with one or more lid areas or recess portions 610 of the back side 602 of the transducer holding module 600. The recess portion 610, in this embodiment, comprises a substantially annular outer section 610a and a substantially circular inner section 610b, with an annular crest 610c. It is therefore adapted to the shape of the first transducer 700, as will be explained below. As shown in a view of the back side 602 in Fig. 10, the openings 625, 645, 655 are located in one or more of the outer section 610a, the inner section 610b and the crest 610c. Fig. 11 shows, for explanatary purpose only, how the transducer holding module 600 can be mounted into an exemplary earphone housing 1100 that has a nozzle 1140 for the sound duct 340. While the first transducer 700 is omitted in Fig. 11 and the second transducer 500 is on the front side 601 of the module 600 and therefore not visible, it may be advantageous to mount also the first transducer 700 to the transducer holding module 600 before mounting the transducer holding module into the housing 1100. The earphone housing 1100 may house one or more electronic components, such as e.g. a receiver, amplifier, antenna, touch pad etc., and a battery (not shown). The earphone housing 1100 may be made of plastic, e.g. by injection molding.

[0018] Fig. 12 shows a sectional view of a transducer holding module 600, substantially along line 1002 in Fig. 10, with transducers 500, 700 mounted on different sides 601, 602 and facing each other, according to embodiments. The first transducer 700 may provide sound through the first opening 645. The recess 610 at the back side 602 of module 600 at least partially follows the shape of the membrane 705 of the first transducer 700, with a portion of the front volume 300 between them. For example, the shape of the crest 610c may match the shape of a calotte portion of the first transducer 700. The second transducer 500 is mounted in receptacle 650, connected via electrical connector 520 and communicates through the second opening 655 with the front volume 300. The vent opening 625 is not visible in this sectional view.

[0019] Returning to Figs. 8 and 9, the vent opening 625 will be discussed in the following. The main purpose of the vent opening 625, beyond the venting effect, is passive sound isolation. The opening 625 may therefore be small in diameter (< 1 mm, e.g. 0,8 mm) for a good passive sound isolation. In one embodiment, the vent opening 625 has an acoustically resistive component. It may e.g. be covered by a mesh. The front side 601 of the transducer holding module 600 may comprise a thin duct, e.g. a tube 620 or tunnel, for the vent opening 625. The tube or duct acts as an acoustically inductive element, and simultaneously an optional mesh may act as resistive element. Thus, the vent opening 625 in this embodiment may comprise a series connection of a resistive and an inductive component. This has the advantage that occlusion can be greatly reduced while at the same time high frequency environmental noise is blocked from entering the earphone. For the duct or tube 620, a total length of less than 10 mm, and preferably less than 5 mm (e.g., 2-3 mm) is sufficient to achieve the above-mentioned effects.

[0020] Fig. 13 shows a sectional view of a transducer holding module 600 with transducers 500, 700 mounted, according to embodiments, in an exemplary earphone housing 1300 that may be similar to the housing 1100 described above. Note that this section is substantially along line 1001 in Fig. 10, so that only the first transducer 700 is visible. The second transducer 500 is not visible here, but it can be mounted as shown in Fig. 12. A sensor module 510 is mounted within the nozzle 1140. In this example, sensor module 510 comprises two biometrical sensors 510a, 510b, such as a heart rate sensor and a temperature sensor. Since the feedback microphone 500 is not placed within the nozzle 1140, there is still ample space for the sound duct 340. In this example, the nozzle 1140 is a part that is separate from the housing 1300. It has a shape that is adapted for being mounted on the support 640 of the transducer module 600, e.g. it may have a suitable protrusion 1120, and it may be fixed by one or more protrusions 1310 of the housing. The nozzle 1140 may be covered by an optional grid 1145 for howling protection and / or an ear wax protection.

[0021] Further in this example, the vent opening 625 is covered by an optional mesh 660 that is on the back side 602 of the transducer holder module 600. An opening is provided in the housing 1300 for accomodating the outer end of the tube 620 with the vent opening 625, which is therefore connected to the ambient air.

[0022] Fig. 14 shows a sectional view of an earphone with a transducer holding module 600, according to embodiments, mounted in an earphone housing 1300 and equipped with a nozzle 1140 and a cushion 1400 or an earpad. The cushion 1400 comprises a sealing part 1410 for sealing a user's ear canal and a stem part 1420 that is mounted on the nozzle 1140, as usual. At least one of the sensors 510a, 510b may be an optical sensor, and the nozzle 1140 and cushion 1400 may comprise an optical window for the sensor to operate (not shown). As can be seen, the vent opening 625 connects the front volume 300 to the ambient air. The earphone can therefore be regarded as semi-open, since it is not closed but also not fully open. As can be seen from the above description, the transducer holding module 600 enables a particularly small design of in-ear earphones, while leaving sufficient space for electronic components in the back volume.

[0023] In one embodiment, the invention relates to an earphone comprising a transducer holding module 600 as described above, a housing 1300 and a nozzle 1140 adapted for receiving a cushion 1400. The nozzle may be part of the housing or a separate part. The module 600 comprises at least two sound transducers 700, 500 mounted in the respective receptacles 650, 670 of the module. The earphone may further comprise at least one biometrical sensor or sensor module 510 mounted within the nozzle 1140.

[0024] Earphones, especially in-ear variants, require a vent 320 that connects the air volume 300 within a housing and in front of a speaker 700 either directly to the environment, as depicted in Fig. 2 and Fig. 5, or to the volume 400 behind the speaker, similar to Fig. 4. This vent 320 has the task to prevent excessive pressure build-up while inserting / removing the earphone into / from the ear canal. Furthermore, the reproduction of low frequencies can be tuned by modifying an acoustic resistance of the vent. While conventionally such vents are just openings, which may optionally be covered by a resistive material, a corresponding improvement is disclosed herein. It has been found that adding a duct structure 620 as described above, such as a tube or tunnel, to a vent opening for the front volume 300 is advantageous in that it provides an additional inductive component. Such inductive component enables venting, but prevents high frequency environmental noise from entering the front volume 300 of the earphone. It may be supplemented by a mesh in order to obtain a series connection of an inductive and a resistive component, as also mentioned above.

[0025] A known solution for an earphone vent is described in US8565466B2. It comprises a slit incorporated in the nozzle of an earphone, wherein the width, depth and length of the slit enables tuning of the resistance and inductance of the vent. However, it has a few drawbacks; first, the slit depth is limited by material thickness. Second, the slit width is limited: it has a lower limit due to production requirements and an upper limit since the earpad will bend into the slit if the slit is too wide. Third, the slit length is limited: it has a lower limit due to the earpad covering the slit and an upper limit because the portion that is inserted into the ear canal should be as short as possible for an increased wearing comfort. The present improvement avoids these drawbacks by providing a semi-open earphone that achieves venting with a very low resistance but a high inductivity, which results from the inner diameter and length of the sound tube. These parameters can be tuned in a wide range. This creates a very comfortable earphone with reduced occlusion but still the best possible passive high frequency attenuation. While in the above-described embodiments the resistive tube vent 320 connects the front volume 300 with the ambient air, which is advantageous for in-ear earphones, it is possible and preferable in headband headphones to use a similar tube vent for connecting the front volume with the back volume.

[0026] Thus, in one aspect the present invention relates to a semi-open in-ear earphone with a tube or duct vent that has an inductive component and a resistive component and that connects the front volume of the in-ear earphone directly to the ambient air.

Examples

Embodiment Construction

[0010]Fig. 5 shows a simplified sketch of a configuration for positioning sound transducers and additional sensors in an in-ear earphone, in an embodiment of the invention. Different from known configurations, an earphone transducer module 600 is used that combines a first receptacle 670 and a second receptacle 650, which are on different sides 601, 602 of the module 600, as well as at least three openings 625, 645, 655 and, in this embodiment, a lid portion 610 defining a resonator volume when the speaker 700 is mounted. The first receptacle 670 is adapted for mounting the speaker 700, and the second receptacle 650 is adapted for mounting a feedback microphone 500. The at least three openings comprise a sound duct opening 645 for sound output, a feedback path opening 655 for the feedback microphone 500 and a vent opening 625 for a front volume port 320 to the environment. The vent opening 625 may optionally comprise a tube or tunnel 620. The sound duct opening 645 may optionally co...

Claims

1. A transducer holding module (600) for an earphone, comprising - a front side (601) and a back side (602) opposite the front side; - a first receptacle (670) adapted for mounting a first sound transducer (700) on the back side (602); - a second receptacle (650) adapted for mounting a second sound transducer (500) on the front side (601); and - a first opening (645), a second opening (655) and a third opening (625), each connecting the back side (602) with the front side (601); - wherein the first opening (645) is adapted for sound output and is located within the first receptacle (670) and spaced apart from the second receptacle (650); - the second opening (655) is located within the first receptacle (670) and within the second receptacle (650); and - the third opening (625) is a vent opening located within the first receptacle (670) and spaced apart from the second receptacle (650).

2. The transducer holding module (600) according to claim 1, wherein the third opening (625) comprises a tube (620) on the front side (601).

3. The transducer holding module (600) according to claim 2, wherein the third opening (625) has a diameter of less than 1 mm and the tube (620) on the front side has a length of less than 5 mm.

4. The transducer holding module (600) according to one of the claims 1-3, wherein the first opening (645) has a larger diameter than the second opening (655) and the third opening (625).

5. The transducer holding module (600) according to one of the claims 1-4, wherein the module (600) has on its front side (601) a support (640) at least partly around the first opening (645), the support (640) being adapted for receiving a nozzle (1140).

6. The transducer holding module (600) according to any one of the claims 1-5, further comprising - a first sound transducer (700) mounted on the first receptacle (670) on the back side (602) of the module (600), wherein a front volume (300) results between the first sound transducer (700) and the back side (602) of the module (600), the front volume (300) being acoustically connected to the first opening (645), the second opening (655) and the third opening (625); and - a second sound transducer (500) mounted on the second receptacle (650) on the front side (601) of the module (600), wherein the second sound transducer is acoustically connected to the front volume (300) through the second opening (655).

7. The transducer holding module (600) according to claim 6, wherein the module (600) or the first sound transducer (700) has a back cover (710) covering a volume (720) behind the first sound transducer (700), wherein said volume (720) is connected through a vent opening (740) to the ambient air.

8. The transducer holding module (600) according to claim 6 or 7, wherein a portion of the back side of the module (600) that is within the front volume (300) is a lid area (610) that is at least partly shaped according to a shape of the first sound transducer (700), in particular a shape of a membrane or calotte of the first sound transducer.

9. An earphone comprising - a transducer holding module (600) according to any one of the claims 1-8, the module comprising at least two sound transducers (700, 500) mounted in the respective receptacles (650, 670) of the module (600); - a housing (1300) having an opening that communicates with the third opening (625) of the transducer holding module (600); and - a nozzle (1140) adapted for receiving a cushion (1400), wherein the nozzle communicates with the first opening (645) of the transducer holding module (600).

10. The earphone according to claim 9, further comprising at least one biometrical sensor or sensor module (510) mounted within the nozzle (1140).

11. The earphone according to claim 10, further comprising at least one further biometrical sensor (510a, 510b) mounted within the nozzle (1140).

12. The earphone according to any one of the claims 9-11, wherein the nozzle (1140) has at least one optical window for the at least one biometrical sensor (510a, 510b).

13. The earphone according to any one of the claims 9-12, wherein the nozzle (1140) is part of the housing (1300).

14. The earphone according to any one of the claims 9-12, wherein the nozzle (1140) is a separate part and not part of the housing (1300).

15. The earphone according to any one of the claims 9-14, further comprising - one or more electronic components; - a battery; and - a cushion (1400) or earpad.

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