Bone conduction sound detector

Abstract

To provide a bone conduction sound detector which can be attached to an auricle and is more powerful and more vivid.SOLUTION: A vibration device 3 is a portion for converting an acoustic electric signal to a vibration and outputting the vibration, and an intermediate vibration transmission unit 5 is connected to the vibration device 3. A tip vibration propagation unit 7 is provided at a tip of the intermediate vibration transmission unit 5. The intermediate vibration transmission unit 5 and the tip vibration propagation unit 7 are portions inserted in an earhole, and the intermediate vibration propagation unit 5 propagates the vibration of the vibration device 3 to the tip vibration propagation unit 7. The tip vibration propagation unit 7 is a portion propagating vibrations mainly to a user. An outer diameter of the intermediate vibration propagation unit 5 is smaller than that of the tip vibration propagation unit 7.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a bone conduction hearing device. [Background technology]

[0002] Devices such as headphones and earphones (hereinafter referred to as hearing devices) have been widely used as a means for listening to music and conversations. Examples of earphones include in-ear and inner-ear types. Inner-ear types are said to provide a high level of realism in sound, but because they are worn by hooking them onto the auricle, they have problems such as being easily dislodged and sound leaking.

[0003] In contrast, the canal type has an earplug-type earpiece inserted into the ear canal, providing a high level of sealing and reducing sound leakage. Fig. 7(a) is a diagram showing the state before the hearing device 100 is attached to the ear canal 107, and Fig. 7(b) is a conceptual diagram showing the state after the hearing device 100 is attached to the ear canal 107.

[0004] An earpiece is attached to the canal-type hearing device 100, and the earpiece is inserted into the external ear canal 107 of the auricle 101. The sound emitted from the hearing device 100 is a vibration wave of air, which enters through the external ear canal 107, passes through the eardrum 109 and the ossicles, and reaches the cochlea 111. Inside the cochlea 111, there are hair cells (sensors), and the vibration wave vibrates the hair cells, and an electrical signal generated from the sensor at the root of the hair cells is transmitted to the brain and recognized as sound. Such earphones are easy to block out surrounding sounds, and many variations have been proposed in recent years, including noise canceling functions.

[0005] On the other hand, hearing devices that use bone conduction instead of the conventional air conduction have also been proposed. Hearing devices that use bone conduction are characterized by being able to hear sounds without blocking the ear canal and having little sound leakage. In addition, bone conduction hearing devices are attached to the head or near the auricle, and transmit vibrations to the cochlea 111 through the bones in the vicinity, and electrical signals generated by the hair cells are transmitted to the brain. In this way, the bone conduction hearing device does not pass through the eardrum 109 or ossicles, so the burden on the eardrum 109 is greatly reduced, and it may be possible to hear even if the eardrum 109 or ossicles are damaged, so it may be possible for hearing-impaired people to use it, and its use in hearing aids and the like is also being promoted (for example, Patent Document 1). [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0006] [Patent Document 1] Patent Publication No. 2022-42870 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0007] Fig. 8 is a diagram showing a state of use of the bone conduction hearing device 120 of Patent Document 1. As shown in Fig. 8, the bone conduction hearing device 120 is attached to the auricle 101, and the vibration part of the bone conduction hearing device 120 is brought into contact with the cartilage part 113 near the auricle to transmit vibration. Since the temporal bone 115 almost completely encases the cochlea 111, the vibration transmitted to the temporal bone 115 can efficiently vibrate the hair cell sensor in the cochlea 111. With this method, a person with normal hearing does not block the ear canal 107, and therefore can hear sounds due to bone conduction while listening to the surrounding air vibration sounds from the ear canal 107 through the eardrum 109.

[0008] Therefore, the inventors compared sound pressure and sound sensation using two types of bone conduction earphones, the type described in Patent Document 1 (FIG. 8) and a canal type. FIG. 9 is a diagram showing a canal type bone conduction hearing device 130 in use. FIG. 10 shows the results of evaluating the threshold hearing level of these bone conduction earphones using an audiometer. The audio signal amplifiers used in the bone conduction hearing devices 120 and 130 had the same amplification factor.

[0009] In the figure, A is the result for the canal-type bone conduction hearing device 130, and B is the result for the bone conduction hearing device 120 of Patent Document 1. The higher up in the figure, the lower the threshold hearing level. In other words, it is possible to hear even quieter sounds. The inventor compared the bone conduction hearing devices 120 and 130 and found that, although both are the same bone conduction devices, the canal-type bone conduction hearing device 130 had a better hearing level than the bone conduction hearing device 120 of Patent Document 1. The inventor focused on the vibration transmission route as the reason for this.

[0010] As described above, in Fig. 8, the vibration section of the bone conduction hearing device 120 is in close contact with the auricle 101, and vibrations are transmitted to the cartilage 113 inside the auricle 101, and then from the cartilage 113 to the temporal bone 115. On the other hand, in Fig. 9, the bone conduction hearing device 130 has an ear tip at the tip of the canal inserted into the cartilage external ear canal 103, and is inserted closer to the temporal bone 115 than the bone conduction hearing device 120 in Fig. 8.

[0011] The inventors have speculated that the reason why the hearing level of the bone conduction hearing device 130 is superior, even though they are both bone conduction earphones, is due to the difference in the position at which vibrations are transmitted. That is, the inventors have speculated that in the case of the bone conduction hearing device 120, vibrations are greatly attenuated by the cartilage 113 that is interposed between the temporal bone 115 and the bone conduction earphones, but in the case of the bone conduction hearing device 130, the tip of the canal penetrates close to the temporal bone 115, and vibrations are less attenuated by the cartilage, so vibrations are efficiently transmitted to the temporal bone, enabling stronger and clearer hearing.

[0012] However, since the canal-type bone conduction hearing device 130 is used by being inserted into the cartilage part of the external ear canal 103, it is presumed that attenuation occurs in the cartilage part 113. Also, as described above, the general canal-type bone conduction hearing device 130 has the problem that it is difficult to hear external environmental sounds when it is attached to the external ear canal 107.

[0013] Furthermore, in the case of conventional canal-type earphones, the ear tip at the end of the canal comes into contact with the cartilage ear canal 103 at the entrance of the ear canal, almost completely blocking the ear canal 107. The cartilage ear canal 103 contains sebaceous glands and sweat glands, and if the cartilage ear canal 103 remains blocked, the inside of the ear becomes steamy, creating an environment in which bacteria can easily grow. In addition, scratches can occur when putting on and taking off the earphones or by scratching them, which can lead to infection and the development of otitis externa. Dirty earphones can also cause infection. Furthermore, when worn for long periods of time, discomfort due to sweat is a problem.

[0014] The present invention has been made in consideration of the above-mentioned problems, and aims to provide a bone conduction hearing device that can be worn in the ear canal for long periods of time, has a stronger and clearer sound, and is particularly suitable for people with hearing loss. [Means for solving the problem]

[0015] In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, the present invention is a bone conduction hearing device comprising a vibration device that converts an acoustic electrical signal into vibration and outputs the vibration, an intermediate vibration transmission part that is inserted into the ear canal and transmits the vibration of the vibration device, and a tip vibration transmission part that is provided at the tip of the intermediate vibration transmission part and transmits the vibration to a user, wherein the intermediate vibration transmission part has a length that enables the tip vibration transmission part to reach the bony ear canal, the diameter of the intermediate vibration transmission part is smaller than the diameter of the tip vibration transmission part, and the intermediate vibration transmission part is deformable.

[0016] In addition, it is desirable that a portion of the tip vibration transmission part is cut out when viewed from the front, and that when inserted into the ear canal, the tip vibration transmission part does not block the bony external auditory canal, and a gap can be formed between the tip vibration transmission part and the inner surface of the ear canal at the cut out portion.

[0017] It is desirable that the vibration device comprises a case in which a coil and a magnet are housed, and a vibration plate capable of vibrating relative to the case, and that the intermediate vibration transmission part is directly joined to the vibration device.

[0018] The intermediate vibration transmission portion and the tip vibration transmission portion may be integrally formed with a resin that constitutes the exterior of the vibration device, and the vibration device may be covered with the resin.

[0019] The length from the entrance of the ear canal to the eardrum is 30 to 35 mm, and the length from the entrance of the ear canal to the bony ear canal is approximately 1 / 3 of that, so it is desirable for the length of the intermediate vibration transmission part to be 10 mm or more and 15 mm or less.

[0020] It is necessary to secure a distance so that the insertion position of the tip vibration transmission part of this bone conduction earphone does not contact the eardrum. As a measure for controlling the insertion position, it is desirable to make the size of the vibration device and the configured exterior part larger than the entrance of the ear canal. This makes it possible to fix the vibration device and the configured exterior part at the entrance of the ear canal and prevent excessive insertion.

[0021] At least the tip vibration transmission part may be detachable from the vibration device.

[0022] According to the present invention, vibrations can be transmitted from the vibration device of the bone conduction hearing device to the bony ear canal inside the ear canal (ear canal) by the intermediate vibration transmission section and the tip vibration transmission section. At this time, since the diameter of the intermediate vibration transmission section is small for the cartilage ear canal, which is shallower than the bony ear canal, contact between the bone conduction hearing device and the cartilage is suppressed, and vibrations can be transmitted to the bone efficiently.

[0023] Furthermore, since the intermediate vibration transmitting section is deformable, it can conform to the shape of a person's ear canal (ear canal), and the tip vibration transmitting section can be brought into contact with the bony ear canal more reliably.

[0024] In addition, by making the diameter of the intermediate vibration transmitting part smaller than that of the tip vibration transmitting part and making the intermediate vibration transmitting part deformable, a gap can be formed between the cartilage ear canal at the entrance of the ear canal and the intermediate vibration transmitting part. As a result, the cartilage ear canal is not blocked, which prevents the inside of the ear from becoming steamy and prevents conditions that are prone to the growth of bacteria.

[0025] In addition, by forming a notch in a part of the tip vibration transmitting part, when the tip vibration transmitting part is inserted into the ear canal (ear canal), the ear canal is not blocked by the tip vibration transmitting part, and a gap can be formed between the notch and the inner surface of the ear canal. Therefore, surrounding sounds can be heard without being blocked.

[0026] In addition, by directly joining the intermediate vibration transmission unit to the vibration device in which the coil and magnet are housed, the effects of resonance of the external case can be suppressed compared to when the vibration device is attached to an external case and the intermediate vibration transmission unit is connected to the external case.

[0027] In addition, since the cover that covers the vibration device and the resin that makes up the intermediate vibration transmission part are constructed as a single unit, vibrations can be transmitted efficiently, and since the case is covered with resin, watertightness can be improved.

[0028] In particular, if the length from the entrance of the ear canal to the eardrum is 30 to 35 mm and the length of the intermediate vibration-transmitting portion is 10 mm or more, the tip vibration-transmitting portion can be more reliably brought into contact with the bony ear canal.

[0029] Furthermore, by making the tip vibration transmitting section detachable, it is possible to replace the tip vibration transmitting section according to the size of the ear canal (external ear canal). Effect of the Invention

[0030] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a bone conduction hearing device that can be worn on the auricle, has a stronger and clearer sound quality, and is particularly suitable for people with hearing impairments. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0031] [Figure 1] 1A is a side view showing the bone conduction hearing device 1, and FIG. 1B is a view seen from the tip vibration transmission unit 7 side. [Diagram 2] FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view showing a bone conduction hearing device 1. [Diagram 3] FIG. 2A is a conceptual diagram showing the state before the bone conduction hearing device 1 is worn, and FIG. 2B is a conceptual diagram showing the state after the bone conduction hearing device 1 is worn. [Figure 4] FIG. 2 is an exploded cross-sectional view of the bone conduction hearing device 1a. [Diagram 5] 1A is a cross-sectional view of a bone conduction hearing device 1b, and FIG. 1B is a cross-sectional view of a bone conduction hearing device 1c. [Figure 6] 1A is a cross-sectional view of a bone conduction hearing device 1d, and FIG. 1B is a cross-sectional view of a bone conduction hearing device 1e. [Figure 7] FIG. 1A is a conceptual diagram showing a conventional hearing device 100 before it is worn, and FIG. 1B is a conceptual diagram showing the hearing device 100 after it is worn. [Figure 8] 1A to 1C are diagrams showing examples of how the bone conduction hearing device 120 is worn. [Figure 9] 1A and 1B are diagrams showing examples of how a canal-type bone conduction hearing device 130 is worn. [Figure 10] 13 is a diagram showing evaluation results of the hearing levels of the bone conduction hearing device 120 and the bone conduction hearing device 130. FIG. [Figure 11] FIG. 1 shows the evaluation results of the hearing levels of various hearing devices. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0032] A preferred embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1(a) is a side view of a bone conduction hearing device 1 according to a first embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 1(b) is a view seen from the tip vibration transmission unit 7 side (the right side of FIG. 1(a)). The bone conduction hearing device 1 is mainly composed of a vibration device 3, an intermediate vibration transmission unit 5, a tip vibration transmission unit 7, etc. In the following drawings, wiring and the like are omitted. Also, a battery, a control unit, a communication unit, etc. may be integrated with the vibration device 3, or may be connected to another main body by wires. Also, the bone conduction hearing device 1 may be connected to a sound source (such as a mobile terminal) or a microphone by wires or wirelessly.

[0033] The vibration device 3 is a part that converts an acoustic electric signal into vibration and outputs the vibration, and an intermediate vibration transmission unit 5 is connected to the vibration device 3. A tip vibration transmission unit 7 is provided at the tip of the intermediate vibration transmission unit 5. The intermediate vibration transmission unit 5 and the tip vibration transmission unit 7 are parts that are inserted into the ear canal, and the vibration of the vibration device 3 is transmitted to the tip vibration transmission unit 7 by the intermediate vibration transmission unit 5. The tip vibration transmission unit 7 is a part that mainly transmits vibration to the user.

[0034] The outer diameter of the intermediate vibration transmitting part 5 is smaller than the inner diameter of the cartilage part of the ear canal and smaller than the outer diameter of the tip vibration transmitting part 7. That is, the tip vibration transmitting part 7 protrudes in the radial direction relative to the intermediate vibration transmitting part 5. Also, as shown in FIG. 1(b), the tip vibration transmitting part 7 is partially cut out when viewed from the front, and cutout parts 9 are provided at predetermined intervals in the circumferential direction. That is, the tip vibration transmitting part 7 has a shape that is partially cut out with respect to a substantially circular shape when viewed from the front.

[0035] The outer diameter of the intermediate vibration transmission unit 5 is about 4 to 5 mm, and the length (the length from the vibration device 3 to the tip vibration transmission unit 7) is preferably 10 mm or more. The outer diameter of the tip vibration transmission unit 7 is about 5 to 6 mm, and the length is about 2 mm. The length from the entrance of the ear canal to the eardrum is 30 to 35 mm, and since there is a risk that the tip will reach the eardrum if it is inserted too far, the length of the intermediate vibration transmission unit 5 is preferably 15 mm or less. The size of the entrance of the ear canal varies from person to person, and the inventor's research has revealed that it is about φ7 to φ10 mm, so that the diameter of the vibration device 3 can be made larger than φ10 mm to prevent the vibration device 3 from entering the entrance of the ear canal.

[0036] 2 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the bone conduction hearing device 1. The vibration device 3 is mainly composed of a diaphragm 11, a first yoke 15, a second yoke 25, a coil 23, a magnet 29, etc., and the diaphragm 11, the first yoke 15, the second yoke 25, the coil 23, the magnet 29, etc. are housed in a case 27. Note that the internal structure of the vibration device 3 is not limited to the example shown in the figure.

[0037] The first yoke 15 and the second yoke 25 are arranged to sandwich the magnet 29. The magnet 29, the first yoke 15, and the second yoke 25 form a vibrating part. The diaphragm 11 is arranged with a gap between them and the second yoke 25. The diaphragm 11 is connected to the first yoke 15, the second yoke 25, and the magnet 29 by a pin 19. The pin 19 is made of, for example, a thermoplastic resin. Note that a substantially circular spacer is arranged between the second yoke 25 and the diaphragm 11 to ensure a gap.

[0038] The coil 23 is arranged around the magnet 29 and coaxially with the magnet 29. The first yoke 15 has a side wall portion facing in the opposite direction to the diaphragm 11 so as to cover the outer periphery of the coil 23 with a gap. This prevents the magnetic field from leaking to the outside, and increases the magnetic field to the coil. The coil 23 is arranged with a gap between the second yoke 25 and the side wall portion of the first yoke 15. The coil 23 is mounted on an annular substrate 21, and a hole is formed in the substrate 21 below the second yoke 25.

[0039] At the front end side of the case 27 (the side opposite to the magnet 29, etc.), a cover 17 is arranged with a gap therebetween and approximately parallel to the diaphragm 11. A vibration transmission cover 18 may be arranged separately in contact with the rear surface of the cover 17. The rear end side of the case 27 (the side opposite to the diaphragm 11) is also covered with the vibration transmission cover 18. Wiring, etc., is drawn out from the vibration transmission cover 18 covering the rear end side of the case 27 as necessary.

[0040] The intermediate vibration transmitting part 5 is connected to the approximate center of the outer surface side of the vibration transmitting cover 18 on the front side. In the illustrated example, the opening of the case 27 is covered with the resin constituting the vibration transmitting cover 18, and the vibration transmitting cover 18 covering the case 27 and the resin constituting the intermediate vibration transmitting part 5 are integrally constituted. The resin constituting the intermediate vibration transmitting part 5 is, for example, soft resin such as silicone-based resin or deformable resin such as foamed resin. In this case, it is desirable to select a material that causes little vibration attenuation by the resin that is constituted. The tip vibration transmitting part 7 is also constituted of a similarly flexible resin. For example, the intermediate vibration transmitting part 5 and the tip vibration transmitting part 7 may be integrally constituted.

[0041] The outer periphery of the substrate 21 on which the coil 23 is mounted, the diaphragm 11, and the cover 17 are fixed to and held by the case 27. The case 27 has a substantially cylindrical shape, and the diaphragm 11 can vibrate relative to the case 27. In a typical bone conduction device, an external case made of hard resin such as polycarbonate or ABS is disposed on the outer periphery of the case 27, and the bone conduction vibration part (vibration cover) that comes into contact with the user is fixed to the external case. However, with such a structure, the inherent resonance of the external case is superimposed on the original sound vibration, resulting in distorted sound that is difficult to hear.

[0042] On the other hand, in this embodiment, the vibration transmitting cover 18 to which the intermediate vibration transmitting unit 5 is connected is not fixed to the external case, but is fixed only to the internal case (case 27). That is, the intermediate vibration transmitting unit 5 is directly joined to the case 27, not to the external case. As described above, the vibration transmitting cover 18 is made of a soft material, and the intermediate vibration transmitting unit 5 is attached directly to the case 27 (the vibration transmitting cover fixed to the case 27), so that the natural frequency can be made lower than the frequency range of the audible sound.

[0043] Next, a method of using the bone conduction hearing device 1 will be described. FIG. 3(a) is a diagram showing a state before the bone conduction hearing device 1 is attached to the auricle 101. The structure of the ear canal (ear canal 107) of the auricle 101 is about 3.5 cm in length (depth), about 1 / 3 from the entrance of the ear canal is a cartilage part 113 (cartilage ear canal), and about 2 / 3 beyond that is a temporal bone 115 (bony ear canal). The skin in the cartilage part 113 has sweat glands, which secrete sweat and produce earwax, which can cause otitis externa. On the other hand, the temporal bone 115 is covered with a thin skin of about 0.2 mm and is firmly connected to the periosteum. The upper part of the ear canal 107 is the temporal bone 115, which also covers the cochlea 111.

[0044] As a result of intensive research, the inventors have found that a clearer and stronger sound is transmitted when the vibration section of the bone conduction hearing device is transmitted to the temporal bone 115 rather than to the cartilage section 113. In other words, they have found that in order to efficiently transmit bone conduction vibration to the cochlea 111, it is effective to transmit the vibration to the temporal bone that covers the cochlea 111, and that the sound can be heard more strongly and clearly.

[0045] 3(b), when the tip vibration-transmitting unit 7 and the intermediate vibration-transmitting unit 5 are inserted into the ear canal 107 and the bone conduction hearing device 1 is attached to the auricle 101, the length of the intermediate vibration-transmitting unit 5 allows the tip vibration-transmitting unit 7 to be positioned in the region of the temporal bone 115. Note that the portion of the bone conduction hearing device 1 outside the ear canal 107 is inserted into the concha, making it possible to prevent the device from falling off the auricle 101. Here, when the tip vibration-transmitting unit 7 is in contact with the skin in the bony ear canal 105, the outer diameter of the intermediate vibration-transmitting unit 5 is smaller than that of the tip vibration-transmitting unit 7, so that contact between the intermediate vibration-transmitting unit 5 and the skin in the cartilage part 113 can be suppressed.

[0046] When the earphone is inserted into the ear canal, sweat flows out from the sweat glands in the cartilage ear canal 103, and if a part of the earphone comes into contact with the skin in the cartilage ear canal 103 and damages the skin, otitis externa may develop. In response to this, by narrowing the outer diameter of the intermediate vibration transmission unit 5, contact with the skin in the cartilage ear canal 103 is suppressed, and a gap is provided between the ear canal 107 (inner surface of the ear canal) and the intermediate vibration transmission unit 5. In this way, air can circulate in the cartilage ear canal 103, so that even if there is a lot of sweat flowing out from the sweat glands, it becomes easier to dry, and otitis externa can be prevented. In addition, by suppressing the transmission of vibration from the intermediate vibration transmission unit 5 to the cartilage 113, vibration can be efficiently transmitted from the tip vibration transmission unit 7 to the temporal bone 115.

[0047] On the other hand, since the skin covering the bony ear canal 105 has almost no sweat glands, the above-mentioned problem does not occur even if the tip vibration transmitting unit 7 comes into contact with the skin in the bony ear canal 105. On the other hand, the skin in the bony ear canal 105 is very thin, being about 0.2 mm thick. In response to this, the tip vibration transmitting unit 7 is partially provided with a notch 9, which reduces the contact area with the skin surface of the bony ear canal 105 and prevents damage to the thin skin.

[0048] Furthermore, when the tip vibration transmitting unit 7 is inserted into the ear canal 107, the ear canal 107 is not completely blocked by the tip vibration transmitting unit 7, and a gap can be formed between the tip vibration transmitting unit 7 and the inner surface of the ear canal 107 at the cutout portion 9. Therefore, surrounding sounds are transmitted to the eardrum 109 through the ear canal 107, so that the surrounding sounds are not completely blocked, and it is possible to hear sounds from the bone conduction hearing device 1 while listening to surrounding sounds.

[0049] Although the shape of the ear canal 107 differs from person to person, the resin of the intermediate vibration transmission unit 5 has low hardness and is deformable, so that it becomes more flexible and can accommodate individual differences in the shape of the ear canal 107. In this case, it is not necessary to completely prevent the intermediate vibration transmission unit 5 from contacting the ear canal 107, and a part of the intermediate vibration transmission unit 5 may partially contact the skin in the ear canal 107 as long as strong contact between the intermediate vibration transmission unit 5 and the cartilage part ear canal 103 can be suppressed.

[0050] As described above, according to the first embodiment, the intermediate vibration transmitting unit 5 has a length for the tip vibration transmitting unit 7 to reach the bony ear canal 105, and the tip vibration transmitting unit 7 contacts the ear canal 107 in the region of the bony ear canal 105 to transmit vibration to the temporal bone 115, so that a clearer and stronger sound can be transmitted compared to the case where vibration is transmitted to the cartilage 113. Therefore, for example, the power applied to the vibration device 3 can be reduced. Note that, compared to the case where vibration is transmitted to the cartilage 113, the same sound pressure sensation can be realized even with about 50% of the applied power. Therefore, continuous use for about twice the time is possible without changing the battery capacity.

[0051] Furthermore, since the intermediate vibration transmission unit 5 is directly joined to the case 27, the vibration of the vibration device 3 can be efficiently transmitted to the intermediate vibration transmission unit 5. Also, by integrally molding the vibration transmission cover 18 that covers the case 27 and the intermediate vibration transmission unit 5 with the same type of resin, a completely waterproof structure of the vibration device 3 can be achieved. Also, by doing so, dirt during use can be easily cleaned, and otitis externa can be prevented. Furthermore, by adjusting the hardness of the resin, the resonance frequency of the resin part can be made low so as not to affect the frequency band used.

[0052] In addition, by reducing the outer diameter of the intermediate vibration transmission part 5, contact between the intermediate vibration transmission part 5 and the cartilage external auditory canal 103 is suppressed, enabling efficient transmission of vibration to the temporal bone 115 and also being effective in preventing otitis externa.

[0053] Furthermore, by providing the notch 9 in the tip vibration transmission unit 7, it is possible to reduce the burden on the skin caused by contact with the thin skin of the bony ear canal 105 and to prevent the blocking of surrounding sounds. Therefore, people with mild hearing loss and people with normal hearing can hear sounds from the bone conduction hearing device 1 while listening to surrounding sounds.

[0054] Another embodiment of the present invention will be described below. In the following description, only the differences from the embodiments described so far will be described, and the same components will be denoted by the same reference numerals in the drawings and description will be omitted.

[0055] The bone conduction hearing device 1a shown in FIG. 4 has a configuration substantially similar to that of the bone conduction hearing device 1, but differs in that the vibration transmission cover 18 is detachable from the vibration device 3. As described above, the shape and size of the ear canal 107 vary from person to person. For this reason, by preparing a plurality of sizes of vibration transmission covers 18 (intermediate vibration transmission section 5 and tip vibration transmission section 7) and making them interchangeable, it is possible to use a size suitable for the user. For example, by making the diameter of the tip vibration transmission section 7 various sizes, it is possible to accommodate individual differences in the size of the outer ear.

[0056] In the illustrated example, the vibration transmission cover 18 is integrally formed with the intermediate vibration transmission part 5 and the tip vibration transmission part 7, but the intermediate vibration transmission part 5 and the tip vibration transmission part 7 may be detachable as a unit from the vibration transmission cover 18. Also, the tip vibration transmission part 7 disposed at the tip of the intermediate vibration transmission part 5 may be detachable from the intermediate vibration transmission part 5. In this way, by making at least the tip vibration transmission part 7 detachable from the vibration device 3, it is possible to use a tip vibration transmission part 7 having a shape suitable for the user.

[0057] 5(a), the outer peripheral surface of the tip vibration transmitting unit 7 may be arc-shaped. That is, in a cross-sectional view in the axial direction (left-right direction in the figure), the outer shape of the tip vibration transmitting unit 7 in the axial direction may be arc-shaped instead of linear. Even in this case, it is preferable to form a partial notch 9 in front view. By using such a shape, the contact area between the tip vibration transmitting unit 7 and the thin skin in the bony ear canal 105 can be reduced, thereby suppressing damage to the skin.

[0058] 5(b), the intermediate vibration-transmitting part 5 may be formed in a columnar shape with a substantially constant diameter, but the outer diameter on the base side may be gradually changed. For example, as shown in the figure, the outer diameter of the intermediate vibration-transmitting part 5 may be gradually increased toward the base side (the cover 17 side).

[0059] As shown in the bone conduction hearing device 1c, the vibration transmission cover 18 may completely cover the vibration device 3. In this case, it is difficult to attach and detach the vibration transmission cover 18, but by completely covering the vibration device 3 with resin, the watertightness can be further improved. Also, the vibration of the vibration device 3 can be efficiently transmitted to the tip vibration transmission part 7.

[0060] 6(a), a hollow section 31 may be provided inside the intermediate vibration-transmitting section 5 and the tip vibration-transmitting section 7. The hollow section 31 is formed substantially at the center of the intermediate vibration-transmitting section 5 and the tip vibration-transmitting section 7 and is continuous in the axial direction. This makes it easier for the intermediate vibration-transmitting section 5 and the tip vibration-transmitting section 7 to deform, and makes it easier for them to fit the ear canal 107 of the user.

[0061] Also, as in the bone conduction hearing device 1e shown in FIG. 6(b), a core 33 may be provided inside the intermediate vibration transmission unit 5 and the tip vibration transmission unit 7. The core 33 is approximately at the center of the intermediate vibration transmission unit 5 and the tip vibration transmission unit 7, and is formed continuously in the axial direction. The core 33 is made of, for example, an elastically deformable metal, and is made of a material with higher rigidity than the surrounding resin. Also, one end of the core 33 may be in contact with the diaphragm 11, or a resin may be interposed therebetween. In this way, vibrations can be transmitted more efficiently in the intermediate vibration transmission unit 5 and the tip vibration transmission unit 7.

[0062] Although the preferred embodiment of the present invention has been described above with reference to the accompanying drawings, the present invention is not limited to such an example. It is clear that a person skilled in the art can come up with various modified or altered examples within the scope of the technical ideas disclosed in this application, and it is understood that such examples also naturally belong to the technical scope of the present invention.

[0063] For example, it goes without saying that the configurations described in each embodiment can be freely combined as necessary. EXAMPLES

[0064] The hearing level of various hearing devices (earphones) was evaluated using the audiometer described above. Figure 11 shows the evaluation results of the hearing level for the hearing devices. In the figure, A is the canal-type bone conduction hearing device described above, and in the figure, C is roughly the embodiment of the present invention shown in Figure 1.

[0065] The evaluation results showed that the hearing level of the product of the present invention was significantly improved compared to the canal-type bone conduction hearing device. Therefore, when listening to the same volume, it is possible to use the device for a longer period of time with the same capacity battery. In addition, compared to the canal-type, it does not completely block the ear canal, so it is possible to listen to external environmental sounds at the same time, and even when worn for a long time, it is possible to minimize contact with the cartilage ear canal 103, so it is possible to suppress discomfort caused by sweat, etc. [Explanation of symbols]

[0066] 1, 1a, 1b, 1c, 1d, 1e...bone conduction hearing device 3. Vibration device 5. Intermediate vibration transmission section 7………Tip vibration transmission part 9....Notch 11……Diaphragm 15... First yoke 17………Cover 18...Vibration transmission cover 19………Pin 21... Circuit board 23...Coil 25………Second yoke 27………Case 29...Magnet 31……Hollow part 33……core part 100...Listening device 101………Auricle 103……Cartilage part external auditory canal 105……Bony external auditory canal 107……Earth auditory canal 109……Eardrum 111……Cochlea 113……Cartilage part 115...Temporal bone 120, 130...Bone conduction hearing device

Claims

1. 1. A bone conduction hearing device, comprising: a vibration device that converts an acoustic electric signal into vibration and outputs the vibration; An intermediate vibration transmission unit that is inserted into the ear canal and transmits vibrations of the vibration device; a tip vibration transmission part provided at a tip part of the intermediate vibration transmission part and configured to transmit vibrations to a user; Equipped with the intermediate vibration transmission portion has a length sufficient for the tip vibration transmission portion to reach a bony ear canal, The diameter of the intermediate vibration transmission part is smaller than the diameter of the tip vibration transmission part, A bone conduction hearing device, characterized in that the intermediate vibration transmission part is deformable.

2. The bone conduction hearing device of claim 1, characterized in that a portion of the tip vibration transmission part is cut out when viewed from the front, and when inserted into the ear canal, the ear canal is not blocked by the tip vibration transmission part, and a gap can be formed between the tip vibration transmission part and the inner surface of the ear canal at the cut out portion.

3. The bone conduction hearing device according to claim 1, characterized in that the vibration device comprises a case in which a coil and a magnet are housed, and a vibration plate capable of vibrating relative to the case, and the intermediate vibration transmission unit is directly joined to the vibration device.

4. 4. The bone conduction hearing device according to claim 3, wherein the intermediate vibration transmission portion and the tip vibration transmission portion are integrally formed with a resin that constitutes the exterior of the vibration device, and the vibration device is covered with the resin.

5. 2. The bone conduction hearing device according to claim 1, wherein the length of the intermediate vibration transmitting portion is 10 mm or more.

6. 2. The bone conduction hearing device according to claim 1, wherein at least the tip vibration transmission section is detachable from the vibration device.

Images