Listening device

Abstract

To provide a listening device equipped with an arm that is less likely to come into contact with the auricle. [Solution] The listening device 10 comprises a bone conduction vibrator 20, an arm 30 for attaching the bone conduction vibrator 20, and a headband 40 connected to the arm 30 and fixed to the head. The arm 30 extends from the upper side T of the bone conduction vibrator 20 to the rear side B of the bone conduction vibrator 20, and extends from the rear side B of the bone conduction vibrator 20 to the left and right sides S of the bone conduction vibrator 20. The tip of the arm 30 on the headband 40 side is provided with a first arm attachment part 31 (first attachment part) for attaching the headband, and the headband 40 and the arm 30 are rotatable around the first arm attachment part 31. The tip of the arm 30 on the opposite side of the headband 40 is provided with a second arm attachment part 32 (second attachment part) for attaching the bone conduction vibrator 20, and the bone conduction vibrator 20 and the arm 30 are rotatable around the second arm attachment part 32.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a listening device.

Background Art

[0002] Patent Document 1 discloses headphones that can always obtain a substantially constant biasing force without being affected by differences in the head width and shape of the user.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] A listening device provided with a bone conduction vibrator requires an arm for attaching the bone conduction vibrator. In such a listening device, an arm that is difficult to contact the auricle is desired.

[0005] Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a listening device provided with an arm that is difficult to contact the auricle.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0006] The present invention employs the following means for solving the above problems. Note that the following means are merely examples, and the present invention is not limited thereto. Further, the present invention can be an invention including at least one of the invention specific matters shown in the following means. Furthermore, elements limiting the invention specific matters can be added to the invention specific matters shown in the following means to conceptually subordinate them, or elements limiting the invention specific matters can be deleted to conceptually superordinate them.

[0007] Solution 1: The listening device of this solution comprises a bone conduction vibrator, an arm for attaching the bone conduction vibrator, and a headband connected to the arm and fixed to the head, wherein the arm extends from the upper side of the bone conduction vibrator to the rear side of the bone conduction vibrator and extends from the rear side of the bone conduction vibrator to the left and right sides of the bone conduction vibrator, the tip of the arm on the headband side is provided with a first attachment part for attaching the headband, the headband and the arm are rotatable about the first attachment part as an axis, the tip of the arm on the opposite side of the headband is provided with a second attachment part for attaching the bone conduction vibrator, and the bone conduction vibrator and the arm are rotatable about the second attachment part as an axis.

[0008] According to this solution, the arm extends from the upper side of the bone conduction vibrator to the rear side of the bone conduction vibrator, and from the rear side of the bone conduction vibrator to the left and right sides of the bone conduction vibrator. As a result, the arm is not positioned around the upper corners of the bone conduction vibrator, and a listening device can be provided with an arm that is less likely to come into contact with the auricle.

[0009] Furthermore, according to this solution, the headband and arm are rotatable around the first mounting portion, and the bone conduction vibrator and arm are rotatable around the second mounting portion, so the bone conduction vibrator can be freely rotated around two axes.

[0010] Solution 2: The listening device of this solution is a listening device characterized in that, in any of the solutions described above, the rigidity of the arm is greater than the rigidity of the headband.

[0011] According to this solution, since the rigidity of the arm is greater than that of the headband, it is possible to prevent the headband from closing unintentionally.

[0012] Solution 3: The listening device of this solution is characterized in that, in any of the solutions described above, the arm comprises a first member and a second member, the first member is provided with a first mounting portion and a third mounting portion, the second member is provided with a second mounting portion and a fourth mounting portion, the headband and the first member are rotatable about the first mounting portion as an axis, the bone conduction vibrator and the second member are rotatable about the second mounting portion as an axis, and the first member and the second member are rotatable about the third mounting portion and the fourth mounting portion as axes.

[0013] According to this solution, the headband and the first member are rotatable around the first mounting portion, the bone conduction vibrator and the second member are rotatable around the second mounting portion, and the first member and the second member are rotatable around the third and fourth mounting portions, respectively. Therefore, the bone conduction vibrator can be freely rotated around three axes.

[0014] Solution 4: The listening device of this solution is a listening device characterized in that, in any of the solutions described above, the rigidity of the first member is greater than the rigidity of the headband, and the rigidity of the second member is less than the rigidity of the first member.

[0015] According to this solution, the rigidity of the first member is greater than that of the headband, and the rigidity of the second member is less than that of the first member. Therefore, it is possible to resist the force that tries to close the headband while avoiding a decrease in the ease of attaching the bone conduction vibrator to the arm.

[0016] Solution 5: The listening device of this solution is a listening device characterized in that, in any of the solutions described above, the arm comprises a plurality of members, each of the plurality of members is provided with a mounting portion, and the plurality of members are rotatable about each mounting portion as an axis.

[0017] According to this solution, since the plurality of members are rotatable about their respective mounting portions, the movable range of the bone conduction vibrator can be expanded.

[0018] Solution 6: The hearing device of this solution is a hearing device characterized in that, in any of the above solutions, the plurality of members have different rigidities.

[0019] According to this solution, since the plurality of members have different rigidities, the degree of freedom of the arm can be improved as compared with the case where the rigidity is uniform.

[0020] Solution 7: The hearing device of this solution is a hearing device characterized in that, in any of the above solutions, at least one of the mounting portions has a detachable structure.

[0021] According to this solution, since at least one of the mounting portions has a detachable structure, workability and convenience can be improved.

[0022] Solution 8: The hearing device of this solution is a hearing device characterized in that, in any of the above solutions, the hearing device is connectable to a hearing test device.

[0023] According to this solution, since the hearing device is connectable to a hearing test device, even when the hearing device is connected to and used with the hearing test device, the inspection can be comfortably performed by an arm that is less likely to contact the auricle.

[0024] Solution 9: The hearing device of this solution is a hearing device characterized in that, in any of the above solutions, the third mounting portion is disposed on the rear side of the bone conduction vibrator, and the rotation axis of the third mounting portion passes through the bone conduction vibrator.

[0025] According to this solution, it is possible to easily adjust the position of the bone conduction vibrator with one hand by holding near the second mounting portion of the arm.

[0026] Solution means 10: In the hearing device of this solution means, in any of the above solution means, the bone conduction vibrator includes a first case and a second case, and is disposed above and below the first case and the second case, and a coupling part that couples the first case and the second case. The coupling part includes a protruding fastening member storage part having a through hole through which a fastening member for fastening the first case and the second case passes, and a protruding part for storing components disposed inside the bone conduction vibrator. A component storage part, and the fastening member storage part and the component storage part are arranged to intersect with each other, so that a cross-shaped shape is formed in plan view, and the fastening member storage part and the component storage part of the coupling part are not formed. A recessed part recessed toward the component storage part is formed in the part, and the corners of the component storage part have an arc-shaped roundness, so that the four corners of the bone conduction vibrator have an arc-shaped roundness when viewed from the front side or the rear side. It is a hearing device characterized by that.

[0027] According to this solution means, it is possible to make it difficult for the corners of the bone conduction vibrator to contact the auricle.

[0028] Solution means 11: In the hearing device of this solution means, in any of the above solution means, the portion of the arm extending from above the bone conduction vibrator to the rear side of the bone conduction vibrator extends in an arc shape to the rear side of the bone conduction vibrator. It is a hearing device characterized by that.

[0029] According to this solution means, it is possible to prevent the arm from getting in the way when moving the bone conduction vibrator for position adjustment.

Effect of the Invention

[0030] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a hearing device provided with an arm that is difficult to contact the auricle.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0031] [Figure 1] It is a perspective view showing the hearing device 10 of the first embodiment. [Figure 2] This figure shows the details of the arm 30 used in the listening device 10 of the first embodiment. [Figure 3] This diagram shows the operation of the bone conduction vibrator and the arm. [Figure 4] This is a perspective view showing the bone conduction transducer 20 in disassembled form. [Figure 5] This is a diagram showing the comparative example listening device 10A. [Figure 6] This figure illustrates a comparison between the comparative listening device 10A and the listening device 10 of the first embodiment. [Figure 7] This figure shows the details of the arm 30-2 used in the listening device 10-2 of the second embodiment. [Figure 8] This is a diagram showing the usage of the listening device 10-2 according to the second embodiment. [Figure 9] This figure shows the details of the arm 30-3 used in the listening device 10-3 of the third embodiment. [Figure 10] This is a diagram showing a modified example. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0032] [First Embodiment] Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. Figure 1 is a perspective view showing the listening device 10 of the first embodiment. The listening device 10 of the first embodiment includes a bone conduction vibrator 20, an arm 30 for attaching the bone conduction vibrator 20, a headband 40 connected to the arm 30 and fixed to the head, and a fixing member 50.

[0033] The bone conduction transducer 20 is a component that vibrates the bone through the skin. A cable bush 21 is located at the bottom of the bone conduction transducer 20, and a terminal 22 and a cable 23 are located at the bottom of the bush. The four corners VC of the bone conduction transducer 20 may be rounded in an arc shape so that they do not easily come into contact with the auricle when viewed from the posterior side (see Figure 2(B)). In this case, the rounding of the four corners VC may be such that the width of one corner VC is about 10-20% of the standard length (100%) of the width of the bone conduction transducer 20, or it may be about 30-40% of the standard length of one corner VC. The shape of the rounding is arbitrary, and the four corners VC may have the same rounding, different rounding, or only the upper corners may be rounded.

[0034] Next, the connecting portion 70 will be described. The connecting portion 70 may or may not be provided. If the connecting portion 70 is not provided, the two cases can be joined together with adhesive or the like, or fastened with screws in a part other than the connecting portion 70. The connecting portion 70 can be provided at any position on the bone conduction vibrator 20.

[0035] The bone conduction transducer 20 comprises a front case 24 (see Figure 4, first case) and a rear case 25 (see Figure 4, second case). The connecting portion 70 can be positioned, for example, on the upper and lower parts of the front case 24 and the rear case 25. When the connecting portion 70 is positioned, the solid line portions on the upper and lower parts of the bone conduction vibrator 20 are changed to dashed line portions. The upper connecting portion 70 and the lower connecting portion 70 have the same basic structure except that their orientation is reversed. The connecting portion 70 connects the front case 24 and the rear case 25 with screws. Note that the screws may be replaced with other fastening members such as bolts and nuts.

[0036] The connecting portion 70 includes a protruding screw portion 72 (fastening member housing portion) having a through-hole 71 (through hole) through which a screw (fastening member) that fastens the front case 24 and the rear case 25 passes, and protruding armature housing portions 73 (parts housing portions) arranged on both sides of the screw portion 72 and housing the armature (diaphragm, part) that is placed inside the bone conduction vibrator 20. The corners of the armature housing portion 73 have an arc-shaped curve. Specifically, the left and right corners of the armature housing portion 73 (a total of four corners, top and bottom) have an arc-shaped curve that extends to the left and right sides of the bone conduction vibrator 20. The corners of the screw portion 72 may also have an arc-shaped curve, similar to the corners of the armature housing portion 73. The screw may pass through the armature or through a notch formed in the armature.

[0037] As shown in the callout in Figure 2(B), the screw portion 72 extends in the front-to-back direction, and the armature housing portion 73 extends in the left-to-right direction. The connecting portion 70 has a shape in which four fan-shaped plate-like sections, each about 1 / 4 the size of a perfect circle, are joined together with the arc-shaped parts facing outwards. In this way, the screw portion 72 and the armature housing portion 73 are arranged to intersect, forming a cross shape in plan view. In addition, recessed portions 74 are formed in the parts of the connecting portion 70 where the screw portion 72 and the armature housing portion 73 are not formed, and these recesses are recessed toward the armature housing portion 73. The connecting portion 70, except for the screw portion 72, is recessed toward the armature housing portion 73 (the recessed portion 74 on the front side toward the back, and the recessed portion 74 on the back side toward the front).

[0038] The width of the screw portion 72 can be wider than the width of the armature storage portion 73. The screw portion 72 is configured to be wide because a screw is inserted into it, and the armature storage portion 73 can be configured to be narrower than the screw portion 72 because a thin plate-shaped armature chair is stored in it. However, the widths of the screw portion 72 and the armature storage portion 73 can be set arbitrarily.

[0039] Furthermore, the way in which the recessed portion 74 is made is arbitrary. For example, the amount of recess in the front-to-back direction (up-to-down direction in the speech bubble in Figure 2(B)) of the recessed portion 74 can be set according to the thickness of the armature. The amount of recess in the left-to-right direction (left-to-right direction in the speech bubble in Figure 2(B)) of the recessed portion 74 can be set according to the width of the screw used.

[0040] The joint portion 70 has a shape in which only the minimum necessary parts (the parts necessary to perform their respective functions) of the screw portion 72 and the armature storage portion 73 remain, and the rest is machined into an arc shape.

[0041] Furthermore, because the left and right corners of the armature housing section 73 have an arc-shaped curvature, the four corners VC of the bone conduction vibrator 20 also have an arc-shaped curvature when viewed from the front or rear.

[0042] As shown in Figure 1, the listening device 10 can be connected to the audiometer 100 via terminals 22 and cables 23, etc. By connecting the listening device 10 to the audiometer 100, bone conduction hearing tests can be performed. The audiometer 100 is, for example, an audiometer.

[0043] The arm 30 is a component that supports the bone conduction transducer 20. The arm 30 extends from the upper side T (top side) of the bone conduction transducer 20 to the rear side B (back side) of the bone conduction transducer 20, and from the rear side B of the bone conduction transducer 20 to the left and right lateral sides S (side sides) of the bone conduction transducer 20. The portion of the arm 30 extending from the upper side T (top side) of the bone conduction vibrator 20 to the rear side B (back side) of the bone conduction vibrator 20 may extend in an arc shape toward the rear side B of the bone conduction vibrator 20 so that the arm 30 does not get in the way when the bone conduction vibrator 20 is moved for position adjustment, or it may extend in a straight line and bend downwards to form an inverted L shape toward the rear side B of the bone conduction vibrator. The upper side T (upper surface) is the direction toward the headband 40, and the posterior side B (backside) is the side opposite to the vibration surface of the bone conduction vibrator 20 (the surface in contact with the subject).

[0044] The headband 40 comprises an arc-shaped main body 41 that contacts the head, and an arc-shaped slider 42 positioned inside the main body 41. The slider 42 is connected from one end to the other inside the main body 41.

[0045] The left end of the slider 42 is bent outwards, and a headband attachment portion 43 (hole, etc., see Figure 2(C)) is formed in the outwardly open portion. On the other hand, the right end of the slider 42 extends toward the fixing member 50.

[0046] The fixing member 50 is positioned on the opposite side from the bone conduction transducer 20 when the headband 40 is fixed to the head. The listening device 10 can be fixed by sandwiching the head between the bone conduction transducer 20 and the fixing member 50. The bone conduction transducer 20 can be used in either the left or right ear, but it can also be used in both ears by replacing the fixing member 50 with another bone conduction transducer 20.

[0047] The listening device 10 of this embodiment has multiple mounting parts. Of these, the mounting part provided on the bone conduction vibrator 20 is referred to as the "bone conduction vibrator mounting part," the mounting part provided on the arm 30 is referred to as the "arm mounting part," and the mounting part provided on the headband 40 is referred to as the "headband mounting part."

[0048] Each mounting part may be removable or non-removable. That is, at least one of the mounting parts may be removable. Each mounting part may be fastened with screws or pins, bolts or nuts, or a set of protrusions and recesses. Furthermore, each mounting part may employ a bearing structure using bearings or the like. Each mounting part may also use gears or ratchet mechanisms. Furthermore, each mounting part may be fastened with rivets or stepped screws or the like.

[0049] The tip of the arm 30 on the headband 40 side is provided with a first arm mounting portion 31 (first mounting portion) to which the headband 40 is attached. The headband 40 and the arm 30 are rotatable around the first arm mounting portion 31 as an axis. Furthermore, a second arm mounting section 32 (second mounting section) for attaching the bone conduction vibrator 20 is provided at the tip of the arm 30 opposite to the headband 40. The bone conduction vibrator 20 and the arm 30 are rotatable around the second arm mounting section 32 as an axis.

[0050] The rigidity of the arm 30 is greater than that of the headband 40 (slider 42). In other words, the arm 30 has the strength to resist the closing force of the headband 40. Note that the force with which the headband 40 tightens around the head is set to a certain value (e.g., 5.4N) in hearing tests. For this reason, it is preferable that the arm 30 has the rigidity to resist this certain value.

[0051] Figure 2 shows details of the arm 30 used in the listening device 10 of the first embodiment. Figure 2(A) is a perspective view showing the arm 30 alone, Figure 2(B) is a front view of the arm 30, and Figure 2(C) is a side view of the arm 30. As shown in Figure 2(A), the arm 30 is made by bending three ends of a T-shaped plate-like metal 60 in the same direction. Of the three bent plate-like metals 60, recesses 61 are formed at the tips of opposing plate-like metals 60, and projections 62 are fitted into these recesses to provide a second arm mounting portion 32. The remaining bent plate-like metal 60 is provided with a first arm mounting portion 31, such as a hole. The plate-like metal 60 can be made of, for example, SUS304 with a thickness of approximately 0.5 mm to 1.0 mm.

[0052] As shown in Figure 2(B), the second arm mounting portion 32 (projection portion 62) is fixed by being sandwiched between the bone conduction transducer mounting portion 26 (recess, etc., see Figure 4) of the bone conduction transducer 20.

[0053] As shown in Figure 2(C), the first arm mounting portion 31 is fixed to the headband mounting portion 43 formed on the slider 42 of the headband 40 with screws or the like. The space on the back of the arm 30 (the space indicated by arrow A) is a rotation space that follows the inclination of the head when the bone conduction vibrator 20 comes into contact with the head.

[0054] Thus, in the listening device 10 of the first embodiment, the arm 30 can move vertically (in the direction of H) relative to the head, and can also rotate in two directions parallel to the head (X axis and Y axis), allowing the vibration surface of the bone conduction vibrator 20 to be easily attached in the direction normal to the mastoid while avoiding contact with the auricle of the subject (user).

[0055] Figure 3 shows the operation of the bone conduction vibrator and arm. Figures 3(A) and 3(B) show the operation of the bone conduction vibrator 20 and arm 30 of the first embodiment, Figure 3(C) shows the operation of the bone conduction vibrator 20 and arm 30-2 of the second embodiment, which will be described later, and Figure 3(D) shows the operation of the bone conduction vibrator 20 and arm 30-3 of the third embodiment, which will be described later.

[0056] As shown in Figure 3(A), the bone conduction transducer 20 is movable vertically relative to the head by moving the slider 42 up and down (in the direction of H). The bone conduction transducer 20 is also rotatable around the first arm mounting part 31 (headband mounting part 43) as an axis (rotatable around the vertical axis, the Y axis). Furthermore, as shown in Figure 3(B), the bone conduction vibrator 20 is rotatable around the second arm mounting portion 32 (bone conduction vibrator mounting portion 26) as an axis (rotatable around the left-right axis and the X-axis).

[0057] Further details regarding Figures 3(C) and 3(D) will be described later, but in short, in Figure 3(C), the bone conduction transducer 20 is rotatable on three axes (X-axis, Y-axis, Z-axis), and in Figure 3(D), the bone conduction transducer 20 is rotatable on four axes (X-axis, Y-axis, Z1-axis, Z2-axis).

[0058] Figure 4 is a perspective view showing the bone conduction transducer 20 in an exploded state. The bone conduction transducer 20 comprises a front case 24 and a rear case 25. When the front case 24 and the rear case 25 are joined together, a single box-shaped case is formed. The inside of the case houses components necessary for the bone conduction transducer 20, which are not shown.

[0059] Bone conduction transducer mounting sections 26 are formed on the sides of the front case 24 and the rear case 25. In the illustrated example, only the bone conduction transducer mounting section 26 on the front side is shown, but a bone conduction transducer mounting section is also formed in the same position on the rear side.

[0060] The bone conduction transducer mounting section 26 is formed by connecting a semicircular hole formed in the front case 24 with a semicircular hole formed in the rear case 25, creating a circular opening. However, since a wall member 27 is positioned around the inner perimeter of the rear case 25, the bone conduction transducer mounting section 26 is a non-penetrating circular recess. A thin cylindrical member having a vibrating surface 28 is positioned in the front case 24. A terminal 22 (see Figure 1) is inserted into the cable bush 21.

[0061] Figure 5 shows the comparative listening device 10A. Figure 5(A) is a perspective view showing the comparative arm 30A alone, and Figure 5(B) shows the comparative listening device 10A. Note that the comparative listening device 10A is not part of the prior art, but is provided for comparison with each embodiment. As shown in Figure 5(A), the comparative example arm 30A has an inverted U-shape. Therefore, as shown in Figure 5(B), in the comparative example listening device 10A, both upper corners of the arm 30A (see arrow C) protrude. The operation of the comparative example listening device 10A will be described later.

[0062] Figure 6 is a diagram illustrating a comparison between the comparative listening device 10A and the listening device 10 of the first embodiment. Figure 6(A) shows the comparative listening device 10A, and Figure 6(B) shows the listening device 10 of the first embodiment. As shown in Figure 6(A), in the comparative example listening device 10A, both upper corners of the arm 30A (see arrow C) protrude, causing the arm 30A to come into contact with the auricle. In other words, the arm 30A to which the bone conduction vibrator 20 is attached may come into contact with the subject's ear.

[0063] Furthermore, in the comparative example listening device 10A, if the bone conduction transducer 20 is held by hand and for some reason accidentally detaches from the arm 30A, there is a possibility that the arm 30A may strike the subject's head.

[0064] On the other hand, as shown in Figure 6(B), in the listening device 10 of the first embodiment, the arm 30 does not protrude from the upper left corner or upper right corner of the bone conduction vibrator, making it less likely for the arm 30 to come into contact with the auricle.

[0065] Furthermore, in the listening device 10 of the first embodiment, even if the bone conduction vibrator 20 is held in the hand and accidentally comes off the arm 30 for some reason, the arm 30 will first hit the bone conduction vibrator 20, thus reducing the possibility of the arm 30 hitting the subject's head.

[0066] The difference between the comparative example arm 30A and the arm 30 of the first embodiment is that, for example, the comparative example arm 30A passes above and to the side of the bone conduction vibrator 20. In other words, the comparative example arm 30A passes around two locations around the bone conduction vibrator 20. On the other hand, the arm 30 of the first embodiment passes above, behind, and to the side of the bone conduction vibrator 20. In other words, the arm 30 of the first embodiment passes around three locations around the bone conduction vibrator 20.

[0067] As explained above, the first embodiment has the following effects. (1) According to the first embodiment, the arm 30 extends from the upper side T of the bone conduction vibrator 20 to the rear side B of the bone conduction vibrator 20, and from the rear side B of the bone conduction vibrator 20 to the left and right lateral sides S of the bone conduction vibrator 20. As a result, the arm 30 is not positioned around the upper corners of the bone conduction vibrator 20, and a listening device 10 can be provided with an arm 30 that is less likely to come into contact with the auricle. This allows the listening device 10 to be attached to the head without the arm 30 coming into contact with the auricle or the like.

[0068] (2) According to the first embodiment, the headband 40 and the arm 30 are rotatable about the first arm mounting portion 31, and the bone conduction vibrator 20 and the arm 30 are rotatable about the second arm mounting portion 32, so the bone conduction vibrator 20 can be freely rotated on two axes. This allows the bone conduction vibrator 20 to be freely rotated to accommodate situations such as when the device is used on the forehead, or when the subject wants to adjust the direction in which the cable 23 is routed due to injury or other reasons (for example, when the subject wants to route the cable 23 so that it does not come into contact with the affected area).

[0069] (3) According to the first embodiment, since the rigidity of the arm 30 is greater than the rigidity of the headband 40, it is possible to prevent the headband 40 from closing unintentionally.

[0070] (4) According to the first embodiment, at least one of the mounting parts has a removable structure, which improves workability and convenience.

[0071] (5) According to the first embodiment, since the listening device 10 can be connected to the hearing test device 100, even when the listening device 10 is used connected to the hearing test device 100, the examination can be performed comfortably with the arm 30 which does not easily come into contact with the auricle.

[0072] (6) The first embodiment is particularly effective when the bone conduction vibrator 20 has a vertically elongated rectangular parallelepiped shape, or when the cable bush 21 and terminal 22 have a long shape. That is, when the bone conduction vibrator 20 etc. have such a vertically elongated shape, the arm is more likely to come into contact with the auricle, but by adopting the structure of the first embodiment, it is possible to provide a listening device 10 equipped with an arm 30 that is less likely to come into contact with the auricle even in such a situation.

[0073] (7) According to the first embodiment, even if the bone conduction transducer 20 is held during a hearing test and the bone conduction transducer 20 accidentally comes off the arm 30, the bone conduction transducer 20 is between the head and the arm 30, so the arm 30 will hit the bone conduction transducer 20 and stop, or even if the arm 30 hits the head, the impact can be reduced by the arm 30 hitting the bone conduction transducer 20 once.

[0074] (8) According to the first embodiment, the four corners VC of the bone conduction vibrator 20 can be given an arc-shaped curvature, making it difficult for the bone conduction vibrator 20 to come into contact with the auricle. Furthermore, according to the first embodiment, since the left and right corners of the armature housing 73 have an arc-shaped curvature, the four corners VC of the bone conduction vibrator 20 also have an arc-shaped curvature when viewed from the front or rear, so that the four corners VC of the bone conduction vibrator 20 can be given a rounded shape while leaving only the minimum necessary part in the joint 70, making it even more difficult for the bone conduction vibrator 20 to come into contact with the auricle. Moreover, according to the first embodiment, the screw portion 72 and the armature housing 73 form a cross shape while forming a recessed portion 74, so that the protruding portion is minimized, and the screw portion 72 and armature housing 73 included in the joint 70 can be made to be less likely to come into contact with the auricle.

[0075] (9) According to the first embodiment, the portion of the arm 30 that extends from the upper side T of the bone conduction vibrator 20 to the rear side B of the bone conduction vibrator 20 extends in an arc shape to the rear side B of the bone conduction vibrator 20, so that the arm 30 does not get in the way when moving the bone conduction vibrator 20 for position adjustment.

[0076] [Second Embodiment] Next, a second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. In the following description, the same reference numerals will be used for parts that are the same as those in the first embodiment described above, and their descriptions will be omitted as appropriate (the same applies to the following embodiments).

[0077] Figure 7 shows details of the arm 30-2 used in the listening device 10-2 of the second embodiment. Figure 7(A) is a perspective view showing the arm 30-2 alone, Figure 7(B) is a front view of the arm 30-2, and Figure 7(C) is a side view of the arm 30-2. In the listening device 10-2 of the second embodiment, the arm 30-2 is divided into two members. Specifically, as shown in Figure 7(A), the arm 30-2 comprises a first plate-shaped metal 60-1 (first member) and a second plate-shaped metal 60-2 (second member). The first plate-shaped metal 60-1 is an L-shaped transducer connection part. The second plate-shaped metal 60-2 is a U-shaped transducer holding part.

[0078] The first plate-shaped metal 60-1 is provided with a first arm mounting portion 31 (first mounting portion) and a third arm mounting portion 33 (third mounting portion). Specifically, the first plate-shaped metal 60-1 is provided with a first arm mounting portion 31 at one end, such as a hole for attaching the headband 40 (slider 42), and a third arm mounting portion 33 at the other end, such as a hole for attaching the second plate-shaped metal 60-2.

[0079] The second plate-shaped metal 60-2 is provided with a second arm mounting portion 32 (second mounting portion) and a fourth arm mounting portion 34 (fourth mounting portion). Specifically, the second plate-shaped metal 60-2 is provided with second arm mounting portions 32 at both ends, and a fourth arm mounting portion 34 is provided in the central part, which is connected to the third arm mounting portion 33 of the first plate-shaped metal 60-1 and has holes or the like that allow the first plate-shaped metal 60-1 and the second plate-shaped metal 60-2 to move in the rotational direction.

[0080] Then, as shown in Figures 7(B) and 7(C), the first arm mounting part 31 is attached to the headband mounting part 43. The second arm mounting part 32 is then attached to the bone conduction vibrator mounting part 26 (see Figure 4) by sandwiching it in between. Furthermore, the fourth arm mounting part 34 is attached to the third arm mounting part 33.

[0081] As a result, the headband 40 (slider 42) and the first plate-shaped metal 60-1 can rotate around the first arm mounting portion 31 as an axis. In addition, the bone conduction vibrator 20 and the second plate-shaped metal 60-2 can rotate around the second arm mounting portion 32 as an axis. Furthermore, the first plate-shaped metal 60-1 and the second plate-shaped metal 60-2 can rotate around the third arm mounting portion 33 and the fourth arm mounting portion 34 as axes.

[0082] The rigidity of the first plate-shaped metal 60-1 and the second plate-shaped metal 60-2 may be greater than the rigidity of the headband 40. Furthermore, the rigidity of the first plate-shaped metal 60-1 and the second plate-shaped metal 60-2 may be different (for example, they may be made of the same material but with different thicknesses, or made of different materials but with the same thickness).

[0083] Thus, in the listening device 10-2 of the second embodiment, the arm 30-2 can move vertically (in the H direction) relative to the head, can rotate in two parallel axes (X and Y axes) relative to the head, and has a degree of freedom to rotate in the vertical axis (Z axis) direction, allowing the vibration surface of the bone conduction vibrator 20 to be easily attached in the direction normal to the mastoid while avoiding contact with the subject's auricle.

[0084] On the other hand, in the comparative example listening device 10A shown in Figure 5, the arm 30A can move vertically (in the H direction) relative to the head and rotate in two parallel axes (X and Y axes) relative to the head, but it lacks the freedom of rotation in the vertical axis (Z axis) direction. This makes it difficult to attach the vibrating surface in the direction normal to the mastoid while avoiding contact with the subject's auricle.

[0085] The following is a specific example of the second embodiment. However, the second embodiment is not limited to this. The first arm mounting portion 31 and the third arm mounting portion 33 are provided with holes for inserting screws. Threaded holes are drilled in the fourth arm mounting portion 34 and the headband mounting portion 43.

[0086] The third arm mounting portion 33 and the fourth arm mounting portion 34 are fixed together with a screw. This allows the first plate-shaped metal 60-1 and the second plate-shaped metal 60-2 to move in a rotational direction around the screw as an axis.

[0087] The first arm mounting portion 31 and the headband mounting portion 43 are fixed together with a screw. This allows the first plate-shaped metal 60-1 and the headband 40 to move in a rotational direction around the screw as an axis.

[0088] The second arm mounting portion 32 is fitted into the bone conduction vibrator mounting portion 26 to fix the second plate-shaped metal 60-2 and the bone conduction vibrator 20. This allows the second plate-shaped metal 60-2 and the bone conduction vibrator 20 to move in a rotational direction around the second arm mounting portion 32 as an axis. The second arm mounting portion 32 may be a hole or have other structures (for example, a structure that can be attached with screws).

[0089] The first plate-shaped metal 60-1 and the second plate-shaped metal 60-2 can have different rigidities. For example, the first plate-shaped metal 60-1 may have high rigidity to resist the force that tries to close the headband 40, while the second plate-shaped metal 60-2 may have lower rigidity than the first plate-shaped metal 60-1 to make it easier to attach the bone conduction vibrator 20. In this case, the first plate-shaped metal 60-1 may be made of SUS304 with a thickness of approximately 1.0 mm, and the second plate-shaped metal 60-2 may be made of SUS304 with a thickness of approximately 0.5 mm, etc.

[0090] Figure 8 shows the usage of the listening device 10-2 according to the second embodiment. As shown in Figure 8, in the listening device 10-2 of the second embodiment, the third arm mounting portion 33 (fourth arm mounting portion 34) is positioned on the rear side of the bone conduction vibrator 20, and the rotation axis R of the third arm mounting portion 33 passes through the bone conduction vibrator 20. Note that the rotation axis R also includes the extension of the rotation axis of the third arm mounting portion 33. Furthermore, the rear side is the opposite side of the vibration surface 28. For this reason, whether the bone conduction vibrator 20 is rectangular or spherical in shape, the third arm mounting portion 33 is positioned on the opposite side of the vibration surface 28 of the bone conduction vibrator 20.

[0091] Furthermore, whether the bone conduction vibrator 20 is tilted as shown in Figure 8, or not tilted as shown in Figure 7(C), the rotation axis R of the third arm mounting portion 33 passes through the bone conduction vibrator 20. In this way, since the rotation axis R of the third arm mounting portion 33 passes through the bone conduction vibrator 20 under any circumstances, the third arm mounting portion 33 (second plate-shaped metal 60-2) can be rotated near the bone conduction vibrator 20, and the position of the bone conduction vibrator 20 can be easily adjusted with one hand by holding the area near the second arm mounting portion 32 of the arm 30-2.

[0092] As explained above, the second embodiment has the following effects in addition to the effects of the first embodiment. (1) According to the second embodiment, the bone conduction vibrator 20 can be freely rotated on three axes. More specifically, according to the second embodiment, in addition to the range of motion of the first embodiment (movement in the H direction, rotation around the X axis, and rotation around the Y axis in Figures 3(A) and (B)), it is also possible to rotate parallel to the head (rotation around the Z axis in Figure 3(C)), thereby expanding the range of motion of the bone conduction vibrator. That is, according to the second embodiment, as shown in Figure 3(C), in addition to the operation of the first embodiment, the bone conduction vibrator 20 can rotate around the third arm mounting part 33 and the fourth arm mounting part 34 as axes (rotatable around the front-rear axis and the Z axis).

[0093] (2) According to the second embodiment, it is possible to resist the closing force of the headband 40 while avoiding a decrease in ease of attachment. More specifically, in the second embodiment, by making the second plate-shaped metal 60-2 have less rigidity than the first plate-shaped metal 60-1, the first plate-shaped metal 60-1 has rigidity to resist the closing force of the headband 40, and the second plate-shaped metal 60-2 can be configured to make it easy to attach the bone conduction vibrator 20 (not too rigid).

[0094] [Third Embodiment] Next, a third embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. Figure 9 shows the details of the arm 30-3 used in the listening device 10-3 of the third embodiment. Figure 9(A) is a perspective view showing the arm 30-3 alone, Figure 9(B) is a front view of the arm 30-3, and Figure 9(C) is a side view of the arm 30-3. In the third embodiment of the listening device 10-3, the arm 30-3 is divided into three components. In the third embodiment of the listening device 10-3, the L-shaped transducer connection part (first plate-shaped metal 60-1) of the second embodiment is further divided into a first transducer connection part, a second bone conduction transducer connection part, etc., and a mounting part is provided at each end, and each mounting part is rotatable around an axis.

[0095] Specifically, the arm 30-3 comprises a first plate-shaped metal 60-1 (multiple members), a second plate-shaped metal 60-2 (multiple members), and a third plate-shaped metal 60-3 (multiple members).

[0096] The first plate-shaped metal 60-1 is provided with a first arm mounting portion 31, such as a hole for attaching the headband 40, at one end, and a fifth arm mounting portion 35, such as a hole for attaching the third plate-shaped metal 60-3, at the other end.

[0097] The second plate-shaped metal 60-2 is provided with second arm mounting portions 32, such as holes, at both ends, and a fourth arm mounting portion 34, such as a hole, is provided in the center, which connects to the third arm mounting portion 33 of the third plate-shaped metal 60-3 and allows the second plate-shaped metal 60-2 and the third plate-shaped metal 60 to move in the rotational direction. In the listening device 10-3 of the third embodiment, the second arm mounting portion 32 is a hole, so it is fixed to the bone conduction vibrator mounting portion 26 of the bone conduction vibrator 20 with a screw or the like.

[0098] The third plate-shaped metal 60-3 has a fourth arm mounting portion 34 at one end, which connects to the fourth arm mounting portion 34 of the second plate-shaped metal 60-2 and allows the second plate-shaped metal 60-2 and the third plate-shaped metal 60-3 to move in the rotational direction, and a sixth arm mounting portion 36 at the other end, which connects to the fifth arm mounting portion 35 of the first plate-shaped metal 60-1 and allows the first plate-shaped metal 60-1 and the third plate-shaped metal 60-3 to move in the rotational direction.

[0099] Thus, each of the three plate-shaped metals has a mounting portion at its tip, and the three plate-shaped metals can rotate around their respective mounting portions as axes. Furthermore, the three plate-shaped metals can have different rigidities. Note that the plate-shaped metals added to the first plate-shaped metal 60-1 and the second plate-shaped metal 60-2 may be one or multiple pieces.

[0100] As described above, the third embodiment has the following effects in addition to the effects of the first and second embodiments. (1) According to the third embodiment, the bone conduction vibrator 20 can be freely rotated on four axes, and the range of motion of the bone conduction vibrator 20 can be expanded by further increasing the number of movable parts by multiple mounting parts. More specifically, according to the third embodiment, as shown in Figure 3(D), in addition to the operation of the first and second embodiments, the bone conduction vibrator 20 is rotatable around the fifth arm mounting part 35 and the sixth arm mounting part 36 as axes (rotatable around the front-rear axis, the Z1 axis and the Z2 axis). (2) According to the third embodiment, by making the rigidity of the three plate-shaped metals different, the degree of freedom of the arm can be improved compared to the case where the rigidity is uniform.

[0101] Figure 10 shows modified examples. Figure 10(A) shows a first modified example of the mounting part, Figure 10(B) shows a second modified example of the mounting part, and Figure 10(C) shows a modified example of the arm.

[0102] In each of the embodiments described above, the mounting method for each mounting part may be a removable structure, such as those shown in Figures 10(A) and 10(B), rather than using screws. As an example of the second embodiment, as shown in Figure 10(A), the third arm mounting portion 33 of the second embodiment can be changed to a third arm mounting portion 33A with a triangular projection facing left in a front view. The triangular projection is positioned above the first plate-shaped metal 60-1 by a cylindrical column. On the other hand, the fourth arm mounting portion 34 of the second embodiment can be changed to a fourth arm mounting portion 34A with an opening that combines a triangle facing left in a front view, a triangle facing right in a front view, and a circular hole in a front view.

[0103] Then, when attaching the second plate-shaped metal 60-2 to the first plate-shaped metal 60-1, as shown in Figure 10(A1), the projection of the third arm mounting part 33A is inserted into the triangular part of the fourth arm mounting part 34A that is facing left in a front view, the third arm mounting part 33A is moved to the left as shown in Figure 10(A2), and the third arm mounting part 33A is moved downward as shown in Figure 10(A3), and the column portion of the third arm mounting part 33A is fitted into the circular hole in a front view and fixed so that it can rotate.

[0104] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 10(B), the third arm mounting portion 33 of the second embodiment can be changed to a third arm mounting portion 33B with a circular projection in front view. The circular projection in front view is positioned above the first plate-shaped metal 60-1 by a cylindrical column. On the other hand, the fourth arm mounting portion 34 of the second embodiment can be changed to a fourth arm mounting portion 34B with an opening formed by joining a circular shape in front view, a rectangle extending horizontally in front view, and a rectangle extending vertically in front view.

[0105] Then, when attaching the second plate-shaped metal 60-2 to the first plate-shaped metal 60-1, as shown in Figure 10(B1), the circular projection of the third arm mounting portion 33B is inserted into the circular portion of the fourth arm mounting portion 34B, as shown in Figure 10(B2), the third arm mounting portion 33B is moved to the left, and as shown in Figure 10(B3), the third arm mounting portion 33B is moved downward and fitted into the lower end of the rectangle extending in the vertical direction to fix it in a rotatable manner.

[0106] This configuration can be applied not only to the third arm mounting portion 33 of the first plate-shaped metal 60-1 and the fourth arm mounting portion 34 of the second plate-shaped metal 60-2, but also, for example, to the first arm mounting portion 31 of the first plate-shaped metal 60-1 and the headband mounting portion 43 of the headband 40, and to other mounting portions. Note that either the first plate-shaped metal 60-1 or the second plate-shaped metal 60-2 may be positioned on the front side. Furthermore, by adopting the structure shown in Figures 10(A) and 10(B), it becomes easier to install and replace each component.

[0107] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 10(C), an extension portion 63 may be formed on the second plate-shaped metal 60-2. The extension portion 63 is the part of the second plate-shaped metal 60-2 that protrudes from the joint with the first plate-shaped metal 60-1. A fourth arm mounting portion 34 is formed on the extension portion 63. Furthermore, by adopting the structure shown in Figure 10(C), it is possible to flexibly respond to cases such as when the shape of the bone conduction vibrator 20 changes, when it is desired to move the position of the rotation axis, or when it is desired to reuse the first plate-shaped metal 60-1 of the third embodiment.

[0108] The present invention can be implemented in various ways without being limited to the embodiments described above. (1) The listening device may be a bone conduction receiver or any other device related to sound. (2) The shape of the arm can be changed as desired. The arm may be T-shaped, Y-shaped, or any other shape. (3) The shapes of the first and second members can be changed as desired. The first and second members are not limited to U-shapes or L-shapes, but may be of other shapes as well.

[0109] (4) The rigidity of the arm may be less than or equal to that of the headband. (5) The rigidity of the first member may be less than or equal to that of the headband. The rigidity of the second member may be greater than or equal to that of the first member. (6) The shape of the bone conduction vibrator 20 is arbitrary and may be, for example, a cube, a rectangular prism, a sphere, or any other three-dimensional shape. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0110] 10, 10-2, 10-3, 10A listening device 20 Bone conduction vibrator 21 Cable bushing 22 terminals 23 Cables 24 Front Case 25 Back Case 26 Bone conduction transducer mounting section 27 Wall components 28 Vibration surface 30, 30-2, 30-3, 30A arms 31 First arm mounting section 32 Second arm mounting section 33, 33A, 33B Third arm mounting section 34, 34A, 33B Fourth arm mounting section 35. Fifth arm mounting section 36. Mounting section for the sixth arm 40 Headbands 41 Main body 42 Slider 43 Headband attachment part 50 Fixing member 60 Plate-shaped metal 60-1 First plate-shaped metal 60-2 Second plate-shaped metal 60-3 Third plate-shaped metal 62 Protrusion 63 Extension 70 Joint 71 screw holes 72 Screw part 73 Armature storage compartment 100 Hearing Test Device

Claims

1. Bone conduction transducer and An arm for attaching the bone conduction vibrator, A listening device comprising a headband connected to the aforementioned arm and fixed to the head, The arm has a shape that extends from the upper side of the bone conduction vibrator to the rear side of the bone conduction vibrator, and from the rear side of the bone conduction vibrator to the left and right sides of the bone conduction vibrator. The tip of the arm on the headband side is provided with a first mounting portion for attaching the headband, The headband and the arm are rotatable about the first mounting portion as an axis. The tip of the arm opposite to the headband is provided with a second mounting portion for attaching the bone conduction vibrator. The listening device is characterized in that the bone conduction vibrator and the arm are rotatable about the second mounting portion as an axis.

2. In the listening device according to claim 1, A listening device characterized in that the rigidity of the arm is greater than the rigidity of the headband.

3. In the listening device according to claim 1, The arm comprises a first member and a second member. The first member is provided with the first mounting portion and the third mounting portion, The second member is provided with the second mounting portion and the fourth mounting portion, The headband and the first member are rotatable about the first mounting portion as an axis. The bone conduction vibrator and the second member are rotatable about the second mounting portion as an axis. The listening device is characterized in that the first member and the second member are rotatable about the third mounting portion and the fourth mounting portion as axes.

4. In the listening device according to claim 3, The rigidity of the first member is greater than that of the headband. A listening device characterized in that the rigidity of the second member is less than the rigidity of the first member.

5. In the listening device according to claim 1, The arm comprises a plurality of members, Each of the aforementioned plurality of members is provided with a mounting portion. The listening device is characterized in that the plurality of members are rotatable about their respective mounting parts as axes.

6. In the listening device according to claim 5, The listening device is characterized in that the plurality of members each have different rigidities.

7. In the listening device according to claim 1, A listening device characterized in that at least one of the aforementioned mounting parts has a removable structure.

8. In the listening device according to claim 1, The aforementioned listening device is characterized by being connectable to a hearing test device.

9. In the listening device according to claim 3, The third mounting portion is located on the rear side of the bone conduction vibrator, The listening device is characterized in that the rotation axis of the third mounting portion passes through the bone conduction vibrator.

10. In the listening device according to claim 1, The bone conduction vibrator is, Case 1 and Case 2, The first case and the second case are provided with connecting parts located at the top and bottom of the first case and the second case, and connecting the first case and the second case, The aforementioned joint is A projection-shaped fastening member housing section having a through hole through which a fastening member for fastening the first case and the second case passes, The bone conduction vibrator includes a protruding component housing section for housing components that are placed inside the bone conduction vibrator, The fastening member storage section and the component storage section are arranged to intersect, forming a cross shape in plan view. In the portion of the joint where the fastening member storage portion and the component storage portion are not formed, a recessed portion is formed that is recessed toward the component storage portion. The listening device is characterized in that the corners of the component storage section have an arc-shaped curve, so that the four corners of the bone conduction vibrator have an arc-shaped curve when viewed from the front or rear.

11. In the listening device according to claim 1, The listening device is characterized in that the portion of the arm extending from the upper side of the bone conduction vibrator to the rear side of the bone conduction vibrator extends in an arc shape toward the rear side of the bone conduction vibrator.

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