External auditory canal fitting device

Abstract

This invention provides an ear canal device that not only offers excellent sound insulation but is also easy to attach and detach from the ear canal, durable for repeated use, and easy to clean, ensuring hygiene. [Solution] An ear canal device for insertion into the ear canal, comprising: a cylindrical member 1 formed of a cylindrical flexible member that can be inserted into the ear canal along the axial direction A of an axis extending inward from the opening of the ear canal; and a convex portion 1e formed spirally on the inner circumferential surface of the cylindrical member along the axial direction.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to an auricular device, and is particularly useful when applied to earplugs for sound insulation in a high-level noise environment, ear tips for blocking environmental noise as much as possible and guiding the sound from earphones into the ear canal well, etc.

Background Art

[0002] When performing sound insulation in a high-level noise environment, etc., an earplug is known as a device that is worn in the ear canal to contribute to sound insulation. As one type of earplug according to the prior art, a flange-type earplug has been proposed (for example, see Patent Document 1). This type of flange-type earplug has a columnar main body and a flange portion on an umbrella that extends integrally in the radial direction from the outer peripheral surface of the main body. By inserting the main body in the axial direction of the ear canal, the outer periphery of the flange portion is pressed against the inner peripheral surface of the ear canal to be in contact with it, and the external noise is blocked.

[0003] In such a flange-type earplug, a force is applied to push it into the ear canal from the outside during wearing, and sound insulation is achieved by narrowing the space between the flange portion and the inner peripheral surface of the ear canal. At this time, a restoring force that tries to return to the original shape always acts on the flange portion, and this restoring force pushes the flange-type earplug outward from the ear canal and becomes a force that tries to come off the ear. As a result, the flange-type earplug in the state of being worn in the ear canal becomes loose, and ultimately becomes a factor for coming off the ear canal. Therefore, in order to achieve stronger sound insulation, it is necessary to increase the pressing force by the flange portion. However, if it is pressed with a strong force, the force to push it back will also become relatively large, making it difficult to maintain better wearing. In order to prevent this, it is necessary to press with a force that can maintain wearing, and there is also a limit to the possible sound insulation level, and it is difficult to essentially achieve a large level of sound insulation structurally.

[0004] However, flange-type earplugs have the significant advantage of being easy to mold because they can be made from soft materials such as rubber or vinyl. Furthermore, due to the properties of these materials, they are less susceptible to the effects of moisture and humidity such as sweat, and silicone earplugs in particular are highly durable and can be used for a long period of time with almost no deterioration due to external factors.

[0005] Another type of earplug related to the prior art is the foam-type earplug (see, for example, Patent Document 2). This type of foam-type earplug is constructed by molding urethane foam, an elastic foam polymer, into a columnar shape. Urethane foam is formed by the expansion of small air bubbles generated during its production, and it has elasticity and flexibility. It deforms when compressed and slowly returns to its original shape when it is no longer compressed.

[0006] These foam earplugs, molded from urethane foam, utilize its deformability to be compressed with fingers before being inserted into the ear canal. As the foam attempts to return to its original shape, its diameter expands and stops at the shape of the ear canal, thus conforming to the shape of the ear canal and sealing it. Furthermore, while the foam plug is worn in the ear canal, its shape return is restricted, causing stress to build up. This residual stress constantly tries to expand, creating a force that pushes against the ear canal, maintaining and enhancing the sealing force.

[0007] Here, the force pressing on the ear canal is perpendicular to the tubular direction (axial direction) of the ear canal, and is therefore offset by 90 degrees from the insertion direction of the foam earplug into the ear canal. As a result, it does not act as a stress that loosens or removes the foam earplug, but rather as a residual stress pressing on the inner surface of the ear canal. In other words, high sound insulation performance can be achieved by the pressing force on the inner surface of the ear canal due to this residual stress.

[0008] However, polyurethane, the material used in foam earplugs, has the drawback of lacking stability and being prone to degradation over time. It is particularly susceptible to temperature and humidity absorption, as well as light (ultraviolet rays), and its material can change due to long-term hydrolysis. As a result, in high humidity, the expansion (recovery) time is too short, making proper fitting difficult.

[0009] Furthermore, due to material degradation, they are not suitable for long-term use and have durability issues. In particular, earplugs are used under conditions where they are inserted into the ear canal, making it impossible to avoid sweat absorption, and gradual deterioration begins once use begins. In other words, deterioration begins as soon as use starts, and as the period of use progresses, the function deteriorates, meaning that they may not meet the specified noise reduction level.

[0010] Furthermore, inserting these foam earplugs requires compressing the urethane foam with one's fingers and inserting it into the ear canal, making the process cumbersome under conditions where frequent insertion and removal are necessary. In addition, since moisture absorption causes deterioration, it is difficult to clean or disinfect foam earplugs after they have been used. This means they become essentially disposable in applications where hygiene is a concern, such as medical and food-related fields, raising economic rationality issues.

[0011] Ear tips are another type of ear canal device. An ear tip has a through-passage that runs between the base end face, which is the outer end face of the earplug, and the tip end face, which is the end face on the inner side of the ear canal (the end face on the eardrum side). The opening on the base end face corresponds to the diameter and outer shape of the earphone and is connected to the sound guide part from the speaker of the earphone, thus forming a so-called canal-type earphone. In this type of canal-type earphone, the ear tip is inserted into the ear canal to attach the canal-type earphone to the ear canal. Thus, the ear tip guides the sound emitted from the speaker through the through-passage to the eardrum inside the ear canal, and the outer surface of the ear tip contacts the inner surface of the ear canal to block ambient noise. In other words, it performs the same function as an earplug in that it blocks ambient noise other than the sound emitted by the speaker. [Prior art documents] [Patent Documents]

[0012] [Patent Document 1] U.S. Publication No. 2393005 [Patent Document 2] Japanese Patent Publication No. 48-050588 [Overview of the Initiative] [Problems that the invention aims to solve]

[0013] In view of the above-mentioned prior art, the present invention aims to provide an ear canal device that not only has good sound insulation performance, is easy to attach to and detach from the ear canal, is durable for repeated use, and is easy to clean and maintain hygiene. [Means for solving the problem]

[0014] A first aspect of the present invention that achieves the above objective is: It can be inserted into the external auditory canal along the axial direction of an axis extending from the entrance side of the external auditory canal toward the eardrum, and has a columnar member which is a flexible member, The columnar member is characterized by having a spiral structure formed in a spiral shape along the axial direction.

[0015] A second aspect of the present invention is: In the external auditory canal device described in the first embodiment, The columnar member is a cylindrical columnar member in which one or both ends in the axial direction of the columnar member are closed with a cover member, and the helical structure is formed by recesses or protrusions provided on the inner circumferential surface of the columnar member along the axial direction.

[0016] A third aspect of the present invention is: In the external auditory canal device described in the first embodiment, The columnar member is a solid member made of a material that can change shape through expansion and contraction, and the helical structure is formed inside the columnar member.

[0017] A fourth aspect of the present invention is: In an external auditory canal device described in any one of the first to third embodiments, The columnar member is characterized by having a through hole that extends from the inlet end along the axial direction and reaches the tip of the tip portion.

[0018] A fifth aspect of the present invention is: In an external auditory canal device described in any one of the first to fourth embodiments, The columnar member is characterized by having a built-in conversion means that radiates sound vibrations converted and reproduced based on a predetermined electrical signal. [Effects of the Invention]

[0019] According to the present invention, when the columnar member is inserted by applying a stress acting in the axial direction thereof during the attachment of the ear canal wearing device to the ear canal, the spiral structure portion extends in the axial direction of the columnar member due to the spring effect. As a result, the columnar member is extended along the axis of the ear canal. By being extended in this way, combined with the fact that the tip of the columnar member has a smaller diameter than the diameter of the ear canal, the columnar member can be easily inserted into the ear canal. Thus, the outer peripheral surface of the columnar member of the ear canal wearing device can be pressed against the inner peripheral surface of the ear canal for attachment.

[0020] Here, the "spring effect" used in this specification refers to the following property. When a deformable material is in a spiral structure, when a force is applied in the direction in which the spiral pitch extends, the outer periphery is reduced and the spiral pitch is expanded, and as a result, the overall length is extended. Also, when a force is applied in the direction in which the spiral pitch contracts, the outer periphery is enlarged and the spiral pitch is reduced, and as a result, the overall length is shortened. That is, expansion and contraction occur in the front and back directions of the spiral direction, and at the same time, depending on conditions such as the thickness of the material constituting it, it has the property of bending and expanding and contracting in an indeterminate direction.

[0021] In this case, the effect caused by the spring is that by pushing the spiral structure portion having the movement of this spring as a columnar member larger than the diameter of the ear canal, the force applied from the inner wall surface of the ear canal becomes a stress in the direction of narrowing the columnar member. This stress compresses the spiral structure portion from the outer peripheral side. As a result, the spiral structure portion changes to a shape in which its diameter is reduced and the spiral pitch is expanded.

[0022] Here, when the columnar member having the spiral structure portion is held with a finger during the attachment of the ear canal wearing device to the ear canal, the expanded spiral pitch cannot extend in the outer direction of the ear canal and can only extend in the tip direction (tympanic membrane direction).

[0023] As a result of the aforementioned action, the deformed spiral structure tries to return to its original shape (original diameter), and therefore, while it is compressed (while it is worn in the ear canal), it continuously generates stress that causes it to expand. Consequently, the columnar structure tries to obtain a shape with as few gaps as possible due to the stress pressing against the inner surface of the ear canal.

[0024] The human external auditory canal is not a standard tube shape, but rather has various inner diameters and shapes depending on its location, is curved, and exhibits significant individual differences. According to the present invention, the spiral structure changes its outer diameter and direction of expansion and contraction to match the inner diameter, shape, and curves of each individual external auditory canal (because the spring has the property of bending and expanding in an unpredictable direction), thus achieving a gap-free state (seal) across the entire inner wall surface in contact. In other words, due to the properties of the spring's operation, the spiral structure deforms to conform to the shape of the external auditory canal, and is held in place inside the external auditory canal with residual stress attempting to restore it to its original outer diameter. This residual restorative stress becomes a compressive stress on the inner circumferential wall surface of the external auditory canal. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0025] [Figure 1] This figure shows an earplug, which is an ear canal attachment according to the first embodiment of the present invention, where (A) is a perspective view thereof, (B) is a partial enlargement view showing the tip portion thereof extracted and enlarged, and (C) is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of (A). [Figure 2] This is a perspective view showing a first modified example of the first embodiment. [Figure 3] This figure shows a second modified example of the first embodiment, where (A) is a perspective view and (B) is a longitudinal cross-sectional view thereof. [Figure 4] This is a perspective view showing a third modified example of the first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 5] This is a perspective view showing a fourth modified example of the first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 6] This is a perspective view showing a fifth modified example of the first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 7]This figure shows an earplug, which is an ear canal attachment according to a second embodiment of the present invention, where (A) is a perspective view and (B) is a longitudinal cross-sectional view thereof. [Figure 8] This figure shows an ear tip, which is an ear canal attachment according to a third embodiment of the present invention, where (A) is a perspective view and (B) is a longitudinal cross-sectional view thereof. [Figure 9] This is a perspective view of a canal-type earphone in which an ear tip according to the third embodiment is connected. [Figure 10] This is a perspective view of an in-ear type earphone in which an ear tip according to the third embodiment is connected. [Figure 11] This is a perspective view of a stethoscope in which an ear tip according to the third embodiment is attached. [Figure 12] This is a perspective view showing a modified example of the third embodiment of the present invention. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0026] <First Embodiment> Figure 1(A) is a perspective view showing an earplug, which is an ear canal attachment according to the first embodiment of the present invention; Figure 1(B) is a magnified view showing the tip portion thereof; and Figure 1(C) is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of (A). This embodiment will be described in relation to the earplug, but the structure of the ear tip can be considered similarly, except that it has a through passage that penetrates between the basal end surface (hereinafter the same), which is the end surface on the entrance side of the ear canal, and the tip surface (hereinafter the same), which is the end surface on the eardrum side of the ear canal. In other words, the sound-insulating function of the ear tip is the same as that of the earplug.

[0027] As shown in Figures 1(A) and (C), the earplug I according to this embodiment has a columnar member 1 made of a flexible material and a convex portion 1e which is a spiral structure. The columnar member 1 can be inserted into the ear canal along the axial direction of axis A which extends from the entrance side of the ear canal toward the eardrum, and has a tip portion 1b whose diameter gradually decreases toward the eardrum so that it becomes smaller than the diameter of the ear canal.

[0028] In this embodiment, the columnar member 1 is a cylindrical member with the inlet side closed by the base end face 1a. The helical structure is formed by a protrusion 1e provided on the inner circumferential surface of the columnar member 1 along the direction of axis A. That is, a helical protrusion 1e is formed inside the cylindrical columnar member 1 along the direction of axis A, and this protrusion 1e constitutes the helical structure. A similar helical structure can also be formed in the recess.

[0029] Furthermore, regarding the direction of spiral rotation, a leftward rotation (counterclockwise rotation) is preferable for the right ear, and a rightward rotation (clockwise rotation) is preferable for the left ear. This is because the characteristics of the shape of the external auditory canal allow for smooth insertion and attachment procedures.

[0030] In this embodiment, the earplug I has a cylindrical member having a solid portion 1c formed on the base end side from the base end surface 1a toward the tip end 1b, and a hollow portion 1d formed on the tip side continuous with the solid portion 1c. Although the provision of the solid portion 1c is not essential, providing it offers the following advantages. Specifically, when inserting the earplug I into the ear canal, it is necessary to hold the earplug I with your fingers and push it into the ear canal. Holding the solid portion 1c of the earplug I with your fingers allows you to easily transmit the predetermined pushing force to the columnar member 1. Incidentally, if the shape changes due to the gripping force of the fingers, it will hinder the pushing operation. That is, if it deforms significantly, such as being crushed when held with fingers, it will hinder the pushing operation. Therefore, the gripping portion at this time needs to maintain a predetermined shape, and for that purpose, a solid portion 1c rather than a hollow portion is necessary at this position.

[0031] Furthermore, the external shape of the columnar member 1 is generally circular, meaning the solid part 1c is cylindrical and the hollow part 1d is cylindrical, but it is not limited to this. Depending on the shape of the external auditory canal, the cross-section may be elliptical or other shapes.

[0032] The hollow section 1d gradually decreases in diameter towards the tip, making it easier to insert into the ear canal. However, this shape, where the diameter of the tip decreases, is not an essential requirement. A cylindrical shape with a constant diameter is also acceptable. Furthermore, the wall thickness of the hollow section 1d may be made thinner towards the tip. This is for the following reasons.

[0033] By varying the thickness of the material (e.g., silicone) used to form the columnar member 1, the thinner sections become more flexible, improving the feel against the skin when inserted into the ear canal. On the other hand, the thicker sections become harder, allowing for better transmission of the insertion action. In other words, a balance can be struck between ease of insertion and improved comfort by having a soft tip and a hard base (finger area). This is because the ear canal becomes more sensitive the deeper it goes. However, forming it in this way is not an essential requirement.

[0034] As described above, a spiral projection 1e (or recess) is formed on the inner circumferential surface of the hollow portion 1d, extending axially from the base end surface 1a to the tip end surface 1b. Although the spiral projection 1e shown in Figure 1(A) is a single projection, multiple projections may be formed at predetermined intervals with respect to the axial direction of the hollow portion 1d. Furthermore, a structure in which a spring made of plastic or the like is sealed inside the hollow portion 1d is also acceptable. In short, it is sufficient for the hollow portion 1d to have a structure that provides the aforementioned spring effect. That is, due to the spring effect, when the earplug I is inserted into the ear canal, the spiral structure generates a spring-like action that conforms to the curved shape of the ear canal. At the same time, when a force is applied in the direction that expands the spiral spacing, the outer circumference is reduced and the spiral spacing is expanded, resulting in a good extension of the overall length.

[0035] The material for earplug I only needs to be at least flexible, but silicone is ideal because it possesses flexibility along with durability, water resistance, and chemical resistance. Other suitable materials include rubber, vinyl, and polyurethane.

[0036] As shown in Figure 1(B), the tip portion 1b is provided with an opening 1f, through which air inside the hollow portion 1d is discharged.

[0037] Such an opening 1f is not always necessary. Generally, an air vent is needed when the volume of the space inside the columnar member 1 changes, but since air itself is a compressible fluid, it can absorb the change in the volume of the space depending on the amount of compression.

[0038] Furthermore, the tip of the spiral projection 1e is connected to the thick tip portion 1b of the opening 1f.

[0039] The earplug I according to this embodiment of the structure has a spiral structure with protrusions and recesses on the inner surface of the hollow part. When the earplug is inserted into the ear canal, the spiral structure exerts a spring effect along the curved shape of the ear canal. That is, when the earplug I, which is made of a flexible soft material and has spiral protrusions 1e on its inner surface, is inserted into the ear canal, the outer surface of the earplug is pressed against the inner surface of the ear canal, generating stress that causes the outer surface to shrink and become thinner. At this time, the spiral structure on the inner surface, the protrusions 1e, generates a spring effect in the protrusions 1e, which widen the spacing between the spiral structure protrusions 1e and lengthen the tube, causing the earplug I to extend towards the eardrum, which is the deeper part of the ear canal, along the curve of the ear canal.

[0040] The external auditory canal has curves called the first and second curves as it extends from the opening towards the eardrum. The tip of the ear tip I, which is stretched by the spring effect, has a spring structure that makes it easy to bend in all directions due to the coil shape, so it easily bends along the curves of the external auditory canal and further intrudes towards the eardrum, bending at the angle of the curve, where it acts like a hook. This further enhances the stability of the fit in the ear. Since this shape change occurs in accordance with the shape of the external auditory canal, it can freely deform and immediately adapt to the unique shape of each individual's external auditory canal.

[0041] At this time, the convex portion 1e, which is a helical structure deformed by the spring effect, generates stress that tries to return to its original shape, so a restoring force that tries to expand is constantly acting on the earplug I, which is compressed when it is inserted. This restoring force that tries to expand acts as a force that pushes against the inner surface of the ear canal, causing the outer surface of the earplug I to adhere tightly to the inner surface of the ear canal. The direction of this restoring force is offset by approximately 90 degrees from the insertion direction of the earplug I, which is the axial direction extending toward the eardrum in the ear canal, thus increasing the stability of the earplug I when it is inserted and providing high sound insulation performance.

[0042] Next, we will show modified examples of earplugs having the basic structure shown in Figure 1. In each figure, the same numbers are used for parts identical to those in Figure 1, and redundant explanations are omitted.

[0043] <First variation> The earplug II shown in Figure 2 has a knob 2 attached to its base end surface 1a. When inserting or removing the earplug II from the ear canal, especially when removing it, the efficiency of the operation can be improved by gripping the knob 2 and performing the prescribed procedure.

[0044] <Second variation> The earplug III shown in Figure 3 has an elastomer material 3 filled in the hollow section 1d. In this example, the sound-absorbing function of the elastomer material 3 allows for a more reliable sound insulation effect.

[0045] <Third variation> The earplug IV shown in Figure 4 has an acoustic filter 5 (analog or digital) fitted into the center of its base end surface 1a, which is used to select, block, reduce, or amplify sounds of specific frequencies. More specifically, it has a sound conduit section 1g through which sound can pass between the external environment and the eardrum, and an acoustic filter 5 with adjustable volume and sound quality is fitted into one end of this conduit, which is either built-in or removable. The installation of this acoustic filter 5 makes it possible to adjust the volume and sound quality transmitted when used as an earplug.

[0046] <Fourth variation> The earplug V shown in Figure 5 is designed to be multifunctional. For example, by embedding a metal member 6b in the solid part 1c, even if the earplug V is lost, it can be easily detected if it has been put through a metal detector, thus preventing any harm. In addition, by equipping it with an OR code 6c, a barcode 6d, a GPS chip 6e, etc., it becomes easy to obtain various information such as individual identification and location confirmation. Furthermore, by connecting the right earplug 1A and the left earplug 1B with a cord 6f, it is possible to prevent them from falling and getting lost.

[0047] <Fifth variation> The earplug VI shown in Figure 6 has a small hole, a vent 7, installed in the solid part 1c. This vent 7 allows for adjustment of the cutoff performance and frequency characteristics.

[0048] <Second Embodiment> Figure 7 shows a second embodiment of the present invention, where (A) is a perspective view and (B) is a longitudinal cross-sectional view thereof. As shown in both figures, in the earplug VII according to this embodiment, the columnar member 101 is formed from a solid material. In this case, the solid material is made of a material that can change shape by expanding and contracting, and the convex portion 101e, which is a helical structure, is incorporated inside the solidly molded columnar member 101.

[0049] In other words, in this embodiment, the protrusions 101e are present in an elastomer, polyurethane foam, or polyolefin foam, which are materials that can expand and contract. Therefore, the columnar member 101 does not need to be cylindrical; it can be any member molded into a columnar shape with no internal space.

[0050] Here, the protrusion 101e does not need to be made of the same material as the columnar member 101, which is a solid member made of a flexible material. The protrusion 101e may be made of a different material and molded from a flexible material that expands and contracts when incorporated. If both are made of the same material (flexible material), the helical structure 101e may be made of a material with high hardness (hard state) and the other part, the columnar member 101e, may be made of a material with low hardness (soft state).

[0051] Such a structure can also be made from silicone, including ultra-soft silicone with low hardness. Therefore, it is possible to create the convex portion 101e from an appropriate material (either high-hardness silicone or other soft plastics) and mold the columnar member 101 structure with this convex portion incorporated inside. Here, the spring effect is exhibited similarly when fitted into the ear canal, whether it is a cylindrical columnar portion 1 as in the first embodiment or a solid columnar member 101 as in this embodiment.

[0052] <Third Embodiment> Figure 8 shows an ear tip, which is an ear canal attachment according to a third embodiment of the present invention, where (A) is a perspective view and (B) is a longitudinal cross-sectional view thereof. Here, while the earplug described in the first and second embodiments provides sound insulation in high-level noise environments, the ear tip is designed to block out noise from the environment as much as possible and guide sound from earphones, hearing aids, sound amplifiers, etc., into the ear canal in a good manner.

[0053] Therefore, as shown in Figure 8, the ear tip VIII according to this embodiment has a structure in which a sound guide hole 4 is a through hole that extends from the base end surface 1a, which is the inlet end of the columnar member 1 of the ear plug I shown in Figure 1, along the axial direction of the columnar member 1 and to the tip portion 1b. Except for having the sound guide hole 4, it is the same as the ear plug I shown in Figure 1. Therefore, in Figure 8, the same numbers are given to parts that are the same as in Figure 1, and redundant explanations are omitted.

[0054] <Application Examples> Here, we will explain an example of the application of the ear tip according to the third embodiment described above. Figure 9 is a perspective view of the canal-type earphone IX when the ear tip 21 according to the third embodiment is connected. As shown in the figure, in this case, the sound guide tube 23, which is shaped to protrude from the main body 22 that houses the speaker part of the canal-type earphone IX, is inserted into the sound guide hole 4 of the ear tip 21, thereby integrating the two.

[0055] Figure 10 is a perspective view of an in-ear type earphone X in which an ear tip 31 according to a third embodiment is connected. As shown in the figure, in this case, the two are integrated by inserting the ear tip 31 through the opening 33b on the opposite side of the connecting sound guide tube 33 of the adapter part which has an opening 33a into which the main body 32 containing the speaker of the in-ear type earphone X fits.

[0056] Figure 11 is a perspective view showing the ear tips 41A and 41B according to the third embodiment connected to a stethoscope. As shown in the figure, in this case, the ear tips 41A and 41B, which are worn on the left and right ears of a doctor, are integrated via adapters 42A and 42B, which have a sound conducting function and are connected to the left and right tubes 43A and 43B of the stethoscope XI.

[0057] <Variation> Here, a modified example of the third embodiment shown in Figure 8 will be explained based on Figure 12. In the modified ear tip XII shown in Figure 12, a speaker 51 is embedded in the solid portion 1c of the columnar member 1. The speaker 51 is a core component of the earphone, connected to a sound source by wire or wireless, converting the electrical signal emitted by the sound source into sound, guiding this reproduced sound into the ear canal through the sound guide hole 4, and further guiding it to the eardrum. The speaker 51 has a diaphragm 51a that radiates the sound reproduced by converting the electrical signal as air vibrations toward the sound guide hole 4, and connection terminals (+, -) 51b, 51c for receiving predetermined electrical signals.

[0058] In the earphones having the ear tip XII according to this modification, a good sound insulation effect can be obtained based on the spring effect exerted by the ear plug I. As a result, the earphones can block out external noise and allow the desired sound to be heard clearly without leaking the sound reproduced by the speaker 51 to the outside as much as possible.

[0059] As mentioned above, the only structural difference between earplugs I-VII and eartips VIII and XII is that the former lack sound guide holes 4, while the latter do. Therefore, in terms of sound isolation, eartips perform the same function as earplugs.

[0060] As a result, by forming sound guide holes 4 in the earplugs I to VII according to the first to fifth modified examples shown in Figures 2 to 6 and the second embodiment shown in Figure 7, ear tips corresponding to each of the modified examples shown in Figures 2 to 6 and the second embodiment shown in Figure 7 can be formed. Furthermore, in the modified example related to the third embodiment shown in Figure 12, if a so-called bone conduction speaker is applied, which transmits vibrations directly to the skull as solid-borne sound without going through air vibrations, rather than a method that transmits sound waves to the eardrum as air vibrations, then the earplugs I to VII according to the first to fifth modified examples and the second embodiment can function as ear pieces similar to ear piece VIII without forming sound guide holes 4.

[0061] In the above embodiment and modified examples, the columnar member 1,101 has a shape in which the diameter gradually decreases toward the tip portion 1b, but it is not limited to this. As long as the columnar member 1,101 is a flexible member formed so that it can be inserted into the external auditory canal along the axial direction A of the axis extending inward toward the eardrum from the entrance side of the external auditory canal, no further limitations are necessarily required. Also, the protrusions 1e and 101e may be formed on the outer circumferential surface of the columnar member 1,101.

[0062] Regarding earplugs, I have mainly described earplugs I-VII, which are primarily designed for noise reduction, but they can also be used as waterproof earplugs for swimming and other purposes. Furthermore, they can also be used as earplugs for insulation to prevent narrowing of the ear canal, a practice sometimes referred to as "surfer ear." [Explanation of Symbols]

[0063] I Earplug A-axis 1a Proximal surface 1b Tip 1c Middle section 1d Hollow part 1e convex part 1f opening 2 Knobs 3. Elastomer material 101 Columnar member 101a Proximal surface 101b Tip surface 101e protrusion 4 tone holes 21 ear tips 31 ear tips 41A Ear Tips 41B Ear Tips 51 speakers

Claims

1. It can be inserted into the external auditory canal along the axial direction of an axis extending from the entrance side of the external auditory canal toward the eardrum, and has a columnar member which is a flexible member, An ear canal device characterized by having a spiral structure formed in a spiral shape along the axial direction on the columnar member.

2. In the external auditory canal device described in claim 1, The ear canal fitting device is characterized in that the columnar member is a cylindrical columnar member in which one or both ends in the axial direction of the columnar member are closed with a lid member, and the helical structure is formed by recesses or protrusions provided on the inner circumferential surface of the columnar member along the axial direction.

3. In the external auditory canal device described in claim 1, The ear canal fitting device is characterized in that the columnar member is a solid member made of a material that can change shape with expansion and contraction, and the helical structure is formed inside the columnar member.

4. In an external auditory canal device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, An ear canal fitting device characterized by having a through hole that extends from the end of the columnar member on the entrance side along the axial direction and reaches the tip of the tip portion.

5. In an external auditory canal device according to any one of claims 1 to 4, An ear canal device characterized in that the columnar member incorporates a conversion means that radiates sound vibrations converted and reproduced based on a predetermined electrical signal.

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