Bone conduction earphones

Abstract

To reduce pain and pressure caused by pinching force in open-ear bone conduction earphones.SOLUTION: Bone conduction earphones (1R) include a vibrator (23) and a vibration transmission unit (15) to be set in the cavity of the concha (E3), and the vibration transmission unit (15) includes a through hole (151) that communicates between the outside and the inside of the cavity of the concha (E3) when set in the cavity of the concha (E3).SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical field]

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

[0002] Bone conduction earphones are described in Patent Document 1 and Non-Patent Documents 1 and 2. Bone conduction earphones are equipped with a vibrator that vibrates in response to an audio signal, and are configured to be in close contact with the bone or cartilage around the auricle. The vibrator converts the audio signal into vibrations, which are transmitted to the cochlea via the bone or cartilage. Therefore, a user using bone conduction earphones can hear the sound represented by the audio signal without passing through the eardrum.

[0003] The bone conduction earphone of Patent Document 1 is a canal-type bone conduction earphone that uses an elastic ear tip (a sound insulating part in Patent Document 1) to bring a vibrator (a piezoelectric vibration device in Patent Document 1) into close contact with the cavity of the concha, which is the opening of the ear canal. Such a canal-type bone conduction earphone fixes the vibrator to the cavity of the concha by using the restoring force of the ear tip inserted into the cavity of the concha. Therefore, the canal-type bone conduction earphone presses the vibrator against the cavity of the concha.

[0004] The bone conduction earphones in Non-Patent Document 1 are band-type bone conduction earphones that use a flexible band to bring the vibrator into close contact with the area in front of the auricle (for example, near the temple). In such band-type bone conduction earphones, the vibrator is pressed against the bone in the area in front of the auricle by using the force that the two ends of the band exert to pinch the head.

[0005] The earphones in Non-Patent Document 2 are clip-type earphones that use a flexible clip to bring the vibrator into close contact with the rear wall of the cavity of the concha. In such clip-type earphones, the vibrator is pressed against the cartilage located near the cavity of the concha by using the force of the vibrator and the clip to pinch the auricle. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0006] [Patent Document 1] Patent No. 6240821 (issued November 29, 2017) [Non-patent literature]

[0007] [Non-Patent Document 1] "OpenRun Pro Sport Headphones - Engineered for Sound | Shokz Official", [online], [searched June 27, 2023], Internet<https: / / shokz.com / products / openrunpro> [Non-Patent Document 2] "Fully wireless bone conduction earphones PEACE SS-1 (BK / WH) | earsopen - bone conduction earphones that let you enjoy sound without blocking your ears", [online], [searched June 27, 2023], Internet<https: / / boco.co.jp / eo / products / detail / 56> Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0008] However, the bone conduction earphones described in Patent Document 1 and Non-Patent Documents 1 and 2 have the following problems.

[0009] In the canal-type bone conduction earphones of Patent Document 1, the vibrator and the ear tip block the ear canal, so the user can hear the sound generated by the audio signal, but cannot directly hear the environmental sound around the user. Note that the environmental sound is also called the external sound.

[0010] In contrast, the band-type bone conduction earphones and clip-type bone conduction earphones of Non-Patent Documents 1 and 2 are open-ear bone conduction earphones in which the vibrator does not block the ear canal. Therefore, the user can hear environmental sounds in addition to the sound caused by the audio signal. However, in the open-ear bone conduction earphones, as described above, the vibrator is brought into close contact with the bone or cartilage by using the force of the two ends of the band pinching the head, or the force of the vibrator and the clip pinching the auricle. Therefore, the user is likely to feel pain or pressure on the head or auricle.

[0011] One aspect of the present invention has been devised in consideration of the above-mentioned problems, and its purpose is to reduce pain, pressure, and the like caused by the clamping force in open-ear bone conduction earphones. [Means for solving the problem]

[0012] In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the bone conduction earphone according to a first aspect of the present invention comprises a vibrator that converts an audio signal into vibration, a housing that houses the vibrator, and a vibration transmission unit that is connected to the housing and set in the concha cavity of a user's auricle, the vibration transmission unit having a through hole that communicates between the outside and inside of the concha cavity when set in the concha cavity.

[0013] The vibration transmitting section of the bone conduction earphone according to the first aspect of the present invention is provided with a through hole that communicates the outside and the inside of the cavity of the concha when the bone conduction earphone is set in the cavity of the concha. Therefore, the bone conduction earphone is an open-ear type.

[0014] Moreover, the bone conduction earphone according to the first aspect is fixed to the user's auricle by setting the vibration transmission unit in the user's concha cavity. Therefore, when the bone conduction earphone is fixed to the user's auricle, no force is used to pinch the head or auricle as in the bone conduction earphones described in Non-Patent Documents 1 and 2. Therefore, the bone conduction earphone can reduce pain and pressure caused by pinching force.

[0015] In other words, this bone conduction earphone can reduce pain and pressure caused by the pinching force in open-ear bone conduction earphones.

[0016] In addition, in a bone conduction earphone according to a second aspect of the present invention, in addition to the configuration of the bone conduction earphone according to the first aspect described above, it is preferable that the vibration transmission unit and the housing are configured from a single, integrally molded member.

[0017] According to the bone conduction earphone of the second aspect, there is no discontinuous part that breaks the structure between the housing that houses the vibrator and the vibration transmission part, so that the vibrations generated by the vibrator can be transmitted to the vibration transmission part with as little loss as possible.

[0018] In the bone conduction earphone according to the third aspect of the present invention, in addition to the configuration of the bone conduction earphone according to the second or third aspect described above, a configuration is adopted in which the vibration transmission unit is a plate-like member having a through hole penetrating a pair of opposing main surfaces, and when set in the cavity of the concha, the plate-like member is arranged so that the pair of main surfaces intersect in the direction in which the external auditory canal extends.

[0019] According to the bone conduction earphone of the third aspect, the plate-like member constituting the vibration transmitting section is configured to close the opening of the ear canal when the earphone is set in the cavity of the concha. Therefore, it is easy to increase the area of ​​the pair of main surfaces of the plate-like member, and therefore the degree of freedom in designing the area of ​​the opening of the through hole can be easily increased.

[0020] In the bone conduction earphone according to the fourth aspect of the present invention, in addition to the configuration of the bone conduction earphone according to the third aspect described above, the bone conduction earphone further comprises a ring-shaped member that borders the outer edge of the vibration transmission part and is made of an elastic material.

[0021] According to the bone conduction earphone of the fourth aspect, the outer edge of the vibration transmission part can be covered with a ring-shaped member made of an elastic material, thereby improving the fit when the user wears the bone conduction earphone.

[0022] In the bone conduction earphone according to the fifth aspect of the present invention, in addition to the configuration of the bone conduction earphone according to the fourth aspect described above, a configuration is adopted in which the annular member is detachable from the outer edge.

[0023] According to the bone conduction earphone of the fifth aspect, the annular member can be detached from the vibration transmitting unit. Therefore, by having the manufacturer prepare annular members of various shapes and sizes in advance, the user can select an annular member that fits his / her auricle from among the annular members of various shapes and sizes. Therefore, the fit when the user wears the bone conduction earphone can be improved.

[0024] In the bone conduction earphone according to the sixth aspect of the present invention, in addition to the configuration of the bone conduction earphone according to any one of the first to fifth aspects described above, the housing is a first housing, and the bone conduction earphone is provided with a battery, a second housing that houses the battery, and a temple having one end fixed to the first housing and the other end fixed to the second housing, and when the vibration transmission unit is set in the cavity of the concha, the temple is configured such that (1) at least a portion of the first housing is located in the front side area of ​​the auricle, (2) the second housing is located in the back side area of ​​the auricle, and (3) the temple wraps around from the front side to the back side in the anterior area of ​​the helix and follows the base of the auricle.

[0025] According to the bone conduction earphone according to the sixth aspect, the battery, which is a heavy object in the bone conduction earphone, can be supported not only by the vibration transmitting unit set in the concha, but also by the temple. That is, the weight of the battery can be distributed to the concha and the base of the auricle. Therefore, it is possible to reduce the feeling of wearing that may occur in the concha when the user wears the bone conduction earphone.

[0026] The bone conduction earphone according to the seventh aspect of the present invention has the same configuration as the bone conduction earphone according to any one of the first to sixth aspects described above, and further includes a wireless communication interface for acquiring an audio signal supplied from the outside.

[0027] The bone conduction earphone according to the seventh aspect functions as a wireless bone conduction earphone.

[0028] In the bone conduction earphone according to the eighth aspect of the present invention, in addition to the configuration of the bone conduction earphone according to the seventh aspect described above, the vibrator comprises a vibrator for the right ear and a vibrator for the left ear, the housing comprises a housing for the right ear and a housing for the left ear, the wireless communication interface comprises a wireless communication interface for the right ear and a wireless communication interface for the left ear, the housing for the right ear houses the vibrator for the right ear and the wireless communication interface for the right ear, and the housing for the left ear houses the vibrator for the left ear and the wireless communication interface for the left ear.

[0029] The bone conduction earphone according to the eighth aspect functions as a completely wireless bone conduction earphone. Effect of the Invention

[0030] According to one aspect of the present invention, in an open-ear type bone conduction earphone, it is possible to reduce pain and a feeling of pressure caused by a pinching force. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0031] [Figure 1] The left image shows a state in which a bone conduction earphone according to an embodiment of the present invention is attached to a user's auricle, and the right image shows a schematic diagram of the user's auricle. [Diagram 2] 2A to 2C are a front view, a side view, and a rear view of the bone conduction earphone shown in FIG. [Diagram 3] 2 is a perspective view of a vibration transmitting section of the bone conduction earphone shown in FIG. 1. [Figure 4]2 is a plan view of an ear loop provided on the bone conduction earphone shown in FIG. 1 and a modified example thereof. [Diagram 5] 1 is an embodiment of the invention and is an image of a pair of bone conduction earphones. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0032] Bone conduction earphones 1R and 1L according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS.

[0033] The left diagram in FIG. 1 is an image showing a state in which a bone conduction earphone 1R for the right ear is attached to the pinna ER, which is the right ear of a user U. The right diagram in FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of the pinna ER. Note that all pinna ER shown in FIG. 1 are plan views obtained by viewing the front area of ​​the pinna ER from the front. The area opposite the front area of ​​the pinna ER is called the back area. In other words, when the front area of ​​the pinna ER is viewed in plan, the back area is an area that cannot be seen.

[0034] In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 1, the configuration of the bone conduction earphone 1R will be described using the auricle ER of a user U in an upright position and the bone conduction earphone 1R. Here, the vertically upward direction is defined as the upward direction. The direction from the earlobe E2 to the helix E1 in the auricle ER of the user U in an upright position is along the upward direction. In addition, when the auricle ER is viewed in a plan view, the direction in which the user U's gaze is directed among the directions perpendicular to the upward direction is defined as the forward direction. In addition, the direction that constitutes a left-handed Cartesian coordinate system together with the forward direction and the upward direction is defined as the front direction. The opposite directions of the forward direction, the upward direction, and the front direction are called the rear direction, the downward direction, and the back direction, respectively.

[0035] As shown in the left diagram of Fig. 1, the surface of the bone conduction earphone 1R that can be seen when the earphone 1R is attached to the ear ER and viewed from the front is called the front. The surface of the bone conduction earphone 1R opposite the front is called the back. Fig. 2 therefore shows a front view, a side view, and a back view of the bone conduction earphone 1R. The side view in Fig. 2 is obtained by looking at the bone conduction earphone 1R attached to the ear ER from the front.

[0036] Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the vibration transmitter 15 included in the bone conduction earphone 1R. Note that Fig. 3 illustrates a state in which the vibration transmitter 15 and the ear loop 16 are disassembled.

[0037] FIG. 4 is a plan view of the ear loop 16 of the bone conduction earphone 1R, and ear loops 16A and 16B which are modifications of the ear loop 16. FIG.

[0038] 5 is an image of a pair of bone conduction earphones 1R and 1L according to an embodiment of the present invention. The bone conduction earphone 1R is for the right ear, and the bone conduction earphone 1L is for the left ear. The bone conduction earphone 1R and the bone conduction earphone 1L are configured to be mirror images of each other.

[0039] [Outline of bone conduction earphones] 5, both the bone conduction earphones 1R and 1L include a first housing 11, a mounting board 21, and a vibrator 23. The first housing 11, mounting board 21, and vibrator 23 of the bone conduction earphone 1R are the first housing 11, mounting board 21, and vibrator 23 for the right ear, respectively. The first housing 11, mounting board 21, and vibrator 23 of the bone conduction earphone 1L are the first housing 11, mounting board 21, and vibrator 23 for the left ear, respectively.

[0040] The first housing 11 of the bone conduction earphone 1R houses a mounting board 21 and a vibrator 23 for the right ear, and the first housing 11 of the bone conduction earphone 1L houses a mounting board 21 and a vibrator 23 for the left ear.

[0041] The mounting boards 21 for the right and left ears are respectively mounted with wireless communication interfaces for the right and left ears. Each wireless communication interface acquires an audio signal supplied from outside the bone conduction earphones 1R and 1L (for example, a terminal such as a smartphone, a personal computer, a game console, or a television). Each wireless communication interface may be compliant with any communication standard capable of transmitting and receiving signals such as audio signals between the terminal. Examples of such communication standards include Bluetooth (registered trademark) and 2.4 GHz digital communication. The audio signal acquired by each wireless communication interface drives each of the vibrators 23 for the right and left ears.

[0042] The bone conduction earphone 1R and the bone conduction earphone 1L configured in this way are earphones that are called a completely wireless type on the market. There are two types of completely wireless types known as a relay type and a left and right simultaneous transmission type, and either type can be used. In this embodiment, the bone conduction earphone 1R and the bone conduction earphone 1L will be described as adopting the left and right simultaneous transmission type.

[0043] In addition, the bone conduction earphone according to one embodiment of the present invention may be configured so that one wireless communication interface is shared between the right bone conduction earphone and the left bone conduction earphone. Such an earphone is generally called a wireless earphone and is distinguished from a completely wireless earphone. In addition, one embodiment of the bone conduction earphone 1R is not limited to a wireless earphone, and may be a wired earphone.

[0044] 5, the bone conduction earphone 1R for the right ear and the bone conduction earphone 1L for the left ear are shown as a pair. In one aspect of the present invention, the bone conduction earphone 1R and the bone conduction earphone 1L can be sold as a pair, or only one of the bone conduction earphone 1R and the bone conduction earphone 1L can be sold.

[0045] [Configuration of bone conduction earphones] 5, the bone conduction earphone 1R and the bone conduction earphone 1L are configured to be mirror images of each other. Therefore, in the following, the configuration of the bone conduction earphone according to one embodiment of the present invention will be described using the bone conduction earphone 1R, and a detailed description of the bone conduction earphone 1L will be omitted.

[0046] 1, the bone conduction earphone 1R includes a first housing 11, a vibrator 23, and a vibration transmitter 15. The first housing 11 is an example of a housing.

[0047] The transducer 23 is a device that converts an externally supplied audio signal into vibration. In this embodiment, a dynamic bone conduction speaker is used as the transducer 23. However, the transducer 23 may be a piezoelectric element.

[0048] The first housing 11 is a resin part configured to house the vibrator 23. In order to transmit the vibration generated by the vibrator 23 to the vibration transmission section 15 with as little loss as possible, it is preferable that the inner wall surface of the first housing 11 is shaped like the vibrator 23 so as to closely adhere to the outer wall surface of the vibrator 23. In Figs. 1, 2, and 5, the members housed in the first housing 11 and the second housing 13 described later are shown by dashed lines.

[0049] The vibration transmission unit 15 is coupled to the first housing 11 and set in the cavity of the concha E3 of the auricle ER of the user U. In this way, the vibration transmission unit 15 set in the cavity of the concha E3 also transmits vibrations converted from sound vibrations to the cartilage that constitutes the cavity of the concha E3. Therefore, the bone conduction earphone 1R is a cartilage conduction type bone conduction earphone. The vibration transmission unit 15 is provided with a through hole 151 that communicates the outside and inside of the cavity of the concha E3 when set in the cavity of the concha E3.

[0050] In this embodiment, the vibration transmitting unit 15 is a plate-like member provided with a through hole 151 penetrating a pair of main surfaces facing each other. The vibration transmitting unit 15 is provided so that the pair of main surfaces intersect in the direction in which the ear canal extends (the direction intersecting with the paper surface on which FIG. 1 is illustrated) when the vibration transmitting unit 15 is set in the cavity of the concha E3. According to the front view, side view, and rear view of FIG. 2, it can be seen that the vibration transmitting unit 15 is a disk-like member with a circular outer edge. The flat portion with a circular outer edge illustrated in the front view of FIG. 2 is one of the main surfaces of the vibration transmitting unit 15, and the flat portion with a circular outer edge illustrated in the rear view of FIG. 2 is the other main surface of the vibration transmitting unit 15. The through hole 151 is formed in the vibration transmitting unit 15 so as to penetrate one main surface and the other main surface. The shape of the outer edge of the vibration transmitting unit 15 is not limited to a circular shape, and may be, for example, an elliptical shape, an egg shape, a cam shape, or the like. In addition, in this embodiment, the category of "plate-shaped member" expressing the shape of the vibration transmitting portion 15 also includes annular members, typically a doughnut shape.

[0051] As shown in the side view of FIG. 2, the bone conduction earphone 1R further includes a support 14 interposed between the first housing 11 and the vibration transmission unit 15. The support 14 is a columnar member extending from the first housing 11 toward the rear (i.e., the direction from the outside to the inside of the cavity of the concha E3), and the vibration transmission unit 15 is coupled to its tip. In other words, the axial direction in which the support 14 extends is not parallel to the pair of main surfaces of the vibration transmission unit 15, but is configured to intersect with the pair of main surfaces. The axial direction of the support 14 can also be said to be the direction in which the ear canal extends when the vibration transmission unit 15 is set in the cavity of the concha E3. This is clear from the side view of FIG. 2. In other words, when the auricle ER with the vibration transmission unit 15 set in the cavity of the concha E3 is viewed in plan, a part of the first housing 11, at least a part of the support 14, and at least a part of the vibration transmission unit 15 overlap. In this embodiment, a part of the first housing 11, the whole of the support 14, and a part of the vibration transmission unit 15 overlap. In this way, by interposing the support 14 between the first housing 11 and the vibration transmission unit 15, when the vibration transmission unit 15 is set in the cavity of the concha E3, the first housing 11 and the vibration transmission unit 15 can be separated in the direction in which the external auditory canal extends. That is, the first housing 11 can be moved away from the cavity of the concha E3 in the direction in which the external auditory canal extends. Therefore, it is possible to suppress interference that may occur between the first housing 11 and the cavity of the concha E3 and its surroundings, and the vibration transmission unit 15 can be set at a deeper position in the cavity of the concha E3. In this embodiment, a circular shape is adopted as the shape of the cross section of the support 14. That is, the shape of the support 14 is cylindrical. However, the shape of the cross section of the support 14 is not limited to a circle, and may be, for example, an ellipse or a polygon such as a square or hexagon.

[0052] In this embodiment, the first housing 11 and the vibration transmitting section 15, including the support 14 interposed therebetween, are configured from a single integrally molded member. However, the first housing 11 and the vibration transmitting section 15 may be configured from separate members and joined together. The materials configuring the first housing 11, the support 14, and the vibration transmitting section 15 are not limited, and examples thereof include resin and metal. Examples of resin include acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene copolymer synthetic resin (ABS resin) and polycarbonate resin (PC resin), and an example of metal includes aluminum alloy.

[0053] As shown in FIG. 2 and FIG. 3, the bone conduction earphone 1R further includes an ear loop 16 fixed to the vibration transmitting unit 15. The ear loop 16 is configured to border the outer edge of the vibration transmitting unit 15. Specifically, a groove 152 having a semicircular cross-sectional shape is formed on the outer edge of the vibration transmitting unit 15. Meanwhile, the ear loop 16 is an O-ring having a circular cross-sectional shape. That is, the ear loop 16 is an example of an annular member. The ear loop 16 is also configured of an elastic body. The elastic body constituting the ear loop 16 is not limited, but in this embodiment, a silicone resin is used as the elastic body. Another example of the elastic body is a thermoplastic elastomer (TPE resin). The ear loop 16 configured in this manner is fixed to the vibration transmitting unit 15 by fitting into the groove 152. The hardness of the ear loop 16 is determined by the acoustic impedance of the ear loop 16 being equal to the acoustic impedance of the concha E3 (for example, 1.52 Mkg / m 2 ·s) as closely as possible. An example of the hardness of the ear loop 16 is hardness 30 (JIS K 6253). The ear loop 16 may also be kneaded with ions having antibacterial properties, such as silver ions. The ear loop 16 may be omitted in the bone conduction earphone 1R.

[0054] In the present embodiment, the ear loop 16 is configured to be detachable from the groove 152 that constitutes the outer edge of the vibration transmission unit 15. With this configuration, the ear loop 16 can be appropriately replaced with the ear loop 16A, the ear loop 16B, or the like, depending on the shape of the cavity of the concha E3 of the user U and the fit of the user U (see FIG. 4). Both the ear loop 16A and the ear loop 16B are modified versions of the ear loop 16. The ear loop 16A has a smaller diameter of a circular cross section than the ear loop 16. Therefore, when the ear loop 16A is fitted into the groove 152, the outer diameter of the ear loop 16A is smaller than the outer diameter of the ear loop 16. Therefore, the ear loop 16A is suitable for a user U whose cavity of the concha E3 is smaller than that of the ear loop 16. The ear loop 16B has the same cross-sectional diameter as the ear loop 16, but is further provided with an ear fin 16B1. In this way, an ear loop whose outer edge is not circular when viewed in a plan view can also be used. The shape of the ear loop in plan view can be egg-shaped, cam-shaped, elliptical, etc. Any number of different shapes and sizes of the outer edge of the ear loop in plan view can be included in the product to accommodate as many variations in the shape and size of the concha E3 of the ear ER of a user U as possible.

[0055] As shown in each figure of FIG. 2, in addition to the first housing 11, support 14, vibration transmission unit 15, ear loop 16, and vibrator 23 described above, the bone conduction earphone 1R further includes a temple 12, a second housing 13, a mounting board 21, a battery 22, a charging port 24, and a touch sensor 25.

[0056] The second housing 13 is a resin part configured to house a battery 22, which will be described later.

[0057] Temple 12 is a resin part configured to determine the relative positional relationship between first housing 11, support 14, and vibration transmission part 15, and second housing 13. Temple 12 is a columnar or shaft-shaped part with end 121 as one end and end 122 as the other end. First housing 11 is fixed to end 121, and second housing 13 is fixed to end 122.

[0058] When the vibration transmission unit 15 is set in the concha E3, the temple 12 is arranged such that (1) at least a part of the first housing 11 is located in the front area of ​​the auricle ER, (2) the second housing 13 is located in the back area of ​​the auricle ER, and (3) the temple 12 wraps around from the front side to the back side in the front area R1 of the helix E1 and follows the base of the concha E3. The front area R1 of the helix E1 can also be said to be the front area of ​​the triangular fossa E4. In this embodiment, when the auricle ER is viewed in plan, a part of the first housing 11 is located in the front area of ​​the auricle ER, and the remaining part of the first housing 11, which is a part near one end (end 121, see FIG. 2) of the temple 12, is located in the front area R1. In one aspect of the bone conduction earphone 1R, the entire first housing 11 may be located in the front area of ​​the auricle ER.

[0059] In this embodiment, the first housing 11, the temple 12, and the second housing 13 are all resin parts as described above. An example of the resin constituting the temple 12 is silicone resin. An example of the resin constituting the second housing 13 is ABS resin and PC resin, similar to the resin constituting the first housing 11. The second housing 13 may have a two-layer structure consisting of an inner layer made of ABS resin or PC resin and a surface layer made of an elastic resin such as silicone resin, or may have a structure of three or more layers. In this embodiment, silicone resin is used as the temple 12, and a two-layer structure consisting of an inner layer made of ABS resin and a surface layer made of silicone resin is used as the second housing 13. Such a two-layer structure can be manufactured using a manufacturing method called two-color molding. In this embodiment, the temple 12 and the second housing 13 are composed of a single member that is molded integrally, and the first housing 11 is configured as a separate member from the temple 12 and the second housing 13. 2, the solid line between first housing 11 and temple 12 indicates the boundary. Of temple 12 and second housing 13, at least second housing 13 may be made of metal. An example of the metal is an aluminum alloy.

[0060] The joint between first housing 11 and temple 12 may be configured so that first housing 11 is rotatable around the axis of temple 12, or may be configured so that first housing 11 is completely fixed to temple 12.

[0061] In one embodiment of the bone conduction earphone 1R, the first housing 11, the temple 12, the second housing 13, the support 14, and the vibration transmitter 15 may be formed as a single integral member. This configuration can improve the waterproof performance of the bone conduction earphone 1R.

[0062] The temple 12 is configured to adjust and store the relative position of the second housing 13 with respect to the position of the first housing 11 in accordance with variations in the shape and size of the pinna ER of the user U. In order to adjust the relative position of the second housing 13 with respect to the position of the first housing 11, the resin constituting the temple 12 is flexible at room temperature (e.g., 25°C) and is configured to be deformable along the shape of the base of the pinna ER of the user U. In addition, in order to store the relative position of the second housing 13 with respect to the position of the first housing 11, a metal rod-shaped member arranged coaxially with the temple 12 is embedded inside the temple 12. The type of metal constituting this rod-shaped member is not limited, but may be, for example, a titanium alloy.

[0063] The mounting board 21 is housed inside the first housing 11 together with the vibrator 23. The mounting board 21 is mounted with the above-mentioned wireless communication interface, a charging module for charging the battery 22, a touch sensor 25 (described later), and the like.

[0064] The battery 22 is a secondary battery configured to be capable of repeated charging and discharging. The type of secondary battery used as the battery 22 is not limited, but it is preferably a lithium ion battery. In this embodiment, the battery 22 is housed in the second housing 13. However, depending on the capacity and size of the battery 22, a configuration in which the battery 22 is housed in the first housing 11 may be adopted. In this case, the temple 12 may be omitted. Even when the battery 22 is housed in the first housing 11, the bone conduction earphone 1R is provided with the temple 12, so that the bone conduction earphone 1R set in the auricle ER can be stabilized.

[0065] The charging port 24 is a charging port through which power is supplied for charging the battery 22, and supplies power to the charging module via the charging port 24. The charging module charges the battery 22 using the power supplied from the charging port 24. Therefore, wiring is embedded inside the temple 12 in addition to the metal rod-shaped member described above.

[0066] The touch sensor 25 is a switch for controlling the volume of the sound reproduced by the bone conduction earphone 1R and for starting and stopping the reproduction of the sound.

[0067] 2 is a mark indicating that the bone conduction earphone 1R is a bone conduction earphone for the right ear. Similarly, the bone conduction earphone 1L has the letter "L" indicating that it is a bone conduction earphone for the left ear.

[0068] In addition to the above-mentioned configuration, the bone conduction earphone 1R may also include a microphone. By including a microphone, the bone conduction earphone 1R can be used as a handset for telephone calls or Web conferences. The microphone may be built into the first housing 11, or may be attached to the outside of the first housing 11 via a separate arm or the like.

[0069] [Additional Notes] The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and various modifications are possible within the scope of the claims. Embodiments obtained by appropriately combining the technical means disclosed in different embodiments are also included in the technical scope of the present invention. [Explanation of symbols]

[0070] 1R,1L Bone conduction earphones 11 First housing (housing) 12 Vine 13 Second Case 14 Posts 15 Vibration transmission section 151 Through hole 16 Ear loop (ring-shaped member) 21 Mounting board 22 Batteries 23 Transducer 24 Charging Port 25 Touch Sensor ER Auricular E1 ear ring E2 earlobe E3 Concha cavity E4 Triangular fossa R1 Anterior region

Claims

1. A vibrator that converts audio signals into vibrations; A housing that houses the vibrator; a vibration transmission unit coupled to the housing, the vibration transmission unit being configured by a plate-shaped member having a pair of main surfaces; a shape of an outer edge of the vibration transmission part in a plan view is any one of a circular shape, an elliptical shape, an egg shape, and a cam shape; The vibration transmission unit is set with respect to the concha cavity of the user's auricle such that the plate-shaped member closes an opening of the ear canal, The vibration transmission part is provided with a through hole penetrating the pair of main surfaces, The annular member that borders the outer edge and is made of an elastic material is further provided. A bone conduction earphone characterized by:

2. The vibration transmission unit and the housing are formed of a single integrally molded member.

2. The bone conduction earphone according to claim 1 .

3. The annular member is configured to have an acoustic impedance that matches the acoustic impedance of the cavity of the concha.

3. The bone conduction earphone according to claim 1 or 2.

4. The acoustic impedance of the annular member is 1.52 Mkg / m ２ s, 4. The bone conduction earphone according to claim 3.

5. The hardness of the annular member is 30 when measured according to a method in accordance with JIS K 6253.

4. The bone conduction earphone according to claim 3.

6. The annular member is detachable from the outer edge.

2. The bone conduction earphone according to claim 1 .

7. The housing is a first housing, Batteries and A second housing that houses the battery; a temple having one end to which the first housing is fixed and another end to which the second housing is fixed, When the vibration transmission unit is set in the cavity of the concha, (1) at least a part of the first housing is located in the front side area of ​​the auricle, (2) the second housing is located in the back side area of ​​the auricle, and (3) the temple is provided so as to wrap around from the front side to the back side in the front area of ​​the helix and follow the base of the auricle.

3. The bone conduction earphone according to claim 1 or 2.

8. The bone conduction earphone according to claim 7, further comprising a wireless communication interface for acquiring an audio signal supplied from an external source.

9. The transducer comprises a right-ear transducer and a left-ear transducer, the first housing includes a first housing for a right ear and a first housing for a left ear, The wireless communication interface includes a right-ear wireless communication interface and a left-ear wireless communication interface; the first housing for the right ear accommodates a vibrator for the right ear and a wireless communication interface for the right ear; The first housing for the left ear accommodates a vibrator for the left ear and a wireless communication interface for the left ear.

9. The bone conduction earphone according to claim 8.

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