Helmet intercom

Abstract

To provide an intercom for a helmet which is easy to hear and easy to use even in a place where the surrounding noise is loud, such as a construction site.SOLUTION: There is provided an intercom for a helmet configured to be attachable to a helmet so that a user wearing the helmet on the head can talk, the intercom for a helmet including: a main unit with a communication unit, a voice generation unit, and a voice microphone unit, in which the voice generation unit has a diaphragm and an exciter that vibrates the diaphragm to generate voice, and the diaphragm is configured to be arranged near the outside of at least one ear of the user, and therefore it is easy to hear and use, even in a noisy environment.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a helmet intercom system, and more particularly to a helmet intercom system that is attached to a helmet when used. [Background technology]

[0002] In recent years, there has been a demand for easy-to-use helmet intercoms that are easy to hear even in noisy surroundings such as construction sites.

[0003] One such device is a helmet-mounted speaker box for a wireless device, disclosed in Patent Document 1. This device is a speaker box with a built-in speaker that is attached to the helmet with a mounting bracket in a position where the sound can be heard without touching the speaker to the ear.

[0004] Conventional methods for listening to audio from a radio include earphones or headphones that are placed directly on the ear, and speakers built into the radio itself. However, when using earphones or headphones for wireless communication in places with high ambient noise, such as construction sites, the construction workers must seal one ear with the earphone or headphone. If one ear is exposed to ambient noise for a long period of time, the workers may suffer from physiological pain, such as headaches. Also, the built-in speaker type of radio has the disadvantage that the audio is drowned out by ambient noise, making it difficult to hear.

[0005] The speaker box of this device allows you to hear the sound from the radio without touching your ears, and allows you to hear surrounding noise with both ears. This configuration eliminates the foreign body sensation of earphones or headphones, and also ensures a constant, stable sound without the sound being drowned out like with built-in radio speakers.

[0006] Another such device is a wireless device attached to a helmet, as disclosed in Patent Document 2. This device is configured so that a wireless device and an information terminal are attached to the helmet with the main body and storage battery separated into left and right halves, and the power cord connecting these is located at the rear of the helmet.

[0007] The slinging work, which is performed while communicating with a crane, is the work of lifting and lowering cargo using a hoisting device such as a hook in cargo handling and transportation work using a crane, etc., and requires advanced skills. In addition, in the case of the speaker box described in Patent Document 1, the speaker box is connected to a walkie-talkie device in a breast pocket or waist belt by a connection line.

[0008] In this case, the signal person and slinger who use the radio are the actual workers, and their occupations involve frequent movements such as using tools, slinging, and checking assembly, so the connection wires that are always in front of their faces and bodies get in the way of their work.In other words, the connection wires that run from the helmet to the breast pocket and waist belt reduce the work efficiency of the signal person and slinger who are wearing the radio, and if they accidentally damage the connection wires, communication with the crane is lost, causing problems with the work.

[0009] In addition, when installing, commissioning, inspecting, or adjusting equipment in a small space, the actual equipment is operating in a remote location and is monitored and displayed on a control panel. Changing wiring in an emergency and turning on and off switches to re-operate the equipment cannot be tolerated with any failure, so double and triple checks are required, and the information terminals that support the workers must function normally.

[0010] According to the wireless device of this device, the main body and the storage battery are attached to the left and right sides of the helmet, and the power cord is located at the rear of the helmet, so the weight that puts a burden on the neck is distributed to the left and right, and it is a structure that does not interfere with work and reduces the burden on the neck even when used for long periods of time. Also, even when inspecting or adjusting equipment in a narrow space, it does not protrude beyond the helmet width, so it does not interfere with the working posture and can be used for long periods of time. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0011] [Patent Document 1] Utility Model Registration No. 3054182 [Patent Document 2] Utility Model Registration No. 3231461 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0012] However, the technique described in Patent Document 1 has the disadvantage that the connecting wires coming out of the speaker box get in the way of the worker's work, as described in Patent Document 2. Furthermore, in order to obtain sufficient volume from a speaker box located away from the ears at a noisy construction site, a relatively large speaker is required, as shown in the drawings in Patent Document 1. The larger the speaker, the heavier the magnet that creates the magnetic field becomes. This causes the weight of supporting the speaker box with the neck to increase, and the power consumption to drive it is large, requiring a large and heavy power supply.

[0013] In addition, in the technology described in Patent Document 2, the main body of the radio etc. and the storage battery are attached to the left and right sides of the helmet to distribute the weight to the left and right sides, reducing the burden on the neck. However, in either case, the total weight is supported by the neck, which has the disadvantage of increasing the weight supported by the neck.

[0014] An object of the present invention is to provide a helmet communication device which is easy to hear and use even in a noisy environment. [Means for solving the problem]

[0015] In order to solve the above problems, the present invention employs the following configuration.

[0016] The present invention relates to a helmet intercom that can be attached to a helmet so that a user wearing the helmet can make a call. The helmet communication device has a main body having a communication unit, a sound generating unit and a sound microphone unit, the sound generating unit having a diaphragm and an exciter that vibrates the diaphragm to generate sound, the exciter has a voice coil that vibrates back and forth between the magnetic circuit and the magnetic gap between the magnetic circuits, a fixed portion is formed at an end of the voice coil, the exciter is fixed and held by the fixed portion, and the vibration of the voice coil is transmitted via the fixed portion; the diaphragm is part of an exterior case that constitutes the exterior of the helmet intercom; the exciter is installed on the diaphragm, and the vibration of the exciter is transmitted to the diaphragm via the fixed portion, causing the diaphragm to vibrate and generate sound; The diaphragm is positioned adjacent to the outside of at least one of the user's ears. and away from the ears configured to be placed on The main body contains a battery that is a power source for the helmet intercom, and the diaphragm is disposed at the bottom of the main body. The helmet has a cap body that is substantially hemispherical in shape, and when the helmet intercom is attached to the helmet, the main body is located at substantially the upper part of the end of the side of the cap body, and the diaphragm is located at substantially the lower part of the end of the side of the cap body. It is characterized by:

[0017] Also, The diaphragm is made of a thin resin plate with an arc-shaped surface that forms an approximately arc when viewed from above and is approximately aligned with the outer periphery of the helmet. It is characterized by:

[0018] The exciter is also attached to the diaphragm. Watertight The device is characterized in that the audio microphone section is disposed below the diaphragm.

[0019] The helmet intercom is characterized in that it has an attachment portion for removably attaching the helmet intercom to the helmet.

[0020] In addition, at least the end of the side of the hat body has a side groove portion to prevent raindrops from entering the user's neck, and the attachment portion is configured to be mechanically engageable with the side groove portion.

[0021] The helmet intercom is characterized in that it has a mounting adapter that is fixed to the helmet body, and the helmet intercom is configured to be attached to the helmet body via the mounting adapter.

[0022] The helmet intercom is characterized in that it is configured so that the rear surface of the main body is fixed to the outer surface of the helmet body. Effect of the Invention

[0023] According to the present invention, since it has the above-mentioned characteristics, it is possible to achieve the following.

[0024] A helmet communication device configured to be attached to a helmet so that a user wearing the helmet can make a call, the helmet communication device having a main body having a communication unit, a sound generation unit and a sound microphone unit, the sound generation unit having a diaphragm and an exciter that vibrates the diaphragm to generate sound, the exciter has a voice coil that vibrates back and forth between the magnetic circuit and the magnetic gap between the magnetic circuits, a fixed portion is formed at an end of the voice coil, the exciter is fixed and held by the fixed portion, and the vibration of the voice coil is transmitted via the fixed portion; the diaphragm is part of an exterior case that constitutes the exterior of the helmet intercom; the exciter is installed on the diaphragm, and the vibration of the exciter is transmitted to the diaphragm via the fixed portion, causing the diaphragm to vibrate and generate sound; The diaphragm is positioned adjacent to the outside of at least one of the user's ears. and away from the ears configured to be placed on The main body contains a battery that is the power source for the helmet intercom, and the diaphragm is located at the bottom of the main body. The helmet has a roughly hemispherical shell, and when the helmet intercom is attached to the helmet, the main body is located at roughly the top of the edge of the side of the shell, and the diaphragm is located at roughly the bottom of the edge of the side of the shell. Therefore, compared to earphones that are placed directly on the ear, headphone-type earphones, or speaker-type earphones built into the radio itself, It is possible to obtain a helmet communication device that is easy to hear even in places with a lot of surrounding noise and is easy to use. At the same time, the relatively heavy main body is stably held by the cap body, and the diaphragm is held so as to be easily vibrated.

[0025] Also, The diaphragm is made of a thin resin plate having an arcuate surface that forms an approximately arc when viewed from above and that is approximately aligned with the outer periphery of the helmet, so that the diaphragm can be shaped to approximately match the outer periphery of the helmet.

[0026] The exciter is also attached to the diaphragm. Watertight The audio microphone is located under the diaphragm. Keeps the exciter watertight The audio microphone could be placed close to the mouth.

[0027] In addition, since the helmet intercom has an attachment portion for removably attaching the helmet intercom to the helmet, the helmet intercom can be removed from the helmet and charged independently.

[0028] In addition, at least the end of the side of the hat body has a side groove portion that prevents raindrops from getting into the user's neck, and the mounting portion is configured to be mechanically engageable with the side groove portion, so that the helmet intercom can be securely engaged with the helmet.

[0029] In addition, the helmet intercom has a mounting adapter that is fixed to the helmet body, and the helmet intercom is configured to be attached to the helmet body via the mounting adapter, so that it can be attached via the adapter even to helmets that do not have side grooves.

[0030] The helmet intercom is constructed so that it can be attached by fixing the rear surface of the main body to the outer surface of the helmet body, so that the helmet intercom can be attached directly to the helmet. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0031] [Figure 1] 1 is a perspective view showing an example of use of a helmet intercom device according to a first embodiment of the present invention; [Diagram 2] 1 is a perspective view showing a state in which a helmet intercom according to a first embodiment of the present invention is attached to a helmet. [Diagram 3] 1A and 1B are perspective views showing the configuration of a helmet intercom device according to a first embodiment of the present invention, in which FIG. 1A is a perspective view seen from the front side, and FIG. [Figure 4] 1 shows the configuration of a helmet intercom device according to a first embodiment of the present invention, in which (A) is a reference oblique view, (B) is a front view, (C) is a rear view, (D) is a top view, (E) is a bottom view, (F) is a left side view, (G) is a right side view, (H) is a reference oblique view, and (I) is a reference oblique view. [Diagram 5] 1 is an exploded perspective view showing a configuration of a helmet intercom according to a first embodiment of the present invention; [Figure 6] 1 is a partial cross-sectional view showing a configuration of a main part of a helmet intercom system according to a first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 7] 1A shows a main part of a helmet intercom according to a first embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 1B, FIG. 1C, and FIG. 1D are partial cross-sectional views showing the movement of the main part. [Figure 8] 1 is a schematic diagram showing an example of use of a helmet intercom device according to a first embodiment of the present invention; [Figure 9] 1 is a block diagram showing a circuit of a helmet intercom device according to a first embodiment of the present invention; [Figure 10] FIG. 11 is a perspective view showing an example of use of a helmet intercom device according to a second embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 11] FIG. 11 is a perspective view showing the configuration of a helmet intercom device according to a third embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 12] FIG. 11 is a perspective view showing the configuration of a helmet intercom device according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0032] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. In the following explanation, the terms "front-back," "up-down," and "left-right" are used when viewed from the user's perspective when the user is wearing a helmet with a helmet intercom attached to the left side of the helmet, and the direction in which the user's face is located is called the front direction (front direction), the opposite direction is called the rear direction (rear direction), the direction to the left side of the user's face is called the left direction (front direction), and the opposite direction is called the right direction (rear direction). However, the directions such as front-back, up-down, left-right, etc. shown below are shown for the convenience of explanation, and the application of the present technology is not limited to these directions.

[0033] (First embodiment) A helmet 1 with a sound device according to a first embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to Figs. Figures 1 and 2 are oblique views showing an example of use of a helmet 1 with an audio device, Figures 3(A) and (B) are oblique views showing its configuration, Figures 4(A) to (I) are drawings showing the design of its external shape, Figure 5 is an oblique exploded view, Figures 6 and 7 are partial cross-sectional views, Figure 8 is a schematic diagram showing an example of its use, and Figure 9 is a circuit block diagram.

[0034] 1 shows a situation in which a user U wearing a helmet 1000 on his / her head, with a helmet intercom 1 attached to the left side, is making a call using the helmet intercom 1. Before explaining the helmet intercom 1, a brief explanation will be given of the helmet 1000.

[0035] As shown in Fig. 1, Helmet 1000 is a work helmet or industrial protective hat that is used to absorb impacts on the head from flying or falling objects, or from falls or trips at construction sites, etc., to prevent head injury. There are three types of work helmets: the MP type, which is hemispherical, the baseball cap type with a front peak, and the American type, which has a front peak and is highly designed. Helmet 1000 is an American type.

[0036] 1, helmet 1000 has hat body 1100 made of glass fiber reinforced resin or the like which is a shell that covers and protects the head, a hammock (not shown) that absorbs shock, and a chin strap 1200 for fixing the helmet to the head and preventing it from falling off. Hat body 1100 has a hemispherical hat body 1110 and a front peak 1120, and a gutter 1130 with a roughly U-shaped cross section is formed on the entire periphery of the edge connected to the front peak 1120 to prevent raindrops from entering the neck.

[0037] 1, the helmet intercom 1 has a main body 10 formed in a roughly rectangular box shape at the top and a sound generating unit 20 that generates sound at the bottom, and is attached to a side groove 1130 on the left side of the helmet 1000 by a lock lever 30 (attachment part) at the center. Here, the sound generating unit 20 is located near the outside of the ear of a user U, but at a position separated from the ear.

[0038] 2 is a perspective view showing how the helmet intercom 1 is attached when the helmet 1000 is turned upside down. In this figure, the chin strap 1200, hammock, etc. of the helmet 1000 are omitted, and only the cap body 1100 is shown. As shown in FIG. 2, the lock lever 30 is engaged with a side groove portion 1130 of the helmet 1000, and the sound generating unit 20 is held protruding downward from the side groove portion 1130.

[0039] FIG. 3(A) is a perspective view of the helmet intercom 1 as viewed from the front side, and FIG. 3(B) is a perspective view as viewed from the back side. 3(A) and (B), a connection operation section 40 is formed on the top surface of the main body 10, to which a connection operation panel 41 is attached, and from the front, a charging indicator lamp 42, a connection connector 43, a power button 44, an external sound microphone hole 45, and a communication indicator lamp 46 are arranged. In addition, a label 11 for displaying the company name, control number, etc. is attached to the front surface of the main body 10, and the back surface is formed into a curved surface that is approximately matched to the shape of the outer surface of the opposing helmet 1000.

[0040] 3(A) and (B), the sound generating unit 20 has a diaphragm 21 in the shape of a substantially quadrant with the rear lower part of the thin plate being in the shape of a circular arc, and the diaphragm 21 has an arc surface that forms a substantially circular arc when viewed from above and is aligned with the outer periphery of the helmet 1000. A sound source storage section 22 that bulges downward in a substantially pear shape is formed in the front lower part of the back surface of the sound generating unit 20, and a cable duct section 23 is provided between the sound source storage section 22 and the main body section 10. In addition, an audio microphone hole 24 is provided in the front lower end part of the sound source storage section 22. A bulging cover section 25 that bulges toward the surface is formed in the front center part of the diaphragm 21 in the shape of a substantially truncated cone.

[0041] 3(A) and (B), a lock lever hole 26 through which the lock lever 30 moves in and out is provided in the center of the upper part of the sound generating unit 20, and flat guide plates 27, 27 long in the front-rear direction protrude toward the rear surface on both sides of the lock lever hole 26. In addition, cushioning materials 12, 12 are attached to the lower parts of the guide plates 27, 27 on both sides of the lock lever hole 26. The guide plates 27, 27 and the cushioning materials 12, 12 are used when attaching the sound generating unit 20 to the helmet 100, and will be described in detail later.

[0042] Figures 4(A) to (I) are design drawings of the external shape of the helmet intercom 1. That is, Figure 4(A) is a reference perspective view of the helmet intercom 1 as seen from the front side, Figure 4(B) is a front view, Figure 4(C) is a rear view, Figure 4(D) is a top view, Figure 4(E) is a bottom view, Figure 4(F) is a left side view, Figure 4(G) is a right side view, Figure 4(H) is a reference perspective view as seen from the back side, and Figure 4(I) is a reference perspective view as seen from the front side with the lock lever 30 rotated.

[0043] FIG. 5 is an exploded view of the helmet intercom 1 as viewed obliquely from the rear side, and the internal configuration of the helmet intercom 1 will be described with reference to this figure. 5, the exterior case 50 of the helmet communication device 1 is composed of a resin front case 51 and a back case 52. The back case 52 is configured to continuously cover the main body 10, the sound source storage section 22, and the cable duct section 23 of the front case 51 from the back side.

[0044] Here, the exterior case 50 is configured to have a waterproof structure as a whole. That is, when assembling the front case 51 and the back case 52, waterproof double-sided tape (not shown) or the like is applied along the overlapping portions of the two cases, and then the two cases are fixed with screws to make the assembly watertight. Note that instead of waterproof double-sided tape or the like, a soft and thin silicone sheet or the like may be sandwiched between the two cases to form a waterproof structure.

[0045] 5, the electrical-related section 60 is housed inside the main body section 10, the sound source storage section 22, and the cable duct section 23. That is, the main body section 10 houses a main board 70 and a battery 61, the sound source storage section 22 houses an exciter 80 and an audio microphone 62 (audio microphone section), and the cable duct section 23 houses a connecting cable 63 connecting these to the main board 70.

[0046] 5, light-emitting diodes (not shown) are mounted on both ends of the upper part of the main board 70, and these are guided to the connection operation panel 41 by light guide tubes 47, 47 to form the charging indicator lamp 42 and the communication indicator lamp 46. Similarly, a USB connector, which is the connection connector body 64, is mounted below the connection connector 43, and a push button switch 65 is mounted below the power button 44, both on the main board 70. Note that a waterproof USB connector is used for this USB connector.

[0047] 5, the hole on the top surface of front case 51 below external sound microphone hole 45 is watertightly sealed with waterproof sheet 48, and external sound microphone board 66 is fixed further below that. External sound microphone board 66 is connected to main board 70 by connecting cable 63. A small chip-like semiconductor microphone is mounted on external sound microphone board 66, and serves to pick up the volume of surrounding sounds, etc.

[0048] As shown in Fig. 5, the lock lever 30 is attached rotatably in the lock lever hole 26 of the front case 51 by the lock lever shaft 13. Guide plates 27, 27 are provided on both sides of the lock lever hole 26, and guide protrusions 28, 28 are provided facing downward at the inner back surface side end thereof, which serve as a guide when attaching the helmet intercom 1 to the helmet 1000, as described later. In addition, cushioning materials 12, 12 are attached to the lower parts of the guide plates 27, 27, which serve to elastically maintain the gap between the helmet 1000 and the guide plates 27 when attached.

[0049] Next, how the exciter 80 and the audio microphone 62 are attached inside the sound source storage section 22 will be described with reference to Figure 6. Figure 6 is a partial cross-sectional view showing the cross section taken along line A-A in Figure 4(C). 6, the audio microphone hole 24 is watertightly sealed from the inside by an audio microphone waterproof sheet 67. Further inside, a windshield foam material 68 for a windscreen is placed, and the audio microphone 62 unit is fixed in place.

[0050] 6, the exciter 80 has a magnetic circuit made up of a yoke 81 and a permanent magnet 82, and one end of a voice coil 83 is held in the magnetic gap between the yoke 81 and the permanent magnet 82. The voice coil 83 is connected to the yoke 81 via a rubber plate-like damper 84 fixed to the yoke 81. A fixed part 85 is connected to the other end of the voice coil 83, and the fixed part 85 is fixed to the bottom of the sound source storage part 22, so that the exciter 80 is held in the hollow inside the sound source storage part 22.

[0051] 6, a terminal wire 86 extends from the voice coil 83 and is connected to the connecting cable 63. When a drive signal is input from the connecting cable 63 to the voice coil 83 via the terminal wire 86, the voice coil 83 vibrates left and right within the magnetic gap. The vibration of the voice coil 83 is transmitted to the diaphragm 21 via the fixed part 85 and the sound source housing part 22, and the diaphragm 21 is excited to vibrate, generating sound.

[0052] How the helmet intercom 1 is fixed to the helmet 1000 will be described with reference to FIGS. 7(A) to 7(D). 7(A) is a perspective view of the lock lever 30, and FIGS. 7(B) to 7(D) are partial cross-sectional views corresponding to the cross section BB in FIG. 1, showing the movement of the lock lever 30 relative to the helmet 1000.

[0053] 7(A), the lock lever 30 has a bearing portion 31 having a through hole penetrating in the front-rear direction, and a flat knob portion 32 extending downward from the bearing portion 31 and having approximately the same width as the bearing portion 31. It also has a hook portion 33 having approximately the same width and a generally U-shaped cross section on the back side of the knob portion 32, and a hook rib portion 34 that rises inward at the center of the hook portion 33 in the width direction. The lock lever 30 is made of a resin, such as nylon, that has the property of returning to its original shape even if it is deformed.

[0054] To attach the helmet intercom 1 to the helmet 1000, first, as shown in Fig. 7(B), the lower surface of the guide plate 27 is placed against the upward end of the U-shaped side groove 1130 so that the guide protrusion 28 is hooked. When the knob 32 is pressed down while being guided in this way, the lock lever 30 rotates around the bearing 31.

[0055] 7(C), when the lock lever 30 is rotated in the direction of the arrow, the hook rib portion 34 slides against the corner of the side groove portion 1130, and the helmet intercom 1 is pulled toward the helmet 1000. At this time, the hook portion 33 is largely deformed in the opening direction in order to get over the corner of the side groove portion 1130.

[0056] 7(D), when the hook portion 33 climbs over the corner of the side groove portion 1130, a force acts to return the hook portion 33 to its original open shape. This toggle mechanical force causes the helmet communication device 1 to be fixed to the helmet 1000 by the lock lever 30. Although not shown in these figures, the cushioning material 12 is compressed to absorb any play between the helmet 1000 and the cushioning material 12.

[0057] 7(D) and 1, when the helmet communication device 1 is fixed to the helmet 1000, the knob portion 32 of the lock lever 30 is located in a position that is approximately parallel to and close to the diaphragm 21. Therefore, when the user U wears the helmet 1000 on his / her head, it is configured in such a way that it is difficult for the user U to release the lock lever 30 with his / her fingertips or the like.

[0058] As shown in FIG. 7(D), the knob portion 32 is located inside the surface of the main body portion 10, and prevents the helmet communication device 1 from accidentally falling off from the helmet 1000 if something external gets caught and moves the knob portion 32. In addition, the user U can easily release the helmet 1000 by removing it from the head and moving the lock lever 30 from the inside.

[0059] 7(D), the main body 10 is located above the edge of the helmet 1000, with the back surface of the main body 10 located inside the outer edge of the helmet 1000, and is disposed along the outer surface of the helmet 1000. Therefore, part of the thickness of the main body 10 overlaps with the inner part of the outer edge of the helmet 1000, and the main body 10 is configured to be hardly protruded from the side of the helmet 1000. The relatively heavy main body 10 is supported by the upward end of the side groove 1130, and is configured to be held substantially integrally with the helmet 1000.

[0060] Now, how the helmet intercom 1 operates will be described with reference to FIGS. FIG. 8 is a schematic diagram viewed from the left, showing a situation in which a user U wearing a helmet 1000 equipped with a helmet communication device 1 on his / her head is making a call using the helmet communication device 1 via a mobile terminal S such as a smartphone that is being worn by the user.

[0061] FIG. 9 is a circuit block diagram showing the details of how FIG. 8 is performed. As shown in FIG. 9, a main board 70 has a control section 71, and the battery 61 is connected to the control section 71 via a power supply section 72, and a display section 73 and an operation section 74 are connected to the control section 71 via interfaces 75, 75, respectively.

[0062] 9, the exciter 80 is driven by an exciter driving unit 76 connected to a control unit 71. The audio microphone 62 and the external sound microphone board 66 are connected to the control unit 71 via an audio microphone signal processing unit 77 and an external sound microphone signal processing unit 78, respectively. The control unit 71 is also connected to a communication unit 79, and is configured to communicate with the mobile terminal S via the communication unit 79.

[0063] 9, when an external cable (not shown) is connected to the USB connector that is the connector body 64, the battery 61 is charged via the power supply unit 72. At this time, an LED (not shown) that is the display unit 73 is activated to light the charging indicator lamp 42 red, and when charging is complete, the light goes out. Also, by connecting an external cable to the connector body 64, firmware updates for the control unit 71 can also be performed.

[0064] In Fig. 9, when the power button 44, which is an operation unit 74, is pressed and held, the helmet intercom 1 starts up. Here, when the power is turned on for the first time, the device automatically goes into pairing mode, and the communication indicator lamp 46 flashes red and blue alternately. The communication unit 79 is configured to be connected to the mobile terminal S via Bluetooth (registered trademark) for wireless communication, so if pairing is performed here, the connection will be automatic thereafter. The states of waiting for connection to the mobile terminal S and being connected are displayed by different ways of flashing blue on the communication indicator lamp 46.

[0065] 9, the operation unit 74 has a G sensor (not shown), and the surface of the helmet communication device 1 or the helmet 1000 can be tapped by tapping with the palm of the hand. For example, when a call comes in, tapping once allows the call to be answered, and tapping once more allows the call to be ended. Also, tapping twice allows a voice assistant such as Siri (registered trademark) or Google Assistant (registered trademark) to be launched.

[0066] 9, the external sound microphone board 66 is for an automatic volume adjustment function. In other words, if you first use the mobile terminal S to adjust the volume using the exciter 80, the volume will then automatically increase as the noise gets louder and decrease as the noise gets quieter, depending on the volume of the surrounding noise.

[0067] In Fig. 9, the audio microphone 62 is for capturing the voice of the user U during a call or the like. Here, as shown in Fig. 1, the audio microphone 62 is not positioned near the mouth using an arm as in the conventional case, but is placed a little away. The inventors have confirmed that even if the microphone is positioned a little away from the mouth in this way, it can capture the voice of the user U sufficiently as long as the microphone does not have a very high directivity.

[0068] 9, the question arises as to what size the exciter 80 driven by the exciter drive section 76 should be in order to obtain a sufficient volume. To confirm this, the inventors prepared exciters of various sizes and actually attached them to the helmet intercom 1.

[0069] As shown in Figure 6, the bulge of the bulging cover portion 25 is larger than the size of the exciter 80, but this is actually to allow a large exciter to be actually attached. After various tests, it was confirmed that even a very small one like the current exciter 80 can produce a sufficient volume.

[0070] Here, the use of a small exciter 80 allows for a lighter weight and reduced power consumption, making it possible to extend the operating time and to use a smaller battery. Note that the bulging cover portion 25 has a large margin relative to the exciter 80, so it is of course possible to reduce this margin and make the protruding height lower or smaller.

[0071] As described above, in the helmet communication device 1 of this embodiment, the diaphragm 21 driven by the exciter 80 is configured to be located near the outside of the ear, so it is easy to hear and use even in places with a lot of surrounding noise, compared to earphones that are directly placed on the ear, headphone types, and speaker types built into the radio itself. Also, since the power supply and the like are configured to be integrated, no connection wires from the power supply are required, and there is less protrusion from the helmet 1000, making it easier to use.

[0072] Moreover, the main body 10 is configured to house a battery 61, and the diaphragm 21 is disposed below the main body 10. The helmet 1000 is configured such that the cap body 1100 is configured to be substantially hemispherical, and when the helmet communication device 1 is attached to the helmet 1000, the main body 10 is located substantially at the upper part of the side end of the cap body 1100, and the diaphragm 21 is located substantially at the lower part of the side end of the cap body 1100. By configuring in this way, the main body 10 is stably held by the cap body 1100, and the diaphragm 21 can be configured to be held so as to easily vibrate in the air.

[0073] In addition, this embodiment is configured to make calls via a mobile terminal S such as a smartphone, which makes it very convenient to use for communication at construction sites, etc. For example, by using a group call function such as Facebook (registered trademark) Messenger, it is easy to communicate with all workers at a construction site at regular intervals, or to make emergency contact when an emergency occurs. Also, for example, at a construction site deep in the mountains, such as a tunnel construction site, by installing a mobile base station for a mobile communication system, communication with the head office and communication between workers can be easily realized.

[0074] In addition to the telephone function of the mobile terminal S, other functions such as the voice playback function can also be utilized. For example, in the case of work that is to be done alone and involves complicated steps, the steps can be recorded in advance as audio on the mobile terminal S, and then played back as audio at the work site, making it possible to use both hands to perform work that is step-by-step and without missing any steps. Similarly, for example, the final inspection items for each task can be read out by the mobile terminal S, making it possible to carry out a thorough inspection.

[0075] As shown in Fig. 3, the connector 43 of this embodiment opens upward, but is not limited thereto. For example, the connector 43 may be covered with a waterproof lid (not shown) when not in use. Covering the connector 43 with a waterproof lid can further improve protection.

[0076] 3, the sensor is configured to be disposed on the upper surface of the connection operation unit 40 in this embodiment, but is not limited thereto. For example, it may be disposed on other surfaces, such as the front and rear sides of the main body 10. For example, if the sensor is disposed on the rear side, it is possible to reduce direct raindrops hitting the sensor.

[0077] 1 and 3(A), in this embodiment, a label 11 for displaying a company name, a control number, etc. is attached to the surface of the main body 10, but the present invention is not limited to this. Instead of attaching the label 11, it may be printed directly on the surface of the main body 10. Also, notes on the work to be done that day and precautions for the work may be attached to alert all workers.

[0078] 8 and 9, in this embodiment, the helmet communication device 1 is configured to make calls via a mobile terminal S such as a smartphone, but is not limited to this. For example, if the communication unit 79 is provided with the functionality of a wireless device such as a normal intercom, it will be possible to make calls using the helmet communication device 1 alone.

[0079] Second embodiment A second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. In the second embodiment, the helmet intercom 1 has a main body 10 and a voice generating unit 20, as in the first embodiment, but the structure and mounting position of the voice microphone 62 are different. In the following, the same parts as in the first embodiment are given the same reference numerals, and the description is omitted, and only the different parts are described.

[0080] 10 is a usage diagram showing a situation in which a user U wearing a helmet 1000 with a helmet intercom 1 attached to the left side on his head is making a call using the helmet intercom 1. Here, the audio microphone 62 (audio microphone section) is not built into the helmet intercom 1, but is attached externally to the helmet intercom 1.

[0081] That is, as shown in FIG. 10, the audio microphone 62 has a microphone arm portion 69, one end of which is fixed to the lower part of the voice generating unit 20, and the other end is configured to hold the audio microphone 62 near the mouth of the user U.

[0082] In this way, by using the arm part 69 to hold the audio microphone 62 near the mouth of the user U, the audio of the user U can be picked up more reliably than with a built-in microphone, and the user U can talk in a low voice. Note that if the audio microphone 62 is placed near the mouth, the audio microphone 62 moves vertically across the face when the helmet 1000 is lifted, and so it becomes necessary to move the audio microphone 62 away from the mouth when putting on or taking off the helmet 1000.

[0083] (Third embodiment) A third embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. In this third embodiment, the same helmet intercom 1 as in the first embodiment is used, but the structure of the work helmet to which it is attached and the structure for attaching it to the work helmet are different, and also a part of the external shape of the helmet intercom 1 is different. In the following, the same parts as in the first embodiment are given the same reference numerals, and the explanation is omitted, and only the different parts are explained.

[0084] First, the mounting structure for a work helmet will be described. In the first embodiment, the work helmet was described as being of the American type, but as shown in Fig. 11, the helmet 2000 of this embodiment is of the MP type, which is hemispherical in shape. Since the MP type does not have the side groove portion 1130, the lock lever 30 cannot be engaged as it is. Therefore, a mounting adapter 90 is used.

[0085] 11, the mounting adapter 90 has a similar form to the gutter 1130 of the first embodiment, and has a mounting gutter 91 with a predetermined width sufficient for mounting. A surface continues to the inner part of the mounting gutter 91, with a generally Z-shaped cross section, and has a first rising surface 92 of a first predetermined height, a generally horizontal surface 93 of a predetermined depth, and a second rising surface 94 of a second predetermined height.

[0086] 11, an adapter hook-and-loop fastener 95 is attached to the surface of the second rising surface 94, and is configured to be capable of being engaged with a helmet hook-and-loop fastener 2100 attached to a position on the inner surface of the helmet 2000 opposite thereto. By engaging the mounting adapter 90 with the helmet 2000, the helmet intercom 1 can be fixed to the mounting groove portion 91, and it becomes possible to attach the helmet intercom 1 to the helmet 2000 via the mounting adapter 90.

[0087] By attaching the helmet intercom 1 via the mounting adapter 90 in this way, it is possible to easily remove the helmet intercom 1 from the helmet 2000 and perform charging and the like independently. It is needless to say that the mounting adapter 90 may be fixed to the helmet 2000 using double-sided tape, screws, or the like for fixing.

[0088] Furthermore, it is needless to say that the shapes of the first predetermined height, the predetermined depth, the second predetermined height, and the like of the mounting adapter 90 may be variously changed in accordance with the shape of the helmet 2000. Furthermore, the helmet 2000 of this embodiment has been described as being of the MP type, but it is needless to say that it can also be applied to a baseball cap type with a front peak.

[0089] Next, some differences in the external shape of the main body 10 will be described. As shown in Fig. 11, the shape of the bulging cover portion 25 of the helmet intercom 1 is different from that of the first embodiment. As described above, the bulging cover portion 25 of the first embodiment has a large margin for the exciter 80, so this margin has been reduced to make the shape smaller.

[0090] That is, the bulging cover portion 25 is provided at a position facing the exciter 80, and is bulged out to provide a clearance so that the exciter 80 can be held in the hollow space inside the sound source storage portion 22. Therefore, as long as there is a gap between the inner surface of the bulging cover portion 25 and the exciter 80, the shape of the bulging cover portion 25 can be changed in various ways.

[0091] 11, the bulging cover portion 25 of this embodiment has a spherical bulging shape and is small in size. Note that the shape of the bulging cover portion 25 is an example of a design change. It should be noted that, for example, by using an exciter 80 having a smaller thickness, it is possible to eliminate the need for the bulging cover portion 25 and form the diaphragm 21 into a simple arcuate surface shape without any bulging.

[0092] (Fourth embodiment) A fourth embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. In this fourth embodiment, the same helmet intercom 1 as in the first embodiment is used, but the structure of the work helmet to which it is attached and the structure for attaching it to the work helmet are different, and also a part of the external shape of the helmet intercom 1 is different. In the following, the same parts as in the first embodiment are given the same reference numerals, and the explanation is omitted, and only the different parts are explained.

[0093] First, the mounting structure for a work helmet will be described. As shown in Fig. 12, the helmet 2000 of this embodiment is of the MP type having a semi-spherical shape, similar to the third embodiment. And, while in the third embodiment, the helmet is attached using the attachment adapter 90, in this embodiment, the helmet intercom 1 is attached directly to the helmet 2000 without using the attachment adapter 90.

[0094] That is, as shown in Fig. 12, a direct mounting hook-and-loop fastener 14 is affixed to the back surface of the main body 10 of the helmet intercom 1, and a helmet hook-and-loop fastener 2100 is affixed to the outer surface of the helmet 2000 that is substantially opposed to the direct mounting hook-and-loop fastener 14. The helmet intercom 1 is attached to the helmet 2000 by engaging the direct mounting hook-and-loop fastener 14 and the helmet hook-and-loop fastener 2100 with each other.

[0095] As shown in FIG. 12, the relatively heavy main body 10 is held integrally on the outer surface of the helmet 2000, and the sound generating unit 20 located at the bottom of the main body 10 is held in the hollow space at the bottom of the helmet 2000 so as to be easily vibrated.

[0096] As shown in FIG. 12, the helmet hook-and-loop fastener 2100 or the direct mounting hook-and-loop fastener 14 may be configured to have a thicker thickness by inserting a spacer in the hook-and-loop fastener 2100 or the direct mounting hook-and-loop fastener 14 depending on the shape of the edge of the helmet 2000, etc.

[0097] Also, the helmet intercom 1 may be configured to be directly fixed to the helmet 2000 using screws or double-sided tape. However, if the device is fixed using a hook-and-loop fastener, the helmet intercom 1 can be removed from the helmet 2000 and charged independently.

[0098] Next, some differences in the external shape of the main body 10 will be described. As shown in Fig. 12, the shape of the bulging cover portion 25 of the helmet intercom 1 is different from that of the first embodiment. As described above, the bulging cover portion 25 of the first embodiment has a large margin for the exciter 80, so this margin has been reduced to make the shape smaller.

[0099] 12, the bulging cover portion 25 of this embodiment is connected to the arc surface of the diaphragm 21, has a generally flat portion that is generally U-shaped and bulges outward, and is small in size. Note that the shape of this bulging cover portion 25 is an example of a design change, similar to the third embodiment.

[0100] As explained above, the helmet intercom 1 of the present invention is configured to be attached to a helmet using the lock lever 30 or the mounting adapter 90, or directly. Therefore, it has the effect that the helmet intercom 1 can be attached later to helmets of various shapes and sizes, and from various manufacturers.

[0101] In addition, the helmet communication device 1 of the present invention is constructed thin overall, so it does not protrude much from the width of the helmet, and because it is constructed as an integrated unit, there is no need to run connecting wires for wiring, making it easy to use and safe to use.

[0102] In the above first to fourth embodiments, the helmet to which the helmet communication device 1 is attached is described as being a work helmet or an industrial protective hat, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the present invention may of course be applied to bicycle helmets and half-cap helmets with ears exposed that are used for small motorcycles, etc.

[0103] That is, there are services such as UberEats (registered trademark) that deliver meals ordered via smartphone, but the delivery personnel use bicycles or small motorcycles. If these delivery personnel use helmets equipped with the helmet communication device 1, they can navigate and guide the delivery destination by voice, and can also easily contact the headquarters. In addition, the volume automatically changes depending on whether it is on a noisy road or in a quiet residential area, making it convenient to use. In addition, it can also be effectively utilized in other delivery industries that use small motorcycles, etc.

[0104] It may also be applied to sports helmets, for example. For example, in a snowboarding class, the instructor and students wear helmets for snowboarding, etc. If the helmet communication device 1 is attached to these helmets, it becomes possible to use the group voice chat function to share the instructor's guidance on the students' performances, questions from the students, and their answers with all members. Some snowboarding helmets have earmuffs, but even in this case, they are configured to be able to hear external sounds.

[0105] The helmet intercom of the present invention is not limited to the embodiment described above and shown in the drawings, and various modifications can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. For example, in the above-described embodiment, the diaphragm of the sound generating unit located under the main body is shaped like a quadrant, but is not limited thereto. It may be shaped like a semi-ellipse or a triangle. It may also be shaped like an inverted ohm, with a narrow gap between it and the main body.

[0106] For example, in the above-mentioned embodiment, a diaphragm is provided only on one ear, but a sound generating unit may be provided on the other ear and connected to the other ear by a connection line provided at the rear of the helmet or wirelessly. In this way, it becomes possible to enjoy not only telephone conversations but also music and the like.

[0107] For example, in the above-mentioned embodiment, the helmet intercom is configured to be detachable from the helmet, but it may be configured to be integrated with the helmet from the beginning. In this case, the helmet shell can be extended to the ear area, simplifying the components. [Explanation of symbols]

[0108] U user S Mobile device 1 Helmet intercom 10 Main body 20 Audio generation unit 20 21 Diaphragm 30 Lock lever 40 Connection operation section 50 Outer case 60 Electrical Related Department 61 Battery 70 Main Board 80 Exciter 90 Mounting adapter 1000 Helmets 1100 Hat body 1130 Gutter Section 2000 Helmet

Claims

1. A helmet communication device configured to be attachable to a helmet so that a user wearing the helmet can make a call, The helmet intercom includes a main body having a communication unit, a voice generating unit, and a voice microphone unit. The sound generating unit has a diaphragm and an exciter that vibrates the diaphragm to generate sound, The exciter has a voice coil that vibrates left and right between a magnetic circuit and a magnetic gap of the magnetic circuit, a fixing portion is formed at an end of the voice coil, the exciter is fixed and held by the fixing portion, and the vibration of the voice coil is transmitted via the fixing portion, the diaphragm is a part of an exterior case constituting the exterior of the helmet-mounted intercom device, The exciter is installed on the diaphragm, and vibration of the exciter is transmitted to the diaphragm via the fixing part, and the diaphragm is excited to vibrate, thereby generating sound; the diaphragm is configured to be positioned adjacent an outer side of at least one ear of the user and spaced apart from the ear; The main body contains a battery that is a power source for the helmet intercom, and the diaphragm is disposed at a lower portion of the main body. The helmet has a cap body formed in a substantially hemispherical shape, When the helmet communication device is attached to the helmet, the main body is located approximately at the upper part of the end of the side of the helmet body, and the diaphragm is located approximately at the lower part of the end of the side of the helmet body. A communication device for a helmet.

2. The diaphragm is made of a thin resin plate having an arc-shaped surface that forms an approximately arc when viewed from above and is approximately aligned with the outer periphery of the helmet.

2. The helmet intercom system according to claim 1, wherein the intercom system is a helmet intercom.

3. The exciter is installed on the diaphragm in a watertight manner, and the audio microphone unit is disposed below the diaphragm.

3. The helmet intercom system according to claim 1, wherein the intercom system is a helmet intercom.

4. The helmet intercom has an attachment portion for removably attaching the helmet intercom to the helmet.

4. A helmet communication device according to claim 1, wherein the helmet communication device is a communication device for communicating with a vehicle.

5. At least the end of the side of the hat body has a side gutter portion for preventing raindrops from entering the neck of the user, The attachment portion is configured to be mechanically engageable with the side gutter portion.

5. The helmet intercom system according to claim 4.

6. The helmet intercom has a mounting adapter fixed to the helmet body, The helmet intercom is configured to be attached to the helmet body via the attachment adapter.

6. The helmet intercom system according to claim 4, wherein the intercom system is a helmet intercom.

7. The helmet intercom is configured to be attached such that the rear surface of the main body is fixed to the outer surface of the helmet body.

4. The helmet intercom system according to claim 1, wherein the intercom system is a helmet intercom.

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