Vibration member

Abstract

[Problem] To provide a vibration member and a vibration device that despite being made lightweight have load-bearing properties and are of outstanding vibration efficiency. [Solution] The present invention comprises: a vibration source enabled for generating vibrations in response to audio signals received via a reception part; a transmitting part which is an attachment member to which the vibration source is attached, the transmitting part having the vibration source attached to one surface thereof and supporting a user at another surface, and in that state, imparting vibrations generated by the vibration source to the user through the other surface; a support part provided to the vibration source on the side opposite the transmitting part; and a case at least a portion of which is constituted by the transmitting part and the support part. The vibration source abuts on the support part and the transmitting part. The vibration source supports loads exerted on the casing.

Description

Vibration member

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a vibrating member.

[0002] Japanese Patent No. 690588 discloses a vibrator holder that holds a vibrator that generates vibrations and transmits the vibrations to a subject. This vibrator holder has a rib structure inside the transmission part.

[0003] However, providing a rib structure to the transducer holder increases the overall weight, which requires a greater vibration force to transmit the vibration, resulting in poor vibration efficiency.

[0004] The present disclosure has been made to solve the above-mentioned problems, and an object of the present disclosure is to provide a vibrating member and a vibrating device that have load-bearing capacity despite being lightweight and have excellent vibration efficiency.

[0005] A first aspect of the technology of the present disclosure comprises a vibration source capable of generating vibrations in response to an audio signal, a transmission unit to which the vibration source is attached, a support unit provided on the opposite side of the vibration source from the transmission unit, and a housing at least partially constituted by the transmission unit and the support unit, wherein the transmission unit has the vibration source attached to one side and supports a user on the other side, the vibration source abuts the support unit and the transmission unit, and the vibration source is a vibrating member that supports a load applied to the housing.

[0006] A second aspect of the technology of the present disclosure is a vibration member that includes a transmission section having a first vibrated member on the surface opposite the vibration source that transmits vibrations generated by the vibration source to the user, and / or a support section having a second vibrated member on the surface opposite the vibration source that suppresses transmission of vibrations from the vibration source to the outside.

[0007] In a third aspect of the technique of the present disclosure, the housing has a side portion provided between the transmission portion and the support portion, and the side portion is a vibrating member having a high rigidity portion in at least a portion thereof.

[0008] A fourth aspect of the technology of the present disclosure is a vibration member in which the transmission part of the housing and / or the support part of the housing are provided with a positioning part on which one part and / or the other part of the vibration source are positioned.

[0009] A fifth aspect of the technology of the present disclosure is a vibration member in which a buffer member is provided on one part and / or the other part of the vibration source, and the vibration source abuts the transmission part or the support part of the housing via the buffer member.

[0010] A sixth aspect of the technique of the present disclosure includes a support member provided within the housing, the support member being a vibration member that abuts against the transmission part and / or the support part of the housing.

[0011] A seventh aspect of the technology of the present disclosure is a vibration member in which the housing is composed of an upper member having the transmission part and the side part, and a lower member having the transmission part and the side part of the housing, and the side part of the upper member and the side part of the lower member abut and are fixed.

[0012] According to the present disclosure, a vibrating member and a vibrating device are provided that have load-bearing capacity despite being lightweight and have excellent vibration efficiency.

[0013] 10 is an enlarged plan view of an outer wall of the vibrating member; FIG. 11 is an enlarged plan view of the outer wall of the vibrating member; FIG. 12 is an enlarged plan view of the dotted circle in FIG. 10; and FIG. 13 is an enlarged plan view of an A-A cross section of FIG. 8. A diagram showing a state in which the vibrating member is mounted on a vibrated member. A perspective view of a container in a vibrating member according to another embodiment. A perspective view of a container in a vibrating member according to another embodiment.

[0014] Hereinafter, embodiments of the technology of the present disclosure will be described with reference to the drawings.

[0015] <Reference Example> FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an example of the hardware configuration of an audio system 10 according to a reference example of the present disclosure. The basic configuration of the reference example shown in FIGS. 1 to 4 is the same as the basic configuration of the first embodiment of the present disclosure, which will be described later. That is, the audio system 10 of the reference example is the same as the audio system 10 of the first embodiment, except for the characteristic features of the first embodiment, which will be described later. As shown in FIG. 1 as an example, the audio system 10 is used by a user A to enjoy audio and / or video. The audio system 10 includes an audio output device 12, amplifiers 14 and 18, a low-pass filter 16, headphones 20, and a vibration cushion 40. The audio system 10 is an example of an "audio system" according to the technology of the present disclosure. The vibration cushion 40 is an example of a "vibration device" according to the technology of the present disclosure.

[0016] The audio output device 12 is a device capable of outputting an audio signal (electrical signal). Examples of the audio output device 12 include a television, a personal computer, a laptop computer, a tablet computer, a game console, a portable or stationary music player, and a smartphone. In the example shown in FIG. 1 , a laptop computer is shown as the audio output device 12. The audio signal is a signal for reproducing audio using an audio playback device. The audio signal may be an analog audio signal or a digital audio signal. In this specification, "audio" includes, for example, sound and voice.

[0017] The audio signal is output from the audio output device 12 in a form having a plurality of audio directionalities. Here, the audio directionality refers to the direction from which the audio is heard. For example, the audio directionality includes a direction from the left side of user A and a direction from the right side of user A.

[0018] For example, audio signals are output from the audio output device 12 through two channels, L and R. That is, audio signals are output through two channels, an R channel corresponding to audio from the right side and an L channel corresponding to audio from the left side. In the following explanation, an example in which audio signals are output through two channels, L and R, will be described.

[0019] An audio signal output from the audio output device 12 is output to a signal line 15 (see FIG. 1 ) one end of which is connected to the audio output device 12. The signal line 15 has a first branch line 15A and a second branch line 15B. Therefore, when the audio output device 12 selects the L channel as the audio signal channel, the audio signal is sent to the L channel of the first branch line 15A and the second branch line 15B. On the other hand, when the signal output unit 132 selects the R channel as the audio signal channel, the audio signal is sent to the R channel of the first branch line 15A and the second branch line 15B. The audio signal input to the signal line 15 is input to the audio reproduction device via the second branch line 15B and output as audio to user A via the audio reproduction device. In the example shown in FIG. 1 , headphones 20 are shown as the audio reproduction device.

[0020] The amplifier 14 provided on the second branch line 15B is a device for amplifying audio signals. The amplifier 14 amplifies the audio signals output from the audio output device 12 to the audio playback device (here, the headphones 20).

[0021] The headphones 20 connected to the second branch line 15B are a device capable of outputting audio corresponding to an audio signal to the user 20. The headphones 20 are worn on the head of the user 20 and play audio to output audio corresponding to the audio signal to the user 20. The headphones 20 are an example of "headphones" according to the technology of the present disclosure.

[0022] Although headphones 20 are shown here as an example of an audio playback device, this is merely an example, and earphones may be used instead of headphones 20. Furthermore, a speaker built into audio output device 12 may be used as the audio playback device, or a speaker separate from audio output device 12 may be used.

[0023] The low-pass filter 16 connected to the first branch line 15A is a device that extracts only low-frequency components from the audio signal. Here, low-frequency components refer to components below 100 Hz. The low-pass filter 16 extracts low-frequency components from the audio signal output from the audio output device 12 and output to the vibration cushion 40 (described below). Generally, the frequency band that humans can easily detect as vibration is components below 100 Hz. Therefore, frequencies of vibrations that can be easily generated in the vibration cushion 40 are also set to be below 100 Hz. Therefore, by extracting components below 100 Hz, vibrations can be efficiently generated in the vibration cushion 40. After the low-frequency components are extracted by the low-pass filter 16, the audio signal is input to the amplifier 18.

[0024] The amplifier 18 is a device for amplifying the audio signal, similar to the amplifier 14. The amplifier 18 amplifies the audio signal from which the low-frequency components have been extracted by the low-pass filter 16. The amplifier 18 then outputs the audio signal to the vibration cushion 40.

[0025] The vibration cushion 40 is a device capable of supporting a part of the body of user A and imparting vibrations to user A. The vibration cushion 40 is an example of a "vibration cushion" according to the technology of the present disclosure. In the example shown in FIG. 1 , user A is sitting on a chair 30, and the vibration cushion 40 is placed on the upper surface of the seat 32 of the chair 30. That is, user A is sitting on the chair 30 via the vibration cushion 40. Here, the type, purpose, or location of use (indoors or outdoors, at home, in a store, etc.) of the chair 30 is not particularly limited, as long as it is an apparatus on which user A can sit. Specific examples of the chair 30 include office chairs, single- or multi-person sofas, reclining chairs, gaming chairs, floor chairs, and seats in general (for example, seats in automobiles, airplanes, or trains, or seats in entertainment facilities such as movie theaters, amusement parks, game centers, museums, or art galleries).

[0026] An audio signal from the audio output device 12 is input to the vibration cushion 40. The vibration cushion 40 includes a receiving terminal 40A and a vibrating member 44. As shown in FIG. 1 , the receiving terminal 40A, to which a terminal (not shown) provided at the end of the first branch line 15A is connected, is a terminal that receives an audio signal output from the amplifier 18. An example of the receiving terminal 40A is a terminal such as a plug, but this is merely one example. The receiving terminal 40A may be any terminal that can receive an audio signal, and there are no particular limitations on its shape or type. The audio signal received via the receiving terminal 40A is input to the vibrating member 44.

[0027] FIG. 2 is an external perspective view showing an example of the configuration of the vibration cushion 40. FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view showing an example of the configuration of the vibration cushion 40, taken along the line B-B in FIG. 2. As shown in FIG. 2 as an example, the vibration cushion 40 has a flat rectangular parallelepiped shape. In the following description, the X direction shown in FIG. 2 is the left direction of the vibration cushion 40, and the opposite direction is the right direction. The Y direction is the front direction of the vibration cushion 40, and the opposite direction is the rear direction. The Z direction is the upward direction of the vibration cushion 40, and the opposite direction is the downward direction.

[0028] The vibration cushion 40 is configured to include an exterior member 41, a cushion member 42, and a vibrating member 44. The exterior member 41 is a member that forms the outer surface of the vibration cushion 40, and the components that make up the vibration cushion 40 are housed inside the exterior member 41. The exterior member 41 is, for example, a bag-shaped member made of cloth. The cushion member 42 is a flexible member that can support the user A, and is, for example, a honeycomb gel cushion, a urethane foam cushion, a bead cushion, or a combination of these. The thickness, size, or shape of the cushion member 42 is set appropriately depending on the sitting comfort, size, etc. of the vibration cushion 40 as a cushion.

[0029] The vibrating member 44 is a member capable of generating vibrations to be applied to the user A. The vibrating member 44 is capable of generating vibrations in response to an audio signal received via the receiving terminal 40A. The vibrating member 44 is an example of a "vibration unit" according to the technology of the present disclosure. A plurality of vibrating members 44 are provided in the vibrating cushion 40. In the example shown in FIG. 2 , two vibrating members 44A and 44B are provided as the vibrating member 44. The vibrating member 44A is disposed on the right side of the vibrating cushion 40, and the vibrating member 44B is disposed on the left side of the vibrating cushion 40. In other words, the vibrating member 44 is divided into two, one on the left side and one on the right side relative to the user A. The structure of the vibrating member 44A will be described below as an example, but the vibrating member 44B has a similar structure.

[0030] The vibrating member 44A has a transmission unit 46A and a vibration source 48A. The transmission unit 46A is a plate-shaped member. In the example shown in FIG. 2, the transmission unit 46A is a flat member having a longitudinal direction along the front-to-rear direction of the vibration cushion 40 (the direction along the Y direction shown in FIG. 2). The size, thickness, shape, or material of the transmission unit 46A is appropriately set taking into consideration durability when supporting the user A, vibration characteristics when transmitting vibrations to the user A, and the like. The transmission unit 46A is an example of a "transmission unit" according to the technology of the present disclosure.

[0031] The vibration source 48A is a device capable of generating vibrations in response to an audio signal received via the receiving terminal 40A (see FIG. 1 ). The vibration source 48A is an example of a “vibration source” according to the technology of the present disclosure. Examples of the vibration source 48A include a voice coil actuator (voice coil motor). The vibration source 48A is attached to the transmission unit 46A. In the example shown in FIG. 2 , the vibration source 48A is attached to the underside of the transmission unit 46A. The vibrations generated by the vibration source 48A are transmitted to the transmission unit 46A and further transmitted to the user A via the transmission unit 46A. In this way, the transmission unit 46A applies the vibrations generated by the vibration source 48A to the user A while supporting the user A on its upper surface.

[0032] A plurality of vibration sources 48A are provided for the transmission unit 46A. In the example shown in FIG. 2, four vibration sources 48A are provided for the transmission unit 46A. Of the four vibration sources 48A, two are provided in front of the transmission unit 46A, and the remaining two are provided behind the transmission unit 46A. As shown in FIG. 3, each vibration source 48A is disposed in a plurality of recess-shaped spaces 42-1 provided on the upper surface of the cushion member 42. The number and arrangement of the vibration sources 48A are not particularly limited and are set appropriately depending on the size of the transmission unit 46A, the vibration force of the vibration sources 48A, etc.

[0033] The manner in which the vibration source 48A is attached to the transmission unit 46A is not particularly limited as long as the vibration generated in the vibration source 48A is transmitted to the transmission unit 46A. For example, the vibration source 48A may be directly attached to the transmission unit 46A by mechanical fastening means such as screws, or may be bonded with an adhesive or the like. Furthermore, the vibration source 48A and the transmission unit 46A may be integrated by fitting the vibration source 48A into a hole provided in the transmission unit 46A.

[0034] The plurality of vibrating members 44A and 44B are capable of generating vibrations independently of each other. Note that, although an example in which the vibrating members 44A and 44B are completely separated as separate members has been described here, the technology of the present disclosure is not limited to this. For example, the plurality of vibrating members 44A and 44B may be partially connected by a link member or the like, or may be connected by a vibration absorbing member.

[0035] Here, the left and right divided vibrating members 44A and 44B correspond to the left and right channels of the audio signal, respectively. That is, the left vibrating member 44B corresponds to the audio signal output on the L channel, and the right vibrating member 44A corresponds to the audio signal output on the R channel. In this way, the vibrating member 44 has two divided vibrating members 44A and 44B, and vibrates in accordance with the directionality of the sound formed by the multiple channels through which the audio signals are output.

[0036] Although the embodiment in which the vibrating member 44 is divided into two parts corresponding to the two channels, LR, has been described above, this is merely an example. For example, the vibrating member 44 may be divided into four parts corresponding to the two channels, LR (for example, four parts for front, rear, left, and right).

[0037] As described above, consider the case where the user A is sitting on the chair 30 via the vibration cushion 40. In this case, as shown in Fig. 3 as an example, the vibration cushion 40 is capable of supporting at least a part of the thighs A1 of the user A. The vibration cushion 40 is also capable of supporting the buttocks A2 of the user A.

[0038] Then, in a state where the vibration cushion 40 supports at least a portion of the thighs A1 and buttocks A2 of the user A, the transmission unit 46A is provided in the vibration cushion 40 at a position facing at least a portion of the thighs A1 and buttocks A2 of the user A. Furthermore, in a state where the vibration cushion 40 supports the buttocks A2 of the user A, the transmission unit 46A is provided in the vibration cushion 40 at a position facing the ischial tuberosities A3 of the user A. Note that in this specification, two members facing each other means that, for example, in the case of two members 1A and 1B, the members 1A and 1B are aligned on a predetermined straight line, regardless of whether or not an object other than the members 1A and 1B exists between the members 1A and 1B.

[0039] FIG. 4 is a conceptual diagram showing an example of how the sound system 10 is used. As an example, consider the case where user A is using the sound system 10, as shown in FIG. 4. For example, consider the case where user A wears headphones 20 on his / her head and sits in a chair 30 with a vibration cushion 40 between them. In this case, an audio signal is output from the audio output device 12. As described above, the audio signal is output in a manner that has multiple audio directionalities. Here, the audio directionality includes a direction from the left side of user A and a direction from the right side of user A.

[0040] For example, in the example shown on the left side of FIG. 4 , the audio signal output from the audio output device 12 to the signal line 15 is audio coming from the left side of user A. That is, the audio signal is audio coming from the left side as seen by user A. In this case, audio is output from a driver unit built into the left housing 22 of the headphones 20, which receives the audio signal from the second branch line 15B. Furthermore, in this case, the audio signal is input from the first branch line 15A to the receiving terminal 40A of the vibration cushion 40. Then, the left vibrating member 44B of the vibration cushion 40 vibrates. As a result, vibrations generated by the vibration source 48B are transmitted to user A via the transmission unit 46B. In this way, the left vibrating member 44B vibrates in response to audio coming from the left side. That is, the audio signal is input to the headphones 20 and the receiving terminal 40A in synchronization, which causes the audio output from the left housing 22 and the vibration of the left vibrating member 44B to be performed in synchronization.

[0041] On the other hand, in the example shown on the right side of FIG. 4 , the audio signal output from the audio output device 12 to the signal line 15 is audio coming from the right direction of user A. That is, the audio signal is audio coming from the right side as seen from user A. In this case, audio is output from a driver unit built into the right housing 24 of the headphones 20, which receives the audio signal from the second branch line 15B. Furthermore, in this case, an audio signal is input from the first branch line 15A to the receiving terminal 40A of the vibration cushion 40. Then, the right vibrating member 44A of the vibration cushion 40 vibrates. As a result, vibrations generated by the vibration source 48A are transmitted to user A via the transmission unit 46A. In this way, the right vibrating member 44A vibrates in response to audio coming from the right direction. That is, audio signals are input to the headphones 20 and the receiving terminal 40A in synchronization, which causes the audio output from the right housing 24 and the vibration of the right vibrating member 44A to be executed in synchronization.

[0042] In this way, the vibrations generated independently in the divided vibrating members 44 are applied to the user A. As a result, the vibrations are transmitted to the user A with directionality. Furthermore, the sound from the headphones 20 and the vibrations from the vibrating cushion 40 are synchronized, and the sound and vibrations are sensed with directionality by the user A. As a result, the sound can be experienced not only with the ears but also with the body, realizing a user experience in which the whole body is enveloped (for example, listening to music or watching a movie).

[0043] As described above, the vibrating cushion 40 according to this embodiment receives audio signals output in a variety of audio directionality modes via the receiving terminal 40A. The vibrating members 44 are capable of vibrating independently of each other in accordance with the audio directionality (e.g., audio coming from the right side and audio coming from the left side). The vibrations generated by the divided vibrating members 44 are applied to the user A. This allows the vibrations to have the same directionality as the audio when applied in accordance with the audio. As a result, the user can experience directional audio and vibrations, creating a more realistic feeling when listening to video or music, thereby improving the user experience.

[0044] Conventionally known bass sound technology simply vibrates an actuator in accordance with the sound. In this configuration, the directionality of the sound is formed by multiple channels from which audio signals are output, and multiple vibrating members 44 can vibrate independently in accordance with the directionality of the sound. As a result, when the sound has directionality, the vibrations experienced also have directionality, creating a more realistic feeling and improving the user experience.

[0045] Furthermore, in the vibrating cushion 40 according to this embodiment, the directionality of the sound received via the receiving terminal 40A has two channels, left and right, for outputting sound signals. The vibrating member 44 is divided into two parts corresponding to the number of the two channels, left and right. This makes the directionality of the sound clearer in accordance with three-dimensional sound, such as when the directionality of the sound is expressed in surround sound.

[0046] Furthermore, in the vibrating cushion 40 according to this reference example, there are two sound directional directions, from the left side and from the right side of the user A. The vibrating member 44 is divided into two parts, left and right, with the left vibrating member 44B vibrating in response to sound from the left side, and the right vibrating member 44A vibrating in response to sound from the right side. Sound directionality is expressed in two directions, left and right, from the user A, and is often output as an audio signal from a sound source. The vibrating member 44 is divided into left and right parts, with the left vibrating member 44B vibrating in response to sound from the left side, and the right vibrating member 44A vibrating in response to sound from the right side. As a result, the vibration of the left vibrating member 44A can be strengthened or weakened depending on the strength of the sound output from the left driver unit, and the vibration of the right side can be strengthened or weakened depending on the strength of the sound output from the right side. For example, if the sound output from the right driver unit is made stronger than that from the left, the vibration from the vibrating member 44A on the right side will be stronger than that from the left side, and the sound expression and vibration expression will combine to make user A more likely to sense the directionality of the sound in a direction closer to the right side between the direction from the left side and the direction from the right side. In this way, user A can experience sound and vibration with left-right directionality, and when the sound has directionality, it is possible to impart directionality to the vibrations that are felt, thereby creating a greater sense of realism when listening to video or music and improving the user experience.

[0047] The vibration cushion 40 according to this reference example is provided with vibration sources 48A and 48B capable of generating vibrations in response to an audio signal received via the receiving terminal 40A. The vibration cushion 40 is also provided with transmission units 46A and 46B, which are plate-shaped members to which the vibration sources 48A and 48B are attached. The vibration sources 48A and 48B are attached to the lower surfaces of the transmission units 46A and 46B, and the transmission units 46A and 46B support the user A on their upper surfaces, and impart the vibrations generated by the multiple vibration sources 48A and 48B to the user A. Therefore, since the vibrations are transmitted to the user A from the transmission units 46A and 46B (surfaces), the user A is more likely to feel the vibrations than if the vibrations were transmitted directly to the user A from each of the vibration sources 48A and 48B.

[0048] Furthermore, in the vibration cushion 40 according to this reference example, the divided vibrating members 44A and 44B each include a vibration source 48A or 48B that vibrates in response to an audio signal and a transmission unit 46A or 46B, which is a plate-shaped member to which the vibration sources 48A or 48B are attached. This allows the vibrations from the vibration sources 48A or 48B to be transmitted to user A via the transmission units 46A or 46B. Because the vibrations are transmitted to user A from the transmission units 46A or 46B (surfaces), user A is more likely to feel the vibrations than if the vibrations were transmitted directly from the vibration sources 48A or 48B to user A. In other words, if vibrations were transmitted to user A from each of the vibration sources 48A or 48B individually, the vibrations would be more spot-like, which could cause discomfort to user A. In contrast, in the reference example, the transmission units 46A or 46B are interposed between the vibration sources 48A or 48B and user A. Therefore, discomfort is reduced because vibrations are transmitted to user A from transmission units 46A, 46B having large areas. Furthermore, although the position of ischium A3 changes depending on the physique or sitting style of user A, the areas of transmission units 46A, 46B that transmit vibrations to user A are large enough to cover the ischium A3 of any user A, making it easier for vibrations to be imparted to ischium A3.

[0049] Furthermore, in the vibration cushion 40 according to this reference example, a plurality of vibration sources 48A and 48B are attached to the transmission parts 46A and 46B. Since a plurality of vibration sources 48A and 48B are attached to the transmission parts 46A and 46B, the transmission parts 46A and 46B can be vibrated as a whole, compared to when only one vibration source is provided.

[0050] Furthermore, in the vibration cushion 40 according to this reference example, the audio signal input to the vibration sources 48A, 48B is an extracted low-frequency component of 100 Hz or less. The low-frequency component of the audio signal of 100 Hz or less is reproduced as vibration by the vibration cushion 40, and this vibration is transmitted to the user A. This allows the user A to experience the low-frequency component not only as audio but also as vibration, thereby improving the user experience. In other words, low-frequency components of 100 Hz or less are generally a frequency range that is difficult to reproduce as audio using a speaker or the like. In this configuration, the user A can experience the low-frequency component as vibration, thereby improving the quality of video or music listening and improving the user experience.

[0051] Furthermore, the vibration cushion 40 according to this reference example is capable of supporting at least a portion of the thighs A1 and buttocks A2 of the user A. When the vibration cushion 40 is supporting at least a portion of the thighs A1 and buttocks A2, the transmission units 46A and 46B are provided in positions facing at least a portion of the thighs A1 and buttocks A2. The vibrations generated by the vibration cushion 40 are transmitted to the buttocks A2 and then propagated from there to the upper body and felt by the user A. This allows the user A to enjoy an audio experience that envelops them, with the audio perceived by the user A through their hearing and the vibrations felt from the buttocks A2 to the upper body, thereby improving the quality of video or music listening and realizing an improved user experience.

[0052] Furthermore, the vibration cushion 40 according to this reference example is capable of supporting the buttocks A2 of the user A. When the vibration cushion 40 is supporting the buttocks A2 of the user A, the transmission units 46A and 46B are provided at positions facing the ischial tuberosities A3 of the buttocks A2 of the user A. The vibrations generated by the vibration cushion 40 are transmitted to the ischial tuberosities A3, and then propagated to the upper body by bone conduction, and are felt by the user A. This allows the user A to enjoy sounds that envelop him / her, through the sounds sensed by his / her ears and the vibrations felt by the upper body in a continuous manner from the ischial tuberosities A3 to the pelvis and spine. As a result, the quality of video or music listening can be improved, and the user experience can be improved.

[0053] For example, in this reference example, compared to bone conduction when the vibration cushion 40 is placed on the sole of the foot, vibrations are less likely to be absorbed by the joints, and the ischium A3 protrudes when user A is supported by the vibration cushion 40, so vibrations are more likely to be transmitted to user A.

[0054] The sound system 10 according to this reference example also includes a vibrating cushion 40 and headphones 20 that can output sound to the user A in response to an audio signal. The sound output from the headphones 20 is synchronized with the vibrations of the vibrating cushion 40. This synchronizes the sound heard through the headphones 20 with the vibrations of the vibrating cushion 40, allowing the user A to enjoy sound that envelops them. Therefore, the sound system 10 can improve the quality of video or music listening and improve the user experience.

[0055] Furthermore, when listening to music at home, such as in an apartment building, it is difficult to output audio at high volume and deep bass using speakers from the perspective of noise suppression. This configuration uses headphones 20 and also vibrating cushion 40, which reduces the volume of the speakers and reduces external noise while giving the audio a sense of realism, improving the user experience.

[0056] Furthermore, the bass sounds from the headphones 20 and the bass sounds generated by bone conduction from the vibrating cushion 40 are mixed around the chest. Therefore, when user A looks at a display (not shown) showing live footage of a concert corresponding to the sound output from the headphones 20, for example, he or she feels immersed as if he or she were at a concert venue, improving the user experience. In other words, the sound image from the headphones 20 is inside user A's head, and the vibrations from the vibrating cushion 40 are located below user A (for example, below buttocks A2), with the sound and vibrations mixing around the chest. As a result, a musical experience that envelops the entire body is realized, improving the user experience.

[0057] In the above-described reference example, an example in which audio signals are output in two channels (left and right) has been described, but the technology of the present disclosure is not limited to this. For example, audio signals may be output in four channels, including not only left and right but also front and rear. In this case, the vibrating member 44 is divided into four parts corresponding to front, back, left and right. Furthermore, audio signals may be output in 5.1 channels, or may be surround audio signals output in two channels.

[0058] In addition, although the above-described reference example has been described with reference to an example in which the vibration member 44 is divided into two pieces, the technology of the present disclosure is not limited to this. For example, the vibration member 44 may be divided into three or more pieces.

[0059] Furthermore, in the above reference example, an example in which the vibration cushion 40 is disposed on the seat 32 of the chair 30 has been described, but the technology of the present disclosure is not limited to this. For example, the vibration cushion 40 may be disposed between the backrest of the chair 30 and the back of the user A. Furthermore, the vibration cushion 40 may be used as a standalone cushion rather than being used together with the chair 30.

[0060] First Embodiment Next, a first embodiment of the present disclosure having the same basic configuration as the above-described reference example will be described. In the first embodiment shown in Figures 5 and 6, a vibration cushion 40 includes a vibrating member 90.

[0061] Fig. 5 is a cross-sectional view showing an example of the structure of the vibration cushion 40. As shown in Fig. 5 as an example, the vibration cushion 40 includes a vibrating member 90. An upper cushion member 42B is provided above the vibrating member 90. Furthermore, a lower cushion member 42A is provided below the vibrating member 90. That is, in the vibration cushion 40, the vibrating member 90 is sandwiched between the upper cushion member 42B and the lower cushion member 42A.

[0062] The vibrating member 90 has a housing made up of a transmission unit 92 and a support unit 94. The transmission unit 92 and the support unit 94 are both plate-shaped members. The transmission unit 92 is disposed above the vibration source 96, i.e., the transmission unit 92 is disposed on the user A side of the vibration source 96. On the other hand, the support unit 94 is disposed below the vibration source 96A. In other words, the support unit 94 is provided on the opposite side of the vibration source 96 from the user A.

[0063] There are no particular limitations on the size, thickness, and shape of the transmission unit 92 and the support unit 94. The size, thickness, shape, or material of the transmission unit 92 and the support unit 94 are set appropriately taking into consideration the durability when supporting the user A, the vibration characteristics when transmitting vibrations to the user A, and the like.

[0064] The vibrating member 90 also has a plurality of vibration sources 96. The plurality of vibration sources 96 are, for example, voice coil actuators that generate vibrations in the axial direction. One portion on the upper end side of each of the plurality of vibration sources 96 is attached to the transmission unit 92, and the other portion on the lower end side is attached to the support unit 94. That is, in the vibrating member 90, the plurality of vibration sources 96 abut against the transmission unit 92 and the support unit 94, and are sandwiched between the transmission unit 92 and the support unit 94. The vibration source 96 is attached to one surface of the transmission unit 92, and the user A is supported on the other surface of the transmission unit 92.

[0065] Fig. 6 is a top view showing an example of the structure of the vibrating member 90. As shown in Fig. 6 as an example, the multiple vibration sources 96 include multiple vibration sources 96A and 96B. In the example shown in Fig. 6, four vibration sources 96A are shown as the multiple vibration sources 96A. The four vibration sources 96A are arranged on the right side of the transmission unit 92. The configuration of the right side of the transmission unit 92 will be described below.

[0066] Of the four vibration sources 96A, three vibration sources 96A1 are disposed at the rear of the transmission unit 92. The three vibration sources 96A1 are disposed on a circumference centered at point P. Here, point P is a point on the transmission unit 92 at a position corresponding to the right ischium A3 of user A. In other words, the three vibration sources 96A1 are disposed on a circumference centered at a position corresponding to the right ischium A3 of user A. The three vibration sources 96A1 may also be disposed at equal intervals on the circumference. Here, the three vibration sources 96A1 are disposed at intervals of 120 degrees from one another.

[0067] Arc slits 98A are formed on the outer periphery of the three vibration sources 96A1 in the transmission unit 92. The arc slits 98A are slits that extend in an arc shape and penetrate the transmission unit 92 in the thickness direction. The arc slits 98A are formed in an arc shape centered on point P. By forming the arc slits 98A, the vibrations of the vibration sources 96A1 can be partially transmitted to the user A, and directionality can be given to the vibrations.

[0068] A plurality of arc-shaped slits 98A are formed intermittently on a circumference centered at point P. That is, when viewed along the circumferential direction in which the arc-shaped slits 98A are formed, a region in which the arc-shaped slits 98A are formed continues, followed by a region in which the arc-shaped slits 98A are not formed, and then a region in which the arc-shaped slits 98A are formed continues again.

[0069] Furthermore, multiple arc slits 98A are formed concentrically around point P. In the example shown in FIG. 6 , two arc slits 98A are formed on the inner and outer circumferential sides. Here, the arc slits 98A2 on the inner circumferential side and the arc slits 98A1 on the outer circumferential side are formed at different circumferential positions. Specifically, the circumferential position of the arc slit 98A2 on the inner circumferential side is shifted by 45 degrees from the circumferential position of the arc slit 98A1 on the outer circumferential side. This allows the vibration generated by the vibration source 96A1 to be more partially transmitted to the user A. As a result, the vibration can be made directional.

[0070] One of the four vibration sources 96A, vibration source 96A2, is disposed in front of the transmission unit 92. A pair of linear slit regions 99A are formed on both the left and right sides of the vibration source 96A2. A plurality of linear slits 97A are formed in each of the pair of linear slit regions 99A. The linear slits 97A are slits that extend along the front-to-rear direction of the transmission unit 92 and penetrate the transmission unit 92 in the thickness direction.

[0071] Here, of the pair of linear slit regions 99A, the linear slit region 99A1 on the right side relative to the vibration source 96A2 will be described, but the same applies to the linear slit region 99A2 on the left side. In the linear slit region 99A1, the linear slits 97A are formed intermittently along the front-to-rear direction of the transmission part 92. Specifically, three linear slits 97A1 are formed intermittently along the front-to-rear direction on the right side of the linear slit region 99A1. Furthermore, two linear slits 97A2 are formed intermittently in the center of the linear slit region 99A1. Furthermore, three linear slits 97A3 are formed intermittently on the left side of the linear slit region 99A1.

[0072] The three linear slits 97A1 and the three linear slits 97A3 are arranged in corresponding positions. That is, the three linear slits 97A1 and the three linear slits 97A3 are arranged symmetrically with respect to the central linear slit 97A2. The central linear slit 97A2 is also arranged at a position shifted in the front-rear direction from the right linear slit 97A1 and the left linear slit 97A3.

[0073] The configuration of the left side of the transmission unit 92 is line-symmetrical to the configuration of the above-described right side of the transmission unit 92. That is, on the left side of the transmission unit 92, the arrangement of the vibration source 96B, the arc slit 98B, the linear slit 97B, and the linear slit region 99B is line-symmetrical to the arrangement of the vibration source 96A, the arc slit 98A, the linear slit 97A, and the linear slit region 99A on the right side, across a line that passes through the center of the transmission unit 92 in the front-to-rear direction.

[0074] As described above, the vibration cushion 40 according to the first embodiment is provided with a vibrating member 90. The vibrating member 90 is provided with a support portion 94, which is a plate-shaped member to which a vibration source 96 is attached. The support portion 94 is provided on the opposite side of the vibration source 96 from the user A. As a result, the vibration source 96 is held from below by the support portion 94, and the vibration source 96 can vibrate more stably than in the case where the support portion 94 is not provided.

[0075] Furthermore, the support portion 94 covers the bottom of the vibration source 96. Therefore, the vibration source 96 can be protected by the support portion 94. For example, adverse effects on the vibration source 96, such as the inclusion of dust or impact to the vibration source 96, are suppressed.

[0076] It goes without saying that the lengths, numbers, and arrangements of the arc slits 98A, 98B and the linear slits 97A, 97B shown in the first embodiment are merely examples. Furthermore, the arc slits 98A, 98B and the linear slits 97A, 97B do not necessarily need to penetrate in the thickness direction, but may be slits having a depth sufficient to determine the directionality of vibration.

[0077] It goes without saying that the arc slits 98A, 98B and the linear slits 97A, 97B shown in the first embodiment may also be provided in the support portion 94. Furthermore, in the first embodiment, an example in which the arc slits 98A, 98B and the linear slits 97A, 97B are provided in the transmission portion 92 has been described, but this is merely one example. The transmission portion 92 may be divided (for example, into left and right portions) so that the divided transmission portions 92 can vibrate independently of each other.

[0078] Furthermore, in the first embodiment, an example in which the vibration source 96 is provided between the transmission unit 92 and the support unit 94 has been described. However, the technology of the present disclosure is not limited to this. As an example, as shown in FIG. 7 , the vibration member 90 includes a support member 93 between the transmission unit 92 and the support unit 94. The support member 93 is a member capable of supporting the transmission unit 92. One end of the support member 93 is attached to the lower surface of the transmission unit 92, and the other end is attached to the upper surface of the support unit 94. The support member 93 is formed of an elastic material such as a soft resin (e.g., rubber). Elastically supporting the transmission unit 92 by the support member 93 prevents the load caused by the user A sitting on the vibration cushion 40 from concentrating on the vibration source 96. Note that the support member 93 may be any member capable of supporting the support unit 94, and the size, number, and arrangement of the support member 93 are not particularly limited.

[0079] Furthermore, when the support member 93 is provided between the transmission unit 92 and the support unit 94, a buffer member 95 may be provided between the vibration source 96 and the support unit 94 in the vibrating member 90. The buffer member 95 absorbs vibrations from the vibration source 96, thereby preventing the vibrations from the vibration source 96 from being excessively transmitted to the support unit 94. The buffer member 95 is formed of, for example, a soft resin foam (e.g., urethane foam), rubber, tape, or the like. Note that the buffer member 95 only needs to prevent the vibrations from the vibration source 96 from being transmitted to the support unit 94, and the size, number, and arrangement of the buffer member 95 are not particularly limited. The buffer member 95 may also be provided between the transmission unit 92 and the support member 93. The buffer member 95 may also be provided between the support member 93 and the support unit 94.

[0080] Second Embodiment [1-1. Configuration of Second Embodiment] Next, a vibration unit according to a second embodiment of the present disclosure will be described with reference to Figures 8 to 15. Note that in each drawing, thickness, dimensions, positional relationships, ratios, shapes, and the like may be emphasized for ease of understanding, but the present disclosure is not limited to such emphasis.

[0081] The vibration unit 210 is a member capable of generating vibrations. The vibration unit 210 is attached to a vibrated member 104 (described later) and transmits vibrations to the user via the vibrated member 104. The vibration unit 210 corresponds to the "vibration member" in the present disclosure.

[0082] Fig. 8 is a perspective view showing the overall configuration of the vibration unit 210. Fig. 9 is an exploded perspective view showing the overall configuration of the vibration unit 210. As shown in Figs. 8 and 9, the vibration unit 210 includes a container 101 and a vibrating body 102. The container 101 corresponds to the "housing" in this disclosure. The vibrating body 102 corresponds to the "vibration source" in this disclosure.

[0083] (Container) The container 101 houses the vibrating body 102. The container 101 is made of resin, wood, metal, or the like. As the resin, a hard resin is preferable to improve vibration transmission, and ABS or the like can be cited as an example. As the metal, a metal with high thermal conductivity is preferable to improve heat dissipation, and an aluminum alloy or the like can be cited as an example. The container 101 is divided by a plane perpendicular to the axial direction of the vibrating body 102, and is composed of an upper container 101A and a lower container 101B.

[0084] The upper container 101A and the lower container 101B have the same shape and size. That is, when the upper container 101A and the lower container 101B are molded, they can be produced using a single mold. The upper container 101A and the lower container 101B are arranged so as to be point symmetric. That is, when the upper container 101A is rotated 180 degrees, it becomes the lower container 101B. Note that the upper container 101A and the lower container 101B do not have to have the same shape and size.

[0085] The upper container 101A has a top plate 211 and an outer wall 213. The top plate 211 is plate-shaped. The upper container 101A corresponds to the "upper member" in this disclosure. The top plate 211 of the upper container 101A corresponds to the "transmission portion" in this disclosure, and the outer wall 213 corresponds to the "side portion" in this disclosure. The outer wall 213 rises from the edge of the top plate 211. The top plate 211 and the outer wall 213 are integrally formed. The lower container 101B has a bottom plate 212 and an outer wall 214. The bottom plate 212 has the same shape as the top plate 211. In other words, the bottom plate 212 is plate-shaped. The lower container 101B corresponds to the "lower member" in this disclosure. The bottom plate 212 of the lower container 101B corresponds to the "support portion" in this disclosure, and the outer wall 214 corresponds to the "side portion" in this disclosure. The outer wall 214 rises from the edge of the bottom plate 212. The bottom plate 212 and the outer wall 214 are integrally formed.

[0086] The tip of the outer wall 213 of the upper container 101A and the tip of the outer wall 214 of the lower container 101B are abutted against each other. By abutting the tip of the outer wall 213 of the upper container 101A and the tip of the outer wall 214 of the lower container 101B, the container 101 is formed, which has a space defined by the top plate 211, the bottom plate 212, and the outer walls 213 and 214. The vibrating body 102 is housed in the space inside the container 101.

[0087] (Fixing Portions of Containers) The upper container 101A and the lower container 101B are fixed with fasteners such as screws and bolts, and in order to attach such fasteners, each container 101A, 101B is provided with a first fastening portion 2151 and a second fastening portion 2152. The first fastening portion 2151 of the upper container 101A and the second fastening portion 2152 of the lower container 101B, or the second fastening portion 2152 of the upper container 101A and the first fastening portion 2151 of the lower container 101B, form a pair, and the upper container 101A and the lower container 101B are fixed by inserting and fastening the fasteners into the paired first fastening portion 2151 and second fastening portion 2152.

[0088] Specifically, Fig. 10 is a perspective view showing the overall configuration of the lower container 101B. As shown in Fig. 10, the lower container 101B has a cylindrical first fixing portion 2151 and a second fixing portion 2152 having a recess into which the first fixing portion 2151 is inserted. Similar to the lower container 101B shown in Fig. 10, the upper container 101A also has a first fixing portion 2151 and a second fixing portion 2152. The outer diameter of the first fixing portion 2151 is smaller than the outer diameter of the second fixing portion 2152. A circular fixing device insertion hole 2153 (hereinafter referred to as the insertion hole 2153) is formed in the center of the first fixing portion 2151 from the tip toward the bottom plate 212 for inserting a fixing device. This insertion hole 2153 does not penetrate the bottom plate 212. Similarly, a fastener insertion hole 2154 (hereinafter referred to as insertion hole 2154) of the same diameter and size as first fastener 2151 is formed in the center of second fastener 2152, and this insertion hole 2154 penetrates bottom plate 212. In other words, insertion hole 2154 connects the internal space of container 101 with the outside, and a fastener is inserted through insertion hole 2154.

[0089] The same number of first fixing portions 2151 and second fixing portions 2152 are provided, and in the second embodiment, a pair is provided at each corner, left and right wall sides, and center side of the container 101. When the upper container 101A and the lower container 101B are fixed, the first fixing portion 2151 and the second fixing portion 2152 may be in contact with each other, or a gap may be provided between them.

[0090] The outer walls 213, 214 have at least a part with a high-rigidity portion that has increased rigidity. When a high-rigidity portion is provided in a part of the outer walls 213, 214, the high-rigidity portion is a portion that has higher rigidity than the other parts of the outer walls 213, 214. Furthermore, when the entire outer walls 213, 214 are made high-rigidity portions, it is sufficient that the rigidity of the outer walls 213, 214 is higher than that of either the top plate 211 or the bottom plate 212 of the container 101.

[0091] The rigidity of the high-rigidity portion may be increased by changing the material or the shape. FIG. 11 is an enlarged plan view of the outer wall, enlarging the dotted circle in FIG. 10 . In the second embodiment, the cross section of the outer walls 213, 214 has an uneven shape with multiple concave and convex portions 216 and 217 alternately formed. This uneven shape is formed around the entire circumference of the outer walls 213, 214. By making the cross section of the outer walls 213, 214 uneven in this way, the moment of inertia of area increases and bending rigidity increases. Furthermore, the rigidity of the outer walls 213, 214 may be increased by making the thickness of the outer walls 213, 214 thicker than the thickness of the top plate 211 or the bottom plate 212. Increasing the rigidity by changing the material may be achieved, for example, by molding the outer walls 213, 214 from a resin with higher rigidity than the resin used for the top plate 211 or the bottom plate 212.

[0092] In particular, it is preferable that the outer walls 213 and 214 have higher rigidity than at least one of the top plate 211 and the bottom plate 212. As will be described later, a load is applied to the vibration unit 210 in the axial direction of the vibrating body 102, and therefore, by making the rigidity of the outer walls 213 and 214 higher than at least one of the top plate 211 and the bottom plate 212, the load-bearing capacity of the vibration unit 210 is improved.

[0093] Furthermore, not only the outer walls 213 and 214 but also the top plate 211 and the bottom plate 212 may have high rigidity portions. By having high rigidity portions in the top plate 211 and / or the bottom plate 212, the rigidity of the entire container 101 increases, and the load-bearing capacity of the vibration unit 210 increases.

[0094] (Positioning portion of vibrating body) The container 101 has a positioning portion 218 where the vibrating body 102 is placed. The positioning portion 218 is provided on the top plate 211 or the bottom plate 212 that defines the space inside the container 101. The positioning portion 218 extends along the axial direction of the vibrating body 102 to a height that is approximately half the height of the outer wall 213 of the top plate 211 or the outer wall 214 of the bottom plate 212.

[0095] The positioning portion 218 has a shape that follows the outer shape of the vibrating body 102. In the second embodiment, since the vibrating body 102 is cylindrical, the positioning portion 218 is circular. The inner diameter of the positioning portion 218 is the same as or slightly larger than the outer diameter of the vibrating body 102. The positioning portion 218 corresponds to the "positioning portion" in this disclosure.

[0096] Only one positioning portion 218 may be provided, or multiple positioning portions 218 may be provided. In the second embodiment, nine positioning portions 218 are provided symmetrically on the left and right sides of the center line of the container 101 in the longitudinal direction, avoiding the first fixing portion 2151 and the second fixing portion 2152. Note that the vibrating body 102 does not necessarily have to be disposed in the positioning portion 218, and the vibrating body 102 may be disposed in one or multiple positioning portions 218 depending on the required vibration amount.

[0097] The nine positioning portions 218 are arranged so that, when the upper container 101A and the lower container 101B are butted together, the positioning portions 218 formed on the top plate 211 and the positioning portions 218 formed on the bottom plate 212 face each other. In other words, the positioning portions 218 formed on the top plate 211 and the positioning portions 218 formed on the bottom plate 212 do not abut on each other, and a gap is formed between them.

[0098] (Notches for Wiring) As shown in Figures 9 and 10, the outer walls 213 and 214 have notches 219 for wiring. The notches 219 are semicircular. Two notches 219 are provided on each of the outer walls 213 and 214. When the outer walls 213 and 214 are butted together, one circular hole 2191 is formed in the container 101 by the notches 219 on the outer walls 213 and 214 (see Figure 8). This hole 2191 penetrates from the outer surface to the inner surface of the container 101. Wiring such as a cable is inserted into this hole 2191 to send a signal to the vibrating body 102.

[0099] The method of transmitting a signal to the vibrating body 102 may be any method that can transmit a signal to the vibrating body 102, such as not only a wired method such as wiring, but also a wireless method or a method using an external contact point. If wiring is not required, the hole 2191 in the container 101 is not required, and therefore there is no need to provide the notches 219 in the outer walls 213 and 214. By not providing the notches 219, the rigidity of the outer walls 213 and 214 can be increased.

[0100] (Vibration Body) The vibration body 102 is a device that generates vibrations. The vibration body 102 generates vibrations in response to an audio signal or the like. An example of the vibration body 102 is a voice coil actuator that generates vibrations in the axial direction. The vibration body 102 has a columnar shape overall, and its upper and lower surfaces are flat. A receiving terminal is provided on the container 101 (not shown in FIGS. 8 to 15). For example, the audio output device 12 shown in FIG. 1 is connected to this receiving terminal via a signal line 15 (first branch line 15A), a low-pass filter 16, and an amplifier 18.

[0101] In the second embodiment, eight vibrating bodies 102 are provided, but the number of vibrating bodies 102 can be changed as appropriate depending on the vibration amount. If a small vibration amount is acceptable, there may be only one or more vibrating bodies 102. If more than one vibrating body 102 is provided, the vibrating bodies 102 are arranged so that they vibrate in the same direction relative to the input, and are driven by the same signal.

[0102] The vibrating body 102 is disposed in the space of the container 101 so that its axial direction is perpendicular to the top plate 211 and bottom plate 212 of the container 101. The vibrating body 102 is sandwiched between the top plate 211 and bottom plate 212 of the container 101. The upper surface of the vibrating body 102 abuts against the top plate 211, and the lower surface of the vibrating body 102 abuts against the bottom plate 212.

[0103] It is preferable to place the vibrating body 102 in the central portion of the container 101. The outer peripheral portion of the container 101 can withstand the load by the outer walls 213 and 214, but the central portion is a space and therefore has difficulty withstanding the load. Therefore, by placing the vibrating body 102 in the central portion of the container 101 and having the vibrating body 102 itself withstand the load, the load can be received in a balanced manner and the durability of the container 101 is improved.

[0104] (Buffering Member) FIG. 12 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line A-A in FIG. 8 . The left side of the center (dotted line in the drawing) of FIG. 12 is a cross-sectional view of the second embodiment, and the right side is a cross-sectional view of another embodiment described later. As shown on the left side of FIG. 12 , in the second embodiment, buffering members 103 are provided between the upper surface of the vibrating body 102 and the top plate 211 and between the lower surface of the vibrating body 102 and the bottom plate 212. That is, the abutment between the upper surface of the vibrating body 102 and the top plate 211 and the abutment between the lower surface of the vibrating body 102 and the bottom plate 212 includes not only cases where they are in direct abutment with each other, but also cases where a member such as the buffering member 103 is interposed between them. The buffering member 103 corresponds to the "buffering member" in this disclosure.

[0105] The outer diameter of the buffer member 103 is slightly larger than the outer diameter of the vibrating body 102. However, the outer diameter of the buffer member 103 may be the same as or smaller than the outer diameter of the vibrating body 102. The buffer member 103 is made of a material that is more flexible than the container 101. Examples of this material include rubber, foam material, and tape.

[0106] [1-2. Operation of the Second Embodiment] The operation of the vibration unit 210 of the second embodiment having the above-described configuration will be described with reference to FIG. 13 . FIG. 13 is a diagram showing the state in which the vibration unit 210 is mounted on the vibrated member 104. As shown in FIG. 13 , the vibration unit 210 is attached to the vibrated member 104. The vibrated member 104 includes not only a seat such as the chair shown in FIG. 13 , but also cushions, floors, beds, and other objects that come into contact with people. The vibration unit 210 may also be provided on the front of the back of a chair. The vibration unit 210 may also be provided on clothing worn by a person (user). When the vibration unit 210 vibrates, the vibration is transmitted to the vibrated member 104, and the vibration is then transmitted to the person via the vibrated member 104.

[0107] The number of vibration units 1010 attached to the vibrated member 104 may be one or two or more. When two or more vibration units 210 are provided on the vibrated member 104, the vibration units 210 may be arranged close to each other within the vibrated member 104 so that adjacent vibration units 210 abut against each other. Abutting adjacent vibration units 210 makes the vibration stronger. When a plurality of vibration units 210 are provided, the vibration units 210 may be driven by the same signal or different signals.

[0108] In this way, the vibration unit 210 is attached to the vibrated member 104 that is used in contact with a person. Therefore, as shown in Fig. 13, a load is applied to the vibration unit 210 from above along the axial direction of the vibrating body 102.

[0109] However, in the vibration unit 210, the upper and lower surfaces of the vibrating body 102 are in contact with the top plate 211 and bottom plate 212 of the container 101, respectively. Therefore, the vibrating body 102 itself supports the load applied to the vibration unit 210. Furthermore, in the second embodiment, eight vibrating bodies 102 are provided, so the load applied to the vibration unit 210 is distributed to each of the vibrating bodies 102.

[0110] Furthermore, the container 101 has outer walls 213 and 214, with the tips of the outer walls 213 and 214 butting against each other. Therefore, the load applied to the vibration unit 210 is also supported by the outer walls 213 and 214. In particular, the outer walls 213 and 214 have a corrugated shape with multiple concave portions 216 and convex portions 217 formed alternately, and are provided with high rigidity portions. This increases the load-bearing capacity of the vibration unit 210, and prevents damage even when a large load is applied to the vibration unit 210.

[0111] The container 101 is provided with a first fixing portion 2151 and a second fixing portion 2152 into which fixing devices such as screws are inserted, and these fixing portions 2151 and 2152 abut against each other or abut against each other via the fixing devices, so that the load applied in the axial direction of the fixing portions 2151 and 2152, i.e., the load applied in the axial direction of the vibrating body 102, can be supported by the first fixing portion 2151 and the second fixing portion 2152. This distributes the load applied to the container 101 and the vibrating body 102, making it possible to reduce the weight and thickness of the container 101 and the vibrating body 102.

[0112] [1-3. Effects of the Second Embodiment] As described above, the vibration unit 210 of the second embodiment includes the vibrating vibrator 102, a space portion that houses the vibrator 102 therein, and a container 101 that has a top plate 211 and a bottom plate 212 that surround the space portion. The lower axial portion of the vibrator 102 abuts against the bottom plate 212, and the upper axial portion abuts against the top plate 211, and the load applied to the container 101 is supported by the vibrator 102 housed inside the container 101.

[0113] In this way, the vibration unit 210 supports the load applied to the container 101 with the vibrating body 102 itself, and therefore has excellent load-bearing capacity even without forming reinforcing materials such as ribs to increase strength in the space inside the container 101. Also, because no reinforcing materials such as ribs are formed in the space inside the container 101, the vibration unit 210 can be made lighter, and vibration can be transmitted even with a small vibration force, improving vibration efficiency. Furthermore, because there are no restrictions on the placement position of the reinforcing materials, the degree of freedom in placing the vibrating body 102 increases, making it easier to place the vibrating body 102 in a position that provides good bone conduction to the person's ischial bones, and improving vibration efficiency.

[0114] A plurality of vibrating bodies 102 are provided in the space of the container 101. This increases the load resistance of the vibration unit 210. Therefore, even if the vibration unit 210 receives a larger load, damage or the like can be prevented.

[0115] Furthermore, by providing a plurality of vibrating bodies 102, the load is distributed to each of the vibrating bodies 102. In other words, the load received by each vibrating body 102 is reduced, improving the durability of the vibration unit 210 and enabling it to be used for a long period of time.

[0116] The container 101 further has outer walls 213 and 214. As a result, the load acting on the vibration unit 210 is supported not only by the vibrating body 102 but also by the outer walls 213 and 214. This increases the load strength, and improves the load-bearing capacity of the vibration unit 210.

[0117] In particular, the outer walls 213, 214 have high-rigidity portions with a corrugated cross-sectional shape in which a plurality of recesses 216 and protrusions 217 are alternately formed, thereby increasing the load strength of the outer walls 213, 214 themselves and further increasing the load-bearing capacity of the vibration unit 210.

[0118] The top plate 211 and the bottom plate 212 of the container 101 are provided with positioning portions 218 on which the upper or lower surface of the vibrating body 102 is disposed. This allows the user to simply place the vibrating body 102 at the position of the positioning portion 218, facilitating the work of arranging the vibrating body 102 and improving work efficiency.

[0119] Furthermore, it is possible to prevent the vibrating body 102 from moving due to the vibration of the vibrating unit 210 or the load acting on the vibrating unit 210. For example, if the vibrating body 102 moves, the load will be received at a position that was not originally intended, which may reduce the load-bearing capacity of the vibrating unit 210. However, by providing the positioning portion 218, the vibrating body 102 continues to receive the load at the original position, and the load-bearing capacity of the vibrating unit 210 can be maintained.

[0120] Cushioning members 103 are provided on the upper and lower surfaces of the vibrating body 102. The upper or lower surface of the vibrating body 102 abuts against the top plate 211 or bottom plate 212 of the container 101 via the cushioning members 103.

[0121] Since the vibrating body 102 vibrates, abnormal noise may be generated due to collision between the vibrating body 102 and the top plate 211 or bottom plate 212 of the container 101. However, as in the second embodiment, by bringing the vibrating body 102 into contact with the top plate 211 or bottom plate 212 of the container 101 via the buffer member 103, the buffer member 103 can prevent the collision and prevent abnormal noise from being generated.

[0122] A plurality of positioning parts 218 are provided, and the plurality of positioning parts 218 are symmetrical and of the same shape and size. When the vibration unit 210 is attached to the vibrated member 104 separately on the left and right, it is possible to position the vibrating body 102 relative to the center of the person's ischial bones while using the same vibration unit 210.

[0123] The container 101 is divided into two parts: an upper container 101A having a top plate 211 and an outer wall 213 of the container 101, and a lower container 101B having a bottom plate 212 and an outer wall 214 of the container 101, and the outer wall 213 of the upper container 101A and the outer wall 214 of the lower container 101B are abutted against and fixed to each other.

[0124] In this way, by configuring the container 101 in two parts, the load strength of the container 101 is increased compared to when the container is divided into three or more parts, and the load-bearing capacity of the vibration unit 210 is improved. In addition, the assembly work of the container 101 is also easier compared to when the container is divided into three or more parts, and work efficiency is improved.

[0125] The upper container 101A and the lower container 101B have the same shape and size. This allows for cost reduction when the upper container 101A and the lower container 101B are manufactured by molding, since only one type of mold is required.

[0126] [2. Other Embodiments] This specification describes a second embodiment of the present disclosure, but this second embodiment is presented as an example and is not intended to limit the scope of the disclosure. The second embodiment described above can be implemented in various other forms, and various omissions, substitutions, and modifications can be made without departing from the scope of the disclosure. The second embodiment and its modifications are within the scope and spirit of the disclosure, as well as the disclosure described in the claims and their equivalents.

[0127] (1) As shown on the right side of FIG. 12 (the internal shape of the container 101 is simplified), a support member 105 may be provided in a space inside the container 101 where the vibrating body 102 is not disposed. The support member 105 abuts against the top plate 211 and / or bottom plate 212 of the container 101. Only one support member 105 may be provided, or multiple support members 105 may be provided. Examples of the support member 105 include rubber, foam material, and tape. By providing the support member 105 in this manner, it is possible to prevent abnormal noise and adjust the resonance of the container 101. Furthermore, by providing the support member 105, it is possible to increase the load-bearing capacity of the container 101 and further obtain a damping effect. The support member 105 corresponds to the "support member" in this disclosure. A buffer member 103 may be provided between the top plate 211 and the support member 105, or between the support member 105 and the bottom plate 212.

[0128] (2) The positioning portion 218 does not need to extend to about half the height of the outer walls 213 and 214 as long as it can indicate the position where the vibrating body 102 is to be placed. For example, as shown in Fig. 14, the positioning portion 218 may only slightly protrude from the bottom plate 212 of the container 101, so that the position of the positioning portion 218 can be indicated. This allows the container 101 to be made lighter and vibration efficiency to be improved.

[0129] 15, the upper container 101A and the lower container 101B do not need to be provided with the positioning parts 218. By not providing the positioning parts 218 to the upper container 101A and the lower container 101B, the vibrating body 102 can be placed in a position desired by the user, and the degree of freedom in the placement pattern of the vibrating body 102 is increased.

[0130] (4) In addition to the wiring hole 2191, one or more holes for heat dissipation may be provided in the outer walls 213 and 214. The holes connect the space inside the container 101 to the outside. The vibrating body 102 generates heat, and the heat is trapped in the space inside the container 101. Therefore, by providing holes in the outer walls 213 and 214 that connect to the outside, heat can be released from the holes, improving the heat dissipation properties of the vibration unit 210.

[0131] (5) In the second embodiment, the fixing portions 2151 and 2152 are provided in the space of the container 101. However, they may be provided on the outer walls 213 and 214. Furthermore, the method of fixing the upper container 101A and the lower container 101B is not limited to a method using fasteners such as bolts. For example, the outer wall 213 of the upper container 101A and the outer wall 214 of the lower container 101B may be joined and fixed to each other using an adhesive, ultrasonic welding, or the like. In other words, the fixing portions 2151 and 2152 do not necessarily have to be provided. Fixing the upper container 101A and the lower container 101B with an adhesive, ultrasonic welding, or the like can reduce the weight of the container 101 compared to when they are fixed to each other using fasteners, and can further improve vibration efficiency.

[0132] (6) Ribs may be provided on the outer walls 213, 214. The ribs extend outward from the outer walls 213, 214, i.e., toward the opposite side from the space inside the container 101. This increases the surface area of ​​the container 101. This improves the heat dissipation performance of the vibration unit 210. Furthermore, the load strength of the outer walls 213, 214 increases, and the load-bearing capacity of the vibration unit 210 can be improved.

[0133] (7) The container 101 does not need to have outer walls 213, 214. That is, the container 101 may be configured with a plate-shaped upper container 101A having only a top plate 211 and a plate-shaped lower container 101B having only a bottom plate 212. This allows the container 101 to be further lightened and vibration efficiency to be improved. In this case, the axial load of the vibrating body 102 applied to the container 101 is received by the vibrating body 102 itself, which is attached between the top plate 211 and the bottom plate 212. For this reason, it is preferable to provide a plurality of vibrating bodies 102 or to increase the rigidity of the housing of the vibrating body 102 itself.

[0134] (8) In the second embodiment, the container 101 is divided into two parts, an upper part and an lower part, but it may be divided into three or more parts. A frame-shaped container may be interposed between the outer wall 213 of the container 101A and the outer wall 214 of the lower container 101B. Furthermore, the flat top plate 211, bottom plate 212, and outer walls 213 and 214 may be formed as separate parts, and the container 101 may be formed by combining these parts.

[0135] (9) In the second embodiment, the buffer member 103 is provided between the vibrating body 102 and the top plate 211 or the bottom plate 212, but the buffer member 103 is not an essential component. For example, if the vibrating body 102 itself is firmly fixed, for example, by bolts or the like, the vibrating body 102 may be directly abutted against the top plate 211 or the bottom plate 212 without the buffer member 103. In this case, the vibration force is not attenuated by the buffer member 103, and therefore vibration efficiency can be improved.

[0136] (10) In the second embodiment, the vibrating body 102 has a cylindrical shape, but may have a polygonal shape such as a rectangle. In this case, the positioning portion 218 is polygonal to match the shape of the vibrating body 102. Furthermore, when vibrating bodies 102 of different shapes and dimensions are to be arranged in the vessel 101, multiple types of positioning portions 218 that match the outer shapes and dimensions of the vibrating bodies 102 may be provided in the upper vessel 101A and the lower vessel 101B.

[0137] (11) It is also possible to provide a sensor that detects the load applied to the vibration unit 210 or a sensor that detects the movement of the vibrating body 102. For example, a sensor that detects the load applied to the vibration unit 210 may be provided, and if the load exceeds the withstand load of the vibration unit 210, an alarm or the like may be used to notify the user.

[0138] The above-described description and illustrations are a detailed explanation of the parts related to the technology of the present disclosure and are merely an example of the technology of the present disclosure. For example, the above description of the configuration, functions, actions, and effects is an explanation of an example of the configuration, functions, actions, and effects of the parts related to the technology of the present disclosure. Therefore, it goes without saying that unnecessary parts may be deleted, new elements may be added, or replacements may be made to the above-described description and illustrations within the scope of the gist of the technology of the present disclosure. Furthermore, to avoid confusion and facilitate understanding of the parts related to the technology of the present disclosure, the above-described description and illustrations omit explanations of common technical knowledge that do not require particular explanation to enable the implementation of the technology of the present disclosure.

[0139] In this specification, "A and / or B" is synonymous with "at least one of A and B." In other words, "A and / or B" means that it may be only A, only B, or a combination of A and B. Furthermore, in this specification, the same concept as "A and / or B" is also applied when three or more things are expressed by connecting them with "and / or."

[0140] All publications, patent applications, and technical standards mentioned in this specification are herein incorporated by reference to the same extent as if each individual publication, patent application, or technical standard was specifically and individually indicated to be incorporated by reference.

[0141] The disclosures of Japanese Patent Application No. 2023-105281, filed on June 27, 2023, and Japanese Patent Application No. 2024-029539, filed on February 29, 2024, are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety. All documents, patent applications, and technical standards mentioned herein are incorporated herein by reference to the same extent as if each individual document, patent application, and technical standard was specifically and individually indicated to be incorporated by reference.

Claims

1. A device comprising: a vibration source capable of generating vibrations in response to an audio signal; a transmission unit to which the vibration source is attached; a support unit provided on the opposite side of the vibration source from the transmission unit; and a housing at least partially constituted by the transmission unit and the support unit, wherein the transmission unit has the vibration source attached to one side and supports a user on the other side, the vibration source abuts the support unit and the transmission unit, and the vibration source is a vibrating member that supports a load applied to the housing.

2. A vibration member as described in claim 1, comprising: the transmission section having a first vibrated member provided on a surface opposite the vibration source for transmitting vibrations generated by the vibration source to the user; and / or the support section having a second vibrated member provided on a surface opposite the vibration source for suppressing transmission of vibrations from the vibration source to the outside.

3. A vibration member as described in claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the housing has a side portion provided between the transmission portion and the support portion, and the side portion has a high rigidity portion in at least a portion thereof.

4. A vibration member as described in claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the transmission portion of the housing and / or the support portion of the housing are provided with a positioning portion on which one part and / or the other part of the vibration source are positioned.

5. A vibration member as described in claim 1 or claim 2, wherein a cushioning member is provided on one part and / or the other part of the vibration source, and the vibration source abuts against the transmission part or the support part of the housing via the cushioning member.

6. A vibration member as described in claim 1 or claim 2, comprising a support member provided within the housing, the support member abutting against the transmission part and / or the support part of the housing.

7. A vibrating member as described in claim 3, wherein the housing is composed of an upper member having the transmission part and the side part, and a lower member having the transmission part and the side part of the housing, the side part of the upper member and the side part of the lower member being abutted and fixed.

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