Over-ear headphones and headphone pad

Abstract

The present invention relates to over-ear headphones (1) having at least one headphone pad (10) with at least one sound transducer (12) with a radiating surface (12a) along a centre axis (E), wherein the headphone pad (10) is designed such that, during use, the centre axis (E) of the radiating surface (12a) of the sound transducer (12) is oriented at an angle (α) of 0° to 50° to the centre axis (A) of the person (2) in the viewing direction (B).

Description

[0001] DESCRIPTION

[0002] Earbuds and earpiece

[0003] The present invention relates to a shell headphone and a headphone shell for use with such a shell headphone.

[0004] Headphones have long been known as small sound transducers worn on or in the ears to transmit acoustic information such as speech, singing, music, and the like to the wearer or user of the headphones or to their ears. Different functional principles and designs are known for this. While earphones are inserted into the ear canal and earbuds are inserted into the auricle, allowing for small and unobtrusive headphones, over-the-ear headphones are worn over the auricle. Over-the-ear headphones of the usual design feature a headband and one or two ear cups. Such over-the-ear headphones are used in both consumer electronics and professional studios for music recording and the like. Over-the-ear headphones can be divided into supra-aural headphones and circumaural headphones.

[0005] Over-ear headphones can also be differentiated by their level of insulation from the outside world, which applies to both on-ear and over-ear headphones. With open-ear headphones, the connection to the outside world is maintained through the headphones. For this purpose, the earcup cover is permeable, which can be perforated or slit, or more permeable materials can be used as the cover. The sound is emitted by the diaphragm both toward the ear and outward. This is intended to achieve greater transparency and create a more spacious sound. At the same time, heat exchange is improved, reducing unpleasant sensations such as heat buildup or sweating.

[0006] The disadvantage of open-back headphones, however, is that the sound waves generated by the headphones and the environment can be heard from both sides. This means that background noise from outside penetrates the ear. Conversely, the reproduced sound penetrates to the outside and can be perceived as disturbing by those around you. With closed-back headphones, the ear is largely shielded from the outside world, so that the sound is only radiated from the diaphragm towards the ear. In the bass range, more pressure is built up due to the shielding. The construction of this design is more complicated, primarily due to reflections, and is therefore more expensive for the same sound quality. The advantage is the greater independence from the outside world in terms of shielding a noisy environment and preventing disruptive radiation to the outside.

[0007] The disadvantage is that the heat generated by the lack of air exchange can be perceived as unpleasant by the wearer, user or listener when worn for a longer period of time.

[0008] In other words, with acoustically closed-back headphones, all the energy input remains in the earcup until it is dissipated through friction against structural elements, acoustic resistance, the air itself, and absorption. This leads to pronounced resonances that impair the sound of the headphones.

[0009] Acoustically open-back headphones allow a portion of the sound to escape from the ear cups through openings with defined acoustic resistance. This allows acoustic energy to escape. Standing waves, which impair the sound as audible resonances, cannot build up in the bass and lower midrange. However, the geometric design of conventional open-back headphones leads to resonances in higher frequency ranges due to relatively large, reverberant structural elements.

[0010] What all over-the-ear headphones have in common is that the sound transducer, also called the playback transducer, is usually positioned on the central axis of the auricle, which corresponds to an angle of approximately 90° to the central axis of the person in the line of sight. The sound-emitting surface of the sound transducer is positioned parallel to the auricle or at a slight angle of approximately 5° to 10° to the front, i.e. closer to the skin in the cheek area and further away in the back of the head. Thus, the sound transducers of conventional over-the-ear headphones have so far been positioned or aligned at an angle of between 80° and 90° to the central axis of the person in the line of sight.

[0011] The disadvantage of this arrangement or orientation of the sound transducer is that the sound-radiating surface of the sound transducer is aligned more or less parallel to the auricle and thus creates a sound field that does not correspond to the sound field of a sound event that is located in front of the listener, i.e. along the central axis of the person or in the line of sight in front of the person. Since the auricle has a significant influence on the sound formation at the eardrum, the geometry of outer ears is as individual as fingerprints, and the earphones are tuned to a sound impression that would arise if the sound event occurred in front of the listener, people whose ear geometry deviates from that of the tuning person hear a different sound than the intended one. The area in front of the listener is considered to be the angular range of ±45° to the central axis or to the nose of the listener or person in the line of sight, i.e.from 45° to the left to 45° to the right in front of the listener in the direction of view.

[0012] An object of the present invention is to provide a headset of the type described above, so that a tonally accurate reproduction of sound events coming from the front can be improved for the person or the listener as the user or wearer of the headset. This should be possible, in particular, independently of the listener, i.e., independently of the listener's ear geometry. In any case, this should be implemented as simply, reliably, universally, and / or compactly as possible. At the very least, an alternative to the known headsets should be created.

[0013] The object is achieved according to the invention by a headset and a headset shell having the features of the independent patent claims. Advantageous further developments are described in the subclaims.

[0014] Thus, the present invention relates to a shell headphone having at least one earpiece with at least one sound transducer having a radiating surface along a central axis, wherein the earpiece is designed such that the central axis of the radiating surface of the sound transducer is aligned at an angle of 0° to 50° to the central axis of the person in the direction of view during use.

[0015] In other words, the at least one sound transducer of an inventive earpiece of an inventive earpiece is arranged or aligned significantly further towards the line of sight or the nose of a person as user, wearer or listener of the earpiece or earpiece, so that the person can experience a tonally correct reproduction of the sound events coming from the front, which can accordingly also be perceived by the person as coming from the front. For this purpose, the arrangement or alignment of the radiating surface of the sound transducer of the inventive earpiece of the inventive earpiece can be laterally aligned to the line of sight or the nose, from 0° as the line of sight or as the central axis of the person forward in the line of sight and a maximum of 50° to the respective side.Accordingly, the central axis of the radiating surface of the sound transducer is arranged or aligned at an angle of 40° to 90° to the central axis of the auricle during use.

[0016] Thus, according to the invention, the radiating surface of the sound transducer can be used to radiate sound in or from a direction relative to the earphones, just as would be the case if the corresponding sound source were actually located in front of the person in the line of sight. This can thus improve, or even make possible, a tonally accurate reproduction of sound events coming from the front for the person or the listener as the user or wearer of the earphones.

[0017] According to one aspect of the invention, the earpiece of the inventive over-ear headphones according to the invention has a housing that accommodates the sound transducer and is designed to align the radiating surface of the sound transducer at an angle to the person's central axis during use. This can represent a concrete implementation possibility. A housing is understood to mean any component or element of the earpiece of the inventive over-ear headphones according to the invention that can enable this arrangement or alignment in a structurally fixed manner relative to other components or elements of the earpiece of the inventive over-ear headphones according to the invention. The housing can also be referred to as a frame or the like.

[0018] According to a further aspect of the invention, the earpiece is designed such that, during use, the radiating surface of the sound transducer encloses a first volume together with the person's head, wherein the housing, together with the radiating surface of the sound transducer, encloses a second volume. Thus, during use, i.e. when wearing or using the earpiece according to the invention by a person as user, wearer or listener, the first volume can be formed by the person's head or its outer surface in the area around the ear or around the outer ear, so that the ear canal is enclosed, and at least the radiating surface of the sound transducer. The sound generated by the radiating surface of the sound transducer can act on this first volume or can reach the person's ear canal and thus their eardrum through this first volume.The second volume can be formed opposite the radiating surface of the sound transducer by at least the radiating surface of the sound transducer and the housing, so that the radiating surface of the sound transducer can also act on the second volume. In other words, the first volume and the second volume of the earpiece can be separated from the radiating surface of the sound transducer as a vibrating membrane.

[0019] The earpiece preferably further comprises a support element which, during use, rests laterally on the person's head, wherein, on the one hand, the first volume is enclosed jointly by the radiating surface of the sound transducer, the support element and the person's head, and, on the other hand, the second volume is enclosed jointly by the housing, the support element and the radiating surface of the sound transducer. For this purpose, the support element can preferably be designed in a closed ring. The support element serves to rest or support the earpiece or its housing on the person's head in the most comfortable way possible. At the same time, a transition between the person's head and the earpiece or its housing should be created that is as completely closed off from the environment as possible in order to avoid acoustic influences in this area.This can be achieved in particular by designing the support element as an ear cushion.

[0020] According to a further aspect of the invention, the housing is open and has at least one housing opening facing the surroundings, which connects the second volume to the surroundings in a sound-permeable manner. This allows for the realization of an open-earphone or its open earpiece, which can be utilized within the scope of the present invention with its properties and advantages. If the aforementioned support elements or ear cushions are used, these can also be open.

[0021] In any case, the acoustic energy can leave the two volumes in front of the ear, thus preventing resonance. The air in the two volumes or the ear cups is exchanged with the ambient air, which can lead to less sweating and a more comfortable wearing experience for the wearer, user, or listener compared to closed-back solutions.

[0022] According to a further aspect of the invention, the sound transducer has at least one acoustic inductance between the radiating surface and the second volume. In other words, an electroacoustic analogy to electrical engineering can be formulated using the terms "volume," "acoustic inductance," and "acoustic resistance." Thus, a closed volume, as described above, can produce a compliance that corresponds to an electrical capacitor. An acoustic mass in a (narrow) tube can correspond to an electrical inductance and thus be analogously referred to as an acoustic inductance. In the simplest case, an absorbing element can be referred to as an acoustic resistance and compared to an electrical resistance.

[0023] Specifically, an acoustic resistance is an area through which sound can pass. The amount of sound energy that can penetrate the acoustic resistance depends on the specific acoustic resistance and the area of ​​the resistance to be penetrated. The specific acoustic resistance is expressed in MKS Rayls Ns / m3. The acoustic resistance is calculated by dividing the specific acoustic resistance by the area of ​​the acoustic resistance. The unit of acoustic resistance is therefore Ns / m5.

[0024] According to a further aspect of the invention, the housing is closed, and the housing has at least one acoustic inductance between the second volume and the environment. For the definition of an "acoustic inductance," see above. According to a further aspect of the invention, a first acoustic resistor is arranged parallel to the radiating surface of the sound transducer between the first volume and the second volume, preferably also between the radiating surface of the sound transducer and the support element. For the definition of an "acoustic resistor," see above.

[0025] According to a further aspect of the invention, at least one second acoustic resistor, preferably and further a third acoustic resistor, is arranged in series with the first acoustic resistor between the first volume and the second volume, preferably as well as between the radiating surface of the sound transducer and the support element.

[0026] According to a further aspect of the invention, the over-ear headset has two earcups that are designed and aligned mirror-symmetrically to the person's central axis. Thus, an over-ear headset according to the invention can be created and used with a pair of earcups according to the invention.

[0027] The present invention also relates to a headphone shell for use with a shell-type headset as described above. This provides a headphone shell for implementing a shell-type headset according to the invention as described above and for practically implementing and utilizing its features and advantages.

[0028] In any case, the earpiece preferably has a delimiting surface of the first volume whose acoustically open area, i.e. the specific acoustic resistance, is less than or equal to 1000 Ns / m 3, in relation to the acoustically closed area, i.e. the specific acoustic resistance is greater than or equal to 10000 Ns / m 3 , in a ratio greater than or equal to 6:4.

[0029] Several embodiments and further advantages of the invention are illustrated schematically below and explained in more detail in conjunction with the following figures.

[0030] Figure 1 shows a schematic horizontal section through the left half of a person's head and through a headphone shell according to the invention of a headphone shell according to the invention according to a first embodiment; and

[0031] Figure 2 shows a schematic horizontal section through the left half of a person's head and through an inventive earpiece of an inventive earpiece according to a second embodiment.

[0032] The above figures are viewed in Cartesian coordinates. There is a longitudinal axis X, which can also be referred to as depth X or length X. Perpendicular to the longitudinal axis X extends a transverse axis Y, which can also be referred to as width Y. Perpendicular to both the longitudinal axis X and the transverse axis Y extends a vertical axis Z, which can also be referred to as height Z and corresponds to the direction of gravity or gravitational force. The longitudinal axis X and the transverse axis Y together form the horizontal X, Y, which can also be referred to as the horizontal plane X, Y.

[0033] Figure 1 shows a schematic horizontal section through the left half of the head of a person 2 and through an inventive earpiece 10 of an inventive earpiece 1 according to a first exemplary embodiment. The inventive earpiece 1 according to the first exemplary embodiment is designed mirror-symmetrically to the central axis A of the person 2 as user 2, as wearer 2, or as listener 2 of the earpiece 1 and has a pair of earpieces 10 designed and aligned mirror-symmetrically to the central axis A of the person 2, which are connected to one another by means of a bracket (not shown) of the earpiece 1 over the head 20 of the person 2.

[0034] Each earpiece 10 according to the invention has a ring-shaped, closed support element 11 in the form of an ear cushion 11, which is made of an open foam with a covering. By means of the ear cushion 11, the earpiece 10 rests laterally on the head 20 of the person 2 during use, i.e., along the transverse direction Y, and thereby extends around the outer ear 22 or around the auricle 22 including the auditory canal 23.

[0035] A housing 13, which can also be referred to as a frame 13, is fixedly connected to the ear cushion 11. The housing 13 is made of plastic and has a conical shape, extending away from the ear cushion 11 and then enclosing it in a circle. A through-hole, which forms a housing opening 14, is formed in the circular area of ​​the housing 13.

[0036] A sound transducer 12 with a radiating surface 12a is arranged within the housing 13, oriented horizontally X, Y and at an angle α towards the facial surface 21 of person 2. The sound transducer 12 can also be referred to as a reproduction transducer 12 or as an acoustic transducer 12. More precisely, the central axis E of the sound transducer 12 or its radiating surface 12a is arranged and aligned at an angle α to the central axis A of person 2 in the direction of view B, i.e. towards the front, wherein the angle α is less than 50° and in the first exemplary embodiment considered is specifically approximately 30°. In this way, a tonally correct reproduction of the sound events coming from the front, i.e. opposite the direction of view B of person 2, can be achieved for person 2, which can accordingly also be perceived by person 2 as coming from the front.During use, the radiating surface 12a of the sound transducer 12, together with the ear cushion 11 and a first acoustic resistance 15 in the form of a felt layer, encloses a first volume C as the inner volume C. Furthermore, the housing 13, together with the ear cushion 11 and the radiating surface 12a of the sound transducer 12, encloses a second volume D as the outer volume D. The radiating surface 12a of the sound transducer 12 thus acts as a membrane between the first volume C and the second volume D.

[0037] The housing 13 has an acoustic inductance 18 between the second volume D and the environment.

[0038] The first acoustic resistor 15 is followed by a second acoustic resistor 16 and a third acoustic resistor 17. The third acoustic resistor 17 covers the previously mentioned housing opening 14.

[0039] Figure 2 shows a schematic horizontal section through the left half of the head of a person 2 and through an inventive earpiece 10 of an inventive earpiece 1 according to a second exemplary embodiment. The inventive earpiece 1 or its inventive earpiece 10 corresponds to the first exemplary embodiment of Figure 1, with the difference that in the second exemplary embodiment of Figure 2, the acoustic inductance 18 is arranged between the radiating surface 12a of the sound transducer 12 and the second volume D.

[0040] Furthermore, the housing 13 is designed to be open, so that an open earpiece 10 or a shell-type earphone 1 with open earpieces 10 is realized. The openness of the earpiece 10 is achieved by designing the housing 13 as an open lattice structure.

[0041] In this case, only the first acoustic resistor 15 is present, which in this case is realized by the design as a paper layer. The second acoustic resistor 16 and the third acoustic resistor 17 are therefore not present in the second embodiment of Figure 2. LIST OF REFERENCE SYMBOLS (part of the description)

[0042] A Central axis of person 2

[0043] B Direction of view of person 2

[0044] C first volume; internal volume

[0045] D second volume; external volume

[0046] E Central axis of the sound transducer 12 or its radiating surface 12a a Angle between the central axis E of the sound transducer 12 or its radiating surface 12a and the central axis A of the person 2 in the direction of view B

[0047] X Longitudinal axis; Depth; Length

[0048] Y transverse axis; width

[0049] Z vertical axis; height

[0050] X, Y Horizontal; horizontal plane

[0051] 1 earphone

[0052] 10 earpiece

[0053] 11 Support element; ear cushions

[0054] 12 sound transducer; playback transducer; acoustic transducer

[0055] 12a radiating surface of the transducer 12

[0056] 13 Housing; frame

[0057] 14 Housing opening

[0058] 15 first acoustic resistance

[0059] 16 second acoustic resistance

[0060] 17 third acoustic resistance

[0061] 18 acoustic inductance

[0062] 2 Person; user; wearer; hearing person

[0063] 20 heads

[0064] 21 facial area

[0065] 22 Outer ear; auricles

[0066] 23 Ear canal

Claims

PATENT CLAIMS 1. Earpiece headphones (1) with at least one earpiece (10) with at least one sound transducer (12) with a radiating surface (12a) along a central axis (E), wherein the earpiece (10) is designed such that the central axis (E) of the radiating surface (12a) of the sound transducer (12) is aligned at an angle (a) of 0° to 50° to the central axis (A) of the person (2) in the direction of view (B) during use.

2. Earpiece headphones (1) according to claim 1, comprising a housing (13) which accommodates the sound transducer (12) and is designed, during use, to align the radiating surface (12a) of the sound transducer (12) at an angle (a) to the central axis (A) of the person (2).

3. Over-ear headphones (1) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the earphone earpiece (10) is designed such that the radiating surface (12a) of the sound transducer (12), preferably together with a support element (11) of the earphone earpiece (10), which in use rests laterally on the head (20) of the person (2), encloses a first volume (C) together with the head (20) of the person (2), wherein the housing (13), preferably together with the support element (11) and together with the radiating surface (12a) of the sound transducer (12), encloses a second volume (D).

4. Earpiece (1) according to claim 3, wherein the housing (13) is open and has at least one housing opening (14) facing the environment, which connects the second volume (D) to the environment in a sound-permeable manner.

5. Earpiece (1) according to claim 4, wherein the sound transducer (12) has at least one acoustic inductance (18) between the radiating surface (12a) and the second volume (D).

6. Earpiece (1) according to claim 3, wherein the housing (13) is closed and wherein the housing (13) has at least one acoustic inductance (18) between the second volume (D) and the environment.

7. Earpiece (1) according to one of claims 3 to 6, wherein parallel to the radiating surface (12a) of the sound transducer (12) between the first volume (C) and the second volume (D), preferably as well as between the radiating Surface (12a) of the sound transducer (12) and the support element (11), a first acoustic resistor (15) is arranged.

8. Earpiece headphones (1) according to claim 7, wherein at least one second acoustic resistor (16), preferably and further a third acoustic resistor (17), is arranged in series with the first acoustic resistor (15) between the first volume (C) and the second volume (D), preferably as well as between the radiating surface (12a) of the sound transducer (12) and the support element (11).

9. Earpiece headphones (1) according to one of the preceding claims, comprising two earpieces (10) which are formed and aligned mirror-symmetrically to the central axis (A) of the person (2).

10. A headset (10) for use with a headset (1) according to any one of the preceding claims.

Images