Microphone

Abstract

[Problem] To provide a microphone that is mountable on a moving body and that is capable of reducing wind noise during sound collection. [Solution] A microphone 1 includes: a microphone unit 102 that is mounted on a moving body and that collects external sound; a housing 10 in which an opening 10a is provided in a lateral surface along the direction of travel of the moving body, the opening communicating with a housing part 101 for accommodating the microphone unit 102; and a wind shield 11 that is a lateral surface of the housing 10 and that, when viewed from the opening 10a, is attached in the direction of travel of the moving body.

Description

microphone

[0001] The present invention relates to a microphone.

[0002] Conventional microphone technologies for use in wind-affected environments include microphone covers that allow sound waves to pass while suppressing pressure fluctuations caused by wind inside the cover, and high-speed airflow noise prevention microphone devices that detect sounds in high-speed airflow without generating self-generated noise in the microphone (see, for example, Patent Documents 1 and 2).

[0003] International Publication WO2015 / 015646 Patent No. 5044798

[0004] Wind is a source of noise for microphones, and avoiding wind is a constant challenge when recording sound outdoors. Especially on high-speed motorsport vehicles, relatively strong air currents occur even when there is no wind due to weather, making it difficult to mount microphones on the vehicle for sound recording. If a microphone is directly hit by strong winds, the resulting sound drowns out the target sound. Conventionally, microphones have been wrapped in porous materials to prevent direct wind impacts. However, this method degrades sound quality due to the sound-absorbing properties of porous materials. Furthermore, compact microphones are preferred in motorsports and other competitive events. Large microphones can interfere with the competition itself, increasing air resistance and weight and interfering with video capture, and in some cases, even making them unsuitable for mounting.

[0005] An object of the present invention is to provide a microphone that can be mounted on a moving object and that can reduce wind noise during sound pickup.

[0006] The microphone of the present invention comprises a microphone unit mounted on a moving body and configured to pick up external sounds, a housing having an opening communicating with a housing section that houses the microphone unit, the opening being provided on a side that is aligned with the direction of travel of the moving body, and a windshield attached to the side of the housing in the direction of travel of the moving body as viewed from the opening.

[0007] The microphone according to the present invention can be mounted on a moving object and can reduce wind noise during sound pickup.

[0008] 1 is a perspective view of a microphone according to a first embodiment of the present invention, as seen from the front side. FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a microphone according to the first embodiment, as seen from the rear side. FIG. 3 is a front view of the microphone according to the first embodiment. FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a holder constituting the microphone according to the first embodiment. FIG. 5 is a partial cross-sectional view along A-A, with a portion of the internal mechanism of the microphone according to the first embodiment omitted. FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a fixing member that fixes a microphone unit within a housing. FIG. 7 is a graph showing the frequency characteristics of the microphone according to the first embodiment. FIG. 8 is a perspective view of a microphone according to a second embodiment of the present invention, as seen from the front side. FIG. 9 is a perspective view of a microphone according to a third embodiment of the present invention, as seen from the front side. FIG. 10 is a perspective view of a microphone according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention, as seen from the front side. FIG. 11 is a perspective view of a microphone according to the fourth embodiment of the present invention, as seen from the rear side. FIG. 12 is a perspective view of a microphone according to a fifth embodiment of the present invention, as seen from the front side. FIG. 13 is a perspective view of a microphone according to the fifth embodiment of the present invention, as seen from the rear side. FIG. 14 is a perspective view of a microphone according to a sixth embodiment of the present invention, as seen from the front side.

[0009] A microphone according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described below. The microphone according to the present invention is a device mounted on a moving object to pick up external sounds, and the microphone 1 shown in FIG. 1 is one example. The moving object is an object used for the purpose of moving in a predetermined direction of travel, and includes, for example, two-wheeled or four-wheeled vehicles, snowmobiles, boats, jet skis, aircraft, drones, and autonomous mobile robots. This moving object may be mechanically or man-powered, and may be a person or an animal. Furthermore, the moving object may be passenger-mounted or not, and may travel on land, water, or in the air. In the following description, unless otherwise specified, the direction in which the moving object is intended to move forward will be referred to as the direction of travel. In each figure, the x-direction is the moving direction of the moving object. Furthermore, the side toward which the microphone 1 is moving may be referred to as the front, and the side opposite to the moving direction of the microphone 1 may be referred to as the rear.

[0010] In the present embodiment, the external sound refers to a target sound to be picked up. In an example in which the microphone 1 is used in motor sports, the target sound is expected to be the engine noise of a vehicle, cheers, conversations between drivers and staff, etc.

[0011] Regarding mounting, the microphone 1 may be attached to a moving object as a separate unit, or may be manufactured to be integrated with the moving object. The microphone 1 may also be attached to a helmet or the like worn by a person walking, running, or participating in sports such as skydiving or skiing.

[0012] An imaging unit such as a CCD camera may be provided as another functional unit in the microphone 1. The imaging unit is provided integrally on the upper part of the microphone 1, for example, and captures an image in the traveling direction.

[0013] As shown in FIGS. 1 and 5, the microphone 1 according to the first embodiment includes a housing 10, a microphone unit 102, and a windshield 11.

[0014] Housing 10 As shown in FIG. 5 , housing 10 has a hollow housing portion 101 that houses microphone unit 102, electrical circuits, etc. Housing 10 is preferably made by cutting out a solid piece of aluminum alloy, for example, and is lightweight and does not easily transmit vibrations caused by wind to microphone unit 102. This housing 10 is attached to the mobile body by placing microphone 1 at a predetermined location on the mobile body and connecting members such as screws to the mobile body or by bonding with an adhesive. Note that housing 10 and the mobile body may be formed integrally.

[0015] The length of the housing 10 in the width direction perpendicular to the direction of travel is shorter than the length in the direction of travel. Furthermore, the end of the housing 10 facing the direction of travel is V-shaped in a plan view, and is formed so that it gradually widens from the front to the rear. This allows the wind blowing against the microphone 1 as the moving object moves to flow smoothly along the surface of the housing 10 from the front to the rear, reducing the air resistance caused by the housing 10 when the moving object moves.

[0016] As shown in Figures 1 and 2, an opening 10a communicating with the storage section 101 is provided on a side surface (y-direction surface) of the housing 10 that is aligned with the direction of travel of the mobile object. The opening 10a is provided perpendicular to the direction of travel of the mobile object or facing rearward of the direction of travel of the mobile object relative to the direction of travel of the mobile object relative to the direction of travel of the mobile object. This prevents wind blowing toward the microphone 1 from the direction of travel as the mobile object moves from directly entering the opening 10a. A pair of openings 10a is provided on both side surfaces in the width direction (y-direction) perpendicular to the direction of travel of the mobile object. This allows the microphone 1 to pick up external sounds on the left and right of the direction of travel of the mobile object and obtain stereo sound.

[0017] The opening 10a may be covered with a mesh member. The mesh member may be, for example, a sheet member made of a breathable fiber material or metal material that allows external sound to reach the microphone unit 102 in the housing portion 101 of the housing 10. The mesh member may also be water-repellent. The water-repellent property may be provided by, for example, the material of the mesh member itself, or may be provided by a water-repellent treatment. This prevents rain from blowing into the opening 10a.

[0018] Microphone Unit 102 As shown in FIG. 5 , the microphone unit 102 is housed in the housing 10 together with the electrical circuit and picks up external sounds. The microphone unit 102 is omnidirectional, and picks up external sounds that enter the housing 101 through the opening 10a within the housing 101. The microphone unit 102 is connected to the electrical circuit, which processes the audio signal electroacoustically converted by the microphone unit 102. The electroacoustic conversion method of the microphone unit 102 is optional, and may be, for example, a capacitor type or a dynamic type. Data processed by the electrical circuit is transmitted to an external device, for example, via wireless communication. A terminal for wired connection to the electrical circuit may be provided at a predetermined location on the housing 10.

[0019] A pair of microphone units 102 are provided corresponding to openings 10a provided on both side surfaces of the housing 10. Each pair of microphone units 102 has a substantially cylindrical shape, and a sound pickup section 1021 that picks up external sounds is disposed at the tip. When mounted on a mobile object, the pair of microphone units 102 are held in a direction such that the sound pickup section 1021 faces rearward and diagonally to the side relative to the direction of travel of the mobile object. Meanwhile, the ends opposite the side where the sound pickup section 1021 is disposed are housed diagonally forward from the opening 10a so as to be close to each other. This allows the width of the housing 10 to be reduced, thereby reducing the wind resistance that the housing 10 experiences when the mobile object moves.

[0020] Furthermore, when the pair of microphone units 102 are mounted on the mobile object, the sound collection section 1021 is held in a direction facing diagonally downward relative to the direction of travel of the mobile object, thereby making it difficult for moisture such as rain to penetrate from the outside into the interior through the opening 10 a.

[0021] The microphone unit 102 is fixed in the housing 101 by a fixing member 103. The fixing member 103 is disposed in the housing 101 so as to fill the space within the housing 101. The fixing member 103 houses the microphone unit 102 in an inner hollow portion 1031. An O-ring 104 is provided between the inner wall of the hollow portion 1031 and the outside of the microphone unit 102. The O-ring 104 fills the gap between the inner wall of the hollow portion 1031 and the outside of the microphone unit 102, fixing the microphone unit 102 in the hollow portion 1031. The O-ring 104 is made of, for example, elastic or flexible rubber. This prevents the microphone unit 102 from wobbling in the hollow portion 1031, and reduces the transmission of fixing vibrations of the housing 10, preventing sound degradation due to fixing vibrations.

[0022] 6 , fixing member 103 is composed of a base 1032 on one end side and a pair of end portions 1033 that branch out in two from base 1032. An opening 1032a is provided in front of base 1032. Wiring connected to microphone unit 102 housed in hollow portion 1031 is led out from opening 1032a to the outside and connected to an electrical circuit housed within housing 10.

[0023] A communication hole 1034 that communicates with the opening 10a and the hollow portion 1031 is formed on the end surface of the end portion 1033. The communication hole 1034 is disposed at the rear end of the hollow portion 1031 in the traveling direction, at a position corresponding to the sound pickup portion 1021. The communication hole 1034 is smaller than the opening 10a, and is exposed to the outside through the opening 10a of the housing 10 when the fixing member 103 is housed in the housing 10. External sound is picked up by the microphone unit 102 in the hollow portion 1031 via the communication hole 1034.

[0024] The communication hole 1034 includes a first communication hole 10341 and a second communication hole 10342. The first communication hole 10341 connects to the opening 10a. The second communication hole 10342 connects the first communication hole 10341 to the hollow portion 1031. The diameter of the second communication hole 10342 is smaller than the diameter of the first communication hole 10341, and the communication hole 1034 forms a step at the boundary between the first communication hole 10341 and the second communication hole 10342. Furthermore, the diameter of at least the second communication hole 10342 is smaller than the diameter of the sound pickup portion 1021. With this configuration, resonance in the communication hole 1034 can be reduced, allowing external sounds to be picked up more accurately. Regardless of this embodiment, the diameter of the communication hole 1034 may be the same over the entire length in the axial direction, and may be smaller than the diameter of the sound pickup section 1021.

[0025] The upper and lower surfaces of the fixing member 103 in the accommodated state are each provided with a screw hole 1035 for connecting the fixing member 103 to the accommodation section 101 by screwing or the like. Correspondingly, a screw hole into which a screw inserted through the screw hole 1035 is threaded is provided in the accommodation section 101 of the housing 10. The screw inserted through the screw hole 1035 threads into this screw hole, thereby fixing the fixing member 103 to the accommodation section 101. Note that the screw hole 1035 may be provided on only one of the upper surface or the lower surface of the fixing member 103. Furthermore, the means for fixing the fixing member 103 to the accommodation section 101 may be a connecting means other than screwing, such as adhesion with an adhesive.

[0026] Since fixing member 103 is housed in housing portion 101 to fill the space within housing portion 101 and is fixed within housing portion 101 by O-ring 104, resonance within housing portion 101 can be prevented in microphone 1. Furthermore, fixing member 103 separates microphone unit 102 from housing 10, so that vibrations and temperature of housing 10 are not directly transmitted to microphone unit 102, suppressing the effects of vibrations and temperature and enabling clear pickup of external sounds. Furthermore, since opening 10a and sound pickup portion 1021 are separated by the length of communication hole 1034, moisture such as rain and dust are less likely to reach sound pickup portion 1021, preventing deterioration and damage to sound pickup portion 1021.

[0027] 1 and 2, the windshield 11 is attached to the side of the housing 10 in the direction of travel of the mobile object as seen from the opening 10a. As shown in Figures 3 and 4, the windshield 11 includes a main body 12 and a holder 13 that holds the main body 12.

[0028] The main body 12 is made of a porous material such as urethane foam. The main body 12 is held by a holder 13 and deflects wind that blows toward the microphone 1 as the mobile object moves. As a result of the main body 12 deflecting the wind, the force of the wind is sufficiently attenuated before it reaches the opening 10a, thereby suppressing wind noise. Furthermore, if the main body 12 is made of a flexible material such as urethane foam, vibrations caused by the wind are absorbed by the main body 12, and solid vibrations are not transmitted to the microphone unit 102. Note that the main body 12 may be made of a material such as faux fur.

[0029] The holder 13 is made of a plurality of thin plate-like holding pieces 1311, 1312, 1313, and 1314 and a thin plate-like connecting piece 132 that integrally connects these pieces. The holder 13 is made of a hard material such as metal or plastic. In the description of this embodiment, the plurality of holding pieces 1311, 1312, 1313, and 1314 may be referred to as "holding piece 131" when they are not individually identified.

[0030] Each holding piece 131 has a substantially semicircular shape and is spaced apart from one another in the thickness direction (z direction). Each holding piece 131 is arranged so that its length is aligned with the direction of travel of the moving object. As a result, the wide surface of each holding piece 131 faces substantially vertically (z direction), preventing wind resistance caused by the movement of the moving object.

[0031] Of the side edges of each holding piece 131, side edges 1311a, 1312a, 1313a, and 1314a disposed on the side surface of the housing 10 have a shape that conforms to the shape of the side surface of the housing 10. These side edges 1311a, 1312a, 1313a, and 1314a are connected to a wide first surface of the connecting piece 132. A wide second surface of the connecting piece 132 opposite the first surface has a shape that conforms to the shape of the side surface of the housing 10. This second surface is directly adhered to the side surface of the housing 10 with an adhesive or with adhesive tape. This allows the holding body 13 to be attached tightly to the side surface of the housing 10, so it will not easily come off even when affected by wind accompanying movement of the mobile object.

[0032] Of the retaining pieces 131, retaining pieces 1312 and 1313, which are provided between retaining pieces 1311 and 1314, are formed with locking holes 1312b and 1313b, respectively, for inserting and locking the main body 12. The locking holes 1312b and 1313b open in the vertical direction (z direction) perpendicular to the traveling direction. Furthermore, no holes corresponding to the locking holes 1312b and 1313b are formed in the retaining pieces 1311 and 1314. As a result, the main body 12 is locked in the locking holes 1312b and 1313b from the retaining piece 1311 to the retaining piece 1314 without slipping out in the vertical direction. Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 3 , when the main body 12 is locked in the locking holes 1312b and 1313b, the main body 12 is exposed between the retaining pieces 131 toward the traveling direction, and this portion is exposed to the wind. In this embodiment, four holding pieces 131 are provided, but the number is not limited thereto.

[0033] As shown in Figure 2, windshield 11 is attached in the traveling direction of the mobile body when viewed from opening 10a. As a result, opening 10a is exposed to the outside without being covered by windshield 11. The vertical length of opening 10a is equal to or shorter than the distance between holding pieces 1312 and 1313. When viewed from the traveling direction of the mobile body, opening 10a is located in a position hidden by main body 12 between holding pieces 1312 and 1313. As a result, wind blowing toward opening 10a from the traveling direction of the mobile body is reliably attenuated by main body 12 before reaching opening 10a.

[0034] According to the microphone 1 of this embodiment, the opening 10a is not covered by the windshield 11, which prevents deterioration of the sound quality of the target sound. Furthermore, wind blowing toward the microphone 1 as the mobile object moves is deflected and attenuated by the main body 12, thereby suppressing wind noise. Furthermore, because the holder 13 is made up of multiple holding pieces 131, wind vortices are broken down into smaller vortices by the multiple holding pieces 131, preventing the generation of large vortices. Furthermore, the overall size of the microphone 1 is small, allowing it to be easily mounted on a mobile object. Furthermore, it does not interfere with the use of the mobile object, and air resistance generated during movement is sufficiently suppressed.

[0035] Frequency Characteristics Figure 7 is a graph showing the frequency characteristics of sound during sound collection, illustrating the results of an experiment comparing the acoustic characteristics of microphone 1 with windshield 11 (line m1) with those of a microphone without windshield 11 (line m2). In this experiment, fans were placed in front of both microphone 1 with windshield 11 and microphone 1 without windshield 11 to simulate an environment in which wind blows against a moving object. This shows a difference in sound pressure across a wide frequency range. In particular, a difference in sound pressure of approximately 10 dB occurred at frequencies below 5 kHz, indicating that wind noise was sufficiently reduced. The peak near 10 kHz is the peak of the sound emitted by the fan used in the experiment.

[0036] FIG. 8 shows a microphone 2 according to a second embodiment. The microphone 2 has a housing 10, a microphone unit 102, and a windshield 21. This microphone 2 differs in configuration from the first embodiment in that the windshield 21 is different from the windshield 11 of the microphone 1 described above. The housing 10 and the microphone unit 102 have the same configuration as those of the microphone 1 according to the first embodiment described above, and are therefore denoted by the same reference numerals. The following description will mainly focus on the configuration that differs from the microphone 1, with the remaining parts having the same configuration as the microphone 1. These points also apply to the third and subsequent embodiments.

[0037] The windshield 21 is attached to the side surface of the housing 10 so as to cover the opening 10a. The windshield 21 includes a main body 22 and a holder 23 that holds the main body 22.

[0038] The main body 22 is made of a porous material, similar to the main body 12 according to the first embodiment, and is held by a holder 23. In this embodiment, the main body 22 is provided in front of and behind the opening 10a in the traveling direction of the moving body.

[0039] The holder 23 is made up of a plurality of thin plate-like holding pieces 2311, 2312, 2313, and 2314 and a thin plate-like connecting piece 232 that integrally connects these pieces. In the description of this embodiment, when referring to the plurality of holding pieces 2311, 2312, 2313, and 2314 without identifying them individually, they may be referred to as "holding piece 231."

[0040] Each of the holding pieces 231 has a substantially semicircular shape and is spaced apart from each other in the thickness direction (z direction) similarly to the holding piece 131 according to Example 1. Furthermore, each of the holding pieces 231 is disposed so that its length direction is aligned with the traveling direction of the moving body.

[0041] On the other hand, in this embodiment, the length of each retaining piece 231 along the traveling direction of the movable body is longer than the length of the retaining piece 131 according to the first embodiment. As a result, each retaining piece 231 is attached to the side surface of the housing 10 so as to straddle the opening 10a or its vicinity. Of the retaining pieces 231, retaining pieces 2312 and 2313, which are provided between retaining pieces 2311 and 2314, are provided with locking holes 2312a, 2312b, 2313a, and 2313b, respectively, for inserting and locking the pair of main bodies 22. The locking holes 2312a and 2313a are provided for each retaining piece 2312 and 2313, respectively, forward of the opening 10a in the traveling direction of the movable body. Furthermore, the locking holes 2312b and 2313b are provided for each retaining piece 2312 and 2313, respectively, backward of the opening 10a in the traveling direction of the movable body. These locking holes 2312a, 2312b, 2313a, and 2313b are open in the vertical direction (z direction) perpendicular to the traveling direction, similar to the locking holes 1312b and 1313b according to Example 1. As a result, the pair of main bodies 22 are locked in a state where they are inserted into the locking holes 2312a, 2312b, 2313a, and 2313b at the front and rear of the moving direction of the moving body as seen from the opening 10a.

[0042] Furthermore, an opening (not shown) that exposes the opening 10a to the outside is formed in the connecting piece 232 that connects the holding pieces 231 at a location corresponding to the opening 10a. This prevents the opening 10a from being covered by the windshield 21, allowing the target sound to be picked up without degradation.

[0043] The microphone 3 according to this embodiment can suppress the influence of wind noise caused by the movement of a moving object, whether the moving direction of the moving object changes to either forward or backward. Also, even if the moving direction of the moving object is the (+x) direction, the influence of wind noise from the (-x) direction due to wraparound can be suppressed.

[0044] 9 shows a microphone 3 according to Example 3. The microphone 3 has a housing 10, a microphone unit 102, and a windshield 31. The configuration of this microphone 3 differs from that of Example 1 in that the windshield 31 is different from the windshield 11 of the microphone 1 described above.

[0045] The windshield 31 is attached to the side surface of the housing 10 so as to cover the opening 10a. The windshield 31 includes a main body 32 and a holder 33 that holds the main body 32.

[0046] Like the main body 12 according to the first embodiment, the main body 32 is made of a porous material and is held by a holder 33. In this embodiment, the main body 32 has an opening 32a in the approximate center that conforms to the shape of the opening 10a. As a result, when the main body 32 is held by the holder 33, the main body 32 is provided around the opening 10a.

[0047] The holder 33 is made up of a plurality of thin plate-like holding pieces 3311, 3312, 3313, and 3314 and thin plate-like connecting pieces (not shown) that integrally connect these. In the description of this embodiment, when referring to the plurality of holding pieces 3311, 3312, 3313, and 3314 without identifying them individually, they may be referred to as "holding pieces 331."

[0048] The holding pieces 331 are each formed in a substantially semicircular shape and spaced apart from one another in the thickness direction (z direction) similarly to the holding pieces 131 according to Example 1. The length direction of each holding piece 331 is aligned with the traveling direction of the moving body.

[0049] Meanwhile, in this embodiment, like the retaining piece 231 according to the second embodiment, the length of each retaining piece 331 along the direction of travel of the movable body is longer than the length of the retaining piece 131 according to the first embodiment. As a result, each retaining piece 331 is attached to the side surface of the housing 10 so as to straddle the opening 10a or its vicinity. Of the retaining pieces 331, retaining pieces 3312 and 3313 provided between the retaining pieces 3311 and 3314 are provided with locking holes 3312a and 3313a, respectively, for inserting and locking the main body 32. The locking holes 3312a and 3313a have a width extending from the front to the rear in the direction of travel of the movable body, as viewed from the opening 10a, for each retaining piece 2312 and 2313. Like the locking holes 1312b and 1313b according to the first embodiment, these locking holes 3312a and 3313a open in the vertical direction (z direction) perpendicular to the direction of travel. As a result, the main body 32 is locked in a state where it is inserted through the locking holes 3312a and 3313a so as to cover the periphery of the opening 10a, while exposing the opening 10a to the outside through the opening 32a.

[0050] Furthermore, the connecting pieces (not shown) connecting the holding pieces 231 are formed with openings (not shown) that expose the openings 10a to the outside at locations corresponding to the openings 10a, similar to the connecting pieces 232 according to Example 2. This prevents the openings 10a from being covered by the windshield 31, allowing external sounds to be picked up without degradation.

[0051] The microphone 2 according to this embodiment can suppress the influence of wind noise caused by movement, regardless of whether the direction of movement of the moving object changes to forward, backward, upward, or downward. Furthermore, the influence of wind noise caused by wind blowing along the side of the housing 10 toward the opening 10 a can also be suppressed, regardless of the direction of movement of the moving object.

[0052] 10 and 11 show a microphone 4 according to Example 4. The microphone 4 has a housing 10, a microphone unit 102, and a windshield 41. The configuration of this microphone 4 differs from that of Example 1 in that the windshield 41 is different from the windshield 11 of the microphone 1 described above.

[0053] The windshield 41 is attached to the side of the housing 10 in the direction of travel of the mobile object as viewed from the opening 10a. The windshield 41 is a thin plate-like member made of a hard material such as metal or plastic. The windshield 41 consists of a protruding piece that protrudes from the side of the housing 10 in the width direction of the housing 10. In particular, the windshield 41 according to this embodiment is provided so that, when attached to the housing 10, it gradually extends rearward from the bottom to the top of the housing 10. Furthermore, the windshield 41 has a length that extends from the front to the rear of the opening 10a, and the wide surface on the front side that faces the direction of travel of the mobile object forms a gently curved surface. As a result, the opening 10a is hidden by the windshield 41 when viewed from the direction of travel of the mobile object.

[0054] With the microphone 4 according to the fourth embodiment, wind caused by the movement of the mobile object is blocked by the windshield 41 and does not blow directly onto the opening 10a. As a result, the influence of wind noise caused by the movement of the mobile object is suppressed. In addition, the influence of wind that wraps around from above the opening 10a can be suppressed, and rain and the like can also be prevented when used outdoors. Furthermore, wind blowing in as the mobile object moves is directed backward along the curved shape of the windshield 41, thereby suppressing wind resistance.

[0055] 12 and 13 show a microphone 5 according to Example 5. The microphone 5 includes a housing 10, a microphone unit 102, and a windshield 51. The microphone 5 differs in configuration from Example 4 in that it includes an intake port 511.

[0056] The windshield 51 has the same overall shape as the windshield 41 according to the fourth embodiment and is attached to the housing 10 at the same position as the windshield 41. The windshield 51 has an air intake 511. The intake 511 is a through-hole that penetrates along the traveling direction of the moving object. The intake 511 includes a first opening 5111 formed on the surface facing the traveling direction of the moving object and a second opening 5112 formed on the surface opposite the traveling direction of the moving object. The first opening 5111 opens at a position close to the side surface of the housing 10, and the second opening 5112 opens at a position away from the side surface of the housing 10. As a result, wind blowing against the microphone 5 as the moving object moves passes through the first opening 5111 and enters the second opening 5112, which is positioned away from the opening 10a.

[0057] According to the microphone 5 of the fifth embodiment, air resistance can be reduced because the wind blowing when the mobile object moves exits through the intake 511. Furthermore, the air that enters the intake 511 exits at a position away from the opening 10a, thereby reducing the influence of wind noise.

[0058] 14 shows a microphone 6 according to Example 6. The microphone 6 includes a housing 10, a microphone unit 102, and a windshield 61. The configuration of this microphone 6 differs from that of Example 5 in that an inlet 611 is different from the inlet 511 of the microphone 5 described above, and that the microphone 6 includes a notch 612.

[0059] The windshield 61 has the same overall shape as the windshield 61 according to the fifth embodiment, and is attached in the same position as the windshield 61. Meanwhile, the windshield 61 has an inlet 611 divided into multiple inlets 611a. Each inlet 611a penetrates along the direction of travel of the mobile object. The wind blowing against the microphone 6 as the mobile object moves passes through each inlet 611a from front to rear along the direction of travel of the mobile object. As the inlet 611 is divided into multiple small inlets 611a, it is possible to prevent the natural resonance within the inlet 611a from becoming high frequency. Furthermore, the wind passing rearward from the inlet 611a does not create large vortices.

[0060] The windshield 61 has multiple notches 612 at the end away from the housing 10. The notches 612 are triangular cutouts in the thickness of the windshield 61. These notches 612 allow wind blowing from the direction of travel to break down into small vortices. As a result, the generation of large wind vortices can be prevented.

[0061] According to the microphone 6 of the sixth embodiment, the wind blowing against the microphone 6 when the moving object is moving is broken down into small vortices, thereby preventing the generation of large wind noise.

[0062] In the above-described first to sixth embodiments, the windshields 11, 21, 31, 41, 51, and 61 are attached to the side of the housing 10. However, in other embodiments, they may be formed integrally with the housing 10. Furthermore, in the first to third embodiments, the main bodies 12, 22, and 32 made of a porous material are held by the holders 13, 23, and 33. However, in other embodiments, the main bodies 12, 22, and 32 may be directly bonded to the side of the housing 10 without providing the holders 13, 23, and 33. Various bonding methods can be used, such as bonding with an adhesive or bonding via adhesive tape.

[0063] Furthermore, although the present invention has been described using various embodiments, the technical scope of the present invention is not limited to the scope described in the above embodiments, and various modifications and changes are possible within the scope of the gist of the present invention. Examples of the present invention also include embodiments in which multiple embodiments are arbitrarily combined, or embodiments in which partial configurations of various embodiments are arbitrarily combined. The effects of new embodiments resulting from the combinations also have the effects of the original embodiments.

[0064] 1: Microphone 10: Housing 10a: Opening 101: Storage section 102: Microphone unit 11: Windshield 12: Main body 13: Holder 131: Holder piece 2: Microphone 21: Windshield 22: Main body 23: Holder 231: Holder piece 3: Microphone 31: Windshield 32: Main body 33: Holder 331: Holder piece 4: Microphone 41: Windshield 5: Microphone 51: Windshield 511: Inlet 6: Microphone 61: Windshield 611: Inlet 611a: Inlet

Claims

1. A microphone mounted on a moving body, comprising a microphone unit that picks up external sounds, a housing provided on a side surface along the traveling direction of the moving body, with an opening communicating with a housing portion that houses the microphone unit, and a wind guard attached in the traveling direction of the moving body as viewed from the opening on the side surface of the housing.

2. The microphone according to claim 1, wherein the wind guard includes a main body made of a porous material and a holder disposed along the traveling direction of the moving body for holding the main body.

3. The microphone according to claim 2, wherein the holder has a plurality of holding pieces, and at least a part of the plurality of holding pieces is provided with locking holes for inserting and locking the main body.

4. The microphone according to claim 2, wherein the main body is held by the holder in the traveling direction of the moving body or before and after the traveling direction of the moving body as viewed from the opening.

5. The microphone according to claim 1, wherein the wind guard is formed of a protruding piece protruding from the side surface of the housing along the traveling direction of the moving body.

6. The microphone according to claim 5, wherein an air inlet is provided in the wind guard along the traveling direction of the moving body.

7. The microphone according to claim 6, wherein the air inlet is divided into a plurality of parts.

8. The microphone according to claim 1, wherein the wind guard is made of a porous material.

9. The microphone according to claim 1, wherein the opening is provided at a right angle to the traveling direction of the moving body or facing rearward of the traveling direction of the moving body at an angle greater than a right angle.

10. The microphone according to claim 1, wherein a pair of openings are provided on both sides in the width direction substantially perpendicular to the traveling direction of the moving body.

Images