Adjustable Acousto-Mechanical Earplug for Noise Attenuation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing ear protection methods, such as passive and active earplugs, face challenges in maintaining sound quality while effectively reducing noise-induced hearing loss, with passive earplugs compromising sound quality and active earplugs being expensive and power-intensive.
Innovation Solution
A device with adjustable acousto-mechanical components, including an adjustable channel and membrane, that alters the acoustic response to attenuate sound without the need for electronic circuitry, allowing for adaptive noise reduction without compromising sound quality and reducing power consumption.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If passive earplugs are used to attenuate sound, then hearing protection is provided, but sound quality is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The earplug device dynamically adjusts the degree of sound attenuation by allowing the user to modify the occlusion of the ear canal. The adjustable channel and membrane can be positioned to provide varying levels of attenuation, enabling the user to optimize between hearing protection and sound quality based on the acoustic environment.
Solution Approach 2:
The device changes physical parameters of the sound path by adjusting the channel configuration and membrane tension. This allows modification of the acoustic properties to achieve different attenuation levels while maintaining sound quality when high attenuation is not required.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If passive earplugs provide high attenuation, then hearing protection is improved, but communication ability deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The adjustable channel and membrane allow dynamic modification of the earplug's attenuation characteristics. Users can adjust the device to provide high attenuation when protection is needed and reduce attenuation when communication is required, eliminating the need to remove and replace earplugs.
3Loss of information
If active earplugs are used to maintain sound quality, then hearing protection and sound fidelity are improved, but cost and power consumption increase
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts the essential sound quality preservation function from complex active electronic systems and implements it through passive acousto-mechanical means. By using adjustable physical structures rather than electronic amplification and signal processing, the device maintains sound quality without requiring power consumption.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces electronic active systems with passive acousto-mechanical systems. The adjustable channel and membrane provide sound quality control through mechanical adjustment rather than electronic processing, eliminating the need for batteries, microphones, speakers, and control circuitry.
4Object-affected harmful factors
If active earplugs are used for adaptive attenuation, then hearing protection effectiveness is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts the adaptive attenuation function from electronic control systems and implements it through simple acousto-mechanical adjustment. The device provides adaptive protection through physical adjustment of the channel and membrane rather than electronic sensing and control.
Solution Approach 2:
The adjustable acousto-mechanical portions enable the user to self-adjust the earplug to match different acoustic environments. This simple mechanical adjustment system provides adaptive attenuation without requiring complex electronic components, sensors, or power sources.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The device effectively attenuates high-intensity sounds while maintaining sound quality, reducing the need for frequent removal and replacement, and minimizing power consumption, thus improving compliance with hearing protection requirements.
Implementation Method 1
a second adjustable acousto-mechanical portion, arranged acoustically in series with the first adjustable acousto-mechanical portion, comprising an adjustable membrane
Implementation Method 2
an adjustment arrangement for simultaneously adjusting the first and second adjustable acousto-mechanical portions to alter an acoustic response of the at least one sound path
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3
Figure 4a~5
AI summary
A device for insertion into an ear canal of a mammalian subject, comprising a body, a first adjustable acousto-mechanical portion, a second adjustable acousto- mechanical portion and an adjustment arrangement (204). The body has at least one sound path (252) extending therethrough. The first adjustable acousto- mechanical portion comprises an adjustable channel (224) forming at least part of the sound path and the second adjustable acousto-mechanical portion comprises an adjustable membrane (210). The second adjustable acouto-mechanical portion is arranged acoustically in series with the first adjustable acousto-mechanical portion. The adjustment arrangement for simultaneously adjusting the first and second adjustable acousto-mechanical portions to alter an acoustic response of the at least one sound path.