Adjustable Ear-Canal Speaker Transducer for Fit and Noise Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional over-the-ear headsets often fail to provide an optimal fit for various ear anatomies, leading to inconsistent sound quality and comfort issues, as they lack adjustable features to accommodate individual ear shapes and needs.
Innovation Solution
The electroacoustic device features a speaker transducer with adjustable positions and orientations, including vertical, forward-backward, and rotational adjustments, along with a resilient element, allowing for customizable fit and reduced sound output for improved noise exclusion and echo reduction, enabling use with both ears and in various environments.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If the headset structure is made simple and fixed, then the device complexity is reduced and ease of manufacture is improved, but the adaptability to different ear anatomies deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies the dynamics principle by making the speaker transducer position adjustable through a movable joint mechanism. The joint allows the transducer to move between multiple positions (e.g., closer to or farther from the ear canal entrance) enabling adaptation to different ear anatomies while maintaining a relatively simple overall headset structure. This resolves the contradiction by introducing controlled adjustability without complex reconfiguration mechanisms.
2Object-generated harmful factors
If the speaker transducer is positioned farther from the ear canal entrance, then the sound output to the environment is reduced and privacy is improved, but the sound quality and noise exclusion deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent enables dynamic positioning of the speaker transducer along the ear canal axis. Users can adjust the transducer position to be closer to the ear canal entrance when noise exclusion is prioritized, or farther when privacy and reduced sound leakage are prioritized. This dynamic adjustment capability allows optimization of the trade-off between sound quality and privacy for different usage scenarios.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the positional parameter of the speaker transducer relative to the ear canal entrance. By allowing variation in this critical parameter, the system can optimize both sound quality (when closer) and privacy/sound leakage (when farther), resolving the contradiction through parameter optimization rather than fixed design.
3Reliability
If the speaker transducer is brought very close to the ear canal entrance, then the sound quality is improved and noise exclusion is enhanced, but the sound output to the environment increases and privacy deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The movable joint mechanism allows the speaker transducer to be dynamically positioned close to the ear canal entrance for optimal sound quality and noise exclusion during listening. The same mechanism enables repositioning to farther distances when privacy is needed, preventing sound leakage to the environment. This dynamic positioning resolves the contradiction by allowing the system to adapt to different user needs.
4Adaptability or versatility
If complex adjustment mechanisms are added to adapt to ear anatomy, then the adaptability to different users is improved, but the ease of operation and device simplicity deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements adjustability through a simple movable joint mechanism that allows users to reposition the speaker transducer with minimal effort. The joint provides discrete positioning options that can be easily accessed and adjusted, avoiding complex mechanical systems while still enabling adaptation to different ear anatomies. This maintains ease of operation while achieving the desired adaptability.
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 ensures a comfortable, adaptable fit for diverse ear shapes, enhances sound quality, reduces noise leakage, and allows for intuitive operation, providing better sound isolation and environmental awareness.
Implementation Method 1
The electroacoustic device could further comprise a resilient element which biases the speaker transducer towards a preferred position. For example, the speaker could be biased forwards, thereby pushing the speaker transducer against the user's ear canal.
Data Source
Figure 1~6
AI summary
An electroacoustic device (30;50;60) comprising a rear body portion (12) containing electronic circuits, being so dimensioned and shaped as to be carried by a human user behind the user's ear and having an upper end portion (32), a frontal body portion (31) with an upper end portion (34) connected to the upper end portion (32) of the rear body portion (12), and an electroacoustic speaker transducer (10) connected to the frontal body portion (31) and arrangeable in a sound transmitting relationship to the user's ear canal when the device is carried by the human user. The speaker transducer (10) is furthermore rotatable about an axis (35) which is arranged on a plane which is essentially parallel to the side of the head of the user when the device is carried by the human user. In this way an electroacoustic device is provided which is very easy and intuitive to use.