Articulating Bone Conduction Transducer for Skull Adaptation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing acoustic headsets for infantrymen face challenges in achieving optimal contact between bone mechanical excitation transducers and the temporal bones of the skull due to the varied shape of human skulls, leading to suboptimal hearing quality and discomfort.
Innovation Solution
The acoustic headset design features articulating bone mechanical excitation transducers with a rotating joint and a return spring mechanism, allowing for adjustable positioning to maximize contact with the temporal bones, combined with adjustable hoops for ergonomic fit, ensuring a larger contact surface and improved comfort.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the transducer is fixed immobily in the module, then the module structure is simple, but the contact surface with the temporal bone is small leading to degraded hearing quality
Solution Approach 1:
The transducer is made movable relative to the support plate through an articulation joint, allowing it to dynamically adjust its position and orientation. This dynamic capability enables the transducer to adapt to variations in skull shape and achieve optimal contact surface area, thereby improving hearing quality without requiring a complex custom-fit system for each user.
Solution Approach 2:
The articulation joint allows the transducer to change its spatial parameters (position and angle) relative to the support plate. By enabling these parameter changes, the system can optimize the contact between the transducer and the temporal bone, improving sound transmission efficiency while maintaining a standardized module design.
2Area of stationary object
If the transducer is made movable with articulation, then the contact surface with temporal bone increases, but the module complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
A simple articulation joint is introduced to enable the transducer to move relative to the support plate. This dynamic element allows the transducer to adjust its position to maximize contact with the temporal bone, increasing the effective contact surface area while adding minimal structural complexity compared to fully adjustable mechanisms.
Solution Approach 2:
The module is segmented into distinct components: the support plate, the articulation joint, and the transducer. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized independently and assembled together, achieving improved contact surface area through the articulation mechanism while maintaining manufacturing simplicity and modular design benefits.
3Adaptability or versatility
If a fixed ergonomic shape is used, then the module design is simple, but it cannot accommodate varied skull shapes resulting in poor contact
Solution Approach 1:
The articulation joint provides a simple dynamic adjustment mechanism that enables the transducer to adapt to varied skull shapes. This dynamic capability allows the same standardized module to accommodate individual differences in skull anatomy, improving adaptability without requiring complex adjustable positioning systems or custom-molded components for each user.
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
This design enhances sound transmission by the auditory nerve through bone conduction, providing better hearing quality and comfortable wear by ensuring a larger contact surface between the transducers and the skull, accommodating individual skull shapes.
Implementation Method 1
capable of transmitting the sound signal to the auditory nerve by bone conduction
Implementation Method 2
A spring (28), visible on the figure 3 and 4, equips each articulation and is capable of ensuring a return in rotation around the articulation axis (24, 26), of the transducer (20, 22) with respect to the plate (16, 18) towards a rest position.
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
AI summary
This audio headset (2) comprises: two lateral audio modules (4, 6) comprising a mechanical bone excitation transducer (20, 22) capable of transmitting the sound signal to the auditory nerve by bone conduction, a flexible top bow (8), and a rigid rear bow (10), connecting the audio modules (4, 6). Each audio module (4, 6) comprises: a plate (16, 8) for lateral contact with the sides of the cranium, a hinge (24, 26) between the contact plate (16, 18) and the transducer (20, 22), and a return spring for pivoting the transducer (20, 22) back around the hinge axis (24, 26) relative to the plate (16, 18), towards a rest position.