Bluetooth Headset Ear Unit with Sound Attenuator and Tapered Housing

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional ear loud speakers for Bluetooth devices poorly isolate ambient sound, posing safety risks and disrupting communication, and the connection mechanism can be difficult to assemble due to its cylindrical design.

Innovation Solution

A headset with a detachable ear unit and a microphone equipped with a sound attenuator, featuring a loud speaker housing with a decreasing diameter for easier insertion and improved sound isolation, along with a selector unit to control ambient sound reception during calls, and an ear unit designed for tight fit within the auditory canal with shape-conformed fixation and elastic flanges for enhanced sealing.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Object-affected harmful factors

If the ear unit is made to seal off ambient sound, then sound isolation is improved, but access to important ambient information deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveambient sound isolationVSAvoidambient sound information
Core Design Contradiction:
Object-affected harmful factorsVSLoss of information

Solution Approach 1:

The system segments sound handling into two paths: ambient sound is captured separately by a dedicated microphone positioned away from the ear unit, while music/speech plays through the ear unit. This allows ambient sound information to be processed independently without compromising the sealing effectiveness of the ear unit.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

A separate ambient sound microphone acts as an intermediary to capture ambient information that would otherwise be blocked by the sealed ear unit. This intermediary component provides ambient sound access without requiring the ear unit to be unsealed.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Measurement precision

If the microphone for ambient sound is positioned near the ear unit, then ambient sound capture is improved, but the ear unit sealing effectiveness deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveambient sound captureVSAvoidsound leakage
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The system uses separate microphones for different functions: an ear canal microphone for music/speech and a separate ambient sound microphone positioned away from the ear unit. This segmentation allows ambient sound capture without compromising the sealing integrity of the ear unit.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

3Ease of manufacture

If the connection means uses a cylindrical design, then manufacturing is simplified, but assembly difficulty increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveconnection means fabricationVSAvoidassembly process
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of manufactureVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The connection means incorporates a conical (tapered) geometry instead of a simple cylindrical design. The tapered shape guides the loud speaker housing into proper alignment during assembly and provides self-centering, making assembly easier while remaining manufacturable.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #14Spheroidality (Curvature)

4Object-affected harmful factors

If the ear unit is forced tightly against the auditory canal, then sound isolation is improved, but comfort and ease of insertion deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesound isolationVSAvoidinsertion comfort
Core Design Contradiction:
Object-affected harmful factorsVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The ear unit incorporates an elastic flange that can deform elastically during insertion to accommodate the auditory canal shape, then maintains sealing pressure against the canal wall. This elastic deformation provides both comfortable insertion and effective sound isolation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #14Spheroidality (Curvature)

Solution Approach 2:

The ear unit uses an elastic flange made of flexible material that can deform to fit the user's ear canal shape, providing both comfort during insertion and effective sealing against ambient sound once in position.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #30Flexible shells and thin films

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 solution allows for effective shielding of ambient noise, enabling safer communication and access to important sounds like traffic signals without removing the ear unit, while simplifying the assembly process and improving sound attenuation.

Implementation Method 1

the microphone is provided with a sound attenuator and wherein the connection means is formed by a loud speaker housing

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectSound attenuation: Absorption (physical)

Implementation Method 2

ear unit adapted to be inserted into the auditory canal of the ear for sound tight abutment against the auditory canal

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectAcoustic sealing: Physical Containment

Data Source

PatentEP2926536B1Bluetooth headset and ear unit
Publication Date: 2016.12.28 FRANZEN BO
  • EP2926536B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2926536B1 patent drawingFigure 2~5

AI summary

The present invention refers to a headset with a Bluetooth device comprising an ear loud speaker (3) with connection means (4) for connection to a detachable ear unit (5, 5a, 5b). The Bluetooth device is equipped with an extra microphone (14) for receiving ambient sound, the microphone is provided with a sound attenuator (15). The invention also refers to an ear unit (5) for an ear loud speaker (3) of a Blue- tooth device. The ear unit (5) being adapted to be fixed onto the ear loud speaker (3) and to be inserted in the user's ear. According to the invention the ear unit (5) is made to be inserted in the auditory canal of the ear and to abut tightly against the auditory canal. The ear unit (5) has a through bore (6) which, when the ear unit (5) is inserted into the auditory canal, extends in the length direction of the auditory canal. The bore (6) is equipped with handle means (1 1, 13) for shape conformed fixation to the ear loud speaker (3).