Bone Conduction Headset with Neck-Encircling Connector

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional bone conduction headsets face challenges in achieving tight contact with varying head sizes and shapes, leading to discomfort, pressure issues, and limited adaptability for users with abnormal head circumferences or hair, requiring separate mechanical adjustments that increase manufacturing costs and reduce portability.

Innovation Solution

A headset assembly with a U-shaped suspender and a connector that extends around the neck, providing a single band configuration with adjustable inclination and extra space to accommodate different neck sizes, eliminating the need for separate length adjustments and ensuring comfortable wear for various users.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If a conventional fixed-size headband is used, then the structure is simple and manufacturing cost is low, but it cannot accommodate users with varying head sizes and shapes

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveadaptability to varying head sizes and shapesVSAvoidstructural complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The headband is divided into multiple segments with adjustable lengths, allowing each segment to be configured according to the user's head circumference. This segmentation enables the headband to adapt to different head sizes while maintaining a relatively simple overall structure.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The headband incorporates dynamic adjustment mechanisms that allow the length and configuration to be changed based on user needs. This dynamic capability enables a single headband design to serve multiple head sizes without requiring multiple fixed-size variants.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

2Adaptability or versatility

If separate mechanical adjustment mechanisms are added, then adaptability to different head sizes is improved, but manufacturing costs increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveadaptability to different head circumferencesVSAvoidmanufacturing cost

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The headband design incorporates universal adjustment mechanisms that can accommodate a wide range of head circumferences using a single design. This multi-functionality reduces the need for multiple product variants, thereby lowering manufacturing costs while maintaining high adaptability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

3Reliability

If the headband is made tighter to ensure contact, then sound transmission quality is improved, but user comfort deteriorates due to pressure and discomfort

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesound transmission qualityVSAvoidpressure and discomfort to user

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The headband allows adjustment of physical parameters such as length and tension to optimize both sound transmission quality and user comfort. By changing these parameters, the system can achieve reliable contact for sound transmission while avoiding excessive pressure that would cause discomfort.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

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 universal compatibility with minimal manufacturing costs, reducing pressure and discomfort, and enabling simultaneous sound listening and TENS therapy, suitable for users with diverse head shapes and sizes, including those with long hair.

Implementation Method 1

The bone conduction unit transforms an electric signal of input sound into mechanical vibration and outputs the mechanical vibration, so that the mechanical vibration is conducted through the skin and bone of the human skull

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectElectromagnetic induction: Electromagnetic Induction

Implementation Method 2

the technology of bone conduction to enable sound listening has been widely adopted. The technology of bone conduction is a technology using the physical property (i.e., the vibration conductivity) of a skull to transfer sound to the cochlea and then to the brain through the auditory nerve

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectBone conduction: Vibration

Implementation Method 3

a headset assembly may be configured to include a bone conduction unit having a conductive vibration plate serving as a conductive electrode or a separate electrode member together with a bone conduction unit having a non-conductive vibration plate

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectElectrical conduction: Conduction (electrical)

Data Source

PatentUS11825258B2Headset assembly using bone conduction

Publication Date: 2023.11.21 MOBIFREN CO LTD

AI summary

A bone conduction-using headset: a pair of main bodies (200), a pair of unit bodies (220); a pair of suspenders (210), each of the suspenders having a shape of letter “U”;and a connector (240) connected to the main bodies (200) wherein: each of the main bodies extends downward at a rear side R of the ear E of the user P, has a length longer in a longitudinal direction thereof than in a transverse direction thereof; the connector (240) is connected to and extends from ends of the main bodies (200) toward a rear side of a neck N of the user P at a wearing inclination angle a with respect to a longitudinal axis C of the main body (200); and an inner circumference part R of the connector (240) is located around the rear side of the neck N of the user P.