Compact Acoustic Device With Rotatable Resonance Tuning

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing acoustic devices lack compact designs with adaptable frequency control, often requiring battery power and complex mechanisms for adjusting resonance cavities.

Innovation Solution

An acoustic device with an enclosed resonance cavity within a housing, adjustable via an external mechanism, allowing manual or battery-free control of resonance frequency without altering the device's overall size, using a rotatable part to vary the cavity's size along a circular trajectory.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If the resonance cavity is made adjustable to control frequency, then the adaptability of the device is improved, but the device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvefrequency control adaptabilityVSAvoidadjustment mechanism complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The resonance cavity is made dynamically adjustable through a rotatable part that changes the cavity's size along a circular trajectory. This dynamic adjustment allows the resonance frequency to be tuned without requiring complex electronic controls or batteries, resolving the contradiction by achieving adaptability through simple mechanical means.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The adjustment mechanism is designed to be manually operated by the user without requiring external power sources or complex control systems. The rotatable part can be turned by hand to adjust the resonance cavity size, making the device self-sufficient and eliminating the need for batteries or electronic controls.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

2Measurement precision

If the resonance cavity size is varied to tune frequency, then the frequency control precision is improved, but the overall device size changes

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveresonance frequency precisionVSAvoiddevice overall size
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSVolume of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The resonance cavity is nested within the housing structure, and the rotatable part is positioned such that it adjusts the cavity size along a circular trajectory inside the housing. This nesting allows the cavity volume to be varied for precise frequency tuning while the overall device size remains constrained by the fixed housing dimensions.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #7Nested doll (Nesting)

Solution Approach 2:

The adjustment mechanism utilizes a circular trajectory in a different spatial dimension, allowing the resonance cavity size to be changed along a curved path rather than linearly. This dimensional approach enables frequency tuning while maintaining a compact overall device footprint.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

3Adaptability or versatility

If an adjustable piston is used to change resonance cavity size, then the frequency adaptability is improved, but the device becomes less compact

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvefrequency adjustment rangeVSAvoiddevice compactness
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSVolume of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

Instead of using a linear piston that extends and retracts, the invention employs a rotatable part that adjusts the resonance cavity size along a circular trajectory. This dynamic circular adjustment achieves the same frequency adaptability while maintaining a more compact device geometry, as the adjustment occurs within a bounded circular path rather than requiring linear extension.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

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

Enables precise tuning of acoustic resonance peaks or dips within the human audible spectrum, enhancing or attenuating specific frequencies effectively, while maintaining a compact form factor and eliminating the need for batteries.

Implementation Method 1

The resonance cavity is in acoustic communication with the sound channel. This may cause an acoustic resonance in a frequency transmission spectrum of sound passing through the sound channel

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectAcoustic resonance: Resonance

Data Source

PatentEP4618589A1Compact acoustic device with adaptable frequency control
Publication Date: 2025.09.17 SONOVA AG
  • EP4618589A1 patent drawingFigure 1A~1B
  • EP4618589A1 patent drawingFigure 1C~1D
  • EP4618589A1 patent drawingFigure 2A~2C

AI summary

An acoustic device (100) and method of using such device. A sound channel (11) extends through a housing (10) of the acoustic device (100) between a sound inlet (11i) and a sound outlet (11o). The sound inlet (11i) is configured to receive sound input (Si) from an external environment (Ex). The sound outlet (11o) is configured to deliver sound output (So) that has passed through the sound channel (11) to an ear canal (Ec). A resonance cavity (C) is enclosed within the housing (10) and in acoustic communication with the sound channel (11) for causing an acoustic resonance (A) in a frequency transmission spectrum (So/Si) of sound passing through the sound channel (11). An adjustment mechanism (12) is configured to adjust a size (L1,L2) of the resonance cavity (C) for controlling a frequency (F) of the acoustic resonance (A) in the frequency transmission spectrum (So/Si).