Cylindrical Acoustic Transducer Preventing Sound Reflection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Traditional earphones cause a feeling of foreign materials due to their weight and volume, and they often result in sound localization phenomena due to sound reflections, which affect the quality of sound reproduction.
Innovation Solution
A compact, lightweight acoustic transducer with a cylindrical, sheet-shaped flexible device that expands and contracts radially in response to electric signals, functioning as both a sound emitter and collector, and is designed to match the inner diameter of the ear canal to prevent sound reflections.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Weight of moving object
If traditional earphone housing and speaker unit are used, then sound can be generated and transmitted to the ear canal, but the weight and volume cause a feeling of foreign materials to remain
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the housing and speaker unit into a single integrated structure where the housing itself serves as the acoustic transmission path. This merging eliminates separate components, reducing overall weight and volume while maintaining sound transmission functionality through the ear canal.
Solution Approach 2:
The housing is designed to serve multiple functions: it acts as both the structural housing and the acoustic tube for sound transmission. This multi-functionality reduces the need for additional separate components, thereby reducing weight and volume while maintaining all necessary functions.
2Reliability
If traditional earphone housing covers the ear canal entrance, then sound can be transmitted to the eardrum, but sound reflections occur causing localization phenomenon and auditory pressure
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the harmful reflective surface (the traditional housing covering the ear canal entrance) and replaces it with an open structure. The housing does not cover the ear canal entrance, eliminating the reflective surface that causes sound reflections and localization phenomena while maintaining sound transmission through the ear canal.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of using a closed housing structure that reflects sound back into the ear canal, the patent inverts the approach by using an open structure that allows sound to pass through without reflection. The housing supports the speaker unit but does not enclose the ear canal entrance, reversing the traditional design paradigm.
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 provides a compact, lightweight acoustic transducer that directly delivers sound to the eardrum without foreign material sensation and prevents sound reflections, enhancing sound quality by eliminating localization phenomena.
Implementation Method 1
a sheet-shaped flexible device having an expanding and contracting action according to an electric signal, wherein metal layers are disposed on both surfaces of the sheet-shaped flexible device, wherein, when the electric signal is applied between the metal layers, the area of the sheet-shaped flexible device is enlarged or reduced according to a polarity of the electric signal
Implementation Method 2
an acoustic transducer which is fitted into an ear of a listener and converts an electric signal into a sound wave or converts a sound wave into an electric signal
Data Source
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AI summary
Provided is an acoustic transducer which is used by being fitted into an ear of a listener, is formed in a compact and lightweight shape, and preferably prevents re-reflection of a sound wave. An acoustic transducer 100 is formed of a film-shaped material having an expanding and contracting action and includes a cylindrical acoustic transducing element 101. The cylindrical acoustic transducing element 101 also functions as a sound guide tube. The acoustic transducing element 101 prevents re-reflection of the sound wave reflected by an eardrum when the sound wave has been generated and prevents localization phenomenon and a feeling of pressure in auditory sense. Also, since the acoustic transducing element 101 is formed in a compact and lightweight shape, the acoustic transducing element 101 generates the sound wave for directly reaching the eardrum or collects the sound at a place near the eardrum without a feeling of foreign materials in a case where a person wears the acoustic transducing element 101 the an ear.