Dynamic Membrane Venting Device for Wearable Audio Occlusion Noise
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Solution Overview
Problem
Traditional wearable sound devices experience an occlusion effect due to the sealed ear canal, leading to loud perceived sound pressure and a significant drop in sound pressure level (SPL) in lower frequencies, making it difficult to maintain both small size and strong bass output while suppressing occlusion noise.
Innovation Solution
A venting device with a membrane anchored on an anchor structure, featuring a zigzagging slit pattern that forms multiple vents, allowing for adjustable airflow between the ear canal and ambient air to balance pressure and reduce acoustic resistance, thereby suppressing occlusion noise without increasing device size or weight.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If an airflow channel is provided to release pressure and suppress occlusion effect, then occlusion noise is reduced, but sound pressure level in lower frequency drops significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a movable membrane that can dynamically adjust the vent opening size based on pressure differential. When occlusion pressure builds up, the membrane displaces to open the vent, releasing pressure. When pressure equalizes, the membrane returns to close the vent, preserving bass response. This dynamic adjustment resolves the contradiction between occlusion suppression and bass performance.
Solution Approach 2:
The vent opening area is changed as a variable parameter rather than being fixed. The membrane's displacement changes the vent opening area dynamically in response to pressure conditions, allowing the system to optimize between occlusion suppression (larger opening) and bass response (smaller opening) based on real-time needs.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If a fixed vent with larger size is used to suppress occlusion effect, then occlusion noise is reduced, but device size and weight increase
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of a fixed large vent, the patent uses a small vent with a movable membrane that dynamically opens to a larger effective area when needed. This maintains compact device size while providing sufficient venting capability when occlusion pressure occurs, avoiding the need for a permanently large opening that would increase device size and weight.
Solution Approach 2:
The membrane structure is integrated within the existing device housing and speaker assembly, nesting the venting mechanism within the compact earbud form factor. This allows the venting function to be added without proportionally increasing overall device size.
3Illumination intensity
If a stronger speaker driver is used to compensate for SPL loss, then bass output is maintained, but device size and weight increase
Solution Approach 1:
The dynamic venting system allows the sealed chamber to maintain high bass pressure when needed by closing the vent, eliminating the need for an oversized speaker driver. The membrane's ability to seal the chamber when pressure equalizes preserves bass response, allowing the use of a compact speaker driver rather than a larger 135 dB driver.
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 venting device effectively reduces occlusion noise by balancing pressure and maintaining high sound quality across the audio frequency range, allowing for a compact and lightweight wearable sound device with enhanced bass performance.
Implementation Method 1
the membrane is movable from a first position in response to a pressure differential between the first volume and the second volume
Implementation Method 2
the pressure caused by the occlusion effect can be released from this airflow channel to suppress the occlusion effect
Data Source
AI summary
A venting device includes an anchor structure and a membrane. The membrane is anchored on the anchor structure and configured to form a first vent and a second vent. The membrane includes a first flap, a second flap and a third flap. The membrane partitions a space into a first volume and a second volume, and the first volume and the second volume are connected when the first vent and the second vent are formed. The first flap is actuated to move toward a first direction and the second flap is actuated to move toward a second direction opposite to the first direction, so as to form the first vent. The first flap is actuated to move toward the first direction and the third flap is actuated to move toward the second direction opposite to the first direction, so as to form the second vent.