Ear Hook Sound Device With Conduction Tubes

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing earphones block ear canals, making it inconvenient for users to communicate or hear external danger signals, and bone conduction headsets often have poor sound quality and discomfort due to clamping force.

Innovation Solution

An ear hook personal sound device with a housing, speaker, and conduction tubes that allow sound waves to be conducted through the air without blocking the ear canal, using a front conduction tube with an inclined opening and a rear conduction tube to bypass the ear, ensuring unobstructed hearing and excellent sound quality.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If earphones block ear canals to provide good sound quality and sound privacy, then sound quality and privacy are improved, but the ability to hear external sounds is blocked causing inconvenience and safety issues

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesound qualityVSAvoidability to hear external sounds

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The sound delivery system is segmented into multiple independent paths: an open ear canal path for ambient sounds and a sealed conduction tube path for music playback. This segmentation allows simultaneous achievement of both sound quality and ambient awareness without mutual interference.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Different regions of the ear are treated with different acoustic qualities: the ear canal opening remains open to ambient air for hearing external sounds, while a sealed conduction tube delivers high-quality sound directly to the eardrum. Each region optimizes its local function without compromising the other.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

2Ease of operation

If bone conduction headset applies clamping force to transmit sound through bone, then sound transmission is achieved without blocking ear canal, but discomfort and skin oppression occur during long-term wearing

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveambient sound awarenessVSAvoidskin discomfort

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The mechanical bone conduction system is replaced with an air conduction system using sealed conduction tubes. Sound waves are transmitted through air in the tube rather than through bone vibration, eliminating the need for clamping force while maintaining sound transmission effectiveness.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Solution Approach 2:

A sealed conduction tube acts as an intermediary medium between the speaker and the ear canal. The tube transmits sound waves through air to the eardrum, serving as a mediator that eliminates direct mechanical contact with the skin while still achieving effective sound delivery.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Reliability

If conduction tube length and cross-sectional area are optimized for sound quality, then frequency response is improved, but device structure becomes more complex

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvefrequency responseVSAvoidconduction tube structure

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The conduction tube dimensions are optimized by adjusting key parameters: length is set to 30-50mm and cross-sectional area to 3-6mm². These parameter changes achieve optimal frequency response characteristics while maintaining manufacturing feasibility and avoiding excessive structural complexity.

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 device allows users to hear ambient sounds without blocking their ear canal, providing excellent sound quality and portability, rich bass, and improved low-frequency effects without the need for clamping force, thus enhancing user convenience and safety.

Implementation Method 1

a distance for a sound wave radiated by the speaker to be conducted through the front conduction tube to an opening of an ear canal is d

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectSound wave conduction through air: Sound

Implementation Method 2

an orifice of the front conduction tube is provided with an inclined opening bent inwardly, with an angle θ of the opening satisfying a condition of −60°

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectAcoustic directionality: Reflection

Implementation Method 3

after a sound wave radiated by the other surface of the speaker is conducted to a back of an ear through the rear conduction tube

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectSound wave conduction: Sound

Data Source

PatentUS12317026B2Ear hook personal sound device

Publication Date: 2025.05.27 SHENZHEN LONGWEI TECH CO LTD

AI summary

An ear hook personal sound device is disclosed, including a housing, a speaker and a front conduction tube. One surface of the speaker is connected and sealed with the front conduction tube, a radiation port is formed on the speaker, and a distance for a sound wave radiated by the speaker to be conducted through the front conduction tube to an opening of an ear canal is less than 10 mm. The other surface of the speaker is hermetically connected with a rear conduction tube, a sound wave radiated by the other surface of the speaker is conducted to a back of an ear through the rear conduction tube, and a shortest conduction distance for a sound wave at an orifice of the rear conduction tube to be conducted to the opening of the ear canal is no less than 40 mm.