Earphone Bush Structure Preventing Cable Disconnection

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Solution Overview

Problem

The existing bush structures in semi-wireless earphones, particularly those with a convex shape, are prone to cable disconnection when the earphone is stored, as they apply excessive load and bend the cable at acute angles, leading to potential damage and reduced design flexibility.

Innovation Solution

A bush structure with a mortar-shaped through hole that gradually increases in diameter and a retaining part made of harder material, distributing the load and preventing disconnection, while allowing for a concave design that enhances flexibility and design freedom.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Stability of the object's composition

If the cable is wound around the remote part, then the earphone can be stored compactly, but the cable is bent at acute angles causing disconnection

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecable connection stabilityVSAvoidcable bending damage

Core Design Contradiction:

Stability of the object's compositionVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The bush body is designed with a convex curved surface that guides the cable to exit at a gentle angle rather than sharply. This curvature redistributes the bending stress along a longer path, preventing acute angle bending and reducing the risk of cable disconnection while allowing compact storage

Inventive Principle:

Principle #14Spheroidality (Curvature)

2Strength

If the bush body is made stiff to maintain shape, then the structural integrity is improved, but the cable is more likely to bend at acute angles

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvebush body strengthVSAvoidcable bending

Core Design Contradiction:

StrengthVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The bush body combines a stiff main body for structural integrity with a locally optimized convex curved surface at the cable exit. This localized curvature feature gently guides the cable without requiring the entire bush body to be flexible, maintaining overall strength while preventing cable bending damage

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

3Object-affected harmful factors

If the bush body is made flexible to prevent cable bending, then cable protection is improved, but the peripheral structure is easily damaged

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecable bending protectionVSAvoidbush body strength

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-affected harmful factorsVSStrength

Solution Approach 1:

Only the cable exit region features a convex curved surface for gentle cable guidance, while the main bush body remains stiff to protect the peripheral structure. This localized flexibility approach provides cable protection without compromising the overall structural strength

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

4Object-affected harmful factors

If a bellows structure is used to allow flexible bending, then cable bending is prevented, but the size increases and design freedom is reduced

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecable bending protectionVSAvoidbush body size

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-affected harmful factorsVSVolume of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

A simple convex curved surface replaces the complex bellows structure, achieving cable protection through a smooth rounded geometry. This approach provides the necessary flexibility to prevent acute angle bending while maintaining a compact size and preserving design freedom for the remote part

Inventive Principle:

Principle #14Spheroidality (Curvature)

Data Source

PatentUS11404184B2Bush structure

Publication Date: 2022.08.02 AUDIO TECHNICA CORP

AI summary

For example, in an earphone in which left and right earphone units are connected by a cable and a remote part or a battery part is interposed on the cable, a bush structure is provided to a part where the cable is led out of the remote part and the like and suppresses the occurrence of disconnection in the vicinity of the lead-out part. The bush structure is provided to a lead-out part 5a of a cable 4 and includes a bush body 2 provided to the lead-out part and formed with a first through hole 2a2 where the cable is inserted. The first through hole gradually increases in diameter toward a lead-out direction of the cable.