Earphone Cylindrical Casing Vibration Transmission
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Solution Overview
Problem
Bone-conduction earphones suffer from inadequate sound localization and high sound leakage due to inefficient vibration transmission to the ear canal cartilage and ambient air transmission.
Innovation Solution
A cylindrical casing with a first vibration plate and supporting member, along with a second vibration plate for air conduction, is designed to transmit vibrations effectively to the ear canal cartilage while minimizing sound leakage through a damping mechanism and orthogonal vibration configurations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the vibration device is used without a cylindrical casing, then the structure is simple, but the vibration transmission to ear canal cartilage is insufficient and sound leakage occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The cylindrical casing acts as an intermediary component between the vibration device and the ear canal cartilage. It provides a stable contact surface that efficiently transmits vibrations while the damping mechanism inside the casing prevents sound leakage to the ambient environment.
2Ease of manufacture
If the vibration device transmits sound to ambient air, then sound leakage occurs, but the structure does not require sealing
Solution Approach 1:
The damping mechanism, which could be seen as an additional component increasing complexity, actually converts the potential harm of sound leakage into a beneficial feature by absorbing excess vibrations and directing them away from the ambient environment, thereby improving sound quality and reducing noise pollution.
3Reliability
If high frequency vibration is transmitted through a mass object, then vibration transmission is difficult, but compression waves in air are not utilized
Solution Approach 1:
The invention utilizes air (gas) as a transmission medium by creating compression waves within the sealed casing. This pneumatic approach allows efficient high frequency vibration transmission, as gas molecules can respond more readily to high frequency excitations compared to solid mass objects.
4Ease of operation
If sound is transmitted without sealing the ear canal, then ambient sounds are recognizable, but sound localization is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The invention segments the sound transmission paths by using separate vibration devices for each ear, with each device independently transmitting sounds to the respective ear canal cartilage. This segmentation enables accurate sound localization while maintaining ambient sound awareness, as each ear receives directional information from its corresponding vibration source.
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 design achieves high sound quality with improved sound localization and reduced sound leakage by efficiently transmitting vibrations to the ear canal cartilage and air, maintaining sound pressure across both low and high frequencies.
Implementation Method 1
a first vibration plate (31) for vibration by a first piezoelectric element (32)
Implementation Method 2
transmitting to an ear canal cartilage (6) the vibration of the first vibration plate (31)
Implementation Method 3
vibration transmission damping mechanism (51) disposed between the casing (2) and the earphone main body (5)
Data Source
AI summary
An earphone (1) is provided that includes a first vibration plate (31) for vibration by a first piezoelectric element (32) and a cylindrically-shaped casing (2) for transmission of the vibration of the first vibration plate (31) to ear canal cartilage. The first vibration plate (31) is disposed inside the casing (2). The earphone (1) has a structure whereby an amount of sound leakage, which is due to transmission of the vibration of the first vibration plate (31) to the air, is low. The ear canal cartilage transmits sound to the eardrum of only one ear, thereby enabling localization of sound. The woofer (3) maintains sound pressure at low frequencies.