Clip-On Earphone Rigid-Flexible Housing for Comfort and Support

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing clip-on earphones face a challenge in balancing comfort and support, with rigid materials providing inadequate support and flexible materials offering poor structural integrity.

Innovation Solution

A clip-on earphone design featuring a sound generation portion with a first rigid housing and a second rigid housing enclosing a first flexible member, where the flexible member covers the outer wall of the second rigid housing to reduce direct skin contact, enhancing comfort while maintaining structural support.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Strength

If a rigid material is used for the housing, then structural support is improved, but wearing comfort deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvestructural supportVSAvoidwearing comfort
Core Design Contradiction:
StrengthVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The housing is divided into two distinct parts: a rigid first housing providing structural support and a flexible second housing covering the contact portion. This segmentation allows each part to perform its specific function optimally without compromise.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Different parts of the housing have different material properties: the first housing uses rigid material for structural integrity, while the second housing uses flexible material for comfort during skin contact. This local differentiation resolves the contradiction between strength and comfort.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

2Object-affected harmful factors

If a flexible material is used for the housing, then wearing comfort is improved, but structural support deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvewearing comfortVSAvoidstructural support
Core Design Contradiction:
Object-affected harmful factorsVSStrength

Solution Approach 1:

The housing is segmented into a rigid first housing that maintains structural support and a flexible second housing that provides comfort. The flexible portion is specifically positioned only where skin contact occurs, preserving overall structural integrity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The flexible material is applied locally only to the portion of the housing that contacts the skin, while the rest of the housing maintains rigid structure. This localized application ensures comfort without compromising overall structural support.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

3Object-affected harmful factors

If the flexible member covers the entire outer wall of the rigid housing, then wearing comfort is improved, but internal space utilization deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvewearing comfortVSAvoidinternal space utilization
Core Design Contradiction:
Object-affected harmful factorsVSVolume of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The flexible second housing covers only the necessary contact portions of the first housing outer wall, rather than the entire surface. This partial coverage achieves adequate comfort while preserving internal space for acoustic components.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #16Partial or excessive action

Solution Approach 2:

The flexible material is applied selectively to specific local areas where skin contact occurs, rather than uniformly across the entire housing. This localized approach maintains comfort functionality while maximizing internal space utilization for acoustic components.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

Data Source

PatentEP4716242A1Ear-clip headphone
Publication Date: 2026.03.25 SHENZHEN SHOKZ CO LTD
  • EP4716242A1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP4716242A1 patent drawingFigure 3
  • EP4716242A1 patent drawingFigure 4~5

AI summary

The present disclosure relates to a clip-on earphone. The clip-on earphone includes a sound generation portion, an abutting portion, and an ear hook connecting the sound generation portion and the abutting portion. The abutting portion and the sound generation portion form a clamping state to clamp and wear the clip-on earphone on an auricle of a wearer. The sound generation portion includes a first housing and a sound generation assembly. The first housing includes a first rigid housing connected to the ear hook, a second rigid housing for facing a concha cavity of the wearer when worn, and a first flexible member for contacting the concha cavity of the wearer. The first rigid housing and the second rigid housing enclose to form a first accommodating cavity. The first flexible member covers an outer wall of the second rigid housing. The sound generation assembly is disposed in the first accommodating cavity. The first housing includes a sound outlet hole. A sound wave generated by the sound generation assembly is capable of propagating to the wearer through the sound outlet hole.