In-Ear Earphone Sealing Unit with Deformable Lip
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
In-ear earphones that are placed in the concha of the ear rather than the ear canal often fail to provide effective acoustic sealing due to gaps around the periphery of the earphone, leading to discomfort and reduced sound isolation.
Innovation Solution
A sealing unit with a first and second annular portion, where the inside and outside diameters of the second portion increase towards the second end, forming a flexible sealing lip that can deform to fit snugly in the concha, ensuring a secure seal and improved comfort by touching the sound output surface at an angle between 100° and 170°.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a conventional earphone design is used without a specialized sealing unit, then the device complexity is reduced and manufacturing is easier, but acoustic sealing is ineffective and gaps remain around the periphery
Solution Approach 1:
The sealing unit is divided into two distinct annular portions: a first annular portion and a second annular portion. This segmentation allows each portion to serve a specific sealing function - the first portion seals against the concha wall while the second portion seals against the ear canal opening, effectively eliminating gaps without requiring an overly complex monolithic structure
Solution Approach 2:
The second annular portion is designed with flexible material properties that allow it to deform and adapt to the contours of the ear canal opening. This flexibility enables the sealing lip to conform to irregular anatomical surfaces, creating an effective acoustic seal while maintaining a relatively simple overall device structure
2Ease of operation
If the sealing unit has a fixed rigid structure, then manufacturing precision is easier to achieve, but comfort is reduced and the seal cannot adapt to different ear shapes
Solution Approach 1:
The sealing unit incorporates dynamic characteristics through the flexible second annular portion that can deform under compression forces. When the earphone is inserted, the sealing lip naturally adapts its shape to match the unique contours of each user's ear canal, providing comfort and effective sealing without requiring precise pre-manufacturing of multiple geometries
Solution Approach 2:
The sealing unit utilizes material parameter changes - specifically, the flexible portion changes its physical state from a relaxed configuration to a compressed, deformed configuration during insertion. This parameter change allows the seal to adapt to different ear shapes while maintaining manufacturable geometric specifications for the base structure
3Reliability
If the sealing unit touches the sound output surface at a shallow angle, then the sealing lip can be thinner and more flexible, but sound isolation is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The sealing unit implements different angular configurations at different locations: the first annular portion contacts the concha wall at one angle while the second annular portion contacts the ear canal opening at a different, more perpendicular angle. This local quality differentiation ensures optimal sound isolation at the ear canal interface while maintaining flexibility and comfort where needed
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 sealing unit effectively seals the outer end of the ear canal, enhancing sound isolation and comfort, allowing for prolonged wear and easy cleaning or replacement.
Implementation Method 1
a flexible sealing lip which can be deformed in use so as to touch the sound output surface at the edge
Data Source
AI summary
An in-ear earphone including a housing having a first end for receiving a cable, and a second end which is placed in a concha of a user. Provided at the second end is a sealing unit which seals off an outer end of the ear canal in the region of the concha. The sealing unit has a first and a second end. The sealing unit further has a portion between the first and second ends, wherein both the inside diameter and also the outside diameter of the second end increase in the direction of the second end.