Earpiece Venting and Flexible Support for Stable Ear Canal Sealing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing earpieces face issues with separation from audio-signal output devices due to negative pressure in the ear canal, difficulty in conforming to non-symmetric ear canal shapes, and compromised comfort and stability during use, leading to poor sound quality and visibility of the stiffness-supporting member.
Innovation Solution
The earpiece design incorporates a stiffer axial member than the umbrella member, with an air-releasing hole or recess in the stiffness-supporting member, and an easily bendable part between the members to adjust stiffness, allowing the earpiece to conform to ear canal shapes and maintain tight closure.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If the umbrella member and stiffness-supporting member are made from the same material, then the manufacturing process is simplified, but the earpiece cannot balance stable tight-closing performance and comfort performance
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies different materials to different components (umbrella member and stiffness-supporting member) to achieve locally optimized properties. The umbrella member uses a material providing flexibility and comfort, while the stiffness-supporting member uses a material providing structural rigidity, allowing each part to perform its specific function optimally.
Solution Approach 2:
The earpiece employs composite material construction by combining at least two different materials with complementary properties. This allows the structure to integrate both flexible and rigid characteristics, achieving a balance between comfort during insertion and stable tight-closing performance during use.
2Stability of the object's composition
If the clearance between umbrella member and stiffness-supporting member is closed, then structural stability is improved, but trapped air generates pressure that prevents umbrella member deformation
Solution Approach 1:
The stiffness-supporting member incorporates an air-releasing hole that creates a porous pathway for air escape. This allows the structure to maintain closed clearance for stability while providing a controlled air release mechanism that prevents trapped air pressure from blocking umbrella member deformation.
Solution Approach 2:
The air-releasing hole acts as an intermediary element between the closed clearance and the external environment. It mediates the air pressure buildup by providing a controlled escape route, allowing the system to benefit from both closed clearance stability and open air circulation for deformation.
3Ease of manufacture
If the earpiece has symmetric round shape, then manufacturing is easier, but it cannot conform to non-symmetric ear canal shape
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transitions from a symmetric round shape to an asymmetric configuration where the axial member and umbrella member are positioned at specific angles relative to each other. This asymmetric design allows the earpiece to conform to the non-symmetric curvature of the ear canal while maintaining manufacturability through controlled geometric relationships.
Solution Approach 2:
The earpiece incorporates flexible elements that allow dynamic adaptation to the ear canal shape. The flexible material and articulated joints enable the rigid asymmetric framework to bend and conform to the curved, non-symmetric ear canal geometry during insertion and use.
4Volume of moving object
If the stiffness-supporting member is made smaller to reduce bulk, then visibility and recognition are improved, but its stiffness-supporting function is compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The stiffness-supporting member is colored differently from the umbrella member to enhance visibility and recognition. This color differentiation allows users to easily identify the stiffness-supporting member's position and function, improving user awareness without increasing the member's physical size or compromising its structural role.
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
Improves contact stability between the audio-signal output device and earpiece, enhances tight-closing performance, increases comfort, and ensures easy recognition of the stiffness-supporting member, thereby maintaining sound quality and ease of use over extended periods.
Implementation Method 1
the air in the ear canal 33 between the umbrella member 2 and an ear drum 35 becomes negative pressure such that a reaction force 50 against the action force 49 can be generated
Implementation Method 2
By making the material of axial member 1 stiffer than the material of umbrella member 2, the contact force 51 between the audio-signal output device 13 and the earpiece becomes improved
Implementation Method 3
an easily-bendable part, which is made from an easily-bendable material at a range 54, is disposed
Implementation Method 4
the umbrella member 2 forms a concave deformation 42 by receiving the pressure 41 from the inner wall of ear canal
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention provides an earpiece having a comfort performance and a tight-closing performance. By disposing an air-releasing hole 47 or an air-releasing recess 48 to a stiffness-supporting member 6, a gas 44 within a range surrounded by an axis member 1, an umbrella member 2, and a stiffness-supporting member 6 are always opened to avoid occurrence of a concave deformation 42 and to avoid degradation of a deformation following-up performance of the umbrella member 2. By making the umbrella member 2, the axis member 1, and the stiffness-supporting member 6 are formed from different materials, the comfort performance, the tight-closing performance and contacting force with the audio-signal output device 13 can be improved when wearing the earpiece. By disposing an indent or a material range being easily deformed to the axis member between the umbrella member 2 and the stiffness-supporting member 6, the earpiece, of which axis center 55 and the axis center 56 can be deformed to a position forming an obtuse angle, is provided so as to be inserted easily into an ear canal 33 having a complex shape. By making colors of the umbrella member 2 and the stiffness-supporting member 6 different, the stiffness-supporting member 6 can become easily recognized.