Flexible Connecting Member for Compact Headphone Storage
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional headphones with rigid hoop structures are bulky and cumbersome for portable use, and when collapsed, they do not achieve a compact size due to the rigid material, leading to inefficiencies in storage and potential loosening of fulcrum portions over time.
Innovation Solution
A headphone device featuring a sound amplifying member with disc-shaped speakers, a flexible connecting member made of plastic, and a fixing member with elastic rubber parts that wind around the speakers to secure the connecting member, allowing the device to collapse to a minimal compact size without the need for additional fulcrum portions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If a rigid hoop structure is used in vertical headphones, then structural strength and stability are improved, but portability and storage compactness deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the rigid hoop structure with a flexible connecting member made of elastic material that can be wound around the speakers. This flexible material maintains structural integrity during use while enabling compact storage by wrapping around the speaker units, eliminating the need for a rigid frame.
Solution Approach 2:
The connecting member is wound around the first and second speakers in a nested configuration, with the elastic material forming loops that encircle the speaker units. This nesting approach allows the connecting member to conform to the speaker geometry while minimizing overall volume when stored.
2Ease of operation
If fulcrum portions are used to enable collapsing, then portability is improved, but reliability deteriorates due to loosening over time
Solution Approach 1:
The elastic connecting member inherently provides the collapsing function through its material properties. When the speakers are moved closer together, the elastic material naturally contracts and winds around the speakers, eliminating the need for separate fulcrum mechanisms. This self-service approach removes the reliability issue of fulcrum loosening while maintaining collapsing capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the structural parameter from rigid fulcrum joints to continuous elastic material with variable tension. The elastic connecting member's tension and winding configuration dynamically adjust based on speaker position, providing stable connection without mechanical fulcrums that can loosen over time.
3Stability of the object's composition
If the connecting member is made rigid, then structural stability is improved, but compactness when collapsed deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The connecting member is constructed from elastic material that can flex and wind around the speakers while maintaining structural stability through its material properties. This flexible construction allows the device to achieve minimal collapsed volume by wrapping the connecting member around the speaker units, unlike rigid structures that maintain fixed geometry.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses elastic material for the connecting member that combines flexibility with structural integrity. This composite approach allows the connecting member to be both stable during use and highly compact when wound around the speakers, overcoming the limitation of purely rigid materials.
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 flexible connecting member and fixing mechanism enable the headphone device to collapse to a smaller size effectively, overcoming the limitations of rigid structures and maintaining stability over multiple use cycles.
Implementation Method 1
a fixing member (23) having first and second fixing parts (231, 232) made of elastic rubber material
Data Source
AI summary
A headphone device includes a sound amplifying member, a connecting member and a fixing member. The sound amplifying member includes a first speaker and a second speaker for outputting a sound. The connecting member is interconnected between the first speaker and the second speaker and made of first flexible material. The connecting member is flexibly wound around the first speaker and the second speaker. The fixing member is coupled to the sound amplifying member for securing the connecting member thereon after the connecting member is wound around the first speaker and the second speaker.