Open-Ear Wearable Audio Device with Concha-Fitted Casing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional earphones, particularly canal type earphones, significantly impede the listener's ability to hear ambient sounds, posing safety risks and communication challenges in environments like sports or driving, as they block the ear holes and isolate the user from their surroundings.
Innovation Solution
A wearable device designed to be held by the auricle rather than inserted into the ear canal, featuring an elongated outer casing that fits into the cymba conchae valley, incorporating a sound generating unit with a vibration element and weight, and optionally a microphone, allowing for sound output while maintaining ambient sound awareness akin to the non-worn state.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If canal type earphones are used to achieve good sound insulation and music enjoyment, then sound quality is improved, but the ability to hear ambient sound deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The wearable device is divided into separate functional components: a sound generating unit for music playback and an open ear canal design for ambient sound perception. The sound tube is segmented from the housing, allowing independent optimization of each component's function.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an open ear canal design as an intermediary solution between complete sound isolation and no sound isolation. The ear canal remains partially open to allow ambient sound entry while the sound tube delivers music, creating a mediator state that balances both requirements.
2Reliability
If canal type earphones are inserted deeply into the ear canal to achieve sound isolation, then sound insulation performance is improved, but communication with surrounding people deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts the sound generating unit from the traditional in-ear position and places it in the concha area. The ear canal is taken out from the sealed state and kept open, allowing ambient sound and communication to proceed normally while music is delivered through a separate path.
Solution Approach 2:
The sound delivery is moved from the ear canal dimension to the concha area dimension. The housing is positioned in the concha with the sound tube extending toward the ear canal entrance, creating a spatial arrangement that separates music delivery from the ear canal opening.
3Reliability
If earphones block the ear hole to achieve sound insulation, then music enjoyment is improved, but safety in outdoor environments deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The design allows dynamic adjustment of ambient sound levels by controlling the opening degree of the ear canal. Users can maintain the ear canal in an open state to perceive ambient sounds for safety while the sound tube continuously delivers music, creating a dynamic balance between music enjoyment and environmental awareness.
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
Enables simultaneous input and output of sound information while allowing the listener to perceive ambient sounds as if the device were not worn, improving safety and communication by not obstructing the ear canal and providing a more natural auditory experience.
Implementation Method 1
a sound generating unit (120) supported inside the outer casing (110)
Data Source
AI summary
Provided is a wearable device that is worn on a human ear and mainly outputs or inputs sound. The outer casing 110 is formed into an elongated shape so as to fit the cymba conchae 306 formed between the antihelix inferior crus 302b and the crus helicis 309. The sound generating unit 120 includes a vibration element 121 and a weight 122. The vibration element 121 has an elongated shape along the longitudinal direction of the outer casing 110, and has one end fixed to the inner wall of the outer casing 110, and the other end to which a weight 122 is attached, the other hand being an open end. By applying an alternating electric field to the vibration element 121, vibration corresponding to audio is generated.