Open Earphone Ear-Hook Clamping for Stable Open-Canal Audio

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Existing open earphones often compromise wearing comfort and stability while maintaining output performance, leading to user dissatisfaction and potential safety risks due to blocked ear canals.

Innovation Solution

An open earphone design featuring a sound production component and an ear hook that clamps the auricle, providing a clamping force of 0.03 N to 1 N, allowing the sound production component to be positioned near the ear canal without blocking it, and incorporating a quasi-cavity structure for enhanced sound delivery and stability.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Power

If the sound production component is positioned near the ear canal to ensure output performance, then the audio delivery is improved, but the ear canal may be blocked causing discomfort and safety risks

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveaudio deliveryVSAvoidear canal blockage

Core Design Contradiction:

PowerVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

Instead of placing the sound production component inside the ear canal (conventional approach), the patent inverts the design by positioning it outside the ear canal while using the ear hook to deliver audio. This allows the ear canal to remain open while still achieving effective audio delivery through alternative acoustic pathways.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent transitions from a traditional in-ear positioning (within the ear canal dimension) to an extra-ear positioning using the ear hook structure. By utilizing the spatial dimension outside the ear canal while maintaining acoustic coupling, the design achieves audio delivery without blocking the ear canal.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

2Stability of the object's composition

If the ear hook provides sufficient clamping force to ensure wearing stability, then the stability is improved, but the wearing comfort deteriorates due to excessive pressure on the auricle

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvewearing stabilityVSAvoidpressure on auricle

Core Design Contradiction:

Stability of the object's compositionVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent optimizes the clamping force parameter to a specific range (0.03 N to 1 N) that balances stability and comfort. By precisely controlling this physical parameter, the design achieves adequate securing force while preventing excessive pressure that would cause discomfort or damage to the auricle.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Data Source

PatentUS20250380080A1Open earphones

Publication Date: 2025.12.11 SHENZHEN SHOKZ CO LTD

AI summary

The present disclosure provides an open earphone comprising: a sound production component including a transducer and a housing accommodating the transducer; and an ear hook including a first portion of the ear hook and a second portion of the ear hook. The first portion of the ear hook is hung between an auricle and a head of a user, and the second portion of the ear hook extends towards a side of the auricle away from the head and connects with the sound production component to place the sound production component in a position near an ear canal but not blocking the ear canal, the housing and the first portinon of the ear hook clamp the auricle of the user, and provide a clamping force in a range of 0.03 N to 1 N to the auricle of the user.