Outer Ear Audio Device with Adjustable Arm for Ambient Sound
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional wireless headsets that fit into the ear canal can block ambient sounds and send social cues of unavailability, limiting user interaction and comfort.
Innovation Solution
An audio device designed to be worn on the outer ear with a flexible arm that contacts the ear root dimple, allowing for adjustable positioning and clamping force, ensuring the acoustic module is placed anteriorly to the ear canal without obstructing it, thus allowing ambient sounds to be heard while delivering sound.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If an earbud is placed into the ear canal opening, then sound delivery to the ear is improved, but ambient sound perception is blocked and social interaction is hindered
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts the earbud from the ear canal and relocates it to the outer ear position. The device comprises a body configured to be worn on or abutting an outer ear, with an acoustic module that positions the sound-emitting opening anteriorly of and proximate to the ear canal opening but not inside it, thereby delivering sound while leaving the ear canal open for ambient sound perception.
2Power
If an earbud is placed into the ear canal opening, then audio output is achieved, but social availability signal is lost
Solution Approach 1:
The device extracts the audio delivery function from the ear canal and implements it at the outer ear position. This allows the user to maintain natural ear appearance and social availability signals while still receiving audio output through the sound-emitting opening positioned anteriorly of the ear canal opening.
3Ease of manufacture
If a fixed positioning structure is used, then manufacturing simplicity is improved, but adaptability to different ear anatomies deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The invention implements a dynamic, adjustable positioning system where the arm can be moved relative to the body along the length of the body, rotated about a body axis, and bent along first and second orthogonal bend axes. This allows the device to adapt to different ear anatomies while maintaining a relatively simple overall structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The device allows adjustment of multiple parameters including the position of the arm along the body, the rotation angle about the body axis, and the bend angles along orthogonal axes. These parameter changes enable customization for different ear shapes and sizes without complicating the fundamental device structure.
4Adaptability or versatility
If an adjustable arm with multiple degrees of freedom is implemented, then adaptability to different ear anatomies is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The arm is configured to be flexible and can be made from an elastomer material. This flexibility allows the arm to bend along orthogonal axes and adapt to different ear anatomies without requiring complex mechanical joints or actuators, thereby reducing overall device complexity while maintaining high adaptability.
Data Source
AI summary
An audio device with a body having a length and configured to be worn on or abutting an outer ear of a user, an arm coupled to the body and defining a distal end that is configured to contact an ear root dimple of the user, wherein the arm is configured to be moved relative to the body, and an acoustic module carried by the body and configured to locate a sound-emitting opening anteriorly of and proximate to the user's ear canal opening when the body is worn on or abutting the ear of the user.