Piezoelectric Cartilage Conduction Headset Design
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional headset designs that insert earphones into the ear can cause discomfort and burden on the user's ear, necessitating a sound outputting device that reduces ear pressure while maintaining effective sound transmission.
Innovation Solution
A sound outputting device featuring a piezoelectric speaker that vibrates a sound transmitting portion in contact with the user's cartilage, allowing sound transmission via cartilage conduction, eliminating the need for earphone insertion and reducing ear burden.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If an earphone using a dynamic speaker is inserted into the user's ear, then sound transmission is effective, but it puts a burden on the user's ear
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the sound transmission function from the ear canal insertion method and relocates it to the cartilage surface. By using a piezoelectric speaker that contacts only the external ear cartilage, the invention removes the harmful insertion into the ear canal while preserving effective sound transmission through bone conduction.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the dynamic speaker mechanism (which requires ear canal insertion and creates pressure) with a piezoelectric speaker that generates mechanical vibrations directly on the cartilage surface. This substitution eliminates the need for deep insertion while maintaining sound transmission effectiveness through direct vibration of the auditory structures.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If a sound outputting device is designed to transmit sound via cartilage conduction, then ear burden is reduced, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent designs the side unit to serve multiple functions: it provides structural support for the headset, enables cartilage conduction for sound transmission, and houses the piezoelectric speaker. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate components and simplifies the overall device structure despite the advanced sound transmission mechanism.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs a thin, flexible sound transmitting portion that can be pressed against the cartilage surface. This thin-film approach simplifies the device structure by eliminating the need for bulky housings or complex mounting mechanisms, while still achieving effective cartilage contact for sound transmission.
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 device provides comfortable sound transmission without inserting into the ear, improving design, ease of use, and sound quality while allowing awareness of external sounds and reducing ambient noise through noise-cancelling functionality.
Implementation Method 1
a piezoelectric speaker arranged inside the side unit so as to vibrate a part of the side unit in contact with the user
Data Source
AI summary
According to an aspect, a sound outputting device includes a front unit, a first side unit, a second side unit, a sound transmitting portion, and a piezoelectric speaker. The first side unit is coupled to one end portion of the front unit. The second side unit is coupled to another end portion of the front unit. The sound transmitting portion is provided in the first side unit for transmitting a sound via cartilage conduction. The piezoelectric speaker vibrates the sound transmitting portion.