Rotatable Stem Earphone Pivot Mechanism
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional earphones often fail to provide a secure and comfortable fit for a wide range of users due to varying ear shapes, making it difficult to achieve a reliable and adjustable fit.
Innovation Solution
The earphone design features an inner shell with a circular periphery that fits partially in the concha and a rotatable stem with pivot connections, allowing the inner shell and stem to adjust relative to each other, enabling the earphone to fit securely in the ear with the shell in the concha and the stem along the intertragic notch, with additional adjustments possible through secondary pivot connections for the wire.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If earphones are designed with a fixed structure, then manufacturing is simple, but adaptability to different ear shapes is poor
Solution Approach 1:
The earphone incorporates a rotatable stem that can pivot relative to the earphone body, allowing the stem to rotate between approximately 45 to 90 degrees. This dynamic adjustment mechanism enables the earphone to adapt to different ear shapes and anatomies while maintaining a relatively simple overall structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The earphone is divided into distinct segments: a body portion and a stem portion connected by a pivot connection. This segmentation allows independent adjustment of the stem angle while keeping the body fixed, providing adaptability without requiring complete structural complexity.
2Ease of operation
If earphones use larger rounded portions for outer ear fit, then ease of insertion is improved, but security and comfort of fit deteriorates for some users
Solution Approach 1:
The rotatable stem allows the earphone to transition from an easier insertion position to a more secure fitting position. Users can insert the earphone with the stem at one angle, then rotate it to optimize both comfort and security of fit for their specific ear anatomy.
Solution Approach 2:
The stem rotation changes the spatial parameters of the earphone configuration, allowing adjustment of the angle between the stem and body to optimize both ease of insertion and security of fit for different users and different ears.
3Adaptability or versatility
If earphones include adjustable components, then adaptability improves, but ease of operation deteriorates due to adjustment complexity
Solution Approach 1:
The pivot connection enables smooth rotation of the stem through a defined range of motion, making adjustment intuitive and easy to perform. The mechanical design allows users to rotate the stem to their desired position without complex mechanisms or multiple adjustment steps.
Data Source
AI summary
An earphone comprises an inner shell, a stem and a pivot connection. The inner shell has a generally circular periphery shaped to at least partially fit in a user's concha. The stem is mounted to the inner shell at a position spaced from a rotational center of the inner shell and supports a wire leading to the inner shell. The inner shell and the stem are rotatable relative to each other by the pivot connection to configure the earphone to fit the user's ear with the shell member positioned at least partially in the user's concha and the stem positioned exteriorly along an intertragic notch of the ear.