JP2002101489A - Headphone - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a multi-speaker headphone for localizing a sound field that can part a speaker position in a disguise way and visually confirm the speaker position. SOLUTION: A frame 1 for a left ear is provided with a reflecting plate 7 that opposes to a rear speaker 6 whose front face is fitted outward so as to have a mirror reflecting surface, the acoustic energy from the rear speaker 6 is reflected in the reflecting plate 7, passes through an opening 3a in the middle of a pad 3 and is directed to an external auditory miatus entrance 15. A listener hears a sound as if the rear speaker were in existence at a position 6a acting like a mirror image with respect to the reflecting plate 7. Since the front face of the rear speaker 6 is reflected in the mirror surface reflecting plate 7 when viewing from the opening 3a before wearing, the listener can visually sense that the sound is reflected therein and reaches the ear.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a headphone for reproducing and listening to an audio signal, and more particularly to a headphone used in a multi-speaker multi-channel system for generating a sound image localization using at least four speakers.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art When a normal two-channel audio signal is heard through binaural headphones, the sound source of the two-channel signal sounds as if it were present in the head between both ears. This is an unnatural sensation different from the actual sound field, and various methods for solving this have been proposed. For example, there are various proposals such as a method in which an audio signal is processed by a filter or a delay circuit and a sound image is localized outside the head even with two speakers, a multi-channel multi-speaker reproduction method using four or more speakers using a large number of signal paths. Have been. The common feature of these headphones used for multi-channel multi-speaker reproduction is that the speakers are often mounted as far away from the listener's head as possible. This is because an attempt is made to reproduce a sound field localization as natural as possible by utilizing diffraction of sound waves due to the shape of the listener's head.

[0003]

However, if the speaker is moved away from the head, the size of the headphones as a whole becomes large, which is not desirable in appearance, and it is inconvenient that the headphone is easily attached to another object while being attached to the head. There are many points.

The present invention provides such a multi-channel
It is an object of the present invention to provide a headphone for sound image localization in which headphones for generating sound image localization in multi-speaker reproduction can be downsized, and furthermore, the position of the speaker can be visually recognized.

[0005]

In order to solve this problem, a headphone according to a first aspect of the present invention comprises a speaker arranged front and rear corresponding to the left and right ears of a listener, and A support member for supporting the disposed front and rear speakers at a certain distance from the listener's ear, and a pad supported by the support member and holding a certain size between the temporal region of the listener and each of the speakers A headband member that holds the left and right speakers as an integral unit via the support member, and a reflector that reflects the sound of the speakers, wherein a front or rear speaker among the speakers is used for high-frequency sound. The radiating direction is arranged outward with respect to the temporal region of the listener, and the reflecting surface of the reflecting plate is placed on the side of the listener to guide the radiated sound of the high-frequency speaker to the entrance of the ear canal of the listener. Head side Place so anxious, and the surface of the reflecting surface of the reflector, and a mirror finish is obtained by visibly constituting the radiation surface side surface of the tweeter by mirror surface of the reflecting surface.

[0006] With this configuration, the virtual rear speaker can be heard as if it is located at a position away from the rear, the sound field effect is enhanced together with the front speaker, and the radiation surface side of the rear speaker can be visually recognized by the mirror surface of the reflector. It can confirm the position of a virtual sound source and acts to visually enhance the sound image localization effect.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the headphone according to the first aspect, the treble speaker is a rear speaker, and the reflector is provided when the headphones are attached to a listener. When the radiated sound of the speaker is guided to the entrance of the ear canal of the listener, the pad portion and the auricle of the listener are arranged at a position where they do not interfere.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the headphone according to the first or second aspect, the pad includes a pair of front left and right speakers and ears of the listener when the headphones are mounted on the listener. And a pad portion located between them is opened.

According to the configuration of the second and third aspects, the sound from each speaker reaches the ear without being disturbed, and acts to obtain a higher sound field effect.

Further, in the headphone according to the fourth aspect of the present invention, an acoustically open portion is provided between a front surface of the diaphragm, which is a radiation surface side, and an opposite surface, and the diaphragm surface is formed at an entrance of an ear canal of a listener's ear. And a speaker including a straight line connecting the center of the diaphragm surface and the radiation surface side arranged outward from the listener's head,
A reflector having a reflection surface facing the radiation surface side of the speaker and reflecting sound output from the speaker toward the ear canal of the listener's ear at the reflection surface, wherein the reflection surface of the reflector is mirror-finished Configuration.

According to this configuration, the direct sound radiated from the radiating surface side of the speaker is canceled near the entrance of the ear canal by the direct sound radiated from the opposite surface side, so that it cannot be heard and is reflected by the reflector. Only the reflected sound is heard, and the sound source is heard as if it were in a mirror image position with respect to the reflector, and the virtual sound source acts as if it is far away. It is something that can be visually recognized.

[0012]

(Embodiment 1) Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a front view of a headphone according to an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a plan view thereof, FIG. 3 is a right side view thereof, FIG. 4 is a rear view thereof, and FIG. , FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the same, and FIG. 7 is an explanatory diagram of a main part configuration around the head of the listener.

Referring to the drawing, the outline of the structure will first be described. A left pad 3 and a right pad 4 are attached to a left frame 1 and a right frame 2 as support members, respectively. The rear speaker 6 and the reflection plate 7 are attached. The right frame 2 includes a front right speaker 8, a rear right speaker 9, a reflector 10
Is attached.

Then, a left frame 1 and a right frame 2
Are connected by an arm 11. The upper band 12 attached between the left frame 1 and the right frame 2 is for supporting the top of the listener's head, and although not shown in detail, each of the two sliding parts 12a as separate parts is not shown. One end is connected to the frames 1 and 2, and the other end is slidable in the hollow upper band 12, and is urged to be drawn into the upper band 12 by an elastic body or the like. By sliding these two sliding portions 12a in the upper band 12, the pads 3 and 3 are adjusted to the size of the listener's head.
4 can be adjusted so as to hit an appropriate position. This portion has been conventionally used, and various modifications are possible without being limited to this configuration. The rear band 13 supports the back of the listener's head, and is used to stably attach many speakers to the head. This can be similarly adjusted if necessary. The arm 11, the upper band 12, and the rear band 13 are collectively referred to as a head band member.

Hereinafter, the main parts will be described in more detail. The left pad 3 is made soft by foaming a material such as polyurethane resin or synthetic rubber.
Alternatively, the outside is wrapped in a soft synthetic leather or cloth or the like, the whole is substantially ring-shaped, and an opening 3a is provided at the center, and a part of the ring becomes a cutout 3b to have a substantially "C" shape. I have. This shape is formed so as to cover the outer periphery of the auricle from above to behind the auricle of the left ear and abut against the temporal region when worn on the listener. This is attached to the pad base 1a of the left frame 1. The pad pedestal portion 1a has a shape such that the central portion is opened in accordance with the central opening portion 3a of the pad 3. A left front speaker 5 is provided on a portion of the left frame 1 which corresponds to the front of the head when worn on the head,
It is attached slightly obliquely with the center line aligned slightly in the direction of the ear canal entrance slightly away from the pad 3. And left pad 3
The notch 3b is mounted so as to be located between the front speaker 5 and the ear canal entrance so that the acoustic energy radiated from the left front speaker 5 can reach the ear canal entrance without being disturbed by the left pad 3. Constitute.

Next, as shown in FIG.
Further, a left rear speaker 6 is attached to a portion corresponding to the rear of the head when mounted on the head, with the center line directed outward and slightly forward, and the acoustic energy radiated from the rear speaker 6 is reflected by the reflector 7. And the opening 3a of the left pad 3
To reach the ear canal entrance 15 of the listener. Here, the rear speaker 6 is a loudspeaker having a high directivity and a high directivity. The rear surface of the rear speaker 6 is sealed by the housing 16 provided in the left frame 1, and the radiation surface side faces the reflector 7. The radiated sound 17 radiated from the speaker 6 reaches the ear canal entrance 15 of the listener via the reflector 7. As a result, the listener hears the speaker 6 and the virtual speaker 6a at the position of the mirror image with respect to the reflection plate 7.
It can be perceived as if a sound was emitted from the camera.

Further, by making the surface of the reflector 7 a mirror finish, the rear speaker 6
It is configured such that the radiation side surface of can be visually recognized. Thereby, before putting on the headphones, the position of the virtual speaker can be confirmed and the reflection direction can be confirmed by looking through the opening 3a in the center of the pad 3 from the side to be attached to the ear, and sound can be surely heard by the ear. Recognition can be obtained, and acoustic energy can be efficiently guided with high reflectance due to the mirror surface.
Further, the flatness can be confirmed by the mirror surface state.

Although the description has been given of the example in which the rear speaker 6 is used for the high-frequency range and the reflection plate 7 is provided, the front speaker 5 is used for the high-frequency range and the reflection plate for reflecting the radiated sound is provided.
The speaker 5 can be arranged similarly to the speaker 6. In addition, a reflection plate can be provided on both the speakers 5 and 6.

Although the peripheral configuration of the left frame 1 has been described above, the right frame 2 may be configured to be symmetrical with respect to the plane.
a, the right pad 4, its opening 4a and notch 4b, the front right speaker 8, the rear right speaker 9, the reflection plate 10, etc. and their details, assembly configuration, etc. are plane-symmetric with those on the left side, and their description is omitted. As a common part, the input lead wires to each speaker may be supplied to the left and right frames with the cords 14 as conventionally performed, or the cords 14 connected to the left frame 1 may be used to temporarily supply the left and right frames.
, And may be branched and connected to each speaker of the right frame 2 through the inside of the arm 11, the upper band 12, or the rear band 13.

The operation of the headphones according to the present embodiment having the above-described structure will be described below. The listener holds the left frame 1 and the right frame 2 in both hands and spreads the arm 11 so that the left pad 3 and the right pad 4 pass from above the respective pinna of the left and right ears to the rear through the rear to below the pinna. And adjust the position of the upper band 12 so that the upper band 12 is in contact with the temporal region. A signal is input by connecting to an audio device (not shown) with a cord 14. The acoustic energy radiated from the front speakers 5 and 8 reaches the ear canal entrance 15 from the notches 3b and 4b of the pads 3 and 4 without being blocked by the pads, and the acoustic energy radiated from the rear speakers 6 and 9 is reflected respectively. After being reflected by the plates 7 and 10 and passing through the openings 3a and 4a of the pads 3 and 4, the ear canal entrance 15
To reach. By using the reflectors 7 and 10, the listener can perceive the sound as if emitted from the virtual speaker 6a located at a position that is a mirror image with respect to the reflectors 7 and 10, so that the speaker can be further moved to the head. The same effect can be obtained as if it were separated from the part. The signal given to each speaker is signal-processed by a filter, a delay circuit, or the like. However, since this portion is not the subject of the present invention, the description is omitted.

As described above, according to the present embodiment, the right and left frames, which are substantially ring-shaped having an opening at the center and have cutouts in a part thereof, are attached to the left and right frames as support members. The front speakers 5 and 8 are attached to the front of the ear canal 15 slightly away from the pads 3 and 4 at an angle to the front of the ear canal 15 when attached to the respective heads.
The notch of the pad is configured such that the acoustic energy radiated from the front speaker can reach the entrance of the ear canal without being disturbed by the pad. The acoustic energy radiated from the acoustic wave is reflected by the reflectors 7 and 10 and passes through the opening of the pad to reach the ear canal entrance of the listener, so that the acoustic energy is not disturbed by the pad. Reaching the ear canal entrance, sound field localization can be reproduced well,
At this time, since the reflection plate is mirror-finished, the sound reflection efficiency is good, and the listener can visually perceive that the sound is reflected here and reaches the ear.

(Embodiment 2) Next, an example shown in FIG. 8 will be described. The loudspeaker 6 has a front surface facing outward from the head similarly to the above-described embodiment, but is housed in a housing 18 provided in the left frame 1 and has a rear portion opened by an opening 18a. In this state, the radiation surface side faces the reflector 7, and the radiated sound 17 radiated from the speaker 6 thereafter passes through the reflector 7 and enters the ear canal entrance 1 of the listener.
5 will be reached. Here, since the surface of the speaker 6 opposite to the surface of the diaphragm is acoustically open, it is of a so-called open air type. And speaker 6
The diaphragm surface includes a straight line 19 connecting the ear canal entrance 15 of the left ear of the listener and the center of the diaphragm surface of the speaker 6, and has a reflecting surface facing the front of the speaker 6 and having a reflecting surface.
The radiated sound of the speaker 6 reflected by the speaker 6 is arranged so as to reach the left ear of the listener.

By arranging the speaker 6 and the reflection plate 7 in this manner, on the straight line 19 (ie, near the entrance of the ear canal), before and after the diaphragm of the speaker 6 (ie, on the radiation surface side of the speaker and the opposite surface side). The radiation sound radiated from is canceled out and reduced. On the other hand, the radiated sound 17 in the front direction of the speaker 6 reflected by the reflector 7 reaches the left ear of the listener without being canceled. As a result, the listener can perceive the sound from the virtual speaker 6a located at the position of the speaker 6 and the mirror image with respect to the reflection plate 7 as if the sound was emitted. In this regard, in the first embodiment described above,
Has the same function as. In addition, by making the surface of the reflecting plate 7 mirror-finished, the same operation and effect as those of the first embodiment can be obtained.

In the above embodiment, the pad is not pressed from above the auricle, but is arranged so as to surround the auricle from above to behind the auricle. It is also possible to adopt a configuration in which the dimensions are slightly reduced and a part is pressed against the pinna.

Further, the characteristics of the front and rear speakers, that is, whether to use the high-frequency sound or the low-frequency sound, are not specified here because they are related to the signal processing circuit. Also, we decided to use four speakers here for sound field localization,
Further, the number of speakers can be increased.

[0026]

As described above, according to the headphones of the present invention, the radiated sound from the high-frequency speaker reaches the entrance of the ear canal of the listener via the reflector, so that it is as if from the virtual speaker position behind the reflector. It can be perceived as if it were radiated, and by making the reflector a mirror surface, it is possible to visually recognize the surface on the radiation surface side of the high-frequency speaker through the opening of the pad on the surface, and to provide a virtual speaker position. In addition, it is possible to obtain the advantageous effect that the reflection direction can be confirmed and the acoustic energy can be efficiently guided to the ear canal entrance with a high reflectance. Further, by using a mirror surface, the flatness can be confirmed by the mirror surface state.

Further, according to the headphone according to the fourth aspect of the present invention, the direct sound radiated from the radiating surface side and the opposite surface side of the speaker is canceled near the entrance of the ear canal,
No direct sound from the speaker is heard, only the reflected sound reflected by the reflector is heard, and the sound source is heard as if it is a mirror image position with respect to the reflector, and the imaginary sound source acts as if it is far away. In addition, by looking through the reflection plate, the rear speaker can be visually recognized as if the rear speaker is located at the virtual sound source position.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a front view of headphones according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the same.

FIG. 3 is a right side view of the same.

FIG. 4 is a rear view of the same.

FIG. 5 is a side view of the unit on the right side viewed from the inside.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the same.

FIG. 7 is an explanatory diagram of a main part configuration around the head of the listener.

FIG. 8 is an explanatory diagram of a main part configuration of headphones according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Left frame 1a, 2a Pad base 2 Right frame 3 Left pad 3a, 4a Opening 3b, 4b Notch 4 Right pad 5 Left front speaker 6 Left rear speaker 7, 10 Reflector 8 Right front speaker 9 Right rear speaker 11 Arm 12 Upper band 12a Sliding part 13 Rear band 14 Cord 15 Ear canal 16 Housing 17 Radiation sound

 ──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continuing on the front page (72) Inventor Isao Kakuhari 1006 Kazuma Kadoma, Kadoma-shi, Osaka Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd. F-term (reference) 5D005 BA08 BC01

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. A speaker arranged front and rear corresponding to left and right ears of a listener, and a support member for supporting the front and rear speakers arranged on the left and right at a predetermined distance from the ear of the listener. A pad supported by the support member and holding a certain dimension between the temporal region of the listener and each of the speakers, and a headband member holding the left and right speakers as an integral unit via the support member And a reflector that reflects the sound of the speaker, and the front or rear speaker of the speakers is arranged so that the radiation direction is outward with respect to the temporal region of the listener for high sounds, and In order to guide the radiated sound of the treble speaker to the ear canal entrance of the listener, the reflecting surface of the reflecting plate is arranged so as to face the temporal side of the listener, and the surface of the reflecting surface of the reflecting plate is mirror-finished. Finish and this Headphones, characterized in that the visibly constituting the radiation surface side surface of the tweeter by specular reflecting surface. 2. The high-frequency loudspeaker is a rear loudspeaker, and the reflector plate includes a pad portion and a listener for guiding radiation sound of the rear loudspeaker to an ear canal entrance of the listener in a state where headphones are mounted on the listener. 2. The headphone according to claim 1, wherein the auricle part of the headphone is arranged at a position where it does not interfere. 3. The pad according to claim 1, wherein a pad portion between the front left and right speakers and the ear of the listener is opened when headphones are worn by the listener. Headphones as described. 4. An acoustically open space between the front side of the diaphragm, which is the radiation surface side, and the opposite side, the diaphragm surface including a straight line connecting the entrance of the ear canal of the listener's ear and the center of the diaphragm surface. A loudspeaker having a radiation surface facing outward from the listener's head, and a reflecting surface facing the radiating surface of the speaker. A reflecting plate that reflects the ear in the direction of the ear canal, wherein the reflecting surface of the reflecting plate is mirror-finished.