JP2010273136A - Earphone - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an earphone to be used as an acoustic device, and further in detail, an earphone provided with a casing for improving acoustic characteristics. <P>SOLUTION: The earphone includes: a driver unit; a housing 2 storing the driver unit and having a front 2-1 being a sound output surface and a rear 2-2 formed like a bowl; a hollow casing 1 formed differently from the housing 2; and a connection path 5 for connecting the rear 2-2 of the housing 2 to the end face of the casing 1. The casing 1 is shifted obliquely from a line connecting the centers of the rear and front of the housing 2. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2011,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to an earphone used as an acoustic device, and more particularly to an earphone provided with a casing for improving acoustic characteristics.

  Conventionally, in an earphone used as an acoustic device, as a method for improving acoustic characteristics, there has been a method of adjusting acoustic characteristics by providing a hole or an acoustic resistance material in a part of the earphone housing. For example, the above-described conventional earphone is generally configured as shown in FIG. In FIG. 10, the housing 102 has a bowl-like shape, and a driver unit 103 is provided therein, and an opening 110 for emitting sound is formed on the front surface. The driver unit 103 generally has a yoke 104, and a disk-shaped pole piece 106 is attached to the inside thereof via a circular magnet 105. A diaphragm 107 having a voice coil 108 mounted thereon is attached to the surface facing the pole piece 106. A hole 109 is provided on the back surface of the housing 102, and an acoustic resistance material 111 is provided on the inner surface of the hole 109.

  As a means for extending the low frequency limit frequency, as shown in FIG. 11, an earphone to which a bass compensation pipe 112 is added is known. The basic configuration is the same as the example shown in FIG. 10. The bass compensation pipe 112 having a predetermined length and a predetermined diameter is communicated with the internal space of the housing 102 having the driver unit 103 so as to be integrated with the housing 102. It is provided. By doing so, the low frequency limit frequency in the diaphragm can be expanded by the action of the space of the bass compensation pipe 112. However, in such a configuration, there are limitations on the improvement of acoustic characteristics due to limitations on the thickness of the diaphragm, the shape of the bass compensation pipe, and the internal volume.

  Therefore, an earphone as shown in FIG. The earphone shown in FIG. 12 uses a configuration in which a first housing 201 and a second housing 202 communicate with each other via a connection path 203. The first housing 201 is provided with a driver unit 103 similar to that described in FIGS. 10 and 11. The second housing 202 is hollow and has the same function as the space of the bass compensation pipe 112 in the example shown in FIG. Furthermore, a bass compensation diaphragm 204 that functions as a bass compensation means is disposed in the internal space of the second housing 202. By configuring in this way, the earphone can improve the low frequency characteristics without affecting the characteristics of the middle and high sounds. In the above invention, the first housing 201 can be inserted into the ear canal during use, and thus the earphone has a configuration that can improve the acoustic characteristics of the low frequency range.

  However, in the invention described in Patent Document 1, in order to improve the acoustic characteristics, the above-mentioned hole must be provided in the first housing 201, which takes time for processing, and further, a bass-compensating diaphragm and an acoustic resistance material are used. There was a problem that the cost would rise due to the provision. In addition, when the acoustic characteristics are improved by increasing or decreasing the size of the casing including the first and second housings 201 and 202 and the connection path 203, the size of the earphone is the size of the user's auricle. There was a problem that it would not fit. For example, if the case is enlarged to improve the low-frequency response, it will be difficult to fit into the user's ear canal and easily come off the ear. There was a limit.

JP 2008-288933 A

  The present invention can improve the acoustic characteristics without providing a low-frequency compensator or an acoustic resistance material, which is a cause of cost increase, and can be removed from the ear even if the casing is enlarged to improve the acoustic characteristics. It is an object of the present invention to provide an earphone that is difficult and improves the user's feeling of wearing in the ear.

  The present invention includes a driver unit, a housing that houses the driver unit and has a front surface that is a sound emitting surface and a rear surface that is formed in a bowl shape, a hollow housing that is separate from the housing, and a rear surface of the housing And a connecting path that connects the end face of the housing, and the housing is shifted obliquely with respect to a line connecting the back surface and the front center of the housing. And

  According to the earphone according to the present invention, the acoustic characteristics can be easily improved or adjusted by increasing or decreasing the housing space, and particularly the sound quality in the low to mid range can be improved and the high range can be stabilized. Further, since the housing is obliquely shifted with respect to the line connecting the center of the back surface and the front surface of the housing, the force to rotate the housing due to the load of the housing is weak, and the user's ear Since the degree of freedom of the shape and size of the housing is increased, it is possible to improve the user's feeling of wearing the ear. Costs can be reduced because there is no need for processing the holes required for the housing and no diaphragm for compensating for the low frequency is required.

It is a perspective view which shows the Example of the earphone concerning this invention. It is a right view which shows the Example of the earphone concerning this invention. It is a rear view which shows the Example of the earphone concerning this invention. It is a longitudinal cross-sectional view which shows the Example of the earphone concerning this invention. It is a longitudinal cross-sectional view which shows the sound emission tube and earpiece in the Example of the earphone concerning this invention. It is a longitudinal cross-sectional view which shows the aspect in which the relative position of the said sound emitting tube and earpiece changed. It is a perspective view which shows the state with which the earphone concerning the said Example was mounted | worn by the user. It is a rear view which shows the other Example of the earphone concerning this invention. It is a graph which compares and shows the frequency response measured value of the earphone concerning this invention, and the conventional earphone. It is a longitudinal cross-sectional view which shows the example of the conventional earphone. It is a longitudinal cross-sectional view which shows the other example of the conventional earphone. It is a longitudinal cross-sectional view which shows another example of the conventional earphone.

Hereinafter, embodiments of an earphone according to the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
In FIG. 1, the earphone includes a housing 2, a housing 1, a connection path 5 that integrally connects the housing 2 and the housing 1, a sound emission tube 3, and an earpiece 4 as main components. The housing 2 is formed in a hollow shape, and a driver unit (not shown) is accommodated in the hollow shape. The rear surface 2-2 is formed in a bowl shape, and the front surface 2-1 is formed in a circular plane shape. have. The housing 1 is a hollow member different from the housing 2 and is formed in a cylindrical shape whose both end faces are closed. The connection path 5 is formed in a cylindrical shape, connects the back surface 2-2 of the housing 2 and one end surface of the housing 1, and connects the housing 2 and the internal space of the housing 1. A lead lead-out portion 6 is formed to protrude from the housing 1 in a bar shape. The housing 2 includes a sound emitting tube 3 that is formed to project from the front surface 2-1 toward the user's external auditory canal 14 in FIG. An earpiece 4 is fitted to the outer periphery of the distal end portion of the sound emitting tube 3. In the illustrated embodiment, the housing 1, the connecting path 5, the housing 2, and the sound emission tube 3 are integrally formed of resin or the like, but all or part of these parts are produced as separate parts, and finally They may be assembled together.

  In FIG. 2, the housing 1 is connected to the rear surface 2-2 of the housing 2 so that the housing 1 is positioned obliquely above the housing 2 in the usage mode, that is, the mode worn on the user's ear. 2 is connected. More specifically, one end of the connection path 5 is connected to an inclined surface of a portion located on the user's head side of the back surface 2-2 formed in a bowl shape of the housing 2. The casing 1 is connected to the end. The connection path 5 extends in a direction substantially orthogonal to the tangent line of the inclined surface of the housing 2 located on the user's head side, so that the housing 1 is in a use state of the housing 2 as described above. It is configured to be positioned obliquely upward. The position of the housing 1 is such that the center B of the housing 1 is shifted upward or downward (for example, moved to B ′) with respect to the line A connecting the centers of the back surface 2-2 and the front surface 2-1 of the housing 2. It is only necessary to shift upward or downward. Further, as shown in FIG. 3, the position of the housing 1 is set such that the center B of the housing 1 is located with respect to the point A to the line A connecting the center of the back surface 2-2 and the front surface 2-1 of the housing 2. May be shifted forward or backward (for example, moved to C ′). It is arbitrary whether to shift forward or backward of the user. Further, the center of the housing 1 may be moved to D ′ and E ′. That is, as long as the housing 1 is connected to the back surface 2-2 of the housing 2 by the connection path 5, the housing 1 is arbitrarily connected to the line A connecting the back surface 2-2 of the housing 2 and the center of the front surface 2-1. It only needs to be shifted diagonally to the position. For example, it is possible to shift the housing 1 forward and downward of the user or backward and upward of the user. Furthermore, you may make it the appropriate structure which rotates the housing | casing 1 centering on the line A. FIG. For example, when the front surface 2-1 of the housing is separately fitted to the rear surface 2-2 of the housing, and the rear surface 2-2 of the housing is rotated with respect to the front surface 2-1, the position of the housing 1 is a line A. Can be rotated around. As described above, if the housing 1 is obliquely shifted with respect to the line A connecting the center of the back surface 2-2 and the front surface 2-1, the housing 2 is rotated by the load of the housing 1. The force to try can be weakened and the effect that it is hard to come off from a user's ear can be acquired. Moreover, the connection position of the connection path 5 is arbitrary. As can be seen from FIG. 2, in the usage mode, when the housing 1 is provided in an obliquely upper positional relationship with respect to the housing 2, it is possible to make the user feel more comfortable wearing the ear.

  The earphone according to the above embodiment has a configuration in which the housing 1 protrudes outside the user's auricle when worn, and is difficult to contact the user's auricle even when the housing 1 is enlarged. Further, as described above, it is difficult to drop off from the user's auricle, and the acoustic characteristics can be easily improved by increasing or decreasing the internal volume of the housing 1. In addition, since the acoustic characteristics can be improved by increasing / decreasing the internal volume of the housing 1, the acoustic characteristics can be improved while keeping the user's feeling of wearing in a preferable state.

  The configuration of the driver unit (not shown) can be selected as appropriate according to the purpose. As an example, a driver unit having the same configuration as the general driver unit 103 shown in FIG. 10 may be adopted. The shapes of the housing 1 and the connecting path 5 are arbitrary, but it is preferable that the housing 1 and the connecting path 5 have a non-angular shape such as a cylindrical shape in consideration of the user's wearing feeling.

  In FIG. 2, a lead lead portion 6 is formed from the housing 1. The lead lead-out portion 6 protrudes in a bar shape from the outer periphery of the lower portion of the housing 1 to the intercrocus notch side so as to fit into the intercrocus notch of the user's pinna in the usage mode of the earphone. The inner surface of the lead lead-out portion 6 is a cavity, and a wiring (not shown) can come out from the cavity to receive an appropriate audio signal from the outside. The length in the length direction of the lead lead-out portion 6 is arbitrary, but it is preferable to make it as long as possible because the wiring is less likely to be damaged. The illustrated embodiment is an embodiment that is assumed to be worn on the right ear of the user. The earphone attached to the left ear is symmetrical with respect to the illustrated embodiment. If the left and right earphones are configured to be electrically connected by an appropriate method such as a lead wire to transmit an audio signal, a general stereo earphone can be obtained.

  In FIG. 3, the end surface of the housing 1 opposite to the connection path 3 is a design surface 1a having a circular planar shape on which a design image, engraving, or the like can be applied. When the earphone is used, the housing 1 is formed of the housing 2 so that the design surface 1a is parallel to the sagittal surface of the user (a surface that divides the front surface symmetrically when the human body is the front surface). The back surface 2-2 and the connection path 5 are connected. By forming in this way, the design surface 1a is easily recognized by human eyes. Therefore, if an image, engraving, trademark, or the like is applied to the design surface 1a, an advertising effect can be expected. The shape of the design surface 1a is arbitrary, and for example, an appropriate shape such as a circular shape, a quadrangular shape, a rhombus, a polygonal shape or an elliptical shape can be selected.

  In use, the bowl-shaped rear surface 2-2 of the housing 2 is joined to the inner side (back side) surface of the user's tragus 11 and the inner side (back side) of the jewel 12 shown in FIG. -1 is joined to the concha 13 shown in FIG. 7, and the housing 2 is pressed by the user's tragus 11 and the tragus 12 and the concha 13. In this way, the housing 2 fits into the cavity of the user's auricle formed by the user's inside of the tragus 11, the inside of the tragus 12, and the concha 13, and by the elastic force of the auricle. It has a shape that is difficult to drop off.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the housing 2 includes a sound emitting tube 3 formed so as to protrude from the front surface 2-1 toward the user external auditory canal 14 in FIG. 7. An earpiece 4 is fitted to the sound emitting tube 3. The earpiece 4 includes a cylindrical portion that fits on the outer periphery of the sound emitting tube 3, and a portion that is folded back from the tip of the cylindrical portion to form a hemisphere and has flexibility. The flexible part of the earpiece 4 is in close contact with the inner peripheral surface of the ear canal. By being comprised in this way, the earpiece 4 and the housing 2 become easy to adapt to a user's pinna, and have improved the feeling of mounting | wearing. Further, since the housing 1 can ensure a sufficient internal volume including the housing 2, it is not necessary to provide holes in the housing 2 for adjusting the acoustic characteristics, so that the processing effort and the sound are reduced. Costs such as resistance materials can be reduced.

  As shown in FIG. 4, the housing 2 having a driver unit (not shown) inside and the internal space of the housing 1 are spatially communicated via a connecting path 5. The internal structure of the housing 1 is hollow, and by providing the housing 2 and the housing 1 with the positional relationship as described above, the acoustic characteristics are adjusted by appropriately increasing or decreasing the hollow size of the housing 1. can do. Since this acoustic characteristic adjusting means does not depend on the size or shape of the housing 2 that determines the mounting property of the earphone, the acoustic characteristic can be adjusted without impairing the mounting property.

  The length of the connecting path 5 is arbitrary, but if the length is too long, the acoustic characteristics deteriorate, so it is preferable that the length is short. Thus, in the earphone according to the illustrated embodiment, the hollow of the housing 1, the cavity of the connection path 5, and the cavity of the housing 2 are in communication and the internal volume is increased. Back pressure can be reduced, and in particular, the acoustic characteristics of the mid-bass can be adjusted and improved. In addition, high-frequency acoustic characteristics can be maintained. The shape of the internal space of the housing 1, the connection path 5, and the housing 2 is not limited to the shape shown in the figure, and any appropriate shape can be adopted as long as acoustic characteristics can be improved.

  In FIG. 5, the earpiece 4 is made of a flexible material such as silicone so as to fit the user's external auditory canal, and a base 4-1 formed in a cylindrical shape so as to be fitted to the outer periphery of the sound emission tube 3. And an attachment portion 4-2 to the ear canal that is integrally formed by folding back from the outer periphery of the distal end of the base portion 4-1. The mounting portion 4-2 is formed into a hollow sphere, that is, a hemisphere cut along a radial surface. The base portion 4-1 of the earpiece 4 has a center hole in the sound emitting direction, and the inner diameter of the rear end portion of the base portion 4-1 has a small diameter, and this small diameter portion is a fitting portion to the sound emitting tube 3. 4-3.

  The outer periphery of the distal end portion of the sound emitting tube 3 is a small diameter portion, and this small diameter portion is a fitting portion 3-1 of the earpiece 4. Two protrusions 3-2 and 3-3 are provided on the fitting portion 3-1 along the peripheral surface at a predetermined distance in the central axis direction of the fitting portion 3-1. The interval between the protrusions 3-2 and 3-3 is substantially the same as or slightly shorter than the dimension in the central axis direction of the fitting portion 4-3 of the earpiece 4. The protrusions 3-2 and 3-3 have a surface orthogonal to the central axis and a surface that intersects the surface and is inclined with respect to the central axis in a cross section of the sound emitting tube 3 including the central axis. It becomes. The protrusions 3-2 and 3-3 are formed such that surfaces perpendicular to the respective central axes are opposed to each other, and surfaces that are inclined with respect to the central axis from these surfaces toward the outside are formed. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 5, the fitting portion 4-3 of the earpiece 4 is fitted between the protrusions 3-2 and 3-3, and the earpiece 4 protrudes relatively large from the sound emitting tube 3. In the aspect shown in FIG. 6, a part of the fitting portion 4-3 of the earpiece 4 gets over the protrusion 3-3, and the rear end of the earpiece 4 is the step at the rear end of the fitting portion 3-1 of the sound emission tube 3. The earpiece 4 is retracted in contact with the portion. In the retracted position of the earpiece 4, the protrusion 3-3 bites into the fitting portion 4-3 of the flexible earpiece 4 so that the retracted position of the earpiece 4 is maintained. Whether the earpiece 4 protrudes greatly as shown in FIG. 5 or retracts as shown in FIG. 6 may be selected according to the user's preference. Thus, the position of the earpiece 4 can be adjusted in two stages. By increasing the number of protrusions formed on the fitting portion 3-1 of the sound emitting tube 3, the number of steps that can adjust the protruding amount of the earpiece 4 increases. Therefore, by increasing or decreasing the number of steps of the protrusions, the number of adjustment steps for the position adjustment can be made to be an appropriate number.

  When the earphone according to the above embodiment is attached to the auricle, as shown in FIG. 7, the saddle-shaped back surface 2-2 of the housing 2 is located on the inner side of the user's tragus 11 and the inner side of the tragus 12 as described above. The front surface 2-1 of the housing 2 is bonded to the concha 13. The housing 2 is pressed by the inner side of the user's tragus 11 and the tragus 12 and by the conch 13. The housing 1 has the rear surface of the housing 2 and the connection path 5 so that the design surface 1a is parallel to the direction of the user's sagittal surface (a surface assumed when the human body is symmetrically divided from the front). Are connected through. Accordingly, when the earphone is used, the design surface 1a can be easily seen from the outside. In addition, since the front surface 2-1 of the housing 2 is joined to the concha 13, there is an effect of giving the user a sense of security that the wearing is suitable. Further, from the housing 1, a rod-shaped lead drawer portion 6 is formed so that the positional relationship is formed so as to fit into the notch between the user's auricles. Fits the shape. Further, an earpiece 4 is fitted to the sound emission tube 3 formed so as to protrude from the front surface 2-1 of the housing 2 toward the user's external auditory canal 14, and the earpiece 4 is inserted into the user's external auditory canal 14. The As described above, the earphone according to the illustrated embodiment is formed so that the shape thereof is adapted to a general human auricle, which improves the user's wearing feeling and is difficult to drop off during use. . Furthermore, since the earpiece 4 fits and closely contacts the user's pinna, it has a configuration with little sound leakage.

  As shown in FIG. 6, at least one hole 7 for acoustic adjustment can be provided in at least one of the housing 2, the connecting path 5, or the housing 1. If the acoustic adjustment hole 7 is provided in the design surface 1a, for example, the acoustic adjustment hole can be made difficult to catch with the naked eye by a decoration or a trademark applied to the design surface 1a. An acoustic resistance material (not shown) can also be attached to the acoustic adjustment hole 7. The number of acoustic adjustment holes 7 and their positions can be selected as appropriate according to the purpose, and the number of acoustic resistance materials can also be selected as appropriate.

  FIG. 9 is a graph obtained by measuring the frequency and sound pressure in the artificial ear coupler by applying 1 mW input to the conventional earphone shown in FIG. 10 and the earphone according to the embodiment of the present invention shown in FIG. . Line a indicates the measured value of the earphone according to the embodiment of the present invention, and dotted line b indicates the measured value of the conventional earphone. In addition, the measuring method was based on EIAJ (Japan Electronic Machinery Manufacturers Association) standard: RC-7502A. The shape of the artificial ear coupler was B & K 4157 equivalent in conformity with EIAJ (Japan Electronic Machinery Manufacturers Association) standard. From the results shown in FIG. 9, it was found that the earphone according to the example of the present invention has improved acoustic characteristics in the low to mid range compared to the conventional earphone.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Housing | casing 1a Design surface 2 Housing 2-1 Front of housing 2-2 Rear of housing 3 Sound emission tube 3-1 Fitting part 4 Earpiece 4-1 Base part 5 Connection path 6 Lead lead-out part 7 Acoustic adjustment hole 10 Ear shell Auxiliary 11 Tragus 12 Anti-tragus 13 Auricular concha 14 External auditory canal

Japanese Patent No. 2644356

Earphone according to the present invention includes a driver unit, accommodating the de Lai bar unit, a housing having a rear which is formed on the front and cup shape are sound surface, and another hollow housing and housings, C includes a connecting passage for connecting the rear and end face of the housing of the Ujingu, a housing, in embodiments used with respect to a line connecting the centers of the rear and front of the housings, it shifted diagonally upward, housing housing The connecting path is connected to the back surface of the housing so as to be located obliquely above the housing, and the connecting path is characterized by extending from the inclined surface of the back surface of the housing .

Earphone according to the present invention includes a driver unit, and housing the driver unit, the housing having a rear which is formed on the front and cup shape are sound surface, to separate from the said housing to increase the internal volume A housing provided in order to reduce the back pressure of the diaphragm of the driver unit, and a connection that connects the rear surface of the housing and the end surface of the housing to communicate the housing and the internal space of the housing. And the housing is shifted obliquely upward in the usage mode with respect to a line connecting the back surface and the front center of the housing, and the housing is positioned diagonally above the housing in the usage mode. Thus, the connection path is connected to the back surface of the housing, and the connection path extends from the inclined surface of the back surface of the housing.

As shown in FIG. 8 , at least one hole 7 for acoustic adjustment can be provided in at least one of the housing 2, the connecting path 5, or the housing 1. If the acoustic adjustment hole 7 is provided in the design surface 1a, for example, the acoustic adjustment hole can be made difficult to catch with the naked eye by a decoration or a trademark applied to the design surface 1a. An acoustic resistance material (not shown) can also be attached to the acoustic adjustment hole 7. The number of acoustic adjustment holes 7 and their positions can be selected as appropriate according to the purpose, and the number of acoustic resistance materials can also be selected as appropriate.

Claims (11)

A driver unit,
A housing that houses the driver unit and has a front surface that is a sound emitting surface and a rear surface that is formed in a bowl shape;
A hollow housing separate from the housing;
A rear surface of the housing, and a connecting path connecting the end surfaces of the housing,
The earphone is characterized in that the housing is shifted obliquely with respect to a line connecting the back surface and the front center of the housing.   The earphone according to claim 1, wherein the housing has a connection path connected to the back surface of the housing such that the housing is located obliquely above the housing in a usage mode.   The earphone according to claim 1, wherein the connection path extends from an inclined surface on a back surface of the housing.   The earphone according to claim 1, wherein a side of the housing opposite to the connection path is a design surface.   The earphone according to claim 4, wherein the design surface of the housing is connected to the housing by the connection path so as to be parallel to the sagittal direction of the user when worn.   The earphone according to claim 1, wherein the housing includes a sound emitting tube formed so as to protrude from a front surface thereof, and an earpiece is fitted to the sound emitting tube.   The earphone according to claim 6, wherein the position of the earpiece is adjustable before and after the sound emission direction of the sound emission tube.   In the usage mode, the sound emission tube faces the user's external auditory canal, and the rear surface of the housing is pressed by the user's tragus and the rosicle, and the front of the housing presses the user's concha. The earphone according to claim 7 or 8, wherein the earphone is formed as described above.   The earphone according to claim 1, wherein at least one acoustic adjustment hole is provided in at least one of the housing, the connecting path, or the housing.   The earphone according to claim 9, wherein the acoustic adjustment hole is provided on the design surface.   The earphone according to claim 9 or 10, wherein an acoustic resistance material is attached to the acoustic adjustment hole.

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