JP7653573B2 - Bone conduction earphones - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to bone conduction earphones.

Bone conduction earphones are described in Patent Document 1 and Non-Patent Documents 1 and 2. Bone conduction earphones are equipped with a vibrator that vibrates in response to an audio signal, and are configured to be in close contact with the bone or cartilage around the auricle. The vibrator converts the audio signal into vibrations, which are transmitted to the cochlea via the bone or cartilage. Therefore, a user using bone conduction earphones can hear the sound represented by the audio signal without passing through the eardrum.

The bone conduction earphones in Patent Document 1 are canal-type bone conduction earphones that use elastic ear tips (sound-insulating parts in Patent Document 1) to bring the vibrator (a piezoelectric vibration device in Patent Document 1) into close contact with the cavity of the concha, which is the opening of the ear canal. Such canal-type bone conduction earphones fix the vibrator to the cavity of the concha by using the force of the ear tip inserted into the cavity of the concha to restore its shape. Therefore, canal-type bone conduction earphones press the vibrator against the cavity of the concha.

The bone conduction earphones in Non-Patent Document 1 are band-type bone conduction earphones that use a flexible band to bring the vibrator into close contact with the area in front of the auricle (for example, near the temple). In such band-type bone conduction earphones, the vibrator is pressed against the bone in the area in front of the auricle by the force of both ends of the band pinching the head.

The earphones in Non-Patent Document 2 are clip-type earphones that use a flexible clip to attach the vibrator to the rear wall of the cavity of the concha. In such clip-type earphones, the force of the vibrator and the clip pinching the auricle is used to press the vibrator against the cartilage located near the cavity of the concha.

Patent No. 6240821 (issued November 29, 2017)

"OpenRun Pro Sport Headphones - Engineered for Sound | Shokz Official", [online], [searched June 27, 2023], Internet <https://shokz.com/products/openrunpro> "Completely wireless bone conduction earphones PEACE SS-1 (BK/WH) | earsopen - bone conduction earphones that let you enjoy sound without blocking your ears", [online], [searched June 27, 2023], Internet <https://boco.co.jp/eo/products/detail/56>

However, the bone conduction earphones described in Patent Document 1 and Non-Patent Documents 1 and 2 have the following problems:

In the canal-type bone conduction earphones described in Patent Document 1, the vibrator and ear tip block the ear canal, so the user can hear the sound generated by the audio signal, but cannot directly hear the environmental sounds around the user. Note that environmental sounds are also called external sounds.

In contrast, the band-type bone conduction earphones and clip-type bone conduction earphones in Non-Patent Documents 1 and 2 are open-ear bone conduction earphones in which the vibrator does not block the ear canal. Therefore, the user can hear environmental sounds in addition to the sound caused by the audio signal. However, in open-ear bone conduction earphones, as described above, the vibrator is brought into close contact with the bone or cartilage by using the force of the two ends of the band pinching the head, or the force of the vibrator and clip pinching the auricle. Therefore, the user is likely to feel pain or pressure on the head or auricle.

One aspect of the present invention was developed in consideration of the above-mentioned problems, and its purpose is to reduce pain and pressure caused by the pinching force in open-ear bone conduction earphones.

In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the bone conduction earphone according to the first aspect of the present invention comprises a vibrator that converts an audio signal into vibration, a housing that houses the vibrator, and a vibration transmission unit that is connected to the housing and set in the concha cavity of the user's auricle, the vibration transmission unit having a through hole that communicates between the outside and the inside of the concha cavity when set in the concha cavity.

The vibration transmission section of the bone conduction earphone according to the first aspect of the present invention is provided with a through hole that connects the outside and inside of the concha when the bone conduction earphone is set in the concha. Therefore, the bone conduction earphone is an open-ear type bone conduction earphone.

The bone conduction earphone according to the first aspect is fixed to the user's auricle by setting the vibration transmission unit in the user's concha cavity. Therefore, when fixing the bone conduction earphone to the user's auricle, no force is used to pinch the head or auricle as in the bone conduction earphones described in Non-Patent Documents 1 and 2. Therefore, this bone conduction earphone can reduce pain and pressure caused by pinching force.

In other words, this bone conduction earphone can reduce pain and pressure caused by the pinching force in open-ear bone conduction earphones.

In addition, in the bone conduction earphone according to the second aspect of the present invention, in addition to the configuration of the bone conduction earphone according to the first aspect described above, it is preferable that the vibration transmission unit and the housing are configured from a single integrally molded member.

The bone conduction earphone according to the second aspect does not include any discontinuous part that breaks the structure between the housing that houses the vibrator and the vibration transmission part, so the vibration generated by the vibrator can be transmitted to the vibration transmission part with as little loss as possible.

In the bone conduction earphone according to the third aspect of the present invention, in addition to the configuration of the bone conduction earphone according to the second or third aspect described above, the vibration transmission unit is a plate-like member having a through hole penetrating a pair of opposing main surfaces, and is a plate-like member arranged so that the pair of main surfaces intersect in the direction in which the external auditory canal extends when the vibration transmission unit is set in the cavity of the concha.

According to the bone conduction earphone of the third aspect, when the earphone is set in the cavity of the concha, the plate-like member constituting the vibration transmission section is configured to block the opening of the ear canal. Therefore, it is easy to increase the area of the pair of main surfaces of the plate-like member, and therefore the degree of freedom in designing the area of the opening of the through hole can be easily increased.

The bone conduction earphone according to the fourth aspect of the present invention further includes, in addition to the configuration of the bone conduction earphone according to the third aspect described above, a ring-shaped member that borders the outer edge of the vibration transmission part and is made of an elastic material.

According to the bone conduction earphone of the fourth aspect, the outer edge of the vibration transmission part can be covered with a ring-shaped member made of an elastic material, improving the fit when the user wears the bone conduction earphone.

In the bone conduction earphone according to the fifth aspect of the present invention, in addition to the configuration of the bone conduction earphone according to the fourth aspect described above, the annular member is configured to be detachable from the outer edge.

According to the bone conduction earphone of the fifth aspect, the annular member can be removed from the vibration transmission unit. Therefore, by having the manufacturer prepare annular members of various shapes and sizes in advance, the user can select an annular member that fits his/her auricle from among the annular members of various shapes and sizes. This improves the fit when the user wears the bone conduction earphone.

In the bone conduction earphone according to the sixth aspect of the present invention, in addition to the configuration of the bone conduction earphone according to any one of the first to fifth aspects described above, the housing is the first housing, and the earphone is provided with a battery, a second housing that houses the battery, and a temple with one end fixed to the first housing and the other end fixed to the second housing, and when the vibration transmission unit is set in the cavity of the concha, the temple is configured such that (1) at least a part of the first housing is located in the front side area of the auricle, (2) the second housing is located in the back side area of the auricle, and (3) in the anterior area of the helix, it wraps around from the front side to the back side and follows the base of the auricle.

According to the bone conduction earphone of the sixth aspect, the battery, which is a heavy object in the bone conduction earphone, can be supported not only by the vibration transmission unit set in the concha, but also by the temple. In other words, the weight of the battery can be distributed to the concha and the base of the auricle. Therefore, it is possible to reduce the feeling of fitting in the concha when the user wears the bone conduction earphone.

The bone conduction earphone according to the seventh aspect of the present invention further includes a wireless communication interface that acquires an audio signal supplied from the outside, in addition to the configuration of the bone conduction earphone according to any one of the first to sixth aspects described above.

The bone conduction earphone according to the seventh aspect functions as a wireless bone conduction earphone.

In the bone conduction earphone according to the eighth aspect of the present invention, in addition to the configuration of the bone conduction earphone according to the seventh aspect described above, the vibrator is made up of vibrators for the right ear and the left ear, the housing is made up of housings for the right ear and the left ear, the wireless communication interface is made up of wireless communication interfaces for the right ear and the left ear, the housing for the right ear houses the vibrator for the right ear and the wireless communication interface for the right ear, and the housing for the left ear houses the vibrator for the left ear and the wireless communication interface for the left ear.

The bone conduction earphone according to the eighth aspect functions as a completely wireless bone conduction earphone.

According to one aspect of the present invention, in open-ear bone conduction earphones, it is possible to reduce pain and pressure caused by pinching force.

The left image shows a state in which a bone conduction earphone according to an embodiment of the present invention is attached to a user's auricle, and the right image shows a schematic diagram of the user's auricle. 2A to 2C are a front view, a side view, and a rear view of the bone conduction earphone shown in FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a vibration transmitting section of the bone conduction earphone shown in FIG. 1 . 2 is a plan view of an ear loop provided on the bone conduction earphone shown in FIG. 1 and a modified example thereof. FIG. 1 is an embodiment of the invention and is an image of a pair of bone conduction earphones.

The bone conduction earphones 1R and 1L according to one embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to Figures 1 to 5.

The left image in Figure 1 is an image showing a state in which a bone conduction earphone 1R for the right ear is worn on the auricle ER, which is the right ear of a user U. The right image in Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of the auricle ER. Note that all of the auricles ER shown in Figure 1 are plan views obtained by viewing the front area of the auricle ER from the front. The area opposite the front area of the auricle ER is called the back area. In other words, when the front area of the auricle ER is viewed in plan, the back area is an area that cannot be seen.

In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 1, the configuration of the bone conduction earphone 1R is described using the auricle ER of a user U in an upright position and the bone conduction earphone 1R. Here, the vertically upward direction is defined as the upward direction. The direction from the earlobe E2 to the helix E1 on the auricle ER of the user U in an upright position is along the upward direction. Furthermore, when the auricle ER is viewed in a plan view, the direction in which the user U's gaze is directed among the directions perpendicular to the upward direction is defined as the forward direction. Furthermore, the direction that constitutes a left-handed Cartesian coordinate system together with the forward direction and the upward direction is defined as the front direction. The opposite directions of the forward direction, the upward direction, and the front direction are called the rear direction, the downward direction, and the back direction, respectively.

As shown in the left diagram of FIG. 1, the surface of the bone conduction earphone 1R that can be seen when the earphone 1R is attached to the ear ER and viewed from the front in a plan view is called the front. The surface of the bone conduction earphone 1R opposite the front is called the back. Therefore, FIG. 2 shows a front view, a side view, and a back view of the bone conduction earphone 1R. The side view in FIG. 2 is obtained by looking at the bone conduction earphone 1R attached to the ear ER from the front.

Figure 3 is a perspective view of the vibration transmission unit 15 of the bone conduction earphone 1R. Note that Figure 3 illustrates the vibration transmission unit 15 and the ear loop 16 in disassembled form.

Figure 4 is a plan view of the ear loop 16 of the bone conduction earphone 1R, as well as its modified ear loops 16A and 16B.

Figure 5 is an image of bone conduction earphones 1R and 1L, which are a pair of left and right earphones according to one embodiment of the present invention. The bone conduction earphone 1R is for the right ear, and the bone conduction earphone 1L is for the left ear. The bone conduction earphone 1R and the bone conduction earphone 1L are configured to be mirror images of each other.

[Outline of bone conduction earphones]
5, both the bone conduction earphones 1R and 1L include a first housing 11, a mounting board 21, and a vibrator 23. The first housing 11, mounting board 21, and vibrator 23 of the bone conduction earphone 1R are the first housing 11, mounting board 21, and vibrator 23 for the right ear, respectively. The first housing 11, mounting board 21, and vibrator 23 of the bone conduction earphone 1L are the first housing 11, mounting board 21, and vibrator 23 for the left ear, respectively.

The first housing 11 of the bone conduction earphone 1R houses the mounting board 21 and vibrator 23 for the right ear, and the first housing 11 of the bone conduction earphone 1L houses the mounting board 21 and vibrator 23 for the left ear.

The mounting boards 21 for the right and left ears are respectively equipped with wireless communication interfaces for the right and left ears. Each wireless communication interface acquires an audio signal supplied from outside the bone conduction earphones 1R and 1L (e.g., a terminal such as a smartphone, a personal computer, a game console, or a television). Each wireless communication interface may be compliant with any communication standard capable of transmitting and receiving signals such as audio signals between the terminal. Examples of such communication standards include Bluetooth (registered trademark) and 2.4 GHz digital communication. The audio signal acquired by each wireless communication interface drives each of the vibrators 23 for the right and left ears.

The bone conduction earphone 1R and the bone conduction earphone 1L configured in this way are earphones that are known on the market as being of a completely wireless system. Note that there are two known completely wireless systems: a relay system and a simultaneous left and right transmission system, and either system can be used. In this embodiment, the bone conduction earphone 1R and the bone conduction earphone 1L will be described as adopting the simultaneous left and right transmission system.

Note that the bone conduction earphone according to one aspect of the present invention may be configured so that one wireless communication interface is shared between the right bone conduction earphone and the left bone conduction earphone. Earphones configured in this manner are generally called wireless earphones and are distinguished from completely wireless earphones. Note that one aspect of the bone conduction earphone 1R is not limited to wireless earphones, and may be wired earphones.

In addition, FIG. 5 shows a pair of a bone conduction earphone 1R for the right ear and a bone conduction earphone 1L for the left ear. In one aspect of the present invention, the bone conduction earphone 1R and the bone conduction earphone 1L can be sold as a pair, or only one of the bone conduction earphone 1R and the bone conduction earphone 1L can be sold.

[Configuration of bone conduction earphones]
5, the bone conduction earphone 1R and the bone conduction earphone 1L are configured to be mirror images of each other. Therefore, in the following, the configuration of the bone conduction earphone according to the embodiment of the present invention will be described using the bone conduction earphone 1R, and a detailed description of the bone conduction earphone 1L will be omitted.

As shown in the left diagram of FIG. 1, the bone conduction earphone 1R includes a first housing 11, a vibrator 23, and a vibration transmission unit 15. The first housing 11 is an example of a housing.

The vibrator 23 is a device that converts an externally supplied audio signal into vibration. In this embodiment, a dynamic bone conduction speaker is used as the vibrator 23. However, the vibrator 23 may also be a piezoelectric element.

The first housing 11 is a resin part configured to house the vibrator 23. In order to transmit the vibration generated by the vibrator 23 to the vibration transmission section 15 with as little loss as possible, it is preferable that the inner wall surface of the first housing 11 is shaped like the vibrator 23 so as to fit closely to the outer wall surface of the vibrator 23. Note that in Figures 1, 2, and 5, the members housed in the first housing 11 and the second housing 13 (described later) are shown by dashed lines.

The vibration transmission unit 15 is coupled to the first housing 11 and set in the cavity of the concha E3 of the user U's auricle ER. In this way, the vibration transmission unit 15, which is also set in the cavity of the concha E3, transmits vibrations converted from sound vibrations to the cartilage that constitutes the cavity of the concha E3. Therefore, the bone conduction earphone 1R is a cartilage conduction type bone conduction earphone. The vibration transmission unit 15 is provided with a through hole 151 that connects the outside and inside of the cavity of the concha E3 when set in the cavity of the concha E3.

In this embodiment, the vibration transmission unit 15 is a plate-shaped member having a through hole 151 penetrating a pair of opposing main surfaces. When the vibration transmission unit 15 is set in the concha E3, the pair of main surfaces are arranged to intersect in the direction in which the ear canal extends (the direction intersecting with the paper surface on which FIG. 1 is illustrated). The front view, side view, and rear view of FIG. 2 show that the vibration transmission unit 15 is a disk-shaped member having a circular outer edge. The flat portion with a circular outer edge shown in the front view of FIG. 2 is one of the main surfaces of the vibration transmission unit 15, and the flat portion with a circular outer edge shown in the rear view of FIG. 2 is the other main surface of the vibration transmission unit 15. The through hole 151 is formed in the vibration transmission unit 15 so as to penetrate one main surface and the other main surface. The shape of the outer edge of the vibration transmission unit 15 is not limited to a circular shape, and may be, for example, an elliptical shape, an egg-shaped shape, a cam-shaped shape, or the like. In addition, in this embodiment, the category of "plate-shaped member" that describes the shape of the vibration transmission part 15 also includes annular members, such as a doughnut-shaped member.

2, the bone conduction earphone 1R further includes a support 14 interposed between the first housing 11 and the vibration transmission unit 15. The support 14 is a columnar member extending from the first housing 11 toward the rear (i.e., from the outside to the inside of the cavity of the concha E3), and the vibration transmission unit 15 is connected to its tip. In other words, the axial direction in which the support 14 extends is not parallel to the pair of main surfaces of the vibration transmission unit 15, but is configured to intersect with the pair of main surfaces. The axial direction of the support 14 can also be said to be the direction in which the ear canal extends when the vibration transmission unit 15 is set in the cavity of the concha E3. This is clear from the side view of FIG. 2. In other words, when the auricle ER with the vibration transmission unit 15 set in the cavity of the concha E3 is viewed in a plan view, a part of the first housing 11, at least a part of the support 14, and at least a part of the vibration transmission unit 15 overlap. In this embodiment, a part of the first housing 11, the entire support 14, and a part of the vibration transmission unit 15 overlap. In this way, by interposing the support 14 between the first housing 11 and the vibration transmission unit 15, when the vibration transmission unit 15 is set in the cavity of the concha E3, the first housing 11 and the vibration transmission unit 15 can be separated in the direction in which the external auditory canal extends. That is, the first housing 11 can be moved away from the cavity of the concha E3 in the direction in which the external auditory canal extends. Therefore, it is possible to suppress interference that may occur between the first housing 11 and the cavity of the concha E3 and its surroundings, and the vibration transmission unit 15 can be set at a deeper position in the cavity of the concha E3. In this embodiment, the cross-sectional shape of the support 14 is circular. That is, the shape of the support 14 is cylindrical. However, the cross-sectional shape of the support 14 is not limited to a circular shape, and may be, for example, an elliptical shape or a polygonal shape such as a square or a hexagon.

In this embodiment, the first housing 11 and the vibration transmission unit 15, including the support 14 interposed therebetween, are formed from a single integrally molded member. However, the first housing 11 and the vibration transmission unit 15 may be formed from separate members and joined together. The materials forming the first housing 11, the support 14, and the vibration transmission unit 15 are not limited, but examples include resin and metal. Examples of resin include acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene copolymer synthetic resin (ABS resin) and polycarbonate resin (PC resin), and an example of a metal is an aluminum alloy.

As shown in FIG. 2 and FIG. 3, the bone conduction earphone 1R further includes an ear loop 16 fixed to the vibration transmitting unit 15. The ear loop 16 is configured to border the outer edge of the vibration transmitting unit 15. Specifically, a groove 152 having a semicircular cross-sectional shape is formed on the outer edge of the vibration transmitting unit 15. Meanwhile, the ear loop 16 is an O-ring having a circular cross-sectional shape. That is, the ear loop 16 is an example of an annular member. The ear loop 16 is also configured of an elastic body. The elastic body constituting the ear loop 16 is not limited, but in this embodiment, a silicone resin is used as the elastic body. Another example of the elastic body is a thermoplastic elastomer (TPE resin). The ear loop 16 configured in this manner is fixed to the vibration transmitting unit 15 by fitting into the groove 152. The hardness of the ear loop 16 can be appropriately designed so that the acoustic impedance of the ear loop 16 matches the acoustic impedance of the concha E3 (for example, 1.52 Mkg/m ² ·s) as much as possible. An example of the hardness of the ear loop 16 is hardness 30 (JIS K 6253). Antibacterial ions, such as silver ions, may be kneaded into the ear loop 16. The ear loop 16 may be omitted in the bone conduction earphone 1R.

In addition, in this embodiment, the ear loop 16 is configured to be detachable from the groove 152 that constitutes the outer edge of the vibration transmission unit 15. With this configuration, the ear loop 16 can be appropriately replaced with the ear loop 16A, the ear loop 16B, etc., depending on the shape of the user U's concha E3 and the user U's preference for fit (see FIG. 4). Both the ear loop 16A and the ear loop 16B are modified versions of the ear loop 16. The ear loop 16A has a smaller diameter of the circular cross section than the ear loop 16. Therefore, when fitted into the groove 152, the outer diameter of the ear loop 16A is smaller than the outer diameter of the ear loop 16. Therefore, the ear loop 16A is suitable for a user U whose concha E3 is smaller in size than the ear loop 16. The ear loop 16B has the same cross-sectional diameter as the ear loop 16, but is further provided with an ear fin 16B1. In this way, an ear loop whose outer edge is not circular when viewed in a plan view can also be adopted. Examples of the shape of the ear loop when viewed in a planar view include egg-shaped, cam-shaped, elliptical, etc. The shape and size of the outer edge of the ear loop when viewed in a planar view can be any number of different shapes and sizes that are appropriate to accommodate as many variations in the shape and size of the concha E3 of the ear ER of the user U as possible, and can be included in the product.

As shown in each diagram in FIG. 2, in addition to the first housing 11, support 14, vibration transmission unit 15, ear loop 16, and vibrator 23 described above, the bone conduction earphone 1R further includes temple 12, second housing 13, mounting board 21, battery 22, charging port 24, and touch sensor 25.

The second housing 13 is a resin part configured to house the battery 22 described below.

The temple 12 is a resin part configured to determine the relative positional relationship between the first housing 11, the support 14, and the vibration transmission part 15, and the second housing 13. The temple 12 is a columnar or shaft-shaped part with an end 121 as one end and an end 122 as the other end. The first housing 11 is fixed to the end 121, and the second housing 13 is fixed to the end 122.

When the vibration transmission unit 15 is set in the concha E3, the temple 12 is arranged such that (1) at least a part of the first housing 11 is located in the front area of the auricle ER, (2) the second housing 13 is located in the back area of the auricle ER, and (3) in the front area R1 of the helix E1, it wraps around from the front side to the back side and follows the base of the concha E3. The front area R1 of the helix E1 can also be said to be the front area of the triangular fossa E4. In this embodiment, when the auricle ER is viewed in a plane, a part of the first housing 11 is located in the front area of the auricle ER, and the remaining part of the first housing 11, which is the vicinity of one end of the temple 12 (end 121, see FIG. 2), is located in the front area R1. In one aspect of the bone conduction earphone 1R, the entire first housing 11 may be located in the front area of the auricle ER.

In this embodiment, the first housing 11, the temple 12, and the second housing 13 are all resin parts as described above. An example of the resin constituting the temple 12 is silicone resin. An example of the resin constituting the second housing 13 is ABS resin and PC resin, similar to the resin constituting the first housing 11. The second housing 13 may have a two-layer structure consisting of an inner layer made of ABS resin or PC resin and a surface layer made of an elastic resin such as silicone resin, or may have a structure of three or more layers. In this embodiment, silicone resin is used as the temple 12, and a two-layer structure consisting of an inner layer made of ABS resin and a surface layer made of silicone resin is used as the second housing 13. Such a two-layer structure can be manufactured using a manufacturing method called two-color molding. In this embodiment, the temple 12 and the second housing 13 are composed of a single member molded as an integral part, and the first housing 11 is composed of a separate member from the temple 12 and the second housing 13. In FIG. 2, the solid line between the first housing 11 and the temple 12 indicates the boundary. Of the temple 12 and the second housing 13, at least the second housing 13 may be made of a metal. An example of the metal is an aluminum alloy.

The joint between the first housing 11 and the temple 12 may be configured so that the first housing 11 can rotate around the axis of the temple 12, or may be configured so that the first housing 11 is completely fixed to the temple 12.

In addition, in one embodiment of the bone conduction earphone 1R, the first housing 11, temple 12, second housing 13, support 14, and vibration transmission unit 15 may be configured as a single integrally molded member. This configuration can improve the waterproof performance of the bone conduction earphone 1R.

The temple 12 is configured to adjust and store the relative position of the second housing 13 with respect to the position of the first housing 11 in accordance with variations in the shape and size of the user U's auricle ER. In order to adjust the relative position of the second housing 13 with respect to the position of the first housing 11, the resin that constitutes the temple 12 is flexible at room temperature (e.g., 25°C) and is configured to be deformable to fit the shape of the base of the user U's auricle ER. In addition, in order to store the relative position of the second housing 13 with respect to the position of the first housing 11, a metal rod-shaped member that is arranged coaxially with the temple 12 is embedded inside the temple 12. The type of metal that constitutes this rod-shaped member is not limited, but an example of this is a titanium alloy.

The mounting board 21 is housed inside the first housing 11 together with the vibrator 23. The mounting board 21 is equipped with the wireless communication interface described above, a charging module for charging the battery 22, a touch sensor 25 described below, and the like.

The battery 22 is a secondary battery configured to be capable of repeated charging and discharging. The type of secondary battery used as the battery 22 is not limited, but it is preferably a lithium ion battery. In this embodiment, the battery 22 is housed in the second housing 13. However, depending on the capacity and size of the battery 22, a configuration in which the battery 22 is housed in the first housing 11 may be adopted. In this case, the temple 12 may be omitted. Even when the battery 22 is housed in the first housing 11, the bone conduction earphone 1R has temple 12, so that the bone conduction earphone 1R set in the auricle ER can be stabilized.

The charging port 24 is a charging port through which power is supplied to charge the battery 22, and supplies power to the charging module via the charging port 24. The charging module charges the battery 22 using the power supplied from the charging port 24. Therefore, wiring is embedded inside the temple 12 in addition to the metal rod-shaped member described above.

The touch sensor 25 is a switch for controlling the volume of the sound played by the bone conduction earphone 1R and for starting and stopping the sound playback.

The letter "R" shown in the rear view of FIG. 2 is a mark indicating that the bone conduction earphone 1R is a bone conduction earphone for the right ear. Similarly, the bone conduction earphone 1L has the letter "L" on it indicating that it is a bone conduction earphone for the left ear.

In addition to the above-mentioned configuration, the bone conduction earphone 1R may also include a microphone. By including a microphone, the bone conduction earphone 1R can be used as a handset for telephone calls or web conferences. The microphone may be built into the first housing 11, or may be attached to the outside of the first housing 11 via a separate arm or the like.

[Additional Notes]
The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and various modifications are possible within the scope of the claims. Embodiments obtained by appropriately combining the technical means disclosed in different embodiments are also included in the technical scope of the present invention.

1R, 1L Bone conduction earphone 11 First housing (housing)
12 temple 13 second housing 14 support 15 vibration transmission part 151 through hole 16 ear loop (annular member)
21 Mounting board 22 Battery 23 Transducer 24 Charging port 25 Touch sensor ER Pinna E1 Helix E2 Earlobe E3 Concha cavity E4 Triangular fossa R1 Anterior region

Claims (6)

A vibrator that converts audio signals into vibrations;
A first housing that houses the vibrator;
a vibration transmission unit coupled to the first housing and set in the concha cavity of the user's auricle, the vibration transmission unit having a through hole that communicates between the outside and the inside of the concha cavity when set in the concha cavity;
Batteries and
A second housing that houses the battery;
a temple having one end to which the first housing is fixed and another end to which the second housing is fixed,
When the vibration transmission unit is set in the cavity of the concha, (1) at least a part of the first housing is located in the front side area of the auricle, (2) the second housing is located in the back side area of the auricle, and (3) the temple is provided so as to wrap around from the front side to the back side in the front area of the helix and follow the base of the auricle.
A bone conduction earphone characterized by: The vibration transmission unit and the first housing are configured by a single integrally molded member.
2. The bone conduction earphone according to claim 1 . The vibration transmission unit is a plate-like member having a through hole penetrating a pair of main surfaces facing each other, and is arranged so that the pair of main surfaces intersect in a direction in which the external auditory canal extends when the vibration transmission unit is set in the cavity of the concha.
3. The bone conduction earphone according to claim 1 or 2. The temple includes a flexible resin member and a metal rod-shaped member embedded in the resin member.
3. The bone conduction earphone according to claim 1 or 2. The bone conduction earphone according to claim 2 , further comprising a wireless communication interface for acquiring an audio signal supplied from an external source. The transducer comprises a right-ear transducer and a left-ear transducer,
the first housing includes a first housing for a right ear and a first housing for a left ear,
The wireless communication interface includes a right-ear wireless communication interface and a left-ear wireless communication interface;
the first housing for the right ear accommodates a vibrator for the right ear and a wireless communication interface for the right ear;
The first housing for the left ear accommodates a vibrator for the left ear and a wireless communication interface for the left ear.
6. The bone conduction earphone according to claim 5.

Images