Earpiece

IMPROVED EARPIECE

Applicant:

Freebit AS

1878-IL 202192/3

Improved earpiece 5 Background of the inventionFiled of the invention

The present invention regards a device for removable attachment to the ear asdisclosed in the preamble of claim 1.

Background information io Microphone/earpiece combinations, wireless or attached by wire, to telephones, music systems, switchboards etc. are well known. Such known devices,however, frequently use a bow for the earpieces and a microphone attached to saidbow. Such devices are not well suited for use with mobile apparatuses since the deviceshould have a form that makes it easy to stow it in a pocket, bag or the like when not in is use.

From the prior art one should refer to US 6 122 388 and US 5 659 156. Theseare earmold devices where a plug is brought into the ear canal and are typically used inhearing devices. These are not suited for mass production since each has to be adaptedto each user for the stable positioning and comfortable use. This is particularly due to 20 the opening in the ear that the ear plug is brought into differs from person to person.The outer part of the ear also differs from person to person yet these differences are notso great. Thus, using the outer shape of the ear for attachment of an ear unit only 2 or 3different sizes will accomplish said differences.

Also an ear plug will block the ear canal and appear uncomfortable to a user. 25 Moreover the natural production of ear wax will not escape, thus necessitating flushingof the ear at regular intervals.

References should also be made to US 5 943 627 regarding an ear piece withbuilt in microphone. Ear pieces for walkmen and the like are known, using the outerpart of the ear for attachment, yet these have a circular shape and exploit only the lower 30 part of the outer cavity of an ear for attachment and small differences in the size of theear will cause said ear pieces not to fit particularly well.

References should also be made to a German utility patent DE 29718483 U1where an inner clamp forces hoops outwardly towards the inner parts of the ear cavityin order to secure an attachment. The disadvantage is the constant outward pressure 35 being exerted which over time can lead to discomfort.

Further references should also be made to the Norwegian patent NO 312 989belonging to the applicant where a comfortable attachment is achieved by acombination of an ear unit formed as a large C placed under the tragus of the ear while 1 202192/1 further stability is assured by one part extending from the ear unit in the intertragic notch.

Also a reference should be made to WO 01/50813, an ear mould, filling in a substantial part of the ear mussel and the intertragic notch.

Next a reference should be made to WO 2004/100508, an ear unit using a pads, where one of the supportpads of is positioned between the Tragus and the Antitragus.

Finally, references should also be made to the Norwegian patent NO 312 909.

Also a reference should be made to US 2005/0008180 regarding a generally symmetric earpiece for use ineither ear and made from a resilient material. 1a 202192/2

Objective of the invention

Based on the prior art the object of the invention is to avoid thesedisadvantages and limitation and simultaneously provide a further improvement instability and comfortable attachment of an ear unit with the possibility of furtherfunctionality.

Summary of the invention

This is provided by a device as disclosed by claim 1. Further features of theinvention are disclosed by the remaining dependent claims.

The shape of the ear unit keeps the ear canal to certain degree open towards theouter environment for improved comfort when compared to a unit that closes or blocksthe ear canal.

Brief description of the drawings

Where is embodiments of the invention will be disclosed with references to thedrawings, where:

Fig. 1 shows schematically an ear with a curve along with a part extendingdown.

Fig. 2 shows an ear unit according to the present invention along with amicrophone device.

Fig. 3 shows an ear unit according to the present invention with a curvatureenabling the ear unit to fit closely against the ear mussel.

Fig. 4 shows the curvature of fig. 3 from the opposite side and also an incision shaped in such a way that the incision is stabilized comfortably in the intertragicnotch.

Fig. 5 shows an embodiment of the present invention comprising the curvaturefitting closely against the ear mussel, the incision positioned stably into theintertragic notch and a part extending down from the ear unit.

Detailed description of the invention

Fig. 1 shows schematically an ear with a decremental curve 1 inserted. Asshown by the figure the outer periphery of the ear unit is held in the ear by the outerparts of the ear such that the lower part of the antihelix 13, antitragus 3 and tragus 4 ofthe ear and part extending downwards 7, but intertragic notch 14. Parts of the curve ispositioned inside the antihelix 13 when viewed from the outside of the ear where saidparts therefore are not visible.

By the present invention, a larger part of the outer ear is utilized, thusachieving high stability while providing more comfort to the user than the previouslyknown solutions. The present invention also utilizes the upper part of the antihelix 13 2 WO 2008/147215 PCT/N02008/000190 3 and the cavity covered by the lower node 15 of the antihelix and the flap 2 coveringsaid cavity by the outer part of the ear adjacent to the head.

The ear unit 10 according to the present invention is shown schematically infigure 2, with a microphone 6 and optionally a microphone rod 12 connected to the ears unit 10 at the junction point 11. Said microphone rod comprises the connectionbetween the microphone 6 and the transmitter/receiver arranged in the ear unit 10. Thepower supply for the transmitter/receiver can optionally be arranged in the ear unit, forinstance in the lower part 7 of the ear unit 10 for instance in the form of a rechargeablebattery, for instance a miniature penlight cell that by virtue of its shape and weightio leads to a low centre of gravity relative to the rotational axis formed at the landingpoint in a lower part of the ear cavity (by the intertragic notch 14). This helps increasethe dynamic stability of ear unit 10 when the user is in motion. If the centre of gravityis too high and any centripetal forces caused by quick movements on the users behalf,it would cause the ear unit 10 to be pulled out of position from above. The antenna of π the wireless part may be positioned for instance in the microphone rod.

Ear unit 10 comprises a decremental curve 9 of the outer part of the ear unitcorresponding to the antihelix 13 with a surface shaped in such a way that the curvefalls along the inner part of the antihelix 13 and is partly positioned under antitragus 3of the ear. The optional lower part 7 extends from the curve while providing a guide 20 and a weight for the correct positioning of the ear unit 10 by more or less lying in theintertragic notch 14 of the ear. The upper part of the curve projects into the cavitycovered by the lower node 15 of the antihelix and underneath the flap 2 covering thelower part of said cavity. Investigations show that a contiguous line in the form of adecremental curve will fit in to the ear of nearly everyone. 2s By use of the ear unit 10, an opening is formed between the outer periphery 16 and the wall of the ear. This means that the ends 5 and 8 of the curve project out fromthe casing of the ear unit 10. Likewise, the part of the ear unit 10 comprising thehearing element is refracted slightly relative to the curve, ensuring that the hearingelement does not abut the auditory canal directly, allowing the formation of an opening 30 between the auditory canal and the surroundings.

The ear unit 10 is fonned with a curvature 21 in such a way that it follows along the inner surface of ear mussel 22 when the ear unit 10 is positioned into the ear.This contact surface provides further stability since a larger area is placed against theear mussel, and thereby increased comfort 35 The ear unit 10 is optionally arranged with an incision 20 so that it positions itself into the intertragic notch 14 when the ear unit 10 is positioned in the ear. Thisincision provides further stability and increased comfort. WO 2008/147215 PCT/N02008/000190

Figure 2 shows a typical embodiment of the invention with a part extendingdown 7 together with an incision 20 which ensures that said downward projecting partaligns with the intertragic notch 14 when the ear unit 10 is positioned into the ear.

Figure 3 shows the ear piece 10 from the outside in such a way that the5 curvature 21 is clearly shown.

Figures 4 and 5 show the ear piece from two different angles in such a way thatthe incision 20 is clearly shown. , crnxan rwzn ατα iniab^a pnow pnizn irn πτ qaoa,Ρ’ηη ηχΰπ laoa-a mavia na^maa np’ioz .zruwan rwaa mpnan pmri oxn-a□ιηπη Pi?

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