Earphone

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Patent Board

The Netherlands © 193045 © C PATENT © Patent Application: 8200995 © Int.CI.® _ H04R1 / 10, H04M1 / 05 © Submitted: 10.03.82 (© Priority:

10.03.81 JP 0033352/81 © Launched:

01.10.82 IE 82/19 © Disclosed:

01.04.98 IE 98/04

Patent holder (s):

Sony Corporation (Sony Kabushiki Kaisha) in Tokyo, Japan (JP).

Authorized representative:

Ir. PN Hoorweg et al. At 2517 GK The Hague.

[47) Date:

04.08.98 (45) Issued:

01.10.98 IE 98/10

54) Earphone.

NL C 193045

Earphone

The invention relates to an earphone comprising a housing for receiving a transducer; a curved mounting bracket that can be located behind the ear with a portion located at its free end; and a separation member included between the bracket and the housing for obtaining a predetermined distance between the bracket and the transducer, the bracket being hingedly connected to the separation member.

An earphone of this kind is known from the German Patent DE-C-466.458. The housing of this known earphone is connected by means of a double-knee-shaped tube with a curved mounting bracket or ear hook. The double-knee tube is rotatably connected to the ear hook. By turning the knee-shaped tube relative to the earhook, the earphone can be used for both the left and right ear. It is also possible, depending on the shape of the ear, to move the housing towards the ear or away from the ear.

The ear hook of the known headphone requires an end that is directed vertically downward when the ear hook is attached to the ear. This downwardly directed end must be sufficiently long to be able to receive the end of the double-knee-shaped tube. This results in a relatively large ear hook, with all associated disadvantages, such as fit issues, uncomfortable use, and unaesthetic appearance.

The invention has for its object to obviate these drawbacks and has for this purpose the feature that a rod member is attached to the housing, which separating member connects to the rod member on one side; that the separating member has a recess on the side remote from the rod member, into which a projection of the bracket engages such that the bracket is pivotally connected to the separating member about an axis substantially parallel to the rod member.

Further features and details of the invention will be mentioned and explained with reference to the drawing. Show here:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of an exemplary embodiment of the earphone of the ear-worn type according to the invention;

Figures 2 (a), 2 (b) and 2 (c) are views of respective examples of the earpad used in the earphone of the ear-worn type according to the invention;

figure 3 shows a partial cross-sectional view of the sliding guide between the rod member and the separating member of the exemplary embodiment according to figure 1;

figure 4 shows a partial perspective view of the separating member in the exemplary embodiment according to figure 1;

figure 5 shows a partial perspective view of the curved fixing bracket in the exemplary embodiment according to figure 1;

figure 6 shows a perspective view from below of the separator of the exemplary embodiment according to figure 5;

figure 7 shows a perspective view of the pin in the exemplary embodiment according to figure 1;

Figure 8 shows a cross section of the rotation coupling mechanism between the separator and the curved mounting bracket of the exemplary embodiment according to Figure 1;

figure 9 shows a schematic representation of the rotation range of the curved fixing bracket in the exemplary embodiment according to figure 1;

figure 10 shows the shape of the earcup to explain the rotation range of the curved mounting bracket in the exemplary embodiment according to figure 9;

Figure 11 is a view for explaining the relationship between the shape of the earcup and the ideal concentration point of the sound;

figure 12 is a side view of the exemplary embodiment according to figure 1; and Figures 13 (a) and 13 (b) are views for explaining the use of the exemplary embodiment of Figure 1.

A description of an exemplary embodiment of the invention will now follow with reference to the drawing.

Figure 1 shows a perspective view of a transducer member of the type cooperating with the ear. A is denoted by a transducer comprising: a housing 11 in which a transducer circuit is included; a cushion or cover 12 disposed over the sound-emitting surface of the housing; a cable 13 connected to the transducer and protruding from the lower end of the housing 11; and a rod member 14 protruding from the upper end of the housing 11. The housing 11 is an integral unit of plastic or the like, and the back has a number of holes for transmitting sound signals in the opposite phase. instead of the pad 12, a pad 15 (see Fig. 2 (a)) may be used, which is a pan-shaped thin element of urethane foam, which is attached with a cover to the edge of the sound-emitting surface of the housing 11, such that that protrudes its side from the sound-emitting surface. It is also possible to use a cushion as according to figure 2 (b), which is designed as a thin element of urethane foam and is arranged in a shape with a circular profile into which a support member is inserted, or a cushion as according to figure 2 (c) which is in the form of a thin urethane foam member with a separate shape-retaining member arranged inside, such that it protrudes substantially in conical form. The cable 13 is arranged at the lower end of the housing 11 for the proper sense of use of the transducer section and to prevent the peel section from becoming detached. The rod member 14 consists of reinforced composite material with a substantially semicircular cross-section and comprises a metal wire or a plastic. The circumferential surface is smooth and has a stop member 18 with an enlarged diameter at the top end to prevent the rod member 14 from becoming detached through substantially semicircular sliding holes which are provided in a separating section in a manner to be described later.

Figure 1 shows with reference numeral B the light-weight separator, which consists of plastic or a composite material and is arranged between said transducer section A and the curved mounting bracket C to be described later. As shown in Figure 3, at one end section, the separator member B comprises a substantially semicircular vertical hole 19 (or other irregular shape) through which the aforementioned rod member 14 protrudes, as well as a recess 20 which extends the vertical hole

19 cuts and opens outward sector by sector and is provided with a plastic or stainless steel leaf spring 21 inserted into the recess 20 and provided with a curved surface exerting a spring bias on the rod member 14. The other The end portion of the separator B forms a hinge portion with the curved mounting bracket. As shown in Figure 4, this end portion has a pin receiving hole 22 and also a recess 23 which crosses the pin receiving hole 22 and is open outwards. Further, a rib 24 is formed along the center of the one end face of the recess 23. The vertical side boundary face of the recess 23 supports the side face of the protrusion 25 of the curved mounting bracket and limits the rotation of the curved lever section to a predetermined range.

The curved mounting bracket indicated by C in Figs. 1 and 5 consists of plastic and has a curved shape as a whole. As shown in Figure 5, its upper end has a central protrusion 25 extending into the above recess 23. As Figure 6 shows, the protrusion 25 is provided with a vertical pin-receiving hole 26 and also with a vertical rectangular hole 27. The lower surface of the protrusion 25 also has two protrusions 28. It is possible to pass the cable through the curved mounting bracket C.

The protrusion 25 is received in the recess 23 in the separator member B, and a pin 29 according to Figure 7 is inserted in the pin receiving holes 26 and 22 such that the curved fixing bracket C can be rotated relative to the separator member B around the pin 29 as shown in Figures 8 and 1. The curved mounting bracket can rotate freely over a range, the rib 24 being located between the mutual protrusions 28. When one of the two projections 28 is brought into engagement with the rib 24, the curved mounting bracket C cooperates with the earcup at a sufficient angle. When the rib 24 is astride the protrusion 28, the side face of the curved C is substantially in the same plane as the sound radiating surface of the transducer 8. The pin 29 has an intermediate portion 29a of reduced diameter, with which a leaf spring present in the rectangular opening 27 cooperates to obtain a resilient close fit of the pin 29 into the pin receiving hole 26.

As shown in Figure 9, the rib 24 in the recess 23 of the separator B cooperates with the protrusions 28 on the protrusion 25 of the curved fastening bracket C when the bracket C is at a position corresponding to an angle of about 30 ° around the pin 29, either left or right, with respect to the sound-emitting surface 11 of the transducer A. The curved mounting bracket C is thus temporarily held in the position of an angle of 30 ° with respect to the transducer A.

The curved mounting bracket C can rotate freely over a first range P having an angle of 120 ° and excluding the said contact positions, and also over a second range Q corresponding to an angle of 180 °. By strongly pressing the curved lever section C after rotation over the first range P, a stop action takes place as a result of the presence of the rib 24 and the projection 28, after which rotation can take place over the second range Q. When the curved mounting bracket C is rotated over the first range P to the position where the rib 24 is in o

engaging with the protrusion 28, it makes an angle of 30 ° with the said sound-radiating surface L. That means that in this condition the angle is substantially equal to the average angle d (30 °) of the earcup with respect to the side of the human head 30, as can be seen from Figure 10. "When the curved mounting bracket C rotates in the opposite direction, it can be adjusted to match the right earcup of Figure 10. The second region Q of the rotation is one over which the curved mounting bracket C can be rotated until one of the two side faces of the protrusion 25 is brought into contact with the side face of the recess 23 shown in Figure 1. At the position in the vicinity of the boundary between the first range P and the second range Q of the rotation of the curved mounting bracket C, a locking can take place with this arrangement, so that the angle with the sound-emitting surface L is approximately 30 °. When the angle is adjusted between the curved mounting bracket C and the sound-emitting surface L after application to the ear of the earphone and when the earphone is adjusted to the earcup after adjusting the angle between the curved mounting bracket C and the sound-emitting surface L, it is thus possible to prevent the curved mounting bracket C or the transducer section A from exerting an excessive force on the earcup 31. It is also possible to place the sound-emitting surface L substantially parallel to the earcup 31, whereby it is possible to achieve a natural sound reception.

The human earcup 31 usually has a substantially curved shape at the location of its attachment band as shown with a broken curve 31A in Figure 11. If the center O of the circle 31 of the band of the earcup 31 is designed as an ideal sound concentration point, the radius of this circle of the band of the earcup 31 is 27 mm, at least according to the Japanese average. With the ear-type earphone, the sound source in the open-type case can be considered to be substantially at the end of the transducer section when considering the spread of the sound and its diffraction. If it is ensured that this imaginary sound concentration point G substantially coincides with the said ideal sound concentration point, a very natural sound with a high degree of presence in the vicinity of the sound source can be achieved. Therefore, the curved mounting bracket C is curved, while its center corresponds to the imaginary sound concentration point G of the transducer A, while the radius is selected to be approximately 30 mm. The curved C is formed by receiving a core 32, for example a wire, in plastic and has a circular or oval cross-section. If necessary, it can be covered with an elastic material, for example a sponge material or a rubber. Furthermore, since the height of the hearing input in the earcup 31 is not fixed but varies from user to user, the rod member 14, as mentioned above, is movable through the hole 19 in the separator member B, whereby the imaginary sound concentration point G can be set at an optimum point at which the best sound quality can be obtained.

Figure 13 (a) shows a monoral display state in which the earphone of the above-described structure is placed on a single ear. Figure 13 (b) shows a stereophonic display state in which two earphones of the same construction described above are applied and placed on both ears. In the case of Figure 13 (b), a symmetrical pair of earphones can be applied, which is applied to both ears.

As already discussed in the foregoing, with the earphone according to the invention, the transducer section can be held in an operating position without clamping the earcup between the curved mounting bracket and the transducer section, but the curved mounting bracket can be kept in contact with the earcup, so that the correct sense of use for the earphone is stimulated. Since the earcup is not deformed, a more natural sound quality can also be obtained. Further, since the curved mounting bracket is rotatably mounted on the transducer section and is arranged to be temporarily locked after rotation over a range of about 25 to 35 ° to the sound-radiating surface of the transducer section, there is no risk of excessively strong pressing of the pinna. Furthermore, the sound-emitting surface can be held in a position substantially parallel to the earcup, whereby a natural sound is perceived. Furthermore, by positioning the center of rotation of the curved lever section, substantially in the same plane as the said sound radiating surface, this surface can be kept parallel to the earcup, even with rotation of the curved mounting bracket, so that various effects can be achieved , for example, the prevention of changes in the transducer properties. Further, if the radius of the curved mounting bracket is selected about 25 to 35 mm, the imaginary sound concentration point of the transducer section with the transducer substantially coinciding with the ideal sound concentration point of the ear, the transducer section being arranged to be on the earcup without distortion, sound quality can be improved and ear fatigue relieved.