Acoustic reproduction device and sound-collecting acoustic reproduction device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016100262-A1
Application number	US-201414786380-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Apr 23, 2014
Priority date	Apr 25, 2013
Publication date	Apr 7, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

This acoustic reproduction device can suppress a loss in sense of volume and sense of comfort. The acoustic reproduction device causes a user to hear sound and is provided with a vibration unit ( 10 ), which includes a piezoelectric element ( 101 ) that flexes and a panel ( 102 ) that vibrates by being bent directly by the piezoelectric element ( 101 ), and with a holder ( 60 ), which holds the vibration unit ( 10 ) at a position where the vibration unit ( 10 ) contacts the user's ear.

First claim

1 . An acoustic reproduction device for causing a user to hear sound, comprising:
a vibration unit including a piezoelectric element that flexes and a panel that vibrates by being bent directly by the piezoelectric element; and a holder configured to hold the vibration unit at a position where the vibration unit contacts the user's ear.

2 . The acoustic reproduction device of claim 1 , wherein the vibration unit causes the user to hear sound by contacting the user's tragus from inside the user's ear and transmitting vibration of the panel to the tragus.

3 . The acoustic reproduction device of claim 1 , wherein the vibration unit causes the user to hear sound by contacting the user's antitragus from inside the user's ear and transmitting vibration of the panel to the antitragus.

4 . The acoustic reproduction device of claim 1 , wherein the vibration unit further includes a pressing member that presses the vibration unit against the position where the vibration unit contacts the user's ear.

5 . The acoustic reproduction device of claim 4 , wherein the pressing member is detachably held against the vibration unit.

6 . The acoustic reproduction device of claim 1 , wherein the acoustic reproduction device does not completely seal the user's external ear canal.

7 . The acoustic reproduction device of claim 2 , wherein
the panel vibrates with an antinode at a central region of the panel and a node on both sides of the antinode, and a location at the central region of the panel contacts the tragus.

8 . The acoustic reproduction device of claim 3 , wherein
the panel vibrates with an antinode at a central region of the panel and a node on both sides of the antinode, and a location at the central region of the panel contacts the antitragus.

9 . The acoustic reproduction device of claim 1 , wherein the vibration unit causes the user to hear sound by contacting the user's tragus from outside the user's ear and transmitting vibration of the panel to the tragus.

10 . The acoustic reproduction device of claim 1 , wherein the vibration unit causes the user to hear sound by contacting the user's antitragus from outside the user's ear and transmitting vibration of the panel to the antitragus.

11 . The sound-collecting acoustic reproduction device of claim 1 , further comprising:
a microphone; wherein the user's ear is positioned between the microphone and the vibration unit.

12 . The sound-collecting acoustic reproduction device of claim 1 , wherein the vibration unit generates an external ear canal radiated sound inside the user's ear.

13 . The sound-collecting acoustic reproduction device of claim 1 , wherein the vibration unit is pressed against the user's ear with a force of 0.1 N to 3 N.

14 . The sound-collecting acoustic reproduction device of claim 1 , wherein
the piezoelectric element is plate-shaped, and the panel has an area between 0.8 and 10 times an area of a principal surface of the piezoelectric element.

15 . The sound-collecting acoustic reproduction device of claim 1 , wherein the holder has a predetermined weight, and by the weight, a force is produced in a direction in which the vibration unit contacts the user's ear.

Assignees

• Kyocera Corp

Inventors

• Inagaki Tomohiro

Classifications

• H04R25/604 Primary

  of acoustic or vibrational transducers · CPC title

• H04R2460/09

  Non-occlusive ear tips, i.e. leaving the ear canal open, for both custom and non-custom tips (H04R2460/11 takes precedence) · CPC title

• H04R2460/13

  Hearing devices using bone conduction transducers · CPC title

• H04R17/00

  Piezoelectric transducers; Electrostrictive transducers (piezoelectric or electrostrictive elements in general H10N30/00; details of piezoelectric or electrostrictive motors, generators or positioners {H10N30/00}) · CPC title

• H04R25/02

  adapted to be supported entirely by ear · CPC title