Ear model unit, artificial head, and measurement device and method using said ear model unit and artificial head

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9877125-B2
Application number	US-201314646363-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 30, 2013
Priority date	Nov 22, 2012
Publication date	Jan 23, 2018
Grant date	Jan 23, 2018

Abstract

A measurement device ( 10 ) is for evaluating an acoustic device ( 100 ) that allows sound to be heard via vibration transmission by having a housing ( 101 ) provided with a vibrating element ( 102 ) be held by a head including a human ear. The measurement device ( 10 ) includes an ear model unit ( 50 ) modeled after a human ear, a model of a human body that holds the acoustic device ( 100 ), and a vibration detector ( 55 ) disposed in the ear model unit ( 50 ).

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A measurement device for evaluating an acoustic device, wherein the acoustic device allows sound to be heard via vibration transmission, wherein the acoustic device includes a housing and a vibrating element supported by the housing, and wherein the acoustic device is configured to be held by either the measurement device or a human head including a human ear, the measurement device comprising:
an ear model unit, the ear model unit modeled after the human ear, wherein the ear model unit comprises an ear model and an artificial external ear canal unit continuous with the ear model, wherein an artificial external ear canal is formed in the artificial external ear canal unit, and wherein the ear model unit includes an artificial eardrum continuous with the artificial external ear canal unit;
a model of a human body that holds the acoustic device, wherein the model supports the measurement device; and
a vibration detector disposed in the ear model unit, wherein the vibration detector is configured to detect magnitude of vibration transmitted through a solid body by detecting acceleration generated by the vibration of the solid body, and wherein the vibration detector comprises one or more vibration detection elements disposed on or in the artificial eardrum.

2. The measurement device of claim 1 , wherein the artificial external ear canal has a length of 5 mm to 40 mm.

3. The measurement device of claim 1 , wherein the artificial eardrum has a thickness of 0.05 mm to 2 mm.

4. The measurement device of claim 1 , wherein an area of a region of the artificial eardrum exposed towards the artificial external ear canal is from 0.5 cm 2 to 2.5 cm 2 .

5. The measurement device of claim 1 , wherein the vibration detector comprises one or more vibration detection elements disposed at a periphery of the artificial external ear canal.

6. The measurement device of claim 1 , wherein the acoustic device is configured to be held by an auricle or a hole of the ear model unit.

7. The measurement device of claim 1 , wherein the model of the human body further comprises a human head model, and the ear model unit is an artificial ear forming part of the human head model and is detachable from the human head model.

8. The measurement device of claim 7 , wherein the acoustic device is configured to be held by the human head model.

9. The measurement device of claim 1 , wherein the ear model unit includes a part formed from a same material as an auricle model conforming to IEC 60318-7 or an auricle model conforming to IEC 60268-7.

10. A measurement method for a measurement device for evaluating an acoustic device, wherein the acoustic device allows sound to be heard via vibration transmission, wherein the acoustic device includes a housing provided with a vibrating element supported by the housing, and wherein the acoustic device is configured to be held by either the measurement device or a human body, the measurement method including steps of:
holding the acoustic device in a model of a human body;
transmitting vibration of the acoustic device to an ear model unit supported by the measurement device, the ear model unit modeled after a human ear, wherein the ear model unit comprises an ear model and an artificial external ear canal unit continuous with the ear model, wherein an artificial external ear canal is formed in the artificial external ear canal unit, and wherein the ear model unit includes an artificial eardrum continuous with the artificial external ear canal unit; and
detecting, with a vibration detector, vibration transmitted to the ear model unit by vibration of a vibrating body, wherein the vibration detector is configured to detect magnitude of vibration transmitted through a solid body by detecting acceleration generated by the vibration of the solid body, and wherein the vibration detector comprises one or more vibration detection elements disposed on or in the artificial eardrum.

11. An ear model unit supported by a measurement device for evaluating an acoustic device, wherein the acoustic device allows sound to be heard via vibration transmission, wherein the acoustic device includes a housing and a vibrating element supported by the housing, and wherein the acoustic device is configured to be held by either the measurement device or a human head including a human ear, the ear model unit comprising:
a vibration detector configured to detect magnitude of vibration transmitted through a solid body by detecting acceleration generated by the vibration of the solid body;
an ear model;
an artificial external ear canal unit continuous with the ear model;
an artificial external ear canal formed in the artificial external ear canal unit; and
an artificial eardrum continuous with the artificial external ear canal unit,
wherein the ear model holds the acoustic device comprising the vibrating element, and
wherein the vibration detector comprises one or more vibration detection elements disposed on or in the artificial eardrum.

12. The ear model unit of claim 11 , wherein the ear model and the artificial external ear canal are produced integrally from a same material.

13. The ear model unit of claim 11 , wherein the ear model is adhered or welded to the artificial external ear canal unit.

14. A vibration detecting artificial head comprising the ear model unit of claim 11 and a head model.

15. An artificial head for a measurement device for evaluating an acoustic device, wherein the acoustic device allows sound to be heard via vibration transmission, wherein the acoustic device includes a housing and a vibrating element supported by the housing, and wherein the acoustic device is configured to be held by either the measurement device or a human head including a human ear, the artificial head comprising:
an ear model unit supported by the measurement device;
a vibration detector disposed in the ear model unit, wherein the vibration detector is configured to detect magnitude of vibration transmitted through a solid body by detecting acceleration generated by the vibration of the solid body; and
a head model configured to support the ear model unit;
the ear model unit comprising:
an ear model; and
an artificial external ear canal unit continuous with the ear model,

wherein the ear model unit includes an artificial eardrum continuous with the artificial external ear canal unit,
wherein the vibration detector comprises one or more vibration detection elements disposed on or in the artificial eardrum, and
wherein the acoustic device is configured to be held by one or both of the ear model unit and the head model.

16. A measurement device for evaluating an acoustic device, wherein the acoustic device is provided with a vibrating element, wherein the acoustic device is configured to be held by either the measurement device or a human head including a human ear, and wherein the acoustic device allows sound to be heard via vibration transmission, the measurement device comprising:
an ear model unit comprising:
a vibration detector, wherein the vibration detector is configured to detect magnitude of vibration transmitted through a solid body by detecting acceleration generated by the vibration of the solid body;
an ear model modeled after a human auricle;
an artificial external ear canal unit modeled after a human external ear canal; and
a microphone,

wherein the measurement device holds the acoustic device in a state that transmits vibration to the ear model unit, and
wherein the vibration detector comprises one or more vibration detection elements disposed on or in the

Assignees

• Kyocera Corp

Inventors

• Ikeda Tomoyoshi

Classifications

• H04R25/30

  Monitoring or testing of hearing aids, e.g. functioning, settings, battery power · CPC title

• G01H11/08

  using piezoelectric devices · CPC title

• G01H17/00 Primary

  Measuring mechanical vibrations or ultrasonic, sonic or infrasonic waves, not provided for in the other groups of this subclass · CPC title

• H04R29/001 Primary

  for loudspeakers (H04R29/007 takes precedence) · CPC title

• H04R2460/13

  Hearing devices using bone conduction transducers · CPC title