# US 12,003,909 B2 · Modular earphone > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,003,909 B2 - Document ID: US12003909B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/632,187 - Filed: 2020-07-30 - Published: 2022-07-21 - Granted: 2024-06-04 - Earliest claimed: 2019-08-01 - Assignees: Drown Limited - Applicants: Drown Limited - Inventors: Mark O'Callaghan - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12003909B2 ## CPC - H04R 1/1016: {Earpieces of the intra-aural type} - H04R 1/1058: {Manufacture or assembly} - H04R 1/1066: {Constructional aspects of the interconnection between earpiece and earpiece support (earpiece support for monophonic headphones H04R1/105; earpiece support for stereophonic headphones H04R5/0335)} - H04R 1/30: Combinations of transducers with horns, e.g. with mechanical matching means {, i.e. front-loaded horns}(horns in general G10K; {transducer enclosures or mountings using a back-loaded horn H04R1/2861; application of horns as guiding means to obtain a predetermined directivity characteristic H04R1/345}) - H04R 25/652: {Ear tips; Ear moulds (hybrid ear moulds or post-processing thereof for their customisation H04R25/659)} - H04R 2201/10: Details of earpieces, attachments therefor, earphones or monophonic headphones covered by H04R1/10 but not provided for in any of its subgroups - H04R 2460/11: Aspects relating to vents, e.g. shape, orientation, acoustic properties in ear tips of hearing devices to prevent occlusion - H04R: LOUDSPEAKERS, MICROPHONES, GRAMOPHONE PICK-UPS OR LIKE ACOUSTIC ELECTROMECHANICAL TRANSDUCERS; ELECTRIC HEARING AIDS; PUBLIC ADDRESS SYSTEMS (producing sounds with frequency not determined by supply frequency G10K) ## Abstract Disclosed herein is a modular earphone segment and method of manufacturing, the modular earphone segment housing an acoustic waveguide therein, the acoustic waveguide including between an inner end and an outer end a series of acoustic horns intercalated between a series of transition regions and the modular earphone segment including an acoustic seal module, a body module and an acoustic transmission module, the acoustic seal module being configured to be connected to the body module by releasably coupling means and the body module being configured to be connected to the acoustic transmission module by connecting means such that, when connected, the acoustic seal module, the body module and the acoustic transmission module are acoustically coupled. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A modular earphone segment housing an acoustic waveguide therein, the acoustic waveguide having an inner end and an outer end, at least the inner end being open, the modular earphone segment comprising: an acoustic seal module housing therein a first section and the inner end of the acoustic waveguide, a body module housing therein a second section and the outer end of the acoustic waveguide, and an acoustic transmission module, wherein the acoustic seal module is configured to be connected to the body module by releasably coupling means and the body module is configured to be connected to the acoustic transmission module by connecting means such that, when connected, the first section of the acoustic waveguide is substantially continuous with the second section of the acoustic waveguide and the acoustic seal module, the body module and the acoustic transmission module are acoustically coupled, and wherein the acoustic waveguide comprises, between the inner end and the outer end, a series of acoustic horns intercalated between a series of transition regions such that a first acoustic horn of the series of acoustic horns is housed near the inner end of the acoustic waveguide and a last acoustic horn of the series of acoustic horns is housed near the outer end of the acoustic waveguide. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The modular earphone segment of claim 1, wherein the acoustic transmission module comprises an acoustic transducer seating for partially or completely housing an acoustic transducer and acoustic transmission means. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The modular earphone segment of claim 2, wherein the acoustic transmission means comprise means for coupling acoustic waves and/or means for coupling acoustic vibrations from the acoustic transducer into an ear. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The modular earphone segment of claim 3, wherein the means for coupling acoustic waves from the acoustic transducer into the ear comprise coupling by means of the acoustic waveguide. ### Claim 5 (depends on 3) The modular earphone segment of claim 3, wherein the means for coupling acoustic vibrations comprise forming the acoustic transmission module of a combination of materials having different hardness at different sections of the acoustic transmission module. ### Claim 6 (depends on 3) The modular earphone segment of claim 3, wherein the means for coupling acoustic vibrations comprise any one of or a combination of any one of protruding projections, prongs, lobes, rods, and cages. ### Claim 7 (depends on 3) The modular earphone segment of claim 3, wherein the means for coupling acoustic vibrations from the acoustic transducer into the ear comprise transmitting the coupled acoustic vibrations into the anti-helix and/or the concha of the ear and/or the entry into the ear canal. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The modular earphone segment of claim 7, wherein the transmitting of the coupled acoustic vibrations comprises transmission through the bone, cartilage, and nerves of the ear. ### Claim 9 (depends on 3) The modular earphone segment of claim 3, wherein the connecting means comprise the means for coupling acoustic vibrations. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The modular earphone segment of claim 1, wherein the connecting means connecting the body module to the acoustic transmission module are configured to be attached, 3D printed, moulded, co-moulded, or over-moulded to the acoustic transmission module. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The modular earphone segment of claim 10, wherein the acoustic transmission module is configured to be attached, moulded, 3D printed, co-moulded, or over-moulded to the body module by means of the attached, 3D printed, moulded, co-moulded, or over-moulded connecting means. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The modular earphone segment of claim 1, wherein some or all of the acoustic horns of the series of acoustic horns have any one of or a combination of any one of conical, spherical wave, spheroidal waveguide, radial, hyperbolic, parabolic, reversed flare, oblate, oblate spheroidal waveguide, exponential, exponential quadratic, pipe, parabolic, multicellular, reversed flare, Le Cleac'h, Manta-Ray, Western Electric, Wilson modified exponential, and Iwata horn shapes. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The modular earphone segment of claim 12, wherein some or all of the transition regions of the series of intercalated transition regions are configured to have transition shapes acoustically matched to the shapes of adjoining horns. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The modular earphone segment of claim 1, wherein the first acoustic horn is configured to flare out towards the inner end of the acoustic waveguide to sculpt and couple acoustic waves into the canal of an ear. ### Claim 15 (depends on 1) The modular earphone segment of claim 1, wherein the last acoustic horn is configured to flare out towards the outer end of the acoustic waveguide to couple acoustic waves from the acoustic transmission module into the acoustic waveguide. ### Claim 16 (depends on 1) The modular earphone segment of claim 1, wherein the acoustic waveguide includes a series of bends between the inner end and the outer end. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The modular earphone segment of claim 16, wherein the series of intercalated transition regions is located at the series of bends. ### Claim 18 (depends on 1) The modular earphone segment of claim 1, wherein either one or both of the first section and the second section of the acoustic waveguide comprise at least one transition region intercalated between a whole acoustic horn and a portion of another subsequent acoustic horn in the series of acoustic horns. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The modular earphone segment of claim 18, wherein the portion of another subsequent acoustic horn of the first section of the acoustic waveguide is substantially continuous with the portion of another subsequent acoustic horn of the second section of the acoustic waveguide. ### Claim 20 (depends on 1) The modular earphone segment of claim 1, wherein either one or both of the first section and the second section of the acoustic waveguide comprise at least one transition region intercalated between two whole acoustic horns in the series of acoustic horns. ### Claim 21 (depends on 1) The modular earphone segment of claim 1, wherein the releasably coupling means connecting the body module to the acoustic seal module comprise cooperating coupling means, such as cooperating pairs of male keying features and female keying features. ### Claim 22 (depends on 1) The modular earphone segment of claim 1, wherein the acoustic seal module comprises an ear tip located at the inner end of the acoustic seal module. ### Claim 23 (depends on 22) The modular earphone segment of claim 22, wherein the ear tip is formed of an elastomeric material, wherein the elastomeric material comprises a memory foam. ### Claim 24 (depends on 1) A modular earphone comprising: the modular earphone segment of claim 1; an acoustic transducer; and a back case encasing the acoustic transmission module of the modular earphone segment, wherein the acoustic transducer is housed completely within the acoustic transducer seating of the acoustic transmission module. ### Claim 25 (depends on 24) A pair of modular earphones comprising a left modular earphone and a right modular earphone, each according to claim 24, wherein the shape of the acoustic waveguide of the left modular earphone is a mirror image of the shape of the acoustic waveguide of the right modular earphone. ### Claim 26 (depends on 1) A method of manufacturing the modular earphone segment according to claim 1, the method comprising: providing the acoustic seal module, the body module, and the acoustic transmission module, connecting the acoustic transmission module to the body module by means of the connecting means, followed by connecting the acoustic seal module to be body module by means of releasably coupling means, such that, when connected, the acoustic seal module, the body module, and the acoustic transmission module are acoustically coupled. ### Claim 27 (depends on 1, 24) A method of manufacturing the modular earphone according to claim 24, the method comprising: providing the modular earphone segment according to claim 1, providing the acoustic transducer, providing the back case for encasing the acoustic transmission module of the modular earphone segment, and connecting the back case to the modular earphone segment such that the acoustic transducer is housed therein. ### Claim 28 (depends on 1) A modular earphone comprising: the modular earphone segment of claim 1; an acoustic transducer; and a back case encasing the acoustic transmission module of the modular earphone segment, wherein the acoustic transducer is housed partially within the acoustic transducer seating of the acoustic transmission module and partially within the back case. ### Claim 29 (depends on 1) A modular earphone comprising: the modular earphone segment of claim 1; an acoustic transducer; and a back case encasing the acoustic transmission module of the modular earphone segment, wherein the acoustic transducer is housed completely within the back case.