# US 2025/0097628 A1 · Hearing device

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- Number: US 2025/0097628 A1
- Document ID: US20250097628A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 18/576,173
- Filed: 2023-07-12
- Published: 2025-03-20
- Earliest claimed: 2022-07-22
- Assignees: Finewell Co., Ltd.
- Applicants: Finewell Co., Ltd.
- Inventors: Hiroshi Hosoi
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20250097628A1

## CPC

- H04R 1/10: Earpieces; Attachments therefor {; Earphones; Monophonic headphones (H04R1/28 takes precedence; stereophonic headphones H04R5/033)}
- H04R 1/24: Structural combinations of separate transducers or of two parts of the same transducer and responsive respectively to two or more frequency ranges
- H04R 1/105: {Earpiece supports, e.g. ear hooks (for stereophonic headphones H04R5/0335)}
- H04R 25/606: {acting directly on the eardrum, the ossicles or the skull, e.g. mastoid, tooth, maxillary or mandibular bone, or mechanically stimulating the cochlea, e.g. at the oval window}
- H04R 2460/13: Hearing devices using bone conduction transducers
- 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

Provided is a hearing device having excellent added value by utilizing a novel application of cartilage conduction. The hearing device includes a vibrator configured to be attached in contact with an epidermis of an auricle; and a drive unit configured to drive and vibrate the vibrator, wherein the vibrator is configured to transmit sound to an inner ear and stimulates an ear acupuncture point by applying vibration to cartilage tissue surrounding an external auditory meatus.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A hearing device comprising:
a vibrator configured to be attached in contact with an epidermis of an auricle; and
a drive unit configured to drive and vibrate the vibrator, wherein
the vibrator is configured to transmit sound to an inner ear and stimulates an ear acupuncture point by applying vibration to cartilage tissue surrounding an external auditory meatus.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The hearing device according to claim 1, wherein
at least one protrusion is provided on a contact surface of the vibrator that comes into contact with the epidermis.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The hearing device according to claim 2, wherein
the at least one protrusion has a height protruding from the contact surface ranging from 0.1 mm to 3 mm.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The hearing device according to claim 1, wherein
the drive unit is configured to:
apply vibration from the vibrator which transmits audible sound to the cartilage tissue by supplying a first drive signal with a first frequency in an audible range to the vibrator, and
apply vibration from the vibrator which stimulates the ear acupuncture point by supplying a second drive signal with a second frequency lower than the first frequency to the vibrator.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The hearing device according to claim 4, wherein
the second frequency is an inaudible low frequency of 20 Hz or less.

### Claim 6 (depends on 4)

The hearing device according to claim 4, wherein
the drive unit is configured to alternately supply the first drive signal and the second drive signal to the vibrator.

### Claim 7 (depends on 4)

The hearing device according to claim 4, wherein
the drive unit simultaneously supplies the first drive signal and the second drive signal to the vibrator.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The hearing device according to claim 1, wherein
the vibrator includes:
a first vibrator configured to be attached in contact with the epidermis of the auricle and to apply vibration for transmitting audible sound to the cartilage tissue by vibrating at a first frequency in an audible range, and
a second vibrator configured to be attached in contact with the epidermis and to apply vibration for stimulating the ear acupuncture point by vibrating at a second frequency lower than the first frequency.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The hearing device according to claim 8, further comprising:
a coupler connected to the first vibrator and the second vibrator, wherein
the coupler maintains a state in which one of the first vibrator and the second vibrator is attached to a tragus or a rear of auricle and the other is attached in a cavum conchae.