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US 5,396,563 AGranted
Earphone
AssigneePioneer Electronic Corporation
InventorToshikazu Yoshimi
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An earphone includes an earplug of sound insulating material which is insertable in the external auditory meatus of an ear, and an elastic vibration generator responsive to an electric signal supplied thereto for generating and applying an elastic wave corresponding to the supplied electric signal to an outer end of the earplug inserted in the external auditory meatus. The elastic vibration generator may be held in or out of contact with the earplug, so that the elastic wave generated by the elastic vibration generator can be applied directly or indirectly to the earplug. The earphone may be combined with a helmet or a headband. The earplug is effective to prevent external noise from being transmitted to the ear drum of the ear, and also allows desired sound to be transmitted in the form of an elastic wave reliably and clearly to the ear drum.
Claims23
An earphone comprising:
- an earplug of sound insulating and flexible material for fitting in and shutting an external auditory meatus of an ear so as to acoustically isolate the external auditory meatus from outside the ear;
- and
- an elastic vibration generator positioned out of the external auditory meatus and responsive to an electric signal supplied thereto for generating and applying an elastic wave corresponding to the supplied electric signal to an outer end of the earplug inserted in the external auditory meatus, wherein said earplug transmits the elastic wave to an inner end of the earplug, and the inner end of the earplug vibrates at the frequency of the electric signal to permit air confined in a space between the inner end of the earplug and an ear drum of a user to vibrate so that a sound wave corresponding to the electric signal is transmitted to the ear drum.
An earphone comprising:
- an earplug of sound insulating and flexible material for fitting in and shutting an external auditory meatus of an ear so as to acoustically isolate the external auditory meatus from outside of the ear;
- and
- an elastic vibration generator held in contact with said earplug, positioned out of the external auditory meatus, and responsive to an electric signal supplied thereto for generating and applying an elastic wave corresponding to the supplied electric signal directly to an outer end of the earplug inserted in the external auditory meatus, wherein said earplug transmits the elastic wave to an inner end of the earplug, and the inner end of the earplug vibrates at the frequency of the electric signal to permit air confined in a space between the inner end of the earplug and an ear drum of a user to vibrate so that a sound wave corresponding to the electric signal is transmitted to the ear drum.
An earphone comprising:
- an earplug of sound insulating and flexible material for fitting in and shutting an external auditory meatus of an ear so as to acoustically isolate the external auditory meatus from outside of the ear;
- and
- an elastic vibration generator held out of contact with said earplug, positioned out of the external auditory meatus, and responsive to an electric signal supplied thereto for generating and applying an elastic wave corresponding to the supplied electric signal indirectly to an outer end of the earplug inserted in the external auditory meatus, wherein said earplug transmits the elastic wave to an inner end of the earplug, and the inner end of the earplug vibrates at the frequency of the electric signal to permit air confined in a space between the inner end of the earplug and an ear drum of a user to vibrate so that a sound wave corresponding to the electric signal is transmitted to the ear drum.
An earphone and helmet assembly comprising:
- an earplug of sound insulating and flexible material for fitting in and shutting an external auditory meatus of an ear so as to acoustically isolate the external auditory meatus from outside of the ear;
- an elastic vibration generator positioned out of the external auditory meatus and responsive to an electric signal supplied thereto for generating and applying an elastic wave corresponding to the supplied electric signal to an outer end of the earplug inserted in the external auditory meatus;
- and
- a helmet shell, said elastic vibration generator being attached to an inner surface of said helmet shell at a position corresponding to the external auditory meatus, wherein said earplug transmits the elastic wave to an inner end of the earplug, and the inner end of the earplug vibrates at the frequency of the electric signal to permit air confined in a space between the inner end of the earplug and an ear drum of a user to vibrate so that a sound wave corresponding to the electric signal is transmitted to the ear drum.
1 more element
An earphone and headband assembly comprising:
- an earplug of sound insulating and flexible material for fitting in and shutting an external auditory meatus of an ear so as to acoustically isolate the external auditory meatus from outside of the ear;
- an elastic vibration generator positioned out of the external auditory meatus and responsive to an electric signal supplied thereto for generating and applying an elastic wave corresponding to the supplied electric signal to an outer end of the earplug inserted in the external auditory meatus;
- and
- a headband, said elastic vibration generator being attached to said headband at a position corresponding to the external auditory meatus, wherein said earplug transmits the elastic wave to an inner end of the earplug, and the inner end of the earplug vibrates at the frequency of the electric signal to permit air confined in a space between the inner end of the earplug and an ear drum of a user to vibrate so that a sound wave corresponding to the electric signal is transmitted to the ear drum.
1 more element
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.