JP3889342B2 - Wearable communication device - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to an audio signal communication device, and more particularly to an output device for communicating an audio signal that can be always worn without physical fatigue or discomfort due to long-term use.
[0002]
[Prior art]
[Patent Document 1]
JP 2001-217732 A [Patent Document 2]
Japanese Patent No. 3067662 [Non-Patent Document 1]
http://pcweb.mycom.co.jp/newsw/2002/09/04/14.html
2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, as a voice wireless interface between a mobile phone, a landline phone or a personal computer and a human, a device in which a receiver headset and a microphone attached to the headset are attached to the head has been widely used. However, with this configuration, the user wears out for a long time and feels uncomfortable. For this reason, downsizing of the apparatus has been promoted. FIG. 4 is an example of this, and a wireless headset of the type that is worn on the auricle instead of the head is reported in Non-Patent Document 1. In this wireless headset, the microphone unit 12, the transmission / reception unit and the speaker drive unit 13, and the speaker unit 11 are integrated, have a size from the ear to the mouth, and the integrated transmission / reception unit and speaker drive. Since the unit 13 and the speaker unit 11 are hung on the auricle and worn, the size and weight are reduced to always wear, but there is still a sense of incongruity. For this reason, research and development is progressing to separate the transmission function part having a microphone and the reception function part having a speaker, and to further reduce the size of each so that there is no sense of incongruity even if it is always attached. For example, as described in Patent Document 1 and Patent Document 2, a part having a reception function is considered to be a ring type.
[0003]
In the case of a ring type, each part of the speaker unit 11, the receiving unit, and the speaker driving unit 13 must be mounted in a ring shape. Therefore, since such a ring-type communication device is always worn in daily life as well as being miniaturized, it is necessary to ensure waterproofness and impact resistance.
[0004]
At this time, as a characteristic of the speaker, in order to release the air density wave generated on the vibration surface of the speaker to the outside, in the conventional structure, the vibration surface of the speaker must be in contact with the outside air through a slit or a hole. . For this reason, it was difficult to make this part waterproof. Also, in order to hear the sound from the speaker smoothly with the natural action of putting your hand on your ear, the speaker must be on the palm side.In this case, if you hold a ring and hold a hard object, There was also a problem of damaging the loudspeaker portion having a precise structure.
[0005]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
As described above, the conventional ring type has problems in terms of waterproofness, impact resistance, strength, and the like. An object of the present invention is to realize a ring-type voice signal communication apparatus that solves such a problem that occurs when a reception function in a conventional wireless headset is stored in a ring-type.
[0006]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
In order to achieve the above object, in claim 1 of the present invention, a vibrating body that vibrates with an electrical signal such as an audio signal is fixed to the outer peripheral surface of the ring, and the outer peripheral surface of the ring and the A vibration sound output member is fixed at a position on the opposite side of the diameter with respect to the position where the vibrating body is fixed, and the palm including the finger wearing the ring is attached in a state where the ring is attached to a finger. The signal generated by the vibrating body by positioning the vibration sound output member near the entrance of the external auditory canal is transmitted to the vibration sound output member via the ring, Thus, the configuration is such that the vibration sound emitted from the vibration sound output member is heard , and the thin plate having the same size as the ear canal entrance is used as the vibration sound output member.
[0007]
In Claim 2, the vibrating body which vibrates with an electrical signal such as an audio signal is fixed on the outer peripheral surface of the ring, and the diameter of the vibrating body is fixed on the outer peripheral surface of the ring. A vibration sound output member is fixed to a position opposite to the upper side, and the auricle is covered with a palm including the finger wearing the ring while the ring is attached to a finger, and the vibration sound output is performed. A signal generated by the vibrating body is transmitted to the vibration sound output member via the ring by positioning the member for the vicinity of the entrance of the ear canal, and is thereby emitted from the vibration sound output member. and configured to listen for vibration sound, and defines the structure for performing voice signals listen to the bar-shaped block member is brought into contact with the skull of the auricle near the member for the vibration sound output for the bone conduction hearing .
[0008]
According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the wearable communication device according to the first or second aspect, a battery in which a receiving device that receives an infrared ray or a radio wave signal and a drive circuit for driving the vibrating body is mounted. The voice signal obtained from the signal received by the receiver mounted on the vibrator is driven by the drive circuit, and the vibration obtained from the vibrator is transmitted through the ring. It defines the structure that propagates to the vibration sound output member .
[0009]
According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in the wearable communication device according to the first or second aspect , a portion where the vibrating body, the receiving device, the drive circuit, and the battery are integrated is a sealing material. Stipulates a structure with improved durability sealed .
[0012]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
FIG. 1 shows a first embodiment according to the present invention, in which a vibrating body 22 is mounted on the outer peripheral surface of a ring 21, and the diameter of the vibrating body 22 is fixed on the outer peripheral surface of the same ring 21. A small diaphragm 23 made of a thin plate of metal or the like was adhered in the vicinity of the opposite position. By vibrating the vibrating body 22 with music or a voice signal, the vibrating body 22 vibrates the entire ring 21, and as a result, the small diaphragm 23 is also vibrated. Since this small diaphragm 23 vibrates air and creates a dense wave of air, this ring is put on a finger, and the small diaphragm 23 is heard as a sound by placing the hand on the ear so that the small diaphragm 23 is located near the entrance of the ear canal It becomes possible. The major difference between the present invention and the prior art is that the vibrating body 22 on the ring and the small diaphragm 23 which generates sound are installed at different positions, so that the natural touch of the hand to the ear is possible. It is possible to hear the sound smoothly in the ear by movement.
[0013]
What is important here is that the vibration generating function, that is, the vibrating body 22 and the sound generating function for generating the air density wave, that is, the small diaphragm 23, can be arranged at positions opposite to each other on the diameter. Is realized by a simple structure using only the small diaphragm 23. In this way, the vibration of the vibrating body 22 is converted into the air dense wave by the small diaphragm 23 installed on the opposite side of the diameter of the ring 21 through the vibration of the ring 21 itself, and thus the vibration propagation is affected. It is possible to cover the vibrating body 22 including the related circuit portion and the ring 21 without waterproofing with a waterproof structure, so that the vibrating body 22 and the related circuit portion can be protected from water and other external environmental changes. Further, only the small diaphragm 23 is arranged on the palm (palm) side of the ring 21, and if this is made to have a sufficient strength with metal or the like, even if a hard object is gripped, the small diaphragm 23 will not be destroyed.
As described above, by using the present invention, it is possible to reduce breakage or damage due to changes in water and other surrounding environment and impact. Although the small diaphragm 23 is attached to the ring 21 in a fused manner, the same function can be realized even if the small diaphragm 23 as a sound wave generation source has a shape that increases the area. It is. Although not shown, it is also possible to use a bone conduction phenomenon by attaching a small rod-like block material instead of the small diaphragm 23 and bringing this block material into contact with the skull portion near the auricle. Further, the structure in which only the vibrator 22 and its driving unit and signal receiving unit are mounted without using the small diaphragm 23 should be used so as to cover the auricle with a hand (palm) with a ring. As a result, it has been experimentally confirmed that the finger skin becomes a secondary radiation surface of sound waves, and that the hand (palm) has an effect of shielding ambient noise and is sufficiently practical to receive voice signals.
[0014]
FIG. 2 shows a second embodiment of the present invention, in which a receiving device 31 for receiving an infrared ray or a radio signal, a driving circuit 32 for driving a vibrating body 22, and a battery 33 such as a coin battery can be mounted. The structure described in the first embodiment is worn on a ring having the structure of the embodiment, receives an infrared ray or radio wave signal modulated by a voice or music signal, and vibrates the vibrating body by the drive circuit 32. It is possible to hear the vibration generated in the vibrating body 22 as sound through the small diaphragm 23. The operation of the second embodiment is the same as that of the first embodiment of the present invention. The advantage of the second embodiment is that the receiver 31, the drive circuit 32, and a battery 33 that can be mounted such as a coin battery are integrated with the vibrating body 22 and covered with a sealing material such as resin and waterproof. It is environmentally friendly and enables vibration propagation. As a result, the deterioration of the vibrator, battery, and electronic component due to water and other harmful environmental substances can be reduced.
[0015]
FIG. 3 shows an example of the structure of an actuator as the vibrating body 22. That is, the coil 42 and the magnet 41 are inserted between the two metal plates 40 and 43, and the upper plate 40 and the lower plate 43 2 are moved by a so-called electrodynamic type principle that moves the coil in a magnetic field like a dynamic speaker. A piece of metal plate is vibrated. When this is used in the present invention, one metal plate (for example, 40) is fixed to the upper surface of the ring 21 as a fixed side. At this time, the other free-side metal plate (for example, 43) is sufficiently heavy compared to the ring 21. If so, the free-side metal plate hardly vibrates, and most of the vibration energy is transmitted to the ring 21 via the fixed side, so that the ring 21 can be efficiently vibrated. In the second embodiment, in order to make the other metal plate (for example, 43) heavier, the receiving device 31, the drive circuit 32, and the battery 33 may be bonded to the movable metal plate (for example, 43). It has the advantage that vibration efficiency improvement and waterproofing can be realized at the same time. Although the example of the electrodynamic excitation structure has been described above, a piezoelectric type, an electrostrictive type, or the like can also be used as the excitation structure.
[0016]
【The invention's effect】
As described above, according to the present invention, it is possible to create a sound field as a dense wave of air near the ear without using a speaker. In addition, it is possible to concentrate all electronic components such as receivers, drive circuits, batteries, and vibrators in one place on the ring. It is possible to realize a structure that prevents the above. Thus, according to the present invention, it is possible to provide a wearable communication device capable of reproducing sound from the small ring diaphragm side even if the vibrating body is completely waterproofed with a sealing material.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is an external view showing a first embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is an external view showing a second embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 3 is an exploded overview showing a structural example of a vibrating body.
FIG. 4 is an external view showing an example of a conventional small transmitter / receiver.
[Explanation of symbols]
11: Speaker part, 12: Microphone part,
13: Transmitter / receiver and speaker driver 21: Ring,
22: Vibrating body, 23: Small diaphragm 23
31: Receiver, 32: Vibration body drive circuit,
33: Battery 40: Top plate,
41: Permanent magnet, 42: Solenoid,
43: Bottom plate

Claims (4)

A vibrating body that vibrates with an electrical signal such as an audio signal is fixed on the outer peripheral surface of the ring,
A member for outputting vibration sound is fixed on the outer peripheral surface of the ring and on the opposite side of the diameter with respect to the position where the vibrating body is fixed,
In the state where the ring is attached to a finger, the auricle is covered with a palm including the finger wearing the ring, and the vibration sound output member is generated near the entrance of the ear canal. Propagating a signal to the vibration sound output member through the ring, and thereby listening to vibration sound emitted from the vibration sound output member ,
The wearable communication apparatus is characterized in that the vibration sound output member is formed of a thin plate having the same size as the entrance to the ear canal . A vibrating body that vibrates with an electrical signal such as an audio signal is fixed on the outer peripheral surface of the ring,
A member for outputting vibration sound is fixed on the outer peripheral surface of the ring and on the opposite side of the diameter with respect to the position where the vibrating body is fixed,
With the ring attached to a finger, the auricle was covered with a palm including the finger wearing the ring, and the vibration sound output member was generated near the entrance of the external auditory canal. Propagating a signal to the vibration sound output member through the ring, and thereby listening to vibration sound emitted from the vibration sound output member,
The wearable communication device is characterized in that the vibration sound output member is made of a rod-like block material for listening to bone conduction. In the wearable communication device according to claim 1 or 2,
A battery equipped with a receiving device that receives infrared and radio signals and a drive circuit for driving the vibrator is mounted on the vibrator,
An audio signal obtained from a signal received by the receiving device is used to drive the vibrating body by the drive circuit,
The wearable communication apparatus is characterized in that the vibration obtained from the vibrating body propagates to the vibration sound output member via the ring . The wearable communication apparatus according to claim 1 or 2,
A wearable communication device characterized in that a portion in which the vibrator, the receiving device, the drive circuit, and the battery are integrated is sealed with a sealing material .

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