JP7618141B2 - Helmet with acoustic device, combination of helmet and acoustic device mounted on said helmet, and combination of helmet and vibration type acoustic unit used in the acoustic device mounted on said helmet - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a helmet with an acoustic device, a combination of a helmet and an acoustic device mounted on the helmet, and a combination of a helmet and a vibration type acoustic unit used in the acoustic device mounted on the helmet . More specifically, the present invention relates to a helmet with an acoustic device that is attached to the helmet and generates sound, a combination of a helmet and an acoustic device mounted on the helmet, and a combination of a helmet and a vibration type acoustic unit used in the acoustic device mounted on the helmet .

In recent years, there has been a demand for devices that allow users to enjoy music and make calls while wearing a helmet.

One such device is a helmet headset disclosed in Patent Document 1. This device is attached to the inside of a helmet and has a microphone and two speakers installed in the headset body, which is also provided with a jog dial. These two speakers are attached to the inside surface of the helmet with double-sided tape or the like so that they are positioned at the user's ears when the user is wearing the helmet. The headset body is also configured to be able to connect to external devices via Bluetooth (registered trademark) for wireless communication, allowing the user to make hands-free calls and listen to music.

Another such device is the vibration type sound generator disclosed in Patent Document 2. This device can be used as a full-range speaker even when mounted on a helmet, and is equipped with a driver unit and a case to house it. The driver unit includes a magnetic circuit including a yoke and a permanent magnet, and a voice coil formed in a magnetic space formed in the magnetic circuit.

The yoke side case and the voice coil side case are divided by an elastic member into an area where the magnetic circuit or voice coil comes into contact and an area outside of that. When the voice coil side surface is attached using a bracket, one at the bottom center of the back of the helmet exterior, or one at the bottom of each side, vibrations are transmitted to the helmet and sound is reproduced. In this way, a vibration-type sound generator that can be used as a substitute for a full-range speaker, improving sound pressure by making vibrations harder to suppress, is provided.

Patent No. 5390569 JP 2010-258955 A

However, in the technology described in Patent Document 1, the speakers are attached so that they are positioned at both ears of the user, making it difficult to hear sounds from outside. In other words, from the standpoint of safety and other factors, it is necessary to be able to hear sounds from outside when using a helmet equipped with an audio device, but there is the inconvenience that the sound from the speakers close to the ears makes it difficult to hear external sounds. In addition, since the speakers are attached inside the helmet, small ones have to be used, and the sound quality obtained is therefore inconvenient.

In addition, with the technology described in Patent Document 2, the vibration type sound generator is attached to the outer surface of the helmet, so it is necessary to vibrate the helmet greatly, which requires the use of a driver unit with a high output, resulting in the inconvenience of a large device size. In addition, the yoke side case and the voice coil side case are divided by an elastic member into the area where the magnetic circuit or voice coil contacts and the area outside of that, which results in the inconvenience of a complex case structure, such as forming the case by a two-color molding method.

The objective of the present invention is to provide a helmet audio device that makes it easy to hear external sounds and provides good sound quality with a small, simple structure.

To solve the above problems, the present invention adopts the following configuration.

The present invention relates to a helmet equipped with an acoustic device.
The acoustic device has an acoustic device main body that generates a drive signal, and a vibration type acoustic unit that is connected to the acoustic device main body by a transmission cable and operates in response to the drive signal to vibrate the helmet, and the helmet has a shell made of reinforced resin material and an impact absorbing liner made of impact absorbing material provided on the inner surface of the shell, and the vibration type acoustic unit has a flat, sealed housing having a first main surface, a second main surface opposing the first main surface, and a side surface connecting the first main surface and the second main surface, and an exciter fixed to the inner surface of the first main surface, and the vibration type acoustic unit is configured such that the outer surface of the first main surface is fixed to the inner surface of the impact absorbing liner, and the exciter vibrates the impact absorbing liner via the first main surface, causing the impact absorbing liner and the shell to vibrate and generate sound.

The vibration type acoustic unit is also characterized by having a passive radiator that is fixed facing the inner surface of the helmet so as to cover the opening provided on the second main surface.

The second main surface also has a protrusion around the passive radiator to protect the passive radiator.

The audio device also has a microphone capable of capturing the user's voice, and the audio device body is configured to be capable of wireless communication with a mobile terminal, allowing the user to make calls using the audio device via the mobile terminal.

The vibration type acoustic units are also configured so that, when the user is wearing the helmet with the acoustic device, one is placed behind each of the user's ears.

The shock absorbing material is also made of polystyrene foam.

The sound device body is also characterized in that it is provided on the outer front surface, inner front surface, outer rear surface, or inner rear surface of the helmet.

The present invention relates to a combination of a helmet and an acoustic device attached to the helmet, the acoustic device comprising: an acoustic device main body that generates a drive signal; and a vibration type acoustic unit that is connected to the acoustic device main body by a transmission cable and operates in response to the drive signal to vibrate the helmet; the helmet comprises a shell made of reinforced resin material, and an impact absorbing liner made of impact absorbing material provided on the inner surface of the shell; the vibration type acoustic unit comprises a flat, sealed housing having a first main surface, a second main surface opposing the first main surface, and a side surface connecting the first main surface and the second main surface, and an exciter fixed to the inner surface of the first main surface; the vibration type acoustic unit is configured such that an outer surface of the first main surface is fixed to the inner surface of the impact absorbing liner, and the exciter vibrates the impact absorbing liner via the first main surface, causing the impact absorbing liner and the shell to vibrate and generate sound.

The vibration type acoustic unit is also characterized by having a passive radiator that is fixed facing the inner surface of the helmet so as to cover the opening provided on the second main surface.

Also, there is provided a combination of a helmet and a vibration type acoustic unit used in an acoustic device attached to the helmet, the acoustic device having an acoustic device main body that generates a drive signal, and a vibration type acoustic unit that is connected to the acoustic device main body by a transmission cable and operates in response to the drive signal to vibrate the helmet, the helmet having a shell made of reinforced resin material and an impact absorbing liner made of impact absorbing material provided on the inner surface of the shell, the vibration type acoustic unit having a flat and sealed housing having a first main surface, a second main surface opposing the first main surface, and a side surface connecting the first main surface and the second main surface, and an exciter fixed to the inner surface of the first main surface, the vibration type acoustic unit being configured such that an outer surface of the first main surface is fixed to the inner surface of the impact absorbing liner, and the exciter vibrates the impact absorbing liner via the first main surface, causing the impact absorbing liner and the shell to vibrate and generate sound.

The vibration type acoustic unit is characterized by having a passive radiator that is fixed facing the inner surface of the helmet so as to cover the opening provided in the second main surface.

The present invention has the above-mentioned characteristics, which makes it possible to achieve the following:

A helmet with an acoustic device attached to the helmet, the acoustic device having an acoustic device main body that generates a drive signal, and a vibration type acoustic unit that is connected to the acoustic device main body by a transmission cable and operates in response to the drive signal to vibrate the helmet, the helmet having a shell made of a reinforced resin material and an impact absorbing liner made of an impact absorbing material provided on the inner surface of the shell, the vibration type acoustic unit having a flat and sealed housing having a first main surface, a second main surface facing the first main surface, and a side surface connecting the first main surface and the second main surface, and an exciter fixed to the inner surface of the first main surface, the vibration type acoustic unit being configured such that the outer surface of the first main surface is fixed to the inner surface of the impact absorbing liner, and the exciter vibrates the impact absorbing liner via the first main surface, causing the impact absorbing liner and the shell to vibrate and generate sound, so that external sounds are easy to hear, and a helmet acoustic device with good sound quality can be obtained with a small and simple structure.

In addition, the vibration type acoustic unit has a passive radiator that is fixed facing the inner surface of the helmet so as to cover the opening provided on the second main surface, so that an acoustic device for a helmet with better sound quality can be obtained.

In addition, the outer surface of the second main face has protrusions around the passive radiator to protect the passive radiator, making it possible to prevent the movement of the vibration surface of the passive radiator from being impeded inside the helmet.

In addition, the audio device has a microphone that can capture the user's voice, and the audio device itself is configured to be capable of wireless communication with a mobile terminal, allowing the user to make calls using the audio device via the mobile terminal, thereby enabling the user to enjoy calls using the microphone.

In addition, the vibration type sound units are configured to be positioned one behind each of the user's ears when the user is wearing the helmet with the sound device, which prevents the vibration type sound units from touching the user's ears.

In addition, since the shock absorbing material is polystyrene foam, it can be effectively vibrated by a vibration type acoustic unit.

In addition, the sound device body is provided on the outer front surface, inner front surface, outer rear surface or inner rear surface of the helmet, so that the sound device body can be stored in a place that does not get in the way of the user when the helmet is worn.

Further, there is provided a combination of a helmet and an acoustic device attached to the helmet, the acoustic device having an acoustic device main body that generates a drive signal, and a vibration type acoustic unit that is connected to the acoustic device main body by a transmission cable and operates in response to the drive signal to vibrate the helmet, the helmet having a shell made of reinforced resin material, and an impact absorbing liner made of impact absorbing material provided on the inner surface of the shell, the vibration type acoustic unit having a flat and sealed housing having a first main surface, a second main surface facing the first main surface, and a side surface connecting the first main surface and the second main surface, and an exciter fixed to the inner surface of the first main surface, the vibration type acoustic unit being configured such that the outer surface of the first main surface is fixed to the inner surface of the impact absorbing liner, and the exciter vibrates the impact absorbing liner via the first main surface, causing the impact absorbing liner and the shell to vibrate and generate sound, so that it is easy to hear sounds from outside, and a combination of a helmet and an acoustic device attached to the helmet can be obtained that has a small, simple structure and good sound quality.

In addition, the vibration type acoustic unit has a passive radiator that is fixed facing toward the inner surface of the helmet so as to cover the opening provided on the second main surface, so that a combination of a helmet with better sound quality and an acoustic device attached to the helmet can be obtained.

Further, there is provided a combination of a helmet and a vibration type acoustic unit used in an acoustic device attached to the helmet, the acoustic device having an acoustic device main body that generates a drive signal, and a vibration type acoustic unit that is connected to the acoustic device main body by a transmission cable and operates in response to the drive signal to vibrate the helmet, the helmet having a shell made of a reinforced resin material, and an impact absorbing liner made of an impact absorbing material provided on the inner surface of the shell, the vibration type acoustic unit having a flat and sealed housing having a first main surface, a second main surface facing the first main surface, and a side surface connecting the first main surface and the second main surface, and an exciter fixed to the inner surface of the first main surface, the vibration type acoustic unit being configured such that the outer surface of the first main surface is fixed to the inner surface of the impact absorbing liner, and the exciter vibrates the impact absorbing liner via the first main surface, causing the impact absorbing liner and the shell to vibrate and generate sound, so that it is possible to obtain a combination of a helmet that is easy to hear sounds from outside, has a small and simple structure, and has good sound quality, and a vibration type acoustic unit used in an acoustic device attached to the helmet .

Furthermore, since the vibration type acoustic unit has a passive radiator fixed facing toward the inner surface of the helmet so as to cover the opening provided on the second main surface, it is possible to obtain a combination of a helmet with better sound quality and a vibration type acoustic unit used in an acoustic device attached to the helmet.

1 is a perspective view showing a configuration of a helmet equipped with an acoustic device according to a first embodiment of the present invention; 1 is an exploded view showing a configuration of a helmet equipped with an acoustic device according to a first embodiment of the present invention. 1 is a perspective view showing a configuration of an audio device according to a first embodiment of the present invention; 1 is a schematic diagram showing an example of use of a helmet equipped with an acoustic device according to a first embodiment of the present invention; 1 is a cross-sectional view showing a configuration of a main part of a helmet equipped with an acoustic device according to a first embodiment of the present invention. 1 is an exploded view showing the configuration of a main part of a helmet equipped with an acoustic device according to a first embodiment of the present invention; 4 is a graph showing frequency characteristics in a helmet equipped with the acoustic device according to the first embodiment of the present invention. 5A and 5B are schematic diagrams showing the configuration and usage example of a helmet equipped with an acoustic device according to a second embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 13 is a schematic diagram showing the configuration of a helmet equipped with an acoustic device according to a third embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 13 is a schematic diagram showing the configuration of a helmet equipped with an acoustic device according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention.

Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.
In the following explanation, the forward/backward, upward/downward, and left/right directions are indicated when viewed from the user's perspective when the user is wearing a helmet equipped with an audio device (a helmet with an audio device) on their head, and the direction in which the user's face is located is referred to as the forward (front) direction, and the opposite direction is referred to as the rear (rear) direction.
However, the directions of front/rear, up/down, and left/right shown below are shown for the convenience of explanation, and the application of the present technology is not limited to these directions.

(First embodiment)
A first embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS.
First, the configuration of a helmet 1 with a sound device and an example of its use will be described with reference to Figs.
FIG. 1 is a front perspective view showing the configuration of a helmet 1 with a sound device, FIG. 2 is an exploded view thereof, FIG. 3 shows the configuration of an acoustic device 2 attached to the helmet 1 with a sound device, and FIG. 4 shows an example of use of the helmet 1 with a sound device.

As shown in FIG. 1, the helmet with an acoustic device 1 has an acoustic device 2 mounted inside a helmet body 10. The acoustic device 2 has an acoustic device body 3 that generates a drive signal, two vibration type acoustic units 4, 4 on each side that are driven by the drive signal, and a microphone 5 that captures the user's voice. The vibration type acoustic units 4, 4 and the microphone 5 are connected to the acoustic device body 3 by signal transmission cables 6, 6 that can transmit signals.

FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view seen from the front, showing the configuration of the helmet body 10 and how the acoustic device 2 is attached to the helmet body 10.
As shown in FIG. 2, the helmet body 10 has a shell 11 made of reinforced resin material, an impact absorbing liner 12 made of impact absorbing material, a top cover 13 and a head side cover 14 made of cloth, and cheek pads 15, 15 removably attached to both cheek portions of the shell 11.

As shown in FIG. 2, the impact absorbing liner 12 is formed by molding polystyrene foam or a material having impact absorbing properties equivalent to polystyrene foam, and its top surface is fixed to the inside of the hat body 11 with adhesive or the like. The top cover 13 is made of jersey fabric 131 in the center and mesh fabric 132, 132 on both sides, and is configured to completely and detachably cover the inner surface, lower end, and outer side of the impact absorbing liner 12 together with the head cover 14 made of jersey fabric. The front underside of the head cover 14 is provided with an audio device main body underside cover 16 made of soft resin that covers the underside of the audio device main body 3.

As shown in Fig. 2, the outer surface of the impact absorbing liner 12 has a recess near the lower end of the forehead, and the acoustic device main body 3 is fixed between this recess of the impact absorbing liner 12 and the inner surface of the cap body 11. The inner surface of the impact absorbing liner 12 also has a recess in a portion corresponding to the back of both ears of the user, and vibration type acoustic units 4, 4 are fixed in this recess. The microphone 5 is fixed between the cheek pads 15 and the cap body 11. The signal transmission cable 6, which is not shown in this figure, is configured to be fixed by being sandwiched between the cap body 11 and the impact absorbing liner 12.

1 and 2, the helmet body 10 used in this embodiment is of a type called an open-face helmet or a jet helmet. An open-face helmet is a helmet that protects the head, ears, and cheeks, and does not have a chin section, unlike a full-face helmet.
In addition, open-face helmets usually have a chin strap for fastening the helmet to the head, but this is not shown or described here.

Next, the configuration of the audio device 2 will be described with reference to FIG.
As shown in Fig. 3, the audio device 2 comprises the audio device main body 3, the vibration type audio units 4, 4, the microphone 5, and the signal transmission cables 6, 6 as described above, each of which has a waterproof structure. This is to protect against stuffiness caused by sweat from the user and against raindrops entering the helmet 1 with an audio device while riding a motorcycle or the like in the rain. The signal transmission cables 6, 6 are configured to be detachable midway via connectors 61, 61, and these connectors 61, 61 also use waterproof connectors having a waterproof structure.

As shown in FIG. 3, the audio device main body 3 has a flat rectangular shape, with a curved front surface that resembles a portion of a large sphere. This is to allow it to be stored snugly in the recess between the cap body 11 and the impact absorbing liner 12. The bottom surface has a waterproofed power button 31 and a USB connector 32 for charging, and signal transmission cables 6, 6 protrude from the left and right sides and are held by waterproof bushings 33, 33.

As shown in FIG. 3, the vibration type acoustic units 4, 4 have a flat shape and are configured so that their outer surfaces are fixed to recesses formed on the inner surface of the impact absorbing liner 12, the details of which will be described later.

As shown in FIG. 3, the microphone 5 has a microphone unit 51 and a microphone holder 52 that holds it, and a microphone holding hook-and-loop fastener 53 is attached to one side of the microphone holder 52. A hook-and-loop fastener (not shown) that engages with the microphone holding hook-and-loop fastener 53 is attached to the position of the cap body 11 corresponding to the microphone holder 52, and by engaging the hook-and-loop fasteners with each other, the microphone holder 52 is firmly held between the cheek pad 15 and the cap body 11.

FIG. 4 shows a situation in which a user U wearing the helmet 1 with a sound device is enjoying playing music, making calls, etc. using the sound device 2.
As shown in Fig. 4, the audio device main body 3 is configured to be able to connect to a mobile terminal S such as a smartphone via wireless communication such as Bluetooth. When an audio signal is sent from the mobile terminal S to the audio device main body 3, the vibration type audio unit 4 is activated by the drive signal sent from the audio device main body 3, and the user U can enjoy music or the like. In this way, the audio signal from the mobile terminal S is transmitted to the user U as sound, and similarly, the audio signal from the microphone 5 is transmitted to the mobile terminal S, so that the user U can make a call using the mobile terminal S via the audio device 2.

Here, the helmet 1 with sound device can be operated by tapping the helmet body 10 lightly. That is, the sound device body 3 contains an acceleration sensor that detects tapping, so for example, music can be played or stopped by tapping. Also, if a call comes in while music is playing, you can answer by tapping, end the call by tapping again, and reject the call by double tapping. Note that in the case of motorcycles, etc., it is recommended not to make calls while driving, but to stop the vehicle on the side of the road, etc. before making a call.

In addition, by using the microphone 5, it is possible to operate the mobile terminal S using a voice assistant such as Siri (registered trademark) or Google Assistant (registered trademark). That is, it is possible to say things such as "Call Mr. XX" or "What's the weather today?" by voice.
Group calls are also possible by creating a group on LINE (registered trademark) or Facebook (registered trademark) Messenger.

In addition, by communicating with the audio device main body 3 and the mobile terminal S, the firmware of the audio device main body 3 can be updated.
The portable terminal S can also be used as a car navigation system, allowing a user to listen to music while driving a motorcycle or the like and have a voice guide narrated.

Next, the vibration type acoustic unit 4 will be described in detail with reference to Figs.
Fig. 5 is a cross-sectional view taken along line A-A in Fig. 1, and shows the detailed state of the vibration type acoustic unit 4 fixed in a recess provided in the impact absorbing liner 12 as shown in Fig. 2, and also shows the cross-sectional details of the vibration type acoustic unit 4. Fig. 6 is an exploded perspective view of the vibration type acoustic unit 4, and Fig. 7 is a graph showing frequency characteristics according to the structure of the vibration type acoustic unit 4.

As shown in FIG. 5, the upper part of the outer surface of the impact absorbing liner 12 is fixed to the inner surface of the hat body 11, and the upper part of the inner surface of the impact absorbing liner 12 is covered by the top cover 13, and the lower part of the inner surface, the lower end surface, and the lower part of the outer surface are covered by the head cover 14. The vibration type acoustic unit 4 fixed to a recess provided in the impact absorbing liner 12 is configured to be covered by the top cover 13 and the head cover 14.

As shown in Figures 5 and 6, the vibration type acoustic unit 4 has a flat box-shaped case body 41 made of resin, an exciter 7, and a passive radiator 8. The case body 41 has a first main surface on the left side, a second main surface on the right side, and a side surface connecting these two main surfaces, and has a fixed case 42 consisting of the first main surface and the side surface, and a lid case 43 consisting of the second main surface.

As shown in Figures 5 and 6, the outer surface of the first main surface is fixed to a recess provided in the impact absorbing liner 12, and an exciter 7, which is a vibration-type vibrator, is fixed to the inner surface of the first main surface. The second main surface has an opening, and a passive radiator 8 is fixed to cover this opening. In addition, a passive radiator guard protrusion 44 protrudes from the periphery of the passive radiator 8 on the outer surface of the second main surface so as to surround the passive radiator 8. As shown in Figure 6, the fixed case 42 and the lid case 43 are fixed watertightly with four fixing screws via waterproof double-sided tape 45.

As shown in FIG. 5, the passive radiator 8 has a passive radiator body 81 made of flexible rubber, elastomer, or the like, and a weight plate 82 made of metal such as iron. The weight plate 82 is fixed to the center of the passive radiator body 81, and there is an edge portion of a damper structure around it that holds the weight plate 82 so that it can swing, and a flat flange portion on the outside of the edge portion is fixed to the lid case 43.

As shown in FIG. 5, the exciter 7 has a magnetic circuit consisting of a yoke 71 and a permanent magnet 72, and one end of the voice coil 73 is held in the magnetic gap between the yoke 71 and the permanent magnet 72. The voice coil 73 is connected to the yoke 71 via a diaphragm-shaped damper 74 fixed to the yoke 71. A fixed part 75 is connected to the other end of the voice coil 73, and the fixed part 75 is fixed to the bottom of the fixed case 42, so that the exciter 7 is held in the hollow inside the case body 41.

As shown in FIG. 5, a terminal wire 76 comes out from the other end of the voice coil 73 and is connected to the signal transmission cable 6. When a drive signal is input from the signal transmission cable 6 to the voice coil 73 via the terminal wire 76, the voice coil 73 vibrates left and right across the magnetic gap. The vibration of the voice coil 73 is transmitted to the impact absorbing liner 12 via the fixed part 75 and the first main surface of the fixed case 42, and the impact absorbing liner 12 and the cap body 11 are excited and vibrate, generating sound within the helmet body 10.

As shown in FIG. 5, the vibration type acoustic unit 4 is configured to be attached to a recess formed on the inner surface of the impact absorbing liner 12, so it needs to be thin and small. Therefore, the exciter 7 used in the vibration type acoustic unit 4 must also be thin and small, and as a result, it must have a relatively small output of about 1 W. When the exciter is attached to the outer surface of the helmet body 10, it must have a large output of at least about 2 W, because the impact absorbing liner 12 is vibrated via the cap body 11. However, in this embodiment, it is attached to the inner surface of the helmet body 10, so it has been confirmed that a sufficient volume can be obtained even with a relatively small output.

In terms of sound quality, while the bass tends to be hard to produce, it is still good enough for phone calls and listening to music in quiet places. However, a problem specific to helmets arose here. When riding a motorcycle, especially at high speeds, a lot of wind noise is generated in the helmet, and this wind noise makes it difficult to hear the bass, making the sound thin and making it difficult to enjoy the music. According to wind tunnel testing, wind noise in an environment equivalent to riding at 100 km/h forms a mountain-shaped peak at around 200 Hz, and it is thought that this wind noise masks the bass, making it inaudible.

The inventors suspected that the phenomenon of low frequencies being difficult to produce may also be due to the fact that the exciter 7 is placed in a small, sealed box such as the case body 41. In other words, it is possible that the air inside acts like an air spring, suppressing the vibration of the exciter 7. Therefore, to reduce the action of the air spring, a passive radiator 8 was attached to the second main surface. Furthermore, with the passive radiator 8, it is expected that the resonance will have the effect of increasing the volume of the bass range.

7, the output of the low frequencies is reduced in the case without the passive radiator 8, as indicated by the dashed line. However, the data in the case with the passive radiator 8, as indicated by the solid line, shows that the output of the low frequencies is improved by about 10 dB, particularly in the low frequency range from 150 Hz to 350 Hz.
In this way, even though the exciter 7 has a small output, the sound quality is improved with a fuller bass, making it possible to comfortably listen to music as well as make phone calls. In particular, it has become possible to enjoy music with a fuller bass even when driving at high speeds on a motorcycle or other vehicle that produces a lot of wind noise.

As shown in Figures 5 and 6, the passive radiator 8 is fixed so as to cover the opening on the second main surface of the lid case 43, so that the case body 41 can be kept sealed. Also, since it is attached to the second main surface of the flat case body 41, a large passive radiator 8 can be used. Furthermore, since the passive radiator 8 is fixed facing the inner surface of the helmet body 10, the low-pitched sounds generated by the vibration of the passive radiator 8 can be delivered directly to the user's ears.

As shown in Figures 5 and 6, a passive radiator guard protrusion 44 protrudes from around the passive radiator 8 on the outer surface of the second main surface, and this is for protecting the passive radiator 8. In other words, it is configured to prevent the top cover 13, the head side cover 14, etc. from accidentally touching the passive radiator 8 inside the helmet body 10 and interfering with the vibration of the passive radiator 8. Note that here, a circular rib-shaped passive radiator guard protrusion 44 is shown, but this is not limited to this, and multiple protrusions such as dowel-shaped or column-shaped protrusions may be arranged around the passive radiator 8. Also, the height of the passive radiator guard protrusion 44 from the second main surface may be made higher.

As mentioned above, from the perspective of safety, etc., it was mentioned that helmet audio devices should be able to hear external sounds as well, and we will consider this further. Even when riding a motorcycle wearing a helmet, it is necessary to pay attention to external sounds such as emergency vehicle sirens and warning sounds at railroad crossings. External sounds are thought to reach the ears via the helmet, but if there is a speaker near the ear, the direct sound that reaches the ear directly from the speaker next to the ear cancels out the external sounds, making them difficult to hear.

On the other hand, in the helmet 1 with an acoustic device, the vibration type acoustic units 4, 4 vibrate the impact absorbing liner 12 and shell 11 of the helmet body 10 to generate sound. It is believed that sound from outside also vibrates the helmet and is transmitted to the inside of the helmet. In that case, these two sounds are caused by the same helmet vibration, and do not cancel each other out, but overlap and reach the ears. It is believed that this makes it easier to hear external sounds.

The low-pitched sound from the passive radiator 8, which is fixed facing the inside of the helmet body 10, reaches the user's ears directly, but we will consider whether this direct sound makes it difficult to hear sounds such as phone calls and sirens. A man's voice is said to be about 500 Hz and a woman's voice is about 1000 Hz, but since the passive radiator 8 reproduces low frequencies, it is thought that the impact will be small. In other words, even with the direct sound from the passive radiator 8, the voice of a phone call or narration can be heard sufficiently. For example, the harmonic siren of an ambulance is said to make a "beep-beep" sound with fundamental frequencies of 960 Hz and 770 Hz, and this can also be heard sufficiently.

As described above, the helmet 1 with an audio device of this embodiment makes it easy to hear sounds from outside and has a small, simple structure that produces good sound quality. Also, because the vibration type audio units 4, 4 are mounted inside the helmet body 10, they have a neater shape with no protrusions compared to those mounted externally. Furthermore, because the vibration type audio units 4, 4 are mounted inside the helmet body 10, a sufficient volume can be obtained with a small-output exciter 7, power consumption is reduced, making it possible to miniaturize the battery, and the audio device body 3 can also be miniaturized.

In this embodiment, the shock absorbing liner 12 to which the vibration type acoustic unit 4 is fixed is described as being made of polystyrene foam or a material with shock absorbing performance equivalent to that of polystyrene foam. Polystyrene foam is particularly preferable. This is because polystyrene foam is hard and light, and can be easily vibrated by the vibration type acoustic unit 4 to effectively vibrate and produce sound.

Furthermore, although the acoustic device main body 3 has been described as being stored between the recess of the impact absorbing liner 12 and the inner surface of the cap body 11, this is not limited to this. For example, it is of course possible to not provide a recess in the impact absorbing liner 12, but to have the lower forehead portion of the cap body 11 bulge forward, and to store the acoustic device main body 3 between the inner surface of this bulge and the impact absorbing liner 12.

The helmet body 10 has been described using an open-face helmet, but is not limited to this. For example, it may be used in a full-face helmet that protects the head, ears, cheeks, and chin, and of course it can be used in any helmet that at least protects the head and ears.

In addition, the audio device 2 of the helmet with audio device 1 has an audio device main body 3, vibration type audio units 4, 4, and a microphone 5, but is not limited to this and does not have to have the microphone 5. Without the microphone 5, it would be impossible to make calls using the microphone 5, but wearing the helmet with audio device 1 would allow one to enjoy listening to music, etc., and so the helmet can be fully utilized.

In addition, the microphone 5 has a microphone unit 51 and a microphone holder 52 that holds it, and the microphone holder 52 is held between the cheek pads 15 and the helmet body 11, but this is not limiting. For example, in the case of a full-face helmet, only the microphone unit 51 may be fixed to the underside of the chin with a hook-and-loop fastener or the like. Of course, a fulcrum may be fixed to the outer surface of the helmet, a long arm may be provided that is freely rotatable, and the microphone unit 51 may be attached to the tip of this arm.

Furthermore, while the helmet 1 with audio device is described as being operated by tapping the helmet body 10, this is not limited to this, and it is of course possible to provide an operating unit on the helmet body 10 and operate this, or to provide a separate operating unit.

Furthermore, the passive radiator 8 has been described as consisting of a passive radiator body 81 made of a flexible material and a weight plate 82 made of metal, but it is of course not limited to this form and various shapes, materials, and types may be used.
Similarly, it goes without saying that the exciter 7 may have various shapes, materials, and types.

Second Embodiment
A second embodiment of the present invention will now be described with reference to FIG.
In the second embodiment, as in the first embodiment, the helmet acoustic device 1 has an acoustic device main body 3, vibration type acoustic units 4, 4 and a microphone 5, but the mounting position of the acoustic device main body 3 is different. In the following, the same parts as those in the first embodiment are given the same reference numerals, and the description is omitted, and only the different parts are described.

FIG. 8 shows a situation in which a user U wearing a helmet 1 with an audio device is enjoying listening to music being played or making a call using the audio device 2.
As shown in FIG. 8, the vibration type acoustic unit 4 and the microphone 5 are attached in the same positions as in the first embodiment, but the acoustic device main body 3 is attached to the outer side of the forehead of the helmet main body 10, not the inner side of the forehead.

As shown in FIG. 8, a forehead acoustic device holder 100 for holding the acoustic device 2 is attached to the outer surface of the forehead of the helmet body 10. The forehead acoustic device holder 100 has an acoustic device storage section 110, a holder attachment section 120, and a front brim section 130, and when the acoustic device 2 is attached to the inside of the acoustic device storage section 110, it is fixed in position by an acoustic device fixing section (not shown). The forehead acoustic device holder 100 is fixed to the helmet body 10 by two rivets 121 of the holder attachment section 120. The front brim section 130 is shaped like a short sun visor and serves to protect the acoustic device 2 and the face of the user U from sunlight and rainwater.

As shown in FIG. 8, the signal transmission cable 6 is bundled and routed from the edge of the helmet body 10 to the inside. Here, for example, if a connector is attached between the audio device 2 and the signal transmission cable 6, the signal transmission cable 6 can be removed from the audio device 2, and the audio device fixing part (not shown) can be released, making it possible to remove the audio device from the forehead audio device holder 100. In this case, instead of connecting the entire audio device-equipped helmet 1 to the charger when charging, only the audio device 2 needs to be connected, making handling during charging easier.

In this embodiment, the frontal acoustic device holder 100 is attached to the helmet body 10 by the rivet 121, but this is not limited to the above. For example, if the helmet body 10 has a sun visor attachment section for attaching a sun visor in a removable manner, it is of course possible to use this for attachment.

Third Embodiment
A third embodiment of the present invention will now be described with reference to FIG.
In the third embodiment, as in the first embodiment, the helmet acoustic device 1 has an acoustic device main body 3, vibration type acoustic units 4, 4, and a microphone 5, but the mounting position of the acoustic device main body 3 is different. In the following, the same parts as in the first embodiment are given the same reference numerals, and the description is omitted, and only the different parts are described.

FIG. 9 is a perspective view of the helmet 1 with a sound device as viewed from the rear side.
As shown in FIG. 9, the vibration type acoustic units 4, 4 are attached in the same positions as in the first embodiment, but the acoustic device main body 3 is attached to the outer side of the back of the head of the helmet main body 10, not to the inner side of the front of the head.

As shown in FIG. 9, a rear head acoustic device holder 200 for holding the acoustic device 2 is attached to the outer rear surface of the helmet body 10. The signal transmission cable 6 is bundled and routed from the edge of the helmet body 10 to the inside. Here, for example, a connector may be attached between the acoustic device 2 and the signal transmission cable 6, and the acoustic device 2 may be configured to be removable from the rear head acoustic device holder 200. In this case, as in the second embodiment, when charging, only the acoustic device 2 needs to be connected, rather than the entire helmet 1 with acoustic device being connected to the charger, which simplifies handling during charging.

In this embodiment, the signal transmission cable 6 is configured to be routed from the edge of the helmet body 10 to the inside, but this is not limited to this. Of course, a hole may be drilled in the helmet body 10, a grommet attached, and the cable may be routed through the hole of the grommet.

(Fourth embodiment)
A third embodiment of the present invention will now be described with reference to FIG.
In the fourth embodiment, as in the first embodiment, the helmet acoustic device 1 has an acoustic device main body 3, vibration type acoustic units 4, 4 and a microphone 5, but the mounting position of the acoustic device main body 3 is different. In the following, the same parts as in the first embodiment are given the same reference numerals, and the description is omitted, and only the different parts are described.

FIG. 10 is a perspective view of the helmet 1 with a sound device as viewed from the rear side.
As shown in Fig. 10, the vibration type acoustic units 4, 4 are attached in the same positions as in the first embodiment, but the acoustic device main body 3 is attached to the inner back side of the head of the helmet main body 10, not the inner front side of the head. That is, the impact absorbing liner 12 has a recess in the lower part of the outer surface of the head at the back, and the acoustic device main body 3 is fixed to the inner back head acoustic device holder 300 formed by the gap between the impact absorbing liner 12 and the inner surface of the cap body 11 caused by this recess. By providing the inner back head acoustic device holder 300 on the inner back head surface, the helmet main body 10 can be configured neatly without any protrusions.

In this embodiment, the acoustic device main body 3 is stored in the head inner acoustic device holder 300 between the recess of the impact absorbing liner 12 and the inner surface of the cap body 11, but this is not limiting. For example, it is of course possible to not provide a recess in the impact absorbing liner 12, but to make the lower part of the head of the cap body 11 bulge backward, and to store the acoustic device main body 3 in the space between the inner surface of this bulge and the impact absorbing liner 12 as the head inner acoustic device holder 300.
As described above, as with the first embodiment, in the second to fourth embodiments as well, the helmet with sound device 1 of this embodiment makes it easy to hear sounds from outside, and produces good sound quality with a small, simple structure.

The helmet acoustic device of the present invention is not limited to the embodiment described above and shown in the drawings, and various modifications can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.
For example, in the above embodiment, the vibration type acoustic unit is fixed to the recess on the inner surface of the impact absorbing liner, but it may be directly attached to the inner surface of the shell.

For example, in the above-mentioned embodiment, the vibration type acoustic unit is described as being used in an acoustic device attached to the helmet body, but this is not limiting. This vibration type acoustic unit is compact and produces good sound, so it can be attached to a plate-shaped diaphragm and used to play music, or it can be attached to an acrylic partition for preventing splashes so that the contents of a meeting can be conveyed at a louder volume.

U User S Mobile terminal 1 Helmet with audio device 2 Audio device 3 Audio device main body 4 Vibration type audio unit 5 Microphone 6 Signal transmission cable 7 Exciter 8 Passive radiator 10 Helmet main body 11 Shell 12 Impact absorbing liner 13 Top cover 14 Head side cover 15 Cheek pads 16 Audio device main body bottom cover 71 Yoke 72 Permanent magnet 73 Voice coil 74 Damper 75 Fixing part 76 Terminal wire 100 Front head audio device holder 200 Rear head audio device holder 300 Rear head inner surface audio device holder

Claims (11)

A helmet with a sound device, the helmet having a sound device attached thereto,
The acoustic device includes an acoustic device main body that generates a drive signal, and a vibration type acoustic unit that is connected to the acoustic device main body by a transmission cable and is operated in response to the drive signal to vibrate the helmet,
The helmet has a shell made of a reinforced resin material and an impact absorbing liner made of an impact absorbing material provided on the inner surface of the shell,
The vibration type acoustic unit has a flat and sealed housing having a first main surface, a second main surface facing the first main surface, and a side surface connecting the first main surface and the second main surface, and an exciter fixed to an inner surface of the first main surface,
The helmet with an acoustic device is characterized in that the vibration type acoustic unit is configured such that the outer surface of the first main surface is fixed to the inner surface of the impact absorbing liner, and the exciter vibrates the impact absorbing liner via the first main surface, causing the impact absorbing liner and the helmet body to vibrate and generate sound. 2. The helmet with an acoustic device according to claim 1, characterized in that the vibration type acoustic unit has a passive radiator fixed facing toward the inner surface of the helmet so as to cover an opening provided in the second main surface. 3. The helmet with a sound device according to claim 2, further comprising a protrusion for protecting said passive radiator on the outer surface of said second main face, said protrusion being provided around said passive radiator. the audio device has a microphone capable of capturing a user's voice, and the audio device body is configured to be capable of wireless communication with a mobile terminal;
4. The helmet with an audio device according to claim 1, wherein the user is configured to be able to make a call using the audio device via the mobile terminal. 5. The helmet with sound device according to claim 4, characterized in that the vibration type sound units are configured to be positioned one behind each of the user's ears when the user is wearing the helmet with sound device . 6. A helmet with a sound device according to claim 1, wherein the shock absorbing material is polystyrene foam. 7. The acoustic device for a helmet according to claim 1, wherein the acoustic device body is provided on an outer front surface, an inner front surface, an outer rear surface or an inner rear surface of the helmet. A combination of a helmet and an audio device attached to the helmet,
The acoustic device includes an acoustic device main body that generates a drive signal, and a vibration type acoustic unit that is connected to the acoustic device main body by a transmission cable and is operated in response to the drive signal to vibrate the helmet,
The helmet has a shell made of a reinforced resin material and an impact absorbing liner made of an impact absorbing material provided on the inner surface of the shell,
The vibration type acoustic unit has a flat and sealed housing having a first main surface, a second main surface facing the first main surface, and a side surface connecting the first main surface and the second main surface, and an exciter fixed to an inner surface of the first main surface,
The vibration type acoustic unit is characterized in that the outer surface of the first main surface is fixed to the inner surface of the impact absorbing liner, and the exciter vibrates the impact absorbing liner via the first main surface, causing the impact absorbing liner and the cap body to vibrate and generate sound. A combination of a helmet and an acoustic device attached to the helmet. 9. A combination of a helmet and an acoustic device attached to the helmet as described in claim 8, characterized in that the vibration type acoustic unit has a passive radiator fixed toward the inner surface of the helmet so as to cover an opening provided in the second main surface. A combination of a helmet and a vibration type acoustic unit used in an acoustic device attached to the helmet,
the acoustic device includes an acoustic device main body that generates a drive signal, and a vibration type acoustic unit that is connected to the acoustic device main body by a transmission cable and is operated in response to the drive signal to vibrate the helmet,
The helmet has a shell made of a reinforced resin material and an impact absorbing liner made of an impact absorbing material provided on the inner surface of the shell,
The vibration type acoustic unit has a flat and sealed housing having a first main surface, a second main surface facing the first main surface, and a side surface connecting the first main surface and the second main surface, and an exciter fixed to an inner surface of the first main surface,
The vibration type acoustic unit is characterized in that the outer surface of the first main surface is fixed to the inner surface of the impact absorbing liner, and the exciter vibrates the impact absorbing liner via the first main surface, causing the impact absorbing liner and the cap body to vibrate and generate sound. A combination of a helmet and a vibration type acoustic unit used in an acoustic device attached to the helmet. The combination of the helmet according to claim 10 and a vibration type acoustic unit used in an acoustic device attached to the helmet, characterized in that the vibration type acoustic unit has a passive radiator fixed facing toward the inner surface of the helmet so as to cover the opening provided in the second main surface.

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