Electrical audio signal processing systems and devices – Hearing aids – electrical
Reexamination Certificate
1994-10-11
2001-10-23
Cumming, William (Department: 2684)
Electrical audio signal processing systems and devices
Hearing aids, electrical
C381S322000, C181S132000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06307943
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an electro-acoustic transducer for sound reproduction and a sound reproducing system constructed with the use of the electro-acoustic transformer.
2. Description of the Related Art
Up to now, there is proposed an electro-acoustic transducer or a sound reproducing system supplied with acoustic signals in the form of electrical signals and adapted for converting the electrical signals into sound to realize sound reproduction, such as a headphone device or an earphone device.
The aforementioned electro-acoustic transducer comprises an electro-acoustic transducer unit for converting the acoustic signals into sound. The electro-acoustic transducer when constructed as the headphone device is adapted for supporting a pair of electro-acoustic transducer units in opposition to both auricles of the user.
The sound reproducing system also includes a pair of speaker units as the sound reproducing device arranged for converting the sound signals into sound. The speaker unit includes a speaker unit having a diaphragm and functioning as the sound reproducing unit. A speaker cabinet accommodates the speaker unit with the sound radiating side facing to outside. With the present sound reproducing system, the speaker device is arranged in front of and faces the listener to effect sound reproduction by the speaker device.
Meanwhile, with the above described electro-acoustic transducer, constructed as the headphone device, the electroacoustic transducer unit constituting the transducer faces the listener's tympanic membrane, so that standing waves are produced between the transducer unit and the tympanic membrane. The listener using such electro-acoustic transducer feels oppressed due to the standing waves or feels as if the sound source were within his head.
With the above described electro-acoustic transducer, the electro-acoustic transducer unit is supported for substantially closing the listener's external auditory meatus so that the listener using the electro-acoustic transducer feels unable to hear the external sound. Thus the use of the electro-acoustic transducer during walking on the road or driving a vehicle or car endangers safe walking or driving since the user can hardly recognize the outside situation.
With the above sound reproducing system, for optimum sound reproduction over a wide frequency range including the lower frequency range, it becomes necessary to increase the volume of the speaker cabinet constituting the speaker device or to increase the area of the diaphragm of the speaker unit. If the cabinet volume or diaphragm area is increased, the size of the apparatus increases.
On the other hand, with a sound reproducing system in which the size of the apparatus is increased to enable sound reproduction over a wide frequency range, it may be occasionally impossible to effect sound reproduction at a sufficient sound pressure in view of the inconveniences to the neighbors under the straitened or congested housing circumstances.
OBJECT AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In view of the foregoing, it is a principal object of the present invention to provide an electro-acoustic transducer which, when arranged as a headphone device or an earphone device, does not give rise to oppressed feeling or a feeling as if the sound source were within the user's head.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a sound reproducing system which is capable of satisfactorily reproducing the sound over a wide frequency range including the low frequency range without unnecessary increasing the size of the system or inconvenience to the neighbors.
In accordance with the present invention, there is provided an electro-acoustic transducer comprising an electro-acoustic transducer accommodated in a cabinet, and a sound guide tube for conducting the sound from the electro-acoustic transducer unit out of said cabinet, said sound guide tube having at least the sound radiating end with a diameter smaller than the external acoustic meatus to allow said sound radiating end to be introduced into the external auditory meatus.
In accordance with the present invention, there is also provided a sound reproducing system comprising a sound reproducing apparatus supplied with acoustic signals, and an electro-acoustic transducer including an electro-acoustic transducer unit accommodate in a cabinet, and a sound guide tube for conducting the sound from the electro-acoustic transducer unit out of said cabinet, said sound guide tube having at least the sound radiating end with a diameter smaller than the external auditory meatus to permit said sound radiating end to be introduced into the external auditory meatus, said electroacoustic transducer being adapted for reproducing at least the low-frequency component of the acoustic signal of the frequency range reproduced by said sound reproducing apparatus.
With the electro-acoustic transducer of the present invention, the sound guide tube adapted for conducting the sound radiated from the electro-acoustic transducer unit accommodated in the cabinet towards the outside of the cabinet has at least its sound radiating end with a diameter smaller than the external auditory meatus so that the sound radiating end may be inserted into the external auditory meatus. Thus the sound may be conducted into the inside of the external auditory meatus without stopping the external auditory meatus.
The sound reproducing system according to the present invention is so arranged and conducted that the sound may be reproduced by the sound reproducing apparatus adapted for being supplied with acoustic signals and for converting the acoustic signals into sound for reproduction thereof, and that the electro-acoustic transducer adapted for converting at least the low-frequency component of the acoustic signals supplied to said sound reproducing apparatus conducts the sound radiated from the electro-acoustic transducer unit accommodated in the cabinet towards the outside of the unit, while radiating the sound into the external acoustic meatus by way of a sound guide tube having at least its sound radiating end with a diameter smaller than the external auditory meatus to permit the sound radiating end to be inserted into the external auditory meatus without stopping the external auditory meatus. In this manner, both the sound reproduced by the sound reproducing apparatus and the sound reproduced by the electro-acoustic transducer unit of the electro-acoustic transducer may be heard simultaneously.
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United Hearing Systems, Incorporated “In the Ear and Intra Canal” Aug., 1990.*
ACS Communications, Incorporated “ACS Telephone Headsets” Aug., 1990.*
ACS Communications, Incorporated “Noise Cancelling Headsets”, Oct. 1, 1990.
Cumming William
Kananen Ronald P.
Rader Fishman & Grauer
Sony Corporation
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