Non-axisymmetric and non-horn phase plugs

1. An in-ear audio device ( 105 ) comprising:

a hollow sound port ( 17 ) formed to fit within an ear canal of a user, the hollow sound port ( 17 ) having

a first opening ( 50 ) directed away from the ear canal of the user, and

a second opening ( 60 ) directed toward the ear canal;

a planar magnetic transducer assembly ( 90 ) disposed at the first opening ( 50 ); and

a non-axisymmetric phase-shift plug ( 70 ) disposed within the hollow sound port ( 17 ) between the transducer assembly ( 90 ) and the second opening ( 60 ).

2. The in-ear audio device ( 105 ) of claim 1 wherein the phase-shift plug ( 70 ) is secured within the hollow sound port ( 17 ) with one or more spokes ( 80 ).

3. An in-ear audio device ( 105 ) comprising:

a housing ( 101 ) having a first acoustic opening ( 60 );

a transducer assembly ( 90 ) disposed in the housing ( 101 ) such that the transducer assembly ( 90 ) is located distally from the first acoustic opening ( 60 ); and

a phase plug ( 70 ) disposed within the housing ( 101 ) between the transducer assembly ( 90 ) and the first acoustic opening ( 60 ), such that the phase plug ( 70 ) is non-axisymmetric.

4. The in-ear audio device ( 105 ) of claim 3 wherein

the transducer assembly ( 90 ) includes a diaphragm ( 94 ), such that the diaphragm ( 94 ) defines a diaphragm central axis ( 99 ) perpendicular thereto; and

the phase plug ( 70 ) is non-axisymmetric with the diaphragm central perpendicular axis ( 99 ).

5. The in-ear audio device ( 105 ) of claim 4 wherein the diaphragm ( 94 ) is substantially planar.

6. The in-ear audio device ( 105 ) of claim 4 wherein the diaphragm ( 94 ) is non-planar.

7. The in-ear audio device ( 105 ) of claim 4 wherein the first acoustic opening ( 60 ) defines a first acoustic opening center point ( 198 ) at the center of the first acoustic opening ( 60 ) such that the first acoustic opening center point ( 198 ) is located off-axis from the diaphragm central perpendicular axis ( 99 ).

8. The in-ear audio device ( 105 ) of claim 3 wherein the phase plug ( 70 ) includes:

a compression member ( 2 ) wherein the compression member ( 2 ) further defines a compression member periphery ( 16 ); and

a phase plug guide ( 120 ) extending from the compression member periphery ( 16 ) to a tip ( 84 ), and configured such that the phase plug guide ( 120 ) is exponentially tapered.

9. The in-ear audio device ( 105 ) of claim 8 wherein the phase plug guide ( 120 ) is non-axisymmetric to a central axis ( 93 ) defined perpendicular to the compression member ( 2 ).

10. The in-ear audio device ( 105 ) of claim 8 ,

wherein the housing ( 101 ) includes an inner wall ( 30 ), such that a waveguide ( 85 ) is defined between the inner wall ( 30 ) and the phase plug guide ( 120 ), and

wherein shortest path measurements ( 19 f - 19 g ) of the waveguide ( 85 ) from points on the compression member periphery ( 16 ) to the first acoustic opening ( 60 ) are substantially equal.

11. The in-ear audio device ( 105 ) of claim 10 wherein the inner wall ( 30 ) tapers smaller in area toward the first acoustic opening ( 60 ).

12. The in-ear audio device ( 105 ) of claim 3 wherein the phase plug ( 70 ) includes:

a compression member ( 2 ) wherein the compression member ( 2 ) further defines a compression member periphery ( 16 ); and

a phase plug guide ( 120 ) extending from the compression member periphery ( 16 ) to a tip ( 84 ), and configured such that the phase plug guide ( 120 ) is conically tapered.

13. The in-ear audio device ( 105 ) of claim 3 wherein the transducer assembly ( 90 ) is a selected from the group consisting of dynamic transducer, planar transducer, planar magnetic transducer, cone voice coil transducer, dome voice coil transducer, electrostatic transducer, and piezo electric transducer.

14. The in-ear audio device ( 105 ) of claim 3 wherein the housing ( 101 ) further comprises an annular indentation ring ( 402 ) disposed around a circumference of the housing ( 101 ) distal from the first acoustic opening ( 60 ).

15. The in-ear audio device ( 105 ) of claim 14 wherein a flexible partial ring ( 401 ) fitted for the annular indentation ring ( 402 ) is releasably attachable to the annular indentation ring ( 402 ).

16. The in-ear audio device ( 105 ) of claim 15 wherein the flexible partial ring ( 401 ) is attached to a spoke ( 403 ) having two ends, such that

a first end of the spoke ( 403 ) is attached to the flexible partial ring ( 401 ), and

a second end of the spoke ( 403 ) is attached to an earhook ( 170 ).

17. The in-ear audio device ( 105 ) of claim 3 wherein the housing ( 101 ) further comprises

a bottom housing ( 15 );

a second opening ( 50 ) in the bottom housing ( 15 ) positioned distally from the first acoustic opening ( 60 ); and

a top housing ( 110 ) wherein the top housing ( 110 ) is formed to cover the second opening ( 50 ) in the bottom housing ( 15 ) such that the top housing ( 110 ) is releasably attached to the bottom housing ( 15 ).

18. An in-ear audio device ( 105 ) comprising:

a housing ( 15 );

an electro-acoustic transducer assembly ( 90 ) disposed in a first end of said housing ( 15 ); and

a phase plug ( 70 ) having a compression member ( 2 ), a tip ( 84 ), and a guide ( 120 ) extending from the compression member ( 2 ) to the tip ( 84 ), wherein the guide ( 120 ) is non-axisymmetric to a central axis ( 93 ) defined perpendicular to the compression member ( 2 );

said housing ( 15 ) having an internal cavity ( 40 ) tapering from the transducer assembly ( 90 ) to a smaller acoustic opening ( 60 ) at a second end of the housing ( 15 );

said phase plug ( 70 ) disposed within said cavity ( 40 ) such that the compression member is proximate the transducer assembly ( 90 ) and the tip is proximate the acoustic opening.

19. The in-ear audio device ( 105 ) of claim 18 wherein the tip ( 84 ) is not located on the central perpendicular axis ( 93 ).

20. The in-ear audio device ( 105 ) of claim 18 wherein the compression member ( 2 ) is substantially planar.

21. The in-ear audio device ( 105 ) of claim 18 wherein the compression member ( 2 ) is substantially non-planar.

22. The in-ear audio device ( 105 ) of claim 18 wherein the guide ( 120 ) is configured such that shortest path surface measurements ( 19 a , 19 b , 19 c , 19 d , 19 e ) measured along shortest path surfaces on the guide ( 120 ) from the tip ( 84 ) to the compression member ( 2 ) are substantially equal.

23. The in-ear audio device ( 105 ) of claim 18 , further comprising at least one waveguide ( 27 ) disposed inside the phase plug ( 70 ).

24. The in-ear audio device ( 105 ) of claim 18 wherein the compression member ( 2 ) further comprises a compression member periphery ( 16 ); and

the guide ( 120 ) has a plurality of cross-sectional areas ( 10 - 14 ) defined parallel to the compression member periphery ( 16 ), each cross-sectional area ( 10 - 14 ) having a center point ( 5 - 9 ) such that a successive tracing of the center points ( 5 - 9 ) from the compression member ( 2 ) to the tip ( 84 ) defines a non-rectilinear line ( 15 ).

25. The phase plug ( 70 ) of claim 24 wherein the guide ( 120 ) has a planar perimeter ( 83 ) substantially parallel to the compression member periphery ( 16 ),

the guide ( 120 ) being configured such that coplanar slopes ( 64 , 74 ) of the planar perimeter ( 83 ) are unequal.

26. The phase plug ( 70 ) of claim 24 wherein the compression member periphery ( 16 ) defines a compression member periphery plane ( 91 ); and

wherein intersecting planes ( 85 , 86 , 87 , 88 ) parallel to the compression member periphery plane ( 91 ) intersect the guide ( 120 ) such that at least one front slope ( 65 , 66 , 67 , 68 ) of guide ( 120 ) at the intersecting planes ( 85 , 86 , 87 , 88 ) is unequal to its opposite side rear slope ( 75 , 76 , 77 , 78 ) of the guide ( 120 ).