IP Library › Granted Patent US 11,159,875
Granted Patent B2
US 11,159,875 · App. 16/981,403 · Granted Oct 26, 2021

Audio output apparatus

Inventors: Mayu Kosaka (Kanagawa, JP); Taku Yaegashi (Tokyo, JP); Sai Karasawa (Tokyo, JP)
Assignee: SONY CORPORATION
H04R1/105H04R1/08H04R1/1016H04R1/1041H04R1/1075H04R2420/07
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,159,875
App. No.
16/981,403
Granted
Oct 26, 2021
Kind
B2
Abstract

An audio output apparatus has a simplified structure and is stably fitted in an ear assuredly. The audio output apparatus includes: a speaker that outputs a sound; a base body that includes a facing surface and is at least partially inserted into an ear canal of an ear; a rotating body that includes a relative surface at least partially facing the facing surface and is rotatable relative to the base body; and a fulcrum shaft that is present at least at one of a position displaced from a middle portion of the facing surface or a position displaced from a middle portion of the relative surface, the fulcrum shaft serving as a fulcrum of rotation of the rotating body relative to the base body, in which, in a state where the base body is inserted into the ear canal, the rotating body rotated relative to the base body is allowed to be in contact with part of the ear.

Claims (49)

1. An audio output apparatus comprising:

a speaker that outputs a sound;

a base body that includes a facing surface and is at least partially inserted into an ear canal of an ear;

a rotating body that includes a relative surface at least partially facing the facing surface and is rotatable relative to the base body; and

a fulcrum shaft that is present at least at one of a position displaced from a middle portion of the facing surface or a position displaced from a middle portion of the relative surface, the fulcrum shaft serving as a fulcrum of rotation of the rotating body relative to the base body, in which

in a state where the base body is inserted into the ear canal, the rotating body rotated relative to the base body is allowed to be in contact with part of the ear.

2. The audio output apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein

the rotating body rotated relative to the base body is at least partially inserted into a cavity of concha.

3. The audio output apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein

the rotating body rotated relative to the base body is at least partially brought into contact with an antihelix or an inferior crus of antihelix.

4. The audio output apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein

the base body includes an outer circumferential surface that is a surface of revolution formed by being rotated with respect to a central axis,

the facing surface and the relative surface are inclined with respect to a plane orthogonal to the central axis, and

an axial direction of the fulcrum shaft is along a direction orthogonal to the facing surface.

5. The audio output apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein

the facing surface and the relative surface are in surface contact with each other.

6. The audio output apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein

a microphone is placed inside the base body, and

a sound input hole intended for inputting a sound to the microphone is formed in a portion in the base body, the portion facing the relative surface.

7. The audio output apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein

the rotating body includes a circumferential surface whose one end is continuous with an outer periphery of the relative surface, and

the circumferential surface is formed into a curved surface.

8. The audio output apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein

the base body is formed in a tapered shape whose outer circumference becomes smaller as the base body is farther away from the rotating body.

9. The audio output apparatus according to claim 8 , wherein

the base body is formed in a substantially conical shape.

10. The audio output apparatus according to claim 8 , wherein

an outer surface of a tip side portion of the base body is formed in a curved shape convex toward the tip side.

11. The audio output apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein

the base body includes an enclosure and an earpiece, the enclosure including a placement space that is formed inside the enclosure, the earpiece being in close contact with at least part of an outer surface of the enclosure, and

the earpiece includes an elastically deformable material.

12. The audio output apparatus according to claim 11 , wherein

the earpiece includes a tip portion and an outer circumferential portion, the tip portion including a sound output hole that is formed in the earpiece, the outer circumferential portion being continuous with the tip portion and being formed to be tubular, and

a thickness of the tip portion is greater than the thickness of the outer circumferential portion.

13. The audio output apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein

the rotating body is rotatable relative to the base body in opposite directions.

14. The audio output apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein

a battery being substantially cylindrical and a control board to which power is supplied from the battery are placed inside the rotating body, and

an axial direction of the battery and an orientation of the control board coincide with a direction along which the base body and the rotating body are arranged.

15. The audio output apparatus according to claim 14 , wherein

the battery and the control board are positioned to face each other.

16. The audio output apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein

an antenna that transmits and receives a signal is disposed.

17. The audio output apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein

a connection line that is partially positioned inside the base body and partially positioned inside the rotating body and is configured to supply at least power is disposed,

the fulcrum shaft is formed to be tubular, and

the connection line is partially inserted through the fulcrum shaft.

18. The audio output apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein

a length of the fulcrum shaft along an axial direction is variable.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jun 30, 2021
From: KOSAKA, MAYU; YAEGASHI, TAKU; KARASAWA, SAI
To: SONY GROUP CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 056724/0401 →
Priority Claims (1)
JP JP2018-058139 · Mar 26, 2018 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20210014594A1 · Jan 14, 2021
Cited By (2)
US 1,144,286 US 12,212,917