US-12621599-B2 - On-the-ear ear cushion with multiple foams having different properties

US12621599B2US 12621599 B2US12621599 B2US 12621599B2US-12621599-B2

Abstract

Disclosed is a headset, an earphone and an ear cushion for attenuating audio noise by acoustic sealing of the ear. The ear cushion is configured to be arranged on an earphone. The ear cushion is configured to be arranged on the ear of a user when the user is wearing the earphone in its intended position. The ear cushion comprises a first foam having first properties. The ear cushion comprises a second foam having second properties. The second foam is at least partly surrounding the first foam. The second foam is configured to at least partly adjoin/abut at least a part of the user's ear. The first properties and the second properties are different.

Inventors

Nuno Beleza FREIRE

Assignees

GN AUDIO A/S

Dates

Publication Date: 20260505
Application Date: 20210915
Priority Date: 20201009

Claims (10)

1 . An ear cushion for attenuating audio noise by acoustic sealing of the ear, the ear cushion is configured to be on an earphone and rest on the ear of a user when the user is wearing the earphone in its intended position, and the ear cushion comprising: a first foam having first properties; and a second foam having second properties; wherein the second foam is at least partly surrounding the first foam, wherein the second foam is configured to at least partly adjoin or abut at least a part of the user's ear so that the ear cushion rests on the user's ear, wherein the first properties and the second properties are different, wherein the first properties and the second properties are hardness, wherein the first foam has a first hardness value, wherein the second foam has a second hardness value, and wherein the second hardness value is in the range of about 15-30 Asker F and the first hardness value is in the range of about 3-15 Asker F.
2 . The ear cushion according to claim 1 , wherein the second foam is at least partly surrounding the first foam in a first plane parallel to at least one of the ear or the head of the user.
3 . The ear cushion according to claim 1 , wherein the first foam and the second foam are concentric to each other.
4 . The ear cushion according to claim 1 , wherein the first foam has an outer circumference, wherein the second foam has an inner circumference, and wherein the outer circumference of the first foam abuts the inner circumference of the second foam.
5 . The ear cushion according to claim 1 , wherein the ear cushion has a first length in a first direction of between about 4 cm to about 8.5 cm, and a second length in a second direction of between about 4 cm to about 8.5 cm.
6 . The ear cushion according to claim 1 , wherein the ear cushion is configured to cover at least one of the ear canal, at least a part of a concha, at least a part of a tragus, at least a part of an anti-tragus, or at least a part of an anti-helix of the ear, and wherein the ear cushion is configured to expose at least a part of at least one of the helix or a part of an ear lobe.
7 . The ear cushion according to claim 1 , wherein the first properties and the second properties are one or more of thickness, memory, or density.
8 . The ear cushion according to claim 1 , wherein the first foam is configured to adapt to the shape of the ear thereby providing an acoustic seal by at least one of reducing or preventing leaks between the first foam and the user's ear, wherein the first foam is configured to provide attenuation of first frequencies of sound, and wherein the first frequencies are frequencies above a value F.
9 . The ear cushion according to claim 1 , wherein the second foam is configured to prevent at least one of air or sound to pass through the second foam, wherein the second foam is configured to provide attenuation of second frequencies of sound, and wherein the second frequencies are frequencies below a value F.
10 . A headset comprising at least one earphone having an ear cushion according to claim 1 .

Description

FIELD The present disclosure relates to a headset, an earphone and an ear cushion for attenuating audio noise by acoustic sealing of the ear. The ear cushion is configured to be arranged on an earphone. The ear cushion is configured to be arranged on the ear of a user when the user is wearing the earphone in its intended position. The ear cushion comprises a first foam having first properties. The ear cushion comprises a second foam having second properties. BACKGROUND Headsets may be used for transmitting audio to the user wearing the headset. Besides transmitting audio to the user, the headset may also provide attenuation of audio noise from the surroundings of the user. This attenuation may be passive noise attenuation and/or active noise attenuation, such as active noise cancellation (ANC). Passive noise attenuation may be performed by providing acoustic sealing of the ear and ear canal of a user. Ear cushions are an acoustic component that define the interface between the headset and the user's ears. Ear cushions usually consist of a single foam that has certain acoustic and mechanical properties, wrapped partially or totally in a thin layer of a low-permeability material. EP3188494 A1 discloses a headphone (1) comprising a first circumaural earphone (2) and a holding member (4) for holding the headphone (1) on the head of the user and forcing the first earphone (2) against the head of the user. The first earphone (2) comprises an earphone housing (8) with a first housing side (12) facing the head (5) of the user when worn, a first ring-shaped ear cushion (9) with a first hardness and a first abutment face (16) for abutting the head of the user. The first ear cushion (9) confines together with the first housing side (12) and the head (5) of the user a first cavity (13). The first earphone (2) comprises on the first housing side (12) beside the first ear cushion (9) a second ear cushion (10) with a second hardness and a second abutment face (17) for abutting the head (5) of the user, and wherein the second ear cushion (10) is having a second hardness, which is larger than first hardness. There is a need for an improved ear cushion configured for attenuating audio noise by providing acoustic sealing of the ear and ear canal of a user. SUMMARY Disclosed is an ear cushion for attenuating audio noise by acoustic sealing of the ear. The ear cushion is configured to be arranged on an earphone. The ear cushion is configured to be arranged on the ear of a user when the user is wearing the earphone in its intended position. The ear cushion comprises a first foam having first properties. The ear cushion comprises a second foam having second properties. The second foam is at least partly surrounding the first foam. The second foam is configured to at least partly adjoin/abut at least a part of the user's ear. The first properties and the second properties are different. The ear cushion is configured to be arranged on an earphone. The earphone may be an earphone for a headset. The headset may comprise one or two earphones. The one or two earphones may comprise the ear cushion. The user may wear the earphone(s)/headset for listening to audio, such as music or radio. The user may wear the earphone(s)/headset for performing phone call or video conferences with far-end participants. The user may wear the earphone(s)/headset for obtaining noise cancellation of noise/sounds from the surroundings. The earphone(s)/headset may transmit audio to the user's ear(s) and perform noise cancellation of surrounding sounds at the same time. The ear cushion is configured for attenuating audio noise by providing acoustic sealing of the ear and/or by acoustic sealing of the ear canal of the user. Acoustic sealing may provide that there are no or only very small leaks. Thus, when the ear cushion is resting on the user's ear, the ear cushion provides that there are no leaks or only very small leaks of sound between the ear cushion and the user's skin. This provides that the user's ear will only receive audio which is transmitted electronically through the speaker of the earphone or which is transmitted acoustically by other designed/intended acoustic leaks in the headset. The user's ear will receive no or only very little audio which is leaking between the ear cushion and the skin of the user's ear. The ear cushion is configured to be arranged on the ear of a user when the user is wearing the earphone in its intended position. Thus, the ear cushion or earphone may be of the type called on-the-ear earphone as opposed to over-the-ear, circumaural, or in-the-ear earphones. The on-the-ear earphone is configured to rest on the ear of the user. This is in contrast to an over-the ear earphone or circumaural earphone which is configured to enclose the entire ear and resting on the user's skin behind the ear on the back of the head and at the hair/head over the ear and at the face close to the ear. The on-the-ear earphone is also in contrast to a