Living organism conductive actuator

The invention provides an optimal structure able to reduce sound leakage and improve transmission characteristics and control a vibration transmitting path of internal and external portions in a living organism conductive actuator. Therefore, the living organism conductive actuator has a communication signal transmitting portion for transmitting a communication signal in contact with an operator's wrist, hand, hand rear portion, finger, or nail tip, and a voice input portion.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

(1) Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a living organism conductive actuator constructed by a portion for transmitting a communication signal, such as an audio signal, to a living organism as a vibrating medium and a voice input portion, and more particularly, relates to the living organism conductive actuator used in an input and an output for transmitting and receiving a calling signal of a portable telephone, etc., and the communication signal, such as an audio signal.

(2) Background Art

A living organism conductive actuator is conventionally known as a device used to receive a calling signal of a portable telephone, etc., and transmit and receive a communication signal. The living organism conductive actuator is integrally constructed by a structure in which a communication signal transmitting portion for transmitting the received communication signal, such as an audio signal, and a voice input portion are overlapped in an axial direction. The communication signal transmitting portion transmits the received communication signal, such as an audio signal, to the interior of an external cover through which two wires for support extend.

In the conventional living organism conductive actuator, the structure for overlapping the communication signal transmitting portion and the voice input portion having an external surface formed by rubber in the axial direction, i.e., a longitudinal structure has an influence of a reduction in sound leakage, vibrational transmission, noises of a voice input and an external mechanical load on internal constructional parts.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is an object of the present invention to provide a living organism conductive actuator having an optimal structure able to reduce noise propagation (hereinafter called sound leakage) due to a medium on an external surface and improve transmission characteristics and control a vibration transmitting path of internal and external portions.

According to the present invention, there is provided a living organism conductive actuator which is constructed by a portion (communication signal transmitting portion) for transmitting a communication signal in contact with an operator's wrist, hand, hand rear portion, finger, or nail tip, and a voice input portion. A corner portion of an external cover is chamfered and the weight of a main body of the external cover is set to several grams, and the external cover is manufactured by a metal. Further, a gap not interfered with a structural living organism on a side of the voice input portion is formed. A supporting portion of this main body is constructed by two wires having a spring property and a viscoelastomer arranged in an outer circumference of this supporting portion.

Further, in the invention, the communication signal transmitting portion is a two-resonance system and is set to a structure in which a spring of a first vibration system is set to a spiral body and a spiral arm is extended in a direction perpendicular to a face of this spiral body. A second vibration system uses a material having a large Poisson ratio in a joining portion. A material having a vibrationproof effect is used in a living organism contact portion except for the communication signal transmitting portion. The voice input portion is arranged from an upper portion of the communication signal transmitting portion to its side face, and a vibrationproof material is added to the exterior. An elastic adhesive is used in the upper portion of the communication signal transmitting portion and a joining portion of constructional parts in the vicinity of the voice input portion.

Namely, in accordance with the invention, it is possible to obtain a living organism conductive actuator characterized in that the living organism conductive actuator comprises a communication signal transmitting portion for transmitting a communication signal in contact with an operator's wrist, hand, hand rear portion, finger, or nail tip, and a voice input portion.

Further, the living organism conductive actuator of the invention preferably comprises two wires for supporting the living organism conductive actuator by an external portion and having a spring property.

Further, in the living organism conductive actuator of the invention, a viscoelastomer is preferably arranged in supporting portions of the two wires having the spring property such that no additional resonance is generated.

Further, in one of the above constructions of the living organism conductive actuator, a living organism transmitting face of the communication signal transmitting portion is preferably constructed of a shaped resin so as to reduce friction in a shearing direction.

Further, in the living organism conductive actuator of the invention, a noninterference gap is preferably formed in a structure of the voice input portion to avoid a mechanical interference except for a transmitted living organism.

Further, in the living organism conductive actuator of the invention, the voice input portion is preferably arranged on a side face of the communication signal transmitting portion from its upper portion so as to reduce a voice input noise.

Further, in the living organism conductive actuator of the invention, a vibrationproof material is preferably added to the exterior of the voice input portion to reduce a voice input noise from the communication signal transmitting portion.

Further, in the living organism conductive actuator of the invention, a structure for improving damping of a vibration returned from a living organism and a close contact property with the living organism is preferably formed by using a material having a vibrationproof effect in a living organism contact portion except for the communication signal transmitting portion.

Further, the living organism conductive actuator of the invention preferably comprises an external cover manufactured by a metal and storing the communication signal transmitting portion, and a noise due to a mechanical load of the communication signal transmitting portion is preferably restrained by this external cover manufactured by the metal.

Further, in the living organism conductive actuator of the invention, the weight of a main body of the living organism conductive actuator is preferably set to several ten grams to reduce noise propagation due to a medium on an external surface.

Further, in the living organism conductive actuator of the invention, a structure for chamfering a corner portion of an external cover to reduce an effective area of vibration transmission is preferably formed to reduce noise propagation due to a medium on a surface.

Further, in the living organism conductive actuator of the invention, a vibration system of the communication signal transmitting portion is preferably set to a two-resonance structure to reduce noise propagation due to a medium on an external surface. Here, in this living organism conductive actuator, a material having a large Poisson ratio is more preferably formed in a joining portion of the two-resonance system structure in the communication signal transmitting portion so that vibrational energy in a vibration transmitting direction is dispersed in a vertical direction, and the vibrational energy can be more preferably relaxed in a second mode of a first vibration system constructed by a spiral spring and a magnetic circuit constructed by a yoke, a magnet and a plate as a mass.

Further, in the living organism conductive actuator of the invention, a vibration system is preferably made by one end of the communication signal transmitting portion and constructional parts in the vicinity of the voice input portion, and a structure for dispersing vibrational directivity and using elastic adhesion in a joining portion is preferably formed so as not to generate a vibration noise.

Further, in the living organism conductive actuator of the invention, vibration transmission is preferably improved by adopting a structure in which a spring of a first vibration system of the communication signal transmitting portion is set to a spiral body and a spiral arm is extended in a direction perpendicular to a face of the spiral body.

Further, in the living organism conductive actuator of the invention, a mechanical load with respect to an internal circuit is preferably restrained by manufacturing an external cover covering the voice input portion and the communication signal transmitting portion by a metal.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

A living organism conductive actuator in the prior art will be explained with reference to the drawings to easily understand the invention prior to the description of an embodiment of the invention.

Referring toFIGS. 1A to 1D, according to the prior art a living organism conductive actuator11is integrally constructed by a structure in which a communication signal transmitting portion17and a voice input portion19are overlapped with each other in an axial direction. The communication signal transmitting portion17transmits a received communication signal, such as an audio signal, to the interior of an external cover15through which two wires13for support extend. In the communication signal transmitting portion17, a living organism contact signal transmitting portion21opened to one end portion of the external cover15and a base23for supporting the living organism contact signal transmitting portion21are arranged within a living organism contact vibration transmitting portion cover25. In the living organism contact signal transmitting portion21, a magnetic circuit35constructed by overlapping a yoke29of a cup shape, a permanent magnet31and a fixed member33is overlapped with a shaped resin plate27, which is formed of a shaped resin. Further, a spiral spring37is overlapped with the magnetic circuit35and a fixed member38extends through the magnetic circuit35so that the plate27, the magnetic circuit35and the fixed member38are integrally formed. The spiral spring37is fixed to the living organism contact vibration transmitting portion cover25through the base23. A coil39is mounted between the magnetic circuit35and the base23.

The voice input portion19has a vibrationproof material41arranged so as to be exposed on the other end face side of the external cover15, a microphone43inserted into the vibrationproof material41, and a substrate45stuck to the other face of the microphone43through an elastic adhesive49. An internal circuit67is arranged on a face of the substrate45on a side opposed to the microphone43. The internal circuit67is mounted to an outside face of the living organism contact vibration transmitting portion cover25.

The embodiment of the invention will next be explained with reference to the drawings. In the explanation of the present invention, similar parts are described by using similar reference numerals.

Referring toFIGS. 2A to 2D, a living organism conductive actuator57is constructed by a communication signal transmitting portion59for transmitting a received voice signal and a received calling signal by contact, and a voice input portion61.

The communication signal transmitting portion59has a living organism contact vibration transmitting portion21and an internal circuit67arranged on the outside face of a living organism vibration contact portion cover25covering the living organism contact vibration transmitting portion21. The living organism contact vibration transmitting portion21and the internal circuit67are covered with the external cover15.

The living organism contact vibration transmitting portion21includes the magnetic circuit35arranged on one face of the plate27, which is formed of a shaped resin, the spiral spring37for supporting the magnetic circuit35, and the base23for supporting the spiral spring37. The coil39is inserted between the base23arranged around the spiral spring37and the magnetic circuit35. The base23is supported on an inside face of the living organism contact vibration transmitting portion cover25through a spring63, which is formed of a shared resin, and a material79having a large Poisson's ratio. Thus, the shaped resin plate27is used in a living organism contact portion of the communication signal transmitting portion59so that a feeling of physical disorder can be prevented at a using time by an operator, and friction in a shearing direction can be reduced.

The magnetic circuit35has the yoke29of the cap shape, the permanent magnet31of a disk shape, and the supporting portion33for supporting the permanent magnet31, and is integrally fixed in this order by the fixed portion38together with the spiral spring37.

The voice input portion61is adjacent to the communication signal input portion59within the external cover25, and has the microphone43stored into the vibrationproof material41, the substrate45for supporting the microphone43on one face thereof, and the supporting member69for supporting the substrate45. The members are stored into the external cover15through an elastic adhesive49. A gap71is formed on a lower side of the external cover15. The gap71is formed to avoid a mechanical interference of a change in living organism shape due to bending when the living organism conductive actuator is used by an operator's wrist, etc.

A main body of the living organism conductive actuator57is supported by two wires13,13. An outer circumferential portion of the wire13is guided by the viscoelastomer65so that the generation of an additional resonance is structurally restrained. The wires13,13are supported by member73, as shown inFIGS. 2A to 2D.

As can be seen by comparingFIGS. 3A and 3B, a sound input noise can be reduced by moving an arrangement of the voice input portion61from an upper portion of the communication signal transmitting portion59to its side face portion in the structure of the invention. Further, the voice input noise transmitted via the external cover15is reduced by adding the microphone43in the voice input portion61and the vibrationproof material41around the substrate45.

Vibration insulation and close contact with an living organism are improved by using the material55having a vibrationproof effect in a living organism contact portion except for the communication signal transmitting portion59such that no vibration transmitted to the living organism, e.g., an operator's wrist, hand, hand rear portion, finger, or nail tip, etc. (seeFIG. 9), is returned to the external cover15.

It is possible to restrain noises due to a mechanical load, such as manual, crushing with respect to the internal circuit67of the communication signal transmitting portion59by manufacturing the external cover15by a metal. In addition, it is possible to restrain damage due to the mechanical load, such as manual, crushing with respect to the internal circuit67by manufacturing the external cover15by a metal.

The weight of a main body of the living organism conductive actuator57is set to several ten grams and is about 2.5 times the conventional weight to reduce noise propagation (reduce sound leakage) due to a medium on an external surface so that loss due to the weight in kinetic energy is increased and a vibrational displacement on a side of the external cover15is reduced.

As shown inFIG. 4, it is presumed by analysis that no displacement of the living organism contact vibration transmitting portion21at this time is changed in comparison with the displacement prior to a change in weight.

As shown inFIG. 5, it should be understood that noise reducing effects are also clearly large in experimental results.

In the invention, a corner portion of the external cover15is chamfered and an effective area of vibration transmission is reduced as a reduction in structural sound leakage. Further, the sound leakage is reduced by setting a vibration system of the communication signal transmitting portion59to a two-resonance structure.

Concretely, with reference toFIG. 2D, a first vibration system is constructed by the spiral spring37and the magnetic circuit35as a mass. A second vibration system is constructed by the spring63, which is formed of a shaped resin, the coil39and the base23as a mass.

In the first vibration system, a resonance frequency lies in the vicinity of 200 Hz. In the second vibration system, the resonance frequency is 10 kHz or more for reasons of cutoff on the high frequency area side of a received talk voice.

As shown inFIG. 6, it should be understood that the sound leakage is reduced in a frequency area from 200 to 8000 Hz in the two-resonance structure of the invention.

As shown inFIG. 7, a material79having a large Poisson's ratio (near 0.5), such as a double coated tape, is used in a joining portion of the first and second vibration systems, a joining portion of the second vibration system and the living organism contact vibration transmitting portion cover25, or both these joining portions. Accordingly, vibrational energy in a vibration transmitting direction is dispersed in a vertical direction, and the vibrational energy in a second mode (z-directional resonance of an arm of the spiral spring) of the first vibration system can be relaxed so that it contributes to the reduction in sound leakage at high frequency.

Further, in the invention, the vibration systems are made by constructional parts, such as an upper portion of the communication signal transmitting portion, the substrate45and a wiring51in the vicinity of the voice input portion. Further, a structure for dispersing vibration directivity is adopted by using the elastic adhesive49in the joining portion so as not to generate additional vibration noises. Further, vibration transmission is improved as experimental results by using a structure in which a spring of the first vibration system of the communication signal transmitting portion59is set to a spiral body and a spiral arm is extended in a direction perpendicular to a face of the spiral body. The vibration theoretically enters the interior (an area having a shape close to a linear shape) from an unstable portion (an area extending in a nonlinear shape in time) of the external surface of a living organism by giving an initial load to the living organism.

In the embodiment of the invention mentioned above, the external cover is approximately formed in an egg shape. However, as shown inFIGS. 8A to 8D, effects similar to those in the embodiment of the invention are obtained even when the external cover is formed in a gourd shape83, a square shape85having a round corner, an elliptical shape87and a triangular shape89. Further, positions of the actuator and the wire may be located longitudinally and transversally. Further, similar toFIG. 2C, a circular hollow exposing the plate27of resin thereto, a metal case75corresponding to the microphone43, and the gap71recessed by one stage from the cover are arranged on a bottom face side although these members are not shown inFIGS. 8A to 8D.

As explained above, in accordance with the invention, it is possible to construct an optimal structure able to reduce sound leakage and improve transmission characteristics and control a vibration transmitting path of internal and external portions in the living organism conductive actuator.