Patent Publication Number: US-8532324-B2

Title: Headphone

Description:
CROSS REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATION(S) 
     The present invention contains subject matter related to Japanese Patent Application JP 2007-063989 filed in the Japan Patent Office on Mar. 13, 2007, the entire contents of which being incorporated herein by reference. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The invention relates to a headphone. 
     2. Description of the Related Art 
     Headphones include housings with built-in speaker units that output a playback sound, and a band that is connected to the housings. 
     Housings, depending on their size and their position in relation to an auricle  10  of the human ear, are classified into circumaural housings, supra-aural housings, intra-concha housings, insert housings and so on. With reference to the general view of the auricle  10  shown in  FIG. 10 , circumaural housings are formed to cover the whole of the auricle  10 , while supra-aural housings are smaller than circumaural housings, and are shaped to form contact with the outward facing surface of the auricle  10 . Intra-concha housings are inserted into a cavity of a concha  12  of the auricle  10 , and are held in place with a tragus  14  or an antitragus  16 . Insert housings are inserted into an external auditory canal  18 , and have a form that allows them to be held in place in the same way as an earplug. 
     In particular, in order to ensure the housings are well balanced in circumaural and supra-aural headphones, the housings are held in place by, for example, a belt-shaped band that is connected to the housings. The band of a neckband is passed around the occipital region of the head, and the band of a headband is passed over the parietal region of the head. 
     A known headphone with an intra-concha housing is disclosed, for example, in Japanese Patent Application Publication No. JP-A-6-54391. The housing is formed with a shape that inhibits dulling of low-medium level sound. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     It is to be noted that normally, a supra-aural housing and a circumaural housing have a flat shaped surface on the side that outputs playback sound, namely, the surface that faces the auricle  10 . As a result, with a supra-aural housing or a circumaural housing, in order to hold headphone in position with respect to the head, a structure is adopted that uses elastic force toward an inner side of a neckband or a headband, and frictional force with the temporal region of the head or the auricle  10 . 
     However, methods that use elastic force and frictional force to hold the headphone suffer from the problem that movement or the like of the person wearing the headphone may cause the position of the headphone to deviate. 
     Furthermore, because the surface of the housing on the side of the auricle  10  is flat, when the headphone is being worn, the distance between the housing and the concha  12  increases. As a result, sound that is played back from the housing may be lost between the housing and the concha  12 , thus causing response to be impaired. 
     The present invention addresses the above-identified problems and provides a new and improved headphone that inhibits movement of a housing, improves stability of the headphone when worn, and improves sound sensitivity. 
     According to an embodiment of the present invention, a headphone is provided that includes: a housing that includes a speaker unit, and a protruding portion that is provided so as to protrude at a specified position on one surface of the housing and that outputs a playback sound generated from the speaker unit. When the headphone is worn on a head, the one surface of the housing comes into contact with an outward facing surface of an auricle surrounding a cavity of a concha, and the protruding portion is inserted in to the cavity of the concha. 
     According to the present structure, the protruding portion is provided in the one surface of the housing, and the protruding portion is inserted in to the cavity of the concha of the ear when the headphone is being worn. Thus, movement of the housing is inhibited. In addition, sound is output from the protruding portion and thus loss of sound between the housing and the concha can be reduced, thereby improving sound sensitivity. 
     The protruding portion may be provided such that, when the headphone is worn on the head, the protruding portion is at a lower side of the housing and in a section of the housing that is toward the rear of the head when the viewed from an insertion direction in which the protruding portion is inserted in to the cavity of the concha. According to this structure, when the protruding portion is inserted in the cavity of the concha, the housing can be worn in a well balanced manner on the head. 
     The protruding portion may be formed of an elastic material. If this structure is adopted, the housing feels more flexible when worn, and the housing can be held in place in the cavity of the concha by the elasticity. The protruding portion may be formed of one of silicon resin, urethane resin and synthetic rubber. 
     The protruding portion may be formed as a single unit with the housing. According to this structure, manufacturing of the protruding portion of the housing can be performed quickly and easily. 
     The protruding portion may be formed separately from the housing. According to this structure, the housing and the protruding portion can be manufactured separately and then assembled together to form the housing provided with the protruding portion. 
     An acoustic resistant material that adjusts the output of the playback sound may be provided in a section of the one surface of the housing that does not include the protruding portion. According to this structure, the air flow resistance of the acoustic resistant material can be increased or decreased to correct resonance, manufacturing characteristics, propensities of the housing and the like, thereby allowing playback sound quality to be adjusted. 
     The housing may be a supra-aural type housing that comes into contact with the outward facing surface of the auricle of the ear, or the housing may be a circumaural type housing that covers the whole of the auricle of the ear. According to these structures, the housing may be stably worn on the auricle without relying on elastic force of a neckband, a headband or the like that is connected to the housing of the supra-aural type housing or the circumaural type housing. 
     The headphone may further include a neckband having a ring shape with a partially cut-out section. In this structure, the neckband is connected at an inner side of at least one end thereof to the housing, and the housing has a generally flat surface that comes into contact with the outward facing surface of the auricle. A flat surface formed by the ring shape of the neckband is generally parallel with the generally flat surfaces of the housing, and the neckband has an elastic force that acts in a direction that causes the ring shape to return to the parallel arrangement. According to this structure, the neckband has a size that is compact and does not take up much space when not being used, and the shape of the neckband is simplified. 
     According to the embodiment of the present invention described above, movement of the housing is inhibited, stability of the headphone when worn is improved, and sound sensitivity is improved. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING(S) 
         FIG. 1  is a plan view showing a headphone according to a first embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 2  is a perspective view showing the headphone according to the first embodiment; 
         FIG. 3  is a plan view showing a housing according to the first embodiment; 
         FIG. 4  is a cross sectional view of the housing according to the first embodiment along the line A-A of  FIG. 3 ; 
         FIG. 5  is a side view showing the headphone according to the first embodiment when worn on a head; 
         FIG. 6  is a cross sectional view showing a head wearing the headphone according to the first embodiment; 
         FIG. 7  is an expanded cross sectional view showing the section surrounding the auricle in an enlarged manner; 
         FIG. 8  is an explanatory figure showing the waveform characteristics of the headphone of the first embodiment and the waveform characteristics of a known headphone; 
         FIG. 9  is a cross sectional view showing a housing of a second embodiment of the invention; 
         FIG. 10  is a cross sectional view showing a housing of a third embodiment of the invention; 
         FIG. 11  is a perspective view that shows a modified example of a headphone of an embodiment of the invention; and 
         FIG. 12  is a front view showing a human auricle. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT(S) 
     Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the appended drawings. Note that, in this specification and the appended drawings, structural elements that have substantially the same function and structure are denoted with the same reference numerals, and repeated explanation of these structural elements is omitted. 
     First Embodiment 
     First, a headphone  100  according to a first embodiment of the present invention will be explained.  FIG. 1  is a plan view showing the headphone  100  according to the first embodiment.  FIG. 2  is a perspective view showing the headphone  100  according to the first embodiment. 
     The headphone  100 , as shown in  FIG. 1  and  FIG. 2 , includes a pair of housings  110  with built in speaker units  116  (shown in  FIG. 4 ) that output a playback sound, and a neckband  120  that is connected to the housings  110 . 
     First, the housing  110  according to the first embodiment will be explained with reference to  FIG. 1  to  FIG. 6 . (Although the device includes two housings  110 , one for each ear, the following explanation will mainly focus on one of the housings  110  for the sake of explanatory simplicity).  FIG. 3  is a plan view showing the housing  110  according to the first embodiment.  FIG. 4  is a cross sectional view of the housing  110  according to the first embodiment along the line A-A of  FIG. 3 .  FIG. 5  is a side view showing the headphone  100  according to the first embodiment when worn on a head.  FIG. 6  is a cross sectional view showing a head wearing the headphone  100  according to the first embodiment.  FIG. 7  is an expanded cross sectional view showing the section surrounding an auricle shown in  FIG. 6  in an enlarged manner. 
     The housing  110 , as shown in  FIG. 3  and  FIG. 4 , is a case with a circular surface, and includes a body portion  112 , a cover member  114 , a speaker unit  116  and an acoustic resistant member  160 . The headphone  100  according to the present embodiment is a supra-aural headphone that is positioned to come into contact with the outward facing surface of an auricle  10  (see  FIG. 12 ). The housing  110  has a circular shape with a diameter of approximately 30 mm to 50 mm. 
     The body portion  112  contains the speaker unit  116  and is covered by the cover member  114 . The side surface of the body portion  112  is connected to the neckband  120 , and the neckband  120  positions the housing  110  on the head in a stable manner. When the headphone  100  is worn, the body portion  112  is positioned on the opposite side from the surface that comes into contact with the side of the auricle  10 . 
     The body portion  112  includes a conducting wire  140 . The conducting wire  140  is connected to a replay device (not shown in the figures) and connected to the speaker unit  116 , and inputs a playback signal. Here, the speaker unit  116  and the replay device are described as being connected by a cable, but the invention is not limited to this example, and the speaker unit  116  may wirelessly receive the playback signal. In this case, the body portion  112  may include a receiving portion (not shown in the figures), a battery portion (not shown in the figures) and the like. 
     The cover member  114  covers the body portion  112 , and a protruding portion  150  is formed in the cover member  114 . The protruding portion  150  is formed integrally with the cover member  114 . As a result of forming the members as an integrated unit, manufacturing of the cover member  114  is simplified and quicker. The section of the cover member  114  excluding the protruding portion  150  has, for example, a smooth and gently curving surface. When the headphone  100  is worn, as shown in  FIG. 6  and  FIG. 7 , the section of the cover member  114  excluding the protruding portion  150  comes into contact with the peripheral area of a cavity of a concha  12  of the auricle  10 . Also, aperture holes  154  may be formed in the section of the cover member  114  excluding the protruding portion  150 . The aperture holes  154  link the interior and the exterior of the housing  110  so that they communicate with each other. 
     The protruding portion  150  is formed as a protruding shape in a specified area of one surface of the cover member  114 . The protruding portion  150 , as shown in  FIG. 1  to  FIG. 4 , for example, protrudes in a cylindrical shape from one surface of the cover member  114 , and is a hollow member with a curved leading edge. The protruding portion  150 , for example, is formed with a diameter of 5 mm to 20 mm. As shown in  FIG. 5  to  FIG. 7 , when positioned on the head, the protruding portion  150  is inserted into the cavity of the concha  12  (refer to  FIG. 12 ). As a result of forming the protruding portion  150  on the housing  110  of the circumaural housing in this manner, the speaker unit  116  is positioned to the outside of the cavity of the concha  12 . 
     The protruding portion  150 , as shown in  FIG. 3  and  FIG. 4 , may protrude at a slanting angle, and the angle of the slant can be any selected angle. By adjusting the angle of the slant, as shown in  FIG. 6  and  FIG. 7 , the protruding portion  150  can be inserted adequately into the cavity of the concha  12  and can hold the housing  110  in position on the head. 
     The protruding portion  150  may be formed of an elastic material that has elasticity, or may be formed of a hard material that does not have elasticity. If an elastic material is used, the headphone  100  feels more flexible when worn, and the housing  110  can be held in place in the cavity of the concha  12  by the elasticity. Examples of the elastic material include materials like silicon resin, urethane resin, and synthetic rubber. Aperture holes  152  may be formed in the leading edge of the protruding portion  150 . The playback sound generated by the speaker unit  116  can be output through the aperture holes  152 . 
     The protruding portion  150  is provided on one of the surfaces of the housing  110 . For example, as shown in  FIG. 5 , the protruding portion  150  may be provided on the lower side of the housing  110  and in a section of the housing  110  that is to the rear of the head when the headphone  100  is being worn on the head. As a result of providing the protruding portion  150  at this position, and inserting the protruding portion  150  in the cavity of the concha  12 , the housing  110  can be worn in a balanced manner on the head. 
     The speaker unit  116  is housed in the body portion  112 , inputs the playback signal from the replay device and outputs the playback sound. A general use speaker unit can be used as the speaker unit  116 . A detailed explanation is omitted here. 
     The acoustic resistant member  160  is formed, for example, as a flat plate, and is formed, for example, from a non-woven fabric or urethane foam. By using the acoustic resistant member  160  to raise or lower the air-flow resistance, the resonance, product characteristics and the peculiarities and so on of the body portion  112  and the speaker unit  116  and the like can be corrected, and the sound quality of the playback sound can be adjusted. 
     The acoustic resistant member  160  is provided between the cover member  114  and the speaker unit  116 . The acoustic material  160  may, for example, be provided in sections excepting the section corresponding to the protruding portion  150 , or may be provided across all the interior sections of the cover member  114  including the section corresponding to the protruding portion  150 , and the surface area can be changed according to the adjustment of the sound quality of the playback sound and the like. 
     Next, the neckband  120  according to the present embodiment will be explained with reference to  FIG. 1 ,  FIG. 2  and  FIG. 5  to  FIG. 7 . When the headphone  100  is worn, the neckband  120  is placed so that it passes around the back of the head. The neckband  120  is a ring shape with a partially cut-out section or is generally C shaped. The neckband  120  includes curved portions with a further bow-shaped curve to the inner side in the vicinity of both ends  122   a  and  122   b . The inner sides of the end  122   a  and the end  122   b  are connected to the respective housings  110 . 
     When no external pressure is applied to the neckband  120 , such as when it is not being worn, namely, when it is not in position on the head, the neckband  120  is generally coplanar with the flat surfaces of the housings  110  as shown in  FIG. 1 . Here, generally coplanar means that a flat surface that is formed by the ring shape of the neckband  120  is generally parallel with the generally flat surfaces of the housing  110 . As shown in  FIG. 2 , the neckband  120  is placed on the head in a deformed condition where the housings  110  connected to the neckband  120  face each other.  FIG. 5  to  FIG. 7  show the headphone  100  in position on the head. As shown in  FIG. 2 , when the neckband is flexed due to external pressure, it has an elastic force that works in a direction to return it to the coplanar arrangement when it is not worn. 
     The neckband  120  is formed of an elastic material such as a synthetic resin, for example polybutyleneterephthalate (PBT) resin, polypropylene (PP) or the like. The neckband  120  is formed, for example, as a single-piece structure manufactured by injection molding using a die assembly. 
     The cross section of the neckband  120  may be, for example, an approximate circular shape or an elliptical shape, or may be a flat band shape. If the cross section of the neckband  120  is a circular shape, it can have a diameter of 4 mm, for example. The cross section of the neckband  120  may have a constant cross-sectional area from one end to the other end, or the shape may be partially changed, with sections having a different cross-sectional area. The neckband  120  may, for example, contain a built-in cord to transmit the replay signal. In order to contain the cord, a groove (not shown in the figures) may be formed along the full length of the neckband  120 . 
     The neckband  120  as described above is formed as a single-piece structure, but it can be divided into the following major sections: sections  124  that are hooked over the auricle (hereinafter referred to as “auricle hooking over sections  124 ”), sections  126  that pass along the temporal region of the head (hereinafter referred to as “head temporal region sections  126 ”), and a section  128  that passes around the occipital region of the head (hereinafter referred to as the “head occipital region section  128 ”). Each of the components of the neckband  120  will be explained below. 
     The auricle hooking over sections  124  are the sections that curve to the inner side in the vicinity of the end  122   a  and the end  122   b  of the neckband  120 , and have, for example, a bow shape with a radius of approximately 40 mm. The auricle hooking over sections  124  are formed as a pair. The auricle hooking over sections  124  are connected at one end to the housings  110 , and the other end is continuously connected to the head temporal region sections  126 . When the headphone  100  is worn, as shown in  FIG. 5 , the auricle hooking over sections  124  are passed between the auricle  10  surface that faces the temporal region of the head and the temporal region of the head and are hooked over the auricle  10 . 
     The head temporal region sections  126  are the sections provided on both sides of the headphone  100 . For example, they have a straight line shape of approximately 100 mm or a curved line shape with a moderate curvature. The head temporal region sections  126  are formed as a pair. The head temporal region sections  126  are connected at one end to the auricle hooking over sections  124 , and the other end is continuously connected to the head occipital region section  128 . When the headphone  100  is worn, as shown in  FIG. 5  to  FIG. 7 , the head temporal region sections  126  are positioned along the temporal regions of the head so that they are in close proximity to the temporal regions of the head. 
     The head occipital region section  128  is a section provided on one side of the headphone  100 , and is, for example, a bow shape of a generally half-arc shape with a radius of approximately 60 mm. The head occipital region section  128  has a larger curvature than the auricle hooking over sections  124 . Each end of the head occipital region section  128  is continuously connected to each of the head temporal region sections  126 . When the headphone  100  is worn, as shown in  FIG. 5  to  FIG. 7 , the head occipital region section  128  is positioned along the occipital region of the head, so that it is in close proximity to the occipital region of the head. 
     The headphone  100  may further include coupling members  130   a  and  130   b . The coupling members  130   a  and  130   b  are provided on each of the ends  122   a  and  122   b  of the neckband  120 . The coupling members  130   a  and  130   b  are coupled to each other. 
     When it is not being worn, the headphone  100  has a shape as shown in  FIG. 1 , with the ends  122   a  and  122   b  of the neckband  120  in proximity to each other. By providing a coupling member  130   a  and a coupling member  130   b  respectively on each of the sections where the ends  122   a  and  122   b  of the neckband  120  come into contact with each other, the ends  122   a  and  122   b  can be connected, allowing the neckband  120  to be generally coplanar with the housing  110  during storage. As a result of adopting the above-described structure, the neckband  120  has a size that is compact and does not take up much space when not being worn, and the shape of the neckband  120  is simplified. 
     Next, the movement of the headphone  100  according to the present embodiment will be explained.  FIG. 8  is an explanatory figure showing the frequency characteristics of the headphone  100  of the first embodiment and the frequency characteristics of a known headphone. The headphone  100  of the present embodiment that includes the protruding portion  150  is shown by the solid line A, and the known headphone that does not include the protruding portion  150  is shown by the dotted line B. 
     As can be understood from  FIG. 8 , the response of the headphone  100  of the present embodiment is high, and because the protruding portion  150  is inserted in to the cavity of the concha  12 , loss of sound from the housing  110  is reduced as compared to the known headphone. 
     Second Embodiment 
     Next, the structure of a headphone  200  according to a second embodiment of the present invention will be explained.  FIG. 9  is a cross sectional view showing a housing  210  of the second embodiment. The headphone  200  of the present embodiment, like that of the first embodiment, is a supra-aural headphone in which the housing  210  is positioned to come into contact with the outward facing surface of the auricle  10  (see  FIG. 12 ). 
     Only the structure of the housing in the second embodiment is different to that of the first embodiment, and thus the explanation given here will focus on the housing  210 . 
     The housing  210  is a case with a circular surface like the housing  110  of the first embodiment. The housing  210  has a circular shape with a diameter of approximately 30 mm to 50 mm. The housing  210  includes the body portion  112 , a cover member  214 , a protruding portion  250 , the speaker unit  116  and the acoustic resistant member  160 . Note that, the protruding portion  250  is one example of a protruding portion. In addition, since the body portion  112 , the speaker unit  116 , and the acoustic resistant member  160  have the same structure as the first embodiment, a detailed explanation of these members will be omitted here. 
     The cover member  214  covers the body portion  112 . Unlike the cover member  114  of the first embodiment, the cover member  214  and the protruding portion  250  are formed as separate members. As a result, of forming the cover member  214  and the protruding portion  250  as separate members, the housing and the protruding portion can be manufactured separately, and assembled together to form a housing that includes a protruding portion. An aperture hole  256  is formed in the section of the cover member  214  that includes the protruding portion  250 , namely, the aperture hole  256  is formed in a specified area of one surface of the cover member  214 . The cover member  214  has, for example, a smooth and gently curving surface. When the headphone  200  is worn, the cover member  214  comes into contact with the peripheral area of the cavity of the concha  12  of the auricle  10 . Also, aperture holes  254  may be formed in the cover member  214 . The aperture holes  254  link the interior and the exterior of the housing  210  so that they communicate with each other. 
     The protruding portion  250  passes through the aperture hole  256  provided in the specified area of the one surface of the cover member  214 , and protrudes toward the outside from the housing  210 . An end of the protruding portion  250  at the housing  210  side is inserted in to the inside of the housing  210  such that the protruding portion  250  is fixed to the cover member  214  and cannot detach to the outside. 
     The protruding portion  250  protrudes in a cylindrical shape as shown in  FIG. 9 , and is a hollow member with a curved leading edge. The protruding portion  250 , for example, is formed with a diameter of 5 mm to 20 mm. When positioned on the head, the protruding portion  250  is inserted into the cavity of the concha  12  (refer to  FIG. 12 ) like the protruding portion  150  of the first embodiment. 
     The protruding portion  250 , as shown in  FIG. 9 , may protrude at a slanting angle, and the angle of the slant can be any selected angle. By adjusting the angle of the slant, the protruding portion  250  can be inserted adequately into the cavity of the concha  12  and can hold the housing  110  in position on the head. 
     The protruding portion  250  may be formed of an elastic material that has elasticity, or may be formed of a hard material that does not have elasticity. If an elastic material is used, the headphone  200  feels more flexible when worn, and the housing  210  can be held in place in the cavity of the concha  12  by the elasticity. Aperture holes  252  may be formed in the leading edge of the protruding portion  250 . The playback sound generated by the speaker unit  116  can be output through the aperture holes  252 . 
     Third Embodiment 
     Next, the structure of a headphone  300  according to a third embodiment of the present invention will be explained.  FIG. 10  is a cross sectional view showing a housing  310  of the third embodiment. The headphone  300  of the present embodiment, like that of the first embodiment, is a supra-aural headphone in which the housing  310  is positioned to come into contact with the outward facing surface of the auricle  10  (see  FIG. 12 ). 
     Only the structure of the housing in the third embodiment is different to that of the first embodiment, and thus the explanation given here will focus on the housing  310 . 
     The housing  310  is a case with a circular surface like that of the housing  110  of the first embodiment. The housing  310  has a circular shape with a diameter of approximately 30 mm to 50 mm. The housing  310  includes a body portion  312 , a protruding portion  350 , the speaker unit  116  and the acoustic resistant member  160 . Since the speaker unit  116  and the acoustic resistant member  160  have the same structure as the first embodiment, a detailed explanation of these members will be omitted here. 
     The body portion  312  includes the body portion  112  and the cover member  114  of the first embodiment as an integrated unit, with the speaker unit  116  housed therein. 
     The body portion  312  is formed separately from the protruding portion  350 . An aperture hole  356  is formed in the section of the body portion  312  that includes the protruding portion  350 , namely, the aperture hole  356  is formed in a specified area of one surface of the body portion  312 . The side of the body portion  312  that faces the auricle  10  has, for example, a smooth and gently curving surface. When the headphone  300  is worn, the body portion  312  comes into contact with the peripheral area of the cavity of the concha  12  of the auricle  10 . Also, aperture holes  354  may be formed in the body portion  312 . The aperture holes  354  link the interior and the exterior of the housing  310  so that they communicate with each other. 
     The protruding portion  350  passes through the aperture hole  356  provided in the specified area of the one surface of the body portion  312 , and protrudes toward the outside from the housing  310 . An end of the protruding portion  350  at the housing  310  side is inserted in to the inside of the housing  310  such that the protruding portion  350  is fixed to the body portion  312  and cannot detach to the outside, as shown in  FIG. 10 . The shape, material of the protrusion of the protruding portion  350  are the same as those of the protruding portion  250  of the above-described second embodiment, and thus a description will be omitted here. Aperture holes  352  may be formed in the leading edge of the protruding portion  350 . The playback sound generated by the speaker unit  116  can be output through the aperture holes  352 . 
     It should be understood by those skilled in the art that various modifications, combinations, sub-combinations and alterations may occur depending on design requirements and other factors insofar as they are within the scope of the appended claims or the equivalents thereof. 
     For example, in the above-described embodiments, when not being worn, the neckband  120  is arranged to be generally coplanar with the flat surfaces of the housings  110 ,  210 ,  310 . However, when worn, the neckband  120  is placed on the head in a deformed shape that matches the head. However, the invention is not limited to these examples. For example, the neckband  120  may be formed with a three dimensional shape that matches the head, and maintain generally the same shape when worn and when not worn. 
     In addition, For example, in the above-described embodiments, each of the headphones  100 ,  200 ,  300  includes the neckband  120  that is connected with each of the housings  110 ,  210 ,  310 . However, the invention is not limited to these examples. For example, as shown in  FIG. 11 , the invention may be applied as a headphone  400  that includes a headband  420  that is connected with a housing  410  and that passes around the periphery of the top of the head when the headphone  400  is worn. A protruding portion  450  that has generally the same structure as the above-described protruding portions  150 ,  250 ,  350  may be formed in the housing  410 . 
     In this modified example, in a similar way to when the band section of the headphone is a neckband, the protruding portion  450  may be inserted in the cavity of the concha  12 , thereby inhibiting movement of the housing  410 , improving stability of the worn device, and improving sound sensitivity. 
     Furthermore, in the above-described embodiments, examples are explained in which the housings  110 ,  210  and  310  are supra-aural headphones. However, the present invention is not limited to these examples. For example, the housing may be a circumarual housing. In this case, the protruding portion is formed to protrude from one surface of the housing.