Patent Description:
Documents <CIT>, <CIT> and <CIT> relate to ear tips comprising stimulation or physiological electrodes for use with earpieces.

This disclosure is directed to an ear tip that enables capturing of bioelectrical signals and/or providing stimulation of nerves through application of electricity.

In one aspect, an ear tip for an earpiece includes a body having first and second ends, an inner wall extending between the first and second ends to define a hollow passage to conduct acoustic energy, and a deformable outer wall connected to the inner wall of the body at the first end and tapering away from the inner wall toward the second end. The ear tip further includes first and second electrically conductive elements arranged on an outer surface of the deformable outer wall.

Implementations may include one or more of the following. The deformable outer wall can form a generally frustoconical shape around the inner wall. The body can be comprised of silicone, polyurethane, polynorbornene, thermoplastic elastomer (TPE), and/or fluoroelastomer. The first and second electrically conductive elements can be comprised of a metal pad, metal button, metal foil, metal-salt hybrid, polymeric composite, intrinsically conductive polymer (ICP), and/or conductive fabric.

The inner wall can include first and second conductive leads configured to electrically connect with the first and second electrically conductive elements when the outer wall is deformed toward the inner wall. The first and second conductive leads can be spring pins or metal-plated pads. The first and second electrically conductive elements can each extend along the outer surface of the outer wall and an inner surface of the inner wall. The ear tip can include first and second electrical circuit elements connected to the first and second electrically conductive elements, with the first and second electrical circuit elements each extending along an inner surface of the outer wall and an outer surface of the inner wall.

In another aspect, an earpiece includes an acoustic driver for transducing received audio signals to acoustic energy. The earpiece also includes a body having first and second ends, an inner wall extending between the first and second ends to define a hollow passage to conduct acoustic energy from the acoustic driver, and a deformable outer wall connected to the inner wall of the body at the first end and tapering away from the inner wall toward the second end. The earpiece further includes first and second electrically conductive elements arranged on an outer surface of the deformable outer wall.

The inner wall can include first and second conductive leads configured to electrically connect with the first and second electrically conductive elements when the outer wall is deformed toward the inner wall. The first and second conductive leads can be spring pins or metal-plated pads. The first and second electrically conductive elements can each extend along the outer surface of the outer wall and an inner surface of the inner wall. The earpiece can include first and second electrical circuit elements connected to the first and second electrically conductive elements, with the first and second electrical circuit elements each extending along an inner surface of the outer wall and an outer surface of the inner wall. The earpiece can also include a retention structure having an electrically conductive element.

In a further aspect, a method of fabricating an ear tip configured to detect one or more health parameters includes the steps of: providing an ear tip, wherein the ear tip comprises a body having first and second ends, an inner wall extending between the first and second ends to define a hollow passage, and a deformable outer wall connected to the inner wall of the body at the first end and tapering away from the inner wall toward the second end; and forming first and second electrically conductive elements on an outer surface of the deformable outer wall.

Implementations may include one or more of the following. The method can further include the step of forming first and second conductive leads on an outer surface of the inner wall to electrically connect with the first and second electrically conductive elements when the outer wall is deformed toward the inner wall. The method can also include the step of forming the first and second electrically conductive elements along the outer surface of the outer wall and extending along an inner surface of the inner wall. The method can include the step of forming first and second electrical circuit elements connected to the first and second electrically conductive elements, wherein the first and second electrical circuit elements each extend along an inner surface of the outer wall and an outer surface of the inner wall.

In some implementations, the step forming of the first and second electrically conductive elements can include: aligning a conductive material with the ear tip; and heating the ear tip above a vulcanization temperature of a material forming the ear tip to bond the conductive material to a first portion of the ear tip.

Other features and advantages will be apparent from the description and the claims.

Also, the drawings are not necessarily to scale, emphasis instead generally being placed upon illustrating the principles of the various examples.

This disclosure is directed to configurations of an ear tip that can detect bioelectrical signals, for example, electroencephalogram (EEG) signals, and other health parameters, and/or deliver an electrical signal to the ear, for example, for nerve stimulation. Typical EEG devices are comprised of a series of electrodes attached to a skull cap. However, these devices are uncomfortable, bulky, inconvenient, and not suitable for daily-life situations. The present disclosure relates to an ear tip capable of measuring bioelectrical signals such as EEG signals from the brain and/or providing nerve stimulation. The ear tip includes a body having first and second ends, an inner wall extending between the first and second ends to define a hollow passage to conduct sound waves, and an outer wall connected to the inner wall of the body at the first end and tapering away from the inner wall toward the second end. The ear tip further includes first and second electrically conductive elements arranged on an outer surface of the deformable outer wall.

The examples and implementations disclosed or otherwise envisioned herein can be utilized with any suitable earpiece. Examples of suitable earpieces include Bose® Sleepbuds™ (manufactured by Bose Corporation of Framingham, Massachusetts), ear tips, earbuds, in-ear headphones, over-the-ear headphones, noise-blocking earplugs, and hearing aids. However, the disclosure is not limited to these devices, and thus the disclosure and embodiments disclosed herein can encompass any earpiece configured to be placed at least partially within human ears.

Turning now to the figures, <FIG> shows an example earpiece <NUM> including an ear tip that is configured to fit at least partially into a person's ear canal and a retaining structure configured to hold the ear tip in place when worn. <FIG> is a partial cross-sectional view of earpiece <NUM>. The following should be viewed in light of <FIG>. Earpiece <NUM> can include body <NUM>, and hollow passage <NUM>, and retaining legs <NUM>. Although <FIG> show retaining legs <NUM> as one embodiment of a retaining structure, this disclosure is not limited to such a configuration. Any type of retaining structure is contemplated. Alternatively, the retaining structure can be omitted altogether. The retaining legs <NUM> are optional.

Body <NUM> includes first end <NUM> and second end <NUM> opposite the first end <NUM>. Second end <NUM> is proximate to the retaining legs <NUM>. Body <NUM> further includes inner wall <NUM> extending between the first end <NUM> and the second end <NUM>. Inner wall <NUM> defines and surrounds hollow passage <NUM> which can be configured to conduct sound waves. Body <NUM> also includes outer wall <NUM> connected to the inner wall <NUM> at the first end <NUM>. Outer wall <NUM> tapers away from the inner wall <NUM> toward the second end <NUM>. In example aspects, outer wall <NUM> is frustoconical in shape. As shown in <FIG>, outer wall <NUM> tapers toward the second end <NUM> but does not necessarily reach the second end <NUM>. In alternate embodiments not shown, outer wall <NUM> could extend to the second end <NUM> or beyond second end <NUM>. Body <NUM> can be made of any suitable soft, flexible materials, including, for example, silicone, polyurethane, polynorbornene (e.g., Norsorex® material available from D-NOV GmbH of Vienna, Austria), thermoplastic elastomer (TPE), and/or fluoroelastomer.

Earpiece <NUM> includes electrically conductive elements <NUM>, <NUM>, and <NUM>, which function as electrodes when positioned to contact skin within the ear, which generally is a stable environment offering good electrical and/or mechanical contact between skin and electrodes. Although <FIG> shows one particular configuration of an ear tip with electrically conductive elements <NUM> and <NUM> arranged on opposite sides of an outer surface of outer wall <NUM> (configured to fit at least partially into a person's ear canal), and electrically conductive element <NUM> arranged on body <NUM>, this disclosure is not limited to such a configuration, and any number of electrically conductive elements can be placed in any configuration on earpiece <NUM> as long as the electrically conductive elements are arranged to contact skin within the ear when the earpiece is worn by a user. It should be appreciated that only two electrically conductive elements may be used to function as electrodes.

Examples of electrically conductive elements include a metal pad, metal button, metal foils (e.g., gold, silver), metal-salt hybrids (e.g., silver/silver-chloride), polymeric composites (e.g., rubbers compounded with conductive fillers such as carbon black, carbon nanotubes, graphene, silver, glass-coated silver), intrinsically conductive polymers (e.g., poly(<NUM>,<NUM>-ethylenedioxythiophene) polystyrene sulfonate or PEDOT:PSS), and/or conductive fabric (e.g., fabrics with conductive yarns, fabrics coated with conductive materials). Preferably, the electrically conductive elements are made of soft, flexible materials. The electrically conductive elements can be incorporated on to the ear tip using an ink and applying it using screen printing, pad printing, or in-mold decorating. Alternatively, the conductive elements can be incorporated wholly on to the ear tip via injection, transfer or compression molding.

Electrically conductive elements <NUM>, <NUM>, and/or <NUM> can function as physiological electrodes for detecting bioelectrical signals of an individual, including, for example, electroencephalogram (EEG), electrooculogram (EOG), electrocardiography (ECG), and electromyogram (EMG) signals, and may also be used to detect pulse rate, respiration rate, body temperature, sweat levels, and glucose, among other health parameters. Monitoring of EEG in a wearable in-ear earpiece can be used, for example, for sleep staging, stress detection, and/or music-to-mood correlation. Monitoring of EOG in a wearable in-ear earpiece can be used, for example, for sensing movement of an individual's eyes. Electrically conductive elements <NUM>, <NUM>, and/or <NUM> can also be used to deliver an electrical signal to the ear, for example, for use in nerve stimulation.

Earpiece <NUM> may include an embedded integrated circuit, for example, inside the body <NUM>. In examples, earpiece <NUM> is communicably coupled with an integrated circuit that is separate and remotely located, for example, in a computer or a mobile device. The integrated circuit can include a data processor, a memory, and a communication processor. Commands to be executed by the processor can be obtained via the communication processor. The communication processor facilitates wired or wireless communication for earpiece <NUM> and can be facilitated via one or more antennas, for example. The communication processor can facilitate communication with one or more networks or other devices, for example, by using wireless methods that are known, including but not limited to Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, <NUM>, <NUM>, LTE, and/or ZigBee, among others. Earpiece <NUM> can further include an embedded power source (e.g., a battery) required to carry out various functionalities involving the integrated circuit and the one or more electronic components described herein.

Various example configurations of earpieces having electrically conducting elements capable of capturing bioelectrical signals and/or providing nerve stimulation are shown in <FIG>.

<FIG> illustrates a configuration of earpiece <NUM> according to the invention having first and second electrically conductive elements <NUM> and <NUM> arranged on an outer surface of deformable outer wall <NUM>. Conductive elements <NUM> and <NUM> are created by punching holes in the deformable outer wall <NUM> and filing the holes with silver/silver-chloride (Ag/AgCl). In <FIG>, inner wall <NUM> includes first and second conductive leads <NUM> and <NUM> (e.g., metal-plated pads, such as gold-plated discs) that are configured to electrically connect with first and second electrically conductive elements <NUM> and <NUM> when outer wall <NUM> is deformed toward inner wall <NUM> as earpiece <NUM> is placed in the ear of an individual. The collapsing of outer wall <NUM> (shown in <FIG> in the shape of an umbrella, or frustoconical) allows for contact of electrically conductive elements <NUM> and <NUM> with respective conductive leads <NUM> and <NUM> situated behind outer wall <NUM>, thereby establishing and transmitting electrical signals to electronics (not shown) in body <NUM> of the earpiece <NUM>.

<FIG> illustrates another configuration of earpiece <NUM> having first and second electrically conductive elements <NUM> and <NUM> arranged on an outer surface of deformable outer wall <NUM>. In <FIG>, inner wall <NUM> includes first and second conductive pins <NUM> and <NUM> (e.g., pogo pins or spring loaded connectors) that are configured to electrically connect with first and second electrically conductive elements <NUM> and <NUM> when outer wall <NUM> is deformed toward inner wall <NUM> as earpiece <NUM> is placed in the ear of an individual. The collapsing of outer wall <NUM> (shown in <FIG> in the shape of an umbrella, or frustoconical) allows for contact of electrically conductive elements <NUM> and <NUM> with respective conductive pins <NUM> and <NUM> situated behind deformable outer wall <NUM>, thereby establishing and transmitting electrical signals to electronics (not shown) in body <NUM> of the earpiece <NUM>. Optionally, angled through-holes may be created in the deformable outer wall <NUM> such that the conductive pins <NUM> and <NUM> align with the through-holes when the outer wall <NUM> is collapsed when placed in the ear.

<FIG> illustrates a further configuration of earpiece <NUM>,not being part of the invention, having first and second electrically conductive elements <NUM> and <NUM> arranged on an outer surface of deformable outer wall <NUM>. In <FIG>, earpiece <NUM> includes first and second electrical circuit elements <NUM> and <NUM> (e.g., conductive fabric, such as fabric available from Eschler Textil GmbH and coated with silver/silver-chloride) connected to first and second electrically conductive elements <NUM> and <NUM>. The first and second electrical circuit elements <NUM> and <NUM> each extend along an inner surface of deformable outer wall <NUM> and an outer surface of inner wall <NUM>. The electrical circuit elements are connected to electronics (not shown) in body <NUM> of the earpiece <NUM>, thereby allowing transmission of electrical signals when earpiece <NUM> is placed in the ear of an individual.

<FIG> illustrates a configuration of earpiece <NUM>, not being part of the invention, having first and second electrically conductive elements <NUM> and <NUM> (e.g., conductive fabric, such as fabric available from Eschler Textil GmbH and coated with silver/silver-chloride) each extending along an outer surface of deformable outer wall <NUM> and an inner surface of inner wall <NUM>. The electrical circuit elements are connected to electronics (not shown) in body <NUM> of the earpiece <NUM>, thereby allowing transmission of electrical signals when earpiece <NUM> is placed in the ear of an individual.

<FIG> is a flowchart of an example method of fabricating an ear tip (e.g., earpiece <NUM>) having two or more electrically conductive elements (e.g., electrically conductive elements <NUM> and/or <NUM>). In step <NUM>, an ear tip is provided. For example, the ear tip may include a body <NUM> having first and second ends <NUM> and <NUM>, an inner wall <NUM> extending between the first and second ends <NUM> and <NUM> to define a hollow passage <NUM> to conduct acoustic energy, and a deformable outer wall <NUM> connected to the inner wall <NUM> of the body <NUM> at the first end <NUM> and tapering away from the inner wall <NUM> toward the second end <NUM>, as illustrated for example in <FIG> of the present disclosure.

In step <NUM>, first and second electrically conductive elements are formed on an outer surface of the deformable outer wall of the ear tip. Examples of electrically conductive elements include a metal pad, metal button, metal foils (e.g., gold, silver), metal-salt hybrids (e.g., silver/silver-chloride), polymeric composites (e.g., rubbers compounded with conductive fillers such as carbon black, carbon nanotubes, graphene, silver, glass-coated silver), intrinsically conductive polymers (e.g., poly(<NUM>,<NUM>-ethylenedioxythiophene) polystyrene sulfonate or PEDOT:PSS), and/or conductive fabric (e.g., fabrics with conductive yarns, fabrics coated with conductive materials). The electrically conductive elements are preferably made of soft, flexible materials. The electrically conductive elements can be incorporated on to the ear tip using an ink and applying it using screen printing, pad printing, or in-mold decorating. Alternatively, the conductive elements can be incorporated wholly on to the ear tip via injection, transfer or compression molding. It should be appreciated that any number of electrically conductive elements (e.g., two or more) can be placed in any configuration on an earpiece as long as the electrically conductive elements are arranged to contact skin within the ear when the earpiece is worn by a user.

Optionally, in step <NUM>, conductive material in the first and second electrically conductive elements is aligned with the ear tip and the ear tip is heated above a vulcanization temperature of a material, causing the conductive material to bond to a first portion of the ear tip.

The electrically conductive elements can also be incorporated on to the ear tip using an ink and applying it using screen printing, pad printing, or in-mold decorating. Further, the conductive elements can be incorporated wholly on to the ear tip via injection, transfer or compression molding.

To complete the electronic circuit and allow capability of transmission of bioelectric signals and/or nerve stimulation, the conductive elements may be connected to electronics (e.g., integrated circuit, power source, etc.) in the body of the earpiece.

In one option, in step <NUM>, first and second conductive leads (e.g., spring pins or metal-plated pads) are formed on an outer surface of the inner wall to electrically connect with the first and second electrically conductive elements when the outer wall is deformed toward the inner wall, as illustrated for example in <FIG> and <FIG> of the present disclosure.

In another option, in step <NUM>, first and second electrically conductive elements are formed along the outer surface of the outer wall and extending along an inner surface of the inner wall (e.g., using conductive fabrics, such as fabric available from Eschler Textil GmbH and coated with silver/silver-chloride), as illustrated for example in <FIG> of the present disclosure.

In a further option, in step <NUM>, first and second electrical circuit elements are formed and connected to the first and second electrically conductive elements, with the first and second electrical circuit elements each extending along an inner surface of the outer wall and an outer surface of the inner wall (e.g., using conductive fabrics, such as fabric available from Eschler Textil GmbH and coated with silver/silver-chloride), as illustrated for example in <FIG> of the present disclosure.

The various configurations of ear tips described in the present disclosure may eliminate or reduce the need for hardwiring of electrodes in earpieces and provide a more effective approach for handling the electrode lead-out. Additionally, the various configurations of ear tips described in the present disclosure allow for in-ear EEG measurement and may also enable additional features for earpieces and headsets, such as donning and doffing detection. Further, the various configurations of ear tips described in the present disclosure may be used to deliver an electrical signal to the ear, for example, for nerve stimulation.

Claim 1:
An ear tip for an earpiece (<NUM>), comprising:
a body (<NUM>) having first (<NUM>) and second (<NUM>) ends, an inner wall (<NUM>) extending between the first and second ends to define a hollow passage (<NUM>) to conduct acoustic energy, and a deformable outer wall (<NUM>) connected to the inner wall of the body at the first end and tapering away from the inner wall toward the second end;
first (<NUM>) and second (<NUM>) electrically conductive elements arranged on an outer surface of the deformable outer wall,
wherein the inner wall further comprises first (<NUM>;<NUM>) and second (<NUM>;<NUM>) conductive leads configured to electrically connect with the first and second electrically conductive elements when the outer wall is deformed toward the inner wall,
characterised in that the first (<NUM>) and second (<NUM>) electrically conductive elements are made in silver/ silver-chloride and arranged in holes punched in the deformable outer wall (<NUM>), said first (<NUM>) and second (<NUM>) electrically conductive elements being configured as physiological electrodes.