초록 ▼

This invention is a wearable device that masks and/or cancels annoying ambient sounds to help a person sleep. It includes a soft and stretchable member, such as a headband or hat, that contains one or more sound-conducting tubes. Sound that is emitted from the one or more tubes helps to mask and/or

This invention is a wearable device that masks and/or cancels annoying ambient sounds to help a person sleep. It includes a soft and stretchable member, such as a headband or hat, that contains one or more sound-conducting tubes. Sound that is emitted from the one or more tubes helps to mask and/or cancel annoying ambient sounds. Advantages of this device over prior art include: no speakers or other rigid components over a person's ears that can be uncomfortable or unsafe when the person sleeps on their side; a relatively wide sound-emitting area to accommodate different size and shape heads; and a stretchable wearable member that gently clings to the person's head to avoid having sound-emitting areas shift away from the person's ears as they toss and turn in their sleep.

대표청구항 ▼

1. A wearable sound-emitting device to mask and/or cancel ambient sounds, comprising: a wearable, stretchable, and soft member; wherein this member is worn around a portion of a person's head; wherein the wearable member includes at least one ear-covering portion;wherein this ear-covering portion is

1. A wearable sound-emitting device to mask and/or cancel ambient sounds, comprising: a wearable, stretchable, and soft member; wherein this member is worn around a portion of a person's head; wherein the wearable member includes at least one ear-covering portion;wherein this ear-covering portion is stretchable and soft; wherein this ear-covering portion is held in stretched tension between at least two points that are separated by the diameter of the ear; wherein this ear-covering portion clings to the ear due to this stretched tension so that it is not dislocated away from the ear as the person tosses and turns in their sleep;one or more sound-conducting tubes or channels; wherein these tubes or channels are filled with a gas and/or liquid; and wherein these tubes or channels are woven, sewn, adhered, looped, tied or otherwise integrated with or onto the ear-covering portion; wherein at least one of these sound-conducting tubes or channels has multiple holes and/or diaphragms along its wall that allow sonic energy to escape at selected locations along its wall; and wherein at least two of these holes and/or diaphragms are between 0.1 mm and 30 mm in diameter; andone or more sound-producing members; wherein these sound-producing members are in sound-conducting communication with the interior of the one or more sound-conducting tubes or channels; and wherein sound from the sound-producing members is conducted through the one or more sound-conducting tubes or channels to the person's ears in order to mask and/or cancel ambient sounds. 2. The wearable sound-emitting device in claim 1 wherein at least one of the sound-conducting tubes or channels has multiple holes that are formed by: one or more holes made along a tube wall; one or more holes at the end of a tube; and/or one or more holes at the end of a tube branch. 3. The wearable sound-emitting device in claim 1 wherein the one or more sound-conducting tubes or channels are in a configuration that does not substantively interfere with the ability of the wearable member to stretch around the person's head. 4. The wearable sound-emitting device in claim 1 wherein the one or more sound-conducting tubes or channels have longitudinal axes that are substantially parallel with the surface of the person's head as they span the person's ear. 5. The wearable sound-emitting device in claim 1 wherein the sound produced by the sound-producing members is selected from the group consisting of: white noise, pink noise, music, pre-recorded loops of natural sounds, and sounds configured to cancel out ambient sounds. 6. The wearable member in claim 1 wherein this member is selected from the group consisting of: headband, hat, cap, and ski mask. 7. The wearable sound-emitting device in claim 1 wherein the wearable member is made from material selected from the group consisting of acetate, acrylic, cotton, linen, neoprene, nylon, polyester, rayon, silk, spandex, wool, or a combination thereof. 8. The wearable sound-emitting device in claim 1 wherein the one or more sound-conducting tubes or channels: have with a diameter within the range of ⅛″-⅜″; have a wall thickness within the range of 0.024″-0.031″; have a durometer within the range of 35-85 shore; have a length within the range of 2 inches to 2 feet; and are made from material selected from the group consisting of ethylene propylene diene monomer (EPDM), latex, silicone, polyvinyl chloride, and polyurethane. 9. A wearable sound-emitting device to mask and/or cancel ambient sounds, comprising: a wearable, stretchable, and soft member; wherein this member is worn around a portion of a person's head; wherein the wearable member includes at least one ear-covering portion;wherein this ear-covering portion is stretchable and soft; wherein this ear-covering portion is held in stretched tension between at least two points that are separated by the diameter of the ear; wherein this ear-covering portion clings to the ear due to this stretched tension so that it is not dislocated away from the ear as the person tosses and turns in their sleep;one or more sound-conducting tubes or channels; wherein these tubes or channels are filled with a gas and/or liquid; wherein these tubes or channels are woven, sewn, adhered, looped, tied or otherwise integrated with or onto the ear-covering portion;wherein at least one of these sound-conducting tubes or channels has multiple holes and/or diaphragms along its wall that allow sonic energy to escape at selected locations along its wall; wherein at least two of these holes and/or diaphragms are between 0.1 mm and 30 mm in diameter and at least one of the areas spanned by these selected locations is at least 10 mm in length; andone or more sound-producing members; wherein these sound-producing members are in sound-conducting communication with the interior of the one or more sound-conducting tubes or channels; and wherein sound from the sound-producing members is conducted through the one or more sound-conducting tubes or channels to the person's ears in order to mask and/or cancel ambient sounds. 10. The wearable sound-emitting device in claim 9 wherein the one or more sound-conducting tubes or channels are in a configuration that does not substantively interfere with the ability of the wearable, stretchable, and soft member to stretch around the person's head. 11. The wearable sound-emitting device in claim 9 wherein the one or more sound-conducting tubes or channels have longitudinal axes that are substantially parallel with the surface of the person's head as they span the person's ear. 12. The wearable sound-emitting device in claim 9 wherein the sound produced by the sound-producing members is selected from the group consisting of: white noise, pink noise, music, pre-recorded loops of natural sounds, and sounds configured to cancel out ambient sounds. 13. The wearable, stretchable, and soft member in claim 9 wherein this member is selected from the group consisting of: headband, hat, cap, and ski mask. 14. The wearable sound-emitting device in claim 9 wherein the wearable, stretchable, and soft member is made from material selected from the group consisting of acetate, acrylic, cotton, linen, neoprene, nylon, polyester, rayon, silk, spandex, wool, or a combination thereof. 15. The wearable sound-emitting device in claim 9 wherein the one or more sound-conducting tubes or channels: have with a diameter within the range of 1/8 ″- 3/8 ″; have a wall thickness within the range of 0.024″-0.031″; have a durometer within the range of 35-85 shore; have a length within the range of 2 inches to 2 feet; and are made from material selected from the group consisting of ethylene propylene diene monomer (EPDM), latex, silicone, polyvinyl chloride, and polyurethane. 16. A wearable sound-emitting device to mask and/or cancel ambient sounds, comprising: a wearable, stretchable, and soft member; wherein this member is worn around a portion of a person's head; wherein the wearable member includes at least one ear-covering portion;wherein this ear-covering portion is stretchable and soft; wherein this ear-covering portion is held in stretched tension between at least two points that are separated by the diameter of the ear; wherein this ear-covering portion clings to the ear due to this stretched tension so that it is not dislocated away from the ear as the person tosses and turns in their sleep;one or more sound-conducting tubes or channels; wherein these tubes or channels are filled with a gas and/or liquid; wherein these tubes or channels are woven, sewn, adhered, looped, tied or otherwise integrated with or onto the ear-covering portion; wherein at least one of these sound-conducting tubes or channels has multiple holes and/or diaphragms along its wall that allow sonic energy to escape at selected locations along its wall; wherein at least two of these holes and/or diaphragms are between 0.1 mm and 30 mm in diameter and at least one of the areas spanned by these selected locations is at least 10 mm in length; wherein the one or more sound-conducting tubes or channels are in a configuration that does not substantively interfere with the ability of the wearable member to stretch around the person's head; and wherein the one or more sound-conducting tubes or channels have longitudinal axes that are substantially parallel with the surface of the person's head as they span the person's ear;one or more sound-producing members; wherein these sound-producing members are in sound-conducting communication with the interior of the one or more sound-conducting tubes or channels; and wherein sound from the sound-producing members is conducted through the one or more sound-conducting tubes or channels to the person's ears in order to mask and/or cancel ambient sounds. 17. The wearable sound-emitting device in claim 16 wherein the sound produced by the sound-producing members is selected from the group consisting of: white noise, pink noise, music, pre-recorded loops of natural sounds, and sounds configured to cancel out ambient sounds. 18. The wearable sound-emitting device in claim 16 wherein the one or more sound-producing members are integrated into or attached onto the wearable, stretchable and soft member. 19. The wearable sound-emitting device in claim 16 wherein the wearable, stretchable and soft member is made from material selected from the group consisting of acetate, acrylic, cotton, linen, neoprene, nylon, polyester, rayon, silk, spandex, wool, or a combination thereof. 20. The wearable sound-emitting device in claim 16 wherein the one or more sound-conducting tubes or channels: have with a diameter within the range of ⅛″-⅜″; have a wall thickness within the range of 0.024″-0.031″; have a durometer within the range of 35-85 shore; have a length within the range of 2 inches to 2 feet; and are made from material selected from the group consisting of ethylene propylene diene monomer (EPDM), latex, silicone, polyvinyl chloride, and polyurethane.