Abstract: An asymmetric adjustment mechanism, a head piece (e.g., stethoscope head piece or audio headset) including such an adjustment mechanism coupled to an ear tip subassembly, and a stethoscope including such a head piece. In typical embodiments, the adjustment mechanism can be closed (e.g., to reduce separation between ear tips) by exertion of closing force on the ear tip subassembly, or opened by exertion of opening force on the ear tip subassembly. In some embodiments, it automatically locks (e.g., with a desired separation between ear tips) upon cessation of user-exerted adjustment force in a locked state in which it exerts no more than an acceptably small (e.g. zero) bias force on the ear tip subassembly. The bias force has magnitude less than that of the opening force required to separate the ear tips to remove them from the user's ears.

Abstract: An active stethoscope or other sound detection device, including a diaphragm, at least one floating mass mounted to the diaphragm (at at least one coupling point of the diaphragm), and an acoustic transducer mounted to the floating mass. Preferably, each floating mass is configured and mounted so that as each floating mass and each coupling point of the diaphragm move in sympathy with acoustic waves (to be detected) that impinge on the diaphragm, the acoustic transducer rides with and is stabilized by the floating mass to which it is mounted and the diaphragm is stabilized by each floating mass. The acoustic transducer can be of any of many different types. For example, it can be a microphone, or an optical, capacitive, or inductive transducer. The diaphragm can have an isolating portion which absorbs acoustic surface wave energy incident thereon, or otherwise prevents or reduces transmission of acoustic surface waves through the isolating portion between regions of the diaphragm.