Earbuds with compliant member

• US 10,149,041 B2
• Filed: 10/27/2017
• Issued: 12/04/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 09/16/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Qian, Phillip, Siahaan, Edward, Wang, Erik L., Stringer, Christopher J., Rohrbach, Matthew Dean, Strongwater, Daniel Max, LeBlanc, Jason J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Gauthier, Gerald
• Application Number:
  US15/796,639
• Publication Number:
  US 20180063621A1
• Time in Patent Office: 403 Days
• Field of Search: 381 58, 381 74, 381309, 381322, 381328, 381380, 381381, 600301, 715716
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0008 Temperature signals
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/01 Measuring temperature of body parts ; Diagnostic temperature sensing, e.g. for malignant or inflamed tissue clinical contact thermometers G01K13/20
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0205 Simultaneously evaluating both cardiovascular conditions and different types of body conditions, e.g. heart and respiratory condition
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/02416 using photoplethysmograph signals, e.g. generated by infrared radiation A61B5/14552 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/14552 Details of sensors specially adapted therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/14557 specially adapted to extracorporeal circuits
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6817 Ear canal
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/1016 Earpieces of the intra-aural type
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/1041 Mechanical or electronic switches, or control elements switches in general H01H
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/105 Earpiece supports, e.g. ear hooks for stereophonic headphones H04R5/0335
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/1083 Reduction of ambient noise active noise reduction per se G10K11/175; protective devices for the ear, e.g. providing acoustic protection A61F11/06
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/1091 Details not provided for in groups H04R1/1008 - H04R1/1083
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/406 microphones
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2201/109 Arrangements to adapt hands free headphones for use on both ears
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2420/03 Connection circuits to selectively connect loudspeakers or headphones to amplifiers
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2420/07 Applications of wireless loudspeakers or wireless microphones
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2460/03 Aspects of the reduction of energy consumption in hearing devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 3/005 for combining the signals of two or more microphones specially adapted for hearing aids H04R25/407
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 5/033 Headphones for stereophonic communication details thereof, e.g. relating to batteries, cables or control elements H04R1/10
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 5/04 Circuit arrangements, e.g. for selective connection of amplifier inputs/outputs to loudspeakers, for loudspeaker detection, or for adaptation of settings to personal preferences or hearing impairments combinations of amplifiers H03F3/68; stereophonic systems H04S

Abstract

This application relates to earbuds configured with one or more biometric sensors. At least one of the biometric sensors is configured to be pressed up against a portion of the tragus for making biometric measurements. In some embodiments, the housing of the earbud can be symmetric so that the earbud can be worn interchangeably in either a left or a right ear of a user. In such an embodiment, the earbud can include a sensor and circuitry configured to determine and alter operation of the earbud in accordance to which ear the earbud is determined to be sitting in.

Claims

1. An earbud, comprising:

an earbud housing defining an opening;

a speaker disposed within the earbud housing and oriented so that audio emitted by the speaker exits the earbud housing through the opening; and

a compliant member coupled to the earbud housing and comprising;

a loop of flexible material,

a first reinforcing member extending along a length of a first portion of the loop;

a second reinforcing member extending along a length of a second portion of the loop, and

a third portion of the loop disposed between the first and second portions and free of reinforcing material such that the third portion of the loop is less rigid than the first and second portions of the loop.

2. The earbud as recited in claim 1, wherein the first and second reinforcing members are the same length.

3. The earbud as recited in claim 1, wherein the flexible material is an elastomeric material that is less rigid than the first and second reinforcing members.

4. The earbud as recited in claim 3, wherein the first and second reinforcing members comprise spring steel.

5. The earbud as recited in claim 1, wherein the flexible material at least partially encloses the first reinforcing member and the second reinforcing member.

6. The earbud as recited in claim 5, wherein the first portion of the loop is positioned adjacent to the earbud housing and the second portion of the loop is positioned adjacent to the earbud housing.

7. The earbud as recited in claim 1, wherein the compliant member is pivotally coupled to the earbud housing by a hinge.

8. An earbud, comprising:

an earbud housing defining an opening;

a speaker disposed within the earbud housing and oriented so that audio emitted by the speaker exits the earbud housing through the opening; and

a compliant member coupled to the earbud housing, the compliant member comprising;

a loop formed from a flexible material, the loop comprising a first portion at least partially enclosing a first interior volume, a second portion at least partially enclosing a second interior volume and a third portion disposed between the first and second portions;

a first reinforcing member disposed within the first interior volume and extending along a length of the first portion; and

a second reinforcing member disposed within the second interior volume and extending along a length of the second portion such that the third portion of the loop is less rigid than the first and second portions of the loop.

9. The earbud as recited in claim 8, wherein the flexible material is elastomeric.

10. The earbud as recited in claim 8, wherein the first and second reinforcing members are positioned on opposing ends of the loop.

11. The earbud as recited in claim 8, wherein the first portion is adjacent to a first location on the earbud housing and the second portion is adjacent to a second location on the earbud housing offset from the first location.

12. The earbud as recited in claim 8, wherein the compliant member is positioned on a first side of the earbud housing and the opening defined by the earbud housing is positioned on a second side of the earbud housing.

13. The earbud as recited in claim 8, wherein the first portion of the loop is closer to the earbud housing than the third portion of the loop.

14. An earbud, comprising:

an earbud housing;

a speaker disposed within the earbud housing and oriented so that audio emitted by the speaker exits the earbud housing through an opening; and

a compliant member coupled to the earbud housing and comprising a loop of flexible material, and a reinforcing member extending along a length of a first portion of the loop, the first portion of the loop having a higher rigidity than a second portion of the loop.

15. The earbud as recited in claim 14, wherein a first end of the complaint member protrudes from a first location on the earbud housing and a second end of the compliant member protrudes from a second location on the earbud housing.

16. The earbud as recited in claim 14, wherein the reinforcing member is a first reinforcing member and the compliant member further comprises a second reinforcing member extending along a length of a third portion of the loop.

17. The earbud as recited in claim 16, wherein the second portion of the loop is positioned between the first and third portions of the loop and the second portion of the loop is positioned farther from the earbud housing than both the first and third portions of the loop.

18. The earbud as recited in claim 16, wherein the compliant member comprises a length of flexible material that encloses both the first and second reinforcing members.

19. The earbud as recited in claim 14, wherein the compliant member is configured to keep the earbud housing secured within an ear of a user.

20. The earbud as recited in claim 14, wherein the earbud housing comprises a protrusion, a distal end of the protrusion defining the opening.