Headphones with adaptable fit

• US 10,194,229 B2
• Filed: 02/27/2017
• Issued: 01/29/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 06/25/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Toelle, Haley, Dong, Jianchun, Morishita, Michael Kai, Kim, Eliot, Raffle, Hayes Solos, Chebeleu, Livius Dumitru
• Primary Examiner(s): Eason, Matthew A
• Assistant Examiner(s): Dang, Julie X
• Application Number:
  US15/443,142
• Publication Number:
  US 20170171656A1
• Time in Patent Office: 701 Days
• Field of Search: 381380-389
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/028 associated with devices performing functions other than acoustics, e.g. electric candles
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/1008 Earpieces of the supra-aural or circum-aural type
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/1016 Earpieces of the intra-aural type
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/1033 Cables or cables storage, e.g. cable reels cord reels per se H02G11/02; arrangements for storing and repeatedly paying-out and re-storing lengths of conductors or cables B65H75/34; extensible conductors or cables, e.g. self-coiling cords H01B7/06
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/1058 Manufacture or assembly
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/1066 Constructional aspects of the interconnection between earpiece and earpiece support earpiece support for monophonic headphones H04R1/105; earpiece support for stereophonic headphones H04R5/0335
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2420/09 Applications of special connectors, e.g. USB, XLR, in loudspeakers, microphones or headphones
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 5/033 Headphones for stereophonic communication details thereof, e.g. relating to batteries, cables or control elements H04R1/10

Abstract

A wearable audio component includes a first cable and an audio source in electrical communication with the first cable. A housing defines an interior and an exterior, the audio source being contained within the interior thereof. The exterior includes an ear engaging surface, an outer surface, and a peripheral surface extending between the front and outer surfaces. The peripheral surface includes a channel open along a length to surrounding portions of the peripheral surface and having a depth to extend partially between the front and outer surfaces. A portion of the channel is covered by a bridge member that defines an aperture between and open to adjacent portions of the channel. The cable is connected with the housing at a first location disposed within the channel remote from the bridge member and is captured in so as to extend through the aperture in a slidable engagement therewith.

Claims

1. A wearable audio component, comprising:

a first cable;

an audio generation source in electrical communication with the first cable; and

a housing defining an interior and an exterior, the audio generation source being contained within the interior of the housing, and the exterior including an ear engaging surface, an outer surface, and a peripheral surface extending between the ear engaging surface and the outer surface, the peripheral surface including a channel open along a length thereof to surrounding portions of the peripheral surface, a portion of the channel being covered by a bridge member that defines an aperture between and open to adjacent portions of the channel, the bridge member extending continuously across the portion of the channel between the ear engaging surface and the outer surface;

wherein the first cable is of a fixed overall length and is connected with the housing at a first location disposed within the channel remote from the bridge member, and wherein the cable is captured in and extends through the aperture in a slidable engagement therewith, a first portion of the cable extending between the first location and the aperture such that an amount of the fixed overall length of the cable that is within the first portion can be varied by the slidable engagement.

2. The audio component of claim 1, wherein the amount of the fixed overall length of the first cable that is within the first portion can be varied by extension and contraction of a loop of the first cable that can be configured to extend outwardly from a portion of the channel between the first location and the aperture, and wherein such extension and contraction can be implemented by a user.

3. The audio component of claim 2, wherein the housing is receivable by portion of an outer ear of a wearer with a portion of the peripheral surface contacting a tragus of the ear and a portion of the ear engaging surface overlying an external auditory meatus of the ear, the housing further defining an audio port open to the interior of the housing and in communication with the audio generation source, the audio port being positioned at least within the portion of the ear engaging surface that overlies the external auditory meatus during wear, and wherein the loop is configured to be extendable so as to be positionable against a portion of a cavum of the ear opposite the external auditory meatus.

4. The audio component of claim 3, wherein the ear engaging surface includes a projection configured to extend into the external auditory meatus of the ear, the audio port being positioned on an end of the projection.

5. The audio component of claim 1, wherein the bridge creates an interference fit with the cable within the aperture.

6. The audio component of claim 1, wherein the channel extends radially around the peripheral surface outside of the bridge member.

7. The audio component of claim 6, wherein the peripheral surface defines a cylindrical profile in areas thereof outside of the channel.

8. The audio component of claim 1, wherein the ear engaging surface has a rounded shape at a first portion adjacent the peripheral surface and transitions into a projection, wherein when worn the projection is oriented toward a user'"'"'s face.

9. The audio component of claim 8, wherein a first axis through the first portion is angled with respect to a second axis through the projection.

10. The audio component of claim 1, wherein the outer surface comprises a removable cap.

11. The audio component of claim 1, wherein an outer surface of the cable includes a texture contributing to an interference fit between the cable and the bridge.

12. A system, comprising:

a first headphone unit, comprising;

a first cable;

a first audio generation source in electrical communication with the first cable;

a first housing defining an interior and an exterior, the first audio generation source being contained within the interior of the first housing, and the exterior including an ear engaging surface, an outer surface, and a peripheral surface extending between the ear engaging surface and the outer surface, the peripheral surface including a channel open along a length thereof to surrounding portions of the peripheral surface, a portion of the channel being covered by a bridge member that defines an aperture between and open to adjacent portions of the channel, the bridge member extending continuously across the portion of the channel between the ear engaging surface and the outer surface;

wherein the first cable is of a fixed overall length and is connected with the first housing at a first location disposed within the channel remote from the bridge member, and wherein the first cable is captured in and extends through the aperture in a slidable engagement therewith, a first portion of the first cable extending between the first location and the aperture such that an amount of the fixed overall length of the first cable that is within the first portion can be varied by the slidable engagement; and

a second headphone unit, comprising;

a second cable;

a second audio generation source in electrical communication with the second cable;

a second housing.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the second housing defines an interior and an exterior, the second audio generation source being contained within the interior of the second housing, and the exterior including an ear engaging surface, an outer surface, and a peripheral surface extending between the ear engaging surface and the outer surface, the peripheral surface including a channel open along a length thereof to surrounding portions of the peripheral surface, a portion of the channel being covered by a bridge member that defines an aperture between and open to adjacent portions of the channel, the bridge member extending continuously across the portion of the channel between the ear engaging surface and the outer surface;

wherein the second cable is of a fixed overall length and is connected with the second housing at a second location disposed within the channel remote from the bridge member, and wherein the second cable is captured in and extends through the aperture in a slidable engagement therewith, a second portion of the second cable extending between the second location and the aperture such that an amount of the fixed overall length of the second cable that is within the second portion can be varied by the slidable engagement.

14. The system of claim 12, wherein the first cable and the second cable are coupled to a same connector.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the connector is a universal serial bus connector.

16. The system of claim 14, wherein the first cable and the second cable have different fixed overall lengths.

17. The system of claim 13, wherein the ear engaging surface of each of the first and second headphone units has a rounded shape at a first portion adjacent the peripheral surface and transitions into a projection, wherein when worn the projection is oriented toward a user'"'"'s face.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein for each of the first and second headphone units, a first axis through the first portion is angled with respect to a second axis through the projection.