Magnetic retention of earbud within cavity

• US 10,225,637 B2
• Filed: 09/22/2016
• Issued: 03/05/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 09/30/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Panecki, Lee M., Albonico, Marcus, Yang, Shannon X., Chawan, Arun D., Stiehl, Kurt, Wagman, Daniel C., Zorkendorfer, Rico L., Cousins, Benjamin A., Strongwater, Daniel Max, Jol, Eric S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Kaufman, Joshua
• Application Number:
  US15/273,691
• Publication Number:
  US 20170094391A1
• Time in Patent Office: 894 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A45C 11/00 Receptacles for purposes not provided for in groups A45C1/00-A45C9/00 specially adapted for toiletry or cosmetic equipment A45D29/20, A45D44/18; travelling sewing kits A45F3/48
• CPC Class Codes: A45C 11/24 Etuis for purposes not covered by a single one of groups A45C11/02 - A45C11/22, A45C11/26, A45C11/32 - A45C11/38
• CPC Class Codes: A45C 13/005 Hinges
• CPC Class Codes: A45C 13/02 Interior fittings; Means, e.g. inserts, for holding and packing articles
• CPC Class Codes: A45C 13/1069 magnetic
• CPC Class Codes: A45C 2011/001 for portable audio devices, e.g. headphones or MP3-players
• CPC Class Codes: A45C 2013/026 Inserts
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 25/02 Internal fittings of containers made by folding or erecting blanks made of paper B65D5/44
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 43/16 hinged for upward or downward movement cigar or cigarette receptacles A24F15/00; suitcases, ètuis A45C; casings for cosmetic substances with hinged covers A45D40/22; toolboxes B25H3/02; hinges of door or similar type E05D ; boxes for switchboards with hinged covers H02B1/066
• CPC Class Codes: F16B 2200/83 Use of a magnetic material
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/521 Sealing between contact members and housing, e.g. sealing insert
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/10 using inductive coupling
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00034 Charger exchanging data with an electronic device, i.e. telephone, whose internal battery is under charge
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0044 specially adapted for holding portable devices containing batteries H02J7/0045 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/385 Transceivers carried on the body, e.g. in helmets
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/3888 Arrangements for carrying or protecting transceivers
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/79 for data transfer in combination with power transfer
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/6033 for providing handsfree use or a loudspeaker mode in telephone sets arrangements for preventing acoustic echo H04M9/08
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/02 Casings; Cabinets ; Supports therefor; Mountings therein H04R1/28 takes precedence ; attachments for microphones H04R1/08; mounting of transducers in earpieces H04R1/1075
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/1016 Earpieces of the intra-aural type
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/1025 : Accumulators or arrangements for charging secondary cells per se H01M10/00; charging in general H02J7/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/1041 : Mechanical or electronic switches, or control elements switches in general H01H
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/1058 : Manufacture or assembly
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/1075 : Mountings of transducers in earphones or headphones
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/2826 : for loudspeaker transducers
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/2857 : for loudspeaker transducers
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/345 : for loudspeakers
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2201/105 : Manufacture of mono- or stereophonic headphone components
• 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 2460/09 : Non-occlusive ear tips, i.e. leaving the ear canal open, for both custom and non-custom tips H04R2460/11 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2460/17 : Hearing device specific tools used for storing or handling hearing devices or parts thereof, e.g. placement in the ear, replacement of cerumen barriers, repair, cleaning hearing devices
• 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 9/025 : Magnetic circuit
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 9/06 : Loudspeakers

Abstract

A case for an earbud includes a receiving cavity sized and shaped to accept the earbud within the receiving cavity. The case includes one or more housing magnetic components configured to magnetically attract and secure the earbud within the receiving cavity.

Claims

1. A listening device system comprising:

an earbud comprising an ear interface portion having a generally convex shaped lower surface that has a curved profile in a first and a second plane that are orthogonal to each other, and a generally elliptical profile in a third plane that is orthogonal to the first and second planes;

a case for the earbud comprising;

a receiving cavity sized and shaped to accept the earbud, wherein a first portion of the receiving cavity is sized and shaped to receive the lower surface;

a plurality of housing magnetic components positioned adjacent one another and located proximate the first portion of the receiving cavity, wherein each housing magnetic component has a contoured top surface that is positioned to form a portion of a concave surface having one or more discontinuities, wherein the concave surface substantially matches the generally convex shaped lower surface of the earbud and wherein the plurality of housing magnetic components are configured to magnetically secure the earbud into the receiving cavity; and

a lid operable between an open position in which the receiving cavity is exposed and a closed position in which the lid covers the receiving cavity.

2. The listening device system of claim 1 wherein the case is configured to store a pair of earbuds and the earbud is a first earbud wherein:

the receiving cavity includes a first receiving cavity sized and shaped to accept the first earbud in the pair of earbuds, and a second receiving cavity sized and shaped to accept a second earbud in the pair of earbuds.

3. The listening device system of claim 2 wherein the plurality of housing magnetic components includes a first magnetic component positioned and configured to magnetically attract a speaker magnet in the first earbud and includes a second magnetic component positioned and configured to magnetically attract a speaker magnet in the second earbud.

4. The listening device system of claim 2 wherein the plurality of housing magnetic components includes a first magnetic component positioned and configured to magnetically attract a magnetic plate disposed in an ear portion of the first earbud and includes a second magnetic component positioned and configured to magnetically attract a magnetic plate disposed in an ear portion of the second earbud.

5. The listening device system of claim 4 wherein the plurality of housing magnetic components includes a first set of magnetic components that form a first Halbach array to increase attractive forces for the first earbud and includes a second set of magnetic components that form a second Halbach array to increase attractive forces for the second earbud.

6. The listening device system of claim 5 wherein the first and second Halbach arrays are configured to attract the first and the second earbuds into respective cavities and magnetically retain them within the respective cavities until they are removed by a user.

7. The listening device system of claim 1 wherein the plurality of housing magnetic components are configured to hold the earbud in contact with an electrical connector disposed within the case.

8. The listening device system of claim 1 wherein the earbud includes a stem portion attached to the ear interface portion.

9. The listening device system of claim 1 wherein the earbud further comprises a driver unit that includes a diaphragm, an earbud magnet and a voice coil, and wherein the earbud magnet is operatively coupled to the voice coil to move the diaphragm in response to electrical signals.

10. The listening device system of claim 1 wherein the earbud comprises a magnetic retention component that comprises a plate of magnetic material.

11. A wireless listening system comprising:

(i) a pair of wireless earbuds, each wireless earbud comprising;

a housing that includes an ear interface portion having a generally convex shaped lower surface that has a curved profile in a first and a second plane that are orthogonal to each other, and a generally elliptical profile in a third plane that is orthogonal to the first and second planes;

a directional sound port formed within the housing;

a speaker assembly disposed within the housing and including a driver unit comprising a first magnet, a diaphragm and a voice coil, and wherein the first magnet is operatively coupled to the voice coil to move the diaphragm in response to electrical signals, the driver unit aligned to emit sound from the directional sound port; and

a magnetic retention component, separate from the speaker assembly; and

(ii) a storage case for the pair of wireless earbuds, the storage case comprising;

a pair of receiving cavities sized and shaped to accept the pair of earbuds, each cavity having a first portion that is sized and shaped to receive the lower surface of each respective earbud;

a plurality of housing magnetic components, for each cavity of the pair of cavities, each plurality of housing magnetic components disposed within the case and positioned adjacent one another and located proximate the first portion of each respective receiving cavity, wherein each plurality of housing magnetic components has a contoured top surface that is positioned to form a portion of a concave surface having one or more discontinuities, wherein the concave surface substantially matches the generally convex shaped lower surface of each respective earbud and wherein each plurality of housing magnetic components is configured to magnetically secure each respective earbud into each respective receiving cavity;

and

a lid operable between an open position in which the pair of receiving cavities are exposed and a closed position in which the lid covers the pair of receiving cavities.

12. The wireless listening system of claim 11 wherein the plurality of housing magnetic components includes a first magnetic component positioned and configured to magnetically attract a speaker magnet in a first earbud of the pair of earbuds and a second magnetic component positioned and configured to magnetically attract a speaker magnet in the second earbud of the pair of earbuds.

13. The wireless listening system of claim 12 wherein the plurality of housing magnetic components further includes a third magnetic component positioned and configured to magnetically attract a magnetic plate disposed in the ear interface portion of the first earbud and a fourth magnetic component positioned and configured to magnetically attract a magnetic plate disposed in the ear portion of the second earbud.

14. The wireless listening system of claim 11 wherein the plurality of housing magnetic components includes a plurality of magnets arranged to form a Halbach array.

15. The wireless listening system of claim 11 wherein the magnetic retention component comprises a plate of magnetic material.