Personal acoustic systems and flexible earpiece mounts for the same

• US 10,531,176 B2
• Filed: 09/17/2018
• Issued: 01/07/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 03/17/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Koss Corporation
• Original Assignee: Koss Corporation
• Inventors: Blair, Nicholas Stanford
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Sean H
• Application Number:
  US16/133,068
• Publication Number:
  US 20190020939A1
• Time in Patent Office: 477 Days
• Field of Search: 381378
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/1008 Earpieces of the supra-aural or circum-aural type
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/105 Earpiece supports, e.g. ear hooks for stereophonic headphones H04R5/0335
• 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 2201/105 Manufacture of mono- or stereophonic headphone components
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 31/00 Apparatus or processes specially adapted for the manufacture of transducers or diaphragms therefor manufacture of microstructural arrangements of deformable or non-deformable structures in general B81C1/00182

Abstract

A personal acoustic system and flexible mount for the same are disclosed. The flexible mount is comprised of an elastomeric material. The personal acoustic system further includes a band comprising a first mount and an earpiece comprising a second mount. An acoustic element is housed within the earpiece. The elastomeric mount is positioned intermediate the first mount and the second mount to flexibly connect the band to the earpiece.

Claims

1. An assembly, comprising:

an earpiece comprising an acoustic element and a first mount; and

an integrally-formed subassembly, comprising;

a band comprising a second mount; and

an elastomeric member, wherein an axial passage is defined through the elastomeric member, and wherein a portion of the earpiece extends into the axial passage to radially align the first mount and the second mount and couple the elastomeric member to the earpiece without additional fasteners.

2. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the elastomeric member is snap-fit around the portion of the earpiece.

3. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the elastomeric member is comprised of a material selected from a group consisting of thermoplastic elastomer and silicone, wherein the band is comprised of a material selected from a group consisting of metal and plastic, and wherein the earpiece is comprised of a material selected from a group consisting of metal and plastic.

4. A method of manufacturing a headphone assembly, comprising:

molding an elastomeric grommet to an end of a band of the headphone assembly, wherein the band is comprised of a first material, and wherein the elastomeric grommet is comprised of a second material that is different than the first material; and

connecting the elastomeric grommet to a mount of an earpiece of the headphone assembly with a friction-fit connection, wherein the mount is positioned in an axial passage defined through the elastomeric grommet, and wherein the earpiece comprises an electroacoustic speaker.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the molding step comprises a co-molding process.

6. The method of claim 4, further comprising:

molding a second elastomeric grommet at an opposite end of the band; and

connecting the second elastomeric grommet to a second mount of a second earpiece of the headphone assembly, wherein the second earpiece comprises a second electroacoustic speaker.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the molding steps comprise co-molding processes.

8. The method of claim 4, wherein the band comprises an injection-molded part.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the first material has a first modulus of elasticity, wherein the second material has a second modulus of elasticity, and wherein the second modulus of elasticity is less than the first modulus of elasticity.

10. An assembly, comprising:

a headband comprising a first mount;

an earpiece comprising a second mount and an electroacoustic speaker, wherein the second mount comprises a circumferential mounting surface; and

an elastomeric grommet flexibly connecting the headband to the earpiece, wherein the elastomeric grommet is positioned intermediate the first mount and the second mount, wherein the elastomeric grommet comprises an inner mounting surface and an annular shape forming an axial passage through the elastomeric grommet, and wherein the second mount extends into the axial passage and the inner mounting surface is positioned around the circumferential mounting surface to radially align the first mount and the second mount and connect the elastomeric grommet to the earpiece.

11. The assembly of claim 10, wherein the first mount comprises an annular inner surface.

12. The assembly of claim 11, wherein the circumferential mounting surface comprises a groove, wherein a portion of the elastomeric grommet is positioned at least partially within the groove, and wherein the portion of the elastomeric grommet is friction-fit within the groove.

13. The assembly of claim 12, wherein the groove comprises an outer notched profile, and wherein the elastomeric grommet comprises an inner notched profile corresponding to the outer notched profile to prevent rotation of the elastomeric grommet relative to the earpiece.

14. The assembly of claim 12, wherein the elastomeric grommet comprises a groove, and wherein the annular inner surface is positioned at least partially within the groove.

15. The assembly of claim 14, wherein the groove comprises an outer notched profile, and wherein the annular inner surface comprises an inner notched profile corresponding to the outer notched profile.

16. The assembly of claim 10, wherein the elastomeric grommet is comprised of a first material, wherein the first mount is comprised of a second material, and wherein the second material is different than the first material.

17. The assembly of claim 16, wherein the elastomeric grommet and the headband comprise a co-molded subassembly.

18. The assembly of claim 10, wherein the elastomeric grommet is comprised of a material selected from a group consisting of thermoplastic elastomer and silicone.

19. The assembly of claim 10, wherein at least one relief feature is defined into the elastomeric grommet.

20. An assembly, comprising:

a band comprising a first end portion and a second end portion;

a first earpiece comprising a first electroacoustic speaker and a first annular mounting surface;

a second earpiece comprising a second electroacoustic speaker and a second annular mounting surface;

a first elastomeric grommet flexibly connecting the first end portion of the band to the first earpiece, wherein the first elastomeric grommet comprises a first inner mounting surface and a first annular shape forming a first axial passage through the first elastomeric grommet, and wherein a portion of the first earpiece extends into the first axial passage and the first inner mounting surface is positioned around the first annular mounting surface to radially align the first annular mounting surface and the first end portion and connect the first elastomeric grommet to the first earpiece; and

a second elastomeric grommet flexibly connecting the second end portion of the band to the second earpiece, wherein the second elastomeric grommet comprises a second inner mounting surface and a second annular shape forming a second axial passage through the second elastomeric grommet, and wherein a portion of the second earpiece extends into the second axial passage and the second inner mounting surface is positioned around the second annular mounting surface to radially align the second annular mounting surface and the second end portion and connect the second elastomeric grommet to the second earpiece.

21. An assembly, comprising:

a band comprising a first mount;

an earpiece comprising an electroacoustic speaker, an ear-engaging surface, and a second mount, wherein the earpiece defines a tapered profile extending between the ear-engaging surface and the second mount, and wherein the first mount and the second mount radially overlap; and

an elastomeric grommet positioned intermediate the first mount and the second mount, wherein the elastomeric grommet defines an annular shape forming an axial passage, and wherein the second mount extends into the axial passage to connect the elastomeric grommet to the earpiece.

22. The assembly of claim 21, wherein the earpiece comprises a frusto-conical shape.

23. The assembly of claim 21, wherein the elastomeric grommet is comprised of a first material, wherein the first mount is comprised of a second material that is different than the first material, and wherein the elastomeric grommet and the band form a co-molded subassembly.

24. The assembly of claim 21, wherein a plurality of relief apertures extend through the elastomeric grommet from a first side to a second side.

25. The assembly of claim 21, further comprising a notched profile configured to prevent rotation of the earpiece relative to the elastomeric grommet.

26. The assembly of claim 21, further comprising a notched profile configured to prevent rotation of the band relative to the elastomeric grommet.