Voice conveying guide tube for headsets

• US 20010036291A1
• Filed: 03/09/2001
• Published: 11/01/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 04/28/2000
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Silicomp SPA
• Original Assignee: Silicomo SPA
• Inventors: Pallai, Fabrizio
• Application Number:
  US09/803,158
• Publication Number:
  US 20010036291A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 381/382
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/083 Special constructions of mouthpieces
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/1008 Earpieces of the supra-aural or circum-aural type
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/1058 Manufacture or assembly
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/342 for microphones
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2201/107 Monophonic and stereophonic headphones with microphone for two-way hands free communication

Abstract

A voice conveying guide tube for headsets, comprising a hollow tubular element (24; 100) able to convey voice from the user'"'"'s mouth to an earpiece assembly (3) of the headset (1) in which a transducer or microphone (60) able to convert the acoustic signal to an electrical signal is provided; the tubular element being flexible so that it can be bent into the desired position and comprising means (71; 102) able to maintain it in the position into which it has been bent.

Claims

1. A voice conveying guide tube for headsets, comprising a hollow tubular element (24;

100) able to carry voice from the user'"'"'s mouth to an earpiece assembly (3) of the headset (1) wherein a transducer or microphone (60) able to convert the acoustic signal to an electric signal is provided, characterized in that said tubular element (24;

100) is flexible, in order to be able to bent into the desired position and comprises means (71;

102) able to maintain it in the position into which it has been bent.

2. A voice conveying guide tube according to

claim 1

, characterized in that said tubular element (24) is a tube (70) of flexible plastic material and said means able to maintain the tubular element in the position into which it has been bent are a substantially rigid core (71).

3. A voice conveying guide tube according to

claim 2

, characterized in that said core (71) is disposed in the thickness of said tube (70) in an eccentric position, substantially parallel to the axis of said tubular element (24).

4. A voice conveying guide tube according to

claim 2

or

3

, characterized in that said core (71) is made of a steel wire.

5. A voice conveying guide tube according to any one of

claims 2

to

4

, characterized in that said tubular element (24) is made by means of coextrusion of said tube of plastic material (70) and said core (71).

6. A voice conveying guide tube according to

claim 2

or

5

, characterized in that said tubular element (24) is made of transparent plastic material (70).

7. A voice conveying guide tube according to

claim 1

, characterized in that said tubular element (24) is made by means of a coil spring (101) and said means destined to maintain the tubular element in the position into which it has been bent are a layer (102) of malleable metal material disposed on the outer surface of said coil spring (101).

8. A voice conveying guide tube according to

claim 7

, characterized in that said coil spring (101) is made of steel and said layer (102) coating the outer surface of the coil spring (101) is made of brass-based metal material.

9. A voice conveying guide tube according to

claim 7

or

8

, characterized in that said layer (102) coating the coil spring is covered by a sheath (103) of heat-shrinkable plastic material.

10. A voice conveying guide tube according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that said tubular element (24;

100) is mounted by pressure fitting of one of its ends into a hole (18) made in a cover (15) of said earpiece assembly (3).

11. A voice conveying guide tube according to

claim 10

, characterized in that said cover (15) is rotatably mounted on said earpiece assembly (3).

12. A headset (1), comprising at least one earpiece assembly (3) destined to be positioned near the user'"'"'s ear, characterized in that it provides a voice conveying guide tube according to any one of the preceding claims, able to convey voice from the user'"'"'s mouth to said earpiece assembly.