Flexible earhook

• US 20020041697A1
• Filed: 11/05/2001
• Published: 04/11/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 11/20/1998
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GN Netcom/Unex Inc.
• Original Assignee: GN Netcom/Unex Inc.
• Inventors: Depiano, John Jr., Freni, Joseph L. Jr., Heinz, Roy, MacDonald, James T.
• Granted Patent: US 6,914,997 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 381/381
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/10 Earpieces; Attachments therefor ; Earphones; Monophonic headphones H04R1/28 takes precedence; stereophonic headphones H04R5/033
• 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

Abstract

A flexible earhook for positioning an earphone adjacent a wearer'"'"'s ear, the earhook including a mounting element capable of being provided with the earphone. The mounting element may be substantially annular. The earhook further includes a hook element comprising a material capable of being contoured and thereafter maintaining its shape. The hook element may comprise a wire. The hook element and the mounting element may be connected such that the flexible earhook can be used on either ear.

Claims

1. A flexible earhook for positioning an earphone adjacent a wearer'"'"'s ear, the flexible earhook comprising:

a mounting element capable of being provided with the earphone; and

a hook element connected to the mounting element, comprising a material capable of being contoured and thereafter maintaining its shape.

2. The flexible earhook in claim 1, wherein the mounting element comprises a hard plastic material.

3. The flexible earhook of claim 1, wherein the hook element comprises a soft plastic material.

4. The flexible earhook of claim 1, wherein the hook element comprises a soft plastic material on portions facing the wearer'"'"'s ear.

5. The flexible earhook of claim 1, wherein the hook element includes a curved portion.

6. The flexible earhook of claim 1, wherein the material capable of being contoured and thereafter maintaining its shape comprises a wire.

7. The flexible earhook of claim 1, wherein the hook element and the mounting element are connected by a swivel element.

8. The flexible earhook of claim 1, wherein the hook element and the mounting element are connected by a substantially cylindrical portion on the mounting element and by a hollow, substantially cylindrical housing on the hook element, wherein the cylindrical portion has a radially extending flange, and the housing having a plurality of slits to accommodate the flange.

9. The flexible earhook of claim 1, wherein the hook element comprises a wire covered by a soft plastic material.

10. The flexible earhook of claim 1, wherein the hook element and the mounting element are connected such that the flexible earhook can be used on either ear.