Eyeglass with MP3 player

• US 20040160572A1
• Filed: 07/28/2003
• Published: 08/19/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 07/26/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Oakley, Inc. (EssilorLuxottica SA)
• Original Assignee: Oakley, Inc. (EssilorLuxottica SA)
• Inventors: Webb, Michael, Reyes, Carlos, Baden, Colin, Jannard, James, Saderholm, Davin, Daniels, Eric Bernard, Bruns, Samner Lane
• Granted Patent: US 7,216,973 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 351/158
• CPC Class Codes: G02C 11/06 Hearing aids construction of hearing aids H04R25/00
• CPC Class Codes: G02C 11/10 Electronic devices other than hearing aids
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/385 Transceivers carried on the body, e.g. in helmets
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 2001/3866 carried on the head
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/05 specially adapted for use on head, throat or breast
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/6041 Portable telephones adapted for handsfree use
• 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 1/1066 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 1/1083 Reduction of ambient noise active noise reduction per se G10K11/175; protective devices for the ear, e.g. providing acoustic protection A61F11/06
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2201/103 Combination of monophonic or stereophonic headphones with audio players, e.g. integrated in the headphone
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2420/07 Applications of wireless loudspeakers or wireless microphones
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2460/13 Hearing devices using bone conduction transducers
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 5/0335 Earpiece support, e.g. headbands or neckrests for monophonic headphones H04R1/105

Abstract

An eyeglass can have a digital audio file storage and playback device and earphones supported by the eyeglass frame so as to provide a personal and portable audio player integrated into eyeglasses.

Claims

1. An eyeglass comprising a frame defining first and second orbitals, first and second lenses disposed in the first and second orbitals, respectively, first and second ear stems extending rearwardly from the frame, first and second speakers mounted to the first and second ear stems, respectively, so as to be translatable in a forward to rearward direction generally parallel to the ear stems over a first range of motion, at least one of the size of the speakers and the first range of motion being configured to provide an effective range of coverage of about 1 ¼

inches.

2. The eyeglass according to claim 1 additionally comprising an audio file storage and playback device disposed within the first ear stem.

3. The eyeglass according to claim 2 additionally comprising a power storage device disposed in the second ear stem.

4. The eyeglass according to claim 2 additionally comprising at least one button disposed on the first ear stem.

6. The eyeglass according to claim 1 additionally comprising at least one volume control button disposed on the second ear stem configured to control a volume of sound emitted from the first speaker.

5. The eyeglass according to claimed 4, wherein the first ear stem comprises an upper surface with a first aperture through which the first button extends in a second lower surface facing a generally opposite direction toward which the first surface faces, the lower surface having a width of at least about one-quarter of 1 inch.

7. The eyeglass according to claim 7, wherein only buttons with a volume function are disposed on the second ear stem.

8. An eyeglass comprising a frame defining first and second orbitals, first and second lenses disposed in the first and second orbitals, respectively, first and second ear stems extending rearwardly from the frame, a compressed audio file storage and playback device disposed in the first ear stem, a power storage device disposed in the second ear stem, first and second speakers connected to the first and second ear stems, respectively, the speakers being configured to be alignable with an auditory canal of a wearer of the eyeglass.

9. The eyeglass according to claim 8 additionally comprising a first button disposed on the first ear stem, the first ear stem comprising a first upper surface facing a first direction and defining an aperture through which the first button extends and a lower surface facing a second direction generally opposite the first direction, the second surface having a width of at least about one-quarter of an inch.

10. The eyeglass according to claim 9, wherein the width of the second surface is at least about one-half of an inch.

11. The eyeglass according to claim 8 additionally comprising first and second speaker supports supporting the first and second speakers, respectively, relative to the first and second ear stems, respectively, the first and second supports extending from the ear stems at a predetermined angle.

12. The eyeglass according to claim 11, wherein the predetermined angle is between about 30 degrees and 50 degrees.

13. The eyeglass according to claim 11, wherein the predetermined angle is between about 35 degrees and 45 degrees.

14. The eyeglass according to claim 11, wherein the predetermined angle is about 40 degrees.

15. An eyeglass comprising a frame, the frame defining first and second orbitals, first and second lenses disposed in the first and second orbitals, respectively, first and second ear stems extending rearwardly from the frame, first and second linear guides mounted relative to the first and second ear stems, respectively, so as to extend generally parallel to the first and second ear stems when the eyeglass is worn by a wearer, and first and second acoustic transducers supported by the first and second linear guides such that the first and second acoustic transducers are alignable with an auditory canal of a wearer of the eyeglass.

16. The eyeglass according to claim 15, wherein each of the first and second linear guides comprises a rod.

17. The eyeglass according to claim 15 additionally comprising first and second supports supporting the first and second acoustic transducers, respectively, the first and second supports being configured to be movable along a path defined by the linear guides.

18. The eyeglass according to claim 15, wherein the linear guides define a translational path along which the acoustic transducers can be moved and a pivot axis about which the acoustic transducers can be pivoted.

19. The eyeglass according to claim 18, wherein the first and second linear guides comprise first and second rods, respectively.

20. The eyeglass according to claim 19 additionally comprising first and second supports, the first and second supports comprising first and second apertures, respectively, the first and second rods extending through the first and second apertures, respectively.

21. An eyeglass comprising a frame defining first and second orbitals, first and second lenses disposed in the first and second orbitals, respectively, first and second ear stems extending rearwardly from the frame, the first ear stem comprising an upper surface facing a first direction and including an aperture, a first button extending from the aperture, a lower surface below the upper surface and facing a second direction generally opposite the first direction, the lower surface having a width of at least one-quarter of an inch.

22. The eyeglass according to claim 21, wherein the width is measured in a direction transverse to a longitudinal direction of the ear stem.

23. The eyeglass according to claim 22, wherein the width is at least about one-half of one-inch.

24. An eyeglass comprising a frame defining first and second orbitals, first and second lenses disposed in the first and second orbitals, respectively, first and second ear stems extending relief from the frame, the first and second ear stems including first and second adjustment devices, respectively, first and second acoustic transducers supported by the first and second adjustment devices, respectively, the first and second adjustment devices being configured to allow the first and second acoustic transducers to be translated along directions generally parallel to the first and second ear stems and to be pivoted about a pivot axis extending generally parallel to the first and second ear stems, such that the adjustment devices allow the first and second acoustic transducers to be pivoted about the pitted axis while restraining translational movement of the first and second acoustic transducers.

25. The eyeglass according to claim 24, wherein the first and second adjustment devices comprise first and second rods, respectively, mounted to the first and second ear stems, respectively.

26. The eyeglass according to claim 25, wherein the first and second acoustic transducers include first and second apertures, respectively, forming a slip fit with the first and second rods, respectively.

27. The eyeglass according to claim 26, wherein at least one of the rods and apertures are configured to generate more resistance to translational relative movement than resistance to rotational relative movement.

28. An eyeglass comprising a frame, an electronic device disposed in the frame, at least one button exposed on an outer surface of the frame, and means for preventing loads from being transferred to the head of a wearer of the eyeglass when the button is depressed.

29. An eyeglass comprising a frame, at least one acoustic transducer supported by the frame for movement in at least first and second axes, and means for isolating movement of the transducer in the first axis from movement in the second axis.