Actuator configuration for eyeglass with MP3 player

• US 20050046789A1
• Filed: 10/12/2004
• Published: 03/03/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 07/26/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Carlos Reyes, Colin Baden, Davin Saderholm, Eric Daniels, James H. Jannard, Michael Webb, Sumner Lane Bruns
• Original Assignee: Carlos Reyes, Colin Baden, Davin Saderholm, Eric Daniels, James H. Jannard, Michael Webb, Sumner Lane Bruns
• Inventors: Webb, Michael, Reyes, Carlos, Baden, Colin, Bruns, Sumner Lane, Jannard, James, Saderholm, Davin, Daniels, Eric Bernard
• Granted Patent: US 7,445,332 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

A wearable audio device in the form of eyeglasses includes actuators disposed the ear stems. The actuators, which can be in the form of buttons, and/or the ear stems, are configured to enhance the comfort of the users. For example, the buttons can be disposed on the upper surface of the ear stems with the lower surface having an enlarged surface so as to allow the user to pinch the ear stem to thereby counter-balance the actuation force used to depress the button.

Claims

1. An eyeglass comprising a frame defining at least one lens support, at least a first lens supported by the first lens support, 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 a first 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.

2. The eyeglass according to claim 1, wherein the width is measured in a direction transverse to a longitudinal direction of the ear stem.

3. The eyeglass according to claim 2, wherein the width is at least about one-half of one-inch.

4. The eyeglass according to claim 1 additionally comprising a slot disposed on the lower surface.

5. The eyeglass according to claim 4, wherein the slot is disposed directly below the first button.

6. The eyeglass according to claim 1 additionally comprising a second aperture on the upper surface and a second button extending through the second aperture.

7. The eyeglass according to claim 6, wherein the first and second buttons are the only buttons on the first ear stem, the first and second buttons being electrically connected to an audio device supported by the frame, the first button being configured to increase the volume of audio output from the audio device, and the second button being configured to reduce the volume of audio output from the audio device.

8. The eyeglass according to claim 6 additionally comprising a plurality of buttons disposed on the second ear stem.

9. The eyeglass according to claim 8, wherein the plurality of buttons on the second ear stem comprises at least third and fourth buttons configured to provide a track skip function associated with the playback of an audio file in an audio playback device supported by the frame.

10. The eyeglass according to claim 9, wherein the audio device is an MP3 file format play back and storage device.

11. The eyeglass according to claim 9, wherein the third and fourth buttons are also configured to provide fast-forward and rewind functions associated with the playback of an audio file in the audio playback device.

12. The eyeglass according to claim 11 additionally comprising a fifth button on the second ear stem configured to provide power-on and power-off signals to the audio playback device.

13. The eyeglass according to claim 12 wherein the first and second ear stems do not include any other buttons related to the operation of the audio playback device.

14. The eyeglass according to claim 1 additionally comprising a raised area protruding upwardly from the upper surface and extending adjacent to the first button.

15. The eyeglass according to claim 14, wherein the raised area defines a tactile indecium identifying the position of the button for a wearer of the eyeglass.

16. 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.