Speaker mounts for eyeglass with MP3 player

• US 20050046790A1
• 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 7,147,324 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 speaker mounts supported by the frames of the eyeglass. The speaker mounts are constructed so as to be translatable along the ear stems of the eyeglass. This allows a wearer to move the speakers without changing the shape of the speaker mount, which can occur where the speaker mounts are made from some flexible materials.

Claims

1. 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.

2. The eyeglass according to claim 1, wherein each of the first and second linear guides comprises a rod.

3. The eyeglass according to claim 1 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.

4. The eyeglass according to claim 1, 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.

5. The eyeglass according to claim 4, wherein the first and second linear guides comprise first and second rods, respectively.

6. The eyeglass according to claim 5 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.

7. The eyeglass according to claim 1, wherein the first and second linear guides are configured to allow the first and second acoustic transducers to be translated along a direction generally parallel to the first and second ear stems, respectively.

8. The eyeglass according to claim 1 additionally comprising an MP3 format file storage device supported by the first ear stem, wherein the first linear guide member comprises a rod disposed below the storage device.

9. The eyeglass according to claim 1 additionally comprising a power supply supported by the first ear stem, wherein the first linear guide member comprises a rod disposed below the storage device.

10. The eyeglass according to claim 1, wherein the first and second linear guide members comprise first and second rods disposed within the first and second ear stems respectively, each of the first and second ear stems comprising first and second downwardly-facing apertures, respectively, through which the first and second rods are exposed, respectively.

11. An eyeglass comprising a frame, the frame defining a lens support, at least a first lens supported by the lens support, first and second ear stems extending rearwardly from the lens support, first and second rods supported by 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, first and second acoustic transducers, and first and second booms connecting the first and second acoustic transducers to the first and second rods, respectively, the first and second booms extending rearwardly and away from the first and second rods, respectively, at a first angle relative to the first and second rods, wherein the first and second rods are configured to allow the first and second booms to be translated forwardly and rearwardly relative to the first and second ear stems without changing the first angle.

12. The eyeglass according to claim 11, wherein the first angle is between about twenty and fifty degrees.

13. The eyeglass according to claim 11, wherein the first angle is between about thirty-five and forty-five degrees.

14. The eyeglass according to claim 11, wherein the first and second rods are fixed relative to the frame.

15. The eyeglass according to claim 14, wherein the first and second booms are slidingly engaged with the first and second rods, respectively.

16. An eyeglass comprising a frame, the frame defining at least one lens support, at least a first lens supported by the lens support, first and second ear stems extending rearwardly from the lens support, first and second rods supported by 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, first and second acoustic transducers supported by the rods, wherein the first and second rods are configured to allow the first and second acoustic transducers to be translated forwardly and rearwardly relative to the first and second ear stems, the first and second acoustic transducers being mounted so as to pivot about first and second pivot axes, respectively, both of which extend generally perpendicular to a vertical direction when a wearer is wearing the eyeglass.

17. The eyeglass according to claim 16, wherein the first and second rods define the first and second pivot axes, respectively.

18. The eyeglass according to claim 16, wherein the first and second acoustic transducers are configured such that they can be pivoted about the first and second pivot axes, respectively, between at least first and second positions, wherein the first position is higher than the second position.

19. The eyeglass according to claim 18, wherein the first and second pivot axes are defined by the first and second rods, respectively.

20. The eyeglass according to claim 18 additionally comprising an MP3 storage and playback device supported by the frame and configured to drive the first and second acoustic transducers so as to reproduce sound from an MP3 format file stored in the MP3 storage and playback device.