Headset with pivotal parts

• US 20080132292A1
• Filed: 12/07/2006
• Published: 06/05/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 12/04/2006
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Sennheiser Communications A/S (Sennheiser Electronic GmbH & Company KG)
• Original Assignee: Sennheiser Communications A/S (Sennheiser Electronic GmbH & Company KG)
• Inventors: Hansen, Dennis W., Orsted, Jeppe M., Koefoed, Anders
• Application Number:
  US11/635,073
• Publication Number:
  US 20080132292A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/569.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/1016 Earpieces of the intra-aural type
• 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 1/105 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/1091 Details not provided for in groups H04R1/1008 - H04R1/1083
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/326 for microphones H04R1/34 and H04R1/40 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2201/107 Monophonic and stereophonic headphones with microphone for two-way hands free communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2410/01 Noise reduction using microphones having different directional characteristics

Abstract

The invention concerns a communication device for placement at the ear of a user. A battery and transmission part is shaped to rest behind and above the ear lobe of a user and a speaker and microphone part is arranged to extend downwards in front of the ear canal. The two parts are interlinked to pivot, at least in the sagittal plane, with respect to each other and the battery and transmission part accommodates a battery as well as signal processing and transmission electronics, and the speaker and microphone part accommodates a speaker element and a microphone boom arm and further, the two parts have mating surfaces such that a pivotal motion between the two, when the device is not at the ear, will bring a surface of the first part and a surface of the second part together. Further the link between the two parts comprises a hollow ball joint connection allowing leads to pass through the ball joint. Also a magnet is inserted in the one part and a sensor for sensing the magnetic field from the magnet is comprised in the other part, such that the movement between the two parts may be registered and used to control the function of the device or for giving audible indication signals to the user.

Claims

1. Communication device for placement at the ear of a user comprising a battery and transmission part shaped to rest behind and above the ear lobe of a user, and a speaker and microphone part arranged to extend downwards in front of the ear canal, wherein the two parts are interlinked to pivot, at least in the sagittal plane, with respect to each other, wherein the battery and transmission part accommodates a battery, a signal processor and transmission electronics, and the speaker and microphone part accommodates a speaker element and a microphone boom arm and, whereby the two parts have mating surfaces such that a pivotal motion between the two, when the device is not at the ear, will bring a surface of the first part and a surface of the second part together along a line.

2. Communication device as claimed in claim 1, whereby the microphone boom arm extends away from the speaker and comprises two microphones whereby one microphone is placed distally and a further microphone is placed proximal with respect to the speaker.

3. Communication device as claimed in claim 2, whereby the signals from the two microphones are subject to array processing in the signal processor in order to gain a directional characteristic to achieve a clear voice signal from the user'"'"'s mouth.

4. Communication device as claimed in claim 1, whereby dampening material is placed to circumference both the two microphones and the speaker inside the casing of the boom arm.

5. Communication device as claimed in claim 1, whereby the pivotal link between the boom arm and the battery and transmission part is a ball joint allowing movement in the sagittal plane between the two parts as well as movement transversely with respect to this plane.

6. Communication device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the speaker is arranged to radiate sound towards two opposed directions transversely to the sagittal plane, such that the communication device is placeable at either of the two ears of a user.

7. Communication device as claimed in claim 2 whereby a knob 28 is placed between the two microphones 23, 24 for working a switch 27 in order to provide control signals to the communication device.

8. Communication device a claimed in claim 1, wherein the ball joint connection provided between the battery and transmission part and the speaker and microphone part is hollow to allow electric leads to pass through the centre thereof between the two parts of the communication device.

9. Communication device as claimed in claim 8 whereby the ball joint connection comprises a ball 10, a spherical member 11 and a spring 12 whereby the spring 12 is placed inside the ball 10 and the ball 10 is placed inside the spherical member 11, and whereby the ball 10 is connected to one of the housing parts of the communication device and the spherical member 11 is connected to the other housing part.

10. Communication device for placement at the ear of a user comprising a battery and transmission part shaped to rest behind and above the ear lobe of a user, and a speaker and microphone part arranged to extend downwards in front of the ear canal, wherein the two parts are interlinked to pivot, at least in the sagittal plane, with respect to each other, wherein the battery and transmission part accommodates a battery as well as signal processing and transmission electronics, and the speaker and microphone part accommodates a speaker element and a microphone boom arm and, whereby the microphone boom arm extends away from the speaker and comprises two microphones such that one microphone is placed distally and a further microphone is placed proximal with respect to the speaker.

11. Communication device as claimed in claim 10, wherein sound damping material is provided in the speaker and microphone part at least adjacently to the speaker and the microphones.

12. Communication device as claimed in claim 10, wherein the signals from the two microphones are subject to array processing in a signal processing unit in order to provide a directional characteristic from of the microphone signals.

13. Communication device as claimed in claim 10, whereby a switch with an externally provided knob is arranged in connection with the boom arm such that the knob is placed in the area between the two microphones.

14. Communication device as claimed in claim 13, whereby the battery and transmission part and a speaker and microphone part are interlinked to pivot by means of a ball joint connection, whereby the ball joint connection is made with a hollow central part.

15. Communication device as claimed in claim 10, whereby the speaker is provided to radiate sound in two opposed directions transversely to the sagittal plane.

16. Communication device as claimed in claim 10, whereby an external side of the microphone boom arm opposite the battery and connection part is convex curved and an external side of the battery and connection part opposite the boom arm is concave curved whereby the convex and concave curved sides will extend along one another along a line when the boom arm and battery and connection parts are collapsed by means of the ball joint connection.

17. Communication device as claimed in claim 16, whereby a magnet is provided in the boom arm proximal to the convex curved side and that a magnet sensitive switch is provided in the battery and connection part proximal the concave curved side in a position opposite the magnet.

18. Ball joint connection comprising a spherical outer member, a ball for placement inside the spherical member and a spring element for proving constant frictional force between the ball and the spherical member whereby the spring element is hollow and arranged inside the ball in order to provide a passage through the ball joint connection.

19. Ball joint connection as claimed in claim 18, whereby the ball is integrally shaped with a socket part and where at least one slit 14 is provided through the thickness of the ball from the top to the area of the socket part and preferably four slits 14 are provided dividing the ball into four quarters each connected to the socket part.

20. Ball joint connection as claimed in claim 19 whereby the spring element is shaped as a hollow tube section with a slit 18 provided along the length thereof, such that the tube may be slightly compressed in the circumferential direction when placed inside the ball.

21. Ball joint connection as claimed in claim 18, whereby the spherical member 11 has cut out portions 16 which cooperate with the socket part 13 to define the limitation of movement between the ball 10 and the spherical member 11.

22. Ball joint connection as claimed in claim 18, whereby the ball 10 through the socket part is connected to a first part of a communication device and where the spherical member 11 is connected to a second part of a communication device, and whereby electric leads pass through the hollow spring element 12 from the first to the second part of the communication device.

23. Ball joint connection as claimed in claim 22, whereby the first part of the communication device is a microphone boom arm of a headset, and the second part of the communication device comprises a battery and transmission part of the headset.

24. Headset comprising a battery and transmission part shaped to rest behind and above the ear lobe of a user, and a speaker and microphone part arranged to extend downwards in front of the ear canal, wherein the two parts are interlinked to pivot with respect to each other, wherein the battery and transmission part accommodates a battery as well as signal processing and transmission electronics, and the speaker and microphone part accommodates a speaker element and a microphone boom arm, whereby the two parts have mating surfaces such that a pivotal motion between the two, when the device is not at the ear, will bring a surface of the first part and a surface of the second part together whereby further a magnet is placed adjacently to one of the two mating surfaces, and a sensor responsive to the presence of a magnetic field is provided at the opposed mating surface such that the sensor will provide a signal indicative of the magnet being in close proximity and thus indicating that the two mating surface parts are either in close relationship or placed apart from each other.

25. Headset as claimed in claim 24, wherein the signal from the sensor is used to trigger a change of state of the headset.

26. Headset as claimed in claim 24, the signal produced by the sensor is used to trigger the generation of a sound signal by the speaker.

27. Headset as claimed in claim 24, wherein the signal produced by the sensor is used to trigger the generation of a light signal for visual display to the user.

28. Headset as claimed in claim 26, whereby a first sound signal is generated when the battery and transmission part is pivoted to lie along side the speaker and microphone part in order to signal a stand by condition or shut off action of the headset, and a second sound signal is generated when the battery and transmission part is pivoted away from the speaker and microphone part in order to signal an action of turning on or activating the headset.