HEADSET

• US 20080260198A1
• Filed: 06/10/2008
• Published: 10/23/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 05/09/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GN Netcom A/S (GN Store Nord A/S)
• Original Assignee: GN Netcom A/S (GN Store Nord A/S)
• Inventors: Pedersen, Charles L., Rath, Klaus
• Granted Patent: US 7,995,746 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 381/381
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/05 specially adapted for use on head, throat or breast
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/02 including a Bluetooth interface
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/083 Special constructions of mouthpieces
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/1008 Earpieces of the supra-aural or circum-aural type
• 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 1/1058 Manufacture or assembly
• 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 2201/107 Monophonic and stereophonic headphones with microphone for two-way hands free communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2201/109 Arrangements to adapt hands free headphones for use on both ears
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2420/07 Applications of wireless loudspeakers or wireless microphones

Abstract

Communication unit comprising a housing (1) in which at least one transducer is placed, and on which a micro-phone arm (2) is suspended. The housing also has an ear hook (6) for fastening the communication unit to the head of a user. The microphone arm (2) is pivotally connected to the housing (1) by a hinge link (3, 4, 5) at an outer area of the housing, and so that the microphone arm (2) can be moved between a position in which it lies up against the housing (1), and a position in which it extends away from the housing. The microphone arm has a length, which in the main is less than or of the same order as the greatest extent of the housing, so that in the folded-in state the microphone arm does not project out over the circumference of the housing. The communication unit can be used on both the right and the left side of the head, in that the ear hook (6) can be suspended in two different positions.

Claims

1. Communication unit comprising a housing in which at least one transducer is placed, and on which a microphone arm is suspended, said housing also having means for securing the communication unit to the head of a user, wherein the means for securing the communication device to the head of a user consists of an ear hook, an ear ring or the like, and in that the microphone arm is pivotally connected to the housing by a hinge link at an outer area of the housing, said hinge link having a pivot axis which is perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the microphone arm, and such that the microphone arm can be moved between a first position in which it lies up against the housing, and a second position in which it extends away from the housing, and that the microphone arm is of a length which in the main is less than or of the same order as the greatest extent of the housing.

2. Communication unit according to claim 1, wherein the microphone arm is pivotally connected to the housing in such a manner that an axis of rotation for the microphone arm is lying in a plane which is substantially parallel with at least a part of a side surface for the housing.

3. Communication unit according to claim 1, wherein the microphone arm is connected to the housing by means of two hinge pins which extend out from a side surface of the housing, and that a first end part of the microphone arm has a hinge part which corresponds to and is disposed between the two hinge pins.

4. Communication unit according to claim 1, wherein a contact arrangement is associated with the microphone arm, for example a changeover switch, so that this contact arrangement is activated by the movement of the microphone arm from the first position to the second position and/or vice versa.

5. Communication unit according to claim 1, wherein a locking or securing device is associated with the microphone arm, so that the microphone arm is released from the first position by means of a release arrangement, and that the release arrangement possibly also activates a changeover arrangement, for example a switch.

6. Communication unit according to claim 1, wherein a microphone is built into the communication unit, either in the housing or in the microphone arm, in which case the electrical connections to this microphone are effected via the hinge link.

7. Communication unit according to claim 1, wherein the communication unit is configured for wireless communication, and that the communication unit supports or contains an antenna for wireless communication, which antenna is either contained in or supported by the housing, or is contained in or supported by the microphone arm.

8. Communication unit according to claim 7, wherein the antenna comprises a coating on a surface in or on the housing or the microphone arm, for example on a side surface of the microphone arm, preferably an inner side surface.

9. Communication unit according to claim 7, wherein the electrical connection to the antenna is effected via the hinge link, possibly via electrically conductive coatings on one or both hinge pins and the hinge part of the microphone arm, respectively.

10. Communication unit according to claim 3, wherein

the ear hook, the ear ring or the like is pivotally connected to the housing by means of a securing part, preferably by means of the hinge pins on the housing, and that the housing preferably has a recess corresponding to the ear hook or the ear ring.

11. Communication unit according to claim 10, that wherein the means for fastening the communication unit to the head of a user can be pivotally connected to the housing in at least two positions, whereby the communication unit can be worn by a user on either the right or the left side of the head.

12. Communication unit according to claim 11, wherein it further comprises a signal arrangement with means for optical signaling, e.g. in the form of a miniature light emitter.

13. Communication unit according to claim 2 wherein the signal arrangement is placed on or in the microphone arm.

14. Communication unit according to claim 13, wherein the signal arrangement is encapsulated in an item of relatively soft material, e.g. soft plastic or rubber, said item reaching out to the upper surface of the microphone arm via at least one opening, and possibly extending a slightly further distance out over the surface.

15. Communication unit according to claim 10, wherein the ear hook is configured integral with a bridge part which extends over the hinge pins and the hinge part, and is in engagement with the hinge pins.