HEADSET

• US 20100296684A1
• Filed: 05/20/2009
• Published: 11/25/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 05/20/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Peter Eberl, Rolf Eberl
• Original Assignee: Peter Eberl, Rolf Eberl
• Inventors: Eberl, Peter, Eberl, Rolf
• Granted Patent: US 8,538,058 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 381/378
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/1008 Earpieces of the supra-aural or circum-aural type
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/1075 Mountings of transducers in earphones or headphones
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 5/033 Headphones for stereophonic communication details thereof, e.g. relating to batteries, cables or control elements H04R1/10

Abstract

A headset has first and second connectors and first and second earphones. A first electrical pathway extends from a first contact point associated with the first connector to a first contact point associated with said second connector, a second electrical pathway extends from a second contact point associated with the first connector to a second contact point associated with the second connector, and a third electrical pathway extends from a third contact point associated with the first connector to a third contact point associated with the second connector. One or both earphones are connected between the first pathway and the third pathway and neither the first earphone nor the second earphone is connected between the first pathway and the second pathway. The first and second earphones may be mounted at fixed angles such that the earphones project rearwardly and outwardly over, in spaced relation to, and approximately parallel to, ears of a user.

Claims

1. A headset comprising:

a first connector;

a second connector;

a first earphone;

a second earphone;

a first electrical pathway extending from a first contact point associated with said first connector to a first contact point associated with said second connector;

a second electrical pathway extending from a second contact point associated with said first connector to a second contact point associated with said second connector;

a third electrical pathway extending from a third contact point associated with said first connector to a third contact point associated with said second connector;

at least one of said first earphone and said second earphone connected between said first pathway and said third pathway and neither said first earphone nor said second earphone connected between said first pathway and said second pathway.

2. The headset of claim 1 wherein said first earphone is connected between said first pathway and said third pathway and further comprising a fourth electrical pathway from a fourth contact point associated with said first connector to a fourth contact point associated with said second connector and wherein said second earphone is connected between said first pathway and said fourth pathway.

3. The headset of claim 1 wherein said first contact point associated with said first connector is located at a corresponding location to said first contact point associated with said second connector, said second contact point associated with said first connector is located at a corresponding location to said second contact point associated with said second connector, and said third contact point associated with said first connector is located at a corresponding location to said third contact point associated with said second connector so that a complementary connector which, when connected to said first connector, is electrically connected to said first contact point associated with said first connector, said second contact point associated with said first connector, and said third contact point associated with said first connector is, when electrically connected to said second connector, electrically connected to said first contact point associated with said second connector, said second contact point associated with said second connector, and said third contact point associated with said second connector.

4. The headset of claim 2 wherein said first contact point associated with said first connector is located at a corresponding location to said first contact point associated with said second connector, said second contact point associated with said first connector is located at a corresponding location to said second contact point associated with said second connector, said third contact point associated with said first connector is located at a corresponding location to said third contact point associated with said second connector, and said fourth contact point associated with said first connector is located at a corresponding location to said fourth contact point associated with said second connector so that a connector which, when connected to said first connector, is electrically connected to said first contact point associated with said first connector, said second contact point associated with said first connector, said third contact point associated with said first connector, and said fourth contact point associated with said first connector is, when connected to said second connector, electrically connected to said first contact point associated with said second connector, said second contact point associated with said second connector, said third contact point associated with said second connector, and said fourth contact point associated with said second connector.

5. The headset of claim 3 wherein each of said first connector and said second connector is a receptacle and wherein said complementary connector is a plug configured for reception in each said receptacle.

6. The headset of claim 3 further comprising a microphone and complementary connector assembly where said microphone has one side electrically connected to a first contact point on said complementary connector and another side electrically connected to a second contact point on said complementary connector such that, when said complementary connector is plugged into either said first connector or said second connector, said microphone is connected across said first electrical pathway and said second electrical pathway.

7. The headset of claim 1 further comprising a generally U-shaped headband having said first connector at a first end and said second connector at an opposite second end.

8. The headset of claim 7 further comprising a first temple pad adjacent said first end and a second temple pad adjacent said second end.

9. The headset of claim 8 wherein said first earphone is mounted to said headband adjacent said first end at a fixed first angle and said second earphone is mounted to said headband adjacent said second end at a fixed second angle.

10. The headset of claim 9 wherein said fixed first angle is equal and opposite to said fixed second angle such that said first earphone and said second earphone angle outwardly away from said headband.

11. The headset of claim 10 wherein said first angle ranges between thirty and sixty degrees to a plane transverse to said headset.

12. The headset of claim 10 wherein said first earphone and said second earphone extend rearwardly from said temple pads such that, in use, with said temple pads positioned at temples of a wearer, said earphones project rearwardly and outwardly over, in spaced relation to, and approximately parallel to, ears of said wearer whereby said wearer remains exposed to ambient sounds and remains able to distinguish directionality of ambient sounds.

13. The headset of claim 1 wherein both said first earphone and said second earphone are connected between said first pathway and said third pathway.

14. A headset comprising:

a headband;

a first earphone mounted to said headband at a first fixed angle;

a second earphone mounted to said headband at a second fixed angle;

said fixed first angle being equal and opposite to said fixed second angle such that said first earphone and said second earphone angle outwardly away from said headband;

a first temple pad extending from said headband adjacent said first earphone;

a second temple pad extending from said headband adjacent said second earphone;

wherein said first earphone and said second earphone extend rearwardly such that, in use, with said temple pads positioned at temples of a wearer, said earphones project rearwardly and outwardly over, in spaced relation to, and approximately parallel to, ears of said user whereby said user remains exposed to ambient sounds and remains able to distinguish directionality of ambient sounds.

15. The headset of claim 14 wherein said first angle ranges between thirty and sixty degrees to a plane transverse to said headset.