HEADPHONE APPARATUS

• US 20100310093A1
• Filed: 12/12/2008
• Published: 12/09/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 12/12/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Able Planet Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Able Planet Incorporated
• Inventors: Semcken, Kevin R.
• Granted Patent: US 8,605,932 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 381/104
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/1008 Earpieces of the supra-aural or circum-aural type
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/1033 Cables or cables storage, e.g. cable reels cord reels per se H02G11/02; arrangements for storing and repeatedly paying-out and re-storing lengths of conductors or cables B65H75/34; extensible conductors or cables, e.g. self-coiling cords H01B7/06
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/1041 Mechanical or electronic switches, or control elements switches in general H01H
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/1058 Manufacture or assembly

Abstract

A single chamber headphone apparatus and earcup design is provided which enhances wearer comfort, reduces headphone weight, facilitates ease of use, maintenance and operation by providing an improved internal chamber and battery cap configuration. Sound quality is improved by eliminating acoustic problems associated with two-chamber headset designs. A volume balance control is also provided.

Claims

1. A headphone apparatus comprising:

a pair of earphones, each earphone including an earcup, each earcup having an outer shell defining an internal chamber adapted to fit over a wearer'"'"'s right and left outer ears respectively;

electronics, circuitry, microphones, at least one speaker including a diaphragm and associated driving members mounted in the internal chamber for operation of the headphone and the transformation of electrical signals into acoustical signals for transmission to the left and right inner ear canals of the wearer;

means for mounting the driver and driving member in the internal chamber;

an adjustable headband adapted to fit a user'"'"'s head and having a first and second end portion, each end portion including a yoke member secured thereto, each yoke member being structured and arranged to pivotally mount one of the earcups respectively;

a battery compartment formed in the outer shell of at least one of the earcups;

a battery cap detachably secured to the outer shell for containing at least one battery in the battery compartment; and

means for detachably securing the battery cap to the outer shell.

2. The headphone of claim 1 wherein the driver mounting means comprises an arm secured to a frame adapted to be mounted inside the inner chamber, the frame including a generally circumferentially-shaped outer annular portion adapted to be fitted into the earcup, an inner ring element connected to the arm and the driver assembly, and a plurality of arm members disposed axially about the ring element and having first and second end portions, the first end portion being connected to the ring element, and the second end portion being connected to the frame.

3. The headphone of claim 2 wherein the arm members define a plurality of spaces, the spaces being structured and arranged to permit the free-flow of acoustic energy from an area in the inner chamber located behind the diaphragm to the portion of the chamber positioned between the diaphragm and the outer ear.

4. The headphone of claim 2 wherein the arm members comprise wire spokes.

5. The headphone of claim 4 further including a supporting framework structured and arranged to provide structural support to the wire spokes.

6. The headphone of claim 1 wherein the driver mounting means comprises a maze structure having a plurality of irregularly shaped, spaced apart slots structured and arranged to collimate air flow and acoustic energy as it passes from an area in the inner chamber located behind the diaphragm to the portion of the chamber positioned between the diaphragm and the outer ear.

7. The headphone of claim 1 wherein the driver mounting means comprises a table assembly mounted in the inner chamber of the earcup.

8. The headphone assembly of claim 7 including a printed circuit board containing the circuitry and electronics for the operation of the headphone assembly mounted intermediate the battery compartment and the table assembly.

9. The headphone assembly of claim 1 wherein the battery cap includes a body portion adapted to be removably mounted over the battery compartment, the body portion including an outer surface having a speaker aperture formed therein and an inner surface adapted to fit over the battery compartment.

10. The headphone assembly of claim 9 wherein the battery cap includes at least one reinforcing rib affixed thereto.

11. The headphone assembly of claim 9 further including at least one upper lug positioned on a first end portion of the inner surface and at least one lower lug positioned on a second end portion of the inner surface of the battery cap, each of the at least one upper and lower lugs being adapted to be removably received in a corresponding aperture formed in the earcup.

12. The headphone of claim 1 including means for selectively psychoacoustically calibrating, adjusting and balancing the sound volume in each earcup.

13. The headphone of claim 12 wherein the volume balancing means includes a control device adapted to permit a wearer having monaural hearing loss to selectively increase sound volume directed to an ear having hearing loss without increasing sound volume directed to an ear having no hearing loss.

14. The headphone of claim 12 wherein the balancing means includes a calibration device adapted to provide clear, centered sound tones, the calibration device being operatively connected to the balancing means whereby the wearer may selectively adjust and set a perceived sound balance center point psychoacoustically in response to the wearer'"'"'s level of hearing loss.

15. A method for balancing sound volume in a headphone apparatus having a pair of headphones adapted to fit over a wearer'"'"'s right and left outer ears respectively, the method comprising:

coupling a volume balance control device to the headphone apparatus;

operatively connecting a calibration device to the balance control device, the calibration device being adapted to provide true centered volume of a sound transmission to each of the headphones;

resetting the center point in response to the wearer'"'"'s psychoacoustic perception of centered, balanced sound volume; and

locking the balance control at the wearer'"'"'s psychoacoustically perceived center, whereby all sounds subsequently delivered to the headphone apparatus will be calibrated to the balance of the original sound transmission.