Transport and/or storage container for rechargeable wireless earphones

• US 20100320961A1
• Filed: 06/30/2009
• Published: 12/23/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 06/22/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sonova Consumer Hearing GmbH (Sonova Holding AG)
• Original Assignee: Sennheiser Electronic GmbH & Company KG
• Inventors: Wilhelmsen, Sven, Castillo, Armando
• Granted Patent: US 9,013,145 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 320/107
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2207/40 adapted for charging from various sources, e.g. AC, DC or multivoltage
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/10 using inductive coupling
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/12 of the resonant type
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0044 specially adapted for holding portable devices containing batteries H02J7/0045 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0045 concerning the insertion or the connection of the batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/342 The other DC source being a battery actively interacting with the first one, i.e. battery to battery charging with circuits for polarity protection H02J7/0034
• 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 1/105 Earpiece supports, e.g. ear hooks for stereophonic headphones H04R5/0335
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2420/07 Applications of wireless loudspeakers or wireless microphones

Abstract

The invention concerns a transport and/or storage container with integrated charging function (100) for rechargeable wireless earphones (220, 240), comprising a container housing (110), at least one receiving unit (120, 140) for at least partially receiving a rechargeable wireless earphone (220, 240), and an electrical container charging contact (111) for connecting the transport and/or storage container (100) to an electrical energy source, wherein the receiving unit (120, 140) has an electrical coupling contact (122) cooperating with an electrical earphone charging contact (222) of a rechargeable wireless earphone (220, 240) when it is placed in the receiving unit (120, 140) for recharging and wherein the electrical container charging contact (111) and the electrical coupling contact (122) are in the form of mutually complementary electrical contacts.

Claims

1-14. -14. (canceled)

15. A container with integrated charging function for chargeable wireless receivers, the container comprising:

a container housing,

at least one receiving unit for at least partially receiving a chargeable wireless receiver, and

an electrical container-charging contact for connecting the container to an electrical energy source, the receiving unit comprising an electrical coupling contact which cooperates with an electrical receiver-charging contact of a chargeable wireless receiver when the latter is placed into the receiving unit for charging purposes, and the electrical container-charging contact and the electrical coupling contact being formed as electrical contacts complementary to each other.

16. The container according to claim 15, the electrical container-charging contact being formed as a socket and the electrical coupling contact being formed as a plug fitting into the socket.

17. The container according to claim 15 further comprising:

a chargeable battery unit for storing electrical energy, the container comprising a charging unit for charging a chargeable wireless receiver using the electrical energy stored in the chargeable battery unit so that the container enables a mobile charging of a chargeable wireless receiver.

18. The container according to claim 15, the receiving unit being designed to receive a chargeable wireless receiver at least partially and in a substantially form-locked manner.

19. The container according to claim 15 further comprising:

a chargeable wireless receiver, the chargeable wireless receiver comprising an electrical receiver-charging contact which cooperates with the electrical coupling contact when the chargeable wireless receiver is placed into the receiving unit for charging purposes, and the electrical container-charging contact and the electrical receiver-charging contact being formed as mutually corresponding electrical contacts.

20. The container according to claim 15 further comprising:

a chargeable transmitter for the wireless transmission of audio signals to a chargeable wireless receiver, the chargeable transmitter comprising an electrical transmitter-charging contact for connecting the chargeable transmitter to an electrical energy source, and the electrical container-charging contact and the electrical transmitter-charging contact being formed as mutually corresponding electrical contacts.

21. The container according to claim 15 further comprising:

a charging cable for connecting at least one of the container, the chargeable wireless receiver, or the chargeable transmitter to an electrical energy source, the charging cable comprising at least one electrical charging contact, and the electrical coupling contact and the electrical charging contact being formed as mutually corresponding electrical contacts.

22. The container according to claim 21, the charging cable comprising two electrical charging contacts, and the electrical coupling contact and the two electrical charging contacts being formed as mutually corresponding electrical contacts.

23. The container according to claim 21, the charging cable being connectable to a USB-interface as an electrical energy source.

24. A mobile charging station for charging at least one chargeable mobile electronic device comprising:

a chargeable battery unit for storing electrical energy,

an electrical charging contact for connecting the mobile charging station to an electrical energy source, and

at least one electrical coupling contact for connecting the mobile charging station to the chargeable mobile electronic device, the electrical coupling contact cooperating in such a way with an electrical device contact of the chargeable mobile electronic device that electrical energy can be transmitted from the chargeable battery unit into the chargeable mobile electronic device when the latter is connected to the mobile charging station for charging purposes, the electrical charging contact and the electrical coupling contact being formed as mutually complementary electrical contacts.

25. The mobile charging station according to claim 24, the mobile charging station being formed as a container for the at least one chargeable mobile electronic device, and the mobile charging station comprising at least one receiving unit for at least partially receiving the chargeable mobile electronic device, and the electrical coupling contact being attached in such a way that the electrical connection between the electrical coupling contact and the electrical device contact of the chargeable mobile electronic device is produced when the chargeable mobile electronic device is inserted into the receiving unit.

26. A wireless receiver system comprising at least one chargeable wireless receiver comprising a receiver housing, an electroacoustic transducer, a receiver battery for storing electrical energy, and an electrical receiver-charging contact for connection to an electrical energy source, and

a chargeable transmitter for the wireless transmission of audio signals to the at least one chargeable wireless receiver, which transmitter comprises a transmitter battery for storing electrical energy and an electrical transmitter-charging contact for connecting the chargeable wireless transmitter to an electrical energy source, the electrical receiver-charging contact having a design identical to that of the electrical transmitter-charging contact.