Electrical Charging Case for Wireless Headsets

• US 20170104352A1
• Filed: 10/08/2015
• Published: 04/13/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 10/08/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Headphone Events, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Headphone Events, Inc.
• Inventors: Whitson, III, Roy Elliott, Stratton, Alan Kenneth, Varanka, Michael
• Granted Patent: US 9,742,208 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2310/22 The load being a portable electronic device
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0013 acting upon several batteries simultaneously or sequentially H02J7/1423 takes precedence
• 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: H04R 1/1025 Accumulators or arrangements for charging secondary cells per se H01M10/00; charging in general H02J7/00
• 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 charging case for a plurality of headsets is disclosed. Each headset includes two headphone units connected together in opposing relationship along a diametric axis by a headband. Each headset contains a battery and a charge receiving circuit coupled to the battery. The charging case comprises a portable, cylindrically shaped carrying case and a charging station contained in the carrying case. The charging station includes a plurality of charging receptacles and a charge distribution circuit. The charging receptacles are disposed in a circular pattern about a center area and are configured to support the headsets, respectively, in an orientation where the diametric axes of the headsets are positioned radially in the circular pattern. The distribution circuit distributes electricity to the charging receptacles. At each receptacle electricity is transferred to the charge receiving circuit of a headset when the headset is in the receptacle, to charge the battery of the headset.

Claims

1. An electrical charging case for storing and charging a plurality of headsets, each headset including first and second headphone units connected together in opposing relationship along a diametric axis by a headband, and each headset containing a battery and a charge receiving circuit coupled to the battery, said charging case comprising:

(a) a portable carrying case; and

(b) a charging station, contained in said carrying case, including—

(i) a plurality of charging receptacles disposed in a circular pattern about a center area and configured to receive and support the plurality of headsets, respectively, in an orientation where the diametric axes of the headsets are positioned radially in the circular pattern, and

(ii) a charge distribution circuit, coupled to the plurality of charging receptacles, for distributing electricity to each of the charging receptacles, the charge distribution circuit having a charge transfer mechanism associated with each of the charging receptacles, the charge transfer mechanism of each receptacle transferring the electricity distributed to the receptacle to the charge receiving circuit of a headset of the plurality of headsets when the headset is supported in the receptacle, whereby the battery of the headset receives the electricity and is charged thereby.

2. The electrical charging case of claim 1, wherein said charging station further includes a base containing the charging receptacles.

3. The electrical charging case of claim 2, wherein the base is a separate part from the charging receptacles, the charging receptacles being received and secured in the base.

4. The electrical charging case of claim 2, wherein the base and the charging receptacles are integrally formed in a unitary structure.

5. The electrical charging case of claim 4, wherein the unitary structure of the base and the charging receptacles is made of a foam material.

6. The electrical charging case of claim 4, wherein the unitary structure of the base and the charging receptacles is made of a plastic material.

7. The electrical charging case of claim 1, wherein said charging station further includes

(iii) a charging bay located at the center area and configured to receive and support a transmitter, the transmitter containing a battery and a charge receiving circuit coupled to the battery and being adapted to wirelessly transmit audio signals to the plurality of headsets, the charge distribution circuit being further coupled to the charging bay for distributing electricity to the bay, the charge distribution circuit having a charge transfer mechanism for transferring electricity from the bay to the charge receiving circuit of the transmitter when the transmitter is supported in the bay, whereby the battery of the transmitter receives the electricity and is charged thereby.

8. The electrical charging case of claim 7, wherein said charging station further includes a base, and wherein the base, the charging receptacles and the charging bay are integrally formed in a unitary structure.

9. The electrical charging case of claim 1, wherein said carrying case is cylindrically shaped.

10. The electrical charging case of claim 1, wherein said carrying case contains a storage space bound by a cylindrical wall, the charging receptacles being contained in the storage space and being closely spaced in the circular pattern about the center area.

11. The electrical charging case of claim 10, wherein the circular pattern of the charging receptacles is in close concentric relationship with the cylindrical wall.

12. The electrical charging case of claim 11, wherein said charging station further includes

(iii) a charging bay located at the center area and in close concentric relationship with the circular pattern of the charging receptacles.

13. The electrical charging case of claim 12, wherein said carrying case has a base shell and a lid shell connected to the base shell by a hinge, the lid shell being movable about the hinge between a closed position and an open position, in the closed position the lid shell is together with the base shell such that said carrying case is closed, in the open position the lid shell is away from the base shell such that said carrying case is open.

14. The electrical charging case of claim 13, wherein the base shell has a circular base panel and a cylindrical base wall extending substantially perpendicular to and around the circular base panel, to define a base compartment,

and wherein the lid shell has a circular lid panel and a cylindrical lid wall extending substantially perpendicular to and around the circular lid panel, to define a lid compartment.

15. The electrical charging case of claim 14, wherein the cylindrical base wall and the cylindrical lid wall each have a flat segment, the flat segments adjoining each other and being joined together by the hinge, the flat segments together forming a case base when said carrying case is closed, whereby the case base supports said carrying case in an upright position.

16. The electrical charging case of claim 15, wherein the cylindrical base wall has an interior side associated with the base compartment and an exterior side, said carrying case further including a handle, mounted to the exterior side of the base wall at a point opposing the case base, for manually carrying said carrying case when said case is closed.

17. The electrical charging case of claim 16, wherein said charging station is supported in the base shell and substantially occupies the base compartment.

18. The electrical charging case of claim 1, wherein said charging station includes a foam base having a top side and a bottom side, the top side containing a plurality of receptacle cavities in which the plurality of charging receptacles are mounted, respectively.

19. The electrical charging case of claim 18, wherein said foam base further contains a center hole extending between the top and bottom sides, the center hole being in substantial registration with the center area associated with the circular pattern of the charging receptacles, and wherein said charging station further includes a charging bay located in and extending through the center hole of the foam base.

20. The electrical charging case of claim 18, wherein the charge distribution circuit includes a plurality of individual charging circuits coupled to the plurality of charging receptacles, respectively, the charging circuits being mounted to the foam base, on the bottom side, in substantial alignment with the charging receptacles, respectively.

21. The electrical charging case of claim 1, wherein the charge distribution circuit includes a plurality of individual charging circuits associated with the plurality of charging receptacles, respectively.

22. An electrical charging case, comprising:

(a) a plurality of wireless headsets, each headset including first and second headphone units connected together in opposing relationship along a diametric axis by a headband, and each headset containing a battery and a charge receiving circuit coupled to the battery;

(b) a portable carrying case; and

(c) a charging station, contained in said carrying case, including—

(i) a plurality of charging receptacles disposed in a circular pattern about a center area and configured to receive and support said plurality of headsets, respectively, in an orientation where the diametric axes of said headsets are positioned radially in the circular pattern, and

(ii) a charge distribution circuit, coupled to the plurality of charging receptacles, for distributing electricity to each of the charging receptacles, the charge distribution circuit having a charge transfer mechanism associated with each of the charging receptacles, the charge transfer mechanism of each receptacle transferring the electricity distributed to the receptacle to the charge receiving circuit of a headset of said plurality of headsets when the headset is supported in the receptacle, whereby the battery of the headset receives the electricity and is charged thereby.

23. The electrical charging case of claim 22, wherein said carrying case is cylindrically shaped.

24. The electrical charging case of claim 22, further comprising a transmitter located at the center area of said charging station, said transmitter being adapted to wirelessly transmit audio signals to the plurality of headsets.

25. The electrical charging case of claim 22, further comprising a transmitter adapted to wirelessly transmit audio signals to the plurality of headsets, said transmitter containing a battery and a charge receiving circuit coupled to the battery, and wherein said charging station further includes—

(iii) a charging bay located at the center area and configured to receive and support said transmitter, the charge distribution circuit being further coupled to the charging bay for distributing electricity to the charging bay, the charge distribution circuit having a charge transfer mechanism for transferring the electricity distributed to the bay to the charge receiving circuit of said transmitter when said transmitter is supported in the bay, whereby the battery of said transmitter receives the electricity and is charged thereby.

26. A method of storing and charging a plurality of wireless headsets, each headset including first and second headphone units connected together in opposing relationship along a diametric axis by a headband, and each headset containing a battery and a charge receiving circuit coupled to the battery, said method comprising the steps of:

(a) utilizing a portable carrying case and a charging station contained in the carrying case;

(b) arranging the plurality of headsets in the charging station in a circular pattern about a center area and in an orientation where the diametric axes of the headsets are positioned radially in the circular pattern;

(c) distributing electricity to the charging station;

(d) transferring the electricity from the charging station to the charge receiving circuits of the plurality of headsets; and

(e) charging the batteries of the headsets using the electricity from the charge receiving circuits, respectively.

27. The method of claim 26, wherein the portable carrying case is cylindrically shaped and step (a) includes utilizing the portable cylindrically shaped carrying case.

28. The method of claim 26, further comprising the step of:

(f) locating a transmitter at the center area, the transmitter being adapted to transmit audio signals to the headsets.

29. The method of claim 26, further comprising the steps of:

(f) locating a transmitter at the center area, the transmitter containing a battery and a charge receiving circuit coupled to the battery and being adapted to transmit audio signals to the headsets;

(g) transferring the electricity from the charging station to the charge receiving circuit of the transmitter; and

(h) charging the battery of the transmitter using the electricity from the charge receiving circuit of the transmitter.