Headphone cushioning

• US 4,856,118 A
• Filed: 02/11/1987
• Issued: 08/15/1989
• Est. Priority Date: 02/11/1987
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Bose Corporation
• Original Assignee: Bose Corporation
• Inventors: Sapiejewski, Roman
• Primary Examiner(s): NOT, DEFINED
• Application Number:
  US07/013,339
• Time in Patent Office: 916 Days
• Field of Search: 381/183, 381/187, 381/138, 381/72, 381/74, 2/209, 181/129, 5/449, 5/451
• US Class Current: 2/209
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 11/14 external, e.g. earcaps or earmuffs
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/1008 Earpieces of the supra-aural or circum-aural type

Abstract

A headphone cushion comprises two concentric rings of nonliquid gelatin-like silicone on a layer of soft, slow recovery foam enclosed in a thin stretchable layer of polyurethane skin.

Claims

1. A headphone cushion comprising,

at least one ring of compressible nonliquid silicone gel material that behaves like an elastic solid capable without perminent loss of size, or shape and that does not flow on a layer of foam material,

and a thin stretchable skin enclosing said ring and layer of foam material

said ring and foam layer coacting to provide a comfortable fit for the wearer of said cushion while providing a good acoustic seal.

2. A headphone cushion in accordance with claim 1 wherein said foam material is soft, slow recovery foam.

3. A headphone cushion in accordance with claim 1 wherein said skin is polyurethane.

4. A headphone cushion in accordance with claim 2 wherein said skin is polyurethane.

6. A headphone cushion in accordance with claim 2 wherein said thin stretchable skin is formed with at least one vent opening for allowing pressure equalization and coacting with said foam material for providing a slow recovery effect when headphones are removed and said cushion expands.

9. A headphone cushion in accordance with claim 1 and further comprising at least a second ring separated by a groove between the first and second of said rings.

11. A headphone cushion in accordance with claim 6 and further comprising at least a second ring separated by a groove between the first and second of said rings.

5. A headphone cushion in accordance with clam 1 wherein said thin stretchable skin is formed with at least one vent opening for allowing pressure equalization and coacting with said foam material for providing a slow recovery effect when headphones are removed and said cushion expands.

7. A headphone cushion in accordance with claim 5 and further comprising at least a second of said openings,

said openings being located on a diameter of said ring.

8. A headphone cushion in accordance with claim 7 and further comprising at least a second of said openings,

said openings being located on a diameter of said ring.

10. A headphone cushion in accordance with claim 5 and further comprising at least a second ring separated by a groove between the first and second of said rings.