Headphone apparatus

• US 5,574,795 A
• Filed: 07/27/1994
• Issued: 11/12/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 07/31/1993
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Seki, Hideki
• Primary Examiner(s): Kuntz, Curtis
• Assistant Examiner(s): Le, Huyen D.
• Application Number:
  US08/281,113
• Time in Patent Office: 839 Days
• Field of Search: 381/183, 381/187, 381/188, 381/205, 381/25, 379/430, 181/128, 181/129
• US Class Current: 381/370
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/1008 Earpieces of the supra-aural or circum-aural type
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 5/0335 Earpiece support, e.g. headbands or neckrests for monophonic headphones H04R1/105

Abstract

A headphone apparatus includes a head band, a pair of headphone units and a suspender member. The head band is formed in a substantially U-shape by a member exhibiting pre-set toughness. A headphone unit is provided at each side of the head band. A suspender member mounted across both ends of the head band at a position above a location of attachment of the head band to said headphone unit. The suspender member is deformed along the contour of the head when the headphone apparatus is mounted on the head. The suspender member has a non-extendable section and an extendable section unified to the non-extendable section and extended and contracted along the length of the suspender member.

Claims

1. A headphone apparatus comprising:

a head band formed in a bent shape;

a headphone unit provided on each side of said head band;

a suspender member mounted between the two sides of the head band to respective positions above a location of attachment of the head band to said headphone unit on each side, said suspender member being entirely between said head band and said headphone unit deformed along the contour of the head when the headphone apparatus is mounted on the head, said suspender member having non-extendable sections and an extendable section unified to said non-extendable sections and extended and contracted along the length of said suspender member;

a pad member mounted on said suspender member for sheathing said extendable section; and

a pair of lubricous sheets arranged between the suspender member and said pad member for clamping said suspender member in-between and with a buffer member arranged between each of said lubricous sheets and said pad member.

2. A headphone apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said suspender member is made up of the extendable section and the non-extendable sections integrally formed of synthetic resin.

3. A headphone apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said extendable section is of a spring structure.

4. A headphone apparatus according to claim 3, wherein said extendable section is of a corrugated spring structure.

5. A headphone apparatus according to claim 3, wherein said suspender member is made up of plural deflectable segments and connecting segments interconnecting said deflectable segments, each of said deflectable segments having a gap at a mid portion, first and second sides parallel to and facing each other and substantially vee-shaped third and fourth sides, with the apices of the vee-shape pointing to each other, said connecting segments interconnecting recessed portions of the vee-shaped third and fourth sides.

6. A headphone apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said extendable section is constituted by plural deflectable segments deflectable along the length of the suspender member.

7. A headphone apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said suspender member is constituted by said extendable section and the non-extendable section on both sides of said extendable section.

8. A headphone apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said suspender member is constituted by said non-extendable sections and the extendable section, wherein said non-extendable sections are constituted by a first centrally disposed first non-extendable section and second and third non-extendable sections for attachment to said head band and wherein said extendable section is constituted by a first extendable section arranged between the first non-extendable section and the second non-extendable section and a second extendable section arranged between the first non-extendable section and the third non-extendable section.

9. A headphone apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said extendable section is constituted by an elastic member.

10. A headphone apparatus comprising:

a head band formed in a bent shape of a material exhibiting pre-set tenacity;

a pair of supports provided at both ends of said head band;

a pair of headphone units mounted at free ends of said supports; and

a suspender member mounted across both ends of the head band at a position above a location of attachment of the head band to said headphone unit, said suspender member having its both ends mounted at the proximal ends of each of the supports and being located entirely between said head band and said headphone units, said suspender member being deformed along the contour of the head when the headphone apparatus is mounted on the head, said suspender member having a non-extendable section and an extendable section unified to said non-extendable section, said extendable section being extended and contracted along the length of said suspender member;

wherein said head band is further provided with a pad member provided in said suspender member for sheathing said extendable section; and

wherein said head band also includes a pair of lubricous sheets provided between the suspender member and the pad member for clamping the suspender member in-between and a buffer member arranged between the lubricous sheets and said pad member.

11. A headphone apparatus according to claim 10, wherein said suspender member is made up of the extendable portion and the non-extendable portions integrally formed of synthetic resin.

12. A headphone apparatus according to claim 11, wherein said extendable section is constituted by plural deflectable portions deflectable along the length of said belt-shaped member and a connection portion interconnecting said deflectable portions.

13. A headphone apparatus according to claim 11, wherein said non-extendable sections are arranged on both sides of the extendable section.

14. A headphone apparatus according to claim 12, wherein said extendable section is constituted by an elastic member.