Convertible cover headphones

• US 5,581,627 A
• Filed: 08/03/1994
• Issued: 12/03/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 08/03/1994
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Bradford E. Bowser, Gerard H. Leclair
• Original Assignee: Bradford E. Bowser, Gerard H. Leclair
• Inventors: LeClair, Gerard H., Bowser, Bradford E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Isen, Forester W.
• Assistant Examiner(s): NGUYEN, DUC MINH
• Application Number:
  US08/285,095
• Time in Patent Office: 853 Days
• Field of Search: 381/182, 381/183, 381/187, 381/180, 381/25, 381/188, 381/205, 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 1/1058 Manufacture or assembly
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 5/0335 Earpiece support, e.g. headbands or neckrests for monophonic headphones H04R1/105

Abstract

A band having opposed ends and adapted for spanning the head of a user between opposed ears, with each end of the band including an ear phone mounted in a base attached to said band and an interchangeable and replaceable decorative cover for each base mounting an ear phone to permit interchange with another cover of different design. In a method of customizing a set of headphones, the steps include (A) applying a removable decorative outer cover to at least one ear phone of the set; and (B) removing the outer cover and replacing it by a different decorative outer cover.

Claims

1. Apparatus comprising

a pre-biased, nonextensible band having opposed ends;

and symmetric ear pieces attached to the respective ends;

each ear piece including a base and an outer cover with said base having an adjustment channel and an ear phone mounted in said adjustment channel;

wherein said band has a span axis and said adjustment channel for mounting said ear phone extends in alignment with said span axis in said base.

2. Apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein each outer cover is interchangeable and replaceable.

3. Apparatus as defined in claim 2 wherein each ear phone is positioned within said base and said replaceable cover is removably connectable to said base to permit the interchange thereof with another cover of different design.

4. Apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said pre-biased band is molded from a plastic material characterized by spacial memory with a molecular orientation which restores said band to its initial configuration following any displacement of the ends thereof.

5. Apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said band is rigidly attached to the bases of said ear pieces and, following head placement with said ear pieces positioned to transfer sound into the ears of a user, maintains its initial ear contacting position during usage.

6. Apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said adjustment channel in said base includes a plurality of engagement recesses for said ear phone;

whereby said ear phone can be moved along said adjustment channel in said base to position said ear phone appropriately in relation to the ear of a user.

7. Apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said band is molded from styrene-acrilonitrile butadiene-acrilonitrile co-polymer plastic.

8. Apparatus as defined in claim 7 wherein said band is pre-biased to form a fixed angle of about 15 degrees between the end of said band and the attachment thereto of said base.

9. Apparatus comprising

a pre-biased, nonextensible band having opposed ends;

and symmetric ear pieces attached to the respective ends;

each ear piece including a base and an outer cover with said base having an adjustment channel and an ear phone mounted in said adjustment channel;

wherein said pre-biased band is molded from a plastic material characterized by spacial memory with a molecular orientation which restores said band to its initial configuration following any displacement of the ends thereof, and said band is rigidly attached to the bases of said ear pieces so that following head placement with said ear pieces positioned to transfer sound into the ears of a user the initial ear contacting position is maintained during usage.

10. Apparatus as defined in claim 9 wherein each outer cover is interchangeable and replaceable.

11. Apparatus as defined in claim 10 wherein each ear phone is positioned within said base and said replaceable cover is removably connectable to said base to permit the interchange thereof with another cover of different design.

12. Apparatus as defined in claim 9 wherein said pre-biased band forms an angle of about 15 degrees between each end of said band and the corresponding bases that mount the ear phones, and separate lines extend from respective ones of said ear phones to a jack which is insertable into an electrical signal source.

13. Apparatus as defined in claim 12 wherein said band has a span axis and said adjustment channel extends in said bases in alignment with the span axis of said band.

14. Apparatus as defined in claim 13 wherein said adjustment channel includes a plurality of engagement recesses for each of said ear phones;

thereby to allow each of said ear phones to be moved along said adjustment channel to position said ear phones appropriately in relation to the ears of a user.

15. Apparatus as defined in claim 14 wherein each of said bases has a retainer insert with prongs which engage prongs in said bases.

16. Apparatus comprising

a band having opposed ends and adapted for spanning the head of a user between opposed ears;

each end of said band including an ear phone mounted in a base attached to said band; and

an interchangeable and replaceable cover for each base mounting an ear phone;

wherein said band is pre-biased to form an angle of about 15 degrees between each end of said band and the corresponding bases that mount the ear phones and separate lines extend from respective ones of said ear phones to a jack which is insertable into an electrical signal source;

said band is pre-biased and nonextensible with opposed ends which are fixedly attached to respective bases, each with an adjustment channel for an ear phone which is mounted in said adjustment channel.

17. Apparatus as defined in claim 16 wherein said band has a span axis and said adjustment channel extends in said bases in alignment with the span axis of said band.

18. Apparatus as defined in claim 17 wherein said adjustment channel includes a plurality of engagement recesses for each of said ear phones;

thereby to allow each of said ear phones to be moved along said adjustment channel to position said ear phones appropriately in relation to the ears of a user.

19. Apparatus as defined in claim 18 wherein each of said bases has a retainer insert with prongs which engage prongs in said bases.

20. Apparatus as defined in claim 19 wherein said insert has an oval recess which accommodates an ear phone in a direct relationship between said retainer insert and an associated ear phone.