Headset

• US 6,130,953 A
• Filed: 06/09/1998
• Issued: 10/10/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 06/11/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Knowles Electronics Incorporated (Knowles Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Knowles Electronics Incorporated (Knowles Corporation)
• Inventors: Wagner, Maria A., Wilton, Raymond J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Chan, Wing F.
• Assistant Examiner(s): DABNEY, PHYLESHA LARVINIA
• Application Number:
  US09/094,276
• Time in Patent Office: 854 Days
• Field of Search: 381/370, 381/374, 381/376, 381/379, 381/383, 381/386, 381/377, 381/375, 381/FOR 140, 381/FOR 150, 379/430
• US Class Current: 381/375
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/05 specially adapted for use on head, throat or breast
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/1008 Earpieces of the supra-aural or circum-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 2201/107 Monophonic and stereophonic headphones with microphone for two-way hands free communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 5/0335 Earpiece support, e.g. headbands or neckrests for monophonic headphones H04R1/105

Abstract

A headset including a housing, a resilient, convex headband fixed to the housing, an earphone fixed to the housing and displaceable relative to one end of the headband and a microphone fixed to a swivel arm that is on the housing. The headband has two spaced hinge joints arranged such that interconnected portions of the headband are pivotable towards one another from a position of use into a closed position in which the portions face one another. A retainer locks the headband in the closed position.

Claims

1. A headset comprising:

a housing,

a resilient, convex headband fixed to the housing,

an earphone fixed to the housing and displaceable relative to one end of the headband,

a microphone fixed to a swivel arm that is fixed to the housing;

the headband having first, second and third segments which pivot outwardly into an operating position defined by a generally continuous arcuate shape and which pivot inwardly into a closed position such that the first and third segments lay over the second segment with inner surfaces of the first and third segments generally facing the inner surface of the second segment;

a retainer for locking the headband in the closed position;

wherein two of said segments of the headband are pivotable on the hinge joints into the closed position in which all the segments of the headband are positioned adjacent the housing; and

an infrared transmitting diode and an infrared receiving diode arranged in the earphone, and wherein the earphone is rotatable relative to the housing about an axis so that the transmitting and receiving diodes are directable in the line of sight of the wearer and form an infrared transmission line to a base station.

2. A headset according to claim 1 wherein the earphone has an attachment clip forming a free space for attaching the earphone to the ear of the wearer and extending through at least 180 degrees.

3. A headset according to claim 2 wherein the retainer comprises two attachment clips of the earphone, the free ends of the attachment clips being at a distance apart corresponding at least to the width of one of the interconnected portions of the headband, the earphone being rotatable about an axis of rotation so that one of the attachment clips engages behind said one of the interconnected portions of the headband in the closed position and thereby locks the headband in the closed position.

4. A headset according to claim 1 wherein cooperating elements of the retainer are mounted on segments of the headband which are adjacent to one another in the closed position, the elements positively engageable for locking the headband in the closed position.

5. A headset according to claim 1 wherein two of said segments of the headband are pivotable on the hinge joints into the closed position in which all the segments of the headband are positioned as close to the housing as possible.

6. A headset comprising

a foldable headband comprising a plurality of headband sections so interconnected and so shaped that when unfolded and worn by a user the headband extends around the head and on the sides of the head toward the ears of the user;

said headband being resilient for gripping of the headset on the head;

a housing carried by the headband at one end thereof, said housing extending alongside the head of the user and over the ear of the user at the side of the head as the headset is worn;

an earphone on the housing engageable with the ear on said side of the head as the headset is worn;

an arm pivoted at one end thereof on the housing and having a free end;

a microphone on the arm at said free end;

said arm being swingable to bring the microphone into speaking position adjacent the mouth of the user as the headset is worn;

said headband being foldable to a collapsed condition in which said sections lie generally alongside one another for storage and transportation;

a retainer for releasably locking the headband in said collapsed condition; and

wherein the headband comprises a central section convexly curved with respect to the head, said central section being resiliently flexible and establishing the resiliency of the headband, and side sections pivotably connected to opposite ends of said central section which, in the unfolded condition of the headband, extend on the sides of the head toward the ears of the user as the headset is worn by the user, each said side section being of adjustable length.

7. A headset according to claim 6 wherein the side sections of the headband are pivotably connected to the ends of the central section for swinging movement on axes extending transversely to the headband and each pivotal connection has a stop for limiting swinging movement of each side section to a position in which the side section extends from the respective end of the central section in continuation of said central section so as to extend therefrom toward the ear on the respective side of the head.

8. A headset according to claim 6 wherein the earphone is rotatable so that the earphone is adaptable to be worn over the left ear or the right ear.

9. A headset according to claim 6 wherein the earphone has an attachment clip forming a free space for attaching the earphone to the ear of the wearer and extending through at least 180 degrees.

10. A headset according to claim 6 wherein the retainer comprises two attachment clips of the earphone, the free ends of the attachment clips being at a distance apart corresponding at least to the width of one of the interconnected portions of the headband, the earphone being rotatable about an axis of rotation so that one of the attachment clips engages behind said one of the interconnected portions of the headband in the closed position and thereby locks the headband in the closed position.

11. A headset according to claim 6 wherein cooperating elements of the retainer are mounted on segments of the headband which are adjacent to one another in the closed position, the elements positively engageable for locking the headband in the closed position.

12. A headset comprising:

a housing;

a resilient, convex headband fixed to the housing;

an earphone fixed to the housing and displaceable relative to one end of the headband;

a microphone fixed to a swivel arm that is fixed to the housing; and

infrared transmitting diode and an infrared receiving diode arranged in the earphone, and wherein the earphone is rotatable relative to the housing about an axis so that the transmitting and receiving diodes are directable in the line of sight of the wearer and form an infrared transmission line to a base station.