Aircraft headset

• US 6,295,366 B1
• Filed: 03/24/1999
• Issued: 09/25/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 03/24/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sonetics Holdings Inc.
• Original Assignee: Flightcom Corporation
• Inventors: VanderPloeg, Brian, Jensen, Christopher J., Inmon, Charles E., Wittenbrock, Stevan L., Haller, Larry D., Pileggi, James D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Kuntz, Curtis
• Assistant Examiner(s): Ni, Suhan
• Application Number:
  US09/275,513
• Time in Patent Office: 916 Days
• Field of Search: 381/370, 381/371, 381/372, 381/375, 381/376, 381/377, 381/378, 381/379, 381/FOR.149, 381/FOR.150, 181/128, 181/129, 181/137, 379/430, 455/90
• US Class Current: 381/374
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/1066 Constructional aspects of the interconnection between earpiece and earpiece support earpiece support for monophonic headphones H04R1/105; earpiece support for stereophonic headphones H04R5/0335
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/1083 Reduction of ambient noise active noise reduction per se G10K11/175; protective devices for the ear, e.g. providing acoustic protection A61F11/06
• 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

An aircraft headset includes a headset band, including a head element and a pair of ear cup supports slidably received in the head element, ear cups pivotally attached at one end of each ear cup support; and a microphone boom pivotally attached to one of the ear cups; an improved ear cup tensioning mechanism including a tongue extending laterally from each end of the headset band and a conformal tongue receiver located adjacent the other end of each ear cup support; wherein the tongue receiver is conformal with the tongue, and wherein the tongue and the tongue receiver are constructed and arranged to provide near-constant lateral pressure between the ear cups and a wearer'"'"'s head. An improved ear cup seal includes an outer seal covering formed of urethane-coated expanded vinyl; an inner flexible layer formed of scythed urethane foam; wherein the inner flexible layer has a memory which returns the ear seal to its original configuration when pressure is released therefrom, and wherein the ear cup seal has a variable configuration having its thickest region behind and below a wearer'"'"'s ear, along the wearer'"'"'s neck, and having its thinnest region adjacent the front of the wearer'"'"'s ear along the jaw line. An improved microphone housing includes a hard outer shell having a cavity therein; and sound-absorbing material located inside the outer shell which enclose the microphone element.

Claims

1. In an aircraft headset having a headset band, including a head element and a pair of ear cup supports slidably received in the head element, ear cups pivotally attached at one end of each ear cup support;

and a microphone boom pivotally attached to one of the ear cups;

an improved ear cup tensioning mechanism comprising;

a generally flat, parabolic-like shaped tongue extending laterally from each end of the headset band and a conformal tongue receiver located adjacent the other end of each ear cup support;

wherein said tongue receiver is conformal with said tongue, and wherein said tongue and said tongue receiver are constructed and arranged to provide near-constant lateral pressure between the ear cups and a wearer'"'"'s bead.

2. The improved ear cup tensioning mechanism of claim 1 wherein said tongue includes a narrowed tongue tip portion thereto, and wherein said tongue tip portion is in substantial point contact with said tongue receiver when an ear cup support withdrawn from the head element.

3. An aircraft headset having a headset band, including a bead element and a pair of ear cup supports slidably received in the head element, ear cups pivotally attached at one end of each ear cup support;

and a microphone boom pivotally attached to one of the ear cups;

comprising;

an ear cup tensioning mechanism including a generally flat, parabolic-like shaped tongue extending laterally from each end of the headset band and a conformal tongue receiver located adjacent the other end of each ear cup support;

wherein said tongue receiver is conformal with said tongue, and wherein said tongue and said tongue receiver are constructed and arranged to provide near-constant lateral pressure between the ear cups and a wearer'"'"'s head; and

an ear cup seal having an outer seal covering formed of expanded vinyl;

an inner flexible layer formed of scythed urethane foam;

wherein said inner flexible layer has a memory which returns said inner flexible layer to its original configuration when pressure is released therefrom, and wherein said ear cup seal has a variable configuration having its thickest region adjacent the bottom of a wearer'"'"'s ear and behind thereof, and having its thinnest region in front of a wearer'"'"'s ear and ahead thereof.

4. The aircraft headset of claim 3 wherein said outer seal covering includes a formed portion and a backing portion, and wherein said inner flexible layer is sealed within the portions of said outer seal covering;

and which further includes a backing plate sealed between said backing portion and said inner flexible layer.

5. The aircraft headset of claim 4 wherein said backing plate includes snap hook structures for securing said ear cup seal to the ear cup seal receiver.

6. The aircraft headset of claim 3 wherein said seal covering has a layer of urethane ink applied there over.

7. An aircraft headset having a headset band, including a head element and a pair of ear cup supports slidably received in the head element, ear cups pivotally attached at one end of each ear cup support;

and a microphone boom pivotally attached to one of the ear cups;

comprising;

an ear cup tensioning mechanism including a generally flat, parabolic-like shaped tongue extending laterally from each end of the headset band and a conformal tongue receiver located adjacent the other end of each ear cup support;

wherein said tongue receiver is conformal with said tongue, and wherein said tongue and said tongue receiver are constructed and arranged to provide near-constant lateral pressure between the ear cups and a wearer'"'"'s head; and

a microphone housing including an endcap which is received on the end of the microphone boom, and which has a cylindrical opening therein, forming an open cavity;

a bi-directional microphone pickup element received in said cavity, wherein said pickup element includes a felt disc fixed on the front and rear sides thereof, and wherein a foam sound absorbing mechanism is located said cavity on the front side of said microphone pickup element; and

a front housing element and a rear housing element secured to said endcap to form, with said endcap, a hard exterior for the microphone.

8. The aircraft headset of claim 7 wherein said foam buffer is formed of urethane foam, having a thickness of about one-eight on an inch thick.