Flexible earhook

• US 6,418,230 B1
• Filed: 11/20/1998
• Issued: 07/09/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 11/20/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: GN Netcom/Unex Inc.
• Original Assignee: GN Netcom/Unex Inc.
• Inventors: Depiano, John, McDonald, James T., Freni, Joseph L., Heinz, Roy
• Primary Examiner(s): Le, Huyen
• Assistant Examiner(s): Ni, Suhan
• Application Number:
  US09/197,101
• Time in Patent Office: 1,327 Days
• Field of Search: 381/327, 381/330, 381/370, 381/374, 381/379, 381/381, 381/395, 379/426, 379/430, 379/431
• US Class Current: 381/381
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/10 Earpieces; Attachments therefor ; Earphones; Monophonic headphones H04R1/28 takes precedence; stereophonic headphones H04R5/033
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/1008 Earpieces of the supra-aural or circum-aural type
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/105 Earpiece supports, e.g. ear hooks for stereophonic headphones H04R5/0335
• 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

Abstract

A flexible earhook for positioning an earphone adjacent a wearer'"'"'s ear, the earhook including a mounting element capable of being provided with the earphone. The mounting element may be substantially annular. The earhook further includes a hook element comprising a material capable of being contoured and thereafter maintaining its shape. The hook element may comprise a wire. The hook element and the mounting element may be connected such that the flexible earhook can be used on either ear.

Claims

1. A flexible earhook for positioning an earphone adjacent a wearer'"'"'s ear, the flexible earhook comprising:

a mounting element capable of being provided with the earphone; and

a hook element connected to the mounting element, said hook element having a first generally rigid portion and a second generally flexible portion extending from said first portion, said flexible portion being capable of maintaining its shape in response to positioned by a user

and wherein the hook element and the mounting element are connected by a substantially cylindrical portion on the mounting element and by a hollow, substantially cylindrical housing on the hook element, wherein the cylindrical portion has a radially extending flange, and the housing having a plurality of slits to accommodate the flange.

2. The flexible earhook of claim 1, wherein said flexible portion includes a central core comprising a flexibly adjustable wire capable of being positioned by the user and then capable of maintaining it is shape.

3. The flexible earhook of claim 2, wherein said flexible portion includes a soft portion covering said wire to provide a cushioned surface for the wearer.

4. The flexible earhook of claim 3 wherein said soft portion has a generally elliptical cross-section.

5. The flexible earhook according to claim 1, wherein said rigid portion includes a first section being affixed to said mounting element and having an upper surface of rigid material and a lower surface positioned to contact the wearer'"'"'s ear being soft to provide a cushioned surface for the wearer.

6. The flexible earhook according to claim 5 wherein said rigid portion is rotatably affixed to said first section.

7. The flexible earhook of claim 1, wherein a soft portion extends continuously between said rigid and flexible portions.

8. The flexible earhook of claim 1, wherein the hook element and the mounting element are connected such that the flexible earhook can be used on either ear.

9. A flexible earhook for positioning an earphone adjacent a wearer'"'"'s ear, the flexible earhook comprising:

a) a mounting element capable of receiving and retaining an earphone;

b) a rotatable swivel member extending generally perpendicularly from said mounting element about an axis extending upwardly from said mounting element, said rotatable member having a top surface distance from said mounting element and having a radially extending flange;

c) a hook element having a substantially cylindrical housing with a plurality of slits to accommodate the flange, to be connected to said rotatable swivel member, said hook element having a first generally rigid portion and a second generally flexible portion extending from said first portion, and

wherein said rigid portion Includes a radiused portion extending away from said swivel member and sloping upwardly, so that said raidiused portion resides substantially in a plane above the top of said swivel member.