Electroacoustic communication device for use on protective headgear

• US 6,608,908 B1
• Filed: 09/14/1998
• Issued: 08/19/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 01/12/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: MSA Production France
• Original Assignee: Gallet SA
• Inventors: Galet, Adrien, Maden, Bernard
• Primary Examiner(s): LE, HUYEN D
• Application Number:
  US09/101,601
• Time in Patent Office: 1,800 Days
• Field of Search: 381/361, 381/367, 381/376, 381/FOR.148, 220/9, 290/6, 379/430, 455/90, 455/351
• US Class Current: 381/376
• CPC Class Codes: A42B 3/30 Mounting radio sets or communication systems
• 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 1/1058 Manufacture or assembly
• 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

An electroacoustic communication device (1) including a sensor, e.g. a microphone, and an earphone, and, suitable for use on protective headgear (30). The sensor and the earphone are arranged in a housing (4) and connecting means are provided for attaching the housing (4) to the headgear (30).

Claims

1. A protective headgear equipped with an electroacoustic communication device comprising:

a case including;

an acoustic pick-up, and

a speaker;

an integral external principle shell made of rigid material including two lateral wall portions covering and corresponding to zones occupied by ears of a user; and

connection means to removably attach and position said case inside of said principle shell in one of the zones occupied by the ear of the user, the connection means including;

a removable connection between the case of the communication device and the external principle shell.

2. A protective headgear comprising:

a case including an extension that defines a connection tab which is configured for engagement in a lateral guide of complementary shape;

an electroacoustic type communication device including an acoustic pick-up and a speaker housed in the case;

an external principle shell including two lateral wall portions covering and corresponding to zones occupied by ears of a user, at least one of the lateral wall portions carrying the lateral guide configured for engagement with the connection tab; and

,

connection means to attach and position said case, acoustic pick-up, and speaker inside of said lateral wall portion and covering one of the zones occupied by the ear of the user, the connection means including the connection tab and the lateral guide which provide a removable connection between the case of the communication device and the headgear.

3. The protective headgear equipped with an electroacoustic type communication device according to claim 2, wherein the lateral guide is integral with a support piece attached to the external shell of said headgear.

4. The protective headgear equipped with an electroacoustic type communication device according to claim 3, wherein the headgear includes:

a deformable lining comprising a headband retaining a deformable partition, said headband being fixed to the headgear by the lateral guide which holds the communication device.

5. A protective headgear equipped with an electroacoustic type communication device comprising:

a rigid external principle shell which is shaped to conform with a user'"'"'s head and having integral lateral rigid wall portions which define ear protection zones that cover ears of an associated user;

a case detachably attached inside of the rigid principle shell within the one of the ear zones;

a speaker disposed inside the case within the ear zone; and

an acoustic pick-up disposed inside the case within the ear zone.

7. The protective headgear equipped with an electroacoustic type communication device according to claim 5, wherein the case comprises:

two slots, a first cylindrical slot for receiving the acoustic pick-up and a second cylindrical slot for receiving the speaker.

8. The protective headgear equipped with an electroacoustic type communication device according to claim 7, wherein the acoustic pick-up is located above the speaker.

6. A protective headgear equipped with an electroacoustic type communication device comprising:

an external principle shell which is shaped to conform with a user'"'"'s head and having lateral wall portions which define ear zones that cover ears of an associated user;

a case detachably attached inside of the headgear within the one of the ear zones;

a speaker disposed inside the case within the ear zone;

an acoustic pick-up disposed inside the case within the ear zone;

a chin-strap having an attachment means; and

a connection cable connected to the case and retained at the headgear in its center portion by an attachment device which is configured to interconnect with the attachment means of the chin-strap.

9. A protective headgear comprising:

a shell having an interior and an exterior;

a deformable structure mounted to the shell interior for supporting the shell on a user'"'"'s head, the deformable structure and the shell defining ear receiving areas;

at least one tab receiving guide mounted to the interior of the shell adjacent one of the ear receiving areas;

a case having a tab which is selectively engagable with the guide for removably mounting the case to the shell adjacent the ear receiving areas;

a microphone/speaker assembly mounted in the case; and

a transmitter/receiver assembly electrically connected with the microphone/speaker assembly.

10. The protective headgear according to claim 9 further including:

a chin strap connected with the shell;

an electrical cable connected between the transmitter/receiver assembly and microphone/speaker assembly;

a cable guide which is (i) releasably interconnected to an intermediate portion of the electrical cable and (ii) releasably attached to the chin strap.