Multi-channel headphones

• US 6,817,440 B1
• Filed: 10/23/2002
• Issued: 11/16/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 02/26/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: MM Gear Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: MM Gear Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Kim, Sung-Il
• Primary Examiner(s): HSIEH, SHIH YUNG
• Application Number:
  US10/204,709
• Time in Patent Office: 755 Days
• Field of Search: 381/309, 381/310, 381/300, 381/307, 381/371, 181/128, 181/129, 181/130
• US Class Current: 181/128
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/1008 Earpieces of the supra-aural or circum-aural type
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/1075 Mountings of transducers in earphones or headphones
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/2811 for loudspeaker transducers
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/345 for loudspeakers
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2205/022 Plurality of transducers corresponding to a plurality of sound channels in each earpiece of headphones or in a single enclosure
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 5/02 Spatial or constructional arrangements of loudspeakers
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 5/033 Headphones for stereophonic communication details thereof, e.g. relating to batteries, cables or control elements H04R1/10

Abstract

Multi-channel headphones capable of providing quality 3-dimensional (3-D) sound in an atmosphere of intimacy and privacy for individuals is provided. The multi-channel headphones ensure high-quality 3-D sound reproduction with accurate phase using distinct speaker units for multiple channels. The multi-channel headphones includes at least two speaker units for each ear piece, each for generating distinct sounds from multiple channels; and at least two enclosures in each of which each of the at least two speaker units arc installed. The multi-channel headphones include a sound guide portion in each of the enclosures to guide the sound emanating from the corresponding speaker unit into the listener'"'"'s ear. A diffraction effect of the sound from the rear speaker can be induced. The multi-channel headphones can reproduce 3-D sound with the distinctness, spatial character caused by wide sound field, and directional phantom image, by arranging two speaker units for each ear piece in the front and rear directions around the listener'"'"'s ear. Themultichannel headphones can efficiently reproduce sound from a 5.1 channel system, using only four speaker units.

Claims

1. Multi-channel headphones, comprising for each ear piece:

at least two speaker units, each for generating distinct sounds from multiple channels; and

at least two enclosures in each of which one of the at least two speaker units is installed, wherein the at least two enclosures are arranged spaced apart from each other in the front and rear around the listener'"'"'s ear; and

a sound guide portion for each of the at least two enclosures, the sound guide portion for guiding the sound emanating from the corresponding speaker unit into the listener'"'"'s ear.

2. The multi-channel headphones of claim 1, wherein at least one of the enclosures comprises a resonant portion for amplifying the sound emanating from the corresponding speaker unit to create a phantom image.

3. The multi-channel headphones of claim 1, wherein one of the at least two enclosures which is arranged in the rear of the listener'"'"'s ear is adapted to be slightly far away from the listener'"'"'s ear lobe, to ensure sooth diffraction of the sound emanating from the corresponding speaker unit.

4. The multi-channel headphones of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of guide ribs on the interior surface of each of the sound guide portions, the plurality of guide ribs for creating a plurality of sound passages.

5. The multi-channel headphones of claim 1, wherein each of the at least two enclosures further comprises a sound reflection plate extending from the end of the corresponding sound guide portion, the sound reflection plate being tilted such that the sound reflected by the sound reflection plate goes toward the listeners auricle.

6. The multi-channel headphones of claim 5, further comprising a number of projections on the interior surfaces of the sound guide portions and sound reflection plates, to scatter the sounds.

7. The multi-channel headphones of claim 5, wherein the sound reflection plates extending from the ends of the sound guide portions are arranged such that the sounds reflected by the sound reflection plates go toward the lower and upper portions of the listener'"'"'s auricle.

8. The multi-channel headphones of claim 1, wherein each of the at least two enclosures further comprises a sound reflection plate extending from the end of the corresponding sound guide portion, the sound reflection plate being tilted such that the sound reflected by the sound reflection plate goes toward the listener'"'"'s auricle.

9. The multi-channel headphones of claim 8, further comprising a number of projections on the interior surfaces of the sound guide portions and sound reflection plates, to scatter the sounds.

10. The multi-channel headphones of claim 8, wherein the sound reflection plates extending from the ends of the sound guide portions are arranged such that the sounds reflected by the sound reflection plates go toward the lower and upper portions of the listener'"'"'s auricle.