Microphone/earpiece device for a mobile telephone, telephone exchange or the like

• US 6,944,307 B2
• Filed: 10/30/2001
• Issued: 09/13/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 11/01/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Metafax As
• Original Assignee: Metafax As
• Inventors: Berg, Richard Steenfeldt
• Primary Examiner(s): Kuntz, Curtis
• Assistant Examiner(s): Harvey, Dionne
• Application Number:
  US10/415,707
• Publication Number:
  US 20040052389A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,414 Days
• Field of Search: 381/322, 381/328, 381/329, 381/330, 381/361, 381/362, 381/367, 381/371, 381/374, 381/380, 381/382, 381/390, 381/395, 381/355, 381/363, 381/364, 455/575.2, 181/130, 181/135
• US Class Current: 381/150
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/05 specially adapted for use on head, throat or breast
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/6066 including a wireless connection

Abstract

The invention relates to a device (1) constructed as portable hook-on frame (2, 3, 4,) with folding work tops or panels (5, 6, 7) and is composed of a basic frame (2) with a telescopic suspension frame (3) with suspension hooks (4), in which out of the basic frame (2) nearly the bottom side a hinging foldable work top (5) and nearby the upper side a hinging expandable U-shaped document holder frame (6) with plate (7) is mounted, in which the whole is especially useable for technicians, whom execute work on measurement and control cabinets and such.

Claims

1. An earpiece for wireless communication with a remote unit, said earpiece (10) being configured to be inserted in the external ear of a person and kept self supported therein, comprising a casing, said casing having a transmitter and a receiver, an antenna, a microphone (6) and a battery (7), characterized in:

first means for allowing said casing to fit snugly into the external ear of generally any person, independent of the size and shape of the persons ear, in a natural, comfortable and secured position,

second means for effectively acting as a stabilizing strut for the earpiece (10) casing and keeping it in a stable position in the outer ear even during heavy movements of the wearing persons head, partly by lowering the earpiece center of gravity and pressing down toward a lower part of the ear, partly by counteracting any outward tilting movement of said casing, and

third means for allowing a sufficient space between the earpiece casing and the auditory canal of the ear, for comfort, for air to circulate and for acoustical reasons,

said first means being configured to match the inner edge of the antihelix (13) of the ear, so that the earpiece (10) can be carried in a comfortable and natural position in the external ear, a position where an upper portion is kept in place underneath the ear flap (2) covering the region in front of the cymba conchea of the ear, below its inferior antihelix crus (15), and where at the same time a lower portion is kept in place underneath the tragus (4) covering the ear'"'"'s auditory canal,

the matching configuration of said first means being generally effective due to a C-shaped portion that decrementally decreases its radius from its first, upper end (5) to its lower end (8), said C-shaped portion constituting an inner part of said casing, the distance between said portion ends (5, 8) being approximately equal to the distance between the person'"'"'s ear flap (2) and tragus (4), thereby giving the earpiece a natural, comfortable and secured position that is fairly independent of the size and shape of the ear,

said second means comprising a lower part (7) extending downwardly from the casing so as to pass through the intertragic notch (14) of the ear during the earpiece use, and eccentrically in relation to an approximate center of the C-shaped bead, and

said lower part (7) further comprising the earpiece power supply including a battery so as to effectively lower the earpiece center of gravity and press down toward the antitragus (3) of the ear and at the same time providing

     1) a forward or rearward acting momentum due to its eccentricity so as to push the lower or upper end of the C-shaped portion respectively inward under the tragus (4) or ea flap (2), and

     2) counteracting any casing tilting-out tendency from the ear, in that said lower part being incorporated tightly in the casing, running parallel tightly along the cheek below the ear.

3. An earpiece according to claim 1, characterized in that the portion ends (5, 8) are rounded in an expanded manner so as to form slim protruding end balls, in order to give the earpiece wearing person a comfortable support under her/his ear flap (2) and tragus (4), respectively.

4. An earpiece according to claim 1, characterized in that the casing is retracted a distance backwardly from the C-shaped portion ends (5, 8), so as to form an opening therebetween for air to pass.

5. An earpiece according to claim 1, characterized in that the upper and lower portion ends (5, 8) are protruding forwardly in relation to an outer front periphery (16) of the casing in the region between said portion ends.

2. An earpiece according to claim 2, characterized in that a central portion of the casing is retracted relative to a peripheral portion that constitutes the C-shaped portion, in the direction toward the outer side of the casing, so as to keep a distance to the cavum conchae of the ear for air to pass.