Multi-directional adjustment devices for speaker mounts for eyeglass with MP3 player

• US 7,264,350 B2
• Filed: 10/12/2004
• Issued: 09/04/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 07/26/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Oakley, Inc. (EssilorLuxottica SA)
• Original Assignee: Oakley, Inc. (EssilorLuxottica SA)
• Inventors: Webb, Michael, Reyes, Carlos, Baden, Colin, Jannard, James, Saderholm, Davin, Daniels, Eric Bernard, Bruns, Summer Lane
• Primary Examiner(s): Dang; Hung Xuan
• Application Number:
  US10/962,970
• Publication Number:
  US 20050128431A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,057 Days
• Field of Search: 351/158, 351/41, 455/350, 455/351, 455/343, 455/344, 381/381, 381/187, 381/183
• US Class Current: 351/158
• CPC Class Codes: G02C 11/06 Hearing aids construction of hearing aids H04R25/00
• CPC Class Codes: G02C 11/10 Electronic devices other than hearing aids
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/385 Transceivers carried on the body, e.g. in helmets
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 2001/3866 carried on the head
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/05 specially adapted for use on head, throat or breast
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/6041 Portable telephones adapted for handsfree use
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/1025 Accumulators or arrangements for charging secondary cells per se H01M10/00; charging in general H02J7/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/1041 Mechanical or electronic switches, or control elements switches in general H01H
• 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 2201/103 Combination of monophonic or stereophonic headphones with audio players, e.g. integrated in the headphone
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2420/07 Applications of wireless loudspeakers or wireless microphones
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2460/13 Hearing devices using bone conduction transducers
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 5/0335 Earpiece support, e.g. headbands or neckrests for monophonic headphones H04R1/105

Abstract

A wearable audio device in the form of eyeglasses speaker mounts supported by the frames of the eyeglass. The speaker mounts are constructed so as to provide independent adjustment in a plurality of directions.

Claims

1. An eyeglass comprising a frame defining first and second orbitals, first and second lenses disposed in the first and second orbitals, respectively, first and second ear stems extending rearwardly from the frame, the first and second ear stems including first and second adjustment devices, respectively, first and second acoustic transducer assemblies supported by the first and second adjustment devices, respectively, the first and second adjustment devices being configured to allow the first and second acoustic transducer assemblies to be translated along first and second translation directions generally parallel to the first and second ear stems and to be pivoted about first and second pivot axes extending generally parallel to the first and second ear stems, such that the adjustment devices allow the first and second acoustic transducers to be pivoted about the pivot axes while restraining translational movement of the first and second acoustic transducers along the translation directions, wherein the first and second adjustment devices comprise first and second pins fixed relative to the frame and wherein the first and second transducer assemblies are configured to slide relative to the first and second pins, respectively.

2. The eyeglass according to claim 1, wherein the first and second translation directions are defined by first and second translation axes, the first and second translation axes being coincident with the first and second pivot axes, respectively.

3. The eyeglass according to claim 1, wherein the first and second transducer assemblies include first and second acoustic transducers, respectively, the first and second adjustment devices configured to allow the first and second acoustic transducer assemblies to pivot about the first and second pivot axes, respectively, between a first position in which the first and second acoustic transducers are disposed proximate to an ear of a wearer of the eyeglass and a second position in which the acoustic transducer is spaced from the ear sufficiently to allow a wearer of the eyeglass to insert speaker of a cell phone between the wearer'"'"'s ear and the first acoustic transducer.

4. The eyeglass according to claim 3, wherein the first and second adjustment devices are configured to prevent the first and second acoustic transducer assemblies from translating along the first and second translation directions while the first and second acoustic transducer assemblies are pivoted between the first and second positions.

5. An eyeglass comprising a frame defining first and second orbitals, first and second lenses disposed in the first and second orbitals, respectively, first and second ear stems extending rearwardly from the frame, the first and second ear stems including first and second adjustment devices, respectively, first and second acoustic transducer assemblies supported by the first and second adjustment devices, respectively, the first and second adjustment devices being configured to allow the first and second acoustic transducer assemblies to be translated along first and second translation directions generally parallel to the first and second ear stems and to be pivoted about first and second pivot axes extending generally parallel to the first and second ear stems, such that the adjustment devices allow the first and second acoustic transducers to be pivoted about the pivot axes while restraining translational movement of the first and second acoustic transducers along the translation directions, wherein the first and second adjustment devices comprise first and second rods, respectively, mounted to the first and second ear stems, respectively, and wherein the first and second acoustic transducer assemblies include first and second apertures, respectively, forming a slip fit with the first and second rods, respectively.

6. The eyeglass according to claim 5, wherein at least one of the rods and apertures are configured to generate more resistance to translational relative movement than resistance to rotational relative movement.

7. An eyeglass comprising a frame defining first and second orbitals, first and second lenses disposed in the first and second orbitals, respectively, first and second ear stems extending rearwardly from the frame, the first and second ear stems including first and second adjustment devices, respectively, first and second acoustic transducer assemblies supported by the first and second adjustment devices, respectively, the first and second adjustment devices being configured to allow the first and second acoustic transducer assemblies to be translated along first and second translation directions generally parallel to the first and second ear stems and to be pivoted about first and second pivot axes extending generally parallel to the first and second ear stems, such that the adjustment devices allow the first and second acoustic transducers to be pivoted about the pivot axes while restraining translational movement of the first and second acoustic transducers along the translation directions, wherein the first and second adjustment devices comprise first and second pins fixed relative to the frame, and wherein the first and second pins are disposed within the first and second ear stems, respectively.

8. The eyeglass according to claim 7, wherein the first and second pins are recessed into the first and second ear stems, respectively.

9. An eyeglass comprising a frame defining at least one lens support, at least a first lens supported by the lens support, first and second ear stems extending rearwardly from the lens support, first and second rods connected to the first and second ear stems, respectively, first and second acoustic transducer assemblies comprising first and second acoustic transducers disposed at lower ends thereof, respectively, and first and second upper ends connected to the first and second rods, respectively, the connections between the ear stems, rods, and upper ends being configured to allow the acoustic transducer assemblies to be translated along first and second translation directions generally parallel to the first and second ear stems and to be pivoted about first and second pivot axes extending generally parallel to the first and second ear stems, wherein the connections between the first ear stem, the first rod, and the first upper end is also configured to generate a first resistance against movement when the first acoustic transducer is urged by a wearer of the eyeglass along the first translation direction and a second resistance to movement when the acoustic transducer is urged by a wearer to pivot about the first pivot axis, the first resistance being higher than the second resistance.

10. The eyeglass according to claim 9, wherein the first and second rods are fixed to the first and second ear stems, respectively.

11. The eyeglass according to claim 10, wherein the first and second upper ends are configured to form a slip fit with the first and second rods, respectively.

12. The eyeglass according to claim 11, wherein the first and second rods are recessed into the first and second ear stems, respectively.

13. The eyeglass according to claim 9, wherein said first and second rods extend though at least a portion of said first and second acoustic transducer assemblies, respectively.

14. The eyeglass according to claim 9, further comprising a button extending from said frame.

15. The eyeglass according to claim 9, further comprising an audio device carried by the frame.

16. The eyeglass according to claim 15, wherein the audio device is configured to play a sound recording.

17. The eyeglass according to claim 15, wherein the audio device is configured to store a sound recording.

18. The eyeglass according to claim 9, further comprising a memory device configured to store a sound recording.

19. The eyeglass according to claim 9, further comprising a user operable switch for controlling a function of electronics carried by the eyeglasses.

20. The eyeglass according to claim 9, wherein the upper ends comprise a single connection configured to allow both translational and pivoting movement.

21. The eyeglass according to claim 9, wherein the upper ends are configured such that when a translational force is applied to one of the transducers, a torque is generated which generates reaction forces upon the corresponding upper end and thereby raises the frictional resistance of the upper end against translational movement.