High-fidelity earpiece with adjustable frequency response

• US 7,634,099 B2
• Filed: 11/23/2005
• Issued: 12/15/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 07/22/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Logitech International SA
• Original Assignee: Logitech International SA
• Inventors: Harvey, Jerry J., Dyer, Medford Alan
• Primary Examiner(s): Ensey; Brian
• Assistant Examiner(s): EASON, MATTHEW A
• Application Number:
  US11/285,907
• Publication Number:
  US 20070036385A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,483 Days
• Field of Search: 381/328, 381/418, 381/380
• US Class Current: 381/380
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/1016 Earpieces of the intra-aural type
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/1041 Mechanical or electronic switches, or control elements switches in general H01H
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/26 Spatial arrangements of separate transducers responsive to two or more frequency ranges
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/2819 for loudspeaker transducers

Abstract

An earpiece is provided that includes an earpiece enclosure, a sound delivery member that contains a sound delivery tube, and one or more drivers. The earpiece enclosure includes one or more enclosure ports that couple the internal enclosure volume to the volume outside of the earpiece. Corresponding to each enclosure port is a port cover that has at least a fully open port position and a fully closed port position. Preferably the port cover is capable of multiple positions between the fully open port position and the fully closed port position. The port cover can be a plug, a rotating earpiece collar, a sliding cover, etc. In at least one embodiment, separate drivers and/or separate volumes within the earpiece enclosure are coupled to separate enclosure ports.

Claims

1. An earpiece comprising:

a sound delivery member, said sound delivery member further comprising a sound delivery tube;

an armature driver, said armature driver further comprising an output port, said driver output port acoustically coupled to said sound delivery tube within said sound delivery member, said armature driver further comprising a second port;

an earpiece enclosure, wherein said earpiece enclosure encloses at least a portion of said armature driver, wherein said second port of said armature driver vents said armature driver to an internal volume of said earpiece enclosure;

an earpiece enclosure port; and

means for controllably covering said earpiece enclosure port, said means having at least a first position and a second position, wherein said means in said first position covers said earpiece enclosure port and said means in said second position uncovers said earpiece enclosure port.

8. The earpiece of claim 1, further comprising a second driver and a third driver.

9. The earpiece of claim 1, wherein said covering means is a plug.

10. The earpiece of claim 9, said earpiece further comprising a flexible member coupling said plug to said earpiece.

11. The earpiece of claim 1, said earpiece further comprising a second earpiece enclosure port.

12. The earpiece of claim 11, said earpiece further comprising means for controllably covering said second earpiece enclosure port.

13. The earpiece of claim 1, wherein said covering means further comprises multiple positions between said first position and said second position, wherein said first position, said second position and said multiple positions provide a range of openings for said earpiece enclosure port.

14. The earpiece of claim 1, wherein said covering means further comprises a rotating earpiece collar.

15. The earpiece of claim 1, wherein said covering means further comprises a sliding member.

16. The earpiece of claim 1, further comprising a damper interposed between said driver output port and said sound delivery tube within said sound delivery member.

17. The earpiece of claim 1, further comprising an eartip coupled to said sound delivery member.

2. An earpiece comprising:

a sound delivery member, said sound delivery member further comprising a sound delivery tube;

an armature driver, said armature driver further comprising an output port, said driver output port acoustically coupled to said sound delivery tube within said sound delivery member, said armature driver further comprising a second port;

an earpiece enclosure, wherein said earpiece enclosure encloses at least a portion of said armature driver;

an earpiece enclosure port, wherein said earpiece further comprises a vent tube coupling said armature driver second port to said earpiece enclosure port; and

means for controllably covering said earpiece enclosure port, said means having at least a first position and a second position, wherein said means in said first position covers said earpiece enclosure port and said means in second position uncovers said earpiece enclosure port.

3. The earpiece of claim 2, further comprising a second driver.

4. An earpiece comprising:

a sound delivery member, said sound delivery member further comprising a sound delivery tube;

a first driver, said first driver further comprising a first driver output port, said first driver output port acoustically coupled to said sound delivery tube within said sound delivery member;

a second driver;

an earpiece enclosure, wherein said earpiece enclosure further comprises a separating member, wherein said separating member separates an internal earpiece enclosure volume into a first volume and a second volume, wherein at least a portion of said first driver is within said first volume and at least a portion of said second driver is within said second volume;

an earpiece enclosure port, wherein said earpiece enclosure port corresponds to said first volume;

a second earpiece port corresponding to said second volume;

means for controllably covering said earpiece enclosure port, said means having at least a first position and a second position, wherein said means in said first position covers said earpiece enclosure port and said means in said second position uncovers said earpiece enclosure port; and

means for controllably covering said earpiece enclosure port.

5. The earpiece of claim 4, wherein said first driver is an armature driver and said second driver is a diaphragm driver.

6. The earpiece of claim 4, wherein said first driver vents to said first volume and said second driver vents to said second volume.

7. An earpiece comprising:

a sound delivery member, said sound delivery member further comprising a sound delivery tube;

an armature driver, said armature driver further comprising an output port, said armature driver output port acoustically coupled to said sound delivery tube within said sound delivery member, said armature driver further comprising a second port,

an earpiece enclosure, wherein said earpiece enclosure encloses at least a portion of said armature driver;

an earpiece enclosure port;

a first vent tube coupling said armature driver second port to said earpiece enclosure port;

a second driver,

a second earpiece enclosure port;

a second vent tube coupled to said second earpiece enclosure port, wherein said second driver further comprises a third output port acoustically coupled to said sound delivery tube and a fourth port coupled to said second vent tube; and

means for controllably covering said earpiece enclosure port, said means having at least a first position and a second position, wherein said means in said first position covers said earpiece enclosure port and said means in second position uncovers said earpiece enclosure port.