Headset with adjustable microphone boom

• US 9,706,281 B2
• Filed: 08/07/2015
• Issued: 07/11/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 08/07/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Plantronics, Inc.
• Inventors: Hernandez Vazquez, Gerardo
• Primary Examiner(s): Goins, Davetta W
• Assistant Examiner(s): DABNEY, PHYLESHA LARVINIA
• Application Number:
  US14/820,906
• Publication Number:
  US 20170041695A1
• Time in Patent Office: 704 Days
• Field of Search: 381370, 381371, 381375, 381374, 381367, 381362, 381361, 379430
• CPC Class Codes: F16M 13/04 for supporting on, or holding steady relative to, a person, e.g. by chains , e.g. rifle butt or pistol grip supports, supports attached to the chest or head apparatus or arrangements for taking photographs or for projecting or viewing them G03B
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/02 Casings; Cabinets ; Supports therefor; Mountings therein H04R1/28 takes precedence ; attachments for microphones H04R1/08; mounting of transducers in earpieces H04R1/1075
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/08 Mouthpieces; Microphones; Attachments therefor
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/083 Special constructions of mouthpieces
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/105 Earpiece supports, e.g. ear hooks for stereophonic headphones H04R5/0335
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/1075 Mountings of transducers in earphones or headphones
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2201/025 Transducer mountings or cabinet supports enabling variable orientation of transducer of cabinet
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2201/107 Monophonic and stereophonic headphones with microphone for two-way hands free communication

Abstract

In one example of the invention, an apparatus includes a housing, a first shoe contacting a surface of the housing, and a second shoe contacting the surface of the housing. The apparatus includes a spring having a first spring end contacting the first shoe and a second spring end contacting the second shoe. The apparatus includes a microphone boom rotatable with respect to the housing.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

a housing;

a first shoe contacting a surface of the housing;

a second shoe contacting the surface of the housing;

a spring comprising a first spring end contacting the first shoe and a second spring end contacting the second shoe;

a microphone boom rotatable with respect to the housing; and

a spring holder apparatus arranged to position the spring between the first shoe and the second shoe, wherein the microphone boom is coupled to the spring holder apparatus, and wherein the spring holder apparatus, the spring, the first shoe, and the second shoe are arranged to rotate with respect to the housing in unison with the microphone boom.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the microphone boom is arranged to move the first shoe and the second shoe along the surface of the housing.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the housing comprises a capsule and the first shoe, the second shoe, and the spring are disposed within the capsule.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first shoe comprises a first rubber material contacting the surface of the housing and the second shoe comprises a second rubber material contacting the surface of the housing.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the spring exerts a spring force against the first shoe and the second shoe, resulting in a first friction between the first shoe and the surface of the housing and a second friction between the second shoe and the surface of the housing.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first shoe comprises a first plastic material and a first rubber material and the second shoe comprises a second plastic material and a second rubber material.

7. An apparatus comprising:

a housing;

a first shoe in movable contact with a surface of the housing;

a second shoe in movable contact with the surface of the housing;

a spring comprising a first spring end contacting the first shoe and a second spring end contacting the second shoe, wherein the spring is arranged to provide a spring force against the first shoe and the second shoe; and

a microphone boom arranged to rotate with respect to the housing by moving the first shoe and the second shoe along the surface of the housing.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the housing comprises a capsule and the first shoe, the second shoe, and the spring are disposed within the capsule.

9. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the first shoe comprises a first rubber material contacting the surface of the housing and the second shoe comprises a second rubber material contacting the surface of the housing.

10. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the spring force against the first shoe and the second shoe results in a first friction between the first shoe and the surface of the housing and a second friction between the second shoe and the surface of the housing.

11. The apparatus of claim 7, further comprising a spring holder apparatus arranged to position the spring between the first shoe and the second shoe.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the microphone boom is coupled to the spring holder apparatus, wherein the spring holder apparatus, the spring, the first shoe, and the second shoe are arranged to rotate with respect to the housing in unison with the microphone boom.

13. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the first shoe comprises a first plastic material and a first rubber material and the second shoe comprises a second plastic material and a second rubber material.

14. A head-worn device comprising:

a housing;

a microphone boom;

a spring holder;

a spring; and

a friction element disposed between the spring and a surface of the housing, the friction element receiving a spring force and arranged to provide an opposition force to movement of the microphone boom with respect to the housing, wherein the friction element, the spring holder, and the spring are arranged to rotate with respect to the housing in unison with the microphone boom.

15. The head-worn device of claim 14, wherein the housing comprises a capsule and the friction element and the spring are disposed within the capsule.

16. The head-worn device of claim 14, wherein the friction element comprises a rubber material contacting the surface of the housing.

17. The head-worn device of claim 14, wherein the friction element comprises a plastic material and a rubber material.

18. The head-worn device of claim 14, wherein the head-worn device further comprises a microphone and a speaker.