Method of connecting cable to headphone, and headphone formed using such methods

• US 9,769,551 B2
• Filed: 12/08/2015
• Issued: 09/19/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 12/31/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Skullcandy, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Skullcandy, Inc.
• Inventors: Kelly, Peter M., Vogt, Jr., David G.
• Primary Examiner(s): Goins, Davetta W
• Assistant Examiner(s): DABNEY, PHYLESHA LARVINIA
• Application Number:
  US14/962,849
• Publication Number:
  US 20160192049A1
• Time in Patent Office: 651 Days
• Field of Search: 381384, 381394, 381395, 381371, 381374
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/06 Arranging circuit leads; Relieving strain on circuit leads
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/1008 Earpieces of the supra-aural or circum-aural type
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/1033 Cables or cables storage, e.g. cable reels cord reels per se H02G11/02; arrangements for storing and repeatedly paying-out and re-storing lengths of conductors or cables B65H75/34; extensible conductors or cables, e.g. self-coiling cords H01B7/06
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/1058 Manufacture or assembly

Abstract

A headphone includes an ear-cup housing having an internal surface defining an internal chamber, a hole extending through the ear-cup housing, and a cable anchor device within the ear-cup housing proximate the hole. The cable anchor device includes a first support member attached to the internal surface on a first side of the hole, a second support member attached to the internal surface on a second side of the hole opposite the first side, and a cross member extending between the first support member and the second support member. A method of fabricating a headphone having such a cable anchor device includes inserting a cable through a cable hole extending through the ear-cup housing and wrapping the cable around the cross member of the cable anchor device at least once.

Claims

1. A headphone, comprising:

an ear-cup housing having an internal surface defining an internal chamber;

a hole extending through the ear-cup housing; and

a cable anchor device within the ear-cup housing proximate the hole, the cable anchor device comprising;

a first support member attached to the internal surface on a first side of the hole;

a second support member attached to the internal surface on a second side of the hole opposite the first side; and

a cross member extending between the first support member and the second support member; and

a cable extending through the hole of the ear-cup housing and wrapped at least once around the cross member of the cable anchor device.

2. The headphone of claim 1, wherein the cable is tied in a knot around the cross member of the cable anchor device.

3. The headphone of claim 1, further comprising:

a strain reliever comprising a tubular body extending through the hole and having a central bore extending axially through the tubular body, the cable extending through the central bore of the strain reliever.

4. The headphone of claim 3, wherein the strain reliever further comprises a flange disposed on an end of the tubular body, wherein the flange is configured to abut against the internal surface of the internal chamber of the ear-cup housing when the strain reliever is attached to the ear-cup housing.

5. The headphone of claim 1, wherein the cross member comprises a flexible material.

6. The headphone of claim 1, wherein the cross member comprises a rigid material.

7. The headphone of claim 1, wherein the cross member extends directly over the hole within the ear-cup housing.

8. The headphone of claim 1, wherein the cross member is disposed laterally beside the hole within the ear-cup housing.

9. A headphone, comprising:

an ear-cup housing having an internal surface defining an internal chamber;

a hole extending through the ear-cup housing;

a cross member coupled with the ear-cup housing proximate the hole; and

a cable extending through the hole of the ear-cup housing and wrapped at least once around the cross member.

10. The headphone of claim 9, further comprising a strain reliever surrounding the cable and disposed between the cable and an edge of the hole.

11. The headphone of claim 10, wherein the strain reliever further comprises an elastomeric body having a flange disposed within the internal chamber of the ear-cup housing and a tapered portion disposed on an exterior of the ear-cup housing.

12. The headphone of claim 9, wherein the cross member comprises a flexible material.

13. The headphone of claim 9, wherein the cross member comprises a rigid material.

14. The headphone of claim 9, wherein the cross member is disposed directly over the hole.

15. The headphone of claim 9, wherein the cross member is disposed laterally beside the hole.

16. The headphone of claim 9, wherein the cross member comprises an integral portion of the ear-cup housing.

17. A method of fabricating a headphone, comprising:

providing an ear cup assembly, including;

an outer ear-cup housing;

a cable hole extending through the outer ear-cup housing; and

a cable anchor device, comprising;

a first support member disposed within the outer ear-cup housing proximate a first side of the cable hole;

a second support member disposed within the outer ear-cup housing proximate a second side of the cable hole; and

a cross member extending between the first support member and second support member;

inserting a cable through the cable hole; and

wrapping the cable around the cross member at least once.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising:

providing a strain reliever surrounding a portion of the cable, wherein inserting the cable through the cable hole comprises inserting a flange attached to an end of the strain reliever through the cable hole.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein wrapping the cable around the cross member at least once comprises tying the cable in a knot around the cross member.