Wireless in-ear headphones

• US 9,949,009 B2
• Filed: 12/05/2016
• Issued: 04/17/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 07/10/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: T- Rex Holdings LLC
• Original Assignee: T- Rex Holdings LLC
• Inventors: McCarthy, Michael James
• Primary Examiner(s): TRAN, THANG V
• Application Number:
  US15/369,448
• Publication Number:
  US 20170238080A1
• Time in Patent Office: 498 Days
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/1016 Earpieces of the intra-aural type
• 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 1/105 Earpiece supports, e.g. ear hooks for stereophonic headphones H04R5/0335
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/1058 Manufacture or assembly
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/1091 Details not provided for in groups H04R1/1008 - H04R1/1083
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2420/07 Applications of wireless loudspeakers or wireless microphones
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 3/12 for distributing signals to two or more loudspeakers specially adapted for hearing aids H04R25/407

Abstract

A headphone system including a first earpiece, a second earpiece, and a coupler. The headphone system receives a wireless signal having audio content from an external audio source and reproduces at least a portion of the audio content using the first and second earpieces. The first earpiece includes a power source connector to be removably connected to an external power source, a first energy storage device coupled to receive power from the power source connector, and a first power transfer device coupled to receive power from the power source connector. The second earpiece includes a second power transfer device for receiving power from the first power transfer device and a second energy storage device coupled to receive power from the second power transfer device. The coupler is to hold the first and second earpieces together with the first and second power transfer devices in a power transfer configuration.

Claims

1. A headphone system, comprising:

a first earpiece, including;

an ear hook;

an ear tip;

an audio driver on the ear tip;

a first power transfer device; and

a first magnetic coupler element; and

a second earpiece, comprising;

an ear hook;

an ear tip;

an audio driver on the ear tip;

a second power transfer device; and

a second magnetic coupler element, wherein the second magnetic coupler element magnetically cooperates with the first magnetic coupler element to position the first and second power transfer devices into a power transfer configuration.

2. The headphone system of claim 1 wherein:

the first magnetic coupler element is a magnet; and

the second magnetic coupler element is one of a magnet or ferromagnetic material.

3. The headphone system of claim 1 wherein:

the first magnetic coupler element is on the ear hook of the first earpiece; and

the second magnetic coupler element is on the ear hook of the second earpiece.

5. The headphone system of claim 1 wherein:

the first magnetic coupler element is on the ear tip of the first earpiece; and

the second magnetic coupler element is on the ear tip of the second earpiece.

6. The headphone system of claim 5 wherein the magnetic coupler elements are ring style magnetic connectors.

4. A headphone system, comprising:

a first earpiece, including;

an ear hook;

an ear tip;

an audio driver on the ear tip; and

a first magnetic coupler element;

a second earpiece, including;

an ear hook;

an ear tip;

an audio driver on the ear tip; and

a second magnetic coupler element,

wherein the second magnetic coupler element magnetically cooperates with the first magnetic coupler element to hold the first and second earpieces together, and the first magnetic coupler element is on the ear hook of the first earpiece and the second magnetic coupler element is on the ear hook of the second earpiece, and further including;

a third magnetic coupler element on the ear tip of the first earpiece; and

a fourth magnetic coupler element on the ear tip of the second earpiece, wherein the third magnetic coupler element magnetically cooperates with the fourth magnetic coupler element to hold the first and second earpieces together.

7. The headphone system of claim 4 wherein:

at least one of the magnetic coupler elements is a magnet; and

the other magnetic coupler elements are ferromagnetic materials.

8. The headphone system of claim 4 wherein the magnetic coupler elements on the ear tips are ring style magnetic connectors.