Magnetic retention of earbud within cavity

• US 9,967,644 B2
• Filed: 05/05/2017
• Issued: 05/08/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 09/30/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Chawan, Arun D., Zrkendrfer, Rico L., Stiehl, Kurt, Panecki, Lee M., Yang, Shannon X., Strongwater, Daniel Max, Albonico, Marcus, Cousins, Benjamin A., Jol, Eric S., Wagman, Daniel C.
• Primary Examiner(s): KAUFMAN, JOSHUA A
• Application Number:
  US15/588,444
• Publication Number:
  US 20170245038A1
• Time in Patent Office: 368 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A45C 11/00 Receptacles for purposes not provided for in groups A45C1/00-A45C9/00 specially adapted for toiletry or cosmetic equipment A45D29/20, A45D44/18; travelling sewing kits A45F3/48
• CPC Class Codes: A45C 11/24 Etuis for purposes not covered by a single one of groups A45C11/02 - A45C11/22, A45C11/26, A45C11/32 - A45C11/38
• CPC Class Codes: A45C 13/005 Hinges
• CPC Class Codes: A45C 13/02 Interior fittings; Means, e.g. inserts, for holding and packing articles
• CPC Class Codes: A45C 13/1069 magnetic
• CPC Class Codes: A45C 2011/001 for portable audio devices, e.g. headphones or MP3-players
• CPC Class Codes: A45C 2013/026 Inserts
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 25/02 Internal fittings of containers made by folding or erecting blanks made of paper B65D5/44
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 43/16 hinged for upward or downward movement cigar or cigarette receptacles A24F15/00; suitcases, ètuis A45C; casings for cosmetic substances with hinged covers A45D40/22; toolboxes B25H3/02; hinges of door or similar type E05D ; boxes for switchboards with hinged covers H02B1/066
• CPC Class Codes: F16B 2200/83 Use of a magnetic material
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/521 Sealing between contact members and housing, e.g. sealing insert
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/10 using inductive coupling
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00034 Charger exchanging data with an electronic device, i.e. telephone, whose internal battery is under charge
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0044 specially adapted for holding portable devices containing batteries H02J7/0045 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/385 Transceivers carried on the body, e.g. in helmets
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/3888 Arrangements for carrying or protecting transceivers
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/79 for data transfer in combination with power transfer
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/6033 for providing handsfree use or a loudspeaker mode in telephone sets arrangements for preventing acoustic echo H04M9/08
• 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 1/1016 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 1/1041 : Mechanical or electronic switches, or control elements switches in general H01H
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/1058 : Manufacture or assembly
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/1075 : Mountings of transducers in earphones or headphones
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/2826 : for loudspeaker transducers
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/2857 : for loudspeaker transducers
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/345 : for loudspeakers
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2201/105 : Manufacture of mono- or stereophonic headphone components
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2420/07 : Applications of wireless loudspeakers or wireless microphones
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2460/03 : Aspects of the reduction of energy consumption in hearing devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2460/09 : Non-occlusive ear tips, i.e. leaving the ear canal open, for both custom and non-custom tips H04R2460/11 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2460/17 : Hearing device specific tools used for storing or handling hearing devices or parts thereof, e.g. placement in the ear, replacement of cerumen barriers, repair, cleaning hearing devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 5/033 : Headphones for stereophonic communication details thereof, e.g. relating to batteries, cables or control elements H04R1/10
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 9/025 : Magnetic circuit
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 9/06 : Loudspeakers

Abstract

A case for an earbud includes a receiving cavity sized and shaped to accept the earbud within the receiving cavity. The case includes one or more housing magnetic components configured to magnetically attract and secure the earbud within the receiving cavity. The one or more housing magnetic components can be configured to form a Halbach array to increase the magnetic force of the one or more housing magnetic components. The earbud includes a speaker magnet and a separate magnetic element that are arranged to be attracted to the one or more housing magnetic components such that the earbud is attracted into the receiving cavity.

Claims

1. A case for an earbud comprising:

a receiving cavity sized and shaped to accept the earbud, wherein a speaker magnet and a magnetic plate are disposed within the earbud;

a Halbach array positioned proximate the receiving cavity and arranged to attract the speaker magnet and the magnetic plate such that the earbud is magnetically attracted into the receiving cavity; and

a lid operable between an open position in which the receiving cavity is exposed and a closed position in which the lid covers the receiving cavity.

2. The case of claim 1 wherein the case is configured to store a pair of earbuds and wherein:

the earbud is a first earbud in the pair of earbuds;

the Halbach array is a first Halbach array;

the receiving cavity includes a first receiving cavity sized and shaped to accept the first earbud in the pair of earbuds, and a second receiving cavity sized and shaped to accept a second earbud in the pair of earbuds; and

a second Halbach array positioned proximate the second receiving cavity and arranged to magnetically attract the second earbud within the second receiving cavity.

3. The case of claim 2 wherein the second Halbach array is positioned to magnetically attract a second speaker magnet and a second magnetic plate that are disposed within the second earbud.

4. The case of claim 2 wherein the magnetic plate is a first magnetic plate that is disposed in an ear portion of the first earbud, and a second magnetic plate is disposed in an ear portion of the second earbud.

5. The case of claim 2 wherein the first Halbach array is disposed around a portion of the first receiving cavity that accepts an ear interface portion of the first earbud, and the second Halbach array is disposed around a portion of the second receiving cavity that accepts an ear interface portion of the second earbud.

6. The case of claim 2 wherein the first Halbach array includes a first set of magnetic components that are arranged to increase attractive forces for the first earbud and the second Halbach array includes a second set of magnetic components that are arranged to increase attractive forces for the second earbud.

7. The case of claim 2 wherein the first and second Halbach arrays are configured to attract the first and the second earbuds into respective receiving cavities and magnetically secure them within the respective receiving cavities until they are removed by a user.

8. The case of claim 1 wherein the Halbach array is configured to hold the earbud in contact with an electrical connector disposed within the case.

9. A wireless listening system comprising:

(i) a pair of wireless earbuds, each wireless earbud comprising;

a housing formed to fit at least partially within a user'"'"'s ear;

a directional sound port formed within the housing;

a speaker assembly disposed within the housing and including a driver unit comprising a speaker magnet, a diaphragm and a voice coil, and wherein the speaker magnet is operatively coupled to the voice coil to move the diaphragm in response to electrical signals, the driver unit aligned to emit sound from the directional sound port; and

a magnetic retention component, separate from the speaker assembly, and positioned in the housing; and

(ii) a storage case for the pair of wireless earbuds, the storage case comprising;

a first receiving cavity sized and shaped to accept a first earbud of the pair of wireless earbuds;

a second receiving cavity sized and shaped to accept a second earbud of the pair of wireless earbuds;

first and second Halbach arrays disposed within the storage case and arranged to attract the speaker magnets and the magnetic retention components of the pair of wireless earbuds such that the first earbud is magnetically attracted into the first receiving cavity and the second earbud is magnetically attracted into the second receiving cavity; and

a lid operable between an open position in which the first and second receiving cavities are exposed and a closed position in which the lid covers the first and second receiving cavities.

10. The wireless listening system of claim 9 wherein the magnetic retention component is positioned within an ear portion of the housing.

11. The wireless listening system of claim 9 wherein the first and second Halbach arrays secure the lid in the closed position.

12. The wireless listening system of claim 9 wherein the magnetic retention component comprises a plate of magnetic material.

13. A case for a portable listening device comprising:

a receiving cavity sized and shaped to accept the portable listening device, wherein a speaker magnet and a magnetic plate are disposed within the portable listening device;

a Halbach array positioned proximate the receiving cavity and-arranged to attract the speaker magnet and the magnetic plate such that the portable listening device is magnetically attracted into the receiving cavity; and

a lid operable between an open position in which the receiving cavity is exposed and a closed position in which the lid covers the receiving cavity.

14. The case 13 wherein the portable listening device is an earbud.

15. The case 14 wherein the earbud includes a non-occluding portion that fits at least partially within a user'"'"'s ear.