Wireless earbuds with electronic contacts

• US 10,003,880 B2
• Filed: 09/22/2016
• Issued: 06/19/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 09/30/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Wagman, Daniel C., Cousins, Benjamin A., Kasar, Darshan R., Zrkendrfer, Rico L., Aase, Jonathan S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Yu, Norman
• Application Number:
  US15/273,690
• Publication Number:
  US 20170094397A1
• Time in Patent Office: 635 Days
• Field of Search: 381315, 381 74, 381334, 381117, 381384, 381386, 381394, 381311
• 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 wireless earbud includes a housing having a stem portion coupled to an ear portion. The stem portion has an electrical connector disposed on a distal end that includes first and second electrical contacts coupled to receive power for recharging a battery within the wireless earbuds.

Claims

1. A wireless earbud comprising:

a housing having a stem portion aligned with a longitudinal axis, the stem portion including first and second ends;

a speaker assembly having a driver unit and a directional sound port proximate the first end and offset from the longitudinal axis, wherein the driver unit is aligned to emit sound from the directional sound port and comprises a magnet, a voice coil, and a diaphragm;

a rechargeable battery disposed in the housing; and

first and second external contacts, each external contact having a partially circular shape and positioned in an oppositional and symmetrical relationship with each other to form a substantially circular shape, wherein each external contact is exposed at an external surface at the second end of the stem portion and is electrically coupled to provide power to the rechargeable battery.

2. The wireless earbud of claim 1 wherein an outer perimeter of the first and second external contacts is flush with an exterior surface of the stem portion.

3. The wireless earbud of claim 2 wherein the first and the second external contacts have a dielectric material disposed between them.

4. The wireless earbud of claim 3 wherein the first and second external contacts each include an arcuate peripheral contact surface.

5. The wireless earbud of claim 1 wherein the second external contact is electrically coupled to a ground.

6. The wireless earbud of claim 1 further comprising data communication circuitry operatively coupled to the first external contact and configured to transmit data to and from the wireless earbud over the first external contact.

7. The wireless earbud of claim 1 wherein the first and the second external contacts form a circular shape having an acoustic aperture in a center of the circular shape for a microphone positioned at the second end of the stem portion of the earbud.

8. A wireless earbud comprising:

a housing having a stem portion aligned with a longitudinal axis, the stem portion including first and second ends;

a speaker assembly having a driver unit and a directional sound port proximate the first end and offset from the longitudinal axis, wherein the driver unit is aligned to emit sound from the directional sound port and comprises a magnet, a voice coil, and a diaphragm;

a first partially annular contact having a first pair of ends and disposed at an external surface at the second end of the stem portion;

a second partially annular contact having a second pair of ends and disposed at an external surface at the second end of the stem portion, the first and second partially annular contacts positioned in an oppositional relationship with each other such that the first pair of ends face the second pair of ends; and

a rechargeable battery disposed in the housing and electrically coupled to the first partially annular contact.

9. The wireless earbud of claim 8 wherein the first and second partially annular contacts each include an arcuate peripheral contact surface.

10. The wireless earbud of claim 9 wherein the second partially annular contact is electrically coupled to a ground.

11. The wireless earbud of claim 10 further comprising data communication circuitry operatively coupled to the first partially annular contact and configured to transmit data to and from the wireless earbud over the first partially annular contact.

12. The wireless earbud of claim 8 wherein the first and the second partially annular contacts form a ring-like shape having an acoustic aperture in a center of the ring-like shape for a microphone positioned at the second end of the stem portion of the earbud.

13. The wireless earbud of claim 8 wherein the first and the second partially annular contacts are terminated in a binary metal alloy plated layer at an outer surface of each contact, the binary metal alloy plated layer comprising rhodium and ruthenium.

14. The wireless earbud of claim 13 wherein a weight percentage of rhodium is at least 85 percent, with the remainder in ruthenium.

15. The wireless earbud of claim 13 wherein the binary metal alloy plated layer is between 0.65-1.0 microns thick.

16. The wireless earbud of claim 13 wherein each of the first and second partially annular contacts includes at least one intermediate layer disposed between a conductive base and the binary metal alloy plated layer.

17. A wireless earbud comprising:

a housing having a stem portion including first and second ends;

a speaker assembly having a driver unit and a directional sound port proximate the first end of the stem portion, wherein the driver unit is aligned to emit sound from the directional sound port and comprises a magnet, a voice coil, and a diaphragm;

a rechargeable battery disposed in the housing;

a first arcuate contact disposed at an external surface at the second end of the stem portion and electrically coupled to the rechargeable battery; and

a second arcuate contact disposed at an external surface at the second end of the stem portion, the first and second arcuate contacts spaced in an oppositional and symmetrical relationship with each other to form a substantially circular shape.