Earbud case with receptacle connector for earbuds

• US 10,009,678 B2
• Filed: 09/22/2016
• Issued: 06/26/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 09/30/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Panecki, Lee M., Kasar, Darshan R., Wagman, Daniel C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Ni, Suhan
• Application Number:
  US15/273,687
• Publication Number:
  US 20170094393A1
• Time in Patent Office: 642 Days
• Field of Search: 381312, 381314, 381322, 381323
• 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 a pair of earbuds includes an insert positioned within the case and configured to receive the pair of earbuds. A contact assembly is attached to the insert and includes electrical contacts that extend into the inserts such that they make electrical contact with an earbud connector disposed on each of the pair of earbuds.

Claims

1. A case for a pair of earbuds comprising:

a housing;

an insert positioned within the housing, the insert defining first and second cavities sized and shaped to accommodate first and second earbuds of the pair of earbuds, respectively, each of the first and second cavities having a receiving opening to receive each respective earbud into each respective cavity;

a contact assembly attached to the insert, the contact assembly comprising first and second pairs of electrical contacts each pair of electrical contacts extending into each respective cavity to make electrical contact with each respective earbud;

a first shelf positioned within a bottom portion of the first cavity, the first shelf defining an opening to a first debris recess positioned below the first shelf and having a depth that is greater than one half a diameter of the first cavity; and

a second shelf positioned within a bottom portion of the second cavity, the second shelf defining an opening to a second debris recess positioned below the second shelf and having a depth that is greater than one half a diameter of the second cavity.

2. The case of claim 1 wherein the insert comprises a first shell and a second shell joined together, the first shell including the first cavity and the second shell including the second cavity.

3. The case of claim 2 further comprising a collar adhered to a top of the contact assembly and to a periphery of a distal end of each of the first and the second shells.

4. The case of claim 1 wherein the first and second pairs of electrical contacts each have arcuate portions that are positioned by a contact carrier to couple to an electrical connector disposed at a distal end of the first and second earbuds.

5. The case of claim 4 wherein the arcuate portions deflect outwardly when the pair of earbuds are received within the first and second cavities.

6. The case of claim 1 wherein the contact assembly is at least partially formed from a dielectric material.

7. The case of claim 1 wherein a liquid-tight seal is formed between the contact assembly and the insert.

8. An electrical connector assembly for an earbud charging system, the electrical connector assembly configured to receive an earbud having an ear portion and a stem portion with an earbud connector disposed at a distal end of the stem portion, the electrical connector assembly comprising:

a shell having a receiving opening to receive the earbud in a stem-first orientation, a distal end opposite the receiving opening, and a contact opening proximate the distal end that opens to the receiving opening;

a contact carrier formed from a dielectric material and coupled to the distal end of the shell, the contact carrier having a cavity sized to receive the distal end of the shell and a pair of contact receiving slots;

a pair of deflectable electrical contacts disposed within the pair of contact receiving slots, each deflectable electrical contact having a contact portion that extends through the contact opening of the shell; and

a shelf positioned within the distal end of the shell, the shelf defining an opening to a first debris recess positioned below the shelf and having a depth that is greater than one half a diameter of the distal end of the shell.

9. The electrical connector assembly of claim 8 wherein the distal end of the shell is disposed within the cavity and adhered to the contact carrier.

10. The electrical connector assembly of claim 9 wherein the shell has a pair of clearance slots disposed in the distal end such that when the distal end of the shell is disposed within the cavity the contact portions of the pair of deflectable electrical contacts protrude through the slots.

11. The electrical connector assembly of claim 8 further comprising a collar adhered to a top of the contact carrier and to a periphery of the shell.

12. The electrical connector assembly of claim 8 wherein the contact portions of the deflectable electrical contacts are positioned to interfere with the earbud connector when the earbud is received by the electrical connector assembly.

13. The electrical connector assembly of claim 8 further comprising a second shell, a second contact carrier and a second pair of deflectable electrical contacts such that the connector assembly can receive a pair of earbuds.

14. A case for a portable listening device, the portable listening device having an ear interface portion and a stem portion with an electrical connector disposed at a distal end of the stem portion, the case comprising:

a housing;

an insert positioned within the housing, the insert defining a receiving cavity sized and shaped to accommodate the portable listening device, wherein the receiving cavity includes a receiving opening to receive the portable listening device into the receiving cavity in a stem-first orientation, and further includes a contact opening at an opposite end of the receiving opening;

a contact assembly attached to the insert, the contact assembly comprising a pair of electrical contacts extending into the receiving cavity through the contact opening to make electrical contact with the portable listening device; and

a shelf positioned within a bottom portion of the receiving cavity, the shelf defining an opening to a debris recess positioned below the shelf and having a depth that is greater than one half a diameter of the receiving cavity.

15. The case of claim 14 wherein the receiving cavity includes an elongated tube portion sized and shaped to accommodate the stem portion and a larger earbud receiving opening sized and shaped to at least partially accommodate the ear interface portion.

16. The case of claim 14 wherein a contact portion of each of the pair of electrical contacts has a curved profile.