Headset With Stowable Boom

• US 20100040252A1
• Filed: 08/12/2008
• Published: 02/18/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 08/12/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Plantronics, Inc.
• Inventors: Ledingham, John B., Kramer, Matthew E., Thompson, Dale E., Mistry, Manoj
• Granted Patent: US 9,036,849 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 381/375
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/083 Special constructions of mouthpieces
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/1008 Earpieces of the supra-aural or circum-aural type
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/1066 Constructional aspects of the interconnection between earpiece and earpiece support earpiece support for monophonic headphones H04R1/105; earpiece support for stereophonic headphones H04R5/0335
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 5/0335 Earpiece support, e.g. headbands or neckrests for monophonic headphones H04R1/105

Abstract

A headset comprises a headband for supporting the headset on a user'"'"'s head, an earpiece including an audio driver and a microphone boom including a microphone. The microphone boom is rotatable when the headset is located on a user'"'"'s head from an operative position in which the microphone boom is directed towards the user'"'"'s mouth to a stowed position in which the microphone boom is at least partially received in a recess defined in the headset.

Claims

1. A headset, comprising:

a headband for supporting the headset on a user'"'"'s head;

an earpiece including an audio driver; and

a microphone boom including a microphone, the microphone boom being rotatable when the headset is located on a user'"'"'s head from an operative position in which the microphone boom is directed towards the user'"'"'s mouth to a stowed position in which the microphone boom is at least partially received in a recess defined in the headset.

2. The headset of claim 1 wherein the recess is defined in the headband.

3. The headset of claim 2 wherein a visible surface of the microphone boom generally conforms to an outer surface of the headband when in the stowed position.

4. The headset of claim 3 wherein the microphone boom is rotatable about an axis that is generally parallel to a line stretching between a user'"'"'s ears.

5. The headset of claim 2 wherein the microphone boom includes a strip of material that is flexible in a first direction but substantially rigid in a second direction.

6. The headset of claim 2 wherein the headband defines a retaining mechanism in the recess to retain the microphone boom in the recess.

7. The headset of claim 6 wherein the retaining mechanism comprises protrusions on a surface defining the recess.

8. The headset of claim 6 wherein the retaining mechanism comprises cooperating angled surfaces on the microphone boom and on the headband.

9. The headset of claim 7 wherein the retaining mechanism further comprises cooperating angled surfaces on the microphone boom and on the headband.

10. The headset of claim 1 wherein the recess is defined in the earpiece.

11. The headset of claim 10 wherein a visible surface of the microphone boom conforms to an outer surface of the earpiece when in the stowed position.

12. The headset of claim 11 wherein the microphone boom is rotatable about an axis that is generally parallel to a line stretching between a user'"'"'s ears.

13. The headset of claim 10 wherein the earpiece defines a retaining mechanism in the recess to retain the microphone boom in the recess.

14. The headset of claim 13 wherein the retaining mechanism comprises protrusions on a surface defining the recess.

15. The headset of claim 13 wherein the retaining mechanism comprises cooperating angled surfaces on the microphone boom and on the earpiece.

16. The headset of claim 14 wherein the retaining mechanism further comprises cooperating angled surfaces on the microphone boom and on the earpiece.

17. The headset of claim 10 wherein the microphone boom includes a strip of material that is flexible in a first direction but substantially rigid in a second direction.