Folding Headset Earpiece

• US 20160373848A1
• Filed: 06/18/2015
• Published: 12/22/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 06/18/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Plantronics, Inc. (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Duran, Roman M., Tews, Erik Henry, Kelley, John, Meyberg, Jacob T.
• Granted Patent: US 9,749,727 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/1008 Earpieces of the supra-aural or circum-aural type

Abstract

A headset earpiece comprises a faceplate; and at least one flange pivotably connected to the faceplate.

Claims

1. A headset earpiece comprising:

a faceplate; and

at least one flange pivotably connected to the faceplate.

2. The headset earpiece of claim 1, further comprising:

a hinge pivotably connecting the at least one flange to the faceplate.

3. The headset earpiece of claim 2, wherein the hinge comprises:

a friction hinge.

4. The headset earpiece of claim 1, further comprising:

at least one spring configured to urge the at least one flange to rotate with respect to the faceplate.

5. The headset earpiece of claim 4, wherein the at least one spring comprises at least one of:

a first torsion spring configured to urge the at least one flange and the faceplate to be substantially coplanar; and

a second torsion spring configured to urge the at least one flange and the faceplate to be substantially orthogonal.

6. The headset earpiece of claim 4, further comprising:

a cam;

wherein the at least one spring comprises a leaf spring;

wherein a lobe of the cam deflects the leaf spring when the at least one flange and the faceplate are neither substantially coplanar nor substantially orthogonal.

7. The headset earpiece of claim 4, wherein the at least one spring comprises:

a bistable spring configured to urge the at least one flange and the faceplate to be either substantially coplanar or substantially orthogonal.

8. The headset earpiece of claim 4, wherein the at least one spring comprises:

an elastic band configured to urge the at least one flange and the faceplate to be either substantially coplanar or substantially orthogonal.

9. The headset earpiece of claim 1, further comprising:

a stop configured to limit relative rotation of the at least one flange and the faceplate.

10. The headset earpiece of claim 1, further comprising:

at least one ear cushion.

11. The headset earpiece of claim 1, further comprising:

a speaker.

12. The headset earpiece of claim 11, further comprising:

a microphone.

13. The headset earpiece of claim 1, further comprising:

a receiver.

14. The headset earpiece of claim 1, further comprising:

a transmitter.

15. The headset earpiece of claim 1, further comprising:

an antenna.

16. The headset earpiece of claim 1, further comprising:

a don/doff detector.

17. The headset earpiece of claim 1, further comprising:

a headband coupled to the headset earpiece.