Ear warmer with a speaker system

• US 7,212,645 B2
• Filed: 08/12/2003
• Issued: 05/01/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 08/12/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: 180S IP Holdings LLC, 180S USA LLC
• Original Assignee: 180s Incorporated (LD Investment LLC)
• Inventors: Le Gette, Brian E., Reeb, David L., Tipp, Alan S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Ni; Suhan
• Application Number:
  US10/638,553
• Publication Number:
  US 20050036643A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,358 Days
• Field of Search: 381/301, 381/309, 381333-334, 381/364, 381/367, 381/376, 381/388, 220/9, 290/5, 181/129, 379/430
• US Class Current: 381/370
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/06 Arranging circuit leads; Relieving strain on circuit leads
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/1008 Earpieces of the supra-aural or circum-aural type
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/1033 Cables or cables storage, e.g. cable reels cord reels per se H02G11/02; arrangements for storing and repeatedly paying-out and re-storing lengths of conductors or cables B65H75/34; extensible conductors or cables, e.g. self-coiling cords H01B7/06
• 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 1/1091 Details not provided for in groups H04R1/1008 - H04R1/1083
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2201/023 Transducers incorporated in garment, rucksacks or the like
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 5/0335 Earpiece support, e.g. headbands or neckrests for monophonic headphones H04R1/105

Abstract

A frame has an interior side and an exterior side. The frame is configured to extend around the back of a user'"'"'s head. A first membrane is coupled to at least a portion of the interior side of the frame. In one embodiment, a second membrane is coupled to the first membrane. The first membrane and the second membrane define a receptacle and an opening that communicates with the receptacle. In one embodiment, a speaker is disposed in the receptacle. A first electrical wire has a first end electrically coupled to the speaker and a second end including a connector. The connector can be disposed proximate to the opening of the receptacle. The connector is configured to be electrically coupled to a second electrical wire.

Claims

1. An apparatus, comprising:

a frame having an interior side and an exterior side, the frame being configured to extend around the back of a user'"'"'s head;

a first membrane coupled to at least a portion of the interior side of the frame;

a second membrane coupled to one of the frame and the first membrane, the first membrane and the second membrane defining a receptacle and an opening that communicates with the receptacle, the opening being disposed proximate the interior side of the frame;

a speaker disposed in the receptacle; and

a first electrical wire having a first end electrically coupled to the speaker and a second end including a connector, the connector being disposed proximate to the opening of the receptacle and configured to be electrically coupled to a second electrical wire disposed outside of a housing of the device associated with sound generation.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein a distance between the speaker and the connector is not greater than half of the length of the apparatus.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

the second electrical wire having a first end and a second end, the first end of the second electrical wire configured to be coupled to the connector of the first electrical wire, the second end of the second electrical wire configured to be coupled to a device associated with sound generation.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, the first membrane including an ear portion configured to substantially cover a first ear of a user, the apparatus comprising a third membrane including an ear portion configured to substantially cover a second ear of a user, the speaker being coupled to one of the first and second ear portions.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

a pouch disposed in the receptacle, the speaker being disposed in the pouch.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

a pouch having a first layer of material and a second layer of material, at least a portion of the first layer of material of the pouch being coupled to the second layer of material of the pouch, the pouch being disposed in the receptacle and being coupled to the first membrane, the speaker being disposed in the pouch.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the frame is adjustable in length and includes a first ear portion, a second ear portion, and a band portion disposed between the first ear portion and second ear portion, the speaker being coupled to at least one of the first ear portion and second ear portion of the frame.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the frame is adjustable in length and includes a first ear member, a second ear member, and a band member having a first end coupled to the first ear member and a second end coupled to the second ear member, the speaker being coupled to at least one of the first ear member and second ear member of the frame.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first electrical wire and the connector is fixedly coupled to the first membrane or the second membrane.

10. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first electrical wire and the connector is fixedly coupled to the frame.

11. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first electrical wire and the connector are disposed in the receptacle.

12. The apparatus of claim 1, the speaker being a first speaker, the receptacle being a first receptacle, the apparatus further comprising:

a third membrane coupled to at least a portion of the interior side of the frame;

a fourth membrane coupled to the third membrane, the third membrane and the fourth membrane defining a second receptacle and a second opening that communicates with the second receptacle;

a second speaker disposed in the second receptacle; and

a third electrical wire disposed in the second receptacle and having a first end electrically coupled to the second speaker and a second end electrically coupled to the connector.

13. The apparatus of claim 1, the speaker being a first speaker, the receptacle being a first receptacle, the apparatus further comprising:

a third membrane coupled to at least a portion of the interior side of the frame;

a fourth membrane coupled opposite the third membrane, the third membrane and the fourth membrane defining a second receptacle and a second opening that communicates with the second receptacle;

a second speaker disposed in the second receptacle, the frame having a first ear portion, a second ear portion, and a middle portion, the first speaker being coupled to one of the first and second receptacles, the second speaker being coupled to the other of the first and second receptacles.

14. The apparatus of claim 1, the speaker being a first speaker, the receptacle being a first receptacle, the apparatus further comprising:

a third membrane coupled to at least a portion of the interior side of the frame;

a fourth membrane coupled opposite the third membrane, the third membrane and the fourth membrane defining a second receptacle and a second opening that communicates with the second receptacle;

a second speaker disposed in the second receptacle, the frame having a first ear portion, a second ear portion, and a band portion disposed between the first ear portion and the second ear portion, the first speaker being coupled to one of the first and second ear portions of the frame, the second speaker being coupled to the other of the first and second ear portions of the frame.

15. The apparatus of claim 1, the speaker being a first speaker, the connector being a first connector, the apparatus further comprising:

a third membrane coupled to at least a portion of the interior side of the frame;

a fourth membrane coupled opposite the third membrane, the third membrane and the fourth membrane defining a second receptacle and a second opening that communicates with the second receptacle;

a second speaker disposed in the second receptacle; and

a third electrical wire having a first end electrically coupled to the second speaker and a second end including a second connector, the second connector configured to be electrically coupled to a fourth electrical wire.

16. An apparatus, comprising:

frame, the frame being configured to extend around the back of a user'"'"'s head;

a first membrane covering a portion of the frame;

a second membrane covering a portion of the frame, the second membrane being coupled to the first membrane, the first membrane and the second membrane defining a receptacle and an opening that communicates with the receptacle;

a speaker disposed in the receptacle;

a connector configured to be disposed in a first position, in which the connector is disposed entirely within the receptacle, and a second position, in which a portion of the connector is disposed outside of the receptacle; and

an electrical wire having a first end electrically coupled to the speaker and a second end electrically coupled to the connector.

17. The apparatus of claim 16, the first membrane including an ear portion configured to substantially cover a first ear of a user, the apparatus comprising a third membrane including an ear portion configured to substantially cover a second ear of a user, the speaker being coupled to one of the first and second ear portions.

18. The apparatus of claim 16, further comprising:

a pouch disposed in the receptacle, the speaker being disposed in the pouch.

19. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the speaker is removably coupled to a portion of the frame.