Eyeglass with MP3 player

• US 7,216,973 B2
• Filed: 07/28/2003
• Issued: 05/15/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 07/26/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Oakley, Inc. (EssilorLuxottica SA)
• Original Assignee: Oakley, Inc. (EssilorLuxottica SA)
• Inventors: Webb, Michael, Baden, Colin, Jannard, James, Saderholm, Davin, Daniels, Eric Bernard, Reyes, Carlos, Bruns, Samner Lane
• Primary Examiner(s): Dang; Hung Xuan
• Application Number:
  US10/628,789
• Publication Number:
  US 20040160572A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,387 Days
• Field of Search: 351/41, 351/158, 455/350, 455/351, 455/343, 455/344, 381/187, 381/183
• US Class Current: 351/158
• CPC Class Codes: G02C 11/06 Hearing aids construction of hearing aids H04R25/00
• CPC Class Codes: G02C 11/10 Electronic devices other than hearing aids
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/385 Transceivers carried on the body, e.g. in helmets
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 2001/3866 carried on the head
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/05 specially adapted for use on head, throat or breast
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/6041 Portable telephones adapted for handsfree use
• 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 1/1066 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 1/1083 Reduction of ambient noise active noise reduction per se G10K11/175; protective devices for the ear, e.g. providing acoustic protection A61F11/06
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2201/103 Combination of monophonic or stereophonic headphones with audio players, e.g. integrated in the headphone
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2420/07 Applications of wireless loudspeakers or wireless microphones
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2460/13 Hearing devices using bone conduction transducers
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 5/0335 Earpiece support, e.g. headbands or neckrests for monophonic headphones H04R1/105

Abstract

An eyeglass can have a digital audio file storage and playback device and earphones supported by the eyeglass frame so as to provide a personal and portable audio player integrated into eyeglasses.

Claims

1. An eyeglass comprising a frame defining first and second orbitals, first and second lenses disposed in the first and second orbitals, respectively, first and second ear stems extending rearwardly from the frame, first and second speakers mounted to the first and second ear stems with first and second mounting mechanisms, respectively, configured to allow the first and second speakers to be translatable along first and second predetermined linear paths in a forward to rearward direction generally parallel to the ear stems, respectively, over a first range of motion, at least one of the size of the speakers and the first range of motion being configured to provide a limited effective range of coverage of about at least 1¼

inches and shorter than the earstem, and wherein the first and second mounting mechanisms are configured to allow the first and second speakers, respectively, to pivot a limited, predetermined distance about first and second predetermined pivot axes that are parallel to the first and second linear paths.

2. The eyeglass according to claim 1 additionally comprising an audio file storage and playback device disposed within the first ear stem.

3. The eyeglass according to claim 2 additionally comprising a power storage device disposed in the second ear stem.

4. The eyeglass according to claim 2 additionally comprising at least one button disposed on the first ear stem.

5. The eyeglass according to claim 4, wherein the first ear stem comprises an upper surface with a first aperture through which the first button extends and a lower surface facing a generally opposite direction toward which the upper surface faces, the lower surface having a width of at least about one-quarter of 1 inch.

6. The eyeglass according to claim 1 additionally comprising at least one volume control button disposed on the second ear stem configured to control a volume of sound emitted from the first speaker.

7. The eyeglass according to claim 1, wherein only buttons with a volume function are disposed on the second ear stem.

8. An eyeglass frame as in claim 1, wherein the limited, predetermined distance is defined by a predetermined angle of no greater than about 180 degrees.

9. An eyeglass frame as in claim 1, wherein the limited, predetermined distance is less than about 90 degrees.

10. An eyeglass frame as in claim 1, wherein the limited, predetermined distance is defined by a predetermined angle of no more than about 30 degrees.

11. An eyeglass frame as in claim 1, wherein the limited, predetermined distance is defined by a predetermined angle of no more than about 40 degrees.

12. An eyeglass comprising a frame defining first and second orbitals, first and second lenses disposed in the first and second orbitals, respectively, first and second ear stems extending rearwardly from the frame, a compressed audio file storage and playback device disposed in the first ear stem, a power storage device disposed in the second ear stem, first and second speakers connected to the first and second ear stems, respectively, the speakers being configured to be alignable with an auditory canal of a wearer of the eyeglass, and wherein the first and speakers are configured to be translatable along first and second paths in a forward to rearward direction over a first range of motion, at least one of a speaker size and the first range of motion being configured to provide a limited effective range of coverage of about at least 1¼

inches and shorter than the earstem, and wherein the first and second speakers are further configured to pivot a limited, predetermined distance with respect to first and second predetermined pivot axes that are parallel to the first and second ear stems.

13. The eyeglass according to claim 12 additionally comprising a first button disposed on the first ear stem, the first ear stem comprising a first upper surface facing a first direction and defining an aperture through which the first button extends and a second lower surface facing a second direction generally opposite the first direction, the second lower surface having a width of at least about one-quarter of an inch.

14. The eyeglass according to claim 13, wherein the width of the second lower surface is at least about one-half of an inch.

15. The eyeglass according to claim 12 additionally comprising first and second speaker supports supporting the first and second speakers, respectively, relative to the first and second ear stems, respectively, the first and second supports extending from the ear stems at a predetermined angle.

16. The eyeglass according to claim 15, wherein the predetermined angle is between about 30 degrees and 50 degrees.

17. The eyeglass according to claim 15, wherein the predetermined angle is between about 35 degrees and 45 degrees.

18. The eyeglass according to claim 15, wherein the predetermined angle is about 40 degrees.

19. An eyeglass comprising a frame defining first and second orbitals, first and second lenses disposed in the first and second orbitals, respectively, first and second ear stems extending rearwardly from the frame, first and second speakers mounted to the first and second ear stems with first and second mounting mechanisms, respectively, configured to allow the first and second speakers to be translatable along first and second predetermined linear paths in a forward to rearward direction generally parallel to the ear stems, respectively, over a first range of motion, at least one of the size of the speakers and the first range of motion being configured to provide an effective range of coverage of about at least 1¼

inches, and wherein the first and second mounting mechanisms are configured to allow the first and second speakers, respectively, to pivot a predetermined distance about first and second predetermined pivot axes that are parallel to the first and second linear paths, wherein the first mounting mechanism comprises a rod.

20. An eyeglass comprising a frame defining first and second orbitals, first and second lenses disposed in the first and second orbitals, respectively, first and second ear stems extending rearwardly from the frame, first and second speakers mounted to the first and second ear stems with first and second mounting mechanisms, respectively, configured to allow the first and second speakers to be translatable along first and second predetermined linear paths in a forward to rearward direction generally parallel to the ear stems, respectively, over a first range of motion, at least one of the size of the speakers and the first range of motion being configured to provide an effective range of coverage of about at least 1¼

inches, and wherein the first and second mounting mechanisms are configured to allow the first and second speakers, respectively, to pivot a predetermined distance about first and second predetermined pivot axes that are parallel to the first and second linear paths, wherein the electrical conduit comprises a wire.

21. An eyeglass comprising a frame defining first and second orbitals, first and second lenses disposed in the first and second orbitals, respectively, first and second ear stems extending rearwardly from the frame, first and second speakers mounted to the first and second ear stems with first and second mounting mechanisms, respectively, configured to allow the first and second speakers to be translatable along first and second predetermined linear paths in a forward to rearward direction generally parallel to the ear stems, respectively, over a first range of motion, at least one of the size of the speakers and the first range of motion being configured to provide an effective range of coverage of about at least 1¼

inches, and wherein the first and second mounting mechanisms are configured to allow the first and second speakers, respectively, to pivot a predetermined distance about first and second predetermined pivot axes that are parallel to the first and second linear paths, wherein the electrical conduit extends through an aperture in the first mounting mechanism.