Earphone and headset

• US 8,204,267 B2
• Filed: 06/23/2009
• Issued: 06/19/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 06/26/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sennheiser Consumer Audio GmbH
• Original Assignee: Sennheiser Electronic GmbH & Company KG
• Inventors: Leske, Olaf, Nisse, Olav
• Primary Examiner(s): Le, Huyen D
• Application Number:
  US12/489,790
• Publication Number:
  US 20090323978A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,092 Days
• Field of Search: 381/309, 381/330, 381/370, 381/374, 381/376, 381/377, 381/378, 381/379, 381/381, 381/383, 381/71.6, 381/72, 379/430, 181/129, 220/9
• US Class Current: 381/374
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/05 specially adapted for use on head, throat or breast
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/105 Earpiece supports, e.g. ear hooks for stereophonic headphones H04R5/0335
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 5/033 Headphones for stereophonic communication details thereof, e.g. relating to batteries, cables or control elements H04R1/10

Abstract

There is thus provided an earphone having a hoop band (100) for receiving at least one electroacoustic reproduction transducer. The hoop band has at least two hoop band portions (110, 120) which respectively include an angle, wherein at least two of the hoop band portions (110, 120) are rotatably connected together. The hoop band also has at least one adjusting unit (20) for adjusting and fixing the angle, wherein the adjusting unit is coupled to the first and second hoop band portions (110, 120).

Claims

1. An earphone comprising:

a hoop band for receiving at least one electroacoustic reproduction transducer having at least a first and a second hoop band portion which are respectively arranged at a first angle relative to each other,

wherein at least the first and the second hoop band portions are rotatably connected together by means of a rotary joint, and

at least one adjusting unit for adjusting the first angle,

wherein the adjusting unit is coupled to the first and second hoop band portions, wherein the adjusting unit has a torque application means for applying an adjustable torque.

2. An earphone as set forth in claim 1 wherein the torque application means have portions for receiving an adjusting element which couples the torque application means together.

3. An earphone as set forth in claim 2 wherein the adjusting element is in the form of an adjusting screw.

4. An earphone as set forth in claim 3 wherein the adjusting screw has at least one actuating portion for rotation of the adjusting screw.

5. An earphone as set forth in claim 4 wherein the adjusting screw has two lateral actuating portions for rotation of the adjusting screw.

6. An earphone as set forth in claim 4 wherein the adjusting screw has a central actuating portion for rotation of the adjusting screw.

7. An earphone as set forth in claim 2 wherein the adjusting element is in the form of an electrically operable linear actuator.

8. An earphone as set forth in claim 1 wherein the hoop band defines a plane and the first angle is adjustable in the plane by the adjusting unit.

9. A headset comprising:

a hoop band for receiving at least one electroacoustic reproduction transducer which has

at least a first and a second hoop band portion which are respectively arranged at a first angle relative to each other,

wherein at least the first and the second hoop band portions are rotatably connected together by means of a rotary joint, and

at least one adjusting unit for adjusting the first angle,

wherein the adjusting unit is coupled to the first and second hoop band portions, wherein the adjusting unit has a torque application means for applying an adjustable torque.

10. Ear protection comprising:

a hoop band which has

at least a first and a second hoop band portion which are respectively arranged at a first angle relative to each other,

wherein at least the first and the second hoop band portions are rotatably connected together by means of a rotary joint, and

at least one adjusting unit for adjusting the first angle,

wherein the adjusting unit is coupled to the first and second hoop band portions wherein the adjusting unit has a torque application means for applying an adjustable torque.

11. An earphone comprising:

a hoop band for receiving at least one electroacoustic reproduction transducer having at least a first and a second hoop band portion which are respectively arranged at a first angle relative to each other,

wherein at least the first and the second hoop band portions are rotatably connected together by means of a rotary joint, and

at least one adjusting unit for adjusting the first angle,

wherein the adjusting unit is coupled to the first and second hoop band portions, wherein the adjusting unit comprises an adjusting element in a form of an adjusting screw arranged in parallel to the rotary joint.