Particular Cup Patents (Class 381/371)
  • Patent number: 9042587
    Abstract: A headphone including two earphone cups, a main strap and a decorating strap is provided. Two ends of the main strap are connected to the earphone cups. Two ends of the decorating strap are detachably connected to the earphone cups or the main strap and rotatable corresponding to the earphone cups or the main strap.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 22, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 26, 2015
    Assignee: Cotron Corporation
    Inventor: Bill Yang
  • Patent number: 9036855
    Abstract: A headphone includes a housing, a loudspeaker located inside the housing, a cushion coupled to the housing and arranged to acoustically couple the headphone to a user's ear, electronics electrically coupled to the loudspeaker, and a rotatable ring coupled to the housing and surrounding a central portion of the housing, rotation of the ring providing a user input to the electronics. The headphone may include a touch sensor detecting contact with the ring by an external element and providing an input signal to the electronics, the electronics reacting to the input signal based on the direction and extent of contact by the external element moving along the ring.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 19, 2015
    Assignee: Bose Corporation
    Inventor: Nihar Shah
  • Patent number: 9031254
    Abstract: A headphone or a headset having at least a first and a second earphone unit is provided, the first and second earphone units being interconnected via a connecting band, the connecting band having a first end configured to connect to the first earphone unit and a second end configured to connect to the second earphone unit, wherein at least the first earphone unit comprises a first transceiver, and at least the first end of the connecting band comprises a second transceiver, the first and second transceivers being configured to inductively connect, thereby connecting the first earphone unit to conducting elements in the connecting band. It is an advantage of using an inductive connection between the earphone unit and the connecting band that no wires need to be transferred from the earphone unit to the connecting band. Hereby, a 360 degree rotation of the joint may be obtained.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 12, 2015
    Assignee: GN Netcom A/S
    Inventor: Stefan Heise
  • Patent number: 9025806
    Abstract: A headphone assembly is provided that includes two earpieces coupled by a flexible connecting wire. Each earpiece includes a single large button disposed on a distal side of the earpiece, thereby enabling a wearer to operate the system, even without direct access thereto.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 8, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2015
    Inventors: Charles Krissman, Michael Craig Krisztal
  • Patent number: 9014409
    Abstract: An earcup assembly for a headset may include a housing having a first side adapted to engage the head of a user when in use and a second side opposite thereto. A recess provided in the second side of the housing receives and stores a battery. A battery door is arranged to slidably engage the second side of the housing such that the battery door may be moved between a first, open position in which the recess is accessible to a user and a second, closed position in which the recess is covered by the battery door. Preferably, the earcup assembly includes active noise reduction circuitry. One or a pair of such earcup assemblies may be arranged to form a headset, wherein the assemblies are coupled to a headband via yokes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2015
    Inventors: Andre Steyn, Aran Pudney
  • Patent number: 9008346
    Abstract: A headphone with articulating earpieces includes a headband, a hinged fork, and earpieces connected to the fork in a manner allowing the earpieces to articulate relative to the fork as a hinge on the fork articulates. The earpieces are arranged on the fork in a manner allowing them to face each other while articulating from a folded position adjacent the headband, to an unfolded position for listening. When unfolded for listening, the earpieces are adapted to fully extend into a biased open position with an audible click. Similarly, when articulating the earphones to a closed position, they are biased against the headband with an audible click.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 20, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2015
    Inventor: Timothy Val Kolton
  • Publication number: 20150092976
    Abstract: An earpad is provided with a base and a sheath. The base is adapted to connect to a headphone housing or an earmuff housing and is formed with a continuous perimeter about a longitudinal axis. The sheath extends from the base and forms a contact surface that is longitudinally spaced apart from the base for engaging a portion of a user's head around an outer ear. The sheath defines a single enclosed cavity for receiving compliant material. The longitudinal spacing of the contact surface corresponds to a depth of the earpad. The depth of the earpad is generally uniform within a first portion of the perimeter of the earpad and increases to an enlarged depth within a second portion of the perimeter of the earpad. The sizing of the earpad may be based on average dimensions of the adult human head.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 25, 2014
    Publication date: April 2, 2015
    Inventors: James KIRSCH, Jeffrey L. HUTCHINGS
  • Patent number: 8989424
    Abstract: The present invention relates to earphone arrangements configured to accommodate an acoustically-resistant couple within the compact dimensions of ear-bud type earphones, and aims to incorporate a front volume to rear volume acoustic couple into an earphone without requiring significant addition to the lateral dimensions of the earphone. The earphone has an elongate sound outlet port that locates into a listener's ear canal and bears an internal support surface which is apertured and communicates with the outlet port. A microspeaker is supported on the support surface and projects sound through the aperture and toward the outlet port. Furthermore, the housing includes a front cavity in front of the microspeaker and in communication with the outlet port, and a rear cavity behind the microspeaker. The support surface bears a recess that communicates with the front cavity, and an acoustic resistor is accommodated in the recess.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 24, 2015
    Assignee: Incus Laboratories Limited
    Inventors: Alastair Sibbald, Martin Howle
  • Patent number: 8971562
    Abstract: A headphone can have at least one wireless audio reproducing element attached to a headband. The headband may have parietal and temporal features with the temporal feature contacting a user's temporal bone and the parietal feature having a curvilinear extension from the temporal feature that contacts a predetermined portion of a user's parietal bone.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2015
    Assignee: WR Nine Ventures LLC
    Inventors: Mark Clayton, John Grayson Estes, Phillip Dale Lott
  • Patent number: 8965029
    Abstract: A headphone includes a housing having a storage space in the interior thereof and a driver unit provided within the storage space movably with respect to the housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 16, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2015
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Kenzi Mizuno, Tomohiro Ito, Yuusuke Oosato
  • Patent number: 8965030
    Abstract: Seamless earbud structures and methods for making the same are disclosed. Seamless earbud structures can be constructed using an insert molding construction method, which overmolds a cosmetic material over two sub-enclosures that are mated together. The two sub-enclosures form a housing that can encompass a driver assembly (e.g., woofer and tweeter), a conductor bundle, and provide one or more acoustic volumes. The housing has a non-occluding member and a neck member, and has a seamless or nearly seamless construction. The cosmetic material is insert molded around the housing to provide a smooth and seamless surface disposed around the periphery of the housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2015
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventor: Jonathan Aase
  • Patent number: 8942405
    Abstract: An earphone device comprises an inner casing enclosing one or more miniature drive units, and a movable cap or outer casing that moves relative to the inner casing. The inner casing has an extension member, such as a hollow post, terminating in an acoustic output port. A compressible foam bulb at least partially surrounds the extension member, and is decompressed and compressed by actuation of an adjustable member. The adjustable member may take the form, for example, of a pivoting lever, a helical cam, or a push-rod mechanism, among other things. A flange may be disposed around the periphery of the movable cap, in order to provide a seal surrounding the ear canal region. The compressible material may be gripped by the hollow extension member, and abut the movable cap or flange.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 27, 2015
    Assignee: THX, Ltd
    Inventors: Owen Jones, Lawrence R. Fincham
  • Patent number: 8929581
    Abstract: A headphone apparatus is provided that may include a headphone and a writing surface. The headphone may include a headband, supports, and earpieces. The writing surface may be attached to a portion of the headphone. The writing surface may comprise a surface adapted to be written and erased on repeatedly, such as a dry-erase panel. The headphone apparatus may also include an eraser, which may be adapted to substantially and repeatedly erase what is written on the writing surface. The eraser may be slidably attached to at least a portion of the writing surface. Alternatively, the eraser may be attached to a portion of the headphone and/or the writing surface removably and/or via a flexible material. The headphone apparatus may further include a writing apparatus, which may be attached to a portion of the headphone apparatus and/or the writing surface removably and/or via a flexible material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 6, 2015
    Assignee: Zeikos Inc.
    Inventor: Kevin Kost
  • Patent number: 8897479
    Abstract: A headset for voice communication is provided, the headset has a first earphone housing being rotatable about a first rotational axis, and a pickup unit comprising at least one microphone arranged on the earphone housing. The earphone housing comprises an earphone housing circuit, a first speaker for receiving a speaker signal from the earphone housing circuit, and at least a first ring of electrically conductive material formed annularly about the first rotational axis and mounted in electrical contact with the earphone housing circuit. An earphone housing connector part comprises at least a first set of contact members mounted in the earphone housing connector part so as to provide electrical connection between the at least first set of contact members and the at least first ring, to thereby connect the at least first set of contact members to a second speaker and/or an electronic circuit for processing signals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 25, 2014
    Assignee: GN Netcom A/S
    Inventor: Ole Birch
  • Patent number: 8879768
    Abstract: An earpiece is disclosed. The earpiece includes a housing forming a volume therein, a number of sound holes arranged in the front end and rear end of the housing, a sound generator accommodated in the volume, an ear gel attached to a front end of the housing, a wire electrically connected to the sound generator, wherein a adjusting module is assembled to the housing, a plurality of front vents are disposed on the front end of the housing, and the amount of the front vents communicating with the volume is mechanically altered by the adjusting module.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 4, 2014
    Assignees: AAC Acoustic Technologies (Shenzhen) Co., Ltd., AAC Technologies Holdings Inc.
    Inventor: Robert M. Podoloff
  • Publication number: 20140301590
    Abstract: A headphone including two earphone cups, a main strap and a decorating strap is provided. Two ends of the main strap are connected to the earphone cups. Two ends of the decorating strap are detachably connected to the earphone cups or the main strap and rotatable corresponding to the earphone cups or the main strap.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 22, 2013
    Publication date: October 9, 2014
    Applicant: COTRON CORPORATION
    Inventor: Bill Yang
  • Publication number: 20140294222
    Abstract: A headset includes at least one ear cup having front and rear cavities separated by a driver. The cup includes a pressure equalization port coupling the front cavity to space outside the cup, the pressure equalization port having a cross-sectional area greater than 2 mm2 and being significantly longer than it is wide, providing a principally reactive acoustic impedance, such that the pressure response of the front cavity including the port to signals input via the driver may be effectively linear over a wide range of pressure levels within the front cavity.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 17, 2014
    Publication date: October 2, 2014
    Applicant: BOSE CORPORATION
    Inventors: Roman Sapiejewski, Mark Bergeron, Mihir D. Shetye
  • Publication number: 20140286520
    Abstract: A closed-back headphone includes a housing (111b) and an ear pad (111a). The housing (111b) includes a speaker unit. The ear pad (111a) is mounted on the housing (111b) and is a ring-shaped cushion surrounding an ear of a user (401). The ear pad (111a) includes an upper part (P1) for covering an upper portion of the ear, and a lower part (P2). The upper part (P1) is softer than the lower part (P2).
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 10, 2014
    Publication date: September 25, 2014
    Inventor: Yushi OGINO
  • Patent number: 8837765
    Abstract: A tunable earphone includes a speaker for making sound, a shell receiving the speaker and defining a resonance cavity therein, and a tunable element rotatably and removably mounted on the shell. The shell has a top thereof recessed downward to form a receiving cavity. A supporting plate is formed at a bottom of the receiving cavity. A damping vent is opened in the supporting plate to connect the resonance cavity with the receiving cavity. The tunable element defines a through hole passing therethrough and aligned with the damping vent of the shell. A damping plate is integrally molded on a bottom of the tunable element. The damping plate is located in the receiving cavity and against the supporting plate to separate between the damping vent and the through hole for smoothening the frequency response of the sound pressure level in the resonance cavity while the speaker making sound.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 14, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 16, 2014
    Assignee: Cheng Uei Precision Industry Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: You Ruei Lin
  • Publication number: 20140254854
    Abstract: A headset apparatus including a headband having two end portions, each of the end portions comprising an angled hinge having two opposing ends. The apparatus further includes at least two speakers, each of the speakers rotatably attached to the two ends of the angled hinged to form two rotary joints, wherein rotation of the speaker about an axis of rotation between the two rotary joints transitions the apparatus between a first listening mode to a second listening mode.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 15, 2013
    Publication date: September 11, 2014
    Applicant: IDEA VILLAGE PRODUCTS CORP.
    Inventor: Greg E. Blonder
  • Publication number: 20140254853
    Abstract: A headset apparatus is provided, the apparatus comprises: a headband; at least two connectors, each of the connectors has at least two arms, a first arm being shorter than a second arm; and at least two speakers, each speaker comprising an audio output element on a first side, each of the audio output elements of each of the speakers face one another during a first music listening mode, and each of the audio output elements of the speakers are designed to be rotated away from one another during a second music playing mode, the rotation causing the change in modes.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 8, 2013
    Publication date: September 11, 2014
    Inventors: Gregory Blonder, Au Sze Keung
  • Patent number: 8831266
    Abstract: A tunable earphone includes a body, a front cavity, a rear cavity and a decorating plat. The body includes a small air hole and a large air hole. The front cavity and the rear cavity are respectively disposed on the body. The decorating plate covers the rear cavity and includes a receiving groove, a shielding member and a channel. The shielding member and the channel are disposed in the receiving groove. When the decorating plate is rotated to a first position, the shielding member shields the large air hole, the channel corresponds to the small air hole, so that the front cavity communicates with the rear cavity through the channel. When the decorating plate is rotated to a second position, the shielding member shields the small air hole, the channel corresponds to the large air hole, so that the front cavity communicates with the rear cavity through the channel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 9, 2014
    Assignees: Jetvok Acoustic Corp., Cooler Master Technology Inc.
    Inventor: To-Teng Huang
  • Patent number: 8792668
    Abstract: A headphone with a headband is provided where the headband is adapted to ensure contact between an earpad and the head or ear of the user, and with: a speaker unit; an outer frame comprising a proximal perimeter with two first pivotal hinge points at diametrically opposed positions with respect to the speaker; a middle frame, having a proximal and a distal perimeter, hinged for pivotal movement with respect to the outer frame about a first axis defined by a line through the two first hinge points, and where the middle frame comprises second pivotal hinge points at diametrically opposed positions with respect to the speaker; and an inner frame having a proximal and a distal perimeter hinged for pivotal movement with respect to the middle frame, about a second axis defined by a line through the two second hinge points.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 10, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 29, 2014
    Assignee: Sennheiser Communications A/S
    Inventors: Peter Vestergaard Værum, Dennis W. Hansen
  • Patent number: 8774420
    Abstract: A headphone set includes a head band and a pair of speaker assemblies supplied on opposite ends of the headband. Each of the speaker assemblies comprises an earphone speaker for reproducing sound to be directed toward one of the wearer's ears, a relatively larger and more powerful broadcast speaker for reproducing sound to be broadcast in the vicinity of the headphone set; and an expandable speaker enclosure for supporting the earphone speaker and the broadcast speaker. Each speaker enclosure defines a sound chamber having an enclosed air volume for improving the acoustical characteristics of the headphone set and each speaker enclosure is shiftable between a collapsed configuration and an expanded configuration. When the speaker enclosures are shifted to their expanded configurations, the sound chambers have a relatively larger enclosed air volume. When they are shifted to their collapsed configurations relatively smaller enclosed air volumes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 8, 2014
    Assignee: Get Connected LLC
    Inventors: Stephen Belafonte, Christopher Combest, Chris Witham, David Staley
  • Patent number: 8767995
    Abstract: Provided is an earphone with an open-close type enclosure in which it is possible to open or close the communicating hole of the enclosure so as to reinforce the high-pitched tones or low-pitched tones of the sound being listened to. The earphone includes a sound wave generation means 150 that generates sound waves depending on electric signals, a body 100 including an enclosure which encloses the back of the sound wave generation means, and a worn portion 200 in which a sound wave path for transmitting a sound wave to the external auditory canal is formed, and which is worn in the external auditory canal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 1, 2014
    Assignee: Feel's Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Soon Ahn Hwang
  • Patent number: 8737665
    Abstract: A negative pressure earphone includes a main body, a cover portion, a silicone gel earplug, a filtering net and a moving coil sound unit. The silicone gel earplug is fitted to the protruding end of the main body. The filtering net is provided on the opening of the protruding end and the moving coil sound unit is disposed inside the main body. The cover portion is fitted to the other end of the main body. A sealing framework portion is disposed inside the main body and the moving coil sound unit is fitted to the sealing framework portion. A negative pressure portion is disposed on the sealing framework portion. The negative pressure earphone of the present invention is structurally simple and water resistant and does not have to have an opening in its cover portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 27, 2014
    Assignee: Eastern Technologies Holding Limited
    Inventors: Chu Ming Chung, Lee Pin Tang
  • Publication number: 20140126763
    Abstract: An ear muff and headphone device having a warmth optimizing mode and a sound optimizing mode includes an earmuff body including at least one coupling element disposed along at least a portion of a perimeter of said earmuff body. A cushioning member is mounted on an interior side of the earmuff body, said cushioning member defining a rim area having a perimeter. At least one insulator member having at least one coupling element able to be releasably attached to the at least one coupling element of the earmuff body is provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 2, 2012
    Publication date: May 8, 2014
    Applicant: David & Young Group Corp.
    Inventor: John Yoo
  • Patent number: 8699740
    Abstract: A headphone sound-generating structure includes a sound-generating module and a plurality fastening elements. The sound-generating module includes a first perforated plate, a first ring-shaped spacer, a diaphragm assembly, a second ring-shaped spacer, a second perforated plate, and a second ring-shaped mounting frame, which are sequentially superposed in a receiving space defined on an ear cup. The fastening elements are extended through third mounting holes of the second ring-shaped mounting frame and fourth mounting holes of the ear cup to thereby quickly secure the sound-generating module to the ear cup to complete a headphone sound-generating structure, which can be manufactured at lowered cost and increased good yield, and allows convenient maintenance without wasting any material. A method of assembling the headphone sound-generating structure is also introduced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 15, 2014
    Assignee: Fortune Grand Technology Inc.
    Inventors: Hsin-Yuan Chiang, Chuan-Chun Ma
  • Patent number: 8688036
    Abstract: A wireless communications headset system for double hearing protection systems that eliminates the problems associated with typical wireless communications systems. The system employs a magnetic-field coupled wireless link from a loop transmitter to a magnetic field receiver. Current through the transmitter wire loops generates magnetic flux which passes through a communications earplug. The earplug has a receiver for converting the magnetic flux to electrical voltage, and this voltage is used to drive a speaker within the earplug. The transmitter can be easily installed into aviation headsets. The loop transmitter has an open center sized so that it fits around the pinna of the human ear enabling a close position to the communications earplug. This close position is advantageous if an efficient system is desired.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 10, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 1, 2014
    Assignee: Red Tail Hawk Corporation
    Inventors: John W. Parkins, Mike Bartos
  • Patent number: 8670586
    Abstract: A plate attached to the back shell of an earphone includes an exit cavity corresponding in dimension to and aligned with a first opening through the back shell. A channel in the bottom surface of the plate begins at a point aligned with a second opening through the back shell and ends at an aperture through a side wall of the exit cavity. The channel and the outer surface of the back shell together form a reactive acoustic port from a back cavity enclosed by the back shell to the exit cavity, the first opening through the shell forms a resistive acoustic port from the back cavity to the exit cavity, and the exit cavity couples the reactive acoustic port and the resistive acoustic port to free space without introducing additional acoustic impedance. In some examples, a water-resistant screen covers the upper aperture of the exit cavity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 7, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 11, 2014
    Assignee: Bose Corporation
    Inventors: Stephen D. Boyle, Kenneth D. Gagnon, Jonathan A. Knudsen, William Tice, Kevin J. Winter
  • Patent number: 8651229
    Abstract: Hearing protection devices are disclosed. One hearing protection device includes a first material, having sound attenuating characteristics, shaped to cover over an ear of a user; at least one aperture formed in the first material; and a second material positioned over the aperture.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2014
    Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
    Inventor: Lars Peter Franzen
  • Patent number: 8638963
    Abstract: A hearing protection system with talk-through having a pair of rigid earcups enclosing a microphone, amplifier and speaker. A concha simulator, having a volume simulating that of the concha of a human ear, is acoustically coupled to the microphone, and also to the outside through an opening in the earcup. By coupling the microphone to the concha simulator, instead of directly to the outside, the acoustic response of the talk-through more accurately represents the hearing of a user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 28, 2014
    Assignee: Red Tail Hawk Corporation
    Inventor: John W. Parkins
  • Patent number: 8638969
    Abstract: An earphone, a headset, and an ear pad for an earphone. The ear pad may having the sealing integrity guaranteed. The headset may have portions with different degrees of softness or firmness.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 28, 2014
    Assignee: Sennheiser electronic GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Jan Peter Kuhtz, Olav Nisse, Olaf Leske, Steffi Beier
  • Patent number: 8625833
    Abstract: A portable headset for equalizing air pressure across the tympanic membrane of a user's ears. The device comprises two earpieces secured at opposing ends of a headband. The earpieces are cup-shaped housings containing a fan and a speaker. A mesh screen covers the open portion of the housing to protect the user's ear from contact with the fan blades. Additionally, a cushion is disposed along the perimeter of the housing to buffer the user's ear from the device. When the device is turned on, the fans rotate and air is pushed into or pulled out of the ear canals. Rate of rotation and direction of rotation are controlled via at least one pressurization selection dial. Thus the air pressure can be changed as a plane ascends or descends through the atmosphere.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 7, 2014
    Inventor: Kenneth Armwood
  • Publication number: 20130343591
    Abstract: A headphone assembly is provided and includes a headband assembly comprising at least one end; an ear-cup assembly pivotably engaged to the headband assembly by an engagement structure positioned proximate to the at least one end of the headband assembly, the ear-cup assembly comprising a cap and a housing, wherein the cap and the housing are connected to form an enclosed space inside the ear-cup assembly; a transducer configured to produce sound and positioned within the enclosed space of the ear-cup assembly; and a damper rim positioned between the ear-cup assembly and the at least one end of the headband assembly, the damper rim covering the engagement structure and being engaged to the ear-cup assembly and the at least one end of the headband assembly.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 22, 2011
    Publication date: December 26, 2013
    Applicant: Beats Electronics, LLC.
    Inventors: Robert Brunner, Gregoire Vandenbussche, Chris Fruhauf
  • Publication number: 20130329933
    Abstract: A hexagonal headphone earpiece includes a frame and overlaying pad, each of an elongated hexagonal shape, and oriented to have vertices of the hexagonal shape at a top end and a bottom end of the earpiece. The frame is resilient and supports the pad, which includes a foam cushion surrounded by an outer layer of material. Vents in the outer layer allow air to escape from the pad as it is compressed and decompressed, the vents preferably aimed away from a user's ear. A mesh spans the hexagonal shape, presenting a barrier between a user's ear and a headphone transducer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 6, 2012
    Publication date: December 12, 2013
    Inventor: Timothy Val Kolton
  • Patent number: 8594359
    Abstract: An earphone includes a speaker unit, a housing that covers a rear surface of the speaker unit, and a bushing having a cord holding portion that holds a cord that carries an audio signal to the speaker unit and is running to the outside of the housing. The bushing also has an extended portion that is extended into the housing and spread along an inner surface of the housing. The inner surface of the housing faces the rear surface of the speaker unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 8, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 26, 2013
    Assignee: JVC Kenwood Corporation
    Inventor: Masaki Takei
  • Patent number: 8594351
    Abstract: An earphone includes a first acoustic chamber having a reactive element and a resistive element in a parallel configuration, a second acoustic chamber separated from the first acoustic chamber by an acoustic transducer and including a unitary port to provide both pressure equalization of the second chamber and equalization of the earphone to a predetermined frequency response, and a housing to support the apparatus from the concha of a wearer's ear and to extend the second acoustic chamber into the ear canal of the wearer's ear.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 16, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 26, 2013
    Assignee: Bose Corporation
    Inventors: Jason Harlow, Tetsuro Oishi, Kevin P. Annunziato, Ian M. Collier, Michael Monahan, Roman Sapiejewski
  • Patent number: 8588453
    Abstract: A reverse-direction co-axial earphone is assembled by the following steps. (a) First, a donut-shaped frame (7) is connected with a T-shaped iron portion (10), a magnet (17) and a permeable U-shaped iron portion (12). Then, a high-frequency connective portion (13) is attached with the U-shaped iron portion (12). Now, a double-magnetic-route element is formed. (b) Next, a low-frequency diaphragm (8) is attached to a low-frequency conductive ring (9), which is then attached to the sound generating unit (7), which is then soldered with a low-frequency connective portion (11). Now, a reverse-direction co-axial sound generating unit with a single magnet and a double-magnetic-route element is assembled. Then, a front cover (3) and a rear cover (4) are fitted to form an air pathway (20), air pathways (21) and air pathways (19).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 4, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2013
    Assignee: Eastern Technologies Holding Limited
    Inventor: Pin-Tang Lee
  • Patent number: 8582796
    Abstract: An earmuff and a headphone includes: a headband; an ear cup attached to the headband; a baffle board fixed on the ear cup; an ear pad engaged to the baffle board. An air-permeable member provided between the baffle board and the ear pad.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 12, 2013
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Audio-Technica
    Inventor: Tominori Kimura
  • Patent number: 8577071
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for providing a shape-adaptable surface for an audio port of a device includes an audio port, a shape-adaptable surface having a plurality of portions, a plurality of sensors coupled to the shape-adaptable surface, wherein the plurality of sensors are operative to sense a plurality of distances between the object and the shape-adaptable surface, and a processor operatively coupled to the shape-adaptable surface and the plurality of sensors, said processor configured to control some of the plurality of portions of the shape-adaptable surface to adjust the plurality of distances and to provide a channel between a sound receiver of the object and the audio port. An improved audio coupling is formed by adjusting the distances between the shape-adaptable surface and the object, thereby transmitting sounds directly from the audio port of the device to a sound receiver of the object.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 10, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 5, 2013
    Assignee: BlackBerry Limited
    Inventors: Steven Henry Fyke, Norman Miner Ladouceur, Jason Tyler Griffin
  • Patent number: 8559665
    Abstract: There is provided a headset having a head band, at least one fork for receiving an earpiece and a receiving portion between an end of the head band and one of the forks. The fork is arranged pivotably about a pivot axis. The fork has a first end having a support element. The receiving portion has a slider having at least two receiving positions. The support element engages into one of the at least two receiving positions of the slider and thus limits the maximum deflection of the fork about the pivot axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 15, 2013
    Assignee: Sennheiser electronic GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Axel Schmidt, Jan Peter Kuhtz, Olaf Leske, Olav Nisse, Christian Grone, Hatem Foudhaili, Martin Streitenberger, Irene Strueber
  • Patent number: 8548186
    Abstract: An earphone assembly for an in-ear listening device is disclosed. The earphone assembly has an inner housing comprising a nozzle, configured to receive a sleeve for placement into a user's ear, and a balanced armature motor assembly. The balanced armature motor assembly is mounted in the inner housing so as to form an acoustical seal between the inner housing and the balanced armature motor assembly. The earphone assembly also includes an outer housing configured to receive the inner housing. The inner housing can comprise a recess for receiving a paddle of the balanced armature motor assembly. Alternatively, the outer housing can be formed with a nozzle for receiving a sleeve for placement into a user's ear canal, and the inner housing can comprise a spout, which is received in a recess in the outer housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2013
    Assignee: Shure Acquisition Holdings, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael Joseph Alwicker, John P. Devlin, Mark Bui Breneman
  • Publication number: 20130243235
    Abstract: A headphone can have at least one wireless audio reproducing element attached to a headband. The headband may have parietal and temporal features with the temporal feature contacting a user's temporal bone and the parietal feature having a curvilinear extension from the temporal feature that contacts a predetermined portion of a user's parietal bone.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 1, 2013
    Publication date: September 19, 2013
    Applicant: WR Nine Ventures LLC
    Inventors: Mark Clayton, John Grayson Estes, Phillip Dale Lott
  • Patent number: 8538059
    Abstract: An ear speaker device includes an electroacoustic transducer including a housing mounted at a predetermined position of listener's head, a speaker unit mounted on one surface in the housing, and positioned away from an entrance of the listener's external acoustic meatus for a predetermined distance when the housing is mounted on the listener's head, and a tubular duct extended so as to allow a sound generated by the housing in the inner space thereof to reach the vicinity of the entrance of the listener's external acoustic meatus, and a hole for emitting sound of the duct is oriented to the opposite direction with respect to the entrance of the external acoustic meatus; and a mounting part used for mounting the electroacoustic transducer on the listener's head in a manner that the predetermined distance is provided between the speaker unit and the entrance of the listener's external acoustic meatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2013
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Makoto Yamagishi, Hideki Seki, Noriyuki Hiyama, Yukimasa Yamaguchi, Takeshi Hara
  • Patent number: 8532324
    Abstract: A headphone including a housing that includes a speaker unit, and a protruding portion, provided at a specified area of one surface of the housing, that outputs playback sound generated from the speaker unit. When being worn on the head, the one surface of the housing comes in to contact with an outward facing surface of an auricle surrounding a cavity of a concha, and the protruding portion is inserted in to the cavity of the concha.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 10, 2013
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Yuusuke Oosato, Koji Nageno
  • Patent number: 8498439
    Abstract: Provided are a headset for a user specific audio service and a method for a user specific audio service using the same. The headset for a user specific audio service includes: a sensing unit sensing whether or not the headset is put on; an information collecting unit determining whether or not the headset is put on by the sensing unit and collecting current situation information of a user when the headset is put on; and an information processing unit generating a user profile based on the current situation information of the user, and controlling an audio signal output of a digital audio device based on the generated user profile.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 30, 2013
    Assignee: Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute
    Inventors: Chang Seok Bae, Jong Ho Won
  • Patent number: 8494188
    Abstract: A piezoelectric ceramic loudspeaker headphone structure includes a positioning frame having an open front end and an open rear that form a circumferential step extending along an inner circumference of the positioning frame. A steel sheet having an area approximately equal to the open front end of the positioning frame is mounted to and closes the open front end of the positioning frame. A vibrating member is received in and positioned by the circumferential step so as to close the rear open end of the positioning frame. The positioning frame with the steel sheet and the vibrating member respectively closing the front and rear ends thereof forms a closed chamber. A sound-making member that is formed by stacking multiple ceramic layers has a surface area less than that of the steel sheet and is attached to an outside surface of the steel sheet to constitute a sound-making module.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 3, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 23, 2013
    Assignees: Abatech Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hsiang-Chih Yu, Chia-Hung Chiu
  • Patent number: 8467539
    Abstract: A headset including an earcup having a front opening adapted to be adjacent to the ear of a user, the earcup extending in a radial direction and an axial direction and defining an earcup volume; and a bellows cushion extending around the periphery of the front opening of the earcup and sized to engage the ear of the user, the bellows cushion comprising a plurality of folded segments located at an outer radial portion of the bellows cushion, and configured to be substantially compliant along an axial direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 1, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 18, 2013
    Assignee: Bose Corporation
    Inventors: Roman Sapiejewski, Eric M. Wallace
  • Patent number: RE44980
    Abstract: A system and method for automatically changing a state of a device coupled to a headphone device is provided. The system comprises a means for detecting if at least one earpiece of the headphone device is activated or deactivated. Based on an activation state or a change in an activation state of the at least one earpiece, a state change may occur in the device. The state change is determined by a preset of a control module.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 1, 2014
    Assignee: Sony Computer Entertainment Inc.
    Inventor: Stewart Sargaison