BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating a conventional acoustic device.
FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating a side view of an acoustic device in a first configuration according to one embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating a side view of an acoustic device in a second configuration according to one embodiment of the present invention.
FIGS. 4 to 6 are diagrams illustrating perspective views of an acoustic device in various configurations according to one embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating an acoustic device with an audio output component inserted into a user's ear according to one embodiment of the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
The preferred embodiments of the present invention will now be described in greater details by referring to the drawings that accompany the present application. It should be noted that the features illustrated in the drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale. Descriptions of well-known components, materials, and process techniques are omitted so as not to unnecessarily obscure the embodiments of the invention.
A wireless earphone is exemplarily demonstrated to be the acoustic device of the present invention. FIGS. 2 and 3 illustrate the side views of the wireless earphone 200. As shown in the figures, the wireless earphone 200 includes a body 210, an audio output component 220, a rotation component 230 for rotatably connecting with the body 210 and the audio output component 220.
Referring to FIG. 2, the body 210 is externally formed with a first inclined plane 211 and a first side 212. The first inclined plane 211 is at one end of the body 210. The audio output component 220 is formed with an earplug 222 and an extended portion 221 with a second inclined plane 223 and a second side 224. The first inclined plane 211 and the second inclined plane 223 are opposite to as well as rotatably connected with each other through the rotation component 230. Additionally, the body 210 further includes a third inclined plane 213 at the other end of the body 210 and a third side 214. The extended portion 221 further includes a fourth side 225. The third inclined plane 213 and the first inclined plane 211 are parallel and opposite; the third side 214 and the first side 212 are parallel and opposite; and the second side 224 and the fourth side 225 are parallel and opposite. More specifically, the first side 212 and the third side 214 are between the first inclined plane 211 and the third inclined plane 213.
In the exemplarily embodiment, a volume switch 240 and a power switch 250 are positioned on the third side 214 of the wireless earphone 200. The wireless earphone 200 may contain a microphone 260 disposed on the third inclined plane 213, which is convenient to the user for allowing the microphone 260 near his or her mouth during the operation of the wireless earphone 200. Yet, the wireless earphone 200 may further contain a hook 270 disposed on the first side 212, which is convenient to the user for hanging it on any appropriate place, such as the pocket of the user's shirt.
FIGS. 2 and 3 are simultaneously referred to illustrate the rotation structure of the present invention. As shown in the figures, the rotation component 230 is located at the interface between the body 210 and the audio output component 220, in which an axis of the rotation component 230 (shown as a dotted line) is perpendicular to the first inclined plane 211 and the second inclined plane 223. Note that in the embodiment, due to the feature of “inclined planes”, the corner formed by the first inclined plane 211 and the first side 212 is not orthogonal, neither is the corner formed by the second inclined plane 223 and the second side 224. Accordingly, by rotating the audio output component 220 through the rotation component 230, the wireless earphone 200 can present an L-shaped outline, in which the audio output component 220 sticks out beyond the first side 212. In other words, by means of the rotation component 230, the first inclined plane 211, as well as the second inclined plane 223, the audio output component 220 is rotatable relative to the body 210 that allows the acoustic device 200 to selectively be in a first configuration as shown in FIG. 2 (when not in use) and a second configuration as shown in FIG. 3 (when in use).
When the wireless earphone 200 is in the first configuration as shown in FIG. 2, the first side 212 and the second side 224 are laterally parallel. In the embodiment, the first side 212 is further coplanar with the second side 224 such that the wireless earphone 200 presents a pillar-shaped outline. Preferably, the wireless earphone 200 can be a pen-shaped cylinder, which is convenient for the user to hang it on any appropriate place, such as the pocket of the user's shirt as aforementioned.
When the wireless earphone 200 is in the second configuration as shown in FIG. 3, the first side 212 and the fourth side 225 form a first included angle α, which is smaller than 180 degrees. In such a configuration, the earplug 222 can be inserted into the user's ear and allow the body 210 to lean on the user's face. The first included angle α facilitates the closeness of the body 210 and the user's face. The size of the first included angle α depends upon the slope gradient of the second inclined plane 223 or the first inclined plane 211. In other words, as shown in FIG. 3, the size of the first included angle α also depends upon a second included angle β formed by the second inclined plane 223 and the second side 244, or a third included angle γ formed by the first inclined plane 211 and the first side 212. The size of the first included angle α can vary as appropriated in accordance with the desire of the skilled persons. In a preferred embodiment, the first included angle α is around 90 degrees while the second included angle β is around 45 degrees. Note that when the wireless earphone 200 is in the second configuration as shown in FIG. 3, the first included angleα is substantially twice as big as the second included angle β. Furthermore, when the audio output component 220 rotates around 180 degrees from the first configuration to the second configuration, the location of the fourth side 225 is transferred from coplanar with the third side 214 to form the first included angle α with the first side 212. The transformation of the wireless earphone 200 can also be observed from the location change of the second included angle β in FIGS. 2 and 3.
In the embodiment, the rotation component 230, indicated as dotted lines in FIGS. 2 and 3, can be entirely covered by the housings of body 210 and the audio output component 220. Since the rotation component 230 is within the body 210 and the audio output component 220, the first inclined plane 211 substantially contacts the second inclined plane 223 even when the audio output component 220 is rotated with respect to the body 210.
FIGS. 4 to 6 illustrate perspective views of the acoustic device 200 in various configurations. FIG.4 shows the acoustic device 200 in the first configuration, wherein the first side 212 is coplanar with the second side 224, and the third side 214 is coplanar with the fourth side 225. FIG. 5 shows the acoustic device 200 in a configuration formed by rotating the audio output component 220 around 90 degrees from the first configuration. FIG. 6 shows the acoustic device 200 in the second configuration formed by rotating the audio output component 220 around 180 degrees from the first configuration.
FIG. 7 shows the acoustic device 200 being in use by inserting the earplug 222 into the user's ear, in which the audio output component 220 and the body 210 form the first included angle α, i.e., in the second configuration, allowing the body 210 to lean on the user's face as aforementioned. If the acoustic device 200 is not in use, it can be transformed into a pen-shaped pillar as shown in the first configuration. Accordingly, as compared with the conventional earphone having a fixed projected audio output component, the acoustic device 200 of the present invention is apparently more advantageous in portability and appearance. Note that inserting the earplug 222 into the user's ear by turning the audio output component 220 around 180 degrees from the first configuration to the second configuration is merely a preferable demonstration. Only if it comforts the user, any degree in turning the audio output component 220 for inserting the earplug 222 into the user's ear would be appropriate and is still within the scope of the present invention.
The detailed description of the above preferable embodiments describes the technical features and spirit of the present invention, and the disclosed preferable embodiments are not intended to limit the scope of the present invention. On the contrary, the preferable embodiments and their variations or equivalents all fall within the scope of the present invention. Therefore, the scope of the present invention should be most broadly explained according to the foregoing description and includes all possible variations and equivalents.
Patent Application
20080049962
