Patent Application
20170078779
The present invention relates generally to accessories attached to a headphone or earbud cord.
Headphone assemblies are articles of manufacture that include a pair of small loudspeakers which are designed to be held in place close to a user's ears, and typically include, a pair a wires which allow the loudspeakers to be connected via an input plug into a jack of an audio signal source, such as an audio amplifier, a radio, a CD/DVD player, a portable media player, a computer, a tablet, a smartphone, a video game console, and like audio sources. In-ear versions are commonly known as earphones or earbuds. If a microphone is added, the resulting combination is commonly known as a headset. Headphone assemblies are generally used to prevent other people from hearing the sounds broadcast by the loudspeakers, either for privacy or to prevent disturbance to others, as in listening in a public library. Headphone assemblies can also provide a level of sound fidelity greater than room loudspeakers of similar cost.
As advantageous as such headphone assemblies are, many users desire to uniquely express themselves through, and/or individualize, their audio equipment. For example, protective cases for portable music players/smartphones have long been available in different colors and/or overlain by decals and/or imprinted with various words, designs, corporate logos, and like indicia, such as licensed images relating to a user's favorite sports team or music group. As another example, headphone assemblies may be sold with designs on the exterior of the earbuds.
“Headphones” are generally comprised of a pair of transducers placed in close proximity to a person's ears. The transducers receive an electrical signal from a media player or a receiver and use speakers to convert the signal into audible sound waves. The use of headphones began with the inventions of the telephone and radio, as sensitive headphones were about the only way to detect some of the weaker electrical signals produced by those early instruments.
Headphones are still in use today, being commonly known as earphones, earbuds, stereophones, and headsets. Most wired headphones/earbuds in use today are configured to attach to and receiving signals from media players and receivers through a jack plug. Head phones may also be configured for additional attachments such as USB or to connect a microphone jack. Players and receivers such as smartphones, digital music players, computers, video game consoles, and tablets, among other devices, commonly use wired headphones/earbuds.
Often, headphones/earbuds are used in order to prevent other people from hearing the sound output from the media player or receiver. Headphone/earbuds may also produce a sound quality that is different than many other types of speakers. Wearing a pair of headphones/earbuds may also provide an ergonomic effect by allowing a wearer use of his or her hands while the person is wearing the headphones/earbuds.
As advantageous as such headphones are, many users desire to uniquely express themselves through, and/or individualize, their audio equipment. For example, protective cases for digital music players/smartphones have long been available in different colors and/or overlain by decals and/or imprinted with various words, designs, corporate logos, and like indicia, such as licensed images relating to a user's favorite sports team or music group. As another example, headphone assemblies may be sold with designs on the exterior of the earbuds. Small objects may be attached to a portion of the headphone cord.
Several embodiments of the invention advantageously address the needs above as well as other needs by providing a cord accessory comprising: a hub comprising: is first part including a first outside face with an ornamental design and it first inside face, and a first continuous perimeter rim around a perimeter of the first part; and a second part configured to removably couple to the first part, the second part including a second outside face and a second inside face, and a second continuous perimeter rim around a perimeter of the second part, the second perimeter rim including at least two notches; a loop wherein a portion of the loop is coupled to one of the first perimeter rim and the second perimeter rim; and a tail coupled to one of the first perimeter rim and the second perimeter rim such that the tail extends away from the hub, whereby the hub is configured to couple to a cord having a first end and a second end by coupling the first part to the second part such that the first outside face and the second outside face form an exterior of the hub, a portion of the cord is enclosed within the hub and the first cord end and the second cord end each pass through one notch.
The above and other aspects, features and advantages of several embodiments of the present invention will be more apparent from the following more particular description thereof, presented in conjunction with the following drawings.
Corresponding reference characters indicate corresponding components throughout the several views of the drawings. Skilled artisans will appreciate that elements in the figures are illustrated for simplicity and clarity and have not necessarily been drawn to scale. For example, the dimensions of some of the elements in the figures may be exaggerated relative to other elements to help to improve understanding of various embodiments of the present invention. Also, common but well-understood elements that are useful or necessary in a commercially feasible embodiment are often not depicted in order to facilitate a less obstructed view of these an embodiments of the present invention.
The following description is not to be taken in a limiting sense, but is made merely for the purpose of describing the general principles of exemplary embodiments. The scope of the invention should be determined with reference to the claims.
Reference throughout this specification to “one embodiment,” “an embodiment,” or similar language means that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with the embodiment is included in at least one embodiment of the present invention. Thus, appearances of the phrases “in one embodiment,” “in an embodiment,” and similar language throughout this specification may, but do not necessarily, all refer to the same embodiment.
Furthermore, the described features, structures, or characteristics of the invention may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments. In the following description, numerous specific details are provided to provide a thorough understanding of embodiments of the invention. One skilled in the relevant art will recognize, however, that the invention can be practiced without one or more of the specific details, or with other methods, components, materials, and so forth. In other instances, well-known structures, materials, or operations are not shown or described in detail to avoid obscuring aspects of the invention.
Referring first to
The cord accessory 100 generally composes the central hub 110, with the loop 108 comprising a loop element coupled to the hub 110 at one portion of the loop 108 and extending away from the hub 110. The tail 112 coupled to a portion of the hub 110 generally opposite to where the loop 108 is coupled to the hub 110, and extends away from the hub 110 in a direction generally opposite to the loop 108. As shown in
The cord accessory 100 is shown coupled to the exemplary set of earbuds 102, but it will be understood that any type of head-worn audio equipment with at least one cord may be used, for example, headphones, a headset, or earphones.
The exemplary hub 110 is generally disk-shaped and comprised of a first part 400 and a second part 700 coupled to the first part 400 and enclosing a portion of the least cord, as described further below. The hub 110 is generally 1.5″-3″ in diameter and ½-3″ in thickness. The hub 110 may be made by 3D printing, injection molding, casting, or any other type of suitable manufacture. The hub 110 is generally comprised of polyurethane plastic but may comprise silicone, glass, plastic, clothe, metal, jewel, clay or any other suitable material. The loop 108 and the tail 112 may comprise polyurethane plastic, silicone, glass, plastic, clothe, metal, jewel, clay or any other suitable material. The hub 110 may be of any shape that is configured to couple the first part 400 to the second part 700 around a portion of the headphone cord, and described further below.
The loop 108 and the tail 112 may be formed by 3D printing, injection molding, casting or any other type of suitable manufacture. In some embodiments the loop 108 and tail 112 are integrally formed with at least one portion of the hub 110. In other embodiments, the hub parts 400, 700, the loop 108 and the tail 112 are formed separately and the loop 108 and the tail 112 are coupled to the hub 110 at a later point. In some embodiments the loop 108 and tail 112 are formed in a multi-part process, for example, a cord portion of the loop 108 is formed, then later bead portions are formed around the cord portion. In some embodiments the cord portion and the bead portions comprise different materials. For example, the cord may have an embedded wire to provide additional support.
As shown in
The cord accessory 100 is coupled to the lead cord 106 below the Y-junction 114, or, in some instances, at the Y-junction 114. As described further below, the hub 110 is coupled to the lead cord 106, or to the lead cord 106 and the ear cords 104, such that the loop 108 extends upwards and is proximate to the earphone cords, and the tail 112 extends downwards, away from the loop 108.
The hub 110, loop 108 and tail 112 in the embodiment of
Referring next to
The user 200 is wearing the set of earbuds 102, with the earbuds 116 of the set of earbuds 102 coupled to the ears of the user 200 and the ear cords 104 extending downward to the Y-junction 114, where the lead cord 106 continues extending downward and terminates at a connection to the exemplary audio device 202 which is being held by the user 200. The hub 110 has been coupled to the lead wire such that the hub 110 rests generally against the chest of the user 200, with the outside face including the ornamental design 118 facing outward. The loop 108 is placed over the head of the user 200, such that the loop 108 functions generally as a necklace. The tail 112 extends downward from the hub 110. In some embodiments the cord accessory 100 is supported on a neck of the user 200 and the lead cord 106 may slide within the hub 110. In other embodiments the hub 110 is configured to clamp to or otherwise be attached to and supported by the lead cord 106.
Referring next to
The loop 108 is coupled to the hub 110 using two stems connecting the continuous loop element to the hub 110. In the embodiment shown, an end of the stem proximate to the loop 108 is formed integrally with the loop 108. An end of the stem proximate to the hub 110 fits within the loop notch 408 in the hub 110 and is coupled to the hub 110 using an adhesive or other method. Alternate methods of connecting the loop 108 to the hub 110 may be used, for example a single stem or a connection using one or more rings. In some embodiments, the stem end proximate to the hub 110 may be formed integrally with the hub 110.
A portion of the lead cord 106 is coupled to and enclosed by the hub 110. The lead cord 106 is shown exiting a top portion and a bottom portion of the hub 110, but the hub 110 may be configured to allow the lead cord 106 to exit at alternate hub 110 locations, or multiple exit locations may be provided in a single hub 110.
The tail 112 is coupled to the bottom portion and extends downward from the hub 110. The tail 112 is shown coupled to the hub 110 by an end of the tail 112 proximate to the hub 110 fitting within a tail notch 410 in the hub 110 and coupled by an adhesive or other method. As with the loop 108, other connection types may he used.
Beads 300 are shown coupled to the tail 112 and the loop 108. The beads 300 may be integrally formed with the tail 112 and/or loop 108, or may be added after the formation of the tail 112 or loop 108. The beads 300 may be of any bead shape, for example faceted, round, square, paddle, or cylindrical. In other embodiments the loop 108 and/or the tail 112 lack beads.
Referring next to
The first part 400 of the hub 110 is generally disk-shaped and includes the first outside face 402 and the first inside face 500. The first outside face 402 includes the ornamental design 118. The first perimeter rim 406 is generally perpendicular to the first inside face 500 and extends continuously outward from the first inside face 500.
In the embodiment shown, the first part 400 also includes the plurality of tubes 404 integrally formed with and extending outward from and normal to the first inside face 500. The tubes 404 extend past the perimeter rim, as shown in
In the embodiment shown, the hub 110 includes the loop notches 408 and the tail notch 410 for coupling the loop 108 and the tail 112 to the hub 110 as previously described in
Referring next to
The second part 700 is generally a mirror element to the first part 400, with the exception that the second part 700 includes pins 704 in lieu of tubes 404, includes at least two cord notches 708 in the second perimeter rim 706, and the second part 700 lacks the ornamental design 118 on the second outside thee 702, although an ornamental design on the second outside face 702 may be included in some embodiments. The second perimeter rim 706 is generally perpendicular to the second inside face 800 and extends continuously outward from the second inside face 800. The generally cylindrical pins 704 extend outward and are generally normal to the second inside face 800. A length of the pins 704 may vary depending on the hub dimensions, but is generally long enough to provide the friction fit coupling (or other type of coupling) with the tubes 404. The pins 704 are located and configured to slide within the tubes 404 of the first part 400 and provide a friction fit when the first perimeter rim 406 is juxtaposed with the second perimeter rim 706, coupling the first part 400 to the second part 700 to form the hub 110. In other embodiments the first part 400 may be coupled to the second part 700 by a clamping portion, snap fit, or any other type of removable coupling. The cord notches 708 are located generally at the top and bottom of the second part 700, and are configured to allow the lead cord 106 to pass through the cord notches 708 when the first part 400 is coupled to the second part 700.
The coupling of the first part 400 to the second part 700 is shown further below in
Referring next to
The headphone cord is coupled to the hub 110 by first locating the lead cord 106 in the cord notches 708 as shown in
In the embodiment shown, the coupled hub 110 forms a general disk shape, with the first perimeter rim 406 and the second perimeter rim 706 aligning. Other hub shapes may be used, for example a rectangular, hexagonal, and irregular shape, or any 3D shape configured to couple to the lead cord 106 as previously described.
In the embodiment shown, four tubes 404 are included in the first part 400, and three pins 704 are included in the second part 700, with three of the tubes 404 aligning with the three pins 704 that are generally located at the corners of an equilateral triangle. The equilateral triangle spacing provides multi-directional connections (as opposed to only two connections aligned in a single direction) while still leaving enough space for the lead cord 106 to fit between the connections. While in the present embodiment four tubes 404 and three pins 704 are shown, it will be understood by those of ordinary skill in the art that varying numbers and locations of pins 704 and tubes 404 may be used. In some embodiments the numbers of pins 704 and tubes 404 are equal, with each pin 704 fitting into one corresponding tube 404.
Referring next to
In the embodiment shown in
While the invention herein disclosed has been described by means of specific embodiments, examples and applications thereof, numerous modifications and variations could be made thereto by those skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the invention set forth in the claims.
