Patent Application
20080101633
Personal media devices are popular devices. The devices usually communicate to users through personal speakers which are often in the form of headphones so that the user can enjoy hearing the media or broadcast with minimal disruption to those nearby. Headphones have advanced from bulky, heavy devices to small bud-like devices that fit and stay within the ear of a user. However, most headphones have cords or wires to communicate signals to the speakers inside the headphones. The cords or wires often become tangled and in some cases, the headphones themselves become entangled. As headphones have become smaller and lighter weight, the problem of tangled wires continues. In addition, when headphones are not playing, often there is no convenient way to store the headphones. For headphones that operate wirelessly, there is a tendency for the individual headphones to become separated and lost. Finally, headphones usually have dedicated right and left speakers and trying to determine which speaker is the right speaker and which is the left speaker can be a challenge, especially when the speakers are small.
To assist headphones and headphone cords from becoming tangled or wireless headphones from becoming separated and lost, a connection source is made part of a first speaker enclosure and a connection target is made part of a second speaker enclosure. The connection source connects to the connection target to keep the speaker enclosures from becoming tangled. In addition, one or more alignment devices and one or more alignment targets may be added to the first and second speaker enclosures to assist that the speakers maintain a desired position together. The alignment devices may also indicate whether a speaker enclosure is a right speaker enclosure or a left speaker enclosure.
Although the following text sets forth a detailed description of numerous different embodiments, it should be understood that the legal scope of the description is defined by the words of the claims set forth at the end of this patent. The detailed description is to be construed as exemplary only and does not describe every possible embodiment since describing every possible embodiment would be impractical, if not impossible. Numerous alternative embodiments could be implemented, using either current technology or technology developed after the filing date of this patent, which would still fall within the scope of the claims.
It should also be understood that, unless a term is expressly defined in this patent using the sentence “As used herein, the term ‘______’ is hereby defined to mean . . . ” or a similar sentence, there is no intent to limit the meaning of that term, either expressly or by implication, beyond its plain or ordinary meaning, and such term should not be interpreted to be limited in scope based on any statement made in any section of this patent (other than the language of the claims). To the extent that any term recited in the claims at the end of this patent is referred to in this patent in a manner consistent with a single meaning, that is done for sake of clarity only so as to not confuse the reader, and it is not intended that such claim term by limited, by implication or otherwise, to that single meaning. Finally, unless a claim element is defined by reciting the word “means” and a function without the recital of any structure, it is not intended that the scope of any claim element be interpreted based on the application of 35 U.S.C. § 112, sixth paragraph.
The first speaker enclosure 105 may also have a connection source 120 for connecting the first speaker enclosure 105 to the second speaker enclosure 110. In one embodiment, the connection source 120 may be a magnet. Magnets are well known. The magnet may be chosen to exert sufficient force to attract a connection target 125 that may be part of the second speaker enclosure 110 such as a material that is attracted to a magnet or another magnet. However, the magnet may not have sufficient force to affect the magnets inside the speakers 115. The connection source 120 may also be a male Velcro piece (small, stiff hooks) and the connection target 125 may be a female Velcro piece (small loops that are caught by the small, stiff hooks). In another embodiment, the connection source 120 may be a T-shaped project and the connection receiver 125 may be a slot shaped opening in which the T-shaped projection is inserted and twisted to connect the two speaker enclosures 105110 together. Other connection sources 120 and targets 125 are contemplated.
The first speaker enclosure 105 may have a first stem 130 and the second speaker enclosure 110 may each have a second stem 135. In one embodiment, both the first stem 130 and second stem 135 have a length longer than a width making the stems 130135 appear rectangular in shape. Of course, other shapes would be acceptable as long as the speaker enclosures 105110 may still fit comfortably within an ear of a listener. The stems 130135 may be integrated into the speaker enclosures 105110 (molded from the same piece of plastic, for example) or may be separate pieces that are attached to the speaker enclosures 105110. In one embodiment, the surface of the stems 130135 opposite of the speaker 115 may be flat such that the stems 130135 may have a flat surface of the first stem 130 connecting to a flat surface of a second stem 135. In another embodiment, the first stem 130 may be concave and the second stem 135 may be convex and the stems 130135 may rest within each other. Other arrangements for the stems 130135 are possible and contemplated.
In one embodiment, a magnet is the connection source 120 and is part of the first stem while the connection target 125 is part of the second stem. The magnet may be housed within the first stem 130 or may be attached to the first stem 130. Similarly, the connection target 125 may be made entirely of a material that is attracted by the magnet, the material that is attracted by the magnet may be housed within the second stem 135 or the material that is attracted by the magnet may be attached to the second stem 135.
In the embodiment where the first stem 130 and second stem 135 are longer than they are wide, the connection source 120 also may have a length longer than a width and the connection source 120 may be disposed along the length of the first stem 130. Related, the connection target 125 may have a length longer than a width and the connection target 125 may be disposed along the length of the second stem 135. The result of such an arrangement may be that the length of the first stem 130 may be attracted to the length of the second stem 135 such that the first stem 130 and second stem 135 may align and the speaker in the first speaker enclosure 105 will be aligned opposite of the speaker in the second speaker enclosure 110.
As is known, magnets have north poles and south poles and north poles are attracted to south poles and south poles are attracted to north poles. Referring to
As a result of the connection source 120 and connection target 125, the first speaker enclosure 105 and the second speaker enclosure 110 may be attached to each other such that they will be more manageable. For example, a first cord 140 and a second cord 145 and the first speaker enclosure 105 and second speaker enclosure 110 may be less likely to become tangled as the first speaker enclosure 105 and second speaker enclosure 110 will be connected and they will not swing around each other, becoming tangled. In addition, the connection source 120 and connection target 125 may be used to hold the speaker enclosures 105110 together when the first cord 140 and second cord 145 are wrapped around an object, such a user's neck, hang from a hook, be wrapped around a book, etc. In an embodiment where there is no first cord 140 and second cord 145 such as when the speakers operate wirelessly using a receiver inside each speaker enclosure 105110, the connection source 120 and connection target 125 may be used to keep the first speaker enclosure 105 and second speaker enclosure 110 together when not in use.
Referring to
The alignment device 300 in the first speaker enclosure 105 may be located at a first end of the first stem 130 and the connection source 120 may be located at an end at an end opposite of the alignment device 300. For example, in
As mentioned previously, there are a wide variety of potential alignment devices to be the alignment device 300 and the second alignment device 400. In one embodiment, the alignment device 300 or the second alignment device 400 may be magnets. In another embodiment, the alignment device 300 or second alignment device 400 may be a nub and receiver combination of virtually any shape. In yet another embodiment, the alignment device 300 or second alignment device 400 may be fingers that fit into receivers 310, 410 such as a slot or a hole designed to receive the finger. In addition, the receiver 310, 410 may have a lining which may have grip to ensure the alignment device 400 stays inside the receiver 310, 410 when desired but can be separated with sufficient effort. Of course, the various alignment devices may be mixed and matched into a variety of different embodiments.
An additional benefit of the alignment device 300, the second alignment device 400, the alignment device receiver 310 or the second alignment device receiver 410 may be that the various alignment apparatus may be installed in a predictable manner to indicate to a user which speaker enclosure 105, 110 is the right speaker enclosure and which is the left speaker enclosure. For example, if the alignment device 300 is a nub, the nub may be consistently installed on the right or first speaker enclosure 105. As a result, a user can tell which speaker enclosure (105 or 110) is the right speaker enclosure (105 or 110) and which is the left speaker enclosure (105 or 110) by feel and without looking at the speaker enclosures (105 or 110). Similarly, the alignment devices 300 or 400 such as fingers or T-shaped connectors may provide tactile feedback to indicate which speaker enclosure 105, 110 is left or right.
Although the forgoing text sets forth a detailed description of numerous different embodiments, it should be understood that the scope of the patent is defined by the words of the claims set forth at the end of this patent. The detailed description is to be construed as exemplary only and does not describe every possible embodiment because describing every possible embodiment would be impractical, if not impossible. Numerous alternative embodiments could be implemented, using either current technology or technology developed after the filing date of this patent, which would still fall within the scope of the claims.
Thus, many modifications and variations may be made in the techniques and structures described and illustrated herein without departing from the spirit and scope of the present claims. Accordingly, it should be understood that the methods and apparatus described herein are illustrative only and are not limiting upon the scope of the claims.
