Abstract:
A multi-piece dual mode headphone, including: a molded elongated member, a rear molded insert member and an intermediate member all together forming a headphone with a channel extending through the interior of the headphone. A small speaker for transmitting sound energy is positioned in the headphone to direct the sound energy through the channel to the eardrum. The molded rear insert member includes a cap member and with positioning of the cap member providing for the headphone being in a first mode of operation where the channel extending through the interior of the headphone is open and a second mode of operation where the channel extending through the interior of the headphone is closed.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     This invention relates to light weight headphones (known as earphones or ear buds) for controlling sound from portable radio communications, CD players, portable media players or mobile phones to the eardrum and also, when desired, allowing sound to the eardrum from outside of the ear. In particular, the invention is specifically directed to a Dual Mode In-Ear Headphone/Headset having selective characteristics including a two-position structure so that in a first position the device blocks out such external noise and in a second position the structure permits external sounds to enter the ear relatively unobstructed. 
     2. Prior Art 
     Since the invention of portable devices, such as portable radio communications, CD players, portable media players or mobile phones, the light weight headphones (known as earphones or ear buds) have become more popular. For the people who prefer a simple listening experience the new ear-fitting headphones are relatively inexpensive and more comfortable comparing to full-size over-ear headphones, as they are light in weight, small in size, they do not cover the ears and less pressure against the ears. 
     While there are various models of earphones available, in general they fall into two categories—either block the external noise or allow the ambient noise to seep in. 
     Typically the earphones that do not block the ambient noise are fitted in the outer ear, but not inserted in the ear canal, and the earphones that isolate the outside noise are inserted deep into the ear canal (known as in-ear headphone). 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention achieves the dual mode advantages described above and eliminates the deficiencies of the prior art. Based on the circumstances, the users may or may not want to isolate the external noise. For example, in a noisy environment with earphones that do not block the external noise, the users may turn up the volume dangerously high to compensate the external noise at the risk of causing hearing loss. On the other hand earphones that block out the ambient noise do not let the user be aware of the surroundings, for example, approaching vehicles which in some instances can be an important safety concern. 
     The following description and drawings illustrate the new and novel concept of an in-ear headphone with Dual Mode capabilities. The objective of the present design is to provide an earphone with both options described above. The Dual Mode In-Ear Headphone/Headset has selective characteristics including a two position structure. In one position the earphone blocks out much external noise and in the second position it permits external sounds to enter the ear relatively unobstructed. The user can easily switch between the two modes by simply opening and closing a cover without removing the earphone from the ear canal. Another advantage of the present design is that the earphone securely stays in the ear canal in both positions whereas most of the earphones that do not block the external noise are prone to falling out since they sit in the outer ear. 
     In particular, the present invention is simple in construction, simple in manufacture, and simple in use. It consists of only three parts (plus a small speaker) which can be molded individually and joined together in a simple manufacturing operation. The result is the headphone of the present invention that has two positions to provide two modes of operation. In one position the device blocks out most external noise and in the second position it permits external sounds to enter the ear relatively unobstructed. The present invention is easy to use since the switching between the two modes of operation is accomplished using one hand and without removing the headphone from the ear canal. Another feature of the present invention is that it is easy to determine which mode the headphone is in. 
     The headphone of the present invention is constructed of a front elongated member, an intermediate member and a rear insert member. The insert member, located at the rear, and the intermediate member together form part of the shaft or handle of the headphone. This rear insert member and the intermediate member are both made of a relatively hard polymeric material. The front elongated member forming the in-ear portion of the headphone is made of a relatively soft resilient material so as to be comfortable within the interior of the ear. 
     The headphone of the present invention is thereby formed by a shaft or handle composed of the rear and intermediate members. A small speaker is positioned within the shaft formed by the rear and intermediate members. The front elongated member extends from the shaft and has a nose end configuration that is typically a rounded cone shape so as to be easily inserted within the ear. The front elongated member can be any of a variety of shapes including a flanged structure, a tapered cone, a single flared cone structure and a stepped cone structure. 
     A clearer understanding of the invention will be had with reference to the following description and drawings wherein. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a cross-sectional view of the headphone of the present invention in a closed position for blocking out most external noise, 
         FIG. 2  is a cross-sectional view of the headphone of the present invention in the open position for permitting external sounds to enter the ear relatively unobstructed, 
         FIG. 3  is an exploded view of the various components forming the headphone in the open position and showing the different members before assembly, 
         FIG. 4  is a top view of the rear insert member of the headphone in the open position, 
         FIG. 5  is a view of the of the complete headphone including two earphones, one disassembled and the other assembled with a particular front elongated member, and 
         FIG. 6(   a ) (b) and (c) illustrate additional types of front elongated members that can be used with the headphone of the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     As shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , the headphone  10  of the present invention includes a front elongated member  12  forming a nosepiece, an intermediate member  13  and a rear insert member  14 . A speaker  15  is located within the assembly of the intermediate member  13  and the rear insert member  14 . In addition, the insert member  14  includes a living hinged cap member  16  attached to the body of the insert portion  14  by the living hinge  18 . The cap member  16  includes a plug  20  that is used to switch the mode of operation by the insert member  14  from the closed position of  FIG. 1  to the open position of  FIG. 2 . The back structure of the rear insert member  14  is similar in structure to that shown in U.S. Pat. No. 8,161,975, which patent is in a different art and used as part of a sound attenuating earplug and not a headphone for transmitting sound energy from a speaker. 
     This can be seen more clearly in the top view of  FIG. 4  where it is seen that the insert member  14  includes an opening  22  and when the cap member  16  is in the closed position of  FIG. 1 , the plug  20  enters into the opening  22  to completely close off the opening  22 . This blocks the headphone  10  from transmission of most of any external sound energy through the headphone so that the sound energy delivered to the eardrum is primarily from the speaker  15 . The insert member  14  includes a base portion with a pair of sidewalls  24  so that the cap member  16  is guided in between the sidewalls  24  to ensure that the plug  20  is properly seated within the opening  22 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 2 , when the cap  16  is in the open position, the plug is removed from the opening  22  and external sound can be transmitted through the opening  22 , around the speaker  15  and through a passageway  26  in the front elongated member  12 . This sound pathway is illustrated by the arrow  28  shown in  FIG. 2 . The rear insert member  14  includes two slots  30  and  32  shown in  FIGS. 1-3  and also  FIG. 5 . The slots  30  and  32  are used as part of the pathway shown by the arrow  28 . The slot  32  is also used to clear a flexible speaker cord  33  to allow the speaker  15  to be inserted into the rear insert member. After the speaker is inserted in the rear insert member  14 , the rear insert member  14  is then inserted into the intermediate member  13  and the intermediate member covers the slot  32 . The speaker cord  33  itself provides a seal for the cord  34  for external sounds since it is captured in a small opening  35  having a size and shape complementary to the cord  33 . 
       FIGS. 1-3  illustrate a cross-sectional view of one example of an elongated member  12  of the headphone of the present invention. In particular, the elongated member is shown to include a bulbous nose member  34  and a pair of flange members  36  and  38 . This type of elongated member is also shown in  FIG. 6(   b ). This elongated member  12  is shown to be a type shown in prior U.S. Pat. No. 5,957,136. It is to be appreciated that the elongated member  12  can take any shape either including flanges or not including flanges and other examples of elongated members  12  are shown in  FIGS. 5 and 6(   a ) and ( c ).  FIG. 5  illustrates a stepped cone,  FIG. 6(   a ) illustrates a tapered cone and  FIG. 6(   c ) illustrates a single flared cone. All of these varieties of the elongated member  12  can be made of various types of material such as the type of material disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,957,136 or other materials including rubber-like materials or foam materials. Any of the external shapes of the elongated member  12  can be used as long as the internal structure of the elongated member is part of the headphone of the present invention. 
     In particular the internal structure of the elongated member  12  includes the channel  26  that extends completely there through. The channel  26  is formed with a portion  40  that interacts with a locking portion  42  of the intermediate member  13  to seat and mechanically lock the portion  42  in position within the portion  40  of the elongated member  12 . The portion  40  may include a recess  41  and the portion  42  may include a projection  43  to enhance the interlocking of the portions  40  and  42 . The recess  41  and the projection are best seen in  FIG. 3 . 
     The combination of an elongated member  12  made of material softer than the material of the intermediate member  13  and the rear insert member  14  also allows for the advantages of the intermediate member  13  and the rear insert member  14  forming a handle for insertion of the headphone in the ear canal. The headphone of the present invention can be fabricated by any suitable polymer molding techniques. It is important that the headphone be constructed of the proper resilient polymer material so as to have the combination of softness at the end of the headphone that is inserted into the ear and hardness at the rearward end to facilitate the insertion. 
     For example the elongated member  12  should be formulated of material that have a Shore A Durometer hardness value (by the technique of ASTM 2240-81) of between about 10 and 30 and preferably between 15 and 25. The intermediate member  13  and the rear insert member  14  should be composed of a resilient polymeric material having a higher Shore A Durometer hardness value between 50 and 120 and preferably between 70 and 90. In a preferred embodiment the elongated member  12  can have a Shore A Durometer hardness value of approximately 20 and the intermediate member  13  and the rear insert member  14  can have a Shore A Durometer hardness value of approximately 85. 
     There are many known resilient polymeric materials that may be used to form the headphones of the present invention. For example, natural rubber, neoprene rubber, SBR rubber (styrene block copolymer compounds), silicone rubber, EPDM rubber, polybutadiene rubber, polyvinylchloride elastomers and foams, polyurethane elastomers and foams, ethylene vinyl, acetate elastomers, elastomers based on acrylic acid precursors and vinyhalide polymers may all be generally suitable materials which can be used to provide the necessary Shore A Durometer values. As preferred materials, the present invention contemplates using a polyvinylchloride elastomer with low migration for the members  13  and  14  and SBR rubber for the elongated member  12  shown in  FIGS. 1-3  and  6 ( b ). For the examples of the elongated member  12  shown in  FIGS. 5 and 6(   a ) and  6 ( c ), typical resilient foam earplug material may also be used. 
       FIG. 5  illustrates a complete headphone set including two headphones, or headphone  10 , one disassembled and the other assembled with a particular front elongated member  12  formed as a stepped cone. The full headphone set typically includes a standard jack  100 , electrical wires  102  and any interconnectors  104  to supply sound signals to the headphones  10 . The specific structure for the headphone set including the jack  100 , the wires  102  and the connectors  104  can be of any conventional type to operate with the headphones  10  of the present invention. 
     The final combined structure can be seen in  FIGS. 1 and 2  wherein the speaker  15  has been positioned in the rear insert member  14  which in turn has been inserted into the intermediate member  13  which in turn has been inserted into the elongated member  12  and where all of the various members are shown cooperating to provide for the operation of the present invention. As shown in  FIG. 2 , the headphone  10  is in the open position. In this mode of operation, outside external sounds can enter into the opening  22  to be passed into the interior of the headphone and thereby into the passageway  26  to the interior of the ear. Sounds produced by the speaker will still be transmitted to the interior of the ear but normal conversation and other outside noises can be heard but in somewhat attenuated form because of restrictions in the sound path through the headphone. 
     When the plug  20  engages into the opening  22  and thereby completely shuts off the headphone, then most external noise is blocked to the passageway  26 . All of this is accomplished using the three parts  12 ,  13  and  14  that may be easily molded using conventional equipment. Moreover, the three parts plus the speaker  15  are interlocked in a very simple manner as shown in  FIGS. 1-3 . Also, the combined structure of the members  13  and  14  enclosing the speaker  15  is then connected to the member  12  using the interlocking portions  42  and  40  and it is only necessary to insert the portion  42  into the portion  40 , push it in until these two portions  40  and  42  interlock to hold the headphone in the completed assembled position. 
     In general, the operation of the headphone  10  by a user is a follows: 
     When cap  16  is open, the headphone  10  can be used to hear sound produced by the speaker, such as music, while also allowing the user to hear outside noises such as conversation or traffic sounds. In the closed cap position the headphone can be used to hear continuous sounds from the speaker while blocking most outside sounds. 
     For use of the headphone without outside sounds, insert, as below, and wear with the cap  16  closed. Before inserting the headphone  10 , check to see that cap  16  is fully closed. Grasp the rigid handle portion formed by the members  13  and  14  and gently push and wiggle each headphone into the ear canals until a good and comfortable seal is made. 
     For use when outside hearing is needed, wear with the cap  16  open and insert as above. If the headphone is already being worn with cap  16  closed, there is no need to take the headphone out to open cap. To open the cap  16 , depending on the orientation of the rear insert member  14 , use either the thumb or index finger to gently push out on the cap  16  while resting the other finger on the hinge  18 . If you want to switch to use against outside sounds the cap must be closed. To close cap  16  there is no need to take headphone out. Depending on the orientation of the rear insert member  14 , use either the thumb or index finger to gently push the cap  16  into the insert member  14 . 
     It can therefore seem that all of the desirable features of the dual mode operation have been accomplished in the present invention. Moreover, the method and structure of switching between the open and closed positions for the two different modes of operation is very simply accomplished using the plug member  20  which engages an opening  22  and that is part of the insert member  14  using a living hinge  18 . It is very simple to reach up and with one hand to switch the headphone from the closed position to the open positioned and then to re-engage the closed position by just pushing the cap portion  16  to have the plug engage the opening. This structure is much simpler in operation than any other prior art headphones. 
     The present invention has simplicity of manufacture using only three parts plus speaker and simplicity of the structure itself. All parts may be easily molded using conventional techniques and the present invention has simplicity of assembly by merely pushing the different members into each other to assemble the complete headphone. All of this greatly simplifies the structure and manufacturing. Moreover, the ease of operation from one mode to the other again increases the advantages of the present invention. The novel and unique combination of elements thereby lends a surprising structural advantage of the present invention over the prior art. 
     It is to be appreciated that the invention has been described with reference to a three part structure but the intermediate members and the elongated member may be integrally molded together to form a combined molded structure having the same characteristics as the separate members. The rear insert member is then inserted into this integrally molded structure. 
     As indicated above, the elongated member may take any form and although the invention has been described with reference to a particular embodiment it is to be appreciated that various adaptations and modifications may be made and the invention is only to be limited by the appended claims.