Abstract:
A headphone having reduced-tangling potential includes an audio plug for receive electrical signals from an audio device, coupled via wires to ear buds, wherein the ear buds are for receiving electrical signals and outputting audio, wires coupled to the audio plug and to the pair of ear buds, wherein the coupling wire is configured to provide the electrical signals from the audio plug to at least the pair of ear buds, and a restraint device having a pliable material body having an interior channel, wherein the channel restrains movement of the separate ear buds a first resistance, when the audio plug is inserted into the channel, and wherein the channel restrains movement the separate ear buds by a second resistance, when the audio portion is separated from the channel, wherein the first resistance amount exceeds the second resistance amount.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    Embodiments of the present invention relate to wired headphones capable of being stored in a configuration with reduced tangling tendency and methods thereof. 
         [0002]    The inventors of the present invention have had many instances when they removed headphones (e.g. ear bud-type headphones) from a storage location (e.g. a pocket, a backpack), the headphones are tangled in a large mass of wires. In some instances, the inventors have had to spend minutes untangling a headphone cord before they can even use them. Accordingly, the inventors desired a headphone that had a reduced tendency to tangle. 
         [0003]    Prior art techniques to solving the tangling problem have including using thicker headphone wire or insulation, but such techniques have drawbacks including that the headphone wires are stiff and do not easily move out of the users&#39; way. Other techniques have included a wire pull between the wires leading to the ear buds, but such techniques have drawbacks including that such headphones still tangle and the pull often fails to keep the ear buds together. Other techniques have included an automatic spooling mechanism for the headphone wires, but such techniques have drawbacks including that the spooling mechanism is bulky, not aesthetically pleasing, and it causes a lot of stress on the wires. Other techniques have included winding the wires upon an object such as a piece of plastic or the user&#39;s fingers, which is a time consuming process. These problems especially significant with headphones with in-line microphones. The in-line microphone typically interferes with any winding or sliding mechanism because they are often bulky and they are rigid, not flexible. 
         [0004]    A headphone having reduced storage tangling is thus desired. 
       BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0005]    The present invention relates to wired headphones (including earphones, ear buds, or the like). More specifically, the present invention relates to wired headphones having the ability to be stored in a configuration with reduced-tangling tendency and methods thereof. 
         [0006]    Various embodiments of the present invention include a headphone including one or more ear buds, an audio input jack, and a restraining mechanism. The restraint or restraining mechanism restrains relative movement of the ear buds relative to each other and the audio input jack. In various embodiments, the restraining mechanism is adapted to maintain a temporary loop in the headphone wires but can release the temporary loop in the headphone wires upon application of a relatively low amount of force, e.g. several pounds. 
         [0007]    In operation, after the user removes her headphones, she grasps the restraint and repositions the restraint towards the ear buds (passing over a microphone, if present), and then inserts the audio input jack into the groove, slot, channel of the restraint, sometimes physically adjacent to the ear buds. The sliding resistance of the restraint with respect to the wires/input jack increases, when the audio input jack is inserted into the restraint. 
         [0008]    In operation, a user retrieves the pair of headphones stored with the audio input jack being physically restrained to the one ear bud by a restraint mechanism. A process may include the user visually identifying the audio input jack and the restraint mechanism, grasping the audio input jack, and pulling the audio input jack away from the restraint such that tangles are reduced. The user inserts the audio input jack into an audio device and placing the at least one ear bud in a position proximate to a location of the user&#39;s ears. 
         [0009]    According to one aspect of the invention, a headphone having reduced-tangling potential is described. A device includes an audio plug, a pair of ear buds, and headphone wires. One apparatus includes a restraint device coupled to the headphone wires, including a body comprising a pliable material, wherein the body includes a channel, wherein the channel is configured to restrain movement of a first ear bud with respect to a second ear bud by a first resistance amount, when at least a portion of the audio plug is inserted into the channel, and wherein the channel is configured to restrain movement the first ear bud with respect to the second ear bud by a second resistance amount, when the plug portion is separated from the channel, wherein the first resistance amount exceeds the second resistance amount. 
         [0010]    According to another aspect of the invention, a restraint device for a headphone comprising an input plug coupled to a pair of ear buds via headphone wires, is described. One device includes a body comprising a pliable material, wherein the body includes an interior channel, wherein the headphone wires are disposed within the interior channel, wherein the interior channel is configured to restrain movement of a first ear bud with respect to a second ear bud, and to restrain movement of the first ear bud and second ear bud with respect to the input plug, when at least a portion of the input plug is inserted into the interior channel and when at least the portion of the input plug is adjacent to the headphone wires. 
         [0011]    Additional objects, features and advantages of the present invention can be more fully appreciated with reference to the detailed description and drawings that follow. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0012]    In order to more fully understand the present invention, reference is made to the accompanying drawings, that are not to be considered limitations in the scope of the invention. The described embodiments and the presently understood best mode are described with additional detail through use of the accompanying drawings in which: 
           [0013]      FIGS. 1A-B  illustrate typical embodiments of the present invention; 
           [0014]      FIGS. 2A-B  illustrate various embodiments of cross-sections of restraints to be used in conjunction with earphones/ear buds; and 
           [0015]      FIGS. 3 ,  4 A-B,  5 A-B and  6 A-B illustrate embodiments of the present invention. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0016]      FIGS. 1A-B  illustrates embodiments of the present invention.  FIG. 1A  illustrates a pair of earphones (ear buds)  5  in different configurations. As illustrated, ear buds  5  typically include ear buds  30  and  40  (that are typically inserted or placed upon a user&#39;s ears to provide audio outputs), an audio input (output)  50  (that is inserted into an audio device for receiving electrical outputs), wires  10  and  20  (coupling ear buds  30  and  40  to audio input  50 ), and (optionally) an in-line microphone  45  (that receives audio input from the user and provides it to the audio input/output  50 ). In various embodiments, in-line microphone  45  may include additional functionality such as volume buttons, control buttons, or the like. 
         [0017]    In various embodiments, while in configuration  15 , restraint  100  is positioned away from ear buds  30  and  40 , and does not appreciably restrain ear buds  30  and  40  or audio input  50  with respect to each other. Thus, the user may freely plug in ear buds  30  and  40  into their ears, audio input  50  into their audio device, and listen to audio (e.g. music, speech). 
         [0018]    In configuration  25 , restraint  100  is positioned by the user near or adjacent to ear buds  30  and  40 . The user then inserts audio input  50  into (an interior channel of) restraint  100 , thus ear buds  30  and  40  and audio input  50  are tightly restrained by restraint  100 . This creates a temporary and removable loop  75  in wires  10  and  20 . For safety&#39;s sake and to reduce the possibility of choking, loop  75  should be released, i.e. input portion  50  removed from restraint  100 , upon application of a separation force of less than 2 pounds, 1 kilo, 5 pounds, or the like. Different portions of audio input  50  may be restrained, e.g. a body portion, a plug portion, a wire portion, or the like; and different portions of ear buds  30  and  40  may be restrained, e.g. wires  10  or  20 , a neck portion, a body portion, or the like. 
         [0019]    In some examples, restraint  100  may be formed from a material having an arbitrary outside shape and a circular, cylindrical, prismatic, or other shaped interior channel. In various embodiments, the material may be a solid, such as a polymer, resin, plastic, PVC, pencil-eraser-type material, rubber, latex, metal, tubing, silicone, vinyl, Teflon, or the like. For example, a “Japanese”-type eraser could be adapted for embodiments of the present invention by drilling or forming a channel through such erasers. Additional examples of cross-sections of restraints are illustrated as restraints  66 - 68  relative to audio input  69 . As can be envisioned, the interior cross-sectional shape may change when audio input  69  is inserted. The material of restraint provides an inward force within the channel, and the material thus provides an orthogonal frictional force with respect to ear buds  30  and  40  and to audio input  50 . In some embodiments, this frictional force restrains the movement of ear buds  30  and  40  with respect to audio input  50  (e.g. keeps audio input  50  within the restraint). When the user removes audio input  50  from the channel, the interior protrusions shown and the interior shape typically flex back to their original positions. The interior protrusions and/or the cross-sectional shape of the channel may prevent restraint  100  from accidentally falling off the headphones when in configuration  15 , i.e. prevents audio input  50  from easily passing through the channel of restraint  100 . 
         [0020]    In some embodiments, restraints, such as restraints  66  and  68  are manufactured and then slipped over audio input  69  so that the headphones are configuration  15 . In other embodiments, restraints, such as restraints  66  and  68  are manufactured, wires  10  and  20  are threaded in the channels, and then ear buds  30  and  40  are connected to wires  10  and  20 . 
         [0021]    In another embodiment, restraint  67  may include two or more pieces of material that have an cross-section that is smaller than audio input  69 . In some examples, one or more microphones  45  are located along wires leading to the ear buds of some headphones. Accordingly, the perimeter of the channel may be larger than microphone  45  so that restraint  100  can be easily positioned below microphone  45 , i.e. out of the way, in configuration  15 , but can be repositioned above microphone  45  to configuration  25 . In light of the present disclosure, one of ordinary skill in the art will be able to imagine many other shapes and configurations that will be within the scope of embodiments of the present invention. 
         [0022]      FIG. 1B  illustrates additional embodiments of the present invention, e.g. headphone  60 . More specifically, a retainer may be a coil  80 , e.g. a metal spring, a plastic spring, a plastic coated metal spring, or the like. In other embodiments, other cross-sectional shapes for the coil may be used, such as square, star, or the like. As shown, as the audio input is inserted into coil  80 , the diameter (interior channel, interior perimeter) of coil  80  expands to adapt to the audio input. Coil  80  thus applies a restraining pressure onto the wires and to the audio input. In such examples, the wires  10  and  20  may be wound through coil  80 , or wires  10  and  20  may be inserted through coil  80  before the ear buds are attached. 
         [0023]    In other embodiments, an open cylinder or tube  90  of pliable material is used as a restraint. When audio input device is inserted inside cylinder  90 , the interior channel of cylinder  90  may expand in size and restrain the movement of the ear buds and the audio input device. In various embodiments, cylinder  90  may be made of plastic, silicone, metal, or the like, and the channel may be closed (e.g. restraint  100 ), or open (e.g. restraint  90 ). 
         [0024]      FIGS. 2A-B  illustrate various embodiments of cross-sections of restraints to be used in conjunction with earphones/ear buds. As can be seen, in  FIG. 2A , the restraint devices  200  may have different external (cross-section) shapes and/or different interior (interior channel) (cross-section) shapes. For example, the external shape may be approximately circular  210 , triangular  220 , polygonal  230 , square  240 , asymmetrically-shaped  250 , lobed  260 , oval  270 , football, or the like. Other examples of restraint devices  300  are seen, in  FIG. 2B , where the external shapes may be approximately, heart-shaped  300 , star shaped  310  and  320 , D-shaped (any letter shape)  330 , barrel-shaped  340 , fanciful (e.g. bow-tie, candy shaped)  350 , or the like. In various embodiments, restraint devices may be made of two or more portions, such as restraints  250  and  280 . 
         [0025]    Additionally, the restraint devices may have different interior channel cross-section shapes. In the examples in  FIG. 2A , a number of protrusions into the interior channel are shown, that give the channel the cross-section a concave portion. More specifically, channels having three-protrusions are shown. For example, protrusions  285 ,  290  and  295  are noted in  FIG. 2A . In the examples in  FIG. 2B , for restraints  300 ,  310 , and  360 , a channel having a single protrusion are shown; for restraints  370  and  330 , a channel having two protrusions are shown; for restraints  340  and  350 , a channel having four protrusions is shown; and for restraint  320 , a channel having five protrusions are shown; and for restraint  100  ( FIG. 1 ), a channel having no protrusions is shown. In light of the above, it can be seen that a restraint may have any number of protrusions or not protrusions. 
         [0026]      FIG. 3  illustrates various embodiments of the present invention. More specifically,  FIG. 3  is a perspective view of a headphone  400  having a restraint  410 , when plug  420  and ear buds  430  are restrained by restraint  410 . Restraint  410  may have an arbitrary three dimensional shape, such as a sphere. In other embodiments, the external 3D shape may be any desired shape, such as golf-ball-shaped, a company logo shape, a cube-like shape, a cone-like shape, a prism, a star-like shape, a animal shape, a humanoid shape, or the like. 
         [0027]      FIGS. 4A-B  illustrate additional embodiments of the present invention, such as a top, front, and side views of restraint  500  and  510 . In  FIG. 4A , top view  520  of restraint  500  illustrates a cross-sectional view of restraint  500  including channel  540  similar to those in  FIGS. 2A-B , and front view  530  and side view  545  illustrate shapes of restraint  500  in the axial direction. As can be seen in the views, restraint  500  may include a number of ridges  550  that provide additional grip to the user when using restraint  500 . 
         [0028]    In  FIG. 4B , a top view  560  of restraint  510  including channel  570  is also similar to a cross-sectional view. In front view  580 , region  590  may include any number of surface designs, text (e.g. names), patterns, pictures (e.g. smiley face, poke ball, baseball, basketball), textures, symbols (e.g. peace, ying-yang), corporate logos or names (e.g. providers of headphones that may include restraint mechanisms and be embodiments of the present invention: Apple, Bose, Sony, Monster, Audio-Technica, Shure, Yamaha, Denon, Sennheiser, Klipsch, Ultrasone, Grado, Ultimate Ears, JBuds, Koss, Westone, Etymotic Research, Sleek Audio, Jays, Skullcandy, JH Audio), customizing, or the like, may be applied to the surface of restraint  510 . Such surface designs may be applied to virtually all contemplated restraints. 
         [0029]    In front view  580 , it can be seen that channel  570  may be tapered along the axial direction. In various embodiments, the tapering may help restraint  510  restrain an audio input and ear buds to a higher degree. Additional examples are illustrated below. In light of the above disclosure, one of ordinary skill in the art will be able to imagine any number of additional shapes that are within the scope of the present patent application disclosure. 
         [0030]      FIGS. 5A-B  illustrate additional embodiments of the present invention. In  FIGS. 5A-B , restraints  600  and  610  illustrate examples where the size or shapes of channels  650  and  660  are configured to restrain a casing portion  620  and a metal portion  630  of an audio plug  640 . As illustrated, a transition between these portions may be stepped  670 , ramped  680 , or the like. These embodiments may provide a higher restraint force upon audio plug  640 . 
         [0031]      FIGS. 6A-B  illustrate additional embodiments of the present invention. In  FIGS. 6A-B , restraints  700  and  710  illustrate embodiments where the size or shapes of interior channels  720  and  730  are configured to restrain a portion (e.g. casing portion, metallic portion, strain relief) of an audio plug  740 . As illustrated in  FIG. 6A , in restraint  700 , the size of channel opening  750  is larger than a size of channel  720  within region  770 . By increasing the size and increasing a rounding radius or curvature  760 , restraint  700  may reduce the stress to headphone wires  780  that are restrained by restraint  700 . A portion where restraint  700  contacts audio plug  740  within region  770  may be approximately 0.25 inch, 0.5 inch, 1 cm, etc. 
         [0032]      FIG. 6B  illustrates a first configuration  800  a second configuration  810  of restraint  710 . As can be seen in first configuration  800 , restraint  710  may include two or more protrusions in regions  820  and  830  separated by a gap region  840 , and an external protrusion  850 . Protrusions in regions  820  and  830  are configured to restrain headphone wires  860  and audio plug  740 , as described above. A distance between protrusions where restraint  710  contacts audio plug  740  may be separated by approximately 0.25 inch, 0.5 inch, 1 cm, etc. 
         [0033]    In second configuration  810 , when a user pushes or squeezes  870  restraint  710  around protrusion  850 , as shown, gap region  840  is reduced  880  and the protrusions in regions  820  and  830  tend to move away  890 ,  900  from gap region  840 . Depending upon specific design of the protrusion, in configuration  810 , the contact area between the protrusions and the headphone wires  860  and audio plug  740  may increase. In various embodiments, the material of restraint  710  that contacts audio plug  740  in configuration  810  may have a lower sliding friction. Depending upon the materials used, the sliding friction between the audio plug  740  and the interior channel  730  may thus decrease in configuration  810 . Accordingly, when the user pushes or squeezes  870  restraint  710 , the amount of effort to remove audio plug  740  from or insert audio plug  740  into interior channel  730  may be advantageously reduced. 
         [0034]    In operation, a user listens to audio signals from an audio source using headphones. The audio source may be any conventional electrical audio output device, such as a computer, a portable media device (e.g. Apple iPad, Amazon Kindle), a mobile telephone (e.g. iPhone), or the like. In various embodiments, headphones may be embodied as in-ear ear buds, over the ear headphones, or the like. Next, the user removes the ear buds from their ears and the user removes the electrical input portion or connector from the audio source. Next, the user slides the restraint (over the microphone, if present) and positions the restraint element approximately adjacent to the ear buds. Next, while the user holds the restraint device, the user then physically couples the restraint device to the input portion (e.g. inserts the input portion into the interior channel of the restraint device). Different portions of the audio input may be restrained, such as the metal plug, the casing, the wire, or the like. Depending upon specific configuration of the restraint device, the movement of the input portion is somewhat restrained relative to the ear buds, and/or the ear buds are restrained with respect to each other. In various embodiments, the user may then store the earphones in any desired manner, such as, the user winding the earphones (having the temporary loop) around the audio output device; the user winding the earphones (with temporary loop) around their hand and then placing the earphones in a pouch, pocket, the user stuffing the earphones into their pocket, or the like; the user placing the temporary loop (carefully) over their head; or the like. In various embodiments, the earphones are then said to be in a stored state. 
         [0035]    Later, the user may wish to use their headphones. Initially, the earphones are stored in the stored state (e.g. including the temporary loop of wire). Next, the user visually identifies the location of the electrical input connector or portion, the restraint device, and/or the ear buds. Because restraint device restrains the input portion relative to the ear buds, it is expected that the user may easily identify one or more of these elements from the tangled mass of wires. Then, the user grasps the input portion with one hand and the restraint device with their other hand, and pulls her hands apart to separate the input portion from the restraint device. Surprisingly, in various embodiments, many if not most of the apparent tangles in the tangled mass of wires surprisingly disappear while separating the input portion from the ear buds. As can be seen in the experimental data provided within the present disclosure, the amount of time it takes to detangle earphones stored as described herein is substantially shorter than without the temporary loop of wire. The user may use the headphones. 
         [0036]    The inventors have confirmed the effectiveness in reducing the tangling tendency of various embodiments of the present invention. More specifically, a headphone A was repeatedly tangled and the amount of time to untangle the headphones was recorded. For headphone A, the untangling time was recorded without using a restraint device and using the restraint device. After 20 trials were run, without the restraint, the average untangling time was 15.2 seconds, with a standard deviation of 7.5 seconds. After 20 trails were run, using the restraint, the average untangling time was 7.7 seconds with a standard deviation of 3.4 seconds. Thus on average, the amount of time to untangle headphone A was reduced by about 50% and the standard deviation was also reduced by about 50%. For a headphone B, after 20 trials were run, without the restraint, the average untangling time was 18.1 seconds, with a standard deviation of 7.5 seconds. Then after 20 trails were run, using the restraint, the average untangling time was 5.3 seconds with a standard deviation of 3.2 seconds. Thus on average, the amount of time to untangle headphone B was reduced by about 72% and the standard deviation was also reduced by about 57%. 
         [0037]    In light of the trial data obtained by the inventors, it is believed that headphones configured according to embodiments of the present invention are very effective in reducing the amount of tangling of the wires when the headphones are stored. As a result, users of such headphones will be able to untangle their headphones more quickly and efficiently. 
         [0038]    In various embodiments of the present invention, the term “somewhat” is used to refer to the restraint of movement of input portion and the output portions once a the input portion is restrained within the restraint device and the temporary loop of wire is formed by the user. In some embodiments, the movement restraint may be high such that if a user pulled upon the input portion and the output portion, the restraint element does not appreciably move along the wires connected to the output portions, and/or the temporary loop of wire is maintained. In various embodiments, the amount of movement may be less than one-eighth and inch or less, three mm or less, or the like, until a high force is applied. 
         [0039]    Further embodiments can be envisioned to one of ordinary skill in the art after reading this disclosure. In other embodiments, combinations or sub-combinations of the above disclosed invention can be advantageously made. The block diagrams of the architecture and flow charts are grouped for ease of understanding. However it should be understood that combinations of blocks, additions of new blocks, re-arrangement of blocks, and the like are contemplated in alternative embodiments of the present invention. 
         [0040]    The specification and drawings are, accordingly, to be regarded in an illustrative rather than a restrictive sense. It will, however, be evident that various modifications and changes may be made thereunto without departing from the broader spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the claims.