Personal portable audio device

A personal portable audio device includes a garment having a pocket, a speaker is provided at the shoulder portions of the garment, audio components located in the garment pockets, and lead wires are arranged in the garment for connecting the audio components with the speakers.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
The present invention relate to a personal portable audio device used by 
assembling an audio system in a garmet. 
As a personal portable audio system, hitherto, speakers were provided in a 
muffler-like support member so as to enjoy audio listening personally. 
This support member, however, is muffler-like, so that when used, the whole 
weight of the audio system falls on the rear portion of the neck, causing 
pain when used for a long period. Moreover, audio components for speakers 
should be connected by separate means, which is troublesome, and these 
audio components and speakers are connected by a connecting cord, so that 
when a listener moves, the cord becomes an obstacle or is liable to catch 
on something. 
Moreover, in order to provide a larger output capacity for the audio 
components, if a separate power source is employed, such as a dry cell, 
then the power source is bulky. A separate heavy cell is very 
disadvantageous for use out-of-doors. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
An object of the present invention is to eliminate the above described 
disadvantages of the conventional device. 
Another object of the present invention is to provide a personal portable 
audio device by providing speakers in shoulder portions of a garment, 
placing audio components in pocket portions, and connecting these speakers 
and audio components by lead wires, so that the wearer of the garment can 
enjoy audio listening under pleasant conditions for a long time. 
A further object of the present invention is to provide a personal portable 
audio device by providing speakers and audio components in a garment, 
connecting these components by lead wires arranged in the garment, and 
assembling solar cells as a power source of the audio components, thereby 
enjoying audio sound under pleasant conditions for a long time, with an 
easy to carry device. 
According to the present invention there is provided a personal portable 
audio device comprising a garment with two shoulder portions and having a 
pocket, a speaker provided at each shoulder portion of the garment, audio 
components placed in the pocket, and lead wires arranged in the garment 
for connecting the audio components with the speakers. In the front, the 
garment has pockets on both sides and one pocket is equipped with the 
audio components and the other pocket is equipped with an accessory 
inclusive of at least a power source. The pocket for carrying the audio 
components is provided with a base member for connecting the audio 
components by a docking means. Hooks on the garment are utilized for 
electrically connecting the audio components with the power source. The 
base member is provided with external output terminals. The lead wires for 
connecting the audio components with the speakers are arranged between the 
cloth and lining of the garment. 
According to the present invention there is provided a personal portable 
audio device comprising a garment having a pocket, a speaker provided at a 
shoulder portion of the garment, audio components equipped in the pocket, 
lead wires arranged in the garment for connecting the audio components 
with the speaker, and solar cells provided in the garment for supplying 
power to the audio components.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
Referring now to the drawings, wherein the same reference characters 
designate the same or corresponding parts throughout the several views, 
FIG. 1 shows an embodiment of a personal portable audio device according 
to the present invention, positioned in a vest. In FIG. 1, reference 
numeral 1 is a vest or garment, and the vest 1 opens in the front and the 
front of the garment is hooked or buttoned using metallic engaging 
members, for example, hooks 2. This vest 1 is also provided with pockets 
31, 32 on both sides of the front. 
To both shoulder portions of the vest 1 are fixed speakers 41, 42, 
respectively. In this case, the speakers 41, 42 are positioned for 
transmitting sound to a listener who wears the vest 1. Moreover, these 
speakers 41, 42, as shown in FIG. 2, are positioned in the vest, for 
example, between a surface cloth 11 and a lining 12 so that the speakers 
cannot be seen on the outside of the vest. 
Audio components, for example, such as a tape recorder 5, are accommodated 
in the pocket 31. In this case, the pocket 31, as shown in FIG. 3, is 
provided with a base member 6 having a docking terminal 61 therein. The 
tape recorder 5 is docked with the base member 6. The tape recorder 5 can 
be operated on the upper surface thereof, and a cassette exchange can be 
made by opening the upper portion with the use of a kangaroo typepocket. 
The base can also be provided with external output terminals 71, 72, note 
FIG. 3. 
The pocket 32, on the other hand, is equipped with accessory components 8 
including a power source of the cell type, an amplifier and the like. The 
accessory components 8 are connected to the base member 6 through the 
hooks 2 by lead wires 9, and when the vest 1 is worn and the hooks 2 are 
hooked, the power source is switched on and connected to the side of the 
tape recorder 5. In this case, the lead wires 9 are arranged in the inside 
of the vest 1, for example, between the surface cloth and the lining 
thereof. Moreover, the base member 6 and each speaker 41, 42 are connected 
therebetween by respective lead wires 101, 102. These lead wires 101, 102, 
as shown in FIG. 2, are also arranged in the inside of the vest 1, for 
example between the surface cloth 11 and the lining 12 thereof. 
According to the above arrangement, when a listener puts on the vest 1 and 
hooks the hooks 2, the accessory components 8 are connected to the base 
member 6 through the lead wires 9 and the power source is switched on. 
When the tape recorder 5 is operated in this condition, a sound source 
signal is supplied to the speakers 41, 42 through the lead wires 101, 102. 
Thus, the listener can personally enjoy audio sound from the speakers 41, 
42 provided on both shoulder portions. In this case, the wearing of the 
vest 1 disperses the whole weight of the device to both shoulder portions, 
so that audio sound can be enjoyed in a pleasant state for a long time as 
compared with the conventional muffler-type system which concentrates the 
whole weight of the system on the rear portion of the listener's neck. 
Moreover, both pockets 31, 32 of the vest 1 can accommodate the tape 
recorder 5 and the accessory device 8 therein respectively, by taking both 
balances into consideration, so that even when enjoying audio sound during 
walking, a pleasant state can be obtained without any resistance. 
Moreover, the lead wires 101, 102 connected to each speaker 41, 42 are 
arranged in the vest 1, so that such wiring is not an obstacle and thus 
the wiring is not accidentally cut off. In addition, as a power source 
switch between the power source in the accessory components 8 and the tape 
recorder 5, the hooks 2 are utilized, so that the lead wires 9 between the 
power source and the tape recorder 5 can be made shortest, and thus power 
source is not switched on except when the vest is worn and the hooks 
engaged, so that the power source of the cell type is effectively 
prolonged in life. Moreover, the base member 6 for docking the tape 
recorder 5 is provided with external output terminals 71, 72, so that it 
is possible to connect to the other speaker, for example, the audio device 
is connected to an audio system provided in a vehicle and more effective 
audio sound can be enjoyed. 
FIG. 4 shows another embodiment of a personal portable audio device 
according to the present invention. In FIG. 4 the same reference numerals 
designate the same elements as in FIG. 1 so that detailed explanations 
thereof are omitted. 
The construction of the audio device in this embodiment is the same as that 
shown in FIG. 1 except for the provision of a solar cell as a power supply 
source on the right side front of the vest 1, so that the detailed 
explanation of the portion is omitted. That is, the vest 1 is provided 
with only one pocket 31 on the left side front body thereof and a solar 
cell 8' as a power supply source is provided on the surface portion of the 
right side front of the vest 1. This solar cell 8' is arranged and the 
whole surface of the front right side of the vest 1 and is connected to 
the base member 6 by means of the lead wires 9 through the hooks 2 as in 
the first embodiment shown in FIG. 1. 
According to the above arrangement, in addition to the above described 
advantages, the tape recorder 5 and the solar cell 8' are provided on both 
sides of the vest 1 by taking both balances into consideration, so that 
even while enjoying audio sound during walking, a pleasant condition can 
be obtained without any resistance. 
Moreover, since a solar cell is used, it is possible to enjoy audio sound 
particularly in the out of doors for a long time, and the audio device is 
remarkably effective as a portable one as compared with an audio device 
using a conventional dry cell. 
The present invention is not limited to the above embodiment, but can be 
modified without departing from the essential features of the invention. 
For example, in the above embodiment, the speakers 41, 42 are provided on 
both shoulder portions of the vest 1, but can be provided on one shoulder 
portion. Moreover, in the above embodiment, the hook 2 is used as a switch 
for the power supply source, but instead of the hook 2, a common button 
can be used. In this case, the wiring between the power supply source 8 or 
solar cell 8' and the base member 6 can be passed through a portion of the 
vest 1. Moreover, in the above embodiment, one pocket 31 is equipped with 
the tape recorder 5 and the other pocket 32 is equipped with accessory 
components such as a power supply source or the like, but the other pocket 
32 can be omitted, and the side containing the base member 6 or the tape 
recorder 5 in the pocket 31 may be integrally provided with a power supply 
source. 
In the above embodiment, the solar cell 8' is provided in front of the vest 
1, but can be provided at the back portion or any other portion. Moreover, 
in the above embodiment, the tape recorder 5 is described as audio 
components, but any other audio components such as a radio or the like can 
be used. In the above embodiment, a vest is used consistently, but any 
other garments can be utilized. 
As described above, the present invention can provide a personal portable 
audio device by providing a speaker and audio components in garments, by 
connecting these devices with lead wires arranged in the garments, and 
assembling a solar cell as a power supply source of the audio components, 
thereby enjoying audio sound under the pleasant condition for a long time, 
and providing excellent portability.