There is provided an earphone having a click unit for clicking on or to a housing of the earphone. The click unit has an ear pad and a fitment. The fitment has a first end and a second end, wherein the ear pad can be fitted on to the second end. The first end of the fitment has at least one spring element.

The present application claims priority from German Patent Application No. DE 10 2011 080 383.1 filed on Aug. 3, 2011, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention concerns an earphone, in particular an in-ear earphone and an ear canal earphone.

DESCRIPTION OF RELATED ART

Earphones such as for example in-ear earphones or ear canal earphones have long been known.

It is further noted that the invention does not intend to encompass within the scope of the invention any previously disclosed product, process of making the product or method of using the product, which meets the written description and enablement requirements of the USPTO (35 U.S.C. 112, first paragraph) or the EPO (Article 83 of the EPC), such that applicant(s) reserve the right to disclaim, and hereby disclose a disclaimer of, any previously described product, method of making the product, or process of using the product.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

An object of the present invention is to provide an earphone which has improved wearing comfort and improved assembly properties.

Thus there is provided an earphone having a click unit for clicking on or to a housing of the earphone. The click unit has an ear pad and a fitment. The fitment has a first end and a second end, wherein the ear pad can be fitted on to the second end. The first end of the fitment has at least one spring element.

In an aspect of the invention the earphone has a gauze which is adapted to be removable and thus cleanable. The gauze is adapted to maintain the acoustic properties of the earphone.

The invention also concerns an earphone comprising a click unit having an ear pad and a latching unit has a first end and a second end. The ear pad is mounted on the second end of the latching unit. The ear pad has a first end and a second end, the first end having a spring unit which acts on the first end of the fitment.

The invention also concerns a click unit for clicking on a portion of the earphone, wherein the click unit has a peripherally extending sealing lip for sealing the click unit on to the portion of the earphone.

The invention also concerns a resonator assembly which has a resonator unit with a first end and a second end and a gauze, wherein the gauze is fixedly mounted on the second end of the resonator unit. An electroacoustic reproduction transducer is mounted at the first end of the resonator unit.

The invention also concerns an earphone comprising an ear pad having a first end and a second end, wherein the second end is adapted for insertion into an ear of a user. A wave cut is provided at the second end.

In an aspect of the invention the first end of the fitment projects out of an ear canal of a user when the earphone is in the form of an ear canal earphone and is placed in the ear canal.

In a further aspect of the invention the outside diameter of the first end of the fitment is larger than the inside diameter of the ear canal.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

FIGS. 1 and 2show two perspective views of an earphone according to a first embodiment. The earphone according to the first embodiment is in the form of an in-ear earphone or ear canal earphone. The earphone has an ear pad100, a ring600and a rearward housing or cap500. The ear pad100can optionally have a wave cut113at its ear end.

FIG. 3shows an exploded view of an earphone according to the second embodiment. In this case the earphone of the second embodiment can correspond to the earphone of the first embodiment. The earphone has a click unit100, a decorative ring600, a resonator assembly200, an electroacoustic reproduction transducer300, an electronic assembly400and a cap or rearward housing500. The earphone of the second embodiment can be in the form of an in-ear earphone or an ear canal earphone. In addition the earphone can be assembled in the succession or sequence shown inFIG. 3.

The click unit100can be releasably fixed on or in the earphone or its housing and has an ear pad110, optionally a gauze120and a (resonator) fitment130. The ear pad110has a first end111and a second end112. A wave cut113can optionally be provided at the second end112(the end towards the ear). The (resonator) fitment130has a first end131and a second end132. The gauze120can serve as protection from dirt and can be placed on the second end132of the resonator fitment130. The resonator fitment130with the gauze120can then be mounted or fixed to or in the first end111of the ear pad110.

The resonator assembly200has a resonator unit220and a further gauze210(while the gauze210is adapted to be replaceable jointly with the assembly100, the gauze210can optionally be fixedly secured to the resonator unit220).

The electronic assembly400can have a first microphone and a second microphone420,440and two flexible circuit boards410,430. The microphone420is provided at an end of the first flexible circuit board410and the second microphone440is provided at an end of the second flexible circuit board430. That serves in particular to facilitate assembly.

FIG. 4shows a sectional view of an earphone according to the third embodiment. The earphone of the third embodiment can correspond to the earphone of the first or second embodiment. The earphone of the third embodiment thus has a click unit100, a decorative ring600, a resonator assembly200, an electroacoustic reproduction transducer300, an electronic assembly400and a housing cap500. The click unit100has an ear pad110, a dirt-prevention gauze120and a resonator fitment130. The ear pad110has a first end111and a second end112. The second end112is introduced into the ear canal of a user. A wave cut113is optionally provided at the second end112of the ear pad110. The resonator fitment130has a first end131and a second end132on which the gauze120can be replaceably placed. At least one spring element, for example a latching hook133, can be provided at the first end131of the resonator fitment130. In addition at its first end111the ear pad110can optionally have a (at least partially peripherally extending) spring element114serving for radial tolerance compensation. In that case the spring element114can press against the latching hooks133so that it is possible to provide for an improved fit for the click unit on the resonator unit200. At its second end122the resonator unit220can have an at least partially peripherally extending groove320into which the latching hooks133can latch.

A decorative ring or a protective ring including a seal600can be placed in the region of the second end222of the resonator unit220, for example to be able to protect or seal off outwardly the resonator fitment130and/or the second end222of the resonator unit220. The transducer300is provided at the first end221of the resonator unit. The gauze210at the second end222of the resonator unit220is fixedly mounted and serves to protect the electroacoustic reproduction transducer300which is fixed at the first end221of the resonator unit220. The gauze can optionally be used as acoustic damping.

FIG. 5shows a further sectional view of the earphone according to the third embodiment.FIG. 5also shows the flexible circuit boards410,430.

According to the invention the earphone has a click unit comprising an ear pad110, an optionally removable gauze120and a resonator fitment130. The click unit100can preferably be fitted or clicked on to a portion of the earphone. The provision of the click unit (with the ear pad and the fitment) provides a simple option for fitting the ear pad to the earphone. According to the invention dirt present can be easily removed. Thus there can be provided an easy cleaning option insofar as dismantling for cleaning purposes can be easily effected.

Optionally at its first end111the ear pad110of the click unit100can have a sealing lip134. Tolerances in the axial direction can be compensated by the provision of the sealing lip.

In a further aspect of the invention there is provided an earphone having a click unit100which has a peripherally extending spring element114which exerts a spring action on the first end111of the resonator fitment130.

In an aspect of the invention the earphone has a click unit100with a replaceable gauze120. Optionally the earphone can have a resonator unit200having a second gauze210fixedly secured to the resonator unit220. Because the first gauze120is adapted to be replaceable and is in front of the second gauze210in the direction of the eat the second gauze210is substantially protected from dirtying. Because the second gauze210is fixedly secured to the resonator unit220and the transducer300is also fixedly secured to the resonator220the second gauze210serves to protect the electroacoustic transducer300.

In an aspect of the invention there is provided an earphone having an ear pad. The ear pad has a first end111and a second end112, the second end112being in the direction of the ear. A wave cut113can optionally be provided at the second end212. The provision of the wave cut113at the second end112is advantageous in particular when inserting the ear canal earphone into an ear canal because that avoids complete closure of the ear by the ear canal earphone upon insertion or introduction (insert leading). It is only when the ear canal earphone has been introduced into the ear canal that complete closure occurs. In addition, that avoids unwanted deflection of the diaphragm of the electroacoustic transducer300upon insertion into the ear canal. Furthermore the wave cut113at the second end112of the ear pad110is advantageous because in that way no abrupt unpleasant changes in pressure are applied to the eardrum.

The wave cut113at the second end112of the ear pad110is also advantageous if the earphone has an active noise reduction unit. The waviness of the ear pad makes it possible to avoid complete closure of the front volume of the ear canal earphone during the process of inserting the ear canal earphone into the ear canal. Complete closure is achieved only after the insertion operation, that is to say when the ear canal earphone has been placed in the ear canal. That makes it possible to avoid an unwanted feedback if the earphone has an active noise reduction unit.

In a further aspect of the invention the earphone has an electronic assembly400which comprises for example two flexible circuit boards. The fact that the flexible circuit boards are divided into two makes it possible for two parts of the earphone to be separately pre-assembled. That is advantageous because it permits parallel operation, with a time saving. Contacting of the components of the earphone can be implemented for example when fitting the housing portions together so that no additional soldering operation is needed.

FIG. 6shows a sectional view through an earphone according to the fourth embodiment. The earphone of the fourth embodiment can be based on an earphone according to the first, second or third embodiment. The earphone has a click unit100, a decorative ring600, a resonator assembly200, an electroacoustic reproduction transducer300, an electronic assembly400and a housing cap500. The click unit has an ear pad110, a gauze120and a resonator fitment130.

FIG. 7shows a perspective view of an earphone according to the fourth embodiment. The earphone of the fourth embodiment can be based on an earphone according to the first, second or third embodiment. The earphone has an outer cap500with a bulge portion510and a sound guide portion520. The bulge portion510serves to be placed against the anti-tragus of the outer ear.

FIGS. 8A through 8Cshow various views of an earphone according to a fifth embodiment.FIG. 8Ashows a side view of the click unit100with an ear pad110.

FIG. 8Bshows a section along line A-A inFIG. 8A. The click unit100has an ear pad120and a resonator fitment130. The resonator fitment130has a first end131with a spring element or latching hook133and the second end132of the resonator fitment serves to accommodate a gauze120.

FIG. 8Cshows a plan view of the click unit inFIG. 8A.

FIGS. 9A through 9Cshow various views of a portion of an earphone according to a sixth embodiment.FIG. 9Ashows a plan view of a click unit of an earphone according to the fifth embodiment. The click unit has an ear pad110with a first end111. Optionally a wave cut113is provided here. That end of the earphone serves to be inserted into an ear canal of a listener.

FIG. 9Bshows a sectional view along section line A-A inFIG. 9A. This Figure shows in particular a click unit100with an ear pad110, a gauze120and a resonator fitment130. The resonator fitment130has a first end131with spring elements or latching hooks133and a second end132which is adapted to accommodate a gauze.

FIG. 9Cshows a plan view of a click unit of an earphone according to the sixth embodiment.

FIG. 10Ashows a plan view of a resonator fitment of a sixth embodiment.FIG. 10Bshows a sectional view along section line A-A inFIG. 10A. The resonator fitment130has a first end131with spring elements or latching hooks133and a second end132which serves to accommodate a gauze120.

The earphones of the fifth through seventh embodiments can be based on the earphones of the first through fourth embodiments or can be combined with them.

In a further aspect of the present invention which can be based on one of the preceding embodiments the inside diameter of the click unit, through which the sound passes, is to be as large as possible. As however the outside diameter of the click unit cannot become larger because of the geometrical factors of a typical ear canal it is necessary to find a way of making the wall of the click unit thinner. For that purpose the click unit100and in particular the end131of the resonator130are of such a configuration that the end131of the resonator130projects out of the ear canal (when the earphone is placed in the ear canal) and can thus be of a larger outside diameter. The end131can then be placed on the resonator200so that the click unit100is fixed to the resonator200.

According to the invention the fixing unit for fixing the click unit to the rest of the earphone is brought out of the region which is placed in the ear canal or is provided outside that region. That means that the acoustically effective inside diameter of the click unit can be enlarged. Optionally the ear pad110can be fixedly glued to the resonator fitment130. In that way the user can replace the entire click unit (ear pad110, gauze120and resonator fitment130).

Thus there is provided an earphone which has a resonator200and a click unit100, wherein the click unit can be fixed with an end130to the resonator200. In that case the end131is not disposed in the ear canal of the user when the ear canal earphone is placed in the ear canal.