Personal audio listening system

A personal audio listening system to be worn by an individual listener is disclosed and includes a pair of speakers mounted within a flexible supporting body which surrounds the back and side portions of the listener's neck. The supporting body may include portions which extend generally forward from both sides of the listener's neck and may be joined by a safety releasable fastener to form a closed loop around the listener's neck. The supporting body includes acoustical and safety padding, speaker grills for protecting the speaker cones and the necessary electrical connections for coupling to an audio signal source. The audio signal source may be external to the supporting body or may be enclosed within the supporting body.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
The subject invention relates to personal audio listening systems which are 
worn by individual listeners. Specifically, the subject invention is 
directed to a personal audio listening system to be worn by an individual 
listener around the neck without interfering with arm movement and without 
severely diminishing the listener's hearing of ambient sounds. 
Some prior art listening systems which allow a listener to carry the source 
of audio sounds such as music include headphone type apparatus. The major 
disadvantages of headphone type systems are the discomfort and 
inconvenience of wearing a device on the head, the restriction of vigorous 
activity which might dislodge the headphone, and non-realistic audio 
reproduction wherein the apparent source seems to be in the listener's 
head. Such non-realistic reproduction becomes very evident in the 
headphone reproduction of stereo programming. From a safety viewpoint, 
headphones generally prevent the listener from hearing ambient sounds 
which may include warning signals and also present a potential source of 
injury to the listener's head in the event of an accident. Some states 
have made the use of headphones by the driver of an automobile illegal 
specifically because of such potential hazards. 
Related prior art devices can also be found in the field of portable 
two-way communication devices wherein the need for sound reproduction in a 
variety of situations such as police emergencies and rescue operations 
encouraged the development of portable electronic communication devices. 
Examples of such two-way communication devices can be found in U.S. Pat. 
Nos. 3,114,105 and 3,370,236. The disadvantages of such two-way 
communication devices generally include non-acceptable music reproduction 
resulting from the use of components which acceptably reproduce sounds 
only in the normal voice frequency range and the placement of the 
transducers of such devices which is generally optimized for microphone 
use. It is therefore evident that such prior art two-way communication 
devices are generally unacceptable for musical entertainment purposes. 
Moreover, some of the prior art portable two-way communication devices 
include complicated straps and harnesses for maintaining the transducers 
near the wearer's mouth so that the wearer's voice could be readily 
detected. 
A common disadvantage of the above described prior art devices is the high 
cost of manufacturing such reproduction systems which generally require 
specially manufactured components such as molded earpieces. 
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a personal 
audio listening system which can be worn by an individual listener without 
having to wear any sort of device attached to the head or ears. 
Another object of the invention is to provide a personal audio listening 
system which allows the listener to clearly hear ambient sounds. 
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a personal audio 
listening system which provides excellent musical reproduction. 
Still another object of the present invention is to provide a personal 
audio listening system worn by an individual listener which reproduces 
stereo sound with excellent stereo imaging when the listening system is 
used with a source of stereo programming. 
Another object of the present invention is to provide a personal audio 
listening system which can be worn by the listener while engaging in 
various vigorous activities which require the unhindered use of the arms 
and head of the listener. 
A further object of the invention is to provide a personal audio listening 
system wherein the listener is not encumbered with complicated harnesses 
and straps. 
Another object of the invention is to provide a personal audio listening 
system which is of low cost and can be readily manufactured. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
The foregoing and other objects are accomplished by the subject invention 
by providing a listening system which is worn by the listener around the 
neck. The system includes first and second transducers which are 
responsive to an electrical audio input and are supported in a flexible 
body which surrounds the back and side portions of the listener's neck and 
generally rest on the listener's shoulders. Each of the transducers is 
mounted in the flexible body beneath a corresponding ear and in the 
proximity of the listener's neck and shoulders. A source of electrical 
audio signals is coupled to the transducers and may be external to the 
supporting body. For example, the audio source can be attached to the 
supporting body or may be carried and supported by some other device. All 
or some of the electronic components of the audio source coupled to the 
speakers can also be mounted within the supporting body. The source of 
audio electrical signals may be a stereo source which is appropriately 
connected to the speakers. 
One embodiment of the invention is directed to a supporting body having 
provisions for allowing the positioning of the speakers in at least two 
positions in order to bring the speakers closer to the listener's ears. 
Stereo imaging is produced by the embodiments of the subject invention 
because of the distributed sound reproduced by the embodiments of the 
subject invention which is completely different from the localized sound 
of conventional headphones. Moreover, the disclosed personal listening 
system enhances the stereo effect by the advantageous use of sound 
conduction through the listener's shoulder, neck and head which is 
achieved by placement of the speakers in the proximity of the listener's 
neck and shoulders when the disclosed listening system is being worn.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DISCLOSURE 
FIG. 1 shows the basic elements of a personal audio listening system 10. 
The system 10 includes a flexible supporting body 11 and speakers 13 and 
15 acoustically mounted within the supporting body 11. The details of the 
speaker mounting end structure within the supporting body 11 will be 
discussed further below with respect to FIG. 3. The system 10 further 
includes a flexible connecting wire 17 which may be appropriately coiled 
for stretching to a desired length. A selectively engageable connector 19 
is connected to the free end of the connector wire 17 and can be any of 
the commercially available connectors having provisions for accepting 
stereo signals. For example, a standard phono-plug can be used. Enclosed 
within the supporting body 11 are electrical coupling wires 21 which are 
appropriately connected between the connecting wire 17 and speakers 13 and 
15. 
The supporting body 11 can be made from various combinations of materials 
which accomplish the desirable features of adequate support for the 
speakers 13 and 15, light weight, durability and strength, ease of 
cleaning, and sufficient flexibility to conform to the listener's neck and 
shoulder contours for wearing comfort. For example, the outside of the 
supporting body 11 may be denim, nylon or vinyl or other material which is 
wear-resistent and flexible. Enclosed within the outer covering should be 
some material which gives the supporting body 11 shape and provides 
wearing comfort for the listener. Examples of such materials include 
molded flexible plastic, foam padding, fiber padding, and supporting 
wires. 
The supporting body 11 shown in FIG. 1 includes downwardly extending 
portions which are joined together to rest on the listener's chest and 
form a closed loop. The downwardly extending portions are joined together 
by safety releasable fasteners 23 which are shown as snap fasteners. 
However, a zipper or a cloth fastener such as those marketed under the 
trademark "Velcro," may also be used. Of course, the supporting body 11 
need not have the downwardly extending portions and can form a smaller 
loop around the listener's neck. Moreover, a closed loop is not necessary 
and the supporting body 11 may be U-shaped. 
FIG. 2 illustrates one way of using the listening system 10 with an 
external source of audio signals. Specifically, the listening system 10 is 
worn around the neck of the listener with the speakers 13 and 15 having 
been mounted within the supporting body 11 in such a manner that each 
speaker is substantially beneath the corresponding ear of the listener and 
substantially rests in the proximity of the listener's neck and shoulder. 
A source of audio signals 111 may be appropriately strapped to the 
listener's body by strap 113. The audio source 111 accepts the connector 
19 and may be, for example, an FM stereo source, a cassette player, or an 
AM radio. 
From the foregoing it is clear that in order to achieve optimum sound 
reproduction, particularly stereo reproduction, each of the speakers 13 
and 15 should be located beneath a corresponding ear and as close to the 
corresponding ear as is practicable without causing a dangerous condition 
or a deterioration in the ambience of the reproduced stereo imaging. FIG. 
3 illustrates how the speakers 13 and 15 may be positioned within the 
supporting body 11 in order to achieve the desired reproduction qualities. 
The speakers 13 and 15 are covered by protective screens 25 and 27, 
respectively, which may be of metal or plastic or similar rigid material 
which is reasonably acoustically transparent. Some form of padding 29 and 
31 is provided around the speakers 13 and 15, respectively, for providing 
listener comfort and acoustic padding and for maintaining the positions of 
the respective speakers 13 and 15. Of course, it would be possible to 
increase the amount of padding 29, 31 or to use a form maintaining padding 
material, such as foam or rubber, in order to raise the speakers 13, 15 
closer to the ears. The choice of padding material, the amount of 
material, and the location of the material can also be used to direct the 
respective speaker cones in the desirable direction of the respective ear. 
It should be noted that the speaker cones of the respective speakers 13, 
15 need not be directed exactly at the respective ears of the listener, 
but may be directed slightly outwardly and away from the respective ears. 
Since the distance between the lower portion of the listener's neck and 
the listener's ears is reasonably short, such outwardly directed 
positioning will not substantially deteriorate the perceived sound and 
will still result in excellent sound reproduction. It should be noted that 
both accurately directing the speakers 13 and 15 toward the respective 
ears and closer placement of the speakers 13 and 15 to the respective ears 
brings about a reduction in the power required to drive the speakers 13 
and 15. Therefore, it would be advantageous to optimize speaker placement. 
FIG. 4 shows a partial side view of the listening system 10 of FIG. 1 and 
indicates in outline the relative position of the speaker 13 with respect 
to the corresponding listener's ear. 
FIG. 5 illustrates a particular mounting structure for allowing the 
listener to selectively position the speakers in the supporting body of 
the personal listening system 20. 
Specifically, the listening system 20 of FIG. 5 includes a flexible 
supporting body 33 similar to the supporting body 11 shown in FIG. 1. 
Enclosed within the supporting body are base plates 35 and 37 which are 
suitably hinged with movable speaker plates 39 and 41. Springs 43 and 45 
are used to bias the movable plates 39, 41 away from the base plates 35, 
37, respectively. The springs 43 and 45 may be coil or leaf springs, and, 
of course, could be made from any sufficiently resilient material. 
Speakers 47 and 49 are mounted on the movable plates 39 and 41 which can 
be wire or plastic screens or can also be rigid plates with openings for 
the speakers 47 and 49. Such openings should be covered with protective 
screens. Padding 51 and 53 is provided underneath the base plates 35 and 
37, respectively, and should also be in other portions of the supporting 
body 33 for listener comfort and safety. On the outside of the supporting 
body, fasteners 55 and 57 are provided for allowing the structures 
including the movable plates 39, 41 and corresponding speakers 47, 49 to 
be positioned in a lowered position adjacent the respective base plates 
35, 37 when desired. (As shown by the dotted lines in FIG. 5.) The 
fasteners 55 and 57 may be snap fasteners or flexible fasteners such as 
those sold under the trademark "Velcro." A short zipper, although not 
shown, could also be used to allow the selective positioning of the 
speakers 47 and 49. 
The advantages provided by the listening system 20 of FIG. 5 include 
improved control of the acoustic radiation, lower power requirements 
because of the closer placement of the speakers 47 and 49 to the 
respective ears of the listener, and the choice of placing the speakers 47 
and 49 in a lowered position in situations where the raised position might 
be a hinderance, dangerous or inconvenient. 
FIG. 6 shows a listening system 30 similar to the system 10 shown in FIG. 1 
with the additional feature of having an audio source 59 attached to the 
terminal portions of the downwardly extending portions of the supporting 
body 61. The audio source may be of any readily available compact 
commercial audio sources such as an FM stereo radio or a cassette tape 
player. The positions for speakers 63 and 67 are shown in outline form 
along with electrical coupling wires 69. Of course, the selectively 
positionable speaker feature shown in FIG. 5 can also be incorporated into 
the system 30 of FIG. 6. An auxiliary strap (not shown) might be used to 
stabilize the audio source 59 on the listener's chest. Although FIG. 6 
shows a particular placement of the audio source 59 on the downwardly 
extending portions of the supporting body 61, it would be obvious to one 
skilled in the art that other locations for the attachment of the audio 
source 59 would be possible. As previously discussed, the downwardly 
extending portions of the supporting body 61 may not be required in a 
structure where the supporting body is a smaller loop which more closely 
surrounds the listener's neck. 
FIG. 7 shows a personal listening system 40 wherein all or some of the 
electronic components of an audio signal source can be supported within a 
supporting body 71. Two speakers 73 and 75 are supported within the 
supporting body 71 in a manner similar to the speakers shown in FIG. 1. Of 
course, the positionable speaker structure shown in FIG. 5 can be 
incorporated into the system 40 shown in FIG. 7. 
The supporting body 71 should include a protective outer covering, an 
internal support structure such as flexible plastic or wire, and padding, 
as discussed above with respect to the listening system 10 shown in FIG. 
1. The elements 77 are identically numbered outlines representative of the 
locations within the supporting body where electronic components for an 
audio source may be located. It is evident that the components for an 
audio source may be distributed such that some of the components may be 
within the supporting body 71, while the remaining components may be 
external to the supporting body. The external components may then be 
coupled to the supporting body 71 and the internal components 77 in a 
manner similar to the systems shown in FIGS. 2 and 6. For example, the 
mechanical driving portions of an audio tape system can be external to the 
supporting body 71 and the electronic portions such as amplifiers can be 
mounted within the supporting body 71. Structures not shown and utilizing 
the placement of components for an audio source within the supporting body 
71 will be obvious to one skilled in the art from the foregoing 
disclosure. 
Although the foregoing has been a description and illustration of specific 
embodiments of the invention, various modifications and changes thereto 
can be made by persons skilled in the art within the scope and spirit of 
the invention as defined by the following claims.