Patent Publication Number: US-9900681-B2

Title: Earbud headphone adapter

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE 
     This application is a non-provisional application claiming the benefit of Provisional Application No. 62/128,850 filed Mar. 5, 2015, which is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety for all purposes. 
    
    
     TECHNICAL FIELD 
     The present disclosure relates to adapters for earbud headphones. 
     BACKGROUND 
     Earbuds are generally a small type of headphone worn inside the ear. For example, earbuds are usually held in place by fitting in the cavum concha of the outer ear, and may at least partially insert into the ear canal of the user. Earbuds have many benefits over traditional over-ear headphones, such as improved storage and transportation due to a smaller size, an ability to be worn with hats and other head apparel, and a minimalist look. Typical earbuds comprise a housing which contains the speaker components and electrical connectivity through cords running to a media player device. However, earbuds are generally more susceptible to falling out of the ear of a user or becoming uncomfortable when worn over prolonged periods of time. 
     BRIEF SUMMARY 
     Among other things, embodiments provide for fitting an earbud into a human ear comfortably and securely while maintaining a high sound quality. For example, some embodiments are implemented as an earbud adapter structure having features that conform to fit securely over an earbud, features that comfortably secure the earbud in a wearer&#39;s ear (e.g., within the cymba concha and outer ear canal), and features that enable high sound quality and the like. In other embodiments, the earbud adapter may be implemented directly into the structure of the earbud headphone itself. Some embodiments are implemented by a hollow body having an earbud opening. The earbud opening extends about an earbud axis that is substantially perpendicular to a first plane. The earbud opening is configured to fit over an earbud headphone, and the hollow body tapers along at least a portion of the hollow body from the earbud opening to a sound opening according to an embodiment. The sound opening extends about a sound opening axis, where the sound opening axis is substantially perpendicular to a second plane. The first plane is parallel and offset from the second plane. The earbud opening has a cross-sectional area that is larger than the cross-sectional area of the sound opening, according to some embodiments. In some embodiments, a first distance between opposite sides of the cavity on the first plane is larger than a second distance between opposite sides of the cavity on the third plane. The sound opening of the hollow body is dimensioned to fit within an ear canal opening of a human ear. In some embodiments the sound opening axis is offset from the earbud axis in a first direction. 
     According to one embodiment, the earbud adapter has a stabilizer extending from the hollow body. The stabilizer is configured to engage with a cymba concha area of the ear while the sound opening is within the ear canal. The stabilizer extends generally along the first plane from a portion of the hollow body that is offset from the earbud axis in a second direction; the second direction generally opposite from the first direction. 
     According to another embodiment, the hollow body further comprises a cavity extending from the first plane to a third plane; the third plane being offset in an opposite direction to the first plane. The cavity has a larger cross-sectional area on the first plane than on the third plane. The cavity is configured to receive an earbud headphone and is formed of a material configured to stretch over the earbud headphone to securely retain it. At least one side of the cavity configured to conform to at least one side of an earbud headphone when the earbud headphone is inserted into the hollow body, in certain embodiments. 
     According to another embodiment, the hollow body of the earbud headphone adapter comprises a third opening located between the first plane and the second plane. The third opening is offset from the earbud axis along the second direction. The third opening may reduce vibratory feedback caused by sound emitted from the earbud headphone. 
     In some embodiments, the hollow body of the earbud headphone adapter may have a uniform wall thickness. Additionally, the earbud headphone adapter may be made from a silicone material; the silicone material may have a 55 shore A durometer hardness. 
     In some embodiments, the stabilizer has a first arm and a second arm; the first arm and the second arm each extend from the hollow body at separate locations; the location that the first arm extends from the hollow body is substantially opposite from the sound opening. The first and second arm join at a point, where the point is configured to contact a cymba concha area of the ear while the sound opening is within the ear canal opening. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The accompanying figures illustrate one or more embodiments of the disclosed earbud headphone adapter, and together with the detailed description serve to explain the aspects and implementations of the earbud headphone adapter. Embodiments are described in conjunction with the appended figures: 
         FIG. 1  shows a perspective view of the front of an earbud headphone that has an earbud headphone adapter fitted over a portion of the earbud headphone; 
         FIG. 2  shows a perspective view of the back of the earbud headphone adapter of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 3  shows a side, cross-sectional view of the earbud headphone adapter of  FIG. 1  taken along plane A-A of  FIG. 6 ; 
         FIG. 4  shows a perspective view of the front of the earbud headphone adapter of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 5  shows a perspective, cross-sectional view of the earbud headphone adapter of  FIG. 1  fitted over an earbud headphone, taken along plane A-A of  FIG. 6 ; 
         FIG. 6  shows a front view of the earbud headphone adapter of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 7  shows a view of a human ear; 
         FIG. 8  shows a view of an earbud headphone adapter positioned in a human ear; 
         FIG. 9  shows a perspective view of the front of an earbud headphone adapter; 
         FIG. 10  shows a back view of the earbud headphone adapter of  FIG. 9 ; 
         FIG. 11  shows a front view of the earbud headphone adapter of  FIG. 9 ; 
         FIG. 12  shows a first side view of the earbud headphone adapter of  FIG. 9 ; 
         FIG. 13  shows a second side view of the earbud headphone adapter of  FIG. 9 ; 
         FIG. 14  shows a top view of the earbud headphone adapter of  FIG. 9 ; and 
         FIG. 15  shows a bottom view of the earbud headphone adapter of  FIG. 9 . 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     All illustrations of the drawings are for the purpose of describing selected embodiments and are not intended to limit the scope of the claims. The following detailed description of the drawings, along with the preceding brief description of the drawings, utilizes a directional convention to promote clarity. Vertically descriptive terms, such as top and bottom or up and down, relate to directions, locations, or view orientations of the earbud headphone adapter when worn in the ear of a user. The “front” of the earbud headphone adapter is the part or side which interfaces with the ear of a user when worn. The “back” of the earbud headphone adapter is the part or side which receives an earbud headphone and is thus generally opposite the front. The “sides” of the earbud headphone adapter correspond to the part or sides which are neither the back, front, top, nor bottom of the earbud headphone adapter. 
       FIG. 1  shows one embodiment of an earbud headphone adapter  100  coupled to an earbud headphone  101 . The earbud headphone adapter  100  fits over the earbud headphone  101  to alter how the earbud headphone  101  interacts, or interfaces, with an ear of a user (as shown in  FIGS. 7 and 8 , for example). The earbud headphone adapter  100  may be made of any suitable material known in the art such that the earbud headphone adapter  100  is capable of fitting over and securely coupling to the earbud headphone  101 . For instance, one such suitable material is silicone, which, in addition to providing flexibility of the earbud headphone adapter  100 , has the added benefits of a low cost, ease of use in manufacturing, soft cushioning for a user&#39;s comfort, and/or the capacity to promote hygiene by being readily washable and/or a relatively resistant media to biological growth. 
       FIG. 2  shows an embodiment of the earbud headphone adapter  100  from a back perspective view. The earbud headphone adapter  100  comprises a hollow body  200 , an earbud opening  201 , and a stabilizer  202 . An earbud headphone  101  may be inserted into the earbud opening  201  where the earbud headphone  101  is received and secured by the hollow body  200 . During use, in one embodiment, the stabilizer  202  is shaped to interface with features of a human outer ear and is attached to the hollow body  200 . For example, the stabilizer  202  can secure the earbud headphone adapter  100  in place by fitting into and applying pressure to a cymba concha area located under the crus of antihelix in a human ear, as disclosed in  FIGS. 7 and 8  and described in more detail below. 
       FIG. 3  shows a cut-away view of the earbud headphone adapter  100  taken along plane A-A of  FIG. 6 . An earbud headphone  101  may be inserted into the hollow body  200  through the earbud opening  201 . When the earbud headphone  101  emits sound, the sound travels through the hollow body  200  and exits through a sound opening  302  into an ear canal opening  306  of a user (see also  FIG. 7 ). The sound opening  302  is therefore dimensioned to fit within the ear canal opening  306  of a user when the earbud headphone adapter  100  is fitted over an earbud headphone worn by the user, according to one embodiment. Further, the hollow body  200  may have a uniform wall thickness throughout, which advantageously facilitates the manufacturing process and integrity of the structure. 
       FIG. 3  also includes various superimposed axes and planes that are identified relative to each other and the structure of the earbud headphone adapter  100 . The structure of the hollow body  200  according to one embodiment may be described in terms of its relationships to the axes and planes defined in  FIG. 3 . In some embodiments an earbud axis  300  is substantially perpendicular to a first plane  301 . A sound opening  302  is formed about a sound opening axis  303 ; in some embodiments, the sound opening axis  303  is substantially perpendicular to a second plane  304 . The sound opening  302  may extend along the second plane  304 . The earbud opening  201  is formed about the earbud axis  300 ; in some embodiments, the earbud axis  300  is substantially perpendicular to a third plane  305 . The earbud opening  201  may extend along the third plane  305 . 
     The earbud opening  201  may have first cross-sectional area on the third plane  305 , and the sound opening  302  may have a second cross-sectional area on the second plane  304 . In one embodiment, the hollow body  200  tapers along at least a portion of the hollow body  200  from the earbud opening  201  to the sound opening  302  such that the first cross-sectional area is larger than the second cross-sectional area. As used herein, “taper” generally refers to a gradual change in size in any suitable manner (e.g., according to a constant slope, according to an arc, in a step-wise manner, etc.) and in any suitable direction (e.g., from larger to smaller, from smaller to larger, from a starting size to larger then to smaller, etc.). For example, the tapering of the hollow body  200  from the earbud opening  201  to the sound opening  302  may get both wider and narrower as the tapering progresses. Further, the sound opening axis  303  is offset from the earbud axis  300  along a first direction indicated by arrow  307 , the first direction  307  may only be one component of the first direction and is generally oriented vertically downwards when the earbud headphone adapter  100  is worn in the ear of a user. Such an arrangement of the earbud headphone adapter  100  may comply with the anatomical structure of a user&#39;s ear, by positioning the sound opening  302  in the ear canal opening  306  such that in certain embodiments the sound opening axis  303  extends directly into the center of the ear canal opening  306  of a user. 
     In another embodiment, the hollow body  200  may have a region that forms a cavity  308 . The cavity  308  extends from the first plane  301  to the third plane  305 , the cavity terminating at the third plane  305  to form the earbud opening  201 . The cavity  308  has a larger cross-sectional area on the first plane  301  as compared to the third plane  305 . This is so the cavity  308  may at least partially stretch over an earbud headphone  101  so as to securely retain the earbud headphone  101  inserted through the earbud opening  201  into the hollow body  200  according to such embodiments. In some embodiments, a first distance between opposite sides of the innermost wall of the cavity  308  on the first plane  301  is larger than a second distance between opposite sides of the innermost wall of the cavity  308  on the third plane  201 . Thus, the cavity  308  may be made of any suitable material having an adequately flexible compliance such that the cavity  500  is capable of being stretched or fitted over the earbud headphone  101  as it enters the hollow body  200 . In this way, at least one side of the cavity  308  conforms to and/or “grips” the earbud headphone  101  when the earbud headphone  101  is inserted into the hollow body  200 . This aspect therefore substantially improves the functionality of the earbud headphone adapter  100  in preventing the earbud headphone  101  from falling out, according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. According to another embodiment, the cavity  308  tightly conforming to the earbud headphone  101  provides additional benefits such as: creating a seal that further directs sound out of the sound opening  302 ; increasing comfort of the user; or maintaining a closer vibratory relationship between the sound opening  302  and other features of the earbud headphone adapter  100 , such as the stabilizer  202 . 
       FIG. 4  shows a perspective view of the front of the earbud headphone adapter  100  of  FIGS. 1-3 . As shown in  FIG. 4 , the hollow body  200  may further include a third opening  400 , the third opening  400  being located on the hollow body  200  between the first plane  301  and the second plane  304 . The third opening  400  may be offset from the earbud axis  300  in a second direction, the second direction being opposite the first direction  307 . In one embodiment, the third opening  400  preserves and enhances the sound quality of an earbud headphone  100  by preventing of the hollow body  200  from covering additional openings on an earbud headphone  101 . Many earbud headphones have more than one opening. Additional openings on the earbud headphone  101  may provide pressure relief and/or additional speaker output holes. The third opening  400  is configured to correspond to such additional openings of said earbud headphone  101  when said earbud headphone  101  is inserted into the earbud headphone adapter  100 , according to some embodiments. For example the third opening  400  may allow sound emitted from such additional openings or other areas of the speakers of said earbud headphones to exit the hollow body  200  and enter the outer structure of the ear of a user when worn. The presence of two openings through which sound can pass, namely the sound opening  302  and the third opening  400  according to one embodiment, further improves the relative sound quality. Where said earbud headphones include speakers that are not designed to be inserted into a user&#39;s ear canal, the absence of the third opening  400  may in some cases result in increased vibratory feedback caused by sounds emitted from the earbud headphone  101 , in turn decreasing the overall quality of the sound and experience of the user. 
       FIG. 5  shows a perspective cross-sectional view, taken along plane A-A of  FIG. 6 , of the earbud headphone adapter  100  fitted over an earbud headphone  101 , according to one embodiment. A side  500  of the cavity  308  is configured to conform to at least one side  501  of the earbud headphone  101  when the earbud headphone  101  is inserted into the earbud headphone adapter  100 . In some embodiments, an earbud sound output  502  of the earbud headphone  101  may be oriented in such a way as to not emit sound directly into the ear canal opening  306  of a user. It may be advantageous for the earbud headphone adapter  100  to grip the earbud headphone  101  along a first headphone axis  503  and direct sound emitted from the earbud sound output  502  to exit the sound opening  302  in the direction of the sound opening axis  303 . 
       FIG. 6  shows a front view of an embodiment of the present disclosure. As noted above, the stabilizer  202  can be shaped to engage with features of the human ear to provide a secure fit between the earbud headphone  101  and a wearer. Providing such a secure fit can involve forming a stabilizer  202  structure that has both desired overall shape and strength characteristics. Accordingly, the stabilizer can include any suitable legs, arcs, and/or other features for enabling such a secure fit. The stabilizer  202  of the earbud headphone adapter  100  may be formed in a crescent shape according to one embodiment, as shown in  FIG. 6 . The stabilizer  202  extends from the hollow body  200  at an outer surface  603  of the hollow body  200  and generally along the first plane  301  in the second direction (opposite the first direction). In some embodiments the stabilizer  202  extends from the hollow body  200  at a first stabilize base portion  606  and a second stabilizer base portion  607 . In certain embodiments the stabilizer is substantially opposite from the sound opening  302  at the point at which it extends from the hollow body  200  and located vertically upwards from the earbud axis  300  when the earbud headphone adapter  100  is worn in the ear of a user. The stabilizer  202  is configured to contact a cymba concha area  701  of the ear of a user when worn such that the sound opening  302  is within the ear canal opening, as further illustrated by  FIGS. 7 and 8 . The stabilizer  202 , in extending away from the hollow body  200  along the first plane  301 , curves back toward the sound opening  302  in a partial spiral configuration, causing it to take on a crescent shape. The crescent-shaped stabilizer  202  ends at a stabilizer point  605  in a manner designed to couple with the anatomical structure of a user&#39;s ear when worn. The stabilizer  202  may further comprise a first arm  601  and a second arm  602  to increase flexibility and capacity for physical compliance, which accommodates various anatomical dimensions of users&#39; ears. The longer outer edge  600  of the stabilizer  202 , shown in  FIG. 6  along the outer edge of the first arm  601  of the stabilizer  202 , is positioned to contact the cymba concha area  701  of a user&#39;s ear (shown in  FIG. 7 ). In such an embodiment, the first arm  601  and the second arm  602  extend from the hollow body  200  at two different locations and join at a juncture  604 . The stabilizer  202  has a hollow portion between said arms  601 ,  602  in one embodiment. The hollow portion could also have additional embodiments between said arms  601 ,  602 , including this area being solid, having a mesh pattern, or other structures connecting the arms  601  and  602 . According to some embodiments the stabilizer has alternative shapes that are adapted to interface with the cymba concha including for example the arms of the stabilizer  202  may be hollow, the stabilizer may also have only one arm, more than two arms, no arms, or any number of structures. The outer edge  600  of the stabilizer  202  may take on a variety of shapes, and does not necessarily have to be a continuous curve. Other embodiments may have the stabilizer  202  not generally formed along the first plane  301  or there could be one or more portions that do not conform to the first plane  301  in either direction. Likewise, the stabilizer  202  may attach to the hollow body  200  at different points than shown in  FIG. 6 . 
       FIG. 7  shows a side view of a human ear  700 , the ear comprising a cymba concha area  701 , a cavum concha  702 , an antihelix, a crus of helix, a crus of antihelix  703 , and an ear canal opening  306 . 
       FIG. 8  shows the earbud headphone adapter  100  positioned in the ear  700  of  FIG. 7  as it is worn by a user, according to one embodiment. The stabilizer  202  is configured to contact the cymba concha area  701  such that the earbud headphone adapter  100  is secured to the ear  700  when the sound opening  302  is within the ear canal opening  306  of a user. In such an embodiment, this configuration helps prevent the earbud headphone adapter  100  from coming loose or falling out of the ear  700  of the user during movement or physical activity. According to some embodiments the stabilizer  202  engages the cymba concha area  701  by fitting under antihelix  703 , when the sound opening  302  is within the ear canal opening  306  of a user. The stabilizer  202  may further extend along the cymba concha area  701  until its termination point between the crus of helix and the crus of antihelix. 
     The hollow body  200  and the stabilizer  202  may be made out of any suitable flexible material, including without limitation silicone having a 55 shore A durometer hardness, according to one embodiment. The hardness optimizes both flexibility and structural integrity according to some embodiments of the present disclosure. 
       FIGS. 9-15  illustrate an additional embodiment of an earphone headphone adapter. 
     In other embodiments, at least a portion of the earbud headphone adapter or aspects thereof may be implemented as part of the earbud headphone itself, such that at least a portion of the earbud headphone adapter is configured to be fixed or sealed to the earbud headphone. For example, at least a portion of the earbud headphone adapter may be fixed or sealed onto the earbud headphone by an adhesive or through the manufacturing process of the earbud headphone, the earbud adapter, or both. In some embodiments, the earbud opening is fixed or sealed onto the earbud headphone and is configured to be non-removable from the earbud headphone by a user. In such embodiments, the earbud opening is not necessarily stretched over the earbud headphone, but may be wrapped around the earbud headphone and then fixed or sealed to the earbud headphone. Further, in some embodiments, the cavity may be fixed or sealed onto the earbud headphone (in addition to the earbud opening) and is configured to be non-removable from the earbud headphone by a user. In such embodiments, the stabilizer may also be fixed or sealed to the portion of hollow body that is fixed or sealed to the earbud headphone. In other embodiments, the stabilizer may be fixed or sealed directly to an earbud headphone that is shaped substantially as embodiments of the earbud adapter described in this disclosure. 
     While a number of aspects and embodiments have been discussed above, persons having ordinary skill in the art will recognize certain modifications, permutations, additions, and equivalents may alternatively be used or introduced. It is intended that the scope of the following claims are interpreted to include all such modifications, permutations, additions, and equivalents. The terms and expressions used herein are for description, not limitation, and there is no intention to exclude any equivalents of the aspects shown and described.