Patent Publication Number: US-2013243236-A1

Title: Wireless headphone jewelry

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This utility patent application claims priority to provisional patent application No. 61/603,672, entitled “Wireless Headphone Jewelry,” filed Feb. 27, 2012, the contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference herein. 
    
    
     STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT 
     Not Applicable. 
     THE NAMES OF THE PARTIES TO A JOINT RESEARCH AGREEMENT 
     Not Applicable. 
     INCORPORATION-BY-REFERENCE OF MATERIAL SUBMITTED ON A COMPACT DISC 
     Not Applicable: 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     This invention relates generally to wireless headphone technologies and other audio speaker and microphone devices that are conveniently available to users by virtue of their configuration and use as wearable jewelry. 
     2. Description of Related Art 
     It is well known in the art to utilize headphones to listen to music being played by a personal audio electronics device  1  such as a radio, tape player, compact disc player, portable digital media player, smartphone or other electronic audio storage and playback device. Additionally, in recent years hands-free headset devices, not shown, have become an increasingly popular way for users to engage in phone conversations without holding the phone  1  to the user&#39;s ear. Unfortunately, known headphone and hands-free headset device designs are plagued with a variety of problems that impede convenient use and storage. 
     For example, as generally illustrated in  FIG. 1 , traditional headphones  2  consisted of a hoop band  4  with two ends  6  that are operatively connected to speakers (acoustic transducers  8 ); the acoustic transducers  8  are, in turn, connected to the personal audio electronics device  1  by wires  10 ; said wires  10  communicating audio sounds  100  generated by the personal audio electronics device  1  to users whose ears are situated in close proximity to the acoustic transducers  8 .  FIG. 1  also generally shows an illustrative hands-free headset apparatus  2   a  having a microphone  14  that permits a phone user to speak in a responsive manner to phone audio signals received through the acoustic transducers  8 . Users of traditional headphones  2 , and/or hands-free headsets  2   a , quickly discovered that the wires  10  become tangled when the headphones  2  are not in use; that storage and transport of the bulky and irregularly shaped headphones  2  is difficult; and that headphone materials are fragile and easily broken, and heavy and uncomfortable when in use. 
     In subsequent versions of headphones, designers have attempted to overcome the aforementioned problems in various ways. Headphone hoop bands  4 , as illustrated in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , have incorporated hinges  12 , and other such components, that permit the headphones  1  to be folded into a more compact form when not in use. In some versions, not shown, the acoustic transducers  8  are sufficiently small that they may be partially inserted into the listener&#39;s ears; in these forms, the hoop band  4  is removed altogether, in a type known as “in ear” or “ear bud” headphones. In still other versions, not shown, wireless communications protocols, such as Bluetooth®, exchange/communicate data containing audio sounds  100  between a personal audio electronics device  1  and wireless headphones (of either the hoop band or in ear variety), thereby removing the wires  10  from the headphone assembly. 
     None of these modifications, however, have sufficiently resolved the problems of the prior art: headphones modified to be folded are still clunky and prone to breakage; in ear headphones still contain wires that get tangled; and wireless Bluetooth® headphones and headsets are small enough that they are easily lost (or require a separate case for storage purposes). What is needed, therefore, is a headphone assembly that is wireless, easily and compactly converted into a storage position, and capable of being fashionably worn by the user when in the storage position. 
     Bi-stable springs have two equilibrium positions, and are generally exemplified by the widely recognized “slap bracelet” device. The slap bracelet consists of layered flexible steel bands sealed within a fabric or plastic cover. In a first equilibrium position, the slap bracelet is flat or planar. In a second equilibrium position, the device is transformed from the flat position into a substantially secure semi-circular or curled position when slapped against a user&#39;s wrist. To date, slap bracelets have been utilized solely in association with decorative bracelets, and not for the purpose of securely and compactly permitting electronics devices to be worn on the user when not in use. 
     BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     According to one embodiment of the invention, an inventive headphone apparatus designed to be worn as jewelry when in a storage position comprises a flexible substrate having two ends; and one or more acoustic transducers operatively attached to the end(s) of said flexible substrate; wherein the flexible substrate is: a) biased to curl into a semi-circular storage position substantially conforming and wrapping around a user&#39;s wrist when in a storage position, and b) adapted to releasably situate the headphones over a user&#39;s ears in a substantially U-shaped configuration when in a use position. 
     According to another embodiment of the invention, an inventive headphones apparatus designed to be worn as jewelry when in a storage position comprises a flexible substrate comprising a pair of electrically conductive metal spring bands having two ends and a parallel arrangement; an outer layer that substantially encases the flexible substrate; and one or more acoustic transducers, operatively attached to the end(s) of said flexible substrate; wherein the flexible substrate is: a) biased to curl into a semi-circular helical storage position substantially conforming and wrapping around a user&#39;s wrist when in a storage position, and b) adapted to releasably situate the headphones over a user&#39;s ears in a substantially U-shaped configuration when in a use position; and wherein connection between the acoustic transducers and spring bands establishes an electrical connection. 
     In one embodiment of the present invention, the headphone apparatus is a bi-stable structure. 
     In other embodiments of the present invention, the inventive headphone apparatus also includes a microphone permitting operation of the device as a hands-free phone headset. 
     One advantage of the present invention is that headphones can conveniently and fashionably be worn and transported as jewelry when in a storage position. 
     Another advantage of the present invention is that the headphones do not have connection wires that can get tangled when not in use, and do not need a case for transport when in a storage position. 
     Still other benefits and advantages of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art to which it pertains upon a reading and understanding of the following detailed specification. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The invention may take physical form in certain parts and arrangement of parts, embodiments of which will be described in detail in this specification and illustrated in the accompanying drawings which form a part hereof and wherein: 
         FIG. 1  is set of traditional headphones from the prior art. 
         FIG. 2  is a set of prior art headphones shown in a storage position. 
         FIGS. 3 and 3   a  are perspective views of the jewelry headphones of the present invention, shown in the use position. 
         FIG. 4  is a perspective view of the jewelry headphones of the present invention, shown in a planar first storage position. 
         FIG. 5  is a perspective view of the jewelry headphones of the present invention, shown in a transition stage between a planar first storage position and a semi-circular second storage position (transition state). 
         FIGS. 6 and 6   a  are perspective views of the jewelry headphones of the present invention, shown in a semi-circular curled second storage position. 
         FIG. 7  is a view of one embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIGS. 8 and 8   a  are perspective views of the jewelry headphones of the present invention in a use position, without the outer layer assembled in order to better illustrate the arrangement of spring bands. 
         FIGS. 9 and 9   a  are perspective views of the jewelry headphones of the present invention, according to one embodiment, and shown in a use position on the user&#39;s head and in a semi-circular storage position around the user&#39;s wrist. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     Representative applications of methods and apparatus according to the present application are described in this section. These examples are being provided solely to add context and aid in the understanding of the described embodiments. It will thus be apparent to one skilled in the art that the described embodiments may be practiced without some or all of these specific details. In other instances, well known process steps have not been described in detail in order to avoid unnecessarily obscuring the described embodiments. Other applications are possible, such that the following examples should not be taken as limiting. In the following detailed description, references are made to the accompanying drawings, which form a part of the description and in which are shown, by way of illustration, specific embodiments in accordance with the described embodiments. Although these embodiments are described in sufficient detail to enable one skilled in the art to practice the described embodiments, it is understood that these examples are not limiting; such that other embodiments may be used, and changes may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the described embodiments. 
     According to one embodiment, the jewelry headphone  20  of the present invention is shown in  FIGS. 3-6 . According to this embodiment, the jewelry headphone  20  is a bi-stable structure: one that has at least two stable mechanical shapes (equilibrium states). According to this embodiment, the jewelry headphones  20  are capable of taking on three different fixed states—a use position  50 , a planar first storage position  52 , and a semi-circular or rounded second storage position  54 —and various transitional states  53  in between.  FIGS. 3 and 3   a  show the jewelry headphones  20  in a substantially U-shaped use position  50 , designed to sit atop a user&#39;s head in a semi-circular shape so that the acoustic transducers  8  can be situated in close proximity to the user&#39;s ears.  FIG. 4  shows the jewelry headphones in a planar first storage position  52 .  FIG. 5  shows the jewelry headphones  20  in a transitional state  53  where the headphones are being converted from a first storage position  52  into a second storage position  54 .  FIG. 6  shows the jewelry headphones  20  in a second storage position  54 , where the headphones are being worn by the user as jewelry; in this second storage position  54  the jewelry headphones  20  are easily and conveniently wrapped around the user&#39;s wrist or arm and transported with the user until their use/operation is desired. 
     As shown in  FIGS. 3-6 , the jewelry headphones  20  are capable of being moved into various positions depending on whether the owner is using them to listen to or send audio signals to a personal audio electronics device  1 ( 1   a ) (“use position”  50 ), or when the owner needs to convert them into a convenient storage position (a first storage position  52 , where the jewelry headphones  20  are in a substantially planar position) (or a second storage position  54 , where the jewelry headphones are wrapped in a semi-circular curled shape that substantially conforms to the user&#39;s wrist or arm, or other user appendage, and worn and transported with the owner as “jewelry”). A critical aspect of the second storage position  54  is that the spring band conforms to the user&#39;s wrist in a wrap manner that is close enough to the user&#39;s skin—as with wearing a watch that it prevents the headphones  20  from easily slipping over the user&#39;s hand. In some embodiments, the jewelry headphone  20  ends  6  may partially or substantially overlap other portions of the spring band, as is shown in  FIGS. 6 and 9   a , and/or contain magnets  7  in the acoustic transducers  8  that help maintain the headphones  20  when they are in a semi-circular storage position  54 . In one embodiment, generally shown in  FIG. 6 , one end  6  overlaps at least three inches of the spring band  22  when in a storage position  54 . In yet other embodiments of the invention the jewelry headphones  20  are not bi-stable because they cannot achieve a planar first storage position  52 ; however, the headphones  20  are otherwise mechanically biased so as to permit movement between a use position  50  and a semi-circular or curled storage position  54 . 
     Movement of the jewelry headphones  20  between the use position  50  and the planar or semi-circular storage positions  52 ,  54  can be achieved by use of any mechanical componentry well known to persons of skill in the art, but generally comprising a flexible substrate biased to curl into a semi-circular storage position  54  similar to the one shown in  FIG. 6 . According to one embodiment, shown in  FIG. 3 , the jewelry headphone  20  may be made of an elongated strip of flexible metal spring bands  22  that are covered with an outer layer  24 . The flexible spring bands  22  can be made of stainless steel, or other such operable materials chosen by a person of sound engineering judgment. The outer layer  24  can be made of fabric or plastic, or other such materials as chosen by a person of sound engineering judgment. The outer layer  24  is wrapped or otherwise encases the spring bands  22  in such a fashion as to operatively contain all, or portions of, various headphone components (described below) in close proximity or attachment to the spring bands  22 . In some embodiments, the outer layer  24  is decorated with various team colors or logos, inspirational statements, or designs. In still other embodiments, the outer layer  24  consists of an inner side  23   a  and an outer side  25   a , operatively joined to create a unitary outer layer  24 , wherein the inner side  23   a  consists of a rubber material, or other material designed to releasably secure the device  20  to the owner&#39;s head when the jewelry headphones  20  are in the use position  50 . The flexibility and biasing design of the spring bands—similar to those in the aforementioned “slap bracelet”—permits the application of spring tension to keep the headphones  20  securely positioned on the user&#39;s head when in the use position  50 , and/or permits straightening into a planar first storage position  52 , and/or slapped into a second storage position  54  where the spring bands are converted into a circular shape around the user&#39;s wrist or arm. 
     As shown in  FIG. 3 , the jewelry headphones  20  may have an arrangement, or varying combination, of electronic componentry that is well known in the art but includes at least one acoustic transducer  8  (aka—“speaker”) situated at an end  6  of the spring band  22 ; in a preferred embodiment, the jewelry headphone  20  has two acoustic transducers  8  situated at opposite ends  6  of the spring bands  22 . Said acoustic transducers  8  are preferably situated on an inner side  23  of the spring bands  22  (or outer cover  24 ) so that the acoustic transducers  8  are situated in close proximity to the user&#39;s ears when the jewelry headphones  20  are in a use position  50 . The acoustic transducers  8  may be enveloped entirely or partially within the outer layer  24 ; alternatively, as shown in  FIG. 3 , the acoustic transducers may reside outside of the outer layer  24 . The acoustic transducers  8  are, in turn, connected to a battery  60  and/or wires  26 —not shown, but well known in the art to supply power to electronics devices—that are connected to a wireless communications device  28  capable of wirelessly receiving and/or sending audio or other electronic signals from or to a personal audio electronics device  1 . In some embodiments, one or more of the acoustic transducers  8  may have integrated batteries  60  and/or wireless communication devices  28 , with the acoustic transducers  8  being in wired communication with each other. When the wireless communications device  28  (having an antenna) is synchronized and receives said audio signals  100  from a personal audio electronics device  1 , according to Bluetooth® communications protocols or other such protocols known to those of skill in the art, the audio signals  100  are transferred via the wires  26  to the acoustic transducers  8 , or are received directly by transducers  8  with integrated wireless devices  28 , depending on the specific arrangement of electronic componentry. When the jewelry headphones  20  are properly situated in a use position  50 , as shown generally in  FIGS. 3 and 7D , the user is able to listen to the audio signals  100  broadcast by the acoustic transducers  8 . Bluetooth® type wireless communications protocols, and the positioning and use of headphones and headsets, are well known in the art and will not be described in greater detail. 
     In some embodiments, instead of containing a wireless communication component  28 , the jewelry headphones  20  may have a port, not shown, for releasably receiving a wire directly plugged into a personal electronics device. In still other embodiments, the headphones  20  may contain an electronics module  70  that communicates information about the positioning of the headphones—use  50 , planar  50 , transitional  53 , or semi-circular  54 —to the personal electronic device  1 . In other embodiments, the jewelry headphones  20  can include a microphone  30  that is also in connection with the wireless communications device  28  so as to permit the device to act as a hands-free phone headset  32 . In this embodiment, the personal audio electronics device  1  is a cellular phone  1   a , and the user can listen to audio signals wirelessly sent from the phone  1 , and speak into the microphone  30 , with such spoken words being communicated wirelessly back to the phone  1   u . In some embodiments, the personal electronics device  1  is designed and capable of receiving voice activation control signals  200 —such as to increase or reduce volume, commence or terminate music or telephone calls, and other functions as known to persons of skill in the art—that are communicated by the user into the microphone  30 . In some embodiments, the jewelry headphones  20  have one or more function buttons  40 —as are known to those of skill in the art—that are operatively connected to the wireless communications device so as to communicate control signals  200  to the personal audio electronics device  1 . 
     In still other embodiments, shown in  FIG. 7 , the acoustic transducer  8  is situated on an outer side  25  of the spring bands  22  (or outer cover  24 ), and is a speaker that is either hard-wired or wirelessly in communication with a personal audio electronics device  1  so as to broadcast audio signals at higher volumes (more like a jewelry loudspeaker than jewelry headphones). In this embodiment, the device&#39;s use position  50  is semi-circular, wherein the device is wrapped around the owner&#39;s wrist or upper arm region. 
     In another, perhaps preferred embodiment, the jewelry headphones  20  may utilize a pair of electrically conductive spring bands  22  (shown in  FIG. 8  without the outer layer  24 ) situated in a parallel guide fashion within an outer layer  24  consisting of a molded nylon or rubber material (shown fully assembled in  FIG. 9 ). The space between the parallel spring bands shall be referred to as the socket  86 . The acoustic transducers  80  may consist of a substantially clam-shaped arrangement, as shown in  FIG. 8 , wherein one or more hinges  81  permit an opening and closing of said acoustic transducers  80 . The acoustic transducer  80  may be inoperable when in an open position OP designed to permit positioning/adjustment of the speakers. In one embodiment, the acoustic transducers  80  may incorporate all necessary speaker componentry—battery  60 , wireless communication device  28 , and wiring  26 , etc.—so that audio sounds may be broadcast without attachment to the spring bands  22 . In one embodiment, the acoustic transducers  80  may also have one or more plugs  82  operatively designed to be received within the spring band  22  socket  86 ; when the speakers  80  are in a closed position CP the plugs  82  are engaged by the socket  86  created by the parallel arrangement of the pair of spring bands  22 , as shown in  FIG. 8 ; in this configuration, the speakers  80  are secured, and the pair of acoustic transducers  80  are effectively wired together by the spring bands  22  so that they are capable of operation. In some embodiments, the plugs  82  slide up and down within the spring bands  22  in order to effectuate proper positioning of the acoustic transducers  80  over the user&#39;s ears, while in other embodiments, shown in  FIG. 8   a , the plugs may be snap fit within holes  83  of varying placement in the outer layer  24  and spring bands  22 . The acoustic transducers  80  may optionally contain magnets  7  in a location, shown in  FIG. 9   a , which releasably secure the speakers  80  when the headphones  20  are in a helical storage position  54  around the user&#39;s wrist or other appendage. The acoustic transducers  80  may be covered in any material known to persons of skill in the art, but in the preferred embodiment, by a perforated leather material. 
     In still other embodiments, shown in  FIG. 8 , the jewelry headphones  20  consist of an assembly of parts designed and assembled to be manipulated from a use position  50  into a storage position  54  generally resembling a bracelet. In one embodiment, the assembly of parts are slidably connected to facilitate conversion from the use position  50  to the storage position  54 . 
     Numerous embodiments have been described herein. It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the above methods and apparatuses may incorporate changes, modifications, and re-arrangements and additions of parts widely recognized as necessary or conventional in the art of headphones without departing from the general scope of this invention. It is intended to include all such modifications and alterations in so far as they come within the scope of the appended claims or the equivalents thereof.