Patent Publication Number: US-6210212-B1

Title: Computer headphone extension cord device

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention relates to a computer headphone extension cord device that is connected to the audio output port at the back of a computer. More particularly, the computer headphone extension cord device is extended to the front of the computer and has a receiving box with a phone jack therein for receiving the stereo mini plug from a headphone set. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Present day computers (PC&#39;s) in most cases, have an audio output port on the rear wall of the PC for use with a standard set of headphones having a stereo mini plug attached to an elongated electrical cord. There are problems with this present headphone system and the rear entry position of the audio output port on the back of the PC. It limits the use of the headphone set by the PC user, wherein most of the elongated electrical cord is used in connecting the headphone set to the audio output port at the back of the PC. The PC user has only a limited amount of space in which to move about while using the headphone set, as presently depicted. Also, the PC user has the inconvenience of having to reach to the back of the computer to connect the headphone set. 
     There remains a need for a computer headphone extension cord device which may be easily connected to the audio output port on the back of a personal computer. The computer headphone extension cord device has an elongated electrical cord and a receiving box with a phone jack port therein which is extended to the front, of the computer where the stereo mini-plug from a headphone set is received within the phone jack port of the computer headphone extension cord. 
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART 
     Audio input and output connectors for computers having various designs, structures and configurations have been disclosed in the prior art. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,666,267 to Intel Corporation, discloses an audio input/output connector which can be installed in the front portion of a computer so that a user can connect external devices, such as an input microphone or a set of headphones into the front panel of a computer. This audio input/output connector allows a computer user to plug an external device such as a headphone into the front panel jack of a computer, as opposed to the rear panel jack, which is less accessible. This connector apparatus contains audio ports for headphones which send audio signals through an audio extension card. An audio input/ output connector receives and sends the audio signals through a flex capable and finally to another connector. The audio input/output apparatus is placed inside the hard drive bay and occupies a small fraction of the space therein, without intruding into the conventional space required by the hard drive. This prior art patent does not disclose the design, structure and configuration of the present invention. 
     This aforementioned prior art patent does not teach or disclose the use of a computer headphone extension cord device of the present invention that is connected to the audio output port on the rear of a personal computer having the design, structure and configuration of the present invention. 
     Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a computer headphone extension cord device that is connected to the audio output port on the rear of a personal computer for use with a standard set of headphones. 
     Another object of the present invention is to provide a computer headphone extension cord device having an elongated electrical cord and having a receiving box with a phone jack port therein at one end of the electrical cord for receiving the stereo mini-plug from a headphone set; and at the other end of the electrical cord a stereo mini-plug for inserting and connecting to the audio output port on the rear of the computer. 
     Another object of the present invention is to provide a computer headphone extension cord device that can be used on most computer system hardware that have an audio port station either built-in or on an expansion card (i.e. PC&#39;s, Macintosh™ computers or Sun™ work stations). This computer headphone extension cord device is not limited by internal components in existing computer system hardware. 
     Another object of the present invention is to provide a computer headphone extension cord device that can be attached to a computer in a detachable manner or permanently mounted. 
     Another object of the present invention is to provide a computer headphone extension cord device that can have extended lengths of electrical cord having specific cord lengths of 18″, 24″, 36″, 48″, 60″ or 72″. 
     Another object of the present invention is to provide a computer headphone extension cord device that can be made less expensively than an internal (headphone cord) unit in a standard PC hardware system. 
     Another object of the present invention is to provide a computer headphone extension cord device that is light-weight, durable, and conforms to the standards of currently manufactured personal computers. 
     A further object of the present invention is to provide a computer headphone extension cord device that can be mass produced in an automated and economical manner and is readily affordable by the computer user. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention provides for a computer headphone extension device for connection to the audio output port on the rear of a personal computer and for connection from a stereo mini-plug of a headphone set. The computer headphone extension device includes an elongated electrical cord having a first end and a second end. The computer headphone extension device further includes a stereo mini-plug connected to the first end of the electrical cord for inserting the stereo mini-plug into the audio output port at the rear of the personal computer; and a receiving box device having a connecting port for connecting to the second end of the electrical cord and having a phone jack for receiving the stereo mini-plug of the headphone set. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     Further objects, features, and advantages of the present invention will become apparent upon the consideration of the following detailed description of the presently-preferred embodiment when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein: 
     FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of the prior art showing the use of set of headphones with a personal computer; 
     FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of the computer headphone extension cord device of the preferred embodiment of the present invention showing the use of a set of headphones attached to the computer headphone extension cord, being in turn attached to the front, side or on-top of the personal computer. 
     FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the computer headphone extension cord device of the preferred embodiment of the present invention showing a stereo mini-plug, an elongated electrical cord, and a receiving box device with a phone jack port therein for receiving the stereo mini-plug from a headphone set; 
     FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view of the computer headphone extension cord device of the preferred embodiment of the present invention showing the receiving box device having a phone jack member therein; and 
     FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram of the computer headphone extension cord device of the preferred embodiment showing the computer headphone extension cord device attached to the rear of the personal computer and attached to a headphone set. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     The computer headphone extension cord device  10  and its component parts of the preferred embodiment of the present invention are represented in detail by FIGS. 2 through 5 of the drawings. The computer headphone extension cord device  10  is used in conjunction with the audio output port  12  on the rear  14  (system board or expansion card) of a personal computer  16 , such that the computer headphone extension cord device  10  is then connected to the audio jack member  22  on the electrical cord  24  of a headphone set  26 . 
     FIG. 1 of the drawings shows the prior art of a headphone set  26  in use with a personal computer  16 , such that the audio jack member  22  of headphone set  26  is connected to the audio output port  12  on the rear wall  14  of the PC  16 ; and also shows much of the length of the headphone electrical cord  24  is used in extending around the perimeter of the PC  16 . This situation limits the use of the headphone set  26  by the computer user, wherein most of the length of electrical cord  24  is used in connecting the headphone set  26  to the audio output port  12  on the back  14  of the personal  25  computer  16 . Also, the PC user has the inconvenience of having to reach the back  14  of the computer  16  to connect the headphone set  26 . 
     The computer headphone extension cord device  10 , as depicted in FIG. 3 of the drawings, includes an elongated and extended electrical cord  30  having a receiving box device  40  with an audio input port opening  44  therein and also having a connecting cord opening  46  therein being connected to one end  32  of electrical cord  30 . The other end  34  of electrical cord  30  has a phone jack member  60  having a stereo mini-plug  62  for inserting and connecting to the audio output port  12  on the rear  14  of the PC  16 . Receiving box device  40  is substantially rectangular in shape and has two half sections  42   a  and  42   b . Receiving box  40  includes a phone jack port opening  44 , a cable/connecting opening  46  for electrical cord  30  and an interior compartment  48  for holding in place a phone jack device  50 . Phone jack device  50  includes a phone jack receiving member (phone jack port)  52  and a plurality of electrical wire openings  54   a ,  54   b  and  54   c  therein for receiving the positive electrical line  36   p , the negative electrical line  36   n  and the ground electrical line  36   g , respectively, of electrical cord  30 . 
     Phone jack port opening  44  is used for receiving therein the phone jack receiving member (phone jack port)  52  which connects to the stereo mini-plug  22  from headphone set  26 . Phone jack device  50  is a standard three-conductor (3.5 mm) closed-circuit type. An electrical wire clip  56  holds the electrical cord  30  within the interior compartment  48  of box device  40 . This device can be modified to include two phone jack ports that can be used for both audio and microphone inputs. 
     OPERATION OF THE INVENTION 
     In operating the computer headphone extension cord  10  of the present invention, the user simply inserts the stereo mini-plug  62  of the audio jack member  60  into the audio output port  12  on the rear  14  of the personal computer  16 , as depicted in FIGS. 2 and 5 of drawings. The user then connects the stereo mini-plug  22  on the electrical cord  24  of the headphone set  26  into the phone jack port  52  of the receiving box device  40 , as shown in FIG. 5 of the drawings. In having an elongated electrical cord  30  of extended lengths (from 18″ to 72″), the user can now easily move about the room(s) while using the headphone set  26 , and is not limited to an area in the vicinity of the PC station  16 . 
     ADVANTAGES OF THE PRESENT INVENTION 
     Accordingly, an advantage of the present invention is that it provides for a computer headphone extension cord device that is connected to the audio output port on the rear of a personal computer for use with a standard set of headphones. 
     Another advantage of the present invention is that it provides for a computer headphone extension cord device having an elongated electrical cord and having a receiving box with a phone jack port therein at one end of the electrical cord for receiving the stereo mini-plug from a headphone set; and at the other end of the electrical cord a stereo mini-plug for inserting and connecting to the audio output port on the rear of the computer. 
     Another advantage of the present invention is that it provides for a computer headphone extension cord device that can be used on most computer system hardware that have an audio port station either built-in or on an expansion card (i.e. PC&#39;s, Macintosh™ computers or Sun™ work stations). This computer headphone extension cord device is not limited by internal components in existing computer system hardware. 
     Another advantage of the present invention is that it provides for a computer headphone extension cord device that can be attached to a computer in a detachable manner or permanently mounted. 
     Another advantage of the present invention is that it provides for a computer headphone extension cord device that can have extended lengths of electrical cord having specific cord lengths of 18″, 24″, 36″, 48″, 60″ or 72″. 
     Another advantage of the present invention is that it provides for a computer headphone extension cord device that can be made less expensively than an internal (headphone cord) unit in a standard PC hardware system. 
     Another advantage of the present invention is that it provides for a computer headphone extension cord device that is light-weight, durable, and conforms to the standards of currently manufactured personal computers. 
     A further advantage of the present invention is that it provides for a computer headphone extension cord device that can be mass produced in an automated and economical manner and is readily affordable by the computer user. 
     A latitude of modification, change, and substitution is intended in the foregoing disclosure, and in some instances, some features of the invention will be employed without a corresponding use of other features. Accordingly, it is appropriate that the appended claims be construed broadly and in a manner consistent with the spirit and scope of the invention herein.