Patent Publication Number: US-11051096-B1

Title: Switchable headphone assembly

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     Not Applicable 
     STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT 
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     THE NAMES OF THE PARTIES TO A JOINT RESEARCH AGREEMENT 
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     INCORPORATION-BY-REFERENCE OF MATERIAL SUBMITTED ON A COMPACT DISC OR AS A TEXT FILE VIA THE OFFICE ELECTRONIC FILING SYSTEM 
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     STATEMENT REGARDING PRIOR DISCLOSURES BY THE INVENTOR OR JOINT INVENTOR 
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     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     (1) Field of the Invention 
     The disclosure relates to headphone devices and more particularly pertains to a new headphone device for facilitating a user to clearly hear ambient sounds while the user is wearing headphones. 
     (2) Description of Related Art Including Information Disclosed Under 37 CFR 1.97 and 1.98 
     The prior art relates to headphone devices. The prior art discloses a variety of headphones that include pivotal couplings for pivoting ear pieces on the headphones. In one instance of pivotal coupling disclosure the ear pieces are structured to engage arms of eyeglasses. The prior art discloses a variety of headphones that are foldable between a deployed position for use and a stored position for transport. The prior art discloses headphones that have a sound port that can be opened for passing ambient sounds through the headphones. In no instance did the prior art referenced in the patent search disclose a switch that turns the headphones on and off when the ear pieces are pivoted. 
     BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     An embodiment of the disclosure meets the needs presented above by generally comprising a pair of headphones that is wearable on a user to emit audible sound into each of the user&#39;s ears. Each of the headphones is pivotable between an on position or an off position. A respective one the headphones emits audible sound when the respective headphone is in the on position. Moreover, a respective one of the headphones ceases emitting audible sound when the respective headphone is in the off position. In this way the pair of headphones facilitate the user to clearly hear ambient sounds. 
     There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, the more important features of the disclosure in order that the detailed description thereof that follows may be better understood, and in order that the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated. There are additional features of the disclosure that will be described hereinafter and which will form the subject matter of the claims appended hereto. 
     The objects of the disclosure, along with the various features of novelty which characterize the disclosure, are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this disclosure. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING(S) 
       The disclosure will be better understood and objects other than those set forth above will become apparent when consideration is given to the following detailed description thereof. Such description makes reference to the annexed drawings wherein: 
         FIG. 1  is a front view of a switchable headphone assembly according to an embodiment of the disclosure. 
         FIG. 2  is a right side view of an embodiment of the disclosure. 
         FIG. 3  is a front view of an embodiment of the disclosure showing a first ear muff being pivoted into an off position and showing a second ear muff being in an on position. 
         FIG. 4  is a schematic view of an embodiment of the disclosure. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     With reference now to the drawings, and in particular to  FIGS. 1 through 4  thereof, a new headphone device embodying the principles and concepts of an embodiment of the disclosure and generally designated by the reference numeral  10  will be described. 
     As best illustrated in  FIGS. 1 through 4 , the switchable headphone assembly  10  generally comprises a pair of headphones  12  that are wearable on a user when the user is riding in an aircraft. The aircraft may be a helicopter, a fixed wing aircraft or any other type of motorized aircraft that has a two way communication system  14 . The headphones  12  are electrically coupled to the two way communication system  14  thereby facilitating the user to communicate with occupants of the aircraft, with other aircraft and with air traffic controllers. 
     Each of the headphones  12  emits audible sound into each of the user&#39;s ears. Each of the headphones  12  is pivotable between an on position and an off position. A respective one the headphones  12  emits audible sound when the respective headphone is in the on position. A respective one of the headphones  12  ceases emitting audible sound when the respective headphone is in the off position. In this way the pair of headphones  12  facilitates the user to clearly hear ambient sounds while wearing the headphones  12 . 
     The pair of headphones  12  comprises a head band  16  that has a first end  18  and a second end  20 . The head band  16  is concavely arcuate between the first end  18  and the second end  20 . Additionally, the head band  16  comprises a first portion  22  that slidably engages a second portion  24  such that the head band  16  has an adjustable size. The head band  16  is worn over the crown of the user&#39;s head when the headphones  12  are worn. 
     A first pivot  26  is pivotally coupled to the first end  18  of the head band  16 . The first pivot  26  is oriented collinear with the head band  16  when the first pivot  26  is positioned in an on position. Additionally, the first pivot  26  is oriented perpendicular to the head band  16  when the first pivot  26  is positioned in an off position. The first pivot  26  extends laterally away from the head band  16  when the first pivot  26  is in the off position. Additionally, the first pivot  26  extends downwardly from the head band  16  when the first pivot  26  is in the on position. 
     A second pivot  28  is pivotally coupled to the second end  20  of the head band  16 . The second pivot  28  is oriented collinear with the head band  16  when the second pivot  28  is positioned in an on position. Additionally, the second pivot  28  is oriented perpendicular to the head band  16  when the second pivot  28  is positioned in an off position. The second pivot  28  extends laterally away from the head band  16  when the second pivot  28  is in the off position. The second pivot  28  extends downwardly from the head band  16  when the second pivot  28  is in the on position. 
     A first switch  30  is disposed on the first pivot  26  and the first switch  30  is engaged when the first pivot  26  is in the on position. The first switch  30  is disengaged when the first pivot  26  is in the off position. The first switch  30  is in electrical communication with the audio source and the first switch  30  may be any type of electronic switch that can be turned on and off. A second switch  32  is disposed on the second pivot  28  and the second switch  32  is engaged when the second pivot  28  is in the on position. The second switch  32  is disengaged when the second pivot  28  is in the off position. Additionally, the second switch  32  is in electrical communication with the audio source and the second switch  32  may be any type of electronic switch that can be turned on and off. 
     A first ear muff  34  is movably coupled to the first pivot  26  and the first ear muff  34  covers a respective one of the user&#39;s ears when the head band  16  is worn. In this way the first ear muff  34  insulates the respective ear from ambient noise. The first ear muff  34  surrounds the respective user&#39;s ear when the first pivot  26  is in the on position. Conversely, the first ear muff  34  exposes the respective user&#39;s ear when the first pivot  26  is in the off position. 
     A second ear muff  36  is movably coupled to the second pivot  28  and the second ear muff  36  covers a respective one of the user&#39;s ears when the head band  16  is worn. The second ear muff  36  surrounds the respective user&#39;s ear when the second pivot  28  is in the on position. Thus, the second ear muff  36  insulates the respective ear from ambient noise. The second ear muff  36  exposes the respective user&#39;s ear when the second pivot  28  is in the off position. Each of the first ear muff  34  and the second ear muff  36  may be comprised of a rigid material that has excellent sound insulation properties. 
     A first speaker  38  is positioned in the first ear muff  34  to emit audible sound into the respective user&#39;s ear. The first speaker  38  is electrically coupled to the first switch  30  and the first speaker  38  is turned on when the first switch  30  is in the on position. Additionally, the first speaker  38  is turned off when the first switch  30  is in the off position. The first speaker  38  may be any type of electronic speaker that would commonly be found in aviation headsets. 
     A second speaker  40  is positioned in the second ear muff  36  to emit audible sound into the respective user&#39;s ear. The second speaker  40  is electrically coupled to the second switch  32  and the second speaker  40  is turned on when the second switch  32  is in the on position. Additionally, the second speaker  40  is turned off when the second switch  32  is in the off position. The second speaker  40  may be any type of electronic speaker that would commonly be found in aviation headsets. 
     A volume knob  42  is rotatably coupled to the headphones  12  and the volume knob  42  is electrically coupled to each of the first speaker  38  and the second speaker  40 . The volume knob  42  adjusts a volume of each of the first speaker  38  and the second speaker  40  between a minimum volume and a maximum volume. A microphone boom  44  is movably coupled to the headphones  12  and the microphone boom  44  is aligned with the user&#39;s mouth when the headphones  12  are worn. 
     The microphone boom  44  has a first end  46  and a second end  48 , and the first end  46  of the microphone boom  44  is pivotally coupled to a respective one of the first ear muff  34  or the second ear muff  36 . The microphone boom  44  has a bend  50  thereon that is disposed between the first end  18  and the second end  20  to define first portion  52  of the microphone boom  44  forming an angle with a second portion  54  of the microphone boom  44 . The second portion  54  of the microphone boom  44  is spaced forwardly from the respective first ear muff  34  or the second ear muff  36  to which the microphone boom  44  is coupled. Moreover, the second portion  54  of the microphone boom  44  is directed toward a respective first ear muff  34  or the second ear muff  36  to which the microphone boom  44  is not coupled. In this way the second portion  24  of the microphone boom  44  can be positioned in front of the user&#39;s mouth. 
     A microphone  56  is coupled to the microphone boom  44  to capture audible sounds from the user. The microphone  56  is in electrical communication with the audio source. Additionally, the microphone  56  is positioned on the second portion  24  of the microphone boom  44  at a point that is located adjacent to the second end  48  of the microphone boom  44 . The microphone  56  may be any electronic microphone that would commonly be found in aviation headsets. 
     In use, the headphones  12  are worn and the headphones  12  are plugged into the audio source via a headphone cable or the like. Thus, the user can communicate with other occupants in the aircraft, with other aircraft and with air traffic controllers. A respective one of the headphones  12  can be pivoted into the off position to turn the respective headphone  12  off and to expose the user&#39;s ear. In this way the user can, for example, hear words spoken by an individual in the aircraft or other ambient sounds. The respective headphone  12  is turned back on when the respective headphone  12  is pivoted into the on position. 
     With respect to the above description then, it is to be realized that the optimum dimensional relationships for the parts of an embodiment enabled by the disclosure, to include variations in size, materials, shape, form, function and manner of operation, assembly and use, are deemed readily apparent and obvious to one skilled in the art, and all equivalent relationships to those illustrated in the drawings and described in the specification are intended to be encompassed by an embodiment of the disclosure. 
     Therefore, the foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the disclosure. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the disclosure to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the disclosure. In this patent document, the word “comprising” is used in its non-limiting sense to mean that items following the word are included, but items not specifically mentioned are not excluded. A reference to an element by the indefinite article “a” does not exclude the possibility that more than one of the element is present, unless the context clearly requires that there be only one of the elements.