Patent Publication Number: US-2012041581-A1

Title: Magnetically connected multiple user earphone system

Description:
CLAIM FOR BENEFIT OF EARLIER FILING DATE 
     This application claims benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/400,527 filed on Jul. 30, 2010. The applications have the same inventor, title, and subject matter. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND 
     The background of the invention will be discussed in two parts. 
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The invention relates to earphone systems, and more particularly, to a system providing for simultaneously sharing of audio from a common source by multiple users. 
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART 
     A considerable number of electrical connector assemblies for audio cables are found in the marketplace, each generally optimized for a particular use and having particular characteristics. U.S. Pat. No. 7,354,315, issued to Goetz, et al. on 8 Apr. 2008, relates to releasable connectors for portable media players such as an MP3. However, a search of the prior art has not disclosed a multiple user earphone system allowing for a plurality of earplugs to be connected to a common audio source for simultaneously sharing of audio signals such as music or the like emanating from the common source. Accordingly, it is an aspect of the present invention to provide a multiple user earphone system allowing for simultaneously sharing of audio signals such as music, or the like, emanating from a common source. 
     SUMMARY 
     An earphone system for connection of a plurality of earplugs to a common audio source for simultaneously sharing of signals, the system providing convenient connect and disconnect of the earplugs by magnetized connectors. The magnetized connectors include dual identical connector members having means for passage of signals through the connector with signal take-off points for providing signals to an associated earplugs. Subsequent connectors can be sequentially magnetically coupled to simultaneously provide the source signals to a plurality of earplugs. The connector members have generally circular magnetized, generally planar, faces assuring a proper signal connection by any mating arrangement of the connectors. Optimum coupling and break-away characteristics are determined by selecting the connector strength of the magnetic forces 
    
    
     
       DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  shows a multiple user earphone system in accordance with the invention; 
         FIG. 2  is an exploded view showing the magnetized connector of the system; 
         FIG. 3  is a cross-section view of the assembled magnetized connector; 
         FIG. 4  is an end view of the assembled magnetized connector; 
         FIG. 5  is an alternate embodiment of the signal A conductive spring; 
         FIG. 6  is a an alternate embodiment of the signal B conductive spring; 
         FIG. 7  shows a notched support panel for the alternate springs of  FIGS. 5 and 6 ; 
         FIG. 8  is a cross-section view of the connector  13  of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 9  is an exploded view of another embodiment of the invention; 
         FIG. 10  is a cross-section view of the connector of  FIG. 9 ; 
         FIG. 11  shows circuit board  38  of the magnetized connector of  FIG. 9 ; and 
         FIG. 12  shows circuit board  39  of the magnetized connector of  FIG. 9 . 
     
    
    
     LIST OF REFERENCE NUMERALS 
     The following are reference numerals for like elements in the several views.
           10 . Multiple user earphone system with magnetized connectors     11 . Common signal source     12 . Jack to common signal source     12   a  Cable connecting jack  12  to magnetized connector  13       13 . Magnetized connector for signal from common source  11       14 . Magnetized connector for earphones     14   a . Magnetized ends of earphone connector     14   b . Earphone signal take off portion of magnetic connector  14       14   c . Signal cable connecting signal take off earphone connector     14   d . Splitter for direction of signals to earphones     14   e  Connector for engaging cable  14   c  to connector  14       15 . Earphones     15   a  Slider for adjusting length of earphone leads     20   a . Top cap of housing for magnetized connector  14       20   b . Bottom cap of housing for magnetized connector  14       20   c . Housing entry portion of top cap  20   a  for earphone take-off leads     20   d  Housing entry portion of bottom cap  20   b  for earphone take-off leads     21 . Magnet housing     21   a . Circular grounding connections C, D     22 . Circular magnet     23 . Circular insulator     24 . Signal B conductor ring     24   a . Ridge on signal B conductor ring     25 . Signal B conductive spring for urging ridge  24   a  against insulator  23       26 . Housing insulator  26       27 . Signal A contact ball for fitting into housing insulator  26       28 . Signal A spring urging ball  27  against a ridge in housing insulator  26       29 . Circuit board     30 . Connector  30       30   a  Top cap of housing for magnetized connector  30       30   b  Bottom cap of housing for magnetized connector  30       30   c . Housing entry of top cap portion  30   a  for earphone take-off leads     30   d . Housing entry of bottom cap portion  30   b  for earphone take-off leads     31 . Magnet housing     32 . Magnet     33 . Insulator     36 . Insulator     38 . Circuit board     39 . Circuit board     40 . Alternate spring  40       50 . Alternate spring  50       60 . Mounting base for supporting springs  40  and  50 .       

     DESCRIPTION 
     The invention provides a system for connection of a plurality of earplugs to a common audio signal source, such as an MP3, for sharing of music. The system has magnetized connector members for easy connect/disconnect of sets of earplugs. It includes a cable having a jack on one end for connection to the signal source and a magnetized connector on the other end for mating to a first end of a dual member magnetized connector. The connector is configured to pass the source signals from one end to the other and includes take-offs points for providing the signals to an associated earplug set. Additional connectors can be sequentially coupled to provide the source signals to a plurality of earplugs. The dual end magnetized connectors are identical and thus reversible, the ends being of a circular design with a generally planar face assuring proper signal connection by any mating arrangement of the connectors. Optimum coupling and break-away characteristics are provided by selection of the strength of the magnets. 
       FIG. 1  illustrates the multiple user earphone system, generally designated  10 , of the invention. The system  10  includes common signal source  11 , and cable  12   a  having jack  12  and magnetized output connector end  13 , for connecting the signal from source  11  to a first end  14   a  of connector  14 . Connector end  13  and identical ends  14   a  are magnetized for easy connect/disconnect. Connector  14  additionally includes an earplug signal takeoff portion, generally designated  14   b . Signal cable  14   c  is connected to takeoff portion  14   b  to send signals from source  11  to earplugs  15  by means of connector  14   d . Additional connectors  14  may be sequentially coupled to provide simultaneous sharing of music to a plurality of earplug sets. 
       FIG. 2  is an exploded view of the components of the connector  14  of  FIG. 1 . Connector  14  includes a housing having a top cap portion  20   a  and a bottom cap portion  20   b . Mating of portions  20   a ,  20   b  provides a housing for dual ends  14   a  and an earplug signal takeoff portion generally designated  20   c . The magnetized connectors  14  include identical members connected back-to-back through circuit board  29 . Signals may be received by either member and passed to the other member for further transmission, and as well provides contacts for signal take-off for earplugs  15 . 
     The components of the dual members of connector  14  being identical, only the components of one member will be described. As indicated in  FIG. 2 , circular magnet housing  21  abuts closed caps  20   a ,  20   b  and receives circular magnet  22 , housing  21  having circular portion  21   a  for grounding to leads C and D. Magnet  22  receives circular insulator  23  which in turn receives a portion  24   a  of circular signal B conductive ring  24 . Conductive ring  24  further includes ridge  24   b , which has a larger diameter than portion  24   a , for receiving a portion of signal B conductive spring  25 , spring  25  urging signal B conductive ring  24  against insulator  23 . Conductive spring  25  is in contact with the circuit board  29  to thereby provide a signal B connection to earplug  15  by means of lead B of cable  14   c . Through spring  25  conductive ring  24  receives insulator  26  which in turn receives signal A ball contact  27 . Signal A ball contact  27  is urged against a ridge in insulator  26  by signal A spring  28 , spring  28  in contact with the circuit board  29  to thereby provide a signal A connection to earphone  15  by means of lead A of cable  14   c.    
       FIG. 3  illustrates in cross-sectional view the assembly of the components of the earplug system connector  14  of  FIG. 2 . As indicated in  FIG. 2  and shown more clearly in  FIG. 3 , the source signals A and B may be received by either of the dual end magnetized connector members of connector  14  and passed through connector  14  to the other member for further transmission. For instance, when signal A is received by the ball  27  of a first member it is conducted through the associated spring  28  to circuit board  29  where it is picked off by the spring  28  on the other side of the circuit board and transmitted to the ball  27  of the second member. Likewise, when signal B is received by the circular connector  24  of the first member it is conducted through the associated spring  25  to circuit board  29  where it is picked off by the spring  25  on the other side of the circuit board and transmitted to the circular connector  24  of the second member. As shown, signal leads A and B and ground leads C and D are picked off of circuit board  29  and transmitted by cable  14 C to earplugs  15   c.    
       FIG. 4  is an end view of the planar face of the assembled magnetized connector  14  illustrating the concentric configuration of the components that provides for proper signal connection regardless of the mating arrangement of the connectors. 
       FIGS. 5-6  illustrate an alternate configuration where circuit board  29  is not used,  FIG. 5  showing an alternate embodiment of the signal A conductive springs  25  wherein the springs  25  are connected to each other directly to form a single spring,  FIG. 6  showing an alternate embodiment of the signal B conductive springs  28  wherein the springs  28  are connected to each other directly to form a single spring, and  FIG. 7  showing a notched support panel for use with the alternate springs of  FIGS. 5 and 6 . 
       FIG. 8  is a cross-section view of the connector  13  of  FIG. 1 . It is seen that the connector  13  is essentially the same as one of the dual members of connector  14  as previously described and thus will not be further described. 
       FIG. 9  is an exploded view of an embodiment of the invention wherein connector  30  is the same as connector  14  except for the modification to include two circuit boards  38 ,  39  instead of the single circuit board  29  of connector  14 . Since the components of the dual members of connector  30  are identical, only the components of one member will be described. As shown in  FIG. 9 , circular magnet housing  31  abuts closed caps  30   a ,  30   b  and receives magnet  32 , housing  31  having grounding leads C and D. Magnet  32  receives circular insulator  33  which in turn receives a portion  24   a  of the signal B conductive ring  24 . Ring  24  includes ridge  24   b  which has a larger diameter than portion  24   a  for receiving a portion of signal B conductive spring  25 , spring  25  urging signal B conductive ring  24  against insulator  33 . Spring  25  is in contact with circuit board  38  to thereby connect signal B to earplug  15  by means of lead B of cable  14   c . Spring  25  receives insulator  36  which receives signal A ball contact  27 . Ball contact  27  is urged against insulator  36  by signal A spring  28 , spring  28  in contact with the circuit board  38  to provide a signal A connection to earphone  15  by means of lead A of cable  14   c.    
       FIG. 10  shows in cross-sectional view the assembly of the components of the connector  30  of  FIG. 9 . As seen in  FIGS. 9 and 10 , source signals A and B can be received by either end of magnetized connector  30  and passed on to the other end for further transmission. Thus, when signal A is received by the ball  27  of the member abutting circuit board  38  it is conducted through associated spring  28  to circuit board  38  where it is forwarded to circuit board  39  where it is picked off by the spring  28  associated with circuit board  38  and transmitted to its associated ball  27 . Likewise, when signal B is received by the circular connector ring  24  of the member abutting circuit board  38  it is conducted to circuit board  39  where it is picked off by associated spring  25  and transmitted to the connector ring  24  associated with circuit board  39 . Circuit boards  38 ,  39  are separated by insulating spacers. 
       FIGS. 11 and 12  illustrate circuit boards  38  and  39  of the connector  30  of  FIG. 9 . Contacts D and E of board  38  are connected to signal contacts B and A respectively for sending signals A and B to board  39 . Contacts C and F transmit signals A and B through cable  14   c  to earplugs  15 . Contacts B′ and A′ of board  39  are signal contacts for associated spring  25 . Contacts D′ and E′ of board  38  are signal contacts for associated spring  25 . 
     The earplug connector system of the invention has been shown to include connectors having dual identical members, the connectors providing for passage of the source signal from one end to the other and include signal take-off points for providing the signal to associated earplugs. Subsequent connectors can be sequentially coupled to provide the source signal to a plurality of earplugs. The connectors are identical, reversible and interchangeable, and thus may be randomly connected to simultaneously share the signal from the common source. The connector ends are circular such that proper signal connection is established by any mating arrangement of the connectors. The magnetization of the connector ends is designed to provide easy and quick connection and disconnection of the connectors. 
     Although the invention is illustrated and described with reference to specific embodiments, it is to be understood that various changes may be made in adapting the invention to different embodiments without departing from the inventive concepts disclosed herein. Thus, the invention should not be limited to the embodiments as shown and described.