Patent Publication Number: US-2017353798-A1

Title: Headband for headphone

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The invention relates to headbands, and has been described herein primarily in relation to use in headphones, but is not limited to this particular application. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Headphones typically comprise a headband that fits over the head of a user. At one or both ends of the headband are mounted earspeakers. The earspeakers can be of various types, including supra-aural earspeakers (on-ear or earpad earspeakers) and circumaural earspeakers (over-ear or earcup earspeakers). The headband keeps the headphone in place by sitting on top of the user&#39;s head whilst the earspeakers are positioned on the user&#39;s ears. Commonly, the headband resiliently biases the earpeakers onto the user&#39;s ears or the sides of the user&#39;s head, thereby clamping the earspeakers to the user&#39;s head. More particularly, the headband is usually made of a resilient material, and when not mounted on a user&#39;s head, the distance between the earspeakers is narrower than the distance between a typical user&#39;s ears. Thus, when the earspeakers are pulled apart to fit onto the user&#39;s ears by flexing the resilient material of the headband, this creates a resilient bias in the headband which clamps the earspeakers to the user&#39;s ears or the sides of the user&#39;s head. To allow a better fit to a range of head sizes and shapes, prior headbands can be adjusted to vary the length of the headband. The position and angle of the earspeakers can also be adjusted by way of joints on the headband. 
     However, headphones with these prior headbands are still unstable in certain usage situations. For example, when a user is wearing a headphone whilst jogging, exercising, playing sports, dancing, DJing, or engaging in other vigorous physical activities, prior headbands often do not provide sufficient stability to maintain the headphone in a fixed position relative to the user&#39;s head. The movement of the user&#39;s body or head during such activities can cause movement of the earspeakers relative to the ears or even dislodge the headphone from the user&#39;s head. This can also occur when the user&#39;s head is moved into a non-upright position, for example, when reading or bending over. 
     To address these problems, some prior headbands have been designed to have an increased resilient bias when they are fitted over a user&#39;s head so that earspeakers are clamped more strongly to a user&#39;s head. However, this decreases the comfort of wearing such headphones, especially over longer periods of time. 
     Other prior headbands have been designed to be wider to increase the surface area of the headband that will come in contact with a user&#39;s head, thereby improving stability. However, the improvements are minimal and such headbands increase the bulk and weight of headphones which decreases comfort and usability. 
     One prior headband is a split headband with a first portion and a second portion of the headband rotatably mounted together via simple sliding pivot joints. The sliding pivot joints have corresponding members that slidingly rotate relative to each other such that the first and second portions can be manually and continuously rotated relative to each other. In this way, a user can set the desired relative positions of the portions. However, when this headband is mounted on the user&#39;s head, movement of the user&#39;s head or bumping of the headphone can cause the first and second portions to rotate relative to each other out of the relative positions previously set by the user. 
     Another prior headband is similarly split into a first portion and a second portion. However, the first and second portions are also resiliently biased together. A user sets the relative positions of the portions by rotating the portions away from each other, and the headband is then placed on the user&#39;s head. Friction between the user&#39;s head and the headband portions keeps the portions apart at the relative positions set by the user. However, once the headband is lifted away from the user&#39;s head, and there is no longer any friction between the user&#39;s head and the portions, the resilient bias snaps the portions back together. This prior headband has similar problems to the one described above in that, when this headband is mounted on the user&#39;s head, movement of the user&#39;s head or bumping of the headphone can cause the first and second portions to rotate towards each other out of the relative positions previously set by the user. The snapping of the portions together caused by the resilient bias also tends to catch the user&#39;s hair, causing discomfort and annoyance. 
     It is an object of the present invention to overcome or ameliorate at least one of the disadvantages of the prior art, or to provide a useful alternative. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention provides, in a first aspect, a headband for a headphone, the headband comprising: 
     a primary band for placement over a user&#39;s head to support the headphone on the user&#39;s head; and 
     a secondary band mounted to the primary band, the secondary band rotatable relative to the primary band into one or more indexed positions to further support the headphone on the user&#39;s head. 
     In one embodiment, the secondary band is resiliently biased from each indexed position, with the exception of a last indexed position, to a next indexed position. 
     In another embodiment, the secondary band is resiliently biased from a first indexed position to a second indexed position. In one embodiment, the secondary band is aligned with the primary band in the first indexed position, and the secondary band is rotated 35° rearwards from the primary band in the second indexed position. 
     In one embodiment, the secondary band is releasably locked at one or more of the indexed positions from which the secondary band is biased such that unlocking of the secondary headband allows the resilient bias to automatically move the secondary band to the next indexed position. In one embodiment, the secondary band is releasably locked by a spring lock mechanism. In one embodiment, the headband comprises a release button for unlocking the secondary band. 
     In one embodiment, the secondary band is resiliently biased by a torsional spring. 
     In one embodiment, the primary band has a complementary recess for stowing the secondary band such that the secondary band sits flush with the primary band when stowed. 
     In one embodiment, one or both of the primary and secondary bands have an adjustable length. 
     In one embodiment, the headband comprises one or more lights, one or more reflective portions, or a combination of both to enhance visibility of the user wearing the headband. 
     In one embodiment, one or both of the primary and secondary bands is made from a soft material covering a rigid spine. 
     In a second aspect, the present invention provides a headphone comprising a headband as described above, and an earspeaker mounted at one end of the primary band, or two earspeakers each mounted at a respective end of the primary band. 
     In one embodiment, the headphone comprises one or more lights, one or more reflective portions, or a combination of both to enhance visibility of the user wearing the headphone. 
     In one embodiment, one or both earspeakers comprise a safe sound mode in which one or more characteristics of an audio track being played back through one or both earspeakers are modified to allow an increased level of ambient sound to be heard by the user, the headphone having a safe sound switch operable by the user to actuate the safe sound mode. In one embodiment, the one or more characteristics is output sound level, and in the safe sound mode, the output sound level is reduced. 
     Throughout this specification, including the claims, the words “comprise”, “comprising”, and other like terms are to be construed in an inclusive sense, that is, in the sense of “including, but not limited to”, and not in an exclusive or exhaustive sense, unless explicitly stated otherwise or the context clearly requires otherwise. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES 
       Preferred embodiments in accordance with the best mode of the present invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying figures, in which the same reference numerals refer to like parts throughout the figures unless otherwise specified, and in which: 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a headphone in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 2  is a front view of the headphone of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 3  is a back view of the headphone of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 4  is a top view of the headphone of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 5  is an underside view of the headphone of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 6  is a left side view of the headphone of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 7  is a right side view of the headphone of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 8  is a perspective view of the headphone of  FIG. 1  with the secondary band rotated into an indexed position rearward of the primary band; 
         FIG. 9  is a left side view of the headphone of  FIG. 8 ; 
         FIG. 10  is a perspective view of the headphone of  FIG. 1  with the secondary band rotated into an indexed position rearward of the primary band, and with the secondary band also extended; 
         FIG. 11  is a left side view of the headphone of  FIG. 10 ; and 
         FIG. 12  is an exploded view of a torsional spring lock mechanism of a headband in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION 
     Referring to the figures, there is provided a headband  10  for a headphone  50 . The headband  10  comprises a primary band  11  for placement over a user&#39;s head to support the headphone  50  on the user&#39;s head. A secondary band  12  is mounted to the primary band  11 , and the secondary band is rotatable relative to the primary band into one or more indexed positions to further support the headphone  50  on the user&#39;s head. 
     It is to be understood that an “indexed” position is a position defined by a discrete engagement between the primary and secondary bands. For example, the indexed positions can be defined by discrete stops, detents, or clicks positioned at intervals along the path of rotation as the secondary band is rotated relative to the primary band. Structurally, these discrete stops, detents, or clicks can be formed from, for example, abutment portions, and projections fitting into complementary recesses. In the latter example, the projections can be resiliently biased such that the projections move automatically into place in the complementary recesses once the projections move over the complementary recesses. In any event, the discrete engagement defining each indexed position means that whilst the primary and secondary bands rotate relative to each other under a certain amount of force, once an indexed position is reached, an additional amount of force or an unlocking action is required to further rotate the primary and secondary bands relative to each other. 
     The secondary band  12  can be resiliently biased from each indexed position, with the exception of a last indexed position, to a next indexed position. In the embodiments shown in the figures, the secondary band  12  is resiliently biased from a first indexed position to a second indexed position. The secondary band  12  is aligned with the primary band  11  in the first indexed position, and the secondary band is rotated 35° rearwards from the primary band in the second indexed position. It has been found that having the secondary band at 35° rearwards from the primary band provides an unexpected level of stability to the headphone when a user is engaged in activities involving movement, including sports, physical exercise, and dancing. 
     The secondary band  12  is releasably locked at one or more of the indexed positions from which the secondary band is biased such that unlocking of the secondary headband allows the resilient bias to automatically move the secondary band to the next indexed position. As best shown in  FIG. 12 , the secondary band is releasably locked by a spring lock mechanism  13 . In the example shown, the secondary band is resiliently biased by a torsional spring  14 . As such, the spring lock mechanism  13  is a torsional spring lock mechanism. This allows the spring lock mechanism  13  to be relatively compact. In the embodiment shown, the torsional spring lock mechanism  13  is integrated into a pivot joint  15  between the primary and secondary bands  11  and  12 . More particularly, the pivot joint  15  is formed by a secondary pivot member  16  at an end of the secondary band  12 , and the secondary pivot member  16  is connected to a complementary primary pivot member  17  at a location adjacent a corresponding end of the primary band  11 . 
     The headband  10  also comprises a release button  18  for unlocking the secondary band. The release button  18  is located on an easily accessible outside surface of the pivot joint  15 . This provides convenient actuation by the user as it is easily accessible by feel whilst the headband is still in place on the user&#39;s head, without the need for the user to see the release button or to take off the headband  10  to locate the release button. 
     The primary band  11  has a complementary recess  19  for stowing the secondary band  12  such that the secondary band sits flush with the primary band when stowed. This results in a compact configuration and clean lines when the secondary band  12  is stowed. In particular, it allows the headband  10  to resemble prior single-band headbands when the secondary band  12  is stowed. In the example shown in the figures, the complementary recess  19  is a cutout in the underside of the primary band  11  that closely approximates the shape of the secondary band  12 . 
     One or both of the primary and secondary bands  11  and  12  have an adjustable length. In the embodiments shown in the figures, the secondary band  12  has a sleeved portion  20  that is sleeved over a base portion  21 . The base portion  21  comprises two segments, one projecting from the pivot joint  15  and the other projecting from another pivot joint  22  connecting another end of the secondary band  12  to the primary band  11  at a location adjacent a corresponding end of the primary band  11 . The sleeved portion  20  is slidable along the base portion  21  thereby lengthening the secondary band  12 . In embodiments where the secondary band  12  is stowed underneath the primary band  11  and there is a reduction in length in the secondary band to allow such stowage, this lengthening of the secondary band  12  can compensate for this reduced length when the secondary band is not stowed and is instead deployed. 
     When the secondary band  12  is stowed under the primary band  11 , a catch holds and thereby locks the secondary band in place. This defines the discrete engagement that characterizes the first indexed position. In this first indexed position, the torsional spring  14  has been wound tighter than a normally relaxed configuration of the torsional spring. The torsional spring  14  is therefore held in this tighter configuration by the catch and resiliently biases the secondary band  12  away from the primary band  11 . 
     Pushing of the release button  18  releases the secondary band  12  from the catch, and the resilient bias of the torsional spring  14  automatically rotates the secondary band  12  away from the primary band  11 . The primary pivot member  17  includes an abutment surface and the secondary pivot member  16  includes a stop surface. Rotation of the secondary band  12  away from the primary band  11  moves the stop surface towards the abutment surface. When the stop surface reaches and abuts against the abutment surface, rotation of the secondary band  12  stops. This defines the discrete engagement that characterizes the second indexed position. The stop surface and the abutment surface are positioned and configured so that the second indexed position is where the secondary band  12  is rotated 35° rearwards from the primary band  11 . Once the secondary band  12  has been released towards the second indexed position, the sleeved portion  20  can be pulled upwards along the base portion  21  to lengthen the secondary band, as best shown in  FIGS. 10 and 11 . 
     To stow the secondary band  12  back under the primary band  11 , the user rotates the secondary band  12  back towards the first indexed position. This winds the torsional spring  14  against the resilient bias of the torsional spring, thereby building up resilient bias in the spring which urges the secondary band  12  away from the primary band  11 . The secondary band  12  is rotated, and therefore the torsional spring continues to be wound, until the secondary band reaches the first indexed position, that is, the stowage position under the primary band  11 . The catch then holds the secondary band  12  in place in the first indexed position under the primary band  11  until the next time a user actuates the release button  18 . 
     The primary and secondary bands  11  and  12  are arcuate to approximate the shape of the user&#39;s head. One or both of the primary and secondary bands is made from a soft material covering a rigid spine. 
     The headband  10  comprises one or more lights  23 , one or more reflective portions, or a combination of both to enhance visibility of the user wearing the headband. The lights  23  can be operated by circuitry comprising a light sensor so that the lights automatically switch on or off depending on threshold light levels sensed by the light sensor. Alternatively, or in combination, the circuitry can increase or decrease the brightness of the lights depending on the light levels sensed by the light sensor. The lights can also be configured to flash or change colour depending on user selection, or automatically depending on certain parameters or measurements by one or more sensors of one or more type. 
     The headphone  50  comprises a headband  10  of one of the embodiments described above. In the embodiment shown in the figures, the headphone  50  comprises two earspeakers  51  each mounted at a respective end of the primary band  11 . In other embodiments, the headphone comprises only one earspeaker  51  mounted at one end of the primary band  11 . The headphone  50  can also include a microphone which can be mounted on a distal end of an adjustable boom with a proximal end connected to one end of the primary band  11 . 
     Instead of the being on the headband  10 , one or more lights, one or more reflective portions, or a combination of both can be included on other portions of the headphone  50  to enhance visibility of the user wearing the headphone. 
     One or both earspeakers  51  comprise a safe sound mode in which one or more characteristics of an audio track being played back through one or both earspeakers are modified to allow an increased level of ambient sound to be heard by the user. The headphone  50  has a safe sound switch operable by the user to actuate the safe sound mode. In one embodiment, the one or more characteristics is output sound level, and in the safe sound mode, the output sound level is reduced. This enhances the safety of the user. For example, the user can place the earspeakers into the safe sound mode, which can be characterized by a reduction in output sound level, when the user is about to cross a road. In this way, an increased level of ambient sound is heard by the user which will allow the user to detect traffic noises more effectively to determine oncoming vehicles. 
     The headband  10  or other portions of the headphone  50  can include other buttons and connection ports to facilitate other functionalities of the headphone. For example, the headband  10  can include a play button  24  to turn playback on or off. In the embodiments shown in the figures, the play button  24  is a large easily accessible button on a lower outside surface of the headband adjacent one of the earspeakers  51 . The headband  10  can also include a charging port  25  for receiving a plug for charging, and a memory card port  26  for receiving a memory card on which media to be played by the headphone  50  is stored. 
     It is appreciated that the aforesaid embodiments are only exemplary embodiments adopted to describe the principles of the present invention, and the present invention is not merely limited thereto. Various variants and modifications can be made by those of ordinary skill in the art without departing from the spirit and essence of the present invention, and these variants and modifications are also covered within the scope of the present invention. Accordingly, although the invention has been described with reference to specific examples, it is appreciated by those skilled in the art that the invention can be embodied in many other forms. It is also appreciated by those skilled in the art that the features of the various examples described can be combined in other combinations.