Patent Publication Number: US-8121304-B2

Title: Anti-tangle device and method for preventing cord tangling

Description:
STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT 
     n/a 
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The invention lies in the field of cords and anti-tangle technology. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     A cord is a long, slender, and flexible material that can take the form of many shapes and sizes, and be made of a large number of different materials. As used herein, cord encompasses wire, string, cable and a multitude of other variations and materials. Some cords have one beginning and one end. One example of such a cord is an electric appliance cord that can be removed from the appliance. One end has a plug for insertion into an electric mains and the other end is inserted into a jack (either female or male) on the appliance. 
     Other applications involve cords with more than one beginning and one end. Various telephone cords, for example, split after a certain length to connect two or more telephones to a telephone jack in the wall. Similarly, a number of television cords, whether using cable or satellite, split at certain points in order to transfer data to multiple television sets or to send signals to different channels, such as the L and R speaker channels. Another example is a cord used for electronic headphones. Such headphone cords extend from an electronic device to a listener&#39;s ears, allowing the listener to hear audio. These cords have been in existence for decades. Such electronic devices serve a myriad of purposes; examples include, but are not limited to, cassette players, Compact Disc/DVD players, and MP3 players. Some users choose to listen to music while exercising, while others listen to an electronic device throughout the day no matter what the task. Although commonly used for music, any audible sound can be played through the earphone cords. For instance, some students listen to lectures and other audible study aids utilizing these electronic devices. 
     In use, a listener inserts a male plug end of the headphone cord (e.g., a 3.5 mm male plug) into a corresponding female socket of the electronic device. After a certain length, the headphone cord splits into two separate cords, resulting in a “Y” configuration. These two ends are fitted with earphones that fit into or around a person&#39;s left and right ears. One example is the common earbud configuration. On some models, the earphone orientation is ear specific, whereas, in other models, the earphones are interchangeable between the user&#39;s left and right ears. 
     One of the drawbacks regarding existing headphone technology is the likelihood of the cords becoming intertwined. Mathematical studies of tangling reveal that cords become tangled because loose ends are allowed to snake into loops of the cord or because loops are allowed to snake into other loops. When an end travels through a loop as the cord twists and turns, knots are created. In the embodiment of headphones, when a user is not wearing the device, cord ends are unrestrained and free to move in any direction. While the headphones are stored, for instance, lying on a desk, in a drawer, or in a bag, to name a few, the free ends inevitably become intertwined and tangle. Once tangling occurs, a person is required to spend needless time and effort attempting to untangle the various ends. Moreover, once a person successfully untangles the headphone cords, there is nothing to prevent the cord ends from tangling yet again in the future. In addition, the tangling can result in knots, thereby creating kinks in the wires inside the cords and potentially damaging the operation of the headphones. 
     Placing a spool or similar retraction device in the middle of the wire does not solve the fundamental problem. A spool winds the cord around a cylinder. However, the ends of the headphones still remain unrestrained and free to intertwine. In addition, the winding of a headphone cord around a spool causes the cord to conform to the circular shape of the cylinder. Thus, when later unwound, a multitude of loops is created for the ends to travel through, representing a fertile breeding ground for tangling. 
     With the dramatic rise of electronic media packaged for consumers on the go, countless consumers are purchasing handheld electronic devices that require the use of headphones. It would, therefore, be desirable to provide a way of limiting the travel of the ends of headphone cords to prevent the occurrence of tangling and knots. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention provides an anti-tangling device that overcomes the hereinafore-mentioned disadvantages of the heretofore-known devices of this general type and limits the travel of cord ends. The anti-tangling device of the present invention prevents tangling of cords by connecting their various ends. With the ends of the cord thus restrained, tangling can no longer occur. As set forth above, mathematical tangling studies reveal that cords tangle because one end snakes into and through a loop (or one loop snakes into and through another loop). By eliminating the possibility of a cord end or loop snaking through another loop, cord ends are prevented from tangling. 
     According, to one embodiment of the present invention, the anti-tangling device connects the ends of headphone cords to create a continuous path with the headphone cord. As a result, the ends are restrained by the continuous path eliminating any opportunity for the headphone ends to snake through one or more loops. 
     Although the invention is illustrated and described herein as embodied in an anti-tangling device and method for preventing cord tangling, it is, nevertheless, not intended to be limited to the details shown because various modifications and structural changes may be made therein without departing from the spirit of the invention and within the scope and range of equivalents of the claims. Additionally, well-known elements of exemplary embodiments of the invention will not be described in detail or will be omitted so as not to obscure the relevant details of the invention. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       Advantages of embodiments of the present invention will be apparent from the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments thereof, which description should be considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which: 
         FIG. 1  is an elevational view of a prior art Y-configuration headphone cord with two earphones and a male plug, along with a diagrammatic illustration of an electronic device for use with the cord; 
         FIG. 2  is an elevational view of a prior art headphone cord with one earphone and a male plug, along with a diagrammatic illustration of an electronic device for use with the cord; 
         FIG. 3  is an elevational view of a prior art headphone cord with four earphones and one male plug, along with a diagrammatic illustration of an electronic device for use with the cord; 
         FIG. 4  is an elevational view of the Y-configuration headphone cord of  FIG. 1  with one of the earphone cords forming a loop; 
         FIG. 5  is an elevational view of the Y-configuration headphone cord of  FIG. 4  with one earphone cord traveling through the loop of the other earphone cord; 
         FIG. 6  is an elevational view of a snap ring connection according to an exemplary embodiment of the invention holding two headphone earphone cords and male plug cord in place; 
         FIG. 7  is an elevational view of a Y-configuration headphone cord according to an exemplary embodiment of the invention with magnets at each end that serve to connect all the ends together; 
         FIG. 8  is an elevational view of a Y-configuration headphone cord according to an exemplary embodiment of the invention with magnets at each earphone end each magnetically attracted to a piece of steel at the male plug end; 
         FIG. 9  is an elevational view of a Y-configuration headphone cord according to an exemplary embodiment of the invention where a hook-and-loop type fastener, such as VELCRO®, is used to connect the ends together; 
         FIG. 10  is an elevational view of a Y-configuration headphone cord according to an exemplary embodiment of the invention with male/female snap connections at the cord ends; 
         FIG. 11  is perspective view of a three dimensional device according to an exemplary embodiment of the invention in which the headphone male plug is inserted into a female socket of the device and the earphone cords are removably secured within inlets of the device; and 
         FIG. 12  is a plan view of a three dimensional device according to an exemplary embodiment of the invention having inlets in which the headphone earphone cords and male plug are inserted and removably secured. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     Aspects of the invention are disclosed in the following description and related drawings directed to specific embodiments of the invention. Alternate embodiments may be devised without departing from the spirit or the scope of the invention. Additionally, well-known elements of exemplary embodiments of the invention will not be described in detail or will be omitted so as not to obscure the relevant details of the invention. 
     Before the present invention is disclosed and described, it is to be understood that the terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting. It must be noted that, as used in the specification and the appended claims, the singular forms “a,” “an,” and “the” include plural references unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. 
     While the specification concludes with claims defining the features of the invention that are regarded as novel, it is believed that the invention will be better understood from a consideration of the following description in conjunction with the drawing figures, in which like reference numerals are carried forward. The figures of the drawings are not drawn to scale. 
     Devices for transferring data from an electronic source to a person&#39;s ears (such as MP3 players) are commercially available. One example of cords that can easily become tangled are headphone cords that connect to electronic devices through the male plug end. After a certain length, the cord splits into a “Y” configuration and the earphones at the opposing end of the headphone cord convert the data from the electronic device into sound. As a result, a person can listen to the data generated from the electronic device through the headphones. 
     The term “earphone” as used herein encompasses any type of device that projects sound into a listener&#39;s ear(s). For example, this may include earbuds that fit directly into the ear canal, devices that wrap around the listener&#39;s ear lobes and minimally infiltrate the ear canal, and devices that merely cover the ear. 
     Referring now to the figures of the drawings in detail and first, particularly to  FIG. 1  thereof, there is shown an exemplary illustration of headphones  100  containing two earphones  102 ,  104  connected to an electronic device storing data  106 . The male headphone plug  108  is secured removably to the electronic device storing data  106  at the female socket or jack  110  to permit data transfer between the two. The female socket  110  is a standard recessed cavity in an electronic device that secures the male headphone plug  108  when inserted therein. The headphone  100  has a first portion  112  connected to the male plug  108  and second and third portions  114 ,  116  respectively connected to each of the earphones  102 ,  104 . 
     Although most headphone cords are configured in a standard “Y” configuration shown in  FIG. 1 , the present invention encompasses all cords.  FIG. 2 , for example, depicts a single headphone  200 . This headphone  200  has one cord  212  and two ends, one of the ends having an earphone  202  and the other end having a male plug  208  removably secured within a female socket  210  in the electronic device  206 . Alternatively,  FIG. 3  shows a headphone cord  300  that supports two users listening with both ears. Earphones  102 ,  104 ,  302 ,  304  are connected to a main cord  312  through four connection cords  114 ,  116 ,  314 ,  316 . As  FIGS. 2 and 3  illustrate, the present invention covers cords with at least one end to cords with a large number of ends. 
       FIG. 4  illustrates a headphone cord  100  with one portion  116  forming a single loop  420 . This loop  420  facilitates headphone cord tangling because either of the earphones  102  or  104  or the male plug  108  can travel through the loop  420 .  FIG. 5 , for example, shows (through the dashed line) the earphone  102  traveling through the loop  402 . Tangling will result from interaction between one of the earphones  102 ,  104  and/or the male plug  108  with the loop  402 . Although the loop  402  is displayed at a location on portion  116 , the present invention acts to prevent tangling when the loop(s)  402  occur(s) anywhere on the headphone cord  112 ,  114 ,  116 ,  312 ,  314 ,  316 . 
     The present invention, an anti-tangling device applicable to a multitude of cord types, prevents tangling by connecting the various free ends of any cord together. For example,  FIG. 6  illustrates a first exemplary connection device and method for the two earphones  102 ,  104  and the male plug  108 . In this embodiment, the two earphones  102 ,  104  are connected to the male plug  108  utilizing snap rings  620  that are present on each earphone  102 ,  104  and loop around the male plug  108  in a snap fit. These snap rings  620  can take any form or shape as long as there is a structure that can be opened to allow the parts  102 ,  104 ,  108  to be removably secured therein. For example, the clasp can be two plates that are biased towards one another and, when separated, can accept the parts  102 ,  104 ,  108  therein. When released, the plates move towards one another and clamp the parts  102 ,  104 ,  108  therebetween. By connecting the earphones  102 ,  104  and male plug end  108  together, no individual cord end can travel through a loop  402 . By using the anti-tangle device  620 , free ends no longer exist. Thus, even if loops are created in any intermediate cord portion when the cord is jumbled, crumpled, stored, or otherwise tangled, the continuous loop of the cord will be preserved as tangling does not occur in the absence of free ends. 
     Another embodiment, shown in  FIG. 7 , utilizes magnets  720  to connect the cord ends. These magnets  720  are configured to not interfere with functioning of an electronic device  106  or transmission of sound from the earphones  102 ,  104 . An alternative to using magnets at all three ends is to use magnets  720  at the two earphones  102 ,  104  and a piece of magnetic metal  820 , such as steel, at the male plug  108 , which is shown in  FIG. 8 . The electromagnetic attraction between the magnets  720  and the steel  820  results in the removable connection of all three ends  102 ,  104 ,  108 . Alternatively, each earphone  102 ,  104  can hold the steel  820  and the male plug  108  can hold the magnet  720 . 
       FIG. 9  illustrates another exemplary connection of the earphones  102 ,  104  and male plug end  108  using a hook-and-loop type fastener  920 , such as VELCRO®. A hook-and-loop type fastener  920  has a hook side with small hooks  922  and loop side with even smaller loops  924 . The joining of the hook side  922  with the loop side  924  makes a secure but removable connection. When the user is not using the headphones, the two earphones  102 ,  104  and the male plug  108  are pressed together and held using this fastener  920 . 
     In addition, any type of snap  1020  can be used to connect the earphones  102 ,  104 , shown in  FIG. 10 , together. For example, one embodiment uses a well-known snap  1020  with a male/female coupling connection to secure the earphones  102 ,  104  together. The male portion  1022  of the coupling  1020  has a protruding part above its planar surface that inserts into the recessed cavity below the planar surface of the female portion  1024 . To have such a male/female coupling connection, there is at least one male and one female coupling element. 
     As shown in  FIG. 11 , another embodiment of the present invention is a device separate from the cord. This embodiment has at least one female socket  1102  and is similar to the female socket  110  in the electronic device  106 . This female socket  1102  allows the male plug  108  to be inserted and removably secured therein. Where the cord embodiment has two ends opposite the male plug  108  (such as in a Y-configuration of the headphone  100 ), the device has two inlets  1104 , each with a press fit connection to secure a respective one of the two earphones  102 ,  104  therein. The inlets  1104  are sized for a close-fit with the respective headphone  102 ,  104  or with the headphone cords  112 ,  114 ,  116 . An additional exemplary embodiment encompasses enclosures  1106  that widen from the inlets  1104  but do not meet. 
     In yet another exemplary embodiment,  FIG. 12  shows a storage device  1200  having a geometric shape where at least one of the earphones  102 ,  104 , the male plug  108 , and the headphone ends  102 ,  104  or cords  112 ,  114 ,  116  are inserted and stored. Although shown with a circular outer shape, the storage device  1200  can take any form. There are at least two inlets  1104  through which the headphones or cords travel. The inlets  1104  are sized for a close-fit with the respective earphones  102 ,  104 , the male plug  108 , and the headphone cords  112 ,  114 ,  116  so the parts can travel therethrough for reliable anti-tangling storage. In addition, another exemplary embodiment encompasses enclosures  1106  widening from the aforementioned inlets  1104 . In both embodiments, the inlets and enclosures travel inward from the exterior of the storage device  1200  but do not meet. Once the headphone cords  112 ,  114 ,  116  are inserted into the storage device  1200 , the free ends are restrained and cannot travel through a loop and become tangled.