Patent Publication Number: US-10314213-B2

Title: Electronic headset venting systems and methods

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/284,362, filed Oct. 3, 2016, and titled “Electronic Headset Venting Systems and Methods,” which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety. 
    
    
     TECHNICAL FIELD 
     This application relates to electronic headsets and more particularly to virtual reality headsets, augmented reality headsets, and the like. 
     BACKGROUND 
     Electronic headsets, such as virtual reality headsets or augmented reality headsets, attach to a user&#39;s head and may be worn for extended periods of time without being removed. The electronic headsets are designed so that light does not enter an interior portion of the electronic headset and a user is able to see a display. 
     Due to this design, air is often unable to flow within the interior of the electronic headset when worn by a user, which can result in the display screen of the electronic headset fogging up. Venting that can help reduce or prevent the fogging of the display screen on the electronic headsets may be desirable. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The written disclosure herein describes illustrative embodiments that are non-limiting and non-exhaustive. Reference is made to certain of such illustrative embodiments that are depicted in the figures, in which: 
         FIG. 1  illustrates a top view of an electronic headset including a venting system, according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. 
         FIG. 2  illustrates a front view of the electronic headset of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 3  illustrates an isometric view of the electronic headset of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 4  illustrates an exploded top view of the electronic headset and an air channel ring of the venting system. 
         FIG. 5  illustrates an exploded front view similar to  FIG. 4 . 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     Electronic headsets, such as virtual reality headsets or augmented reality headsets, may be worn on user&#39;s head for extended periods of time without being removed. The electronic headsets, such as virtual reality headsets, may be designed so that light does not enter an interior area of a housing of the electronic headset and thereby allow a user to better view a lit display within the housing. 
     A design of an electronic headset that does not allow light to enter may also suffer from a drawback that air is often unable to flow within the interior of the electronic headset when worn by a user, which can result in the display screen of the electronic headset fogging up. Venting that can help reduce or prevent the fogging of the display screen on the electronic headsets may be desirable. 
     The components of the embodiments as generally described and illustrated in the figures herein can be arranged and designed in a wide variety of different configurations. Thus, the following more detailed description of various embodiments, as represented in the figures, is not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure, but is merely representative of various embodiments. While various aspects of the embodiments are presented in drawings, the drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale unless specifically indicated. 
     The phrase “coupled to” is broad enough to refer to any suitable coupling or other form of interaction between two or more entities. Thus, two components may be coupled to each other even though they are not in direct contact with each other. For example, two components may be coupled to one another through an intermediate component. The phrase “attached to” refers to interactions between two or more entities which are in direct contact with each other and/or are separated from each other only by a fastener of any suitable variety (e.g., an adhesive). The phrase “fluid communication” is used in its ordinary sense, and is broad enough to refer to arrangements in which a fluid (e.g., a gas or a liquid) can flow from one element to another element when the elements are in fluid communication with each other. 
       FIG. 1  illustrates a top view of an electronic headset  100 , according to one embodiment of the disclosed technology.  FIG. 2  illustrates a back view of the electronic headset  100  and  FIG. 3  illustrates an isometric view of the electronic headset  100 . The electronic headset  100  may be, for example, a virtual reality headset. The electronic headset  100  includes a main body  116  (e.g., a housing), a face mask  102 , a strap  104  to mount or otherwise couple the headset to a user&#39;s head, a display  112 , and a venting system, which will be discussed in more detail below and includes at least one fan  106 , a top channel  108 , and an air channel ring  110  (shown in  FIGS. 4 and 5 ). In some embodiments, the venting system may be included in a kit and be retrofit to and/or removable from the electronic headset  100 , as discussed in more detail below. In other embodiments, the venting system may be integrated into the electronic headset  100 . 
     The main body  116  may house and/or support the face mask  102 , the display  112 , and venting system. The main body  116  may house or otherwise provide or include a display  112  and may be configured to create an interior  114  to provide an offset distance between the display  112  and eyes of the user to enable the user to view and focus on the content presented on the display  112 . The interior  114  of the electronic headset  100  is defined by main body  116 , the face mask  102 , and/or the display  112  and comprises the space there between. 
     The face mask  102  is positioned at a user-facing edge of the main body  116 . The face mask  102  is configured to abut a user&#39;s face when worn by the user. The face mask  102  may be formed of foam, rubber, or other elastomeric material to provide a soft cushioning against the user&#39;s face. The face mask  102  limits or even prevents external light from entering the interior  114  (e.g., interior space or cavity between a face of the user and the display  112 ) of the electronic headset  100 . The face mask  102  may also enable the user to comfortably wear the electronic headset  100 . 
     The venting system embodiment shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2  includes two fans  106  shown on an exterior top portion of the main body  116  of the electronic headset  100 . Although  FIGS. 1 and 2  illustrate two fans  106 , any number of fans  106  may be used, including a single fan. The fans  106  may be battery operated or may be powered by a power cord. For example, the fans  106  may be powered by a USB connection to a USB port of the electronic headset  100 . In some embodiments, the fans  106  are 30 mm×30 mm×10 mm fans. However, any size fan may be used that may be suitable to mount onto, for example, an external surface of the main body  116  of the electronic headset  100 . 
     The display  112  of the electronic headset  100  is shown in  FIG. 2 . The display  112  may be a lens or a screen for a viewer to view an image. In other words, the display  112  may present content (e.g., images and/or video) for viewing by a user wearing the electronic headset  100  or other viewer of the electronic headset  100 . 
     The fans  106  and top channel  108  may be integrated together as a single component that is removably mounted to the main body  116  of the electronic headset  100 . In other embodiments, the fans  106  and the top channel  108  can be separate components that are each removably mounted to the main body  116  of the electronic headset  100 . The fans  106  and top channel  108  may be removably mounted by an adhesive, such as removable sticky tape. In other embodiments, the fans  106  and top channel  108  may be removably mounted by other means, such as a loop and hook fastener, clips, clamps, snaps, and other suitable fasteners as will be understood by one of ordinary skill in the art with the benefit of this disclosure. In other embodiments, the fans  106  and/or top channel  108  are permanently mounted to the main body  116  of the electronic headset  100 . In such embodiments with a permanently mounted venting system, according to the present disclosure, the top channel  108  may be integrally formed with the main body  116  of the electronic headset  100 . For example, the main body  116  including the top channel  108  may be formed by an injection molding process to integrally form the top channel  108  along an upper surface of the main body  116 . 
     Arrows  122   a - 122   d  (collectively  122 ) in  FIG. 3  indicate the air flow movement through the venting system. The fans  106  rotate to generate airflow, as represented by arrows  122   a . The fans  106  generate airflow that is received by the top channel  108 . That is, the top channel  108  is in fluid communication with the fans  106  and receives air moved by the fans  106 . The top channel  108  directs or channels air across at least a portion of the exterior surface of the main body  116 , as shown by arrows  122   b , and has an outlet  120  that is in fluid communication with the air channel ring  110 . The top channel  108  directs the air toward the outlet  120 , to or even over an edge of the main body  116 , and to the air channel ring  110 . The air channel ring  110  directs air into the interior  114  of the electronic device  100  and toward the display  112  to provide airflow to and venting of the interior  114  and/or the display  112 . Arrows  122   d  show the flow of air from the outlet  120  of the top channel  108  through the air channel ring  100  (not shown) and into the interior  114  of the electronic headset  100 . Air flowing into the interior  114  helps prevent the display  112  from fogging during extended use of the electronic headset  100 . The top channel  108  may also include another outlet  124  that directs air toward a user&#39;s forehead. This provides airflow directly toward a user and may help cool a user while using the electronic headset  100 . Arrows  122   c  indicate the airflow from the top channel  108  to the user&#39;s forehead through the other outlet  124 . 
     The air channel ring  110  is illustrated in detail in  FIGS. 4 and 5 . The air channel ring  110  is coupled between the main body  116  of the electronic headset  100  and the face mask  102 . The air channel ring  110  may include a plurality of vents  118 . 
     In some embodiments, the air channel ring  110  is a solid, hard plastic. The air channel ring  110  includes vents  118  that extend through the air channel ring  110 . The air channel ring  110  defines vents  118  (e.g., apertures, channels, or the like) that extend from an outward surface (e.g., facing external to the headset, opposite the interior  114 ) to an inner surface (e.g., facing toward the interior  114 ) of the air channel ring  110 . Vents  118  may be provided on a top portion of the air channel ring  118  as well as on a bottom portion, as seen in  FIGS. 4 and 5 . The top channel  108  may direct air to an outer portion of vents  118  in a top portion of the air channel ring  118 , through the vents  118  (and thereby through the air channel ring), and into the interior  114 . In such embodiments, the outlet  120  covers the vents  118  on the top portion of the air channel ring to prevent light from entering the interior  114  of the electronic headset  100 . Vents  118  provided on the bottom portion, or any other portion, of the air channel ring  110  may allow air in the interior  114  to escape to the exterior, thereby venting the interior  114 . Other vents  118  may be provided on any location of the air channel ring  110  that will direct air to the interior  114  of the electronic device  100  and toward the display  112  and/or from the interior  114  and to the exterior or environment around the electronic. 
     In some embodiments, the air channel ring  110  is a hollow, hard plastic, and the vents  118  may extend from a lumen and through a wall of the air channel ring  110 . Some vents  118  may be an inlet only for receiving air from the outlet  120  while other vents  118  direct the air into the interior  114  of the electronic headset  110 . For example, if the air channel ring  110  in a hollow, hard plastic in  FIGS. 4 and 5 , air received at the top vents  118  in direct fluid connection with the outlet  120  may flow through a lumen of the air channel ring  110  and out through the bottom vents  118  and into the interior  114  of the electronic headset  100  towards the display  112 . 
     In both the embodiments discussed above, the air channel ring  110  is a flexible, hard plastic. The air channel ring  110 , as seen in  FIGS. 4 and 5 , couples between the face mask  102  and the main body  116  of the electronic headset  100 . The air channel ring  110  removably couples to the face mask  102  and the main body  116  via a fastener. In some embodiments, the fastener may be, for example, a hook and loop fastener (e.g., Velcro) or a removable adhesive, such that the air channel ring  110  can be removed from the electronic headset  100 . 
     In other embodiments, the air channel ring  110  may be permanently coupled between the face mask  102  and the main body  116 . 
     In some embodiments, the air channel ring  110  and the top channel  108  may be omitted from the venting system. In such embodiments, vents or openings (not shown) may be provided on a top portion of the electronic headset  100 . The fans  106  may then be disposed directly on the electronic headset  100 . The fans  106  cover the entirety of the vents to prevent light from entering the interior  114  of the electronic headset  100 . The fans  106  direct air through the vents into the interior  114 . 
     In some embodiments, the venting system, including the fans  106 , top channel  108 , and air channel ring  110 , may be provided in a kit. The fans  106 , the top channel  108 , and the air channel ring  110  may then be mounted onto the electronic headset  110 . This allows users to retroactively add a venting system to an existing electronic headset  100 . For example, the fans  106  and top channel  108  are mounted onto the top of the main body  116  of the electronic headset  100 . The face mask  102  may attach to the main body  116  via a hook and loop fastener and may be removed from the main body  116 . The air channel ring  110  may also attach via a hook and loop fastener to couple between the main body  116  of the electronic headset  100  and the face mask  102 . This maintains the comfort of the face mask  102  for the user during use of the electronic headset, but allows for a venting system to be attached to any electronic headset without allowing light into the interior of the electronic headset. 
     Any methods disclosed herein include one or more steps or actions for performing the described method. The method steps and/or actions may be interchanged with one another. In other words, unless a specific order of steps or actions is required for proper operation of the embodiment, the order and/or use of specific steps and/or actions may be modified. Moreover, sub-routines or only a portion of a method described herein may be a separate method within the scope of this disclosure. Stated otherwise, some methods may include only a portion of the steps described in a more detailed method. 
     Reference throughout this specification to “an embodiment” or “the embodiment” means that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with that embodiment is included in at least one embodiment. Thus, the quoted phrases, or variations thereof, as recited throughout this specification are not necessarily all referring to the same embodiment. 
     Similarly, it should be appreciated by one of skill in the art with the benefit of this disclosure that in the above description of embodiments, various features are sometimes grouped together in a single embodiment, figure, or description thereof for the purpose of streamlining the disclosure. This method of disclosure, however, is not to be interpreted as reflecting an intention that any claim requires more features than those expressly recited in that claim. Rather, as the following claims reflect, inventive aspects lie in a combination of fewer than all features of any single foregoing disclosed embodiment. Thus, the claims following this Detailed Description are hereby expressly incorporated into this Detailed Description, with each claim standing on its own as a separate embodiment. This disclosure includes all permutations of the independent claims with their dependent claims. 
     Recitation in the claims of the term “first” with respect to a feature or element does not necessarily imply the existence of a second or additional such feature or element. It will be apparent to those having skill in the art that changes may be made to the details of the above-described embodiments without departing from the underlying principles of the present disclosure. 
     It will be obvious to those having skill in the art that many changes may be made to the details of the above-described embodiments without departing from the underlying principles of the invention. The scope of the present invention should, therefore, be determined only by the following claims.