Patent Document

FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    This invention relates generally to the fields of headphones and microphones. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    In many instances, broadcasters, radio professionals, telephone operators, amateur radio enthusiasts and others have a need to use both headphones and a microphone simultaneously. Prior headphones that incorporated microphones suffered from several drawbacks including lack of comfort and microphone articulation. A need exists, therefore, for an improved headphone set that incorporates a proper microphone boom. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0003]    According to one aspect of the present invention, a headphone assembly includes a pair of earpieces, each for engagement over one ear of a user. The earpieces are coupled to ends of an arcuate headband adapted for wear on the user&#39;s head. A microphone boom for holding a microphone is retained to one of the earpieces by a housing having mating upper and lower gaskets. Preferably, the gaskets have notches for retaining the microphone boom within the gaskets. 
         [0004]    In other embodiments, one of the earpieces of the headphone assembly of may include a port having a screw insert mounted therein wherein the housing is attached to the screw insert. A thumb screw may then be inserted through the upper and lower gaskets and into the screw insert in the earpiece to retain the housing and to permit the user to rotate the microphone boom. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES 
         [0005]    These and other features, aspects and advantages of the invention will become more fully apparent from the following detailed description, appended claims, and accompanying drawings, wherein the drawings illustrate features in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, and wherein: 
           [0006]      FIG. 1  is an illustration of the headphone assembly in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0007]      FIG. 2  is a exploded view of the housing of the headphone assembly; 
           [0008]      FIG. 3  is another exploded view of the housing of the headphone assembly; 
           [0009]      FIG. 4  is a perspective view of the headphone assembly illustrating the screw insert for the microphone boom; and 
           [0010]      FIG. 5  is a perspective view of the earpiece of the headphone assembly illustrating a rubber plug inserted into the port. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0011]      FIG. 1  illustrates a headphone assembly  10  adapted for engagement over the ears of a user. The headphone assembly  10  includes two earpieces  12  and  14 , each coupled to an arcuate headband  16  that is designed for wear on a user&#39;s head. The headphone assembly  10  also includes a housing  18  for attaching a microphone boom  20  coupled to a microphone  22 . The microphone boom  20  is connected to a microphone jack  24  for attachment to other conventional communication or sound equipment. The headphone assembly may also include an on/off button  28  and a volume control switch  26 . 
         [0012]    The headphone assembly  10  may include active noise reduction circuitry mounted in one or both of the earpieces  12  and  14 . Such circuitry may actively reduce the noise generated outside the headphone assembly  10  from reaching the user&#39;s eardrum. Conventional noise reduction circuitry is well known to those skilled in the art and generally includes means for sensing noise that originates from sources outside the headphone assembly  10  and means for generating a compensating sound to the outside noise and means for supplying the compensating sound to the user for canceling at least some of the outside noise. 
         [0013]    As illustrated in  FIGS. 2 and 3 , the housing  18  includes a lower gasket  30  which mates with upper gasket  32  to retain the microphone boom  20 . Each of the lower and upper gaskets  30  and  32  preferably include notches  46  shaped to mate with the outer circular surface of the microphone boom  20 . The lower gasket  30  may be smaller in diameter than the upper gasket  32  such that the upper gasket  32  fits over the lower gasket  30 . A washer  34 , which may be a fiber or other suitable washer, may be included between the upper or lower gasket  30  or  32  to assist in retaining the microphone boom  20  in place. A thumb screw  42  is inserted into a screw opening in the upper gasket  32  to retain the housing  18  and to permit the user to rotate the microphone boom  20 . A second washer  44  may be placed between the upper gasket  32  and the thumb screw  42 . Preferably, the notches  46  are offset from the centerline of the gaskets  30  and  32  to afford the thumb screw  42  an opportunity to pass through the center of the gaskets  30  and  32  to retain the microphone boom  20 . 
         [0014]      FIG. 4  illustrates one means for attaching the housing  18  to an earpiece  12 . Earpiece  12  includes a hollow, preferably circular, port  38  into which a screw insert  40  (preferably brass) is placed. The insert  40  may be molded into the port  38  of the earpiece  12 , glued in, or attached by other conventional means. The screw insert  40  has a threaded internal opening designed to threadedly engage with the thumb screw  42  and a smooth outer surface designed to engage with an opening in the proximal end of the lower gasket  30 . The lower gasket  30  of the housing  18  is then rotationally attached to the screw insert  40  to allow the microphone boom  20  to swivel. Thus, the thumb screw  42  is screwed into the screw insert  40  to retain the housing to the earpiece  12 . The proximal end of the lower gasket  30  fits onto the outside surface of the screw insert  40 . A guide  36  may be used to provide support and to fill in space between the inner surface of the lower end of the lower gasket  30  and the outer surface of the screw insert  40 . Although  FIG. 4  illustrates the opening  38  and screw insert  40  on only one earpiece, such an port  38  and insert  40  may be included on one or both of the earpieces to allow the user to located the microphone boom  20  on either earpiece  12  or  14 . 
         [0015]    As illustrated in  FIG. 5 , the headphone assembly  10  may further include a rubber plug  48  inserted into the port  38  of an earpiece  12  when the user desires to use the headphones without the accompanying microphone. 
         [0016]    A variety of detachable booms with various microphones may be used, including these specifically designed for ham radio, broadcast radio, and interfacing with computers. In the event the booms vary in outer diameter (either in shape or size), the gaskets  30  and  32  may be changed to accommodate these other booms. Thus, the headphone assembly may come in a kit that includes a number of microphone booms and associated gaskets, all designed to work with the same headphones. 
         [0017]    Although certain illustrative embodiments and methods have been disclosed herein, it will be apparent from the foregoing disclosure to those skilled in the art that variations and modifications of such embodiments and methods may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Accordingly, it is intended that the invention should be limited only to extent required by the appended claims and the rules and principals of applicable law.

Technology Category: 5