Earphone assemblies with multiple subassembly housings

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10085080-B2
Application number	US-201715696525-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 6, 2017
Priority date	Sep 6, 2016
Publication date	Sep 25, 2018
Grant date	Sep 25, 2018

Abstract

Earphone assemblies with multiple subassembly housings are provided.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An electronic assembly to be worn about a user's neck, the electronic assembly comprising:
a first subassembly comprising:
a first housing defining a first internal space;
a first electronic component positioned at least partially within the first internal space; and
a first joint component coupled to the first housing;

a second subassembly comprising:
a second housing defining a second internal space;
a second electronic component positioned at least partially within the second internal space; and
a second joint component coupled to the second housing; and

a cable assembly comprising:
an electrical conductor extending between a first electrical conductor end and a second electrical conductor end; and
a memory cable component extending between a first memory cable component end and a second memory cable component end, wherein:
the first electrical conductor end is electrically coupled to the first electronic component within the first internal space;
the first memory cable component end is coupled to the first joint component;
the second electrical conductor end is electrically coupled to the second electronic component within the second internal space;
the second memory cable component end is coupled to the second joint component; and
at least a portion of the memory cable component is configured to define a curved shape between the first memory cable component end and the second memory cable component end absent any external force applied to the electronic assembly.

2. The electronic assembly of claim 1 , wherein the first memory cable component end is coupled to the first joint component within the first internal space.

3. The electronic assembly of claim 2 , wherein the second memory cable component end is coupled to the second joint component within the second internal space.

4. The electronic assembly of claim 1 , wherein a first portion of the electrical conductor between the first electrical conductor end and the second electrical conductor end extends through the first joint component.

5. The electronic assembly of claim 4 , wherein a second portion of the electrical conductor between the first electrical conductor end and the second electrical conductor end extends through the second joint component.

6. The electronic assembly of claim 1 , wherein the memory cable component comprises at least one nitinol steel wire.

7. The electronic assembly of claim 1 , wherein a projection of the first joint component extends through a slot in the first electronic component.

8. The electronic assembly of claim 7 , wherein the first memory cable component end is held against a feature of the projection.

9. An electronic assembly to be worn about a user's neck, the electronic comprising:
a subassembly comprising:
a housing defining an internal space;
an electronic component positioned at least partially within the internal space; and
a joint component coupled to the housing; and

a cable assembly comprising:
an electrical conductor extending between a first electrical conductor end and a second electrical conductor end; and
a memory cable component extending between a first memory cable component end and a second memory cable component end, wherein:
the first electrical conductor end is electrically coupled to the electronic component within the internal space;
the first memory cable component end is coupled to the joint component; and
at least a portion of the memory cable component is configured to maintain a defined shape along at least a portion of a length of the memory cable component between the first memory cable component end and the second memory cable component end absent any external force applied to the memory cable component.

10. The electronic assembly of claim 9 , further comprising an other subassembly comprising:
an other housing defining an other internal space;
an other electronic component positioned at least partially within the other internal space; and
an other joint component coupled to the other housing, wherein:
the second electrical conductor end is electrically coupled to the other electronic component within the other internal space; and
the second memory cable component end is coupled to the other joint component.

11. The electronic assembly of claim 10 , wherein:
the electronic component comprises a battery; and
the other electronic component comprises an antenna.

12. The electronic assembly of claim 9 , wherein the electronic component comprises a battery.

13. The electronic assembly of claim 9 , wherein the electronic component comprises an antenna.

14. The electronic assembly of claim 9 , wherein the defined shape is a curved shape.

15. The electronic assembly of claim 9 , wherein the first memory cable component end is coupled to the joint component within the internal space.

16. The electronic assembly of claim 9 , wherein a portion of the electrical conductor between the first electrical conductor end and the second electrical conductor end extends through the joint component.

17. The electronic assembly of claim 9 , wherein:
a projection of the joint component extends through a slot in the electronic component; and
the first memory cable component end is held against a feature of the projection.

18. An electronic assembly to be worn about a user's neck, the electronic comprising:
a subassembly comprising:
a housing defining an internal space;
an electronic component positioned at least partially within the internal space; and
a joint component coupled to the housing; and

a cable assembly comprising:
an electrical conductor extending between a first electrical conductor end and a second electrical conductor end; and
a memory cable extending between a first memory cable end and a second memory cable end, wherein:
the first electrical conductor end is electrically coupled to the electronic component;
a first portion of the memory cable between the first memory cable end and the second memory cable end extends through the joint component;
a second portion of the memory cable between the first memory cable end and the first portion of the memory cable extends along and against a surface of the joint component;
the surface of the joint component is perpendicular to a direction in which the first portion of the memory cable extends through the joint component; and
at least a third portion of the memory cable component between the first portion of the memory cable and the second memory cable end is configured to maintain a defined shape along at least a portion of a length of the memory cable component between the first portion of the memory cable and the second memory cable component end.

19. The electronic assembly of claim 18 , wherein:
the second portion of the memory cable extends along and against an other surface of the joint component; and
the other surface of the joint component is perpendicular to the direction in which the first portion of the memory cable extends through the joint component; and
the surface of the joint component is perpendicular to the other surface of the joint component.

20. The electronic assembly of claim 19 , wherein the surface of the joint component is within the internal space.

Assignees

• Apple Inc

Inventors

• Bruss John
• Boyd Robert A
• Santana Carlos M
• Koneru Vijay

Classifications

• H01H13/50

  having a single operating member · CPC title

• H01R43/205

  with a panel or printed circuit board · CPC title

• H01R12/53

  connecting to cables except for flat or ribbon cables · CPC title

• H04R2420/07

  Applications of wireless loudspeakers or wireless microphones · CPC title

• H04R1/1016 Primary

  Earpieces of the intra-aural type · CPC title