Compliant constrained headband spring

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10178476-B2
Application number	US-201715692918-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 31, 2017
Priority date	Mar 8, 2016
Publication date	Jan 8, 2019
Grant date	Jan 8, 2019

Abstract

A compliant constrained headband spring for audio headphones includes a headband spring element and a stiffness enhancing element coupled to the headband spring element. The compliant constrained headband spring exhibits a first stiffness in an open position and a second stiffness greater than the first stiffness when closed beyond a predetermined point.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A compliant constrained headband spring of a headband for audio headphones, the compliant constrained headband spring comprising:
a headband spring element including a first end, a second end, and a middle; and
a stiffness enhancing element including a first end, a second end, and a middle, the stiffness enhancing element being disposed on an inner surface of the headband spring element over at least a central region of the headband spring element and coupled to the headband spring element at only the middle of the stiffness enhancing element and at only the middle of the headband spring element via a fastening structure.

2. The compliant constrained headband spring of claim 1 , wherein, in the absence of external force and in the absence of the stiffness enhancing element, the headband spring element closes to a point at which earcups mounted on terminal ends of the headband spring element contact one another, and wherein the stiffness enhancing element has sufficient stiffness to prevent the compliant constrained headband spring from closing to a point at which earcups mounted on the terminal ends of the headband spring element contact one another.

3. The compliant constrained headband spring of claim 1 , further comprising a feature to adjust an effective length of the stiffness enhancing element.

4. The compliant constrained headband spring of claim 1 , wherein the stiffness enhancing element comprises at least one of a fiber reinforced polymer, a metal, or an elastomeric material.

5. The compliant constrained headband spring of claim 1 , wherein terminal ends of the stiffness enhancing element are disposed on tabs extending from the inner surface of the headband spring element.

6. The compliant constrained headband spring of claim 1 , wherein terminal ends of the stiffness enhancing element displace from inner surfaces of the headband spring element upon opening of the headband, forming gaps between the terminal ends of the stiffness enhancing element and the inner surfaces of the headband spring element.

7. The compliant constrained headband spring of claim 1 , wherein the stiffness enhancing element comprises a first portion and a second portion, and an arc length adjustment device is disposed between the first portion and the second portion.

8. The compliant constrained headband spring of claim 1 , included in a pair of audio headphones.

9. The compliant constrained headband spring of claim 1 , wherein the stiffness enhancing element includes terminal ends disposed at intermediate points between the middle of the headband spring element and respective terminal ends of the headband spring element.

10. A compliant constrained headband spring of a headband for audio headphones, the compliant constrained headband spring comprising:
a headband spring element including a first end, a second end, and a middle; and
a stiffness enhancing element including a first end, a second end, and a middle, the stiffness enhancing element being coupled to the headband spring element at only the middle of the stiffness enhancing element and at only the middle of the headband spring element via a fastening structure and disposed on an inner surface of the headband spring element over at least a central region of the headband spring element, the stiffness enhancing element configured such that terminal ends of the stiffness enhancing element displace from inner surfaces of the headband spring element upon opening of the headband and form gaps between the terminal ends of the stiffness enhancing element and the inner surfaces of the headband spring element.

11. The compliant constrained headband spring of claim 10 , wherein the stiffness enhancing element comprises at least one of a fiber reinforced polymer, a metal, or an elastomeric material.

12. The compliant constrained headband spring of claim 10 , wherein the stiffness enhancing element includes terminal ends disposed at intermediate points between the middle of the headband spring element and respective terminal ends of the headband spring element.

13. The compliant constrained headband spring of claim 10 , included in a pair of audio headphones.

14. The compliant constrained headband spring of claim 10 , wherein the stiffness enhancing element comprises a first portion and a second portion, and an arc length adjustment device is disposed between the first portion and the second portion.

15. The compliant constrained headband spring of claim 10 , wherein, in the absence of external force and in the absence of the stiffness enhancing element, the headband spring element closes to a point at which earcups mounted on terminal ends of the headband spring element contact one another, and wherein the stiffness enhancing element has sufficient stiffness to prevent the compliant constrained headband spring from closing to a point at which earcups mounted on the terminal ends of the headband spring element contact one another.

16. The compliant constrained headband of claim 10 , further comprising a feature to adjust an effective length of the stiffness enhancing element.

17. The compliant constrained headband of claim 1 , wherein the compliant constrained headband spring exhibits a first stiffness in an open position and a second stiffness greater than the first stiffness when closed beyond a predefined point at which terminal ends of the headband spring element are at a predefined distance from one another.

18. The compliant constrained headband of claim 10 , wherein the compliant constrained headband spring exhibits a first stiffness in an open position and a second stiffness greater than the first stiffness when closed beyond a predefined point at which terminal ends of the headband spring element are at a predefined distance from one another.

19. The compliant constrained headband spring of claim 17 , wherein the predefined distance is within a range of between about 50 mm and about 121 mm.

20. The compliant constrained headband of claim 18 , wherein the predefined distance is within a range of between about 50 mm and about 121 mm.

Assignees

• Bose Corp

Inventors

• Wallace Eric M
• Monahan Michael J
• Butland Derek James

Classifications

• H04R1/1008

  Earpieces of the supra-aural or circum-aural type · CPC title

• F16F1/18

  Leaf springs {(planar springs in general F16F1/027; "Belleville"-type springs with generally radial arms F16F1/324)} · CPC title

• H04R5/0335 Primary

  Earpiece support, e.g. headbands or neckrests (for monophonic headphones H04R1/105) · CPC title

• H04R1/1066

  Constructional aspects of the interconnection between earpiece and earpiece support (earpiece support for monophonic headphones H04R1/105; earpiece support for stereophonic headphones H04R5/0335) · CPC title

• H04R1/1041

  Mechanical or electronic switches, or control elements (switches in general H01H) · CPC title