Stabilized headband

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10187718-B2
Application number	US-201715487612-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 14, 2017
Priority date	Apr 14, 2017
Publication date	Jan 22, 2019
Grant date	Jan 22, 2019

Abstract

A stabilized headband includes a headband having two ends with an arcuate section extending between the ends. The headband further includes a pair of pads with each pad having a contoured surface to engage a head in a contact region where the head has a contour that is similar to the contoured surface. The pads may include a compliant member to improve contact with the head. Each pad is pivotably coupled to the headband proximate to one of the ends at a location that is behind the arcuate section when the headband is worn on the head to improve fit, stability and comfort. The arcuate section defines a headband plane which is at a non-zero angle with respect to a vertical plane when the headband is worn on the head.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A stabilized headband, comprising:
a headband having a first end and a second end; and
at least one pad having a forward end, a back end and a contoured surface to engage a head of a user in a contact region, the contoured surface having a contour that is substantially matched to the shape of the head in the contact region, the at least one pad pivotally coupled to the headband at a location proximate to one of the first and second ends of the headband,
wherein, when the headband is worn on the head, the at least one pad extends from the forward end at a region above an ear and behind a temple of the user to the back end behind the ear of the user.

2. The stabilized headband of claim 1 further comprising a pivot mechanism disposed between the at least one pad and the one of the first and second ends of the headband.

3. The stabilized headband of claim 2 wherein the at least one pad has a forward end and a back end, and wherein the pivot mechanism is disposed at a location closer to the back end of the pad than the forward end of the pad.

4. The stabilized headband of claim 2 wherein the pivot mechanism is configured so that the at least one pad is pivotable about at least one pivot axis.

5. The stabilized headband of claim 4 wherein the pivot mechanism comprises a hinge mechanism to enable rotation about a hinge axis.

6. The stabilized headband of claim 4 wherein the pivot mechanism comprises a ball joint.

7. The stabilized headband of claim 4 wherein the pivot mechanism is a compliant joint.

8. The stabilized headband of claim 7 wherein the compliant joint comprises an elastomeric material disposed between the headband and the at least one pad.

9. The stabilized headband of claim 1 wherein the headband includes an arcuate section extending between the first and second ends and wherein the at least one pad is pivotally coupled to the headband at a position behind the arcuate section when the headband is worn on the head of the user.

10. The stabilized headband of claim 9 wherein, when the headband is worn on the head, the arcuate section of the headband is further forward on the head than the first and second ends of the headband.

11. The stabilized headband of claim 1 wherein the at least one pad comprises a compliant member.

12. The stabilized headband of claim 11 wherein the complaint member has at least one of a spatially-varying thickness and a spatially-varying density.

13. The stabilized headband of claim 1 further comprising at least one in-ear headphone attached to the headband.

14. The stabilized headband of claim 1 further comprising a boom microphone attached to the headband.

15. The stabilized headband of claim 1 wherein the at least one pad comprises a rigid bracket and a compliant layer attached to the rigid bracket.

16. A personal communications headset, comprising:
a headband having a first end and a second end;
a first housing disposed at the first end of the headband;
a second housing disposed at the second end of the headband;
a first pad pivotably attached to the headband proximate to the first end of the headband and having a forward end, a back end and a first contoured surface to engage a head of a user at a first contact region;
a second pad pivotably attached to the headband proximate to the second end of the headband and having a forward end, a back end and a second contoured surface to engage the head of the user at a second contact region, the first and second contoured surfaces each having a contour that is substantially matched to the shape of the head in the respective contact region;
a first earbud connected to the first housing by a first earbud connector cable;
a second earbud connected to the second housing by a second earbud connector cable; and
a boom microphone attached to the headband,
wherein, when the headband is worn on the head, each of the first and second pads extends from the forward end at a region above an ear and behind a temple of the user to the back end behind the ear of the user and wherein each of the first and second earbuds is configured to generate an audio signal in response to a received communications signal.

17. The personal communications headset of claim 16 further comprising a first pivot mechanism disposed between the first pad and the headband and a second pivot mechanism disposed between the second pad and the headband, each of the first and second pivot mechanisms configured to enable the first and second pads, respectively, to rotate about at least one axis relative to the headband.

18. The personal communications headset of claim 16 wherein each of the first and second pads is pivotably attached to the headband at a location that is closer to the back end than the forward end.

19. The personal communications headset of claim 17 wherein each of the first and second pivot mechanisms comprises a hinge mechanism to enable at least partial rotation about a hinge axis.

20. The personal communications headset of claim 16 wherein the boom microphone comprises a velocity microphone.

21. The personal communications headset of claim 16 wherein the first and second pads have a same shape.

22. The personal communications headset of claim 16 wherein the first contoured surface and second contoured surface have different contours.

23. The personal communications headset of claim 16 wherein the headband includes an arcuate section extending between the first and second ends and wherein each of the first and second pads is pivotally attached to the headband at a position behind the arcuate section when the personal communications headset is worn on the head of a user.

24. The personal communications headset of claim 23 wherein, when the personal communications headset is worn on the head of a user, the arcuate section of the headband is further forward on the head than the first and second ends of the headband.

25. A stabilized headband, comprising:
a headband having a first end, a second end and an arcuate section extending between the first and second ends;
a first pad having a forward end, a back end and a first contoured surface to engage a head of a user in a first contact region; and
a second pad having a forward end, a back end and a second contoured surface to engage the head of the user in a second contact region, the first and second contoured surfaces each having a contour that is substantially matched to the shape of the head in the respective contact region, wherein, when the headband is worn on the head, each of the first and second pads extends from the forward end at a region above an ear and behind a temple of the user to the back end behind the ear of the user,
the first and second pads being pivotably coupled to the headband proximate to the first and second ends, respectively, at a location that is behind the arcuate section when the headband is worn on a head of a user, the arcuate section defining a headband plane which defines a non-zero angle with respect to a vertical plane when the headband is worn on the head of the user.

26. The stabilized headband of claim 25 wherein each of the first and second pads has a forward end and a back end, and wherein the first and second pads are pivotally coupled to the headband at a location on the pad that is closer to the back end than the forward end.

27. The stabilized headband of claim 25 wherein, when t

Assignees

• Bose Corp

Inventors

• Andrikowich Thomas G
• Salame Michael
• Yamkovoy Paul

Classifications

• H04R1/1016

  Earpieces of the intra-aural type · CPC title

• H04R2201/107

  Monophonic and stereophonic headphones with microphone for two-way hands free communication · CPC title

• H04R1/1041

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

• H04R1/105 Primary

  Earpiece supports, e.g. ear hooks (for stereophonic headphones H04R5/0335) · 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