Power-saving earphone

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10448138-B2
Application number	US-201815996218-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 1, 2018
Priority date	Dec 29, 2017
Publication date	Oct 15, 2019
Grant date	Oct 15, 2019

Abstract

A power-saving earphone includes a casing, an audio member, a sensing member, and an elastic soft sheath. The casing has first and second grounding paths provided separately. The audio member is disposed in the casing and includes a processing unit electrically connected with the first grounding path. The sensing member includes a controlling unit electrically connected with the second grounding path. The elastic soft sheath is disposed on the casing and capable of being elastically deformed by an external force. When the elastic soft sheath is not deformed, the first and second grounding paths form an open circuit. When the elastic soft sheath is elastically deformed by the external force, the elastic soft sheath electrically connects the first and second grounding paths, enabling the sensing member to function.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A power-saving earphone capable of being driven by a power source to emit sound, the earphone comprising:
a casing having a first grounding path and a second grounding path separately disposed on an exterior surface of the casing;
an audio member comprising a processing unit electrically connected with the first grounding path;
a sensing member comprising a controlling unit electrically connected with the second grounding path; and
an elastic soft sheath disposed on a periphery of the casing and capable of being elastically deformed by an external force;
wherein when the elastic soft sheath is not deformed, the elastic soft sheath, the first grounding path and the second grounding path form an open circuit; when the elastic soft sheath is deformed by the external force, the first grounding path is electrically connected with the second grounding path through the elastic soft sheath, and
wherein the power source comprises a positive voltage terminal and a ground terminal; the positive voltage terminal of the power source is electrically connected with the processing unit and the controlling unit, and the ground terminal of the power source is electrically connected with the first grounding path; when the elastic soft sheath electrically connects the first grounding path and the second grounding path, the audio member, the sensing member, the power source and the elastic soft sheath jointly form a closed loop.

2. The earphone as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the elastic soft sheath has a sleeve portion and an outer cover connected with the sleeve portion; the sleeve portion of the elastic soft sheath is sleeved onto the casing; the outer cover has an electrically conductive portion annularly provided on an outer edge of the outer cover; when the outer cover is deformed by the external force, the electrically conductive portion of the outer cover is in contact with the first grounding path and the second grounding path.

3. The earphone as claimed in claim 2 , wherein the sleeve portion is made of electrically insulating material; the outer cover is made of electrically conductive material or coated with an electrically conductive material layer on a surface of the outer cover.

4. The earphone as claimed in claim 2 , wherein the elastic soft sheath is made of electrically conductive material.

5. The earphone as claimed in claim 2 , wherein the casing further comprises a sound tube and a main body connected with the sound tube; an exterior surface of the sound tube has a first section and a second section; the first grounding path and the second grounding path are extended from an inner wall of the main body to the first section of the sound tube; the sleeve portion is sleeved onto and covers the second section of the sound tube and exposes the first section of the sound tube.

6. The earphone as claimed in claim 5 , wherein when the elastic soft sheath is deformed by the external force, the elastic soft sheath is electrically connected with the first section of the sound tube, and the sleeve portion is electrically insulated from the second section of the sound tube.

7. The earphone as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the power source is coupled between the processing unit and the controlling unit.

8. The earphone as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the power source is a rechargeable battery.

9. The earphone as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the sensing member comprises a touch control key provided on the exterior surface of the casing; the controlling unit comprises a touch control chip electrically connected with the touch control key.

10. The earphone as claimed in claim 1 , wherein when the elastic soft sheath is deformed by the external force, the processing unit is electrically connected with the controlling unit, thereby enabling the sensing member to function.

11. The earphone as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the first grounding path and the second grounding path are made of conductive wire, sheet metal or electrically conductive coated film.

Assignees

• Merry Electronics Shenzhen Co Ltd

Inventors

• Tsai Ming-Hung

Classifications

• H01H2003/007

  the contacts being actuated by deformation of a flexible housing · CPC title

• H01H3/14

  adapted for operation by a part of the human body other than the hand, e.g. by foot · CPC title

• H01H1/24

  with resilient mounting · CPC title

• H01H9/0271

  structurally combining a switch and an electronic component (for relays H01H50/021) · CPC title

• H04R2460/15

  Determination of the acoustic seal of ear moulds or ear tips of hearing devices · CPC title