Adjusting a size of headphone cushions

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10721551-B1
Application number	US-201916260279-A
Country	US
Kind code	B1
Filing date	Jan 29, 2019
Priority date	Jan 29, 2019
Publication date	Jul 21, 2020
Grant date	Jul 21, 2020

Abstract

For example, a headphone includes a headband, a first housing with a first cushion and a first size selector, and a second housing with a second cushion and a second size selector. A linkage connects the first size selector to the second size selector. If the linkage is engaged, moving the first size selector in a first direction causes the first cushion and the second cushion to simultaneously increase from a first size to a second size. Moving the first size selector in a second direction causes the first cushion and the second cushion to simultaneously decrease from the second size to the first size. In the first size, the first and second cushion have supra-aural properties. In the second size, the first and the second cushion have circum-aural properties. If the linkage is disengaged, a size of the first cushion and the second cushion may be independently adjusted.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A headphone comprising:
a headband;
a first housing attached to a first end of the headband, the first housing comprising:
a first transducer;
a first cushion; and
a first size selector, wherein:
moving the first size selector a first amount in a first direction causes the first cushion to increase in size; and
moving the first size selector the first amount in a second direction causes the first cushion to decrease in size, wherein the second direction is opposite the first direction; and

a second housing attached to a second end of the headband that is opposite the first end, the second housing comprising:
a second transducer;
a second cushion; and
a second size selector, wherein:
moving the second size selector a second amount in the first direction causes the second cushion to increase in size; and
moving the second size selector the second amount in the second direction causes the second cushion to decrease in size;

wherein:
a length of the first cushion and the second cushion is between about 50 millimeters (mm) to about 70 mm;
a width of the first cushion and the second cushion is between about 35 mm to about 45 mm; and
a depth of the first cushion and the second cushion is between about 5 mm to about 40 mm.

2. The headphone of claim 1 , wherein:
an amount that the first cushion increases in size or decreases in size is proportional to the first amount.

3. The headphone of claim 1 , wherein:
an amount that the second cushion increases in size or decreases in size is proportional to the second amount.

4. The headphone of claim 1 , wherein:
the first cushion and the second cushion have supra-aural properties; and
the first cushion and the second cushion each comprise open-cell foam.

5. The headphone of claim 1 , further comprising:
a linkage selector to engage or disengage a linkage between the first size selector and the second size selector;
wherein when the linkage selector engages the linkage:
moving the first size selector in the first direction causes both the first cushion and the second cushion to simultaneously increase in size; and
moving the first size selector in the second direction causes both the first cushion and the second cushion to simultaneously decrease in size.

6. The headphone of claim 1 , further comprising:
a communications interface included in either the first housing or the second housing, wherein the communications interface includes at least one of:
a wireless communications interface; or
an electronic receptacle to accept a jack attached to a cable.

7. The headphone of claim 1 , further comprising:
a boom comprising a flexible metal rod, wherein a first end of the boom is attached to either the first housing or the second housing; and
a microphone that is attached to a second end of the boom.

8. A headphone comprising:
a headband including a cavity;
a first housing attached to a first end of the headband, the first housing comprising:
a first transducer;
a first cushion; and
a first size selector; and

a second housing attached to a second end of the headband that is opposite the first end, the first housing comprising:
a second transducer;
a second cushion; and
a second size selector;

a linkage that runs through the cavity of the headband and is connected to the first size selector and to the second size selector;
wherein:
moving the first size selector in a first direction causes the first cushion and the second cushion to simultaneously increase from a first size to a second size;
after moving the first size selector a first amount in the first direction, the first cushion and the second cushion increase in size proportional to the first amount; and
moving the first size selector in a second direction that is opposite the first direction causes the first cushion and the second cushion to simultaneously decrease from the second size to the first size.

9. The headphone of claim 8 , wherein:
a length of the first cushion and the second cushion is between about 50 millimeters (mm) to about 70 mm;
a width of the first cushion and the second cushion is between about 35 mm to about 45 mm; and
a depth of the first cushion and the second cushion is between about 5 mm to about 40 mm.

10. The headphone of claim 8 , further comprising:
after moving the first size selector a second amount in the second direction, an amount that the first cushion and the second cushion decrease in size is proportional to the second amount.

11. The headphone of claim 8 , wherein:
in the first size, the first cushion and the second cushion have supra-aural properties.

12. The headphone of claim 8 , wherein:
in the second size, the first cushion and the second cushion have circum-aural properties.

13. The headphone of claim 8 , further comprising:
a linkage selector to disengage the linkage that is connected to the first size selector and the second size selector;
wherein after the linkage selector disengages the linkage:
moving the first size selector:
in the first direction causes the first cushion to increase in size independently of the second cushion; and
in the second direction causes the first cushion to decrease in size independently of the second cushion;

moving the second size selector:
in the first direction causes the second cushion to increase in size independently of the first cushion; and
in the second direction causes the second cushion to decrease in size independently of the first cushion.

14. The headphone of claim 8 , wherein the first direction comprises one of:
clockwise;
counter-clockwise;
up;
down;
left; or
right.

15. A headphone comprising:
a headband;
a first housing attached to a first end of the headband, the first housing comprising:
a first speaker;
a first cushion; and
a first size selector; and

a second housing attached to a second end of the headband that is opposite the first end, the second housing comprising:
a second speaker;
a second cushion; and
a second size selector;

a linkage that runs through a cavity within the headband and is connected to the first size selector and to the second size selector;
wherein:
moving the first size selector in a first direction causes a first extension of the first cushion to be extracted from the first housing while simultaneously causing a second extension of the second cushion to be extracted from the second housing; and
moving the first size selector in a second direction causes the first extension of the first cushion to be stored in a compressed form in the first housing while simultaneously causing the second extension of the second cushion to be stored in the compressed form in the second housing.

16. The headphone of claim 15 , further comprising:
a linkage between the first size selector and the second size selector, wherein:
the linkage passes through a cavity within the headband,
a first end of the linkage is connected to the first size selector; and
a second end of the linkage is connected to the second size selector.

17. The headphone of claim 16 , further comprising:
a linkage selector to disengage the linkage between the first size selector and the second size selector;
wherein, after the linkage selector disengages the linkage:
moving the first size selector:
in the first direction causes the first cushion to increase in size independently of the second cushion; and
in the second direction causes the first cushion to decrease in size independently of the second cushion;

moving the second siz

Assignees

• Dell Products Lp

Inventors

• Bikumala Sathish
• Sethi Parminder Singh
• Saxena Anshul

Classifications

• H04R2201/107

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

• H04R1/1058

  Manufacture or assembly · CPC title

• H04R1/1008 Primary

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

• H04R1/08

  Mouthpieces; {Microphones;} Attachments therefor · CPC title

• H04R1/1066 Primary

  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