Earbud stability anchor feature

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10827252-B2
Application number	US-201916579483-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 23, 2019
Priority date	Sep 30, 2015
Publication date	Nov 3, 2020
Grant date	Nov 3, 2020

Abstract

An earbud design is disclosed that is configured to sit securely within an ear of a user. The earbud can be secured within the ear by an anchoring feature formed from an elastomeric material. The anchoring feature has a size and shape in accordance with an interior geometry of an ear of a user. Because the anchoring feature positions the earbud with respect to the ear, geometries of the earbud can be focused upon audio performance and/or device aesthetics. In some embodiments, the earbud housing can have a linear design which allows an audio driver within the earbud housing to be positioned close to an opening defined by the earbud housing. In this way, acoustic degradation associated with a long audio path from the audio driver to the opening can be avoided.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An earbud, comprising:
an anchoring feature defining a channel extending from an first opening in a first face of the anchoring feature to a smaller second opening in an opposing second face of the anchoring feature, the anchoring feature being sized to be secured within an ear of a user;
an earbud housing comprising a speaker housing and a nozzle defining an audio port and extending away from the speaker housing, wherein the nozzle has a first diameter and the speaker housing includes a central section disposed between opposing first and second faces of the earbud housing, the central section including a portion disposed within the channel defined by the anchoring feature and having a second diameter that is greater than the first diameter; and
an audio driver disposed within the speaker housing portion of the earbud housing and aligned to emit sound through the audio port and exiting an audio exit opening at the first of the earbud housing.

2. The earbud of claim 1 wherein the nozzle extends away from the earbud housing at an angle between 20 and 25 degrees.

3. The earbud of claim 1 further comprising an earbud tip engaged over the nozzle.

4. The earbud of claim 3 wherein an interior surface of the earbud tip is engaged with an exterior surface of the nozzle.

5. The earbud of claim 3 wherein a portion of the anchoring feature extends away from the housing at an angle that allows the anchoring feature to be positioned between the tragus and concha of a user's ear when the earbud tip is inserted into the user's ear canal.

6. The earbud of claim 5 wherein the anchoring feature engages a locking feature of the earbud housing to maintain an angular offset between the portion of the anchoring feature extending away from the housing and an axis extending longitudinally through the nozzle.

7. The earbud of claim 6 wherein the angular offset is between 100 and 145 degrees.

8. The earbud of claim 1 wherein the anchoring feature comprises an elastomeric member.

9. The earbud of claim 8 wherein the elastomeric member is removable from the earbud housing.

10. The earbud of claim 1 wherein the earbud is a wireless earbud comprising a wireless receiver and an antenna.

11. The earbud of claim 10 wherein the wireless earbud comprises a battery.

12. An earbud comprising:
an earbud housing having a speaker housing and a nozzle extending away from the speaker housing and an acoustic port formed through the nozzle, wherein the nozzle has a first diameter and the speaker housing has a second diameter that is greater than the first diameter;
a speaker disposed within the earbud housing and aligned to emit sound through the acoustic port;
a removable earbud tip formed of a deformable material and having a central opening sized and shaped to be inserted over the nozzle to attach the removable earbud tip to the earbud housing; and
a removable anchoring feature formed of a deformable material and having an opening sized and shaped to enable the removable anchoring feature to be inserted over the speaker housing to attach the removable anchoring feature to the speaker housing having the second diameter such that an anchoring portion of the removable anchoring feature extends away from the earbud housing at an angle that allows the anchoring portion to be positioned between the tragus and concha of a user's ear when the earbud tip is inserted into the user's ear canal.

13. The earbud of claim 12 wherein an angle between the anchoring portion and an axis extending longitudinally through the nozzle is between 100 and 145 degrees.

14. The earbud of claim 12 wherein the earbud housing comprises a locking feature securing the removable anchoring feature to the earbud housing.

15. The earbud of claim 12 wherein the anchoring feature comprises an elastomeric material.

16. The earbud of claim 12 wherein the nozzle extends away from the earbud housing at an angle between 20 and 25 degrees.

17. The earbud of claim 12 wherein the earbud is a wireless earbud and further comprises a wireless receiver and an antenna.

18. The earbud of claim 17 wherein the wireless earbud further comprises a battery.

19. The earbud of claim 12 wherein an interior surface of the central opening of the removable earbud tip is in direct contact with an exterior surface of the nozzle when the earbud tip is attached to the nozzle.

Assignees

• Apple Inc

Inventors

• Trainer Glenn K
• Stanley Craig M
• Grinker Scott C

Classifications

• H04R2420/07

  Applications of wireless loudspeakers or wireless microphones · CPC title

• H04R1/105 Primary

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

• H04R2430/01

  Aspects of volume control, not necessarily automatic, in sound systems · CPC title

• H04R1/1058

  Manufacture or assembly · CPC title

• H04R1/1016

  Earpieces of the intra-aural type · CPC title