Earbud case with insert

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10904652-B2
Application number	US-201916430823-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 4, 2019
Priority date	Sep 30, 2015
Publication date	Jan 26, 2021
Grant date	Jan 26, 2021

Abstract

An earbud includes a housing that includes a driver assembly positioned within the housing forming a front volume in front of the driver and a back volume behind the driver. An acoustic insert is positioned behind the driver assembly and attached to an interior surface of the housing such that it forms a bass channel that is routed from the back volume to a vent in the housing.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A case for an earbud, the case comprising:
a housing having a bottom wall and at least one sidewall extending from the bottom wall to define a chamber;
an insert positioned within the chamber and defining:
a receiving opening arranged to receive at least a portion of the earbud;
an earbud section that communicates with the receiving opening and is sized to receive a first portion of an ear region of the earbud such that a second portion of the ear region is positioned outside of the receiving opening when the earbud is positioned in the housing; and
an elongated stem section that communicates with the earbud section and is sized to receive a stem region of the earbud;

a bracket secured to the elongated stem section and including an electrical contact assembly comprising first and second electrical contacts extending into the elongated stem section and arranged to make electrical contact with the earbud when the earbud is positioned within the housing;
an electrical receptacle connector having an opening at an exterior surface of the housing; and
a lid operable between a closed position where the lid covers the receiving opening, and an open position where the lid exposes the receiving opening.

2. The case of claim 1 wherein the elongated stem section extends from the earbud section towards the bottom wall.

3. The case of claim 1 further comprising a rechargeable battery disposed within the housing and coupled to the first and second electrical contacts to recharge the earbud when it is positioned within the housing.

4. The case of claim 3 further comprising an inductive charging coil positioned within the housing and configured to transfer power from an external charging device to the rechargeable battery.

5. The case of claim 1 further comprising a button positioned at an external surface of the housing and configured to transmit a signal to the earbud when the earbud is positioned within the housing.

6. The case of claim 1 wherein the receiving opening of the insert is positioned proximate a top portion of the housing.

7. The case of claim 1 wherein the sidewall defines a perimeter of the chamber and includes an upper edge opposite the bottom wall; and
wherein the lid is coupled to the housing by a hinge at the upper edge.

8. A case for a pair of earbuds comprising:
a housing having a bottom wall and at least one sidewall extending from the bottom wall to define a chamber having a receiving aperture, the receiving aperture positioned opposite the bottom wall;
an insert positioned within the chamber, the insert defining first and second cavities sized and shaped to accommodate first and second earbuds of the pair of earbuds, respectively, each of the first and second cavities having:
a receiving opening positioned proximate the receiving aperture and arranged to at least partially receive each respective earbud into each respective cavity;
an earbud section that communicates with the receiving opening and is sized to accommodate an ear portion of each respective earbud; and
an elongated stem section that communicates with the earbud section, extends toward the bottom wall and is sized to accommodate a stem portion of each respective earbud;

a bracket secured to the insert and including an electrical contact assembly, the electrical contact assembly comprising first and second pairs of electrical contacts, each pair of electrical contacts extending into each respective cavity to make electrical contact with each respective earbud;
an electrical connector aperture defined by the housing and positioned to allow access to an electrical receptacle connector disposed in the housing; and
a lid operable between a closed position where the lid covers the first and second cavities, and an open position where the lid exposes the first and second cavities.

9. The case of claim 8 wherein the first pair of electrical contacts includes a first and a second electrical contact positioned in the first cavity, and wherein the second pair of electrical contacts includes a third and a fourth electrical contact positioned in the second cavity.

10. The case of claim 8 further comprising earbud detector circuitry coupled to the first and second pairs of electrical contacts and configured to generate a detection signal when an earbud of the pair of earbuds is coupled to the first or second pairs of electrical contacts.

11. The case of claim 8 further comprising a rechargeable battery disposed within the housing and coupled to the first and second pairs of electrical contacts to recharge the pair of earbuds when they are positioned within the housing.

12. The case of claim 11 further comprising an inductive charging coil positioned within the housing and configured to transfer power from an external charging device to the rechargeable battery.

13. The case of claim 8 further comprising a button positioned at an external surface of the housing and configured to transmit a signal to the pair of earbuds when the pair of earbuds are positioned within the housing.

14. The case of claim 8 wherein the sidewall defines a perimeter of the chamber and includes an upper edge opposite the bottom wall; and
wherein the lid is coupled to the housing by a hinge at the upper edge.

15. A case for a pair of earbuds, the case comprising:
a plastic housing having a bottom wall and one or more side walls that define an interior space;
an insert positioned within the interior space of the plastic housing and including an upper portion having a substantially flat upper surface and first and second legs extending away from the upper surface towards the bottom wall of the plastic housing, the insert defining first and second receiving cavities, the first receiving cavity including a first elongated tube portion that extends along a length of the first leg and opens to a first earbud receiving portion formed in the upper portion and having an opening at the upper surface of the insert and the second receiving cavity including a second elongated tube portion that extends along a length of the second leg and opens to a second earbud receiving portion formed in the upper portion and having an opening at the upper surface of the insert, wherein each of the first and second elongated tube portions is sized and shaped to accommodate a stem portion of an earbud and the each of the first and second earbud receiving portions is sized and shaped to partially accommodate an ear interfacing portion of an earbud;
a bracket disposed within the plastic housing and secured to the first and second legs at a distal end of each leg, the bracket including:
a first pair of electrical contacts extending into the first elongated tube portion; and
a second pair of electrical contacts extending into the second elongated tube portion;

a rechargeable battery and earbud charging circuitry disposed within the plastic housing and electrically coupled to the first and second pairs of electrical contacts; and
a lid pivotably coupled to the plastic housing by a hinge and operable between a closed position where the lid covers the first and second receiving cavities and an open position that exposes the first and second receiving cavities enabling an earbud to be placed within or taken out of the first or second receiving cavities.

16. The case for a pair of earbuds as set forth in claim 15 further comprising:
an inductive charging coil and battery charging circuitry disposed within the plastic housing and configured to wirelessly receive power from a charging device and charge the rechargeable battery; and
a recepta

Assignees

• Apple Inc

Inventors

• Chawan Arun D
• Stiehl Kurt
• Cousins Benjamin A
• Aase Jonathan S
• Azmi Yacine
• Choiniere Paul
• Slabaugh Scott W

Classifications

• H04R2201/105

  Manufacture of mono- or stereophonic headphone components · CPC title

• H02J7/42

  with electronic devices having internal batteries, e.g. mobile phones · CPC title

• H02J7/731

  specially adapted for holding portable devices containing batteries (H02J7/751 takes precedence) · CPC title

• H02J7/70

  characterised by the mechanical construction · CPC title

• H04R1/1025 Primary

  Accumulators specially adapted for earpieces; Arrangements specially adapted for charging thereof · CPC title