Eartips for coupling via wireform attachment mechanisms

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10986433-B2
Application number	US-201916584894-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 26, 2019
Priority date	Sep 28, 2018
Publication date	Apr 20, 2021
Grant date	Apr 20, 2021

Abstract

Embodiments describe an eartip including an eartip body having an attachment end and an interfacing end opposite from the attachment end. The eartip body can include an inner eartip body having a sidewall extending between the interfacing end and the attachment end, the sidewall defining a channel and having a first thickness near the attachment end and a second thickness different from the first thickness at the interfacing end. The eartip can also include an attachment structure coupled to the inner eartip body at the attachment end, the attachment structure having an inner surface and an outer surface. The attachment structure can include an upper region interfacing with the sidewall and defining discrete through-holes, a lower region below the upper region where the inner surface defines a plurality of recesses positioned around the lower region, and a mesh extending across the channel and into the upper region.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An eartip, comprising:
a compliant eartip body having an attachment end and an interfacing end opposite from the attachment end, the eartip body comprising:
an inner eartip body having a sidewall extending between the interfacing end and the attachment end, the sidewall defining a channel and having a first thickness near the attachment end and a second thickness different from the first thickness at the interfacing end; and
an outer eartip body sized and shaped to be inserted into an ear canal and extending from the interfacing end, the outer eartip body extending toward the attachment end of the eartip; and

a rigid attachment structure coupled to the inner eartip body at the attachment end, the attachment structure having an inner surface and an outer surface, and comprising:
an upper region interfacing with the sidewall and defining discrete through-holes extending from the inner surface to the outer surface of the attachment structure, wherein a portion of the inner eartip body extends through the through-holes from the outer surface of the attachment structure to the inner surface of the attachment structure;
a lower region below the upper region where the inner surface defines a plurality of recesses positioned around the lower region; and
a mesh extending across the channel and into the upper region.

2. The eartip of claim 1 , wherein the first thickness is greater than the second thickness.

3. The eartip of claim 2 , wherein the inner eartip body further comprises a boundary positioned between the interfacing end and the attachment end, and wherein the sidewall gradually changes in thickness from the first thickness to the second thickness from the boundary to the interfacing end.

4. The eartip of claim 1 , wherein the portion of the inner eartip body that extends through the through-holes from the outer surface of the attachment structure to the inner surface of the attachment structure forms an annular interlocking structure.

5. The eartip of claim 1 , wherein the outer eartip body extends around a circumference of the inner eartip body.

6. The eartip of claim 1 , wherein portions of the lower region below the plurality of recesses form an inverted overhang structure that hooks onto an external structure.

7. The eartip of claim 1 , wherein the eartip body is formed of a first material, and the attachment structure is formed of a second material different from the first material.

8. The eartip of claim 7 , wherein the first material is more compliant than the second material.

9. The eartip of claim 1 , wherein the outer eartip body defines a deflection zone formed of vacant space between the inner eartip body and the outer eartip body and is constructed as a cantilever structure bendable and deformable into the deflection zone.

10. The eartip of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of recesses includes two recesses positioned across from one another.

11. The eartip of claim 1 , wherein the inner eartip body further comprises an attachment flange extending around a perimeter of the attachment structure at the attachment end.

12. The eartip of claim 11 , wherein the attachment flange extends from the inner eartip body in a lateral direction.

13. An in-ear hearing device, comprising:
a housing comprising an outer structure defining an internal cavity, the outer structure comprising an acoustic opening allowing sound to exit out of the outer structure; and
an eartip removably coupled to the housing and directing sound outputted through the acoustic opening, the eartip comprising:
an eartip body having an attachment end and an interfacing end opposite from the attachment end, the eartip body comprising:
an inner eartip body having a sidewall extending between the interfacing end and the attachment end, the sidewall defining a channel and having a first thickness near the attachment end and a second thickness different from the first thickness at the interfacing end; and
an outer eartip body sized and shaped to be inserted into an ear canal and extending from the interfacing end, the outer eartip body extending toward the attachment end of the eartip; and

an attachment structure coupled to the inner eartip body at the attachment end, the attachment structure having an inner surface and an outer surface, and comprising:
an upper region interfacing with the sidewall; and
a lower region below the upper region where the inner surface defines a plurality of recesses positioned around the lower region; and

a laterally compressible spring having end caps that hook onto corresponding recesses of the plurality of recesses in the lower region to attach the eartip to the housing.

14. The in-ear hearing device of claim 13 , wherein the inner eartip body further comprises a boundary positioned between the interfacing end and the attachment end, and wherein the inner eartip body comprises a sidewall that has a first thickness near the boundary and a second thickness different from the first thickness at the interfacing end.

15. The in-ear hearing device of claim 14 , wherein the first thickness is greater than the second thickness.

16. The eartip of claim 13 wherein the upper region of the rigid attachment structure includes a plurality of discrete through-holes extending from the inner surface to the outer surface of the attachment structure, and wherein a portion of the inner eartip body extends through the through-holes from the outer surface of the attachment structure to the inner surface of the attachment structure forming an annular interlocking structure.

17. A portable electronic listening device system, comprising:
a case, comprising:
a first communication system configured to send and receive data with at least one device external to the case;
a first computing system coupled to the first communication system and including one or more processors configured to send and receive data with the first communication system; and

a wireless listening device housable within the case, the wireless listening device comprising:
(i) a housing comprising an outer structure defining an internal cavity, the outer structure comprising a nozzle and an acoustic opening extending through the nozzle allowing sound to exit out of the outer structure, the nozzle including first and second openings on opposing sides of the acoustic opening;
(ii) a second communication system disposed in the internal cavity and configured to send and receive data with the first communication system of the case;
(iii) an eartip removably attached to the outer structure of the housing and directing sound outputted through the acoustic opening, the eartip comprising:
an eartip body having an attachment end and an interfacing end opposite from the attachment end, the eartip body comprising:
an inner eartip body having a sidewall extending between the interfacing end and the attachment end, the sidewall defining a channel and having a first thickness near the attachment end and a second thickness different from the first thickness at the interfacing end; and
an outer eartip body sized and shaped to be inserted into an ear canal and extending from the interfacing end, the outer eartip body extending toward the attachment end of the eartip; and

an attachment structure coupled to the inner eartip body at the attachment end, the attachment structure having an inner surface and an outer surface, and comprising:
an upper region interfacing with the sidewall;
a lower region below the upper region where the inner surface defines a plurality of recesses positioned around lower regio

Assignees

• Apple Inc

Inventors

• Mcintosh Sean T
• Della Rosa Jason C
• Parker Samuel G
• Cousins Benjamin A
• Huwe Ethan L

Classifications

• H04R1/1083 Primary

  Reduction of ambient noise (active noise reduction per se G10K11/175; protective devices for the ear, e.g. providing acoustic protection A61F11/06) · CPC title

• H04R2460/09

  Non-occlusive ear tips, i.e. leaving the ear canal open, for both custom and non-custom tips (H04R2460/11 takes precedence) · CPC title

• H04R1/1058

  Manufacture or assembly · CPC title

• A45C13/1069

  magnetic · CPC title

• A45C11/001

  for storing portable audio devices, e.g. headphones or digital music players · CPC title