Sound output device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11146875-B2
Application number	US-201816619127-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 8, 2018
Priority date	Jun 13, 2017
Publication date	Oct 12, 2021
Grant date	Oct 12, 2021

Abstract

It is intended to improve usability while securing functionality of a sound output device. There are provided: a neck band to be worn on a user's neck and having an insertion hole; a cable partially led out from the neck band; and an earphone connected to the cable. The cable can be drawn out from the neck band to both sides of the insertion hole, and a length of a portion on both sides of the insertion hole in the cable is changed by changing a position of an inserted portion of the cable in the insertion hole. Since a length of each portion of the cable positioned on both sides of the insertion hole is changed by changing a position of the inserted portion of the cable, it is possible to improve usability while securing functionality of the sound output device.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A sound output device, comprising:
a neck band wearable on a user neck, wherein
the neck band includes:
an intermediate unit that is one of curved or at least partially bent, wherein the intermediate unit includes a first end and a second end;
a first arrangement unit at the first end of the intermediate unit;
a second arrangement unit at the second end of the intermediate unit, wherein each of the first arrangement unit and the second arrangement unit comprises an internal structure; and
an insertion hole in each of the first arrangement unit and the second arrangement unit, wherein
the insertion hole includes a first portion and a second portion,
the first portion extends in a specific direction, and
the second portion is inclined with respect to the first portion;

a cable partially led out from the neck band; and
an earphone connected to the cable, wherein
the cable is drawable from the neck band to both a first side of the insertion hole and a second side of the insertion hole, and
a length of a portion of the cable on both the first side of the insertion hole and the second side of the insertion hole is changeable based on change of a position of an inserted portion of the cable in the insertion hole.

2. The sound output device according to claim 1 , wherein a diameter of each of the first arrangement unit and the second arrangement unit is larger than a diameter of the intermediate unit.

3. The sound output device according to claim 1 , wherein
in a state where the neck band is worn on the user neck,
the first arrangement unit is spaced apart from the second arrangement unit and
the first arrangement unit is on a left side of the user neck and the second arrangement unit is on a right side of the user neck, and

in a case where an inner side of the first arrangement unit faces an inner side the second arrangement unit,
the first side of the insertion hole is on each of the inner side of the first arrangement unit and the inner side of the second arrangement unit, and
the second side of the insertion hole is on each of an outer side of the first arrangement unit and an outer surface of the second arrangement unit.

4. The sound output device according to claim 1 , wherein
in a state where the neck band is worn on the user neck,
the first arrangement unit is spaced apart from the second arrangement unit, and
the first arrangement unit is on left side of the user neck and the second arrangement unit is on right of the user neck, and

in a case where an inner side of the first arrangement unit faces an inner side of the second arrangement unit, each of the first side of the insertion hole and the second side of the insertion hole is on the inner side of the first arrangement unit and the inner side of the second arrangement unit.

5. The sound output device according to claim 1 , wherein
each of the first arrangement unit and the second arrangement unit further comprises a lead-out opening,
the cable is led out through the lead-out opening, and
the insertion hole is closer to the intermediate unit than the lead-out opening.

6. The sound output device according to claim 1 , wherein
each of the first arrangement unit and the second arrangement unit further comprises a lead-out opening;
the cable is led out through the lead-out opening, and
the lead-out opening is closer to the intermediate unit than the insertion hole.

7. The sound output device according to claim 1 , wherein
the cable is configured to support a first stopper and a second stopper, and
each of the first stopper and the second stopper is configured to restrict a movement of the cable with respect to the neck band.

8. The sound output device according to claim 7 , wherein each of the first stopper and the second stopper is supported slidably by the cable.

9. The sound output device according to claim 7 , wherein at least a part of each of the first stopper or the second stopper is insertable in the insertion hole.

10. The sound output device according to claim 9 , wherein a diameter of at least a part of the insertion hole decreases towards inward direction in the neck band.

11. The sound output device according to claim 7 , wherein
an end portion of the cable is connected with the earphone, and
the first stopper is between the end portion of the cable and the inserted portion of the cable.

12. The sound output device according to claim 11 , wherein an outer shape of the first stopper is a truncated cone shape.

13. The sound output device according to claim 7 , wherein
each of the first arrangement unit and the second arrangement unit further comprises a lead-out opening;
the cable is led out through the lead-out opening,
a portion of the cable in the lead-out opening is a lead-out starting end, and
the second stopper is between the lead-out starting end of the cable and the inserted portion of the cable.

14. The sound output device according to claim 7 , wherein
the first stopper is opposite to the second stopper, and
the inserted portion is in between the first stopper and the second stopper.

15. The sound output device according to claim 14 , wherein a shape of the first stopper is different from a shape of the second stopper.

16. The sound output device according to claim 1 , wherein
the internal structure comprises a communication device, and
the communication device is at a tip end portion of one of the first arrangement unit or the second arrangement unit.

Assignees

• Sony Corp

Inventors

• Akaike Kazuhiro
• Sumii Tetsu

Classifications

• H04R1/1033 Primary

  Cables or cables storage, e.g. cable reels (cord reels per se H02G11/02; arrangements for storing and repeatedly paying-out and re-storing lengths of conductors or cables B65H75/34; extensible conductors or cables, e.g. self-coiling cords H01B7/06) · CPC title

• H04R1/1016 Primary

  Earpieces of the intra-aural type · CPC title

• H04R1/1066

  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

• H04R1/105

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

• H04R1/1041

  Mechanical or electronic switches, or control elements (switches in general H01H) · CPC title