Earbud stability anchor feature

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11297410-B2
Application number	US-202017073109-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 16, 2020
Priority date	Sep 30, 2015
Publication date	Apr 5, 2022
Grant date	Apr 5, 2022

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 a first end of the anchoring feature to a second end 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, wherein the speaker housing includes a central section disposed between opposing first and second faces of the earbud housing and a nozzle protruding from the first face of the earbud housing and defining an audio exit opening, the central section including a portion disposed within the channel defined by the anchoring feature and a locking feature comprising a protrusion extending from the central section of the earbud housing, the protrusion engageable with a recess defined by the anchoring feature; and
an audio driver disposed within the speaker housing and aligned to emit sound through the audio exit opening.

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 , wherein the audio exit opening has a first diameter and the central section has a second diameter that is larger than the first diameter.

4. The earbud of claim 1 , wherein an interior surface of an earbud tip is engaged with an exterior surface of the nozzle.

5. The earbud of claim 1 , wherein a portion of the anchoring feature extends away from the earbud housing at an angle that allows the portion of the anchoring feature to be positioned between the tragus and concha of a user's ear when a portion of the nozzle is inserted into the user's ear canal.

6. The earbud of claim 5 , wherein, when the anchoring feature engages with the locking feature, the portion of the anchoring feature is angularly offset from 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 1 , wherein the earbud is a wireless earbud comprising a wireless receiver and an antenna.

10. An earbud, comprising:
an anchoring feature defining a channel extending from a first end of the anchoring feature to a second end 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, wherein the speaker housing includes a central section disposed between opposing first and second faces of the earbud housing and a nozzle protruding from the first face of the earbud housing and defining an audio exit opening, the central section including a portion disposed within the channel defined by the anchoring feature and having a locking feature extending from the earbud housing, the locking feature configured to engage with a recess defined by the anchoring feature; and
an audio driver disposed within the speaker housing and aligned to emit sound through the audio exit opening.

11. The earbud of claim 10 , wherein the nozzle extends away from the earbud housing at an angle between 20 and 25 degrees.

12. The earbud of claim 10 , wherein the audio exit opening has a first diameter and the central section has a second diameter that is larger than the first diameter.

13. The earbud of claim 10 , wherein an interior surface of an earbud tip is engaged with an exterior surface of the nozzle.

14. The earbud of claim 10 , wherein a portion of the anchoring feature extends away from the earbud housing at an angle that allows the portion of the anchoring feature to be positioned between the tragus and concha of a user's ear when a portion of the nozzle is inserted into the user's ear canal.

15. The earbud of claim 14 , wherein, when the anchoring feature engages with the locking feature, the portion of the anchoring feature is angularly offset between 100 and 145 degrees from an axis extending longitudinally through the nozzle.

16. An earbud, comprising:
an anchoring feature defining a channel extending from a first end of the anchoring feature to a second end 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, wherein the speaker housing includes a central section disposed between opposing first and second faces of the earbud housing and having a first diameter and a nozzle protruding from the first face of the earbud housing and defining an audio exit opening having a second diameter smaller than the first diameter, the central section including a portion disposed within the channel defined by the anchoring feature and having a locking feature extending from the earbud housing, the locking feature configured to engage with a recess defined by the anchoring feature; and
an audio driver disposed within the speaker housing and aligned to emit sound through the audio exit opening.

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

18. The earbud of claim 16 , an interior surface of an earbud tip is engaged with an exterior surface of the nozzle and wherein a portion of the anchoring feature extends away from the earbud housing at an angle that allows the portion of the anchoring feature to be positioned between the tragus and concha of a user's ear when a portion of the earbud tip is inserted into the user's ear canal.

19. The earbud of claim 18 , wherein, when the anchoring feature engages with the locking feature, the portion of the anchoring feature is angularly offset from an axis extending longitudinally through the nozzle.

Assignees

• Apple Inc

Inventors

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

Classifications

• H04R2430/01

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

• H04R1/1016

  Earpieces of the intra-aural type · CPC title

• H04R1/1025

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

• H04R2420/07

  Applications of wireless loudspeakers or wireless microphones · CPC title

• H04R2201/103

  Combination of monophonic or stereophonic headphones with audio players, e.g. integrated in the headphone · CPC title