Earbud stability anchor feature

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11589152-B2
Application number	US-202217655963-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 22, 2022
Priority date	Sep 30, 2015
Publication date	Feb 21, 2023
Grant date	Feb 21, 2023

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:
a tapered earbud housing defining an interior volume, the earbud housing being tapered from a first end to a second end and having a central region between the first and second ends, the second end of the earbud housing defining a nozzle leading out of the interior volume;
an audio driver disposed within the interior volume; and
an anchoring feature coupled with the earbud housing, the anchoring feature positioned over the nozzle and extending to a central portion of the earbud housing;
wherein the earbud housing comprises a locking feature and the anchoring feature is coupled with the earbud housing using the locking feature.

2. The earbud of claim 1 wherein the anchoring feature is angled relative to the nozzle.

3. The earbud of claim 1 wherein the nozzle defines an audio opening.

4. The earbud of claim 3 wherein the audio driver is configured to emit audio that leaves the earbud housing through the audio opening.

5. The earbud of claim 3 wherein a longitudinal axis of the earbud housing passes through an opening defined by the nozzle.

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

7. The earbud of claim 1 wherein the anchoring feature comprises a protrusion configured to engage with a recess defined by the locking feature.

8. An earbud, comprising:
a tapered earbud housing defining an interior volume, the earbud housing being tapered from a first end to a second end and having a central region between the first and second ends, the second end of the earbud housing defining a nozzle leading out of the interior volume;
an audio driver disposed within the interior volume; and
an anchoring feature coupled with the earbud housing, the anchoring feature positioned over the nozzle and extending to a central portion of the earbud housing;
wherein the anchoring feature is removeable from the earbud housing.

9. An earbud, comprising:
a tapered earbud housing defining an interior volume, the earbud housing being tapered from a first end to a second end and having a central region between the first and second ends, the second end of the earbud housing defining a nozzle leading out of the interior volume;
an audio driver disposed within the interior volume; and
an anchoring feature coupled with the earbud housing, the anchoring feature positioned over the nozzle and extending to a central portion of the earbud housing;
wherein the anchoring feature has a size and shape that allows the anchoring feature to engage a tragus and anti-tragus of an ear of a user when the earbud is being worn by the user.

10. An earbud, comprising:
a housing having a nozzle protruding from the housing, the nozzle defining an audio opening;
an audio driver enclosed by the housing and configured to direct sound waves out of the audio opening; and
an elastomeric substrate positioned over the nozzle and a portion of the housing, the elastomeric substrate defining an opening aligned with the audio opening;
wherein a length of the elastomeric substrate is sized to fit between the tragus and concha of an ear of a user.

11. The earbud of claim 10 wherein the elastomeric substrate has substantially planar geometry.

12. An earbud, comprising:
a housing having a nozzle protruding from the housing, the nozzle defining an audio opening;
an audio driver enclosed by the housing and configured to direct sound waves out of the audio opening; and
an elastomeric substrate positioned over the nozzle and a portion of the housing, the elastomeric substrate defining an opening aligned with the audio opening;
wherein the opening defined by the elastomeric substrate has a tapered geometry that allows removal of the housing from the elastomeric substrate in only one direction.

13. An earbud, comprising:
a housing having a nozzle protruding from the housing, the nozzle defining an audio opening;
an audio driver enclosed by the housing and configured to direct sound waves out of the audio opening; and
an elastomeric substrate positioned over the nozzle and a portion of the housing, the elastomeric substrate defining an opening aligned with the audio opening;
wherein a portion of the elastomeric substrate defining the opening also defines a recess engaged by a locking feature protruding from the housing.

14. An earbud, comprising:
a housing having a nozzle protruding from the housing, the nozzle defining an audio opening;
an audio driver enclosed by the housing and configured to direct sound waves out of the audio opening; and
an elastomeric substrate positioned over the nozzle and a portion of the housing, the elastomeric substrate defining an opening aligned with the audio opening;
wherein a portion of the housing is configured to engage with the tragus and anti-tragus of an ear of a user when the earbud is being worn by the user.

15. An earbud, comprising:
a tapered earbud housing having a nozzle defining an audio exit opening; and
an audio driver disposed within the earbud housing proximate the audio exit opening; and
an anchoring feature defining an opening, the anchoring feature coupled with the earbud housing and positioned over the nozzle and a portion of the earbud housing;
wherein the audio exit opening is aligned with the opening of the anchoring feature and the audio driver is configured to direct sound waves out of the opening of the anchoring feature.

16. The earbud of claim 15 wherein the nozzle is integrally formed with the earbud housing.

17. The earbud of claim 15 wherein the nozzle has a first diameter that is smaller than a second diameter of the earbud housing.

18. The earbud of claim 15 wherein the earbud housing comprises a locking feature configured to engage with a recess defined by the anchoring feature.

Assignees

• Apple Inc

Inventors

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

Classifications

• H04R1/1016

  Earpieces of the intra-aural type · CPC title

• H04R1/1058

  Manufacture or assembly · CPC title

• H04R2420/07

  Applications of wireless loudspeakers or wireless microphones · CPC title

• H04R1/1025

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

• H04R1/105 Primary

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