In-ear headphones having a flexible nozzle and related methods

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016192058-A1
Application number	US-201514965635-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Dec 10, 2015
Priority date	Dec 31, 2014
Publication date	Jun 30, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

In-ear headphone assemblies and related methods are disclosed. An in-ear headphone assembly includes a rigid shell, a rigid nozzle, and a resilient overmold structure permanently molded to the rigid nozzle and the rigid shell. The resilient overmold structure secures a proximal end of the rigid nozzle proximate to a first side of the rigid shell defining a sound aperture. The resilient overmold structure defines a sound passage acoustically coupling a volume defined by the rigid shell to a sound channel of the rigid nozzle through the sound aperture and the proximal end of the rigid nozzle. A method of manufacturing a headphone assembly includes positioning the rigid nozzle and the rigid shell within a cavity of a mold, and injecting a polymer or polymer precursor material into the cavity of the mold.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . An in-ear headphone assembly, comprising:
a rigid shell defining a volume and configured for housing an audio driver, a first side of the rigid shell defining a sound aperture; a rigid nozzle defining a sound channel extending axially therethrough, the rigid nozzle comprising a distal end configured for insertion at least partially into an ear canal of a user, and a proximal end opposite the distal end; and a resilient overmold structure permanently molded to the rigid nozzle and the rigid shell, securing the proximal end of the rigid nozzle proximate to the first side of the rigid shell, the resilient overmold structure defining a sound passage acoustically coupling the volume to the sound channel through the sound aperture and the proximal end of the rigid nozzle.

2 . The headphone assembly of claim 1 , wherein the overmold structure includes a shell portion coupled to the first side of the rigid shell and a nozzle portion extending from an outer face of the shell portion around an outside surface of the rigid nozzle, and wherein the shell portion includes a recess indented toward the sound aperture around an interface between the shell portion and the nozzle portion to increase flexibility between the rigid stem and the rigid shell.

3 . The headphone assembly of claim 2 , wherein the shell portion of the overmold structure is indented at least slightly into the sound aperture of the rigid shell at the recess of the shell portion of the overmold structure.

4 . The headphone assembly of claim 2 , wherein the recess includes a continuous recess extending all the way around the interface between the nozzle portion and the shell portion of the overmold structure.

5 . The headphone assembly of claim 1 , wherein an undeformed axis of the rigid nozzle forms an acute angle with a central axis of the rigid shell when no deforming force is applied to the rigid nozzle.

6 . The headphone assembly of claim 5 , wherein the acute angle is between about 18 degrees and about 30 degrees.

7 . The headphone assembly of claim 5 , wherein the acute angle is about 24 degrees.

8 . The headphone assembly of claim 1 , wherein, when deforming forces are applied to the rigid nozzle, the rigid nozzle is capable of deflecting within a range of motion defined by a circular cone about an undeformed axis of the rigid nozzle, the undeformed axis of the rigid nozzle defined by a central axis of the rigid nozzle when no deforming force is applied to the rigid nozzle.

9 . The headphone assembly of claim 8 , wherein the rigid nozzle is capable of deflecting at least about 5 degrees in all directions about the undeformed axis of the rigid nozzle.

10 . The headphone assembly of claim 1 , wherein the resilient overmold structure includes an elastomeric material.

11 . The headphone assembly of claim 1 , further comprising a resilient eartip removably coupled to the distal end of the rigid nozzle.

12 . The headphone assembly of claim 1 , wherein the resilient overmold structure includes a plurality of protrusions matingly engaging indentations in the rigid nozzle and the rigid shell.

13 . A method of flexibly attaching a rigid nozzle to a rigid shell to form an in-ear headphone assembly, the method comprising:
positioning a rigid nozzle and a rigid shell within a cavity of a mold such that a proximal end of the rigid nozzle is located proximate to a sound aperture in a first side of the rigid shell; and injecting a polymer or polymer precursor material into the cavity of the mold and forming an overmold structure around the rigid nozzle and the rigid shell, the overmold structure including a sound passage coupling the sound aperture to a sound channel extending axially through the rigid nozzle, the overmold structure providing a permanent, flexible connection between the rigid nozzle and the rigid shell.

14 . The method of claim 13 , wherein injecting the polymer or polymer precursor material into the cavity of the mold comprises:
heating the polymer or polymer precursor material to a temperature that is sufficiently high to at least partially melt surfaces of the rigid nozzle and the rigid shell when the polymer or polymer precursor material contacts the rigid nozzle and the rigid shell; and injecting the heated polymer or polymer precursor material into the cavity of the mold.

15 . The method of claim 13 , wherein injecting the polymer or polymer precursor material into the cavity of the mold comprises injecting a material selected to permanently bond to the rigid nozzle and the rigid shell when cured.

16 . The method of claim 15 , further comprising heating the polymer or polymer precursor material to permanently bond the overmold structure to the rigid nozzle and the rigid shell.

17 . The method of claim 13 , wherein injecting the polymer or polymer precursor material into the cavity of the mold comprises injecting at least one of a thermoplastic elastomer and a thermoset elastomer into the cavity of the mold.

18 . The method of claim 13 , wherein positioning the rigid nozzle and the rigid shell within the cavity of the mold comprises positioning the rigid nozzle at an angle of about 18 degrees to about 30 degrees to a central axis of the rigid shell.

Assignees

• Skullcandy Inc

Inventors

• Kelly Peter M

Classifications

• B60B2310/321

  by overmolding · CPC title

• H04R1/1016 Primary

  Earpieces of the intra-aural type · CPC title

• H04R1/1058

  Manufacture or assembly · CPC title

• H04R2201/025

  Transducer mountings or cabinet supports enabling variable orientation of transducer of cabinet · CPC title

• H04R1/10 Primary

  Earpieces; Attachments therefor {; Earphones; Monophonic headphones (H04R1/28 takes precedence; stereophonic headphones H04R5/033)} · CPC title