T-shaped joint in a headphone cord

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9635448-B2
Application number	US-201414541793-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 14, 2014
Priority date	Nov 14, 2014
Publication date	Apr 25, 2017
Grant date	Apr 25, 2017

Abstract

An apparatus includes first and second electroacoustic output transducers, first and second cables each including conductors electrically coupled to inputs of the corresponding first and second electroacoustic output transducers, a third cable including conductors, and a joint housing. The conductors of the third cable are electrically coupled to corresponding conductors of the first and second cables inside the joint housing. Each of the first, second, and third cables is physically retained to the joint housing. The first and second cables exit the joint housing at a distance of at least 10 mm apart from each other.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An apparatus comprising:
first and second electroacoustic output transducers;
first and second cables each including conductors electrically coupled to inputs of the corresponding first and second electroacoustic output transducers;
a third cable including conductors;
a joint housing,
wherein
the conductors of the third cable are electrically coupled to corresponding conductors of the first and second cables inside the joint housing;
each of the first, second, and third cables is physically retained to the joint housing; and
the first and second cables exit the joint housing at a distance of at least 10 mm apart from each other; and

first and second strain reliefs surrounding the respective first and second cables where the cables enter the joint housing, wherein
the first and second cables exit the joint housing in first and second directions opposite to each other; and
the first and second strain reliefs maintain the first and second cables in the respective first and second directions for a distance of at least 5 mm from a centerline of the joint housing.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein:
the third cable exits the joint housing in a third direction; and
the first and second cables exit the joint housing in the first and second directions opposite to each other, each perpendicular to the direction of the third cable.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the first and second strain reliefs mechanically retain the first and second cables to the joint housing.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the joint housing comprises:
an inner assembly within which the conductors of the first, second, and third cables are electrically coupled, and
an over-mold covering at least the portions of the inner assembly where the first, second, and third cables exit the joint housing,
the over-mold extending away from the inner assembly to also form strain reliefs around each of the first, second, and third cables.

5. The apparatus of claim 4 , wherein the joint housing further comprises an outer cover covering portions of the inner assembly other than where the first, second, and third cables exit the joint housing.

6. The apparatus of claim 5 , wherein the over-mold covers the entirely of the inner assembly, and the outer cover covers a portion of the over-mold.

7. The apparatus of claim 5 , wherein the over-mold does not cover portions of the inner assembly covered by the outer cover.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the joint housing comprises:
an inner shell within which the conductors of the first, second, and third cables are electrically coupled, and to which the cables are retained, and having an open portion through which the conductors are accessed, and
an outer cover covering the open portion of the inner shell.

9. The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the first, second, and third cables are retained in the inner shell by first, second, and third plugs affixed to ends of outer jackets of the respective cables, the plugs being larger than openings in the inner shell through which the cables pass.

10. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein:
the third cable further comprises additional conductors electrically coupled to components within the joint housing.

11. An apparatus comprising:
first and second electroacoustic output transducers;
first and second cables each including conductors electrically coupled to inputs of the corresponding first and second electroacoustic output transducers;
a third cable including conductors;
a printed circuit board; and
a joint housing,
wherein
the conductors of the first, second, and third cables are each electrically coupled to the printed circuit board, and are electrically connected to each other by circuitry within the printed circuit board,
the conductors of the third cable are electrically coupled to corresponding conductors of the first and second cables inside the joint housing,
each of the first, second, and third cables is physically retained to the joint housing,
the first and second cables exit the joint housing at a distance of at least 10 mm apart from each other,
the third cable further comprises additional conductors electrically coupled to the printed circuit board,
and the joint housing further comprises additional components coupled to the additional conductors of the third cable via the printed circuit board.

12. The apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the additional components comprise a microphone array.

13. The apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the additional components comprise buttons.

14. An apparatus comprising:
a connector having electrical contacts for receiving two electrical signals;
first and second electroacoustic output transducers;
first and second cables each including conductors electrically coupled to inputs of the corresponding first and second electroacoustic output transducers;
a third cable including conductors electrically coupled to the contacts in the connector; and
a joint housing;
wherein
the conductors of the third cable are electrically coupled to corresponding conductors of the first and second cables inside the joint housing;
each of the first, second, and third cables is physically retained to the joint housing; and
the third cable exits the joint housing in a first direction; and
the first and second cables exit the joint housing in second and third directions opposite to each other, each perpendicular to the direction of the third cable; and

first and second strain reliefs surrounding the respective first and second cables where the cables enter the joint housing, wherein
the first and second strain reliefs maintain the first and second cables in the respective second and third directions for a distance of at least 5 mm from a centerline of the joint housing.

15. The apparatus of claim 14 wherein the first and second strain reliefs mechanically retain the first and second cables to the joint housing.

16. The apparatus of claim 14 wherein the joint housing comprises:
an inner assembly within which the conductors of the first, second, and third cables are electrically coupled, and
an over-mold covering at least the portions of the inner assembly where the first, second, and third cables exit the joint housing,
the over-mold extending away from the inner assembly to also form strain reliefs around each of the first, second, and third cables.

Assignees

• Bose Corp

Inventors

• Monahan Michael
• Dominijanni Andrew D
• Decubellis Kyle

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

• H04R2499/11

  Transducers incorporated or for use in hand-held devices, e.g. mobile phones, PDA's, camera's · CPC title

• H04R1/1016

  Earpieces of the intra-aural type · CPC title

• H04R2201/105

  Manufacture of mono- or stereophonic headphone components · CPC title

• H04R5/033

  Headphones for stereophonic communication {(details thereof, e.g. relating to batteries, cables or control elements H04R1/10)} · CPC title