Electronic device with magnetically stowable speaker assemblies

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9826302-B2
Application number	US-201514847055-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 8, 2015
Priority date	Sep 8, 2015
Publication date	Nov 21, 2017
Grant date	Nov 21, 2017

Abstract

An electronic device includes a body housing one or more electronic circuits. A first actuation device and a second actuation device are disposed along the body. When actuated, the actuation devices control the operation of the one or more electronic circuits. A first speaker assembly and a second speaker assembly are operable with the one or more electronic circuits. One or both of the first actuation device or the second actuation device comprising a magnet, while one or both of the first speaker assembly or the second speaker assembly comprising a ferromagnetic material to selectively magnetically couple the first speaker assembly and the second speaker assembly to the first actuation device or the second actuation device, respectively.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An electronic device, comprising:
a body comprising:
one or more electronic circuits; and
at least one actuation device disposed along the body to, when actuated, affect operation of the one or more electronic circuits, the at least one actuation device comprising a push button; and

one or more speaker assemblies, operable with the one or more electronic circuits;
one of the at least one actuation device or the one or more speaker assemblies comprising a magnet; and
another of the at least one actuation device or the one or more speaker assemblies comprising one of a ferromagnetic material or another magnet to selectively magnetically couple to the one of the at least one actuation device or the one or more speaker assemblies.

2. The electronic device of claim 1 , the one of the at least one actuation device or the one or more speaker assemblies comprising the at least one actuation device.

3. The electronic device of claim 2 , the another of the at least one actuation device or the one or more speaker assemblies comprising the one or more speaker assemblies.

4. The electronic device of claim 3 , the one of the ferromagnetic material or the another magnet comprising the ferromagnetic material.

5. The electronic device of claim 4 , the one or more speaker assemblies each comprising an ear bud speaker assembly comprising a housing, the ferromagnetic material disposed along a surface of the housing.

6. The electronic device of claim 5 , the ferromagnetic material configured as a medallion on the surface of the housing.

7. The electronic device of claim 6 , the ear bud speaker assembly further comprising an ear insertion stem, the medallion disposed opposite the housing from the ear insertion stem.

8. The electronic device of claim 4 , the at least one actuation device recessed below a surface of the body to define a receiving bay for a speaker assembly.

9. The electronic device of claim 1 , the push button to translate into the body to actuate an electromechanical switch to affect the operation of the one or more electronic circuits.

10. The electronic device of claim 9 , the operation comprising one of microphone actuation or audio playback operation.

11. The electronic device of claim 9 , the body further comprising compressible foam pad disposed about the electromechanical switch to bias the push button away from the electromechanical switch.

12. The electronic device of claim 1 , the one or more speaker assemblies tethered to the body by an electrical conductor.

13. The electronic device of claim 1 , the electronic device comprising a wireless headset.

14. The electronic device of claim 1 , the push button manufactured from a thermoplastic material.

15. An electronic device, comprising:
a body comprising:
one or more electronic circuits;
a first actuation device and a second actuation device disposed along the body that, when actuated, control an operation of the one or more electronic circuits;

a first speaker assembly and a second speaker assembly, operable with the one or more electronic circuits;
one or both of the first actuation device or the second actuation device comprising a magnet; and
one or both of the first speaker assembly or the second speaker assembly comprising a ferromagnetic material to selectively magnetically couple the one or both of the first speaker assembly or the second speaker assembly to the one or both of the first actuation device or the second actuation device, respectively.

16. The electronic device of claim 15 , the one or both of the first speaker assembly or the second speaker assembly comprising ear bud speaker assemblies.

17. The electronic device of claim 16 , the body defining a wearable body.

18. The electronic device of claim 17 , the one or both of the first speaker assembly or the second speaker assembly tethered to the body with an electrical conductor.

19. The electronic device of claim 17 , the wearable body defining a U-shape comprising a first end and a second end, the first actuation device disposed at the first end an the second actuation device disposed at the second end.

Assignees

• Motorola Mobility Llc

Inventors

• Nguyen Thinh T
• Yoon Daniel Young

Classifications

• H04R2460/17

  Hearing device specific tools used for storing or handling hearing devices or parts thereof, e.g. placement in the ear, replacement of cerumen barriers, repair, cleaning hearing devices · CPC title

• H04R1/1041 Primary

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

• H04R5/0335

  Earpiece support, e.g. headbands or neckrests (for monophonic headphones H04R1/105) · CPC title

• H04R2201/107

  Monophonic and stereophonic headphones with microphone for two-way hands free communication · CPC title

• H04R2420/07

  Applications of wireless loudspeakers or wireless microphones · CPC title