Detachable audio system for head-mounted displays

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9832561-B2
Application number	US-201615172066-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 2, 2016
Priority date	Jun 11, 2015
Publication date	Nov 28, 2017
Grant date	Nov 28, 2017

Abstract

A detachable audio system with an interface plate mounted on a head strap, and a mounting plate assembly removably attachable to the interface plate with a portion of the strap between the plates to provide independent electrical and mechanical connections between the plates. The mounting plate assembly connects to an earbud assembly via a flexible audio cable. The mounting plate assembly has a threaded attachment member that mates with a threaded attachment member on the interface plate. A pair of electrical connectors on opposing sides of the threaded attachment member protrude from spaced apart cylindrical bosses, such that when the mounting plate is attached to the interlace plate, independent mechanical and electrical connections are provided for detachable retention and operation of the earbud assembly.

First claim

We claim:

1. A detachable audio system coupleable to a strap, comprising:
a first mounting plate assembly having a first plate portion attachable to the strap, first and second electrical contacts connected to the first plate portion and spaced apart from each other, and a first threaded attachment member connected to the first plate portion and spaced apart from the first and second electrical contacts;
a second mounting plate assembly having a second plate portion removably connectable to the first mounting plate assembly with at least a portion of the strap therebetween, a second threaded attachment member projecting from the second plate portion and being configured to threadably mate with the first threaded attachment member to mechanically hold the first and second mounting plate assemblies together on the strap, first and second electrical connectors connected to the second plate portion and positioned to engage the first and second electrical contacts when the first and second threaded attachment members are in threaded engagement;
a speaker assembly coupled to the second mounting plate assembly, wherein the speaker assembly and the second mounting plate assembly are detachable from the strap as a unit.

2. The detachable audio system of claim 1 wherein the first threaded attachment member is a cylindrical boss rotatable relative to the first plate portion and having a threaded internal area configured to receive and threadably engage the second threaded attachment member to mechanically hold the first and second mounting plate assemblies together on the strap.

3. The detachable audio system of claim 1 wherein the second threaded attachment member is a threaded male post integrally connected to the second plate portion.

4. The detachable audio system of claim 1 wherein the strap has a bottom edge portion, and wherein the second plate portion has a contoured seat portion configured to support the bottom edge portion of the strap.

5. The detachable audio system of claim 1 wherein the strap has opposing first and second side surfaces and a bottom edge portion extending therebetween, and wherein the second plate portion has an engagement surface portion configured to engage the first side surface and having a contoured seat portion integrally connected to the engagement surface and configured to support the bottom edge portion of the strap.

6. The detachable audio system of claim 1 , further comprising:
a flexible, electrically conductive line coupled to the first and second electrical connectors and operatively coupled at a distal end portion to the speaker assembly;
a flexible strain relief member attached to the second plate portion and having an internal channel therethrough that contains at least part of a proximal end portion of the electrically conductive line to reduce strain on an interconnection between the electrically conductive line and the first and second electrical connectors.

7. The detachable audio system of claim 6 wherein the first and second electrical connectors include spring biased connector pins connected to a flex circuit attached to the proximal end portion of the electrically conductive line extending from the flexible strain relief member.

8. The detachable audio system of claim 6 wherein the speaker assembly is an earbud configured for engagement with an ear of a user wearing the strap.

9. The detachable audio system of claim 6 wherein the second plate portion has an outer plate structure with an outer rim portion defining a receiving area, and a non-conductive insert contained in the receiving area and being substantially coplanar with the outer rim portion.

10. A detachable audio system coupleable to a strap, comprising:
a first mounting plate assembly having a first plate portion attachable to the strap, first and second electrical contacts spaced apart from each other and connected to the first plate portion, and a first threaded attachment member connected to the first plate portion and spaced apart from the first and second electrical contacts;
a second mounting plate assembly having a second plate portion removably connectable to the first mounting plate assembly with at least a portion of the strap therebetween, the second mounting plate assembly having an outer plate structure with a receiving area, a non-conductive insert in the receiving area, a second threaded attachment member projecting from the outer plate structure through the non-conductive insert, wherein the second threaded attachment member is configured to screw together and threadably mate with the first threaded attachment member to mechanically hold the first and second mounting plate assemblies together on the strap, first and second spring-biased electrical connectors at least partially captured between the non-conductive insert and the outer plate structure with contact tips protruding through the insert and positioned to engage the first and second electrical contacts when the first and second threaded attachment members are in threaded engagement, the second mounting plate assembly having a flex circuit connected to the insert in operative engagement with the spring-biased electrical connectors, and having a flexible strain relief member attached to the outer plate structure, the flexible strain relief member having an internal channel with a first end adjacent to the flex circuit and a second end spaced apart from the flex circuit;
an electrically conductive line extending through the internal channel and connected at a proximal portion to the flex circuit; and
a speaker assembly attached to a distal portion of the electrically conductive line;
wherein the speaker assembly, the electrically conductive line and second mounting plate assembly are detachable from the strap as a unit upon unscrewing the first and second threaded attachment members.

11. The detachable audio system of claim 10 wherein the first threaded attachment member is a cylindrical boss with a threaded internal area configured to receive and threadably engage the second threaded attachment member.

12. The detachable audio system of claim 10 wherein the second threaded attachment member is a threaded male post integrally connected to the outer plate structure and extending through an aperture in the non-conductive insert.

13. The detachable audio system of claim 10 wherein the strap has a bottom edge portion extending therebetween, and wherein the second plate portion has a contoured seat portion configured to support the bottom edge portion of the strap.

14. The detachable audio system of claim 10 wherein the insert has a pair of cylindrical bosses each containing at least a portion of a respective one of the spring-biased electrical connectors, with the tip portion projecting beyond the cylindrical boss.

15. The detachable audio system of claim 10 wherein the spring biased connectors and the second threaded attachment member are collinear with the second threaded attachment member between the spring biased connectors.

16. The detachable audio system of claim 10 wherein the spring biased connectors are each spring biased electrical pogo pin connectors.

17. A head-mounted display assembly, comprising:
a head mounted display;
a strap assembly with opposing first and second side strap portions connected to the head-mounted display, the first and second side strap portions, each containing electronic circuitry coupled to the head-mounted display; and
first and second audio systems operatively coupled to the electronic circuitry, each of the first and second audio systems being detachably conn

Assignees

• Oculus Vr Llc

Inventors

• Morris Quintin
• Webb James Stocker
• Ando Mark Shintaro
• Bristol Peter Wesley
• Tao David

Classifications

• H04R2499/15

  Transducers incorporated in visual displaying devices, e.g. televisions, computer displays, laptops · CPC title

• H04R1/1066 Primary

  Constructional aspects of the interconnection between earpiece and earpiece support (earpiece support for monophonic headphones H04R1/105; earpiece support for stereophonic headphones H04R5/0335) · CPC title

• H04R1/105

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