GB2206014A

GB2206014A - Earphone headsets

Info

Publication number: GB2206014A
Application number: GB8813960A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Michael Roberts
Original assignee: FANFARE GROUP PLC
Current assignee: FANFARE GROUP PLC
Priority date: 1987-06-12
Filing date: 1988-06-13
Publication date: 1988-12-21
Also published as: GB8713795D0; GB8813960D0

Abstract

An earphone headset has a pair of earphones (10) retained against the ears of the wearer by adjustable side frames 14b [13, 15] interconnected at the end remote from the earphones by a front frame (18) with a nose bridge, and supporting a pair of spectacle eyepieces. The range of adjustment is such that, with the earphones retained in a listening position, the front frame (18) can be swung from an overhead position to a position in which the nose bridge rests on the nose of the wearer. <IMAGE>

Description

EARPHONE HEADSETS An earphone headset consists of a pair of earphones which are retained in a listening position on the head of the wearer. Each earphone comprises a miniature electro-acoustic transducer which is retained in, on, or in the vicinity of, the respective ear.

A known type of on-ear headset, used for example with personal radios or stereo players, consists of a spring metal band which fits over the head of the wearer, each earphone having an associated arm or lug which slidably receives and retains a respective end of the metal band, the overlap between the arm and the band being adjusted for a comfortable fit.

The metal band is tensioned in such a manner that the earphones are resiliently retained in position over the respective ears of the wearer, the earphones normally being disposed within a soft foam cover.

When used outdoors, an earphone headset for a personal radio or stereo player may be be worn at the same time as a pair of sunglasses. The user therefore requires two pieces of equipment both of which cooperate with the ears. The resulting arrangement can be uncomfortable and troublesome. Moreover, it is common practice when wearing sunglasses to swing them upwards into an overhead position when they are not in use, the side arms of the glasses still being retained behind the ears. This could be difficult or impossible if the wearer is already wearing an earphone headset for a personal stereo player.

An object of the present invention is to overcome these disadvantages associated with the use of known headsets.

According to the present invention there is provided an earphone headset comprising a pair of earphones and means for retaining the earphones in a listening position on the head of the wearer, characterised in that the retaining means comprises a pair of adjustable side frames interconnected at the end remote from the earphones by a front frame including a nose bridge and supporting a pair of spectacle eyepieces, the range of adjustment being such that, with the earphones retained in the listening position, the side frames can be swung from a first overhead position to a second position in which the nose bridge is supported on the nose of the wearer.

In a preferred construction at least a portion of each side frame is downwardly inclined to the horizontal in its second position. Each side frame preferably includes a first component carrying the respective earphone and slidably engageable with a respective second component extending rearwardly from opposite sides of the front frame of the spectacles.

The second component is preferably spring biased and may, for example, comprise a spring metal band hinged or otherwise secured at one end to the front frame.

One example of the invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic plan view of a headset embodying the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a side view of the headset shown in Fig.

1, and Fig. 3 is a schematic drawing showing the headset on the head of the wearer.

Referring to these figures, the headset consists of a pair of earphones 10a, 10b for use with a personal radio or stereo player, the earphones being connected to the radio or stereo player (not shown) by respective leads lla, llb. Each earphone is designed to fit in the ear of the wearer. On-ear phones could alternatively be used.

The earphones are releasably and rotatably retained in U-shaped clips 21a, 21b carried by respective sleeves 14a, 14b.

The sleeves 14a, 14b are slotted at each end and slidably receive spring metal bands 15a, 15b having end stops 12a, 12b. Accordingly the overlap between the sleeves 14 and the bands 15 can be adjusted to vary the effective length of the sidearms. The sleeves 14 can be partially cut-away on the inside or outside to expose the metal bands 15, if desired.

The opposite end of each metal band 15 is embedded in a plastic moulding 16a, 16b connected by respective hinges 17a, 17b to a front frame 18 supporting a pair of spectacle eyepieces 19. In this example, the hinges 17 are connected to the top of the front frame 18, and the mouldings 16 are angled downwards to ensure that the earphones 10 are correctly aligned with the ears. This downward inclination of the sidearms is clearly shown in Fig. 3. The required inclination depends on the position of the hinges 17. The downward crank or curvature may be inserted at any point along the sidearm either in one of the moulded parts 14, 16 or by introducing an additional hinge permitting movement of the parts in a vertical plane.The eyepieces 19 are secured to the front frame 18 in a conventional manner, the eyepieces being of the type which reduce the amount of light reaching the eye.

In use, the sidearms are opened out as shown in Fig. 1 and then urged further outwards against the bias of the spring bands 15a, 15b when fitting the earphones in the ears. The headset is then retained in one of the two alternative positions shown in Fig. 3. In the first position, shown in full outline, the sidearms are contracted and the nose bridge 20 rests on the nose of the wearer with the spring bands 15a, 15b urging the earphones 10 into the the ears. In the second position, shown in dashed outline, the sidearms are extended by sliding the end stops 16 to the ends of the respective sleeves 14 remote from the earphones, and the front frame 18 can then be swung upwards into an overhead position while still retaining the earphones in a listening position in the ears.

In one alternative non-folding construction, (not illustrated), the links 16 and hinges 17 are omitted and the respective ends of the metal bands 15a, 15b are secured directly to the front part 18 of the spectacle frames using, for example, fixed metal brackets.

Claims

1. An earphone headset comprising a pair of earphones (10a, lOb) and means (14, 15, 18) for retaining the earphones in a listening position on the head of the wearer, characterised in that the retaining means (14, 15, 18) comprises a pair of adjustable side frames (14a, 15a, 14b, 15b) interconnected at the end remote from the earphones (10a, lOb) by a front frame (18) including a nose bridge (20) and supporting a pair of spectacle eyepieces (19), the range of adjustment being such that, with the earphones (10a, lOb) retained in a listening position, the side frames ( 14a, 15a, 14b, 15b) can be swung from a first overhead position to a second position in which the nose bridge (20) is supported on the nose of the wearer.

2. An earphone headset according to Claim 1 in which each side frame includes an arm (14a, 14b) carrying the respective earphone (10a, lOb), and means (15a, 15b, 16a, 16b) extending rearwardly from opposite sides of the front frame (18) for slidably engaging the respective arm.

3. An earphone headset according to Claim 2 in which the rearwardly extending means (15, 16) comprise spring metal bands(15), and each arm of the side frame comprises a sleeve (14) disposed about a portion of the respective metal band(l5).

4. An earphone headset according to claim 1 in which at least a portion of each side frame (14, 15, 16) is inclined downwardly to the horizontal when the front frame (18) is substantially vertical.

5. An earphone headset according to claim 4 in which each side frame (14, 15, 16) is inclined downwardly from a point adjacent the front frame.

6. An earphone headset according to claim 4 or claim 5 in which the downward inclination is effected by a change in the curvature of a moulded component (16) of the side frame.

7. An earphone headset according to claim 4 or claim 5 in which the downward inclination is effected by hinging the downwardly inclined portion to the remainder of the side frame.

8. An earphone headset according to claim 3 in which the end of each metal band (15) remote from the respective earphone (10) is embedded in a plastic moulded component (16) of the side frame hinged to the front frame (18).

9. An earphone headset according to any one of the preceding claims in which the earphones (10) are in-ear phones releasably and rotatably retained by mounting devices (21) secured to the arms (14) of the side frames.

10. An earphone headset substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.