GB2535993A

GB2535993A - An earphone set having magnetic coupling elements

Info

Publication number: GB2535993A
Application number: GB1503287.3A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Deen Aamina
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2015-02-27
Filing date: 2015-02-27
Publication date: 2016-09-07
Also published as: GB201503287D0

Abstract

Magnetic coupling elements on the earphones are adapted to attract each other such that the earphones 10, 12 may be coupled together. A first lead portion 26 is connected to the first earphone and a second lead portion 28 is connected to the second earphone. The first and second lead portions each comprise an insulating outer layer and an inner conductor electrically connected to audio transducer. The first and second lead portions each comprise one or more magnetic coupling elements disposed along their length. The magnetic coupling elements on the first lead portion are configured to attract the magnetic coupling elements on the second lead portion so as to hold the lead portions together. The earphone set further comprises an electrical connector 30 electrically connected to the inner conductors of the first and second lead portions.

Description

An earphone set having magnetic coupling elements.

Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to earphone sets comprising features to reduce the likelihood of the cables and earphones becoming tangled in use or storage.

Background

Earphone sets are known to suffer problems with tangling in use or storage, resulting in damage to the leads. A number of prior art solutions to this problem have been disclosed, and some involve the use of magnetic attractive elements provided to temporarily couple parts of the earphone set together to provide convenient storage. However, the prior art devices do not present a complete or aesthetically pleasing solution to the problem. It is an aim of the invention to provide an improved anti-tangling earphone set.

Prior Art

Accordingly a number of patent applications have been filed in an attempt to resolve the problem or similar, including the following: US20140010400 discloses an anti-tangling device for earphone or headphone cords includes headphone cords having magnetic coupling elements disposed therein 25 along a length of the cords, wherein the magnetic coupling elements of each cord are adapted to couple the associated cords to one another.

US20130305495 discloses a collapsible cord management device and method, said device comprising a plurality of hollow elongated members; each of said elongated members having an opening extending along its length sufficiently sized to insert the cord into the elongated member and retained therein; wherein the plurality of hollow elongated members are positioned in a manner such that there is a gap in between them for providing flexibility so as to be collapsible for storage of the cord. Each of the elongated members may include magnetic materials or formed from ferromagnetic compound or compositions.

This device is adapted to retrofit to existing earphone sets but is unwieldy and adds considerably to the external size and thickness of the cords, so providing poor aesthetics and handling when in place.

US20130298356 discloses a headphone cord management system comprised of a plurality of small magnets attached to and spaced along a length of the headphone cord. Where the cord may split for separate ear pieces, the magnets along the two lines preferably align to bring the two lines together when not in use. The magnets allow the cord to be coiled and looped in different ways to facilitate carrying and storage.

This device is again aesthetically unpleasing and the magnets protruding from the surface of the cords are likely to add to tangling in use.

EP2597890 discloses a system for securing audio transducers to each other or to another surface allowing the relative positions of the transducers or the transducer and the surface to remain fixed while secured.

This device comprises magnets on the outside of the housings of the earphones, one 20 magnet comprising a projecting profile and the other a recessed profile to receive the projecting profile, so that the magnets snap into one another for storage.

US20100254563 discloses a system for securing headphone transducers is provided. In one aspect of the present invention, the system comprises a first transducer device having a first mechanical housing, which has an outer surface and an inner surface. A first coupling device is affixed to the outer surface of the first mechanical housing of the first transducer device. A second transducer device has a second mechanical housing, which has an outer surface and an inner surface. A second coupling device is affixed to the outer surface of the second mechanical housing of the second transducer device. The first coupling device is coupled to the second coupling device when in close proximity to each other, such that the inner surfaces of the first and second mechanical devices are opposed to each other.

Summary of the Invention

According to the present invention there is provided an earphone set comprising: a first and a second earphone, each comprising a housing having an inner surface adapted to be worn against the ear and an outer surface, an audio transducer within the housing, and a magnetic coupling element positioned to provide a magnetic force at the outer surface, the magnetic coupling elements on the earphones being adapted to attract each other such that the outer surfaces are held in contact, a first lead portion connected to the first earphone, a second lead portion connected to the second earphone, the first and second lead portions each comprising an insulating outer layer and an inner conductor electrically connected to audio transducer, the first and second lead portions each comprising one or more magnetic coupling elements disposed along their length, the magnetic coupling elements on the first lead portion being configured to attract the magnetic coupling elements on the second lead portion so as to hold the lead portions together, and an electrical connector electrically connected to the inner conductors of the first and second lead portions.

In this way the invention provides an earphone set adapted to be stored conveniently in which the earphones and/or the first and second lead portions may be attached 20 together by magnetic force, so preventing tangling and consequent damage.

The electrical connector may be a plug, such as a jack plug. Each earphone comprises an electrically driven audio transducer configured to provide audio output at the inner surface of the earphone. The inner surface may comprise a profiled surface to fit within a portion of the ear, such as a compliant ear-bud portion. The inner surface and outer surface may be portions of a continuous surface, the outer surface being defined by a portion of the continuous surface that is oriented generally away from the user's ear when in use.

A magnetic element may comprise a permanent magnet or a magnetisable material. It will be understood that in order to exert an attractive force a permanent magnet should be paired with a magnetisable material or a second permanent magnet having an opposite polarity. Accordingly in some embodiments the first earphone comprises a permanent magnet and the second earphone a magnetisable material. In some embodiments the first earphone comprises a permanent magnet having a first magnetic polarity and the second earphone comprises a permanent magnet having the opposite magnetic polarity. For example, the first earphone may comprise a permanent magnet having a south pole oriented towards its outer surface and the second earphone may comprise a permanent magnet having a north pole oriented towards its outer surface.

In some embodiments the magnetic coupling element is provided at or on the outer surface of the earphone. In some embodiments the magnetic coupling element is provided within the housing of the earphone so that it is not apparent at the surface, but the magnetic field is able to penetrate through the housing surface to provide magnetic attractive force between the first and second earphones. For example the housing may be formed from a non-magnetic material, such as a polymer or magnesium alloy, to allow a magnetic coupling element provided within the housing to experience or create a magnetic attractive force. In this way the earphone set may have an aesthetic appearance that does not include the appearance of the magnetic attractive element, such as a magnet mounted on the surface of the housing, as known in some prior art designs.

Similarly, in some embodiments the first lead portion comprises a permanent magnet and the second lead portion a magnefisable material. In some embodiments the first lead portion comprises a permanent magnet having a first magnetic polarity and the second lead portion comprises a permanent magnet having the opposite magnetic polarity. For example, the first lead portion may comprise a permanent magnet having a south pole oriented towards a region of its outer surface and the second lead portion may comprise a permanent magnet having a north pole oriented towards a region of its outer surface, such that the two said regions may be coupled together by magnetic attraction.

In some embodiments the earphone set comprises a common lead portion between the first and second lead portions and the electrical connector, the common lead portion comprising a first conductor connected to or continuous with the inner conductor of the first lead portion and a second conductor connected to or continuous with the inner conductor of the second lead portion.

In some embodiments a lead portion comprises a magnetic coupling element 35 configured to attract a magnetic coupling element provided as part of an earphone. The magnetic coupling element on the lead may be provided on the common lead portion adjacent to the junction between the first and second lead portions and the common lead portion.

In some embodiments the first lead portion comprises a plurality of permanent magnets to provide the magnetic coupling elements. The other lead portion may comprise a plurality of permanent magnets having an opposite polarity or a plurality of elements comprising a magnetisable material. In some embodiments a magnetic coupling element comprises an extruded magnetic strip forming part of a lead portion.

In this way in some embodiments one or both earphones may be attached to the said magnetic coupling element on the lead portion, so assisting storing of the earphone set. In some embodiments a first and a second magnetic coupling elements may be provided on the lead portion, for example on the common lead portion adjacent to the junction, to allow the earphones both to be attached to the lead portion at different locations.

The electrical connector may comprise a further magnetic coupling element configured to attract a magnetic coupling element provided as part of an earphone.

The electrical connector may comprise a further magnetic coupling element configured to attract a magnetic coupling element provided on a lead portion, such as on the common lead portion, for example located adjacent to the junction between the common lead portion and the first and second lead portions.

In this way the electrical connector may be attached to one or both earphones, or to a magnetic coupling element provided on a lead portion, such as on the common lead portion adjacent to the junction with the first and second lead portions, so as to double up the common lead portion to assist neat storage of the earphone set.

One or more lead portions may comprise a polymeric insulating coating having a flat first surface at which a magnetic coupling element exerts an attractive force to a matching magnetic coupling element. In some embodiments a lead portion has a flat first surface and the remainder of the surface of the lead portion is curved, for example the first surface appearing as a flat on a rounded cross-section through the lead portion. In some embodiments a lead portion has a first and second opposing flat surfaces and the magnetic coupling elements are disposed such that an attractive magnetic force is exerted at both the first and the second surfaces.

In some embodiments a lead portion has a rectilinear cross-section, for example 5 substantially square or rectangular. In some embodiments the common lead portion and the first and second lead portions all have rectangular cross sections. In some embodiments the cross section has an aspect ratio between 2 and 8, i.e. the long side of the rectangle is between around 2 times and around 8 times the length of the short side. In some embodiments the cross section has an aspect ratio between 3 10 and 5.

In this way in some embodiments the lead portions have a ribbon-like appearance, such that bending of the cable through curvature of the short sides is inhibited, so that tangling resulting from such bending is reduced. Instead, the lead portions tend to bend such that the longer sides are curved, so tending to roll up in one curved dimension rather than to bend and flex in two dimensions. In this way tangling is significantly reduced compared with earphone sets of the prior art.

In some embodiments magnetic coupling elements are provided oriented such that a magnetic field is present at the longer sides. In some embodiments the longer side of the cross section defines a major surface of the lead portion, the earphone set being configured such that a major surface of a lead portion attracts a major surface of a further lead portion. For example, the first and second lead portions may be configured such that their major surfaces attract to one another.

In some embodiments the first and second lead portions are coupled to the common lead portion at a junction such that each has an inner major surface and an outer major surface, the inner major surfaces being oriented towards each other adjacent to the junction and along the length of the lead portions when they are not twisted.

The magnetic coupling elements may be provided such that the inner major surfaces of the first and second lead portions are attracted to each other.

Some embodiments having a magnetic coupling element provided on the common lead portion and adapted to couple to the earphones or electrical connector may be 35 configured such that the earphones or electrical connector are attracted to a region of the major surface.

In some embodiments a magnetic coupling element is provided within a substantially uniform profile of the lead portion, such that the position of the coupling element is not apparent, the location of attachment being defined by the magnetic attractive force. Alternatively, in some embodiments a magnetic coupling element is provided at a coupling location at which one or more features of the surface of a lead portion are provided to indicate the coupling location or to assist the mechanical location of a corresponding region of a lead portion, an earphone, or the electrical connector. For example, a magnetic coupling element may be provided at a raised or recessed region of a lead portion to define the coupling location. A coupling location may be defined by an enlargement of a lead portion, for example to provide a flat surface at which magnetic attachment may take place. A coupling location may comprise a projecting or recessed portion to match a recessed or projecting portion of an earphone housing, or of a further lead portion, or of the electrical connector, to assist positive location of the magnetic attachment.

It will be understood that some or all of the above features may be present in combination in embodiments of the earphone set of the invention.

Brief Description of Figures

Figure 1 shows a first embodiment of an earphone set according to the invention. Figure 2 shows a detail of a part of the embodiment shown in figure 1.

Figure 3 shows a front three-quarter view of an earphone forming part of the 25 embodiment in figure 1.

Figure 4 shows a rear three-quarter view of an earphone forming part of the embodiment in figure 1.

Figure 5 shows an exploded rear three quarter view of an earphone as shown in figure 4.

Figure 6 shows an exploded front three quarter view of an earphone as shown in figure 3.

Detailed Description of Figures

Referring to figures 1 to 6, an embodiment of an earphone set according to the invention comprises a first earphone 10 and a second earphone 12, each comprising a housing 14 having an inner surface 16 adapted to be worn against the ear and an outer surface 18, an audio transducer 54 within the housing, and a magnetic coupling element 22, 24 positioned to provide a magnetic force at the outer surface 18, the magnetic coupling elements on the earphones being adapted to attract each other such that the outer surfaces are held in contact, a first lead portion 26 connected to the first earphone, a second lead portion 28 connected to the second earphone, the first and second lead portions each comprising an insulating outer layer and an inner conductor electrically connected to audio transducer, the first and second lead portions each comprising one or more magnetic coupling elements disposed along their length, the magnetic coupling elements on the first lead portion being configured to attract the magnetic coupling elements on the second lead portion so as to hold the lead portions together, and an electrical connector 30 electrically connected to the inner conductors of the first and second lead portions.

The electrical connector is a plug, such as a jack plug. Each earphone comprises an inner surface having an ear-bud portion 32 to fit within a portion of the ear. The inner surface and outer surface are portions of a common continuous surface, the outer surface 18 being a portion of the continuous surface that is oriented generally away from the user's ear when in use.

In this embodiment the first earphone 10 comprises a magnetic element 22 in the 25 form of a first permanent magnet having a first magnetic polarity and the second earphone comprises a magnetic element 24 in the form of a second permanent magnet having the opposite magnetic polarity to the first.

In this some embodiments the first lead portion comprises a permanent magnet and 30 the second lead portion a magnetisable material.

In this embodiment the earphone set comprises a common lead portion 34 between the first and second lead portions and the electrical connector, the common lead portion comprising a first conductor connected to or continuous with the inner conductor of the first lead portion and a second conductor connected to or continuous with the inner conductor of the second lead portion.

In some versions of this embodiment a lead portion comprises a magnetic coupling element configured to attract a magnetic coupling element provided as part of an earphone. The magnetic coupling element on the lead may be provided at a collar 36 on the common lead portion adjacent to the junction between the first and second lead portions and the common lead portion.

The electrical connector 30 comprises a further magnetic coupling element configured to attract a magnetic coupling element provided on the common lead 10 portion, for example located at a collar 36 adjacent to the junction between the common lead portion and the first and second lead portions.

In this way the electrical connector may be attached to a magnetic coupling element provided on the common lead portion so as to double up the common lead portion to 15 assist neat storage of the earphone set.

In this embodiment the lead portions have a rectangular cross-section such that bending of the cable through curvature of the short sides is inhibited, so that tangling resulting from such bending is reduced. Instead, the lead portions tend to bend such that the longer sides are curved, so tending to roll up in one curved dimension rather than to bend and flex in two dimensions. In this way tangling is significantly reduced compared with earphone sets of the prior art.

The magnetic coupling elements are provided on the lead portions oriented such that a magnetic field is present at the longer sides. The longer side of the cross section defines a major surface of the lead portion, the earphone set being configured such that a major surface of the first lead portion attracts a major surface of the second lead portion. Referring to figures 1 and 2, in this embodiment the first and second lead portions are coupled to the common lead portion at a collar 36 such that each has an inner major surface 38 and an outer major surface 39, the inner major surfaces 38 being oriented towards each other adjacent to the collar and along the length of the lead portions when they are not twisted. The magnetic coupling elements are provided such that the inner major surfaces of the first and second lead portions are attracted to each other.

Referring to figures 5 and 6, the earphones comprise: A magnetic coupling element 24, for example a disc-shaped permanent magnet, A plastic end cap 40 comprising a recess 42 to mount the magnetic coupling element; A housing 14 comprising an inner chassis, for example formed from a non-magnetic metallic material such as a magnesium alloy; A plastic outer housing 44 and a decorative ring 48. The plastic outer housing and the decorative ring may be selected to give a chosen aesthetic appearance; A transducer mount 50 adapted to interfit with features in the chassis to hold the transducer and dampers in place; A housing damper 52 to receive the transducer and comprising electrical connection means to connect conductors in the lead portion 28 to the transducer; A transducer 54; A mounting ring 56 to hold the transducer in place; A wave guide damper 58; An ear bud 60.

The invention has been described by way of examples only and it will be appreciated that variation may be made to the above-mentioned embodiments without departing from the scope of invention. Firstly it will be understood that any features described in relation to any particular embodiment may be featured in combinations with other embodiments.

With respect to the specification therefore, it is to be realised that the optimum dimensional relationships for the parts of the invention, to include variations in size, materials, shape, form, function and manner of operation, assembly and use, are deemed readily apparent and obvious to one skilled in the art, and all equivalent relationships to those illustrated in the drawings and described in the specification are intended to be encompassed by the present invention.

Therefore, the foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention, with variation and implementation obvious and clear on the basis of either common general knowledge or of expert knowledge in the field concerned. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention as set out in the accompanying claims.

Claims

Claims 1. An earphone set comprising a. a first and a second earphone, each comprising a housing having an inner surface adapted to be worn against the ear and an outer surface, an audio transducer within the housing, and a magnetic coupling element positioned to provide a magnetic force at the outer surface, the magnetic coupling elements on the earphones being adapted to attract each other such that the outer surfaces are held in contact, b. a first lead portion connected to the first earphone and a second lead portion connected to the second earphone, the first and second lead portions each comprising an insulating outer layer and an inner conductor electrically connected to audio transducer, the first and second lead portions each comprising one or more magnetic coupling elements disposed along their length, the magnetic coupling elements on the first lead portion being configured to attract the magnetic coupling elements on the second lead portion so as to hold the lead portions together, and c. an electrical connector electrically connected to the inner conductors of the first and second lead portions.
2. An earphone set according to claim 1 wherein the first earphone comprises a permanent magnet and the second earphone a magnetisable material.
3. An earphone set according to claim 1 wherein the first earphone comprises a permanent magnet having a first magnetic polarity and the second earphone comprises a permanent magnet having the opposite magnetic polarity.
4. An earphone set according to any preceding claim wherein the earphones each comprise a magnetic coupling element provided within the housing and not apparent at the surface of the housing.
5. An earphone set according to any preceding claim wherein the first lead portion comprises a permanent magnet and the second lead portion a magnefisable material
6. An earphone set according to any of claims 1 to 4 wherein the first lead portion comprises a permanent magnet having a first magnetic polarity and the second lead portion comprises a permanent magnet having the opposite magnetic polarity.
7. An earphone set according to any preceding claim comprising a common lead portion between the first and second lead portions.
8. An earphone set according to any preceding claim wherein a magnetic coupling element comprises an extruded magnetic strip forming part of a lead portion.
9. An earphone set according to any preceding claim wherein the electrical connector comprises a further magnetic coupling element configured to attract a magnetic coupling element provided on a lead portion, optionally located adjacent to the junction between the common lead portion and the first and second lead portions.
10. An earphone set according to any preceding claim wherein the lead portions comprise a polymeric insulating coating having a flat surface at which a magnetic coupling element exerts an attractive force to a matching magnetic coupling element.
11. An earphone set according to claim 10 wherein a lead portion has a rectilinear cross-section, for example substantially rectangular.
12. An earphone set according to claim 11 comprising a longer side of the cross section defining a major surface of the lead portion, the earphone set being configured such that a major surface of the first lead portion attracts a major surface of the second lead portion.
13. An earphone set according to any preceding claim wherein magnetic coupling elements are provided within a substantially uniform profile of the lead portions such that the position of the coupling element is not apparent.
14. An earphone set according to any preceding claim wherein a magnetic coupling element is provided at a coupling location at which one or more features of the surface of a lead portion are provided to indicate the coupling location or to assist the mechanical location of a corresponding region of a lead portion, an earphone, or the electrical connector.