EP2165563B1

EP2165563B1 - Headset with switching earbud

Info

Publication number: EP2165563B1
Application number: EP08748810.2A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Ole Birch
Original assignee: GN Netcom AS
Current assignee: GN Audio AS
Priority date: 2007-05-31
Filing date: 2008-05-29
Publication date: 2013-09-11
Anticipated expiration: 2028-05-29
Also published as: WO2008145127A1; DK176704B1; EP2165563A1; DK200700785A

Description

Technical Field

The invention relates to a headset comprising a housing with a housing wall enclosing a housing cavity, and where the headset further comprises a movable earbud adapted to be inserted into the ear of a user the, headset comprises an electric switch for changing mode of the headset, the switch is arranged in the housing cavity and operably connected to the earbud, such that the switch is activated and changes mode of the headset, when the earbud is moved relative to the headset housing, wherein the earbud extends from the housing along a first axis and the housing is elongate and extends along a second longitudinal axis.

Background Art

Communication headsets are becoming more and more widely used. Especially, small Bluetooth headsets to be used with cellular phones have become increasingly popular the recent years.
A modem headset is a small compact unit with small operating buttons on the surface. In order to change mode of the headset, e.g. switching the headset on/off or answering a telephone call, the user typically presses a small momentary button. As the headset is a small unit, the button is often very small and it can be cumbersome to press it correctly. Thus, it is desirable to provide switching function of a headset without this disadvantage.
WO 00/21264 discloses a headset comprising a housing and an earbud pivotally mounted to the housing and adapted for insertion into the ear of a user. According to the specification of WO 00/21264 , the ability of the earbud to pivot relative to the housing provides three advantages. Firstly, it provides adjustability, such that the headset can be adjusted to fit comfortably in a variety of ears. Secondly, the headset can be made of more durable materials, such as hard plastics, as it remains flexible enough for convenient use. Thirdly, the pivoting provides different configurations for storage. The electrical connection between the loudspeaker unit in the earbud and the housing ("housing" is termed "stem" in WO 00/21264 ) is obtained through external metallic surfaces in contact with each other on the earbud and the housing. It is mentioned that the electrical connection between the housing and the speaker may be functional only when the earbud is in selected position(s) or may be functional across the entire range of possible earbud positions. Thus, WO 00/21264 indirectly describes how, the speaker can be connected or disconnected by pivoting the earbud. A problem with this way of providing switching is that the external metallic contact surfaces shown in WO 00/21264 are vulnerable and subject to wear and noise generation.
WO 02/11492 A2 discloses a headset comprising a loudspeaker element and a support element. The headset is fastened to the ear or the head of the user by means of the support element, which as an example can be a ring, designed to surround the outer ear. The loudspeaker element can be moved between a resting position in which it lies at a distance from the ear and a communication position in which it is placed in front of the ear. The headset according to WO 02/11492 can be provided with a switching function that automatically accepts an incoming call when the loudspeaker element is moved into the communication position.
US 2005/0249372 A1 discloses a hearing aid with headset functionality. The hearing aid may comprise an otoplastic for insertion into the ear. By turning the microphone in relation to the otoplastic, the device can be switched between two operating modes.
KR 100689031 B1 discloses a wireless headset according to the preamble of claim 1. The user can switch mode by moving the earbud between a retracted position and an extracted position. Thus, the headset enters connection mode when earbud is extracted and standby mode when the earbud is extracted. The user is not able to wear the headset when the earbud is in the retracted position.

Disclosure of Invention

An object of the invention is to provide a headset with improved switching functionality.
The headset according to the invention as defined in the appended claims, is characterised in that in that the earbud is turnable about the first axis. An advantage of such a headset is that it has the same overall shape in the different positions of the ear bud, which means that the headset can be worn with the earbud in different positions. The headset is easy to operate due to the size of the actuation button, which is constituted by the earbud, and at the same time, the functional shape of the earbud is not altered. Another advantage with this solution is that it is relatively well protected against unwanted activation, especially when the headset is lying in the pocket.
According to an embodiment, the earbud is turnable between a first position and a second position and is able to rest in these two positions. In this case, the user can determine the mode by just looking at the headset, as the mode depends on the rotational position of the earbud in relation to the housing. If the earbud is rotational symmetric with respect to the first axis, the earbud could be provided with markings, colouring, patterns or signs as indication of the rotational position. The earbud can be operably connected to the switch in such way that the headset is switched on, when the earbud is in the first position and switched off when the earbud is in the second position.
According to another embodiment, the earbud is biased towards a single resting position.
According to a particular embodiment, the earbud comprises an earbud front face, which faces the auditory canal during use, and which is non-perpendicular to the first axis. This provides possibility for a distinct visual indication of the headset mode as the front face faces different directions in different headset modes. Thus, the user can clearly see whether the headset is e.g. switched on or off when it lies on a table. This is particularly the case if the earbud is moved through 45-180 degrees, preferably approximately 90 degrees between the first and the second position. The user may also be able to feel the position of the earbud without looking at it.
The switch can be a momentary push-button switch. A momentary switch is a switch where the actuator returns to its normal position when force is no more applied to its actuator. Examples of momentary switches are push-to-make switches, push-to-break switches. In addition, a "push-push switch" can be used. A "push-push switch" looks like a momentary action push switch but it is a standard of-off switch: push once to switch on, push again to switch off. A latching action provides for this.
The second axis may be essentially perpendicular to the first axis.
The earbud may have a circular circumference, In this case the orientation of housing and thereby the microphone can be adjusted while the earbud remains well fitted in the ear,
The microphone and the earbud are preferably arranged in opposite ends of the housing.
The form and dimensions of the earbud and the force needed to move the earbud in relation to the housing is preferably chosen such that the earbud can be inserted and moved inside the ear without switching mode. Thus, the user shall be able to e.g. switch the headset on by pressing or turning the earbud, inserting the earbud into the ear and thereafter adjusting the headset position such that the microphone points at the direction of the mouth without unintentionally switching the headset off again.
On the side facing the housing, the earbud may comprise an earbud stem. As the stem extends through the intertragic notch between the tragus and the antitragus during use, this ensures a more proper fit in the lower concha of the ear.
The earbud stem is preferably cylindrical and movably received in a correspondingly dimensioned circular opening in the housing wall. In this way, it is possible to make the movable connection between the earbud and the housing sturdy and tight.
If the circular opening is surrounded by a cylindrical tubular protrusion extending from the housing wall, a particular strong and tight connection can be obtained. The internal parts of the headset and especially the switching parts can be well protected from incoming dirt and dust with this embodiment.
A printed circuit board, a battery, a microphone and transmitter/receiver electronics may be arranged in the housing cavity.
According to an embodiment, the switch is an electric component fastened to the printed circuit board.

Brief Description of the Drawings

The invention is explained in detail below with reference to the drawing illustrating different embodiments of the invention and in which

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a first embodiment of a headset according to the invention,
Fig, 2 is a side view of the first embodiment,
Fig, 3 is a side view of the first embodiment showing the major components,
Fig. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line IV-IV in fig. 3,
Fig. 5 is a second example,
Figs. 6 and 7 are side views of a third example,
Fig. 8 is a side view of a fourth example,
Fig. 9 is a side view of a fifth example,
Fig. 10 is a cross sectional view through the first embodiment, and
Fig. 11 is a cross sectional view through a sixth example.

The following reference signs are used in the figures and the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments and examples.

1 headset
2 housing
3 earbud
4 speaker openings
5 earbud stem
6 microphone opening
7 microphone
8 printed circuit board
9 battery
10 loudspeaker
11 Bluetooth chip
12 switch
13 switch actuator (check term)
14 protrusion on stem
15 switch
16 switch actuator
17 through hole in stem
18 front face of earbud
19 recess
20 loudspeaker wire
21 earbud cavity
22 housing cavity
23 earbud stem cavity
24 free space
25 housing wall
26 earbud wall
27 earbud stem wall
28 housing protrusion
29 pressure spring
30 snap tab on earbud stem wall (of snap fit assembly)
31 first end of housing
32 second end of housing
33 switch
34 switch actuator A1-A6 arrows
X first axis
Y second axis
Z third axis

Modes for Carrying out the Invention

The figures and the following description disclose different embodiments of a headset according to the invention. All the disclosed headsets are wireless communications headsets, which are mainly used in connection with modern cell phones.
Figs. 1-3 disclose a first embodiment of a headset 1 according to the invention. The headset comprises a headset housing 2 with a microphone opening 6 arranged at a first end 31 of the housing 2 and an earbud 3 arranged at a second end 32 of the housing 2. Speaker openings 4 are arranged in the front face 18 of the earbud 3. The earbud 3 is adapted to be arranged in the lower concha of the human ear such that the front face 18 faces the opening of the ear canal. The earbud 3 comprises an earbud stem 5 and protrudes from a side of the housing 2 along a first axis X. The housing is in the shown embodiment elongate and extends between the first end 31 and the second end 32 along a second axis Y, which is essentially perpendicular to the first axis X. In order to switch the headset on or off the user turns the earbud 3 approximately 90 degrees about the first axis X as indicated by the arrow Al. As it appears from figs. 2 and 3, the front face 18 of the earbud 3 is slanted such that it is non-perpendicular to the first axis X. This slanting provides a clear visual indication of whether the headset is switched on or off. Figs. 2 and 3 show the headset 1 in a mode where it is switched on.
Fig. 3 discloses schematically some of the main components of the headset. The earbud 3 contains essentially only a speaker 10, while the housing contains all the electronics. Thus, a printed circuit board 8 is arranged along a sidewall of the housing 2. A microphone 7, a battery 9, a transmitter/receiver chip 11 and an on/off switch 12 is arranged on the printed circuit board 8. The on/off switch is a microswitch 12 comprising a lever 13 as actuator. When the earbud is turned, a protrusion 14 on the earbud stem 5 moves the lever 13 such that the microswitch closes. This switches the headset on or off. The transmitter/receiver chip can be a chip following the Bluetooth standard or another radio standard.
The function of the switching mechanism is shown schematically in fig. 4. In fig. 4 the protrusion 15 on the earbud stem 5 does not engage lever 13 of the microswitch 12. By turning the earbud stem 5 approximately 90 degrees clockwise, the protrusion 14 will engage the lever 13 and close the microswitch 12. The reference sign 17 indicates the through hole in the earbud stem 5.
Fig. 5 discloses a second example of the headset according to the disclosure. This example differs from the first embodiment by the earbud movement. In this case, the earbud can be displaced in the direction of the arrow A2 in order to turn the headset on and off. Thus, a linear movement of the earbud 3 takes place and not a rotary movement as in the first embodiment. The earbud front face of this example is essentially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the housing.
Figs. 6 and 7 disclose a third example of the headset according to the disclosure. In this example, the earbud is designed as a pressure button, which can be displaced in the direction of the arrow A3. The earbud stem 5 activates the actuator 16 of a switch 15. The headset is switched on in fig. 6 and switched off in fig. 7. As shown the earbud stem is partially displaced into the housing in the off-position.
Fig. 8 discloses a fourth example, which is a variant of the third example. The fourth example comprises a recess 19 for at receiving the earbud 3 completely in the off- position. However, the earbud 2 and the recess 19 could also be designed such that the earbud partly protrudes from the recess in the off-position. The arrow A4 indicates the movement direction of the earbud. The dash line indicates the on-position.
Fig. 9 discloses a fifth example in which the earbud stem 5 is hinged to the housing 2 and can be turned in the direction of the arrow A5. As in the other embodiments and examples, the earbud 2 extends - in the on-position - along a first axis X and the housing along a second axis Y, which is essentially perpendicular to the first axis X. The hinge axis coincides with a third axis Z, which is perpendicular to the first and the second axes X, Y. Thus, the earbud 3 extends along the first axis X in the on-position only as it extends along the second axis Y in the off-position.
Fig. 10 is a cross-section through the first embodiment of the headset 1. The housing wall 25 encloses a housing cavity 22, the earbud wall 26 encloses an earbud cavity 21 and the earbud stem wall 27 encloses an earbud stem cavity 23. The earbud cavity 21 contains essentially only the speaker 10 and a part of a wire 20 connecting the speaker 10 with the printed circuit board 8, which together with all the other electronics is arranged in the housing cavity 22. The earbud stem 5 is cylindrical and encircled by the wall of a cylindrical housing protrusion 28. The earbud wall 26 and the stem wall 27 are one unit. Snap tabs 30 on the outside of the earbud stem wall 27 engages the inner side of the housing wall 25 around the housing protrusion 28 such that the earbud stem 5 and the earbud 3 stays connected to the housing 2.
Fig. 11 discloses a sixth example of the headset according to the dislosure. Like in the third example disclosed in figs. 6 and 7, the earbud movement is linear in the direction of the arrow A6. However, the switch 33 is a so-called push-push switch, which opens and closes successively by depressing the actuator: push once to open, push again to close etc. Alternatively, a momentary switch could be used, if the electronics take care of switching the mode for each closing of the switch. As shown in fig. 11 a pressure spring 29 biases the earbud outwards and away from the switch. A short press on the earbud 3 in the direction of the arrow A6 against the spring action causes an engagement between the switch actuator 34 and a protrusion 14 on the earbud stem. The movement of the earbud in the direction of the arrow A6 needs only to be very short. The position of the earbud is permanent in unloaded condition. Thus, the headset can be worn by the user irrespective of the mode selected by the earbud.
As it appears from Figs. 10 and 11, the headset can according to the invention and the disclosure be designed as a closed construction, where all the electronic components are arranged inside a closed cavity defined by the housing wall 25, earbud stem wall 27 and the earbud wall 26. This makes the device sturdy.
The invention is not limited to the disclosed embodiments. In addition, wired communication headsets and pure audio headsets without microphone are covered by the claims.
In the claims, it is defined that the earbud is adapted to be inserted into the ear of the user. To be more specific, the earbud is inserted in the concha of the ear.
The headsets disclosed in the drawings are not provided with any wearing device to fasten the headset to the ear or head of the user. The earbud is dimensioned to rest in the lower concha of the ear behind the tragus and the antitragus such that the headset stays in place. This is possible, as the headset housing is small and light. Alternatively, the headset may be provided with a wearing device, such as an earhook, an earring that is arranged around the pinna of the ear, a headband or a neckband. The wearing device may be detachable mounted the housing or the earbud.
The headset may comprise one or more LED's and/or a display to show different information, such as battery status, communication mode, "call received" etc.
Throughout this application, the term "earbud" is used. However, this term may be replaced by other terms such as "earpiece", "earphone" or "eartip", which are also used for the part of the headset that is inserted into the ear of a user.

Claims

A headset (1) comprising a housing (2) with a housing wall (25) enclosing a housing cavity (22), and where the headset (1) further comprises a movable earbud (3) adapted to be inserted into the ear of a user, the headset comprises an electric switch (12) for changing mode of the headset, the switch (12) is arranged in the housing cavity (22) and operably connected to the earbud (3), such that the switch is activated and changes mode of the headset, when the earbud (3) is moved relative to the headset housing (2), wherein the earbud (3) extends from the housing (2) along a first axis (X) and the housing (2) is elongate and extends along a second, longitudinal axis (Y), characterised in that the earbud (3) is turnable about the first axis (X), wherein the switch (12) is activated and changes mode of the headset (1), when the earbud (3) is turned about the first axis (X).
A headset according to claim 1, wherein the earbud (3) is turnable between a first position and a second position and is able to rest in these two positions.
A headset according to claim 2, wherein the earbud (3) is operably connected to the switch in such way that the headset is turned on, when the earbud (3) is in the first position and turned off when the earbud (3) is in the second position.
A headset according to claim 1, wherein the earbud (3) is biased towards a single resting position.
A headset according to claim 2, wherein the earbud (3) comprises an earbud front face (18), which faces the auditory canal during use, and which is non-perpendicular to the first axis (X).
A headset according to claim 5, wherein the earbud is moved through 45-180 degrees, preferably approximately 90 degrees between the first and the second position.
A headset according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the second axis (Y) is essentially perpendicular to the first axis (X).
A headset according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the earbud (3) has a circular circumference.
A headset according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the earbud (3) on the side facing the housing (2) comprises an earbud stem (5).
A headset according to claim 9, wherein the earbud stem (5) is cylindrical and movably received in a correspondingly dimensioned circular opening in the housing wall (25).
A headset according to claim 10, wherein the circular opening is surrounded by a cylindrical tubular protrusion (28) extending from the housing wall (25).
A headset according to any of the preceding claims, wherein a printed circuit board (8), a battery (9), a microphone (7) and transmitter/receiver electronics (11) are arranged in the housing cavity (22).
A headset according to claim 12, wherein the switch (12) is an electric component fastened to the printed circuit board (8).