U.S. patent number 3,610,841 [Application Number 05/017,220] was granted by the patent office on 1971-10-05 for self-supporting headset.
This patent grant is currently assigned to Pacific Plantronics, Inc.. Invention is credited to Kenneth J. Hutchings.
United States Patent |
3,610,841 |
Hutchings |
October 5, 1971 |
SELF-SUPPORTING HEADSET
Abstract
A self-supporting headset is disclosed with a housing adapted to
accommodate a receiver and microphone. The headset housing
comfortably supports itself on the upper portion of an ear of the
user. A flexible acoustic tube together with an adjustable voice
tube are mounted on an upper portion of the housing forward of the
user's ear. The acoustic tube curves backwardly to provide
communication between the auditory canal of the user's ear and the
receiver through a tube along the inner periphery of the housing.
The voice tube provides communication between the user's mouth and
the microphone. Electrical signals are carried to and from the
microphone and receiver through a pin and socket connection
together with a strain relief collar device mounting a lead wire
cable to the housing.
Inventors: |
Hutchings; Kenneth J. (Soquel,
CA) |
Assignee: |
Pacific Plantronics, Inc.
(Santa Cruz, CA)
|
Family
ID: |
21781404 |
Appl.
No.: |
05/017,220 |
Filed: |
March 6, 1970 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
Issue Date |
|
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839016 |
Jul 3, 1969 |
3548118 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
379/430; 381/381;
381/375; 381/330 |
Current CPC
Class: |
H04M
1/05 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
H04M
1/05 (20060101); H04M 1/04 (20060101); H04m
001/05 () |
Field of
Search: |
;179/156 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Cooper; William C.
Parent Case Text
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
This is a continuation-in-part of my copending application Ser. No.
839,016, filed July 3, 1969, now U.S. Pat. No. 3,548,118.
Claims
I claim:
1. A headset comprising: a housing adapted to be placed behind the
ear of the user, the housing including a forwardly extending end
projecting over the top of the user's ear, the housing defining an
internal cavity; a microphone mounted within the cavity near the
top of said housing; a forwardly extending voice tube mounted on
the forward end of the housing, the voice tube having an upper
portion communicating with said microphone, and a lower extensible
portion pivotally connected with the upper portion and adapted to
have its distal end positioned adjacent the user's mouth; a
receiver disposed in the cavity near the bottom of the housing; a
flexible accoustic tube mounted to the forward end of the housing
adjacent the connection thereof with the voice tube, the accoustic
tube having an internal tube segment mounted along the inner
periphery of the housing cavity and in communication with the
receiver, and an external tube segment projecting from the housing
and adapted to communicate with the auditory canal of the user's
ear.
2. A headset as in claim 1 and further characterized in that the
internal tube segment of the accoustic tube includes a projecting
tube end extending from the housing forward end adjacent to and
below the connection of the extensible voice tube with the housing,
and the external tube segment of the accoustic tube is connected
with said projecting tube end.
3. A headset as in claim 1 and including an electrical cable;
socket means for connecting said cable in electrical communication
with the receiver and microphone within the housing; and, a cover
assembly to mount the cable to the rear of the housing, the cover
assembly including strain relief means to securely hold the cable
end with respect to the housing and cover assembly.
4. The invention of claim 3 and further characterized in that the
socket means includes a support member, the strain relief means
includes a collar adapted to grip the cable end and having a
projection embedded in the socket support, and fastener means to
lock the cover assembly to the housing for holding the strain
relief collar and cable to the socket support.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates generally to headsets and more particularly
to headsets which contain a microphone and receiver and are adapted
to be supported solely from the ear of the user.
Conventional headsets have included various intermediate supporting
structures mounting the headset in cooperative relationship with
the ear and mouth of the user. These supporting structures have
included headbands and means for attaching the headset to portions
of eyeglasses, but this has resulted in a cumbersome arrangement.
Ear molds have also been used for supporting the headset from
inside the ear, but this necessitates fitting of the ear mold to
the individual users.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION AND OBJECTS
It is a general object of the present invention to provide a
lightweight headset which can be comfortably and securely worn by
telephone operators, radio operators, aircraft personnel, or other
persons using communication systems.
Another object is to provide a headset which may be easily fitted
on the user's ear, is balanced to rest comfortably on the ear
without the necessity of a supporting headband or the like, and
which provides complete working mobility for the user, in
performing other duties.
Another object is to provide a headset for wearing on the ear of a
user in which an improved socket arrangement is provided for
connecting the electrical cable to the microphone and receiver
outlets in the headset.
In general, the foregoing and other objects of the invention are
achieved by a headset which comprises a housing shaped and balanced
for comfortable wearing on the ear of the user. An extensible voice
tube mounted on an upper forward end of the housing has a distal
end adapted to be placed adjacent the mouth of the user for
transmitting sound to the microphone. A flexible accoustic tube is
mounted to the housing adjacent the voice tube and provides
communication between the auditory canal of the ear and the
receiver through a tube running along the inner periphery of the
housing. The output leads from the microphone and receiver
transducers connect with an electrical cable through a pin and
socket arrangement. The cable is mounted on the housing by means of
a strain relief collar providing an opening through a cover over
the socket connection.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 illustrates the self-supporting headset of the present
invention in position upon a user's ear;
FIG. 2 is an enlarged side elevational view of the headset;
and,
FIG. 3 is an enlarged view of the headset with one side of the
housing removed to show the internal elements thereof.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
Referring now to FIG. 1, a user 10 is shown with a headset 12
according to the present invention mounted behind his ear 14. The
headset includes a housing 16 defining a curved, inner periphery 18
adapted to fit comfortably over and behind the user's ear. As
illustrated in FIG. 2, the housing includes a horn or projection 20
which extends over and engages the top of the ear to hold the
housing in place.
An extensible voice tube 22 is mounted in the forward end of the
housing 16 and extends downwardly and forwardly with its distal end
24 adjacent the user's mouth to receive voice communication
therefrom. A flexible accoustic tube 26 is mounted on the forward
end of the housing adjacent to and below the mounting connection
for voice tube 22. An ear insert 28 mounted on the distal end of
tube 26 is adapted to be inserted into the user's ear. Accoustic
tube 26 provides communication between the auditory canal of the
user's ear and the receiver transducer within the housing. An
electrical cable 30 is mounted to the rear of the headset through
cover assembly 32 and depends downwardly therefrom.
Referring to FIGS. 2 and 3, the headset 12 is illustrated in
greater detail. Extensible voice tube 22 includes lower portion 34
telescoping with upper portion 36 so that the tube may be extended
or retracted to adjust the position of distal end 24 with respect
to the user's mouth. Tube 22 is supported from housing 12 by a ball
and socket joint 38 adapted to pivotally adjust the angular
relationship of the tube with respect to the housing. This joint 38
comprises a ball 40 fitting over the end of tube portion 36. The
ball is mounted in socket 42 by means of a ferrule 44 mounted on a
stub portion 46 of the housing. Socket 42 communicates with a tube
48 extending through a housing cavity 50 to a flexible tube 52
which in turn is connected with microphone transducer 54. Housing
cavity 50 is formed between two mating housing parts one of which
is shown in FIG. 3, secured together by suitable means such as pins
or sonic bonding. Ferrule 44 detachably secures voice tube 22 to
the housing 12 through slots in the sides of the ferrule which
releasably engage a pair of pins 56 mounted in and extending
radially from stub portion 46. Flexible tube 52 functions to
isolate microphone 54 from any motion of housing 12. Tube 48 is
held in the housing by epoxy material 58 with the two housing parts
assembled together. Microphone transducer 54 is supported within
the housing by a resilient boot 60 adapted to isolate the
transducer from vibrations of the housing to protect the transducer
from the effects of shock, and to decouple the microphone from
receiver 62.
Flexible acoustic tube 26 is mounted to the upper, forward end of
the housing adjacent to and below ball and socket connection 38.
This mounting arrangement provides improved balancing features so
that the headset is more comfortably worn by the user. Thus, the
weight of both accoustic tube 26 and voice tube 22 provides a
torque to balance the weight of the housing elements and cable 30
behind the ear. At the same time, accoustic tube 26 curves
forwardly and then rearwardly for insertion in the user's ear so as
not to interfere or become entangled with the user's wearing
apparel, e.g. earrings, and does not interfere with the user's
freedom of motion.
Receiver transducer 62 is resiliently supported within the lower
portion of the housing by a resilient boot 64. This boot functions
to decouple the receiver from the microphone to protect it from the
effects of shock, and to isolate it from vibrations. An internal
tube 66 is connected at one end with receiver 62 through flexible
tube 67 and is directed upwardly within cavity 50 along the inner
periphery of the housing where it extends through the housing at
downwardly inclined projecting tube and 68. Flexible tube 26 is
fitted over projection 68 and depends downwardly therefrom for
insertion of fear insert 28 into the user's ear.
Cable 30 is secured to the housing by cover assembly 32 adapted to
provide strain relief of the cable with respect to the housing. The
microphone lead wires 70, 72 extend from the cable and are secured
to a first pair of pins 74. The receiver lead wires 76, 78 extend
from the cable and are secured to a second pair of pins 80. The
four pins 74, 80 are inserted in and located by a support member 82
which together with base member 88 defines a socket assembly. A
cover 83 is secured over the socket assembly to retain strain
relief collar 84 in place. A projection 86 on collar 84 is anchored
in the material of support 82, and cable 30 is mounted through
collar 84 thereby providing firm support for the cable end as the
cable flexes. The cover assembly is retained in position by a screw
90 engaging a nut, not shown, in the base member. Leads 92 are
connected between pins 74 and microphone 54, while leads 94 are
connected between pins 80 and receiver 62.
Referring now to FIGS. 1 and 2, it is seen that the headset is
self-supporting on the operator or user's ear. The headset fits
behind the ear with the projection 20 extending over and engaging
the top of the ear. Both the telescoped voice tube 22 and flexible
accoustic tube 26 are mounted to the forward end of housing 12. The
weight of voice tube 22 provides a counterclockwise torque to the
housing tending to counterbalance the weight of the rear housing
portion and cable 30. Accoustic tube 22 curves forwardly and
downwardly to the ear where it does not interfere with the user's
wearing apparel for freedom of movement. The accoustic tube is
connected with a receiver within the housing by means of a tube
extending along the inner periphery of a cavity in the housing.
Cable 30 is mounted to the rear of the housing by a cover assembly
in a manner providing convenient and rapid assembly and
disassembly, while at the same time providing strain relief of the
cable end with respect to the housing.
* * * * *