Stabilizer For Headset

Abstract

Stabilizer for a headset which fits around an ear of a user, in which the stabilizer has two substantially parallel webs which engage with the Helix of the ear approximately at the position just above where the Helix merges into the face of the user. A housing of the headset fits over and around the top of the ear, between the ear and the scalp, and the stabilizer prevents a boom extending from the housing from moving in a direction normal to the face of the user, which movement would cause movement of a mouthpiece away from the users mouth.

Description

This invention relates to headsets, such as used by telephone and radio operators, and in particular relates to lightweight headsets which fit around the ear of the user without the use of a head-band.

Headsets without head-bands give rise to difficulties in maintaining the headset in a predetermined position, particularly when the head is turned sharply. A mouthpiece is usually carried from the headset on a lightweight boom and positioned adjacent the side of the mouth of the user. Sudden or quick movement of the head or even mere inclination of the head is often sufficient for the mouthpiece to act as a weight on the end of a lever and cause displacement of the mouthpiece away from the mouth, in a direction normal to the surface of the users face. The headset is usually profiled to fit around the upper part of the ear and is balanced against the mouthpiece to avoid movement of the mouthpiece up and down against the face of the user. However, although the mouthpiece is very light, sufficient force can be developed by head movement to displace the mouthpiece away from the mouth.

It is the intention of the present invention to provide a means for stabilizing a headset which engages a suitable formation of the ear and acts to restrain the headset and mouthpiece against undesired movement.

In accordance with the present invention there is provided, for a headset shaped to fit around the upper part of an ear of a user, a stabilizer for engaging with a formation in the upper part of the ear, comprising a web member which enters behind a part of the Helix of the ear to prevent movement of the boom, and mouthpiece, away from the side of the face of the user.

Conveniently the stabilizer is shaped to be applicable to either ear, in which case a web member is positioned on either side of a support member, the ear formation engaging over one or the other of the webs depending upon which side of the head the headset is worn.

While the stabilizer is generally formed on a separate item attachable to and removable from the headset, it may be formed en bloc with the casing of the headset.

The invention will be understood by the following description of one embodiment, by way of example, in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a view of a headset with a stabilizer in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a view of the headset of FIG. 1 in the direction of the arrow X;

FIG. 3 is a plan view of one form of stabilizer;

FIG. 4 is a side view of the stabilizer shown in FIG. 3; and

FIG. 5 is a diagram of the outer ear, illustrating the formations thereof.

FIG. 1 illustrates a headset 10 comprising a casing which is shaped to fit above and round the upper part of an ear of a user. The headset contains an amplifier connected to a microphone, or transducer, positioned in the mouthpiece 11 which is carried from the headset by a tubular boom 12. The headset also contains a loudspeaker which is connected to an ear plug 13 by means of an acoustic tube 14. A flexible lead 15 connects to the headset.

Extending from the casing of the headset 10, at or near the forward end thereof is a short arm 15. Arm 15 is generally radial to the headset at that position. Attached to the inner end of arm 15 is a stabilizer 16. In the present example, the stabilizer 16 is double sided, being suitable for use on either ear. The shape of the stabilizer can be seen in FIG. 1, and also in FIG. 2, but is seen in more detail in FIGS. 3 and 4.

As seen in FIG. 3, a stabilizer 16 has a support member 20 and two web members 21 and 22 spaced one on each side of the support member 20 and extending substantially parallel thereto. There are thus formed two re-entrant channels 23 and 24. In the present example the stabilizer is attached to the end of the arm 15 (FIG. 1) by a hole 25 through the support member 20 and adapted to be a close fit on a cooperating end of the arm 15. Two small protrusions 26 may be formed on the walls of the hole 25, the protrusions engaging with recesses formed in the arm 15. As shown in FIG. 4, in the example illustrated the webs 21 and 22 taper outwardly on their top edges 27 in a direction away from the junctions of the webs 21 and 22 with the support member 20.

FIG. 5 is a view of the outer ear or auricle. Indicated at 30 is a formation of the ear, known as the FOSSA TRIANGULARIS. This is in effect a fold of gristle-like material and is spaced from the main back portions of the ear - the SCAPHA indicated at 31. Extending around the rim of the ear is the Helix 32. The Helix extends round the major part of the ear, from the rear, around the top and down the front, and eventually blends in with the side of the face in the temporal region just below the FOSSA TRIANGULARIS. At its junction, or blending, with the side of the face a re-entrant formation is provided, at the position indicated at 33 in FIG. 5. The web member, either 21 or 22 depending on which side of the head the headset is worn, enters this re-entrant formation. By so entering this formation, the web anchors the headset against a rotation which would cause the boom and the mouthpiece to move away from the face of the user. When the headset is in position, the casing is in contact with the side of the head and the web is in contact with the outer part of the helix, and there is cooperation to prevent movement of the headset. The position of the stabilizer, on the ear is indicated at 34.

Claims

What is claimed is:

1. For a headset shaped to fit around the upper part of an ear, a stabilizer for engaging with the forward extremity of formation of the outer ear, said formation known as the HELIX, the stabilizer comprising a support member and a web member spaced from and extending parallel to the support member, the web member adapted to engage behind the forward extremity of the HELIX at a position adjacent to and below a formation known as the FOSSA TRIANGULARIS.

2. A stabilizer as claimed in claim 1, comprising two web members, one on each side of the support member, whereby the stabilizer, when attached to a headset, is usable on either side of the head.

3. A stabilizer as claimed in claim 1, including a hole in the main web, the axis of the hole normal to a plane through the web member, the hole adapted to fit on an extension from the headset.

4. A headset for fitting around the upper part of an ear of a user, and comprising a casing, a boom extending from said casing, a mouthpiece on said boom, and an ear plug connected to said casing, said headset further comprising an arm extending from the inner side of said housing and a stabilizer on said arm, the stabilizer comprising at least one web extending in a plane parallel to the plane of the casing, the web adapted to fit behind the HELIX of the ear at a position adjacent to and below the FOSSA TRIANGULARIS formation of the ear.

5. A headset as claimed in claim 4, the stabilizer comprising two parallel spaced apart webs, one on each side of a support member, and extending to form two forwardly opening channels, the arrangement such that the HELIX formation is engaged in one or the other of the channels depending on which side of the head the headset is worn.