IP Library Granted Patent US 7,188,896
Granted Patent B2
US 7,188,896 · App. 11/008,302 · Granted Mar 13, 2007

Headphone structure and storage therefor

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 7,188,896
App. No.
11/008,302
Granted
Mar 13, 2007
Kind
B2
Abstract

Headphone storage concepts provided include (i) a headrest forming a compartment configured for storage of an item within the compartment; (ii) a headrest cooperatively configured for receiving headphones such that the headphones are removably secured to the headrest; (iii) a headrest having earphones pivotably attached thereto; (iv) a seat forming a compartment (in wing bolsters or in an underseat, rearward-opening drawer) for storage of an item; and (v) headphones with rotatable earphones to provide a slimmer profile for storage.

Claims (12)

1. A headrest configured for use by a vehicle occupant, said headrest comprising:

structure forming a compartment configured for repeated selective storage of an item within said compartment; wherein said structure is configured to be repeatedly openable for selectively receiving the item within said compartment or selectively removing the item from said compartment and configured to be repeatedly closable for substantially enclosing the item within said compartment;

wherein said structure is cooperatively configured to receive and support the item to be received in a position within said compartment to prevent substantial movement of the item to be received within said compartment when said structure is closed and to maintain the position of the item to be received when said structure is opened prior to selective removal of the item to be received; and

wherein said structure includes a substantially rigid outer casing and a compliant countermeasure contained within said casing, said countermeasure being formed with a recess configured to receive a portion of the item to be received such that the item to be received is at least partially supportable by said countermeasure at said recess to thereby prevent substantial movement of the item to be received when said structure is closed and maintaining the position of the item to be received when said structure is opened.

2. The headrest of claim 1 , including the item, wherein the item is headphones having an earphone; and wherein said recess is configured to receive and support a portion of said earphone.

3. The headrest of claim 2 , wherein said recess is a first recess; wherein said headphones further have a headband connected to said earphone; and wherein said countermeasure is formed with a second recess configured to receive and support a portion of said headband.

4. The headrest of claim 1 , further comprising:

a video display screen mounted to said casing.

5. The headrest of claim 1 , including the item, and wherein the item is headphones.

6. The headrest of claim 5 , further including an optical media disc; wherein said structure forming a compartment is further configured for repeated selective storage of said optical media disc within said compartment; wherein said structure is configured to be repeatedly openable for selectively receiving said optical media disc within said compartment or selectively removing said optical media disc from said compartment and configured to be repeatedly closable for substantially enclosing said optical media disc within said compartment;

wherein said structure is cooperatively configured to receive and support said optical media disc in a position within said compartment to prevent substantial movement of said optical media disc when said structure is closed and to maintain the position of said optical media disc when said structure is opened prior to selective removal of the optical media disc; and

wherein said countermeasure is further formed with an additional recess configured to receive a portion of said optical media disc such that said optical media disc is at least partially supportable by said countermeasure at said additional recess to thereby prevent substantial movement of said optical media disc when said structure is closed and maintaining said position of said optical media disc when said structure is opened, said position of said optical media disc being substantially central to said position of said headphones, said headphones thereby being peripherally positioned about said optical media disc.

Assignments (13)
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Nov 7, 2014
From: WILMINGTON TRUST COMPANY
To: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC
Reel/Frame 034371/0676 →
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Feb 10, 2011
From: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS, INC.
To: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC
Reel/Frame 025780/0936 →
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Nov 8, 2010
From: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS, INC.
To: WILMINGTON TRUST COMPANY
Reel/Frame 025327/0001 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Nov 4, 2010
From: UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY
To: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS, INC.
Reel/Frame 025245/0442 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Nov 4, 2010
From: UAW RETIREE MEDICAL BENEFITS TRUST
To: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS, INC.
Reel/Frame 025311/0770 →
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Aug 28, 2009
From: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS, INC.
To: UAW RETIREE MEDICAL BENEFITS TRUST
Reel/Frame 023162/0001 →
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Aug 27, 2009
From: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS, INC.
To: UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY
Reel/Frame 023156/0052 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Aug 21, 2009
From: CITICORP USA, INC. AS AGENT FOR BANK PRIORITY SECURED PARTIES; CITICORP USA, INC. AS AGENT FOR HEDGE PRIORITY SECURED PARTIES
To: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS, INC.
Reel/Frame 023127/0468 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Aug 20, 2009
From: UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY
To: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS, INC.
Reel/Frame 023124/0429 →
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Apr 16, 2009
From: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS, INC.
To: CITICORP USA, INC. AS AGENT FOR BANK PRIORITY SECURED PARTIES; CITICORP USA, INC. AS AGENT FOR HEDGE PRIORITY SECURED PARTIES
Reel/Frame 022553/0446 →
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Feb 4, 2009
From: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS, INC.
To: UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY
Reel/Frame 022201/0610 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jan 14, 2009
From: GENERAL MOTORS CORPORATION
To: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS, INC.
Reel/Frame 022102/0533 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Feb 11, 2005
From: EMBACH, JAMES T.
To: GENERAL MOTORS CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 015707/0474 →