IP Library Granted Patent US 9,544,676
Granted Patent B2
US 9,544,676 · App. 14/248,773 · Granted Jan 10, 2017

Oval shaped in-ear headphone

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 9,544,676
App. No.
14/248,773
Granted
Jan 10, 2017
Kind
B2
Abstract

A pair of in-ear headphones is disclosed that are operable to reproduce incoming audio signals. The in-ear headphones include an oval shaped housing defining an internal chamber. A front portion of the oval shaped housing defines a nozzle extending away from the housing. A driver is positioned in the internal chamber such that a sound reproduction portion of the driver is aligned with an internal audio channel running through the nozzle. A damper is positioned in an end of the nozzle having a damper aperture having a predetermined size. The nozzle extends from a base portion of the housing at a predetermined upward angle and a predetermined bend angle that provides improved audio frequency responses in desirable frequency ranges.

Claims (54)

1. An in-ear headphone, comprising:

an oval shaped housing defining an internal chamber, wherein a front portion of said oval shaped housing defines a cylindrical shaped nozzle extending away from said oval shaped housing having an internal audio channel;

a driver positioned in said internal chamber such that a sound reproduction portion of said driver is aligned with said internal audio channel running through said nozzle;

a damper positioned in an end of the nozzle having a damper aperture having a predetermined diameter; and

wherein said cylindrical shaped nozzle extends from said front portion of said oval shaped housing at a predetermined upward angle in relation to a horizontal axis of said oval shaped housing and a predetermined bend angle in relation to a vertical axis of said oval shaped housing.

2. The in-ear headphone of claim 1 , wherein said oval shaped housing comprises a front housing connected with a rear housing, wherein said front housing includes said front portion and said nozzle, wherein said front portion of said front housing and said rear housing are oval shaped.

3. The in-ear headphone of claim 1 , wherein said oval shaped housing has across sectional width of about 9.575 mm and a cross sectional height of about 11.277 mm.

4. The in-ear headphone of claim 1 , wherein said oval shaped housing has across sectional width to height ratio of about 1:1.177.

5. The in-ear headphone of claim 1 , wherein said oval shaped housing has a cross sectional width in a range of about 6.715 mm to 13.029 mm and a cross sectional height in a range of about 8.045 mm to 15.214 mm, wherein said cross sectional width and said cross sectional height are selected such that said housing is always oval shaped.

6. The in-ear headphone of claim 1 , wherein said oval shaped housing has across sectional width to height ratio in a range of about 1:1.168 to 1:1.198.

7. The in-ear headphone of claim 1 , further comprising a vent located on a lower surface of said housing in communication with said internal chamber.

8. The in-ear headphone of claim 1 , further comprising an oval shaped eartip connected with an end of said nozzle.

9. The in-ear headphone of claim 8 , wherein said oval shaped eartip has a lower end that tapers downwardly toward a narrower upper end.

10. The in-ear headphone of claim 9 , wherein said lower end of said oval shaped eartip has a width of about 9.870 mm and a height of about 11.618 mm.

11. The in-ear headphone of claim 9 , wherein said lower end of said oval shaped eartip has a width to height ratio of about 1:1.178.

12. The in-ear headphone of claim 9 , wherein said lower end of said oval shaped eartip has a width of about 6.922 mm and a height of about 8.288 mm.

13. The in-ear headphone of claim 9 , wherein said lower end of said oval shaped eartip has a width to height ratio of about 1:1.1973.

14. The in-ear headphone of claim 9 , wherein said lower end of said oval shaped eartip has a width of about 13.340 mm and a height of about 15.674 mm.

15. The in-ear headphone of claim 9 , wherein said lower end of said oval shaped eartip has a width to height ratio of about 1:1.1671.

16. The in-ear headphone of claim 1 , wherein said predetermined diameter of said damper aperture is about 0.6 millimeters.

17. The in-ear headphone of claim 1 , wherein said predetermined upward angle is about 10.0°.

18. The in-ear headphone of claim 1 , wherein said predetermined bend angle is about 22.0°.

19. The in-ear headphone of claim 1 , wherein said predetermined diameter of said damper aperture is about 0.6 millimeters, said predetermined upward angle is about 10.0°, and said predetermined bend angle is about 22.0°.

20. The in-ear headphone of claim 10 , further comprising a vent located on a lower surface of said housing in communication with said internal chamber, wherein said vent has a diameter of about 1 millimeter.

21. The in-ear headphone of claim 1 , wherein said predetermined diameter of said damper aperture is within a range of about 0.4 millimeters to 0.8 millimeters.

22. The in-ear headphone of claim 1 , wherein said predetermined upward angle is within a range of about 8-12°.

23. The in-ear headphone of claim 1 , wherein said predetermined bend angle is within a range of about 15-30°.

24. An in-ear headphone, comprising:

an oval shaped rear housing defining an internal chamber;

a front housing connected with said oval shaped rear housing, wherein said front housing includes an oval shaped base portion, wherein a nozzle extends outwardly and away from said base portion, wherein said nozzle includes an internal audio channel, wherein said nozzle has a predetermined upward angle in relation to a horizontal axis of said oval shaped rear housing and a predetermined bend angle in relation to a vertical axis of said oval shaped rear housing;

a driver connected with a rear portion of said oval shaped base portion of said front housing such that a sound reproduction portion of said driver is aligned with said internal audio channel of said nozzle, wherein a portion of said driver is positioned in said internal chamber and said rear portion of said front housing;

a damper positioned in an end of said nozzle having a damper aperture having a predetermined diameter; and

an oval shaped eartip connected with an end of said nozzle.

25. The in-ear headphone of claim 24 , wherein said oval shaped rear housing and said oval shaped base portion of said front housing has a cross sectional width of about 9.575 mm and a cross sectional height of about 11.277 mm.

26. The in-ear headphone of claim 24 , wherein said oval shaped rear housing and said oval shaped base portion of said front housing has a cross sectional width in a range of about 6.715 mm to 13.029 mm and a cross sectional height in a range of about 8.045 mm to 15.214 mm, wherein said cross sectional width and said cross sectional height are selected such that said oval shaped rear housing and said base portion are always oval shaped.

27. The in-ear headphone of claim 24 , wherein said oval shaped rear housing and said base portion of said front housing has a cross sectional width to height ratio in a range of about 1:1.168 to 1:1.198.

28. The in-ear headphone of claim 24 , further comprising a gasket positioned between said rear portion of said base portion and said sound reproduction portion of said driver.

29. The in-ear headphone of claim 24 , wherein said predetermined upward angle is about 10.0°.

30. The in-ear headphone of claim 24 , wherein said predetermined bend angle is about 22.0°.

31. The in-ear headphone of claim 24 , wherein said predetermined diameter of said damper aperture is about 0.6 millimeters.

32. An in-ear headphone, comprising:

an oval shaped rear housing defining an internal chamber, wherein said oval shaped rear housing comprises an outer housing secured over an inner housing;

an oval shaped front housing having a base portion and a driver mounting base;

a driver positioned in said driver mounting base of said oval shaped front housing;

a nozzle positioned in an upper portion of said oval shaped front housing including a portion that extends forward and away from said base portion of said oval shaped front housing that includes an internal audio channel running therethrough, wherein an inlet to said internal audio channel is aligned with a sound reproduction portion of said driver, wherein said nozzle extends forward and away from said base portion at a predetermined upward angle in relation to a horizontal axis of said base portion and a predetermined bend angle in relation to a vertical axis of said base portion; and

a damper positioned in an end of said nozzle, wherein said damper includes a damper aperture having a predetermined diameter.

33. The in-ear headphone of claim 32 , wherein said outer housing of said oval shaped rear housing comprises a rubber-like material.

34. The in-ear headphone of claim 32 , further comprising an oval shaped eartip connected with an end of said nozzle.

35. The in-ear headphone of claim 32 , wherein said predetermined upward angle is about 10.0°.

36. The in-ear headphone of claim 32 , wherein said predetermined bend angle is about 22.0°.

37. The in-ear headphone of claim 32 , wherein said predetermined diameter of said damper aperture is about 0.6 millimeters.

38. The in-ear headphone of claim 32 wherein said oval shaped rear housing and said oval shaped front housing has a cross sectional width of about 9.575 mm and a cross sectional height of about 11.277 mm.

39. The in-ear headphone of claim 32 , wherein said oval shaped rear housing and said oval shaped front housing has a cross sectional width in a range of about 6.715 mm to 13.029 mm and a cross sectional height in a range of about 8.045 mm to 15.214 mm, wherein said cross sectional width and said cross sectional height are selected such that said oval shaped rear housing and said base portion are always oval shaped.

40. The in-ear headphone of claim 32 , wherein said oval shaped rear housing and said oval shaped front housing has a cross sectional width to height ratio in a range of about 1:1.168 to 1:1.198.

Assignments (3)
RELEASE OF PATENT SECURITY INTEREST RECORDED AT R/F 038631/0001 Recorded Apr 3, 2025
From: WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION
To: VOXX INTERNATIONAL CORPORATION; KLIPSCH GROUP, INC.; AUDIO PRODUCTS INTERNATIONAL CORP.; TECHNUITY, INC.; VOXX ELECTRONICS CORP.; CODE SYSTEMS, INC.
Reel/Frame 070739/0910 →
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded May 6, 2016
From: KLIPSCH GROUP, INC.; AUDIO PRODUCTS INTERNATIONAL CORP.; VOXX INTERNATIONAL CORPORATION; CODE SYSTEMS, INC.; VOXX ELECTRONICS CORPORATION; TECHNUITY, INC.
To: WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION
Reel/Frame 038631/0001 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Apr 9, 2014
From: MARTIN, ANTHONY; GOSPEL, THOMAS EDWARD; HILSMEYER, BROOKE LYN; DOERR, ANDREW JOSHUA
To: KLIPSCH GROUP, INC.
Reel/Frame 032636/0802 →