IP Library Granted Patent US 10,477,307
Granted Patent B1
US 10,477,307 · App. 16/240,341 · Granted Nov 12, 2019

Waterproof headphone structure

Inventors: Isword Zhang (Stamford, CT); Cary Zou (Stamford, CT)
Assignee: Harman International Industries, Incorporated
H04R1/44H04R1/1016H04R1/1058H04R1/1091
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,477,307
App. No.
16/240,341
Granted
Nov 12, 2019
Kind
B1
Abstract

In at least one embodiment, a waterproof headphone assembly is provided. The assembly includes an earphone. The earphone includes a neck portion, a base portion, and a flexible skirt. The neck portion defines an attachment channel that extends about a first axis. The base portion defines an audio channel along with the neck portion. The audio channel extends along a second axis that is perpendicular to the first axis and enables a transmission of an audio signal from a transducer to a user. The flexible skirt is removably coupled to at least one outer recess of the attachment channel positioned on the neck portion. The attachment channel enables water collected from within the audio channel to be removed therefrom when the flexible skirt is removed from the at least one outer recess.

Claims (34)

1. A waterproof headphone assembly comprising:

an earphone including:

a neck portion that defines an attachment channel that extends about a first axis;

a base portion that defines an audio channel along with the neck portion, the audio channel extending along a second axis that is perpendicular to the first axis and enabling a transmission of an audio signal from a transducer to a user; and

a flexible skirt being removably coupled to at least one outer recess of the attachment channel positioned on the neck portion, wherein the attachment channel enables water collected from within the audio channel to be removed therefrom when the flexible skirt is removed from the at least one outer recess.

2. The headphone assembly of claim 1 , wherein the flexible skirt defines an audio opening that extends at a third axis that is axially aligned with the second axis for transmitting the audio signal into an ear of a user.

3. The headphone assembly of claim 2 further comprising a metal mesh positioned in the neck portion and below the audio opening to prevent water intrusion into the audio channel.

4. The headphone assembly of claim 3 , wherein the metal mesh is positioned above the attachment channel.

5. The headphone assembly of claim 3 , wherein a thickness of the metal mesh is within a range of 0.15 mm to 0.3 mm.

6. The headphone assembly of claim 3 , wherein the neck portion includes an outer flange to receive the flexible skirt.

7. The headphone assembly of claim 6 , wherein the outer flange includes a ledge portion that is positioned lower in relation to a top portion of the outer flange to receive the metal mesh.

8. A waterproof headphone assembly comprising:

an earphone including:

a transducer to provide an audio signal;

a neck portion that defines an attachment channel that extends about a first axis;

a base portion that defines an audio channel along with the neck portion, the audio channel extending along a second axis that is perpendicular to the first axis and enabling transmission of the audio signal to a user; and

a flexible skirt being removably coupled to at least one outer recess of the attachment channel positioned on the neck portion, wherein the attachment channel enables water collected from within the audio channel to be removed therefrom when the flexible skirt is removed from the at least one outer recess.

9. The headphone assembly of claim 8 , wherein the flexible skirt defines an audio opening that extends at a third axis that is axially aligned with the second axis for transmitting the audio signal into an ear of the user.

10. The headphone assembly of claim 9 further comprising a metal mesh positioned in the neck portion and below the audio opening to prevent water intrusion into the audio channel.

11. The headphone assembly of claim 10 , wherein the metal mesh is positioned above the attachment channel.

12. The headphone assembly of claim 10 , wherein a thickness of the metal mesh is within a range of 0.15 mm to 0.3 mm.

13. The headphone assembly of claim 10 , wherein the neck portion includes an outer flange to receive the flexible skirt.

14. The headphone assembly of claim 13 , wherein the outer flange includes a ledge portion that is positioned lower in relation to a top portion of the outer flange to receive the metal mesh.

15. The headphone assembly of claim 8 , wherein the transducer is positioned within the base portion.

16. A waterproof headphone assembly comprising:

an earphone including:

a transducer to provide an audio signal;

a neck portion that defines an attachment channel that extends about a first axis;

a base portion that defines an audio channel along with the neck portion to enable transmission of an audio signal from a transducer positioned within the base portion to a user, the audio channel extending along a second axis that is perpendicular to the first axis and enabling transmission of the audio signal to a user; and

a flexible skirt being removably coupled to at least one outer recess of the attachment channel positioned on the neck portion, wherein the attachment channel enables water collected from within the audio channel to be removed therefrom when the flexible skirt is removed from the at least one outer recess.

17. The headphone assembly of claim 16 , wherein the flexible skirt defines an audio opening that extends at a third axis that is axially aligned with the second axis for transmitting the audio signal into an ear of the user.

18. The headphone assembly of claim 17 further comprising a metal mesh positioned in the neck portion and below the audio opening to prevent water intrusion into the audio channel.

19. The headphone assembly of claim 18 , wherein the metal mesh is positioned above the attachment channel.

20. The headphone assembly of claim 19 , wherein a thickness of the metal mesh is within a range of 0.15 mm to 0.3 mm.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jan 4, 2019
From: ZHANG, ISWORD; ZOU, CARY
To: HARMAN INTERNATIONAL INDUSTRIES, INCORPORATED
Reel/Frame 048018/0486 →
Cited By (3)
US 1,068,741 US 1,069,754 US 12,732,735