IP Library Granted Patent US 10,779,074
Granted Patent B1
US 10,779,074 · App. 16/368,773 · Granted Sep 15, 2020

Headphone with multiple support members

Inventors: Russell Speight VanBlon (Raleigh, NC); Robert James Kapinos (Durham, NC); Scott Wentao Li (Cary, NC); Robert James Norton, Jr. (Raleigh, NC)
Assignee: Lenovo (Singapore) PTE LTD
H04R1/1041H04R1/1008
View Patent ↗
Loading inventors, assignments & file history…
Monitor This Case
Get email alerts when status or documents change.
Order Certified Copies
Most orders are placed with the USPTO same day — all within 24 business hours.
Order via The Patent Place →
Pre-filled with this patent's details
Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,779,074
App. No.
16/368,773
Granted
Sep 15, 2020
Kind
B1
Abstract

For earwear with multiple support members supporting multiple configurations, methods, apparatus, and systems are disclosed. One apparatus includes a first support member configured to contact a first portion of a user's head, a second support member configured to contact a second portion of the user's head different than the first, a positioner that moves the first support member and the second support member between a first configuration where the first support member is extended and the second support member is retracted, and a second configuration the first support member is retracted and the second support member is extended.

Claims (41)

1. A headphone apparatus comprising:

a pair of earpieces, each earpiece comprising;

a speaker;

a first support member configured to contact a user's head at a first location;

a second support member configured to contact the user's head at a second location different than the first; and

a positioner that moves the first support member and the second support member between a first configuration where the first support member is extended with respect to the second support member, and a second configuration the first support member is retracted with respect to the second support member,

wherein the positioner comprises a rubber diaphragm having two stable arrangements, wherein the first configuration corresponds to a first stable arrangement of the rubber diaphragm and the second configuration corresponds to a second stable arrangement of the rubber diaphragm; and

a headband connecting the pair of earpieces.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first support member contacts a portion of the user's head surrounding the user's ear when extended, wherein the earpiece covers the user's ear when the first support member and the second support member are in the first configuration.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the second support member contacts a portion of the user's ear when extended, wherein the earpiece rests on the user's ear when the first support member and the second support member are in the second configuration.

4. The apparatus of claim 3 , wherein the second support member does not exert pressure on the user's ear when the first support member and the second support member are in the first configuration.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the positioner comprises one of a lever and a slider.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the positioner comprises a locking mechanism that prevents movement of the first support member with respect to the second support member while the locking mechanism is engaged.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein an amount force required to change arrangements of the rubber diaphragm is greater than an amount of force exerted by the headband.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the speaker maintains a same distance to the user's ear between the first configuration and the second configuration.

9. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising an audio controller that sends signals to the speaker, wherein the audio controller uses a first audio setting in response to the earpiece being in the first configuration and uses a second audio setting in response to the earpiece being in the second configuration.

10. An earpiece apparatus comprising;

a first support member configured to contact a first portion of a user's head;

a second support member configured to contact a second portion of the user's head different than the first;

an adjustment member that positions the first support member and the second support member in one of: a first arrangement where the first support member is extended relative to the second support member and a second arrangement where the first support member is retracted relative to the second support member,

wherein the adjustment member comprises a rubber diaphragm having two stable modes,

wherein the first arrangement corresponds to a first stable mode of the adjustment member and the second arrangement corresponds to a second stable mode of the adjustment member; and

a speaker.

11. The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the earpiece covers the user's ear when the first support member and the second support member are in the first arrangement, wherein the first support member comprises a circum-aural earpad that contacts a portion of the user's head surrounding the user's ear.

12. The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the earpiece rests on the user's ear when the first support member and the second support member are in the second arrangement, wherein the second support member comprises a supra-aural earpad that contacts a portion of the user's ear.

13. The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the adjustment member comprises one of a lever and a slider.

14. The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the adjustment member comprises a locking mechanism that prevents movement of the first support member relative to the second support member while the locking mechanism is engaged.

15. The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the speaker maintains a set distance to the user's ear between the first arrangement and the second arrangement.

16. The apparatus of claim 10 , further comprising an audio controller that sends signals to the speaker, wherein the audio controller adjusts an audio setting in response to the earpiece transitioning from the first arrangement to the second arrangement.

17. The apparatus of claim 16 , wherein the audio setting comprises at least one of:

a volume level, an equalization balance, and noise-cancelling status.

18. A system comprising:

a pair of earcups, each earcup comprising;

a speaker;

an outer earpad configured to contact a user's head at a first location;

an inner earpad configured to contact the user's head at a second location different than the first; and

an actuator that transitions the outer earpad and the inner earpad between a first mode where the outer earpad is extended relative to the inner earpad, and a second mode the outer earpad is retracted relative to the inner earpad;

a headband connecting the pair of earcups; and

an audio controller that sends signals to each speaker, wherein the audio controller adjusts an audio setting in response to an earcup transitioning from the first mode to the second mode.

19. The system of claim 18 , wherein the audio setting comprises at least one of: a volume level, an equalization balance, and noise-cancelling status.

20. The system of claim 18 , wherein the speaker maintains a set distance to the user's head between the first mode and the second mode.

Assignments (3)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jan 10, 2025
From: LENOVO PC INTERNATIONAL LIMITED
To: LENOVO SWITZERLAND INTERNATIONAL GMBH
Reel/Frame 069870/0670 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jul 14, 2022
From: LENOVO (SINGAPORE) PTE LTD
To: LENOVO PC INTERNATIONAL LIMITED
Reel/Frame 060651/0634 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Mar 28, 2019
From: VANBLON, RUSSELL SPEIGHT; KAPINOS, ROBERT JAMES; LI, SCOTT WENTAO; NORTON, ROBERT JAMES, JR
To: LENOVO (SINGAPORE) PTE. LTD.
Reel/Frame 048733/0494 →