CA1181160A - Post-auricle contoured headset for two-way voice communication - Google Patents
Post-auricle contoured headset for two-way voice communicationInfo
- Publication number
- CA1181160A CA1181160A CA000377330A CA377330A CA1181160A CA 1181160 A CA1181160 A CA 1181160A CA 000377330 A CA000377330 A CA 000377330A CA 377330 A CA377330 A CA 377330A CA 1181160 A CA1181160 A CA 1181160A
- Authority
- CA
- Canada
- Prior art keywords
- headset
- capsule
- microphone
- wearer
- auricle
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Expired
Links
Classifications
-
- H—ELECTRICITY
- H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
- H04M—TELEPHONIC COMMUNICATION
- H04M1/00—Substation equipment, e.g. for use by subscribers
- H04M1/02—Constructional features of telephone sets
- H04M1/04—Supports for telephone transmitters or receivers
- H04M1/05—Supports for telephone transmitters or receivers specially adapted for use on head, throat or breast
Landscapes
- Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
- Otolaryngology (AREA)
- Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
- Signal Processing (AREA)
- Telephone Set Structure (AREA)
- Electrostatic, Electromagnetic, Magneto- Strictive, And Variable-Resistance Transducers (AREA)
Abstract
ABSTRACT
POST-AURICLE CONTOURED HEADSET FOR TWO-WAY
VOICE COMMUNICATION
A post-auricle headset capsule for a miniaturized headset, and a miniaturized headset including such a capsule. The capsule has corresponsing side surfaces with each side surface being contoured to generally con-form to the shape of a wearer's head. Each side surface has upper and lower side portions with the upper side portion being concave to generally conform to the curva-ture of a wearer's head, and with the lower side portion being narrowed to fit adjacent to the mastoid process of a wearer.
POST-AURICLE CONTOURED HEADSET FOR TWO-WAY
VOICE COMMUNICATION
A post-auricle headset capsule for a miniaturized headset, and a miniaturized headset including such a capsule. The capsule has corresponsing side surfaces with each side surface being contoured to generally con-form to the shape of a wearer's head. Each side surface has upper and lower side portions with the upper side portion being concave to generally conform to the curva-ture of a wearer's head, and with the lower side portion being narrowed to fit adjacent to the mastoid process of a wearer.
Description
&~
--1~
PLAB:025 PQST-AURICLE CONTOURED HEADSET FOR TWO-WAY
VOICE COMMUNICATION
This invention relates to headsets for two-way voice communication, such as might be used by telephone operators, aircraft pilots, air-traffic controllers, etc., and to post-auricle headset capsules for such headsets.
It has long been known that headsets for two-way voice communication can advantageously be constructed from small, lightweight components7 such that the overall weight of the headset may be on the order of one ounce.
For example, V.S. Patent 3,184,556, issued May 18, 1965~
to W. K. Larkin~ discloses a miniaturized headset wherein a hearing-aid size microphone transdu~er and a similarly miniaturi~ed receiver transducer are placed in a capsule mounted near the user's ear; speech is conducted to the microphone via an acoustic tube positioned near the user's mouth~ while incoming communications emanating from the receiver are conducted to the user's ear via a second acou5tic tube. Larkin-type headsets have been used with either a light headband or the temple bar of an eyeglass frame as the supporting member for the transducer housing.
In order to eliminate the necessity for having a headband or an eyeg1ass frame to support the transducer ..~
housing, various headsets have employed the so-called "post-auricle" corfiguration, wherein the transducers are placed in a capsule which is mounted behind ~he ear of the user, and is shaped to fit generally along the saddle area behind the ear. For example, U.S. Patent 3,54~,118, issued December 15, 1970, to K. J. ~utchings, discloses such a post-auricle arrangement, with an acoustic voice tube pass-ing over the ear and into the headset capsule, and an acoustic ear tube passing from the capsule under the wearer's ear and up into the ear canal. ~he arrangement disclosed in the Hutchings patent is embodied in a headset commercially sold by Plantronics, Inc., the assignee of the present application, under its trademark "StarSet."
It has also been known to provide a headset having a capsule shape generally similar to that disclosed in the above-identified Hutchings patent, but not employing an acoustic voice tube. Instead, an electret-type microphone is mounted at the end of a swivelable boom, so that it can be positioned near the wearer's mouth~ The boom is hollow, and electrical lead wires are passed from the electret microphone through the boom and into the headset capsule, where they are incorporated into the main headset cable~
which in turn is plugged into a switchboard or other means of connection to a telephone line. An example of this boom-electret microphone arrangement is found in the headset commercially offered by Northern Electric Company under its trademark "~enture."
3~ The aforementioned headset designs, and all other post-auricle headset designs known to applicants, have attempted to provide stability by means of the judicious location o the acoustic voice tube or boom; or by means of the ancho~ing effect of the acoustic ear tube; or by ~5 attempting to make the saddie curvature of the headset capsule fit as many human ears as possible. Until the present invention, shaping of other portions of the headset capsule was limited to efforts to contain the transducers adequately, and to make the top-most portion of the capsule as thin as possible, thereby to provide ade~uate mounting space for the headset to pass over the top of the ear, where the distance between the auricle and the skull is usually small, especially if the user is wearing eyeglasses.
Headset design is primarily a subjective human engineering problem, with very few workable theoretical guide lines. Proposed designs generally need to be tried out on many different people of varying heights, weight, ages, head shapes, etc., to determine their reactions with regard to comfort, stability, and acoustic properties.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Applicants have found that a substantial enhancement to stability of a post-auricle headset is obtained by certain contouring of the side surfaces of the headset capsule. Strictly speaking, it is necessary to shape only one side of the capsule, but for purposes of versatility, it is desirable to shape both sides, so that the headset can conveniently be worn on either side o~ the head.
One advantageous type of capsule contouring has been found by applicants to be related to the bony protrusion of the skull known as the mastoid process. Headset stability is enhanced by tapering the lower portion of the capsule sidesr so that the capsule rests on the mastoid process, thereby minimi~ing pressure points and more widely distributing the weight of the capsule and the slight pull of the line cable. In addition, to providing greater stability, this shaping results in a capsule of a given weight feeling lighter to the ~Iser, and being more comfortakle to wear for long periods.
Another advantageous type of headset capsule shaping has been found to be the provision of some concavity at the top o~
the capsule, so as to approximately shape the capsule to the curvature of the skull. Fitting the capsule to the skull enhances stability by providing a greater contact surface between the headset and the wearer's head.
Comfort and stability are especially enhanced by the incorporation of both of the above contouring features into the capsule design.
The headset includes a microphone for converting the wearer's speech to electrical signals. The preferred microphone is an electret microphone. Acoustic tube assemblies conduct sound from near the wearer's mouth to th~ electret microphone and from a magnetic receiver to the wearer's ear.
BRIEF DESCRI~TION OF THE DRAWINGS
The invention may be better understood by reference to the ~0 drawings, in which:
FIG. 1 is a pictorial view of a headset according to the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a rear view of a headset capsule according to the present invention, showing the tapering of the capsule to fit over and rest upon the mastoid process.
FIG. 3 is a view of the post-auricle area of a typical human head, showing the mastoid process.
FIG. 4 is a top view of a headset capsule according to the present invention, showing outward concavity of the side portions, to conform to the curvature of the skull, appearing with FIGS. l and 2.
s FIG. 5 is a contour drawing, showing the preferred dimensions for shaping a headset capsule according to the present invention.
FIG. 6 is an illustration of the post-auricle head-set capsule according to the present invention, and including an electret microphone.
FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view of an alternative post-auricle headset capsule configuration including an electret microphone.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODI~ENTS
Referring now to FIG. 1 of the drawings, a headset is shown, including a post-auricle capsule 1. The cap-sule contains a receiver transducer for recep~ion of electrical signals via wires in cable 4 and conversion of these signals to sound by a receiver transducer.
The receiver~s sound signals are conveyed ~y acoustic tube 3 to the wearer's ear canal. The headset capsule 1 may also contain a microphone transducer for convert-ing voice signals to electrical signals, which are then conveyed by means of wires in cable 4 to a suitable amplification device, and thence onto a telephone line~
or other communication link. Voice signals are conveyed to the microphone transducer via acoustic tube 2~ which is swivelably postioned near the wearer's mouth.
3~
Alternatively, in the boom microphone arrangement described above, the microphone transducer migl1t be located at the end of tube 2~ which would then not Eunc-tion as an acoustic tube, but rather as a condui. tube for one or more lead wires from the boom microphone into the headset capsule. The tube might itself function as a lead or as a ground return, it made of conductive metal. The capsule 1 includes a removable cover portion 14, to facilitate repair work on the headset if required.
As shown in FIG~. 2 and 4 of the drawings, the head-set capsule is comprised of two mating halves 5 and 6.
When viewed from the rear, as in FIG 2, it is seen that the sides of the headset capsule are not plane, but are contoured. Contoured portions 7 and 8 are designed to make the capsule narrower toward the bottom. This con-touring of the lower side surfaces of the capsule is done to take account of the shape of the human skull in the area behind the ear. More`particularly, as shown in FIG.
3, there is a bony protrusion behind the ear known as the mastoid process, shown at 11. In the present invention, it has been found that better fit, comfort and stability are obtained if the sides of the headset are contoured to fit over the mastoid process 11. Of course, the capsule must also have a curved portion ~o fit the saddle area 10 behind the auricle 9, as known in the prior art.
Another aspect of capsule shaping according to the present invention is to contour the upper side portions of 3~ headset capsule 1 to the curvature of the s~ull in a fore-and-aft direction. As illustrated in FIG. ~, this curva-ture of the upper side portions is shown, viewed above, by the outwardly concave surfaces 12 and 13. This curvature is exaggerated in FIG. 4 for clarity; in actuality, the curvature of the head in the area near the top of the ear is somewhat less than as shown in FIG. ~. It has been found that wearer comfort and stability are further enhanced by shaping the capsule to this curvature of the head.
Referring now to FIG. 5 of the drawings, a contour drawing of a headset capsule according to the present invention is shown. The dimensions shown are in mils, measured from the line dividing the left and right halves of the capsule (see Figs. 2 and 4). The contouring to fit the mastoid process is shown in FIG. 5 by the area wherein the thickness of a capsule half decreases from ~50 mils to ~00 mils. Although it would be possible to broaden the lower portion of the capsule once it has passed below the mastoid process, and still be within the scope of the present invention, it is preferable not to do so, because of the variable length and location of the mastoid process among various prospective wearers.
During use, the headset is partially supported on the mastoid process, thereby dividing and distributing the weight of the capsule and the slight pull of the headset cable 4 between the mastoid process 11 (FIG. 3) and the saddle area 10 of the ear.
Referring now to FIG. 6 of the drawings, when the microphone of the headset is to be located in the headset capsule, it is advan~ayeous to use a microphone of the electret type. An electret microphone operates on the principle of converting sound into changes of electrical field between a metallic diaphragm and a metal back plate, which operate together as a capacitor. FIG. 6 shows a typical arrangement of such a headset, in which an elec-tret microphone 15 is seated in a capsule half 6 by means 3S of ribs 16, which may be molded integrally with the capsule-half 6. Sound is conducted to the electret microphone 15 by way of a tube 17, which may be of stain-less steel. Tube 17 is surrounded by a wire retainer 18 welded to tube 17 where it enters the capsule. Tube 17 is press-fitted to an elastomeric coupler 19, the other end of which is press-fitted onto the electret microphone 15.
Lead wires 20 are provided to connect electret microphone 15 to wires of the headset cable 4. A suitable voice tube arrangement, not shown, may be employed to pick up sound 1~ near the wearer's mouth and convey it into tube 17, thus comprising an acoustic voice tube assembly.
A magnetic or dynamic receiver 21 is fitted in a rubber boot 22, which in turn is placed in the headset capsule half, in the space formed between ribs 23. Leads 24 are employed to conduct electrical signals from wires in the headset cable 4 to the receiver 21. An elastomeric coupler 25 connects the receiver 21 to a metal receiver insert 26, which passes through the capsule wall. An acoustic ear tube, partially shown at 27, conducts sound from the metal receiver insert 2b to the wearer's ear canal, in conventional manner, thus constituting an acoustic receiver tube assembly.
An alternative arrangement for mounting the electret microphone in a headset capsule is shown in FIG. 7 of the drawings. This arrangement is substantially similar to that of FIG. 6, except that a first O-ring 28, of suitable elastomeric material, is placed around the main casing of electret microphone 15, to allow cushioning for the micro-phone if the headset is subjected to jarring in either the vertical direction or the transverse direc~ion. A second O-ring 29 is pl~ced in front of the casing of electret microphone 15~ to allow for lateral cushioning of the microphone in case the headset is subjected to jarring in the lateral direction.
In the arrangement of FIG. 7, sound is conducted to the electret rl1icrcphone 15 by way of an acoustic tube 30, which is surrounded by a third elastomeric O-ring 31 where it enters the capsule. Acoustic tube 30 ends at passageway 32, through which sound is conducted to cavity 33, where it is picked up by the electret microphone 15. A magnetic or dynamic receiver 35 is mounted in the capsule 34 in a manner si~ilar to that described for the arrangement of FIG. 6. Sound is conducted from magnetic receiver 35 v~a a receiver-insert 36 to an acoustic ear tube, not shown.
It should be understood that various alternatives to the structures shown herein may be employed in practicing the present invention. It is intended that the following claims define the invention, and that structure within the scope of these claims and their equivalents be covered thereby.
~5
--1~
PLAB:025 PQST-AURICLE CONTOURED HEADSET FOR TWO-WAY
VOICE COMMUNICATION
This invention relates to headsets for two-way voice communication, such as might be used by telephone operators, aircraft pilots, air-traffic controllers, etc., and to post-auricle headset capsules for such headsets.
It has long been known that headsets for two-way voice communication can advantageously be constructed from small, lightweight components7 such that the overall weight of the headset may be on the order of one ounce.
For example, V.S. Patent 3,184,556, issued May 18, 1965~
to W. K. Larkin~ discloses a miniaturized headset wherein a hearing-aid size microphone transdu~er and a similarly miniaturi~ed receiver transducer are placed in a capsule mounted near the user's ear; speech is conducted to the microphone via an acoustic tube positioned near the user's mouth~ while incoming communications emanating from the receiver are conducted to the user's ear via a second acou5tic tube. Larkin-type headsets have been used with either a light headband or the temple bar of an eyeglass frame as the supporting member for the transducer housing.
In order to eliminate the necessity for having a headband or an eyeg1ass frame to support the transducer ..~
housing, various headsets have employed the so-called "post-auricle" corfiguration, wherein the transducers are placed in a capsule which is mounted behind ~he ear of the user, and is shaped to fit generally along the saddle area behind the ear. For example, U.S. Patent 3,54~,118, issued December 15, 1970, to K. J. ~utchings, discloses such a post-auricle arrangement, with an acoustic voice tube pass-ing over the ear and into the headset capsule, and an acoustic ear tube passing from the capsule under the wearer's ear and up into the ear canal. ~he arrangement disclosed in the Hutchings patent is embodied in a headset commercially sold by Plantronics, Inc., the assignee of the present application, under its trademark "StarSet."
It has also been known to provide a headset having a capsule shape generally similar to that disclosed in the above-identified Hutchings patent, but not employing an acoustic voice tube. Instead, an electret-type microphone is mounted at the end of a swivelable boom, so that it can be positioned near the wearer's mouth~ The boom is hollow, and electrical lead wires are passed from the electret microphone through the boom and into the headset capsule, where they are incorporated into the main headset cable~
which in turn is plugged into a switchboard or other means of connection to a telephone line. An example of this boom-electret microphone arrangement is found in the headset commercially offered by Northern Electric Company under its trademark "~enture."
3~ The aforementioned headset designs, and all other post-auricle headset designs known to applicants, have attempted to provide stability by means of the judicious location o the acoustic voice tube or boom; or by means of the ancho~ing effect of the acoustic ear tube; or by ~5 attempting to make the saddie curvature of the headset capsule fit as many human ears as possible. Until the present invention, shaping of other portions of the headset capsule was limited to efforts to contain the transducers adequately, and to make the top-most portion of the capsule as thin as possible, thereby to provide ade~uate mounting space for the headset to pass over the top of the ear, where the distance between the auricle and the skull is usually small, especially if the user is wearing eyeglasses.
Headset design is primarily a subjective human engineering problem, with very few workable theoretical guide lines. Proposed designs generally need to be tried out on many different people of varying heights, weight, ages, head shapes, etc., to determine their reactions with regard to comfort, stability, and acoustic properties.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Applicants have found that a substantial enhancement to stability of a post-auricle headset is obtained by certain contouring of the side surfaces of the headset capsule. Strictly speaking, it is necessary to shape only one side of the capsule, but for purposes of versatility, it is desirable to shape both sides, so that the headset can conveniently be worn on either side o~ the head.
One advantageous type of capsule contouring has been found by applicants to be related to the bony protrusion of the skull known as the mastoid process. Headset stability is enhanced by tapering the lower portion of the capsule sidesr so that the capsule rests on the mastoid process, thereby minimi~ing pressure points and more widely distributing the weight of the capsule and the slight pull of the line cable. In addition, to providing greater stability, this shaping results in a capsule of a given weight feeling lighter to the ~Iser, and being more comfortakle to wear for long periods.
Another advantageous type of headset capsule shaping has been found to be the provision of some concavity at the top o~
the capsule, so as to approximately shape the capsule to the curvature of the skull. Fitting the capsule to the skull enhances stability by providing a greater contact surface between the headset and the wearer's head.
Comfort and stability are especially enhanced by the incorporation of both of the above contouring features into the capsule design.
The headset includes a microphone for converting the wearer's speech to electrical signals. The preferred microphone is an electret microphone. Acoustic tube assemblies conduct sound from near the wearer's mouth to th~ electret microphone and from a magnetic receiver to the wearer's ear.
BRIEF DESCRI~TION OF THE DRAWINGS
The invention may be better understood by reference to the ~0 drawings, in which:
FIG. 1 is a pictorial view of a headset according to the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a rear view of a headset capsule according to the present invention, showing the tapering of the capsule to fit over and rest upon the mastoid process.
FIG. 3 is a view of the post-auricle area of a typical human head, showing the mastoid process.
FIG. 4 is a top view of a headset capsule according to the present invention, showing outward concavity of the side portions, to conform to the curvature of the skull, appearing with FIGS. l and 2.
s FIG. 5 is a contour drawing, showing the preferred dimensions for shaping a headset capsule according to the present invention.
FIG. 6 is an illustration of the post-auricle head-set capsule according to the present invention, and including an electret microphone.
FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view of an alternative post-auricle headset capsule configuration including an electret microphone.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODI~ENTS
Referring now to FIG. 1 of the drawings, a headset is shown, including a post-auricle capsule 1. The cap-sule contains a receiver transducer for recep~ion of electrical signals via wires in cable 4 and conversion of these signals to sound by a receiver transducer.
The receiver~s sound signals are conveyed ~y acoustic tube 3 to the wearer's ear canal. The headset capsule 1 may also contain a microphone transducer for convert-ing voice signals to electrical signals, which are then conveyed by means of wires in cable 4 to a suitable amplification device, and thence onto a telephone line~
or other communication link. Voice signals are conveyed to the microphone transducer via acoustic tube 2~ which is swivelably postioned near the wearer's mouth.
3~
Alternatively, in the boom microphone arrangement described above, the microphone transducer migl1t be located at the end of tube 2~ which would then not Eunc-tion as an acoustic tube, but rather as a condui. tube for one or more lead wires from the boom microphone into the headset capsule. The tube might itself function as a lead or as a ground return, it made of conductive metal. The capsule 1 includes a removable cover portion 14, to facilitate repair work on the headset if required.
As shown in FIG~. 2 and 4 of the drawings, the head-set capsule is comprised of two mating halves 5 and 6.
When viewed from the rear, as in FIG 2, it is seen that the sides of the headset capsule are not plane, but are contoured. Contoured portions 7 and 8 are designed to make the capsule narrower toward the bottom. This con-touring of the lower side surfaces of the capsule is done to take account of the shape of the human skull in the area behind the ear. More`particularly, as shown in FIG.
3, there is a bony protrusion behind the ear known as the mastoid process, shown at 11. In the present invention, it has been found that better fit, comfort and stability are obtained if the sides of the headset are contoured to fit over the mastoid process 11. Of course, the capsule must also have a curved portion ~o fit the saddle area 10 behind the auricle 9, as known in the prior art.
Another aspect of capsule shaping according to the present invention is to contour the upper side portions of 3~ headset capsule 1 to the curvature of the s~ull in a fore-and-aft direction. As illustrated in FIG. ~, this curva-ture of the upper side portions is shown, viewed above, by the outwardly concave surfaces 12 and 13. This curvature is exaggerated in FIG. 4 for clarity; in actuality, the curvature of the head in the area near the top of the ear is somewhat less than as shown in FIG. ~. It has been found that wearer comfort and stability are further enhanced by shaping the capsule to this curvature of the head.
Referring now to FIG. 5 of the drawings, a contour drawing of a headset capsule according to the present invention is shown. The dimensions shown are in mils, measured from the line dividing the left and right halves of the capsule (see Figs. 2 and 4). The contouring to fit the mastoid process is shown in FIG. 5 by the area wherein the thickness of a capsule half decreases from ~50 mils to ~00 mils. Although it would be possible to broaden the lower portion of the capsule once it has passed below the mastoid process, and still be within the scope of the present invention, it is preferable not to do so, because of the variable length and location of the mastoid process among various prospective wearers.
During use, the headset is partially supported on the mastoid process, thereby dividing and distributing the weight of the capsule and the slight pull of the headset cable 4 between the mastoid process 11 (FIG. 3) and the saddle area 10 of the ear.
Referring now to FIG. 6 of the drawings, when the microphone of the headset is to be located in the headset capsule, it is advan~ayeous to use a microphone of the electret type. An electret microphone operates on the principle of converting sound into changes of electrical field between a metallic diaphragm and a metal back plate, which operate together as a capacitor. FIG. 6 shows a typical arrangement of such a headset, in which an elec-tret microphone 15 is seated in a capsule half 6 by means 3S of ribs 16, which may be molded integrally with the capsule-half 6. Sound is conducted to the electret microphone 15 by way of a tube 17, which may be of stain-less steel. Tube 17 is surrounded by a wire retainer 18 welded to tube 17 where it enters the capsule. Tube 17 is press-fitted to an elastomeric coupler 19, the other end of which is press-fitted onto the electret microphone 15.
Lead wires 20 are provided to connect electret microphone 15 to wires of the headset cable 4. A suitable voice tube arrangement, not shown, may be employed to pick up sound 1~ near the wearer's mouth and convey it into tube 17, thus comprising an acoustic voice tube assembly.
A magnetic or dynamic receiver 21 is fitted in a rubber boot 22, which in turn is placed in the headset capsule half, in the space formed between ribs 23. Leads 24 are employed to conduct electrical signals from wires in the headset cable 4 to the receiver 21. An elastomeric coupler 25 connects the receiver 21 to a metal receiver insert 26, which passes through the capsule wall. An acoustic ear tube, partially shown at 27, conducts sound from the metal receiver insert 2b to the wearer's ear canal, in conventional manner, thus constituting an acoustic receiver tube assembly.
An alternative arrangement for mounting the electret microphone in a headset capsule is shown in FIG. 7 of the drawings. This arrangement is substantially similar to that of FIG. 6, except that a first O-ring 28, of suitable elastomeric material, is placed around the main casing of electret microphone 15, to allow cushioning for the micro-phone if the headset is subjected to jarring in either the vertical direction or the transverse direc~ion. A second O-ring 29 is pl~ced in front of the casing of electret microphone 15~ to allow for lateral cushioning of the microphone in case the headset is subjected to jarring in the lateral direction.
In the arrangement of FIG. 7, sound is conducted to the electret rl1icrcphone 15 by way of an acoustic tube 30, which is surrounded by a third elastomeric O-ring 31 where it enters the capsule. Acoustic tube 30 ends at passageway 32, through which sound is conducted to cavity 33, where it is picked up by the electret microphone 15. A magnetic or dynamic receiver 35 is mounted in the capsule 34 in a manner si~ilar to that described for the arrangement of FIG. 6. Sound is conducted from magnetic receiver 35 v~a a receiver-insert 36 to an acoustic ear tube, not shown.
It should be understood that various alternatives to the structures shown herein may be employed in practicing the present invention. It is intended that the following claims define the invention, and that structure within the scope of these claims and their equivalents be covered thereby.
~5
Claims (12)
1. A two-way voice communication headset, comprising:
(a) a post-auricle capsule;
(b) means, including a microphone, for converting a wearer's speech to electrical signals, said means being connected to said capsule;
(c) means, including a receiver, for converting received electrical signals into sounds and conveying said sounds to a wearer's ear, said means being connected to the capsule;
the capsule having a lower portion narrowed on both sides, the narrowed portion being adapted to fit adjacent the mastoid process on either side of a wearer's head.
(a) a post-auricle capsule;
(b) means, including a microphone, for converting a wearer's speech to electrical signals, said means being connected to said capsule;
(c) means, including a receiver, for converting received electrical signals into sounds and conveying said sounds to a wearer's ear, said means being connected to the capsule;
the capsule having a lower portion narrowed on both sides, the narrowed portion being adapted to fit adjacent the mastoid process on either side of a wearer's head.
2. The headset of claim 1, wherein at least a portion of the sides of the headset capsule are concave outward, to conform to the curvature of the wearer's head in the front-to-back direction.
3. The headset of Claim 1, in which the receiver is mounted in the capsule, and in which the headset includes an acoustic ear tube having one end thereof connected to the receiver and having the other end adapted for insertion into a wearer's ear.
4. The headset of claim 1, in which the microphone is mounted in the capsule, and in which the headset includes an acoustic voice tube connected to the microphone, the voice tube having an open end positionable near a wearer's mouth.
5. The headset of claim 1, which includes a boom extending from the capsule, and in which the microphone is mounted on the end of the boom spaced from the capsule.
6. The headset of claim 4, in which the microphone is an electret microphone.
7. The headset of claim 6, wherein the electret micro-phone includes a main casing mounted directly against a portion of the post-auricle capsule.
8. The headset of claim 7, wherein the receiver is surrounded in the capsule by an elastomeric boot.
9. The headset of claim 6, further comprising an elas-tomeric coupler for connecting the acoustic voice tube to the electret microphone.
10. The headset of claim 6, wherein the post-auricle capsule contains at least one passageway for conducting sound between the acoustic voice tube and the electret microphone.
11. The headset of claim 10, further comprising at least one cushioning member between a portion of the electret microphone and the capsule.
12. The headset of claim 11, including at least two cushioning members between a portion of the electret microphone and the capsule, the cushioning members being O-rings.
Priority Applications (1)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA000447141A CA1181161A (en) | 1980-06-24 | 1984-02-09 | Post-auricle contoured headset for two-way voice communication |
Applications Claiming Priority (4)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| US16244080A | 1980-06-24 | 1980-06-24 | |
| US162,440 | 1980-06-24 | ||
| US06/162,634 US4335281A (en) | 1980-06-24 | 1980-06-24 | Post-auricle contoured headset for two-way voice communication |
| US162,634 | 1980-06-24 |
Related Child Applications (1)
| Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA000447141A Division CA1181161A (en) | 1980-06-24 | 1984-02-09 | Post-auricle contoured headset for two-way voice communication |
Publications (1)
| Publication Number | Publication Date |
|---|---|
| CA1181160A true CA1181160A (en) | 1985-01-15 |
Family
ID=26858767
Family Applications (1)
| Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA000377330A Expired CA1181160A (en) | 1980-06-24 | 1981-05-11 | Post-auricle contoured headset for two-way voice communication |
Country Status (2)
| Country | Link |
|---|---|
| CA (1) | CA1181160A (en) |
| GB (1) | GB2138649B (en) |
Families Citing this family (2)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| US4917504A (en) * | 1989-05-05 | 1990-04-17 | Plantronics, Inc. | Communications headset |
| GB2347042B (en) * | 1999-02-16 | 2001-04-18 | Cotron Corp | Adjustable earphone with a microphone |
Family Cites Families (3)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| AT194933B (en) * | 1955-10-15 | 1958-01-25 | Viennatone Hoergeraete Ing Koe | Hearing aid |
| US3101155A (en) * | 1961-03-14 | 1963-08-20 | Dictograph Products Inc | Compact housing |
| GB995159A (en) * | 1962-08-30 | 1965-06-16 | Airmed Ltd | Improvements in or relating to telecommunication headsets |
-
1981
- 1981-05-11 CA CA000377330A patent/CA1181160A/en not_active Expired
- 1981-05-12 GB GB08412761A patent/GB2138649B/en not_active Expired
Also Published As
| Publication number | Publication date |
|---|---|
| GB8412761D0 (en) | 1984-06-27 |
| GB2138649A (en) | 1984-10-24 |
| GB2138649B (en) | 1985-10-02 |
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Legal Events
| Date | Code | Title | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| MKEX | Expiry |