EP2082610B1

EP2082610B1 - Headset with adjustable earhook

Info

Publication number: EP2082610B1
Application number: EP07817826A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Jonas Christiansen
Original assignee: GN Netcom AS
Current assignee: GN Audio AS
Priority date: 2006-10-13
Filing date: 2007-10-05
Publication date: 2010-07-28
Anticipated expiration: 2027-10-05
Also published as: DK200601332A; DE602007008129D1; EP2082610A1; ATE476063T1; WO2008043359A1

Abstract

A headset (1) comprising a headset body (15) and an earhook (2). The headset body (15) includes a microphone (4), a speaker (3) and holding means (5, 6) for holding the earhook (2) between the microphone (4) and the speaker (3) at a distance from the speaker (3). The holding means (5, 6) are adapted such that the distance between the earhook (2) and the speaker (3) can be varied in order to adapt the headset to the user.

Description

Technical Field

The invention relates to a headset comprising a headset body and an earhook, wherein the headset body includes a microphone, a speaker and attachment means for attaching the earhook to the headset body between the microphone and the speaker at an attachment position that lies at a distance from the speaker. Such headsets are primarily used as headsets for telephony. The headset is attached to the ear of the user by means of the earhook such that the speaker lies at the entrance of the auditory canal and the microphone more or less close to the mouth.

Background Art

EP 0 749 263 B1 , US 2003/0013498 A1 and WO 03/009637 all disclose headsets according to the preamble of claim 1. These documents disclose headsets, which in different ways can be adjusted to the user. However, there is room for improvement. The head anatomy varies a lot between individuals and especially the distance between the auditory canal and top of the ear and the angle of an imaginary line extending between the auditory canal and the mouth varies. It is therefore desirable to be able to adjust the headset regarding these parameters.

Disclosure of Invention

The object of the invention is to provide a headset with good adjustability. The headset according to the invention is characterised in that the attachment means are adapted such that the distance between the attachment position of the earhook and the speaker can be varied in order to adapt the headset to the user. In this way, an improved and simple manner of adjusting the headset to the anatomy of a specific user is obtained.
According to an embodiment the headset body has a first end and a second end, wherein the microphone is arranged at the first end and the speaker is arranged at the second end. Preferably, the headset body is an elongate body extending between the first end and the second end.
According to an embodiment, the attachment means are adapted such that the earhook can be attached at two or more distinct distances from the second end. This is a simple and in many cases satisfying solution.
According to a preferred embodiment, the attachment means comprises at least two holes for receiving a portion of the ear hook. This is a very simple and reliable solution.
Preferably, the holes extend essentially perpendicular on an axis running between the first end and the second end of the headset body.
The holes can be through going holes. Thus, the headset may be used on both ears as the earhook portion can be inserted from either side.
According to a simple embodiment, the portion of the earhook is held in one the holes by friction.
According to an embodiment, the earhook comprises a first linear portion to be received by the holes, which first linear portion of the earhook is connected by a hinge to the remainder of the earhook.
According to an embodiment, the earhook is at least partly made of material making it plastically deformable in order to adapt it to the user.
According to an alternative embodiment, the holding means comprises a slider that can slide along the headset body.
According to a specific embodiment the slider can be arranged inside the headset body and the earhook can extend from the slider through a slot in the wall of the headset body to the outside.
Alternatively, the slider is in the shape of a sleeve, which is arranged around the headset body. In this case, the headset body may be shaped as an elongate boom. If the book has a circular cross-section, the slider may rotate around the boom, which adds to the adjustability. If the boom has a non-circular cross-section, the slider may be prevented from undesired rotation.
The slider can be frictionally held when no external force is applied.
Alternatively or additionally, the contacting surfaces of the slider and the headset body are provided with inter-engaging teeth and/or indentations. Thus, undesired sliding of the slider is prevented in a simple and reliable way.

Brief Description of the drawings

The invention is explained in details below with reference to the drawing illustrating embodiments of the invention and in which

Fig. 1: is a perspective view of a first embodiment of a headset according to the invention,
Fig. 2: is a perspective view of an ear hook of the headset according to the invention,
Fig. 3: is a cross-sectional view through a second embodiment of the invention, and
Fig.4: is a perspective view of a third embodiment of a headset according to the invention.

The following reference signs are used in the figures and the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments.

1: headset
2: earhook
3: speaker
4: microphone
5: first hole
6: second hole
7: first linear portion of earhook
8: second linear portion of earhook
9: curved portion of earhook
10: ear hook hinge
11: notch
12: dome-shaped protrusion
13: speaker hole
14: microphone hole
15: headset body
16: first end of headset body
17: second end of headset body
18: first side of headset body
19: second side of headset body
20: boom
21: slider
22: slider
23: slot
24: markings
25: attachment position

Modes for Carrying out the Invention

Fig. 1 shows a headset 1 according to a first embodiment of the invention. The headset 1 comprises a headset body 15 and an earhook 2. The headset body 15 is elongate with a first end 16 and a second end 17. The headset body has a first side 18 facing the user's head during use and a second side 1-9 facing away from the user's head during use. A microphone 4 is arranged in the first end 16 and sound waves can reach the microphone through a microphone hole 14 in the first side 18. A dome-shaped protrusion 12 extends from the first side 18 of the headset body 15 at the second end 17. A transducer or speaker 3 is arranged in the headset body 15 in this dome-shaped protrusion 12. Sound waves generated by the speaker 3 can reach the auditory canal of the user through a speaker hole 13.
Between the first end 16 and the second end 17 or with other words between the microphone 3 and the speaker 4 the headset body 15 is provided with two parallel, transverse through going holes 5, 6. These holes are adapted to receive a portion 7 of the earhook 2. The distance d between attachment point 25 of the ear-hook 2 and the speaker 3 depends on the hole 5, 6 in which the ear-hook is attached. The earhook 2, which is disclosed in more detail in Fig. 2, comprises a first linear portion 7, a second linear portion 8 and a curved portion 9. The first linear portion 7 is intended for being inserted in one of the two holes 5, 6. If the user has a relatively small ear, the portion 7 of the earhook 2 should be inserted in the first hole 5, and if the user has a relatively large ear, the portion should be inserted in the second hole 6. The portion 7 and the holes 5, 6 have a non-circular cross-section, and the portion 7 is therefore not able to rotate. As indicated in Fig. 2 one side of the portion 7 is provided with a notch 11. The internal wall of the holes 5, 6 is provided with a not shown protrusion that is adapted to engage the notch 11 and prevent the portion 7 from leaving the hole 5, 6 unintentionally. Alternatively, the earhook portion 7 could be held in the holes by pure friction.
There headset body 15 can be provided with more than two holes.
The first linear portion 7 of the earhook 2 is connected by a hinge 10 to the second linear portion 8. At the opposite end, the second linear portion 8 is continuing into a curved portion 9. The portions 8 and 9 can be flexed into different configurations. This property can e.g. be obtained by manufacturing the portions as plastic or rubber portions with a metal core. The core renders the earhook capable of being contoured and thereafter maintaining its shape.
The shaping properties of the earhook portions 8, 9, the hinge 10 and the holes 5, 6 with different distances d from the speaker all add to a great adjustability. Thus, the headset can be adapted to fit the most people such that the speaker rests at the auditory canal entrance and the microphone points in the direction of the mouth.
As shown in Fig. 1, the holes 5, 6 are through going. This means, that the headset can be used on left or right ear. The markings L and R (reference sign 24) indicates from which side the earhook 2 should be inserted in order to wear the headset on the left or right ear respectively.
The embodiment disclosed in Fig. 1 provides two positions at which the earhook 2 can be attached to the headset body 15. Figs. 3 and 4 disclose embodiments where the distance between the attachment point and the speaker can be adjusted more precisely. In the embodiment disclosed in Fig. 3 the earhook 2 is attached to a slider 22 that is arranged inside the headset body 15. The earhook extends from the slider 22 through a longitudinal slot 23 in the body wall. As shown, the slider 22 can be provided with a protrusion 18 that engages one of several indentations 19 on the inner side of the body wall in order to avoid unintentional sliding of the slider 22. On the contrary, the slider 22 could be provided with indentations and the inner side of the body wall with a protrusion. Finally, unintentionally movement of the slider could be prevented by pure friction between the slider 22 and the headset body 15.
Fig. 4 discloses a third embodiment, in which the headset body comprises an elongate boom 20 extending between the microphone 4 and the speaker 3. The earhook 2 is attached to a slider 21, which is shaped as a sleeve that receives the boom 21. The sleeve 21 is held in position on the boom 20 by friction and can be forced to move along the boom 20 in order to vary the distance d between the ear hook 2 and the speaker 3. The boom 20 and the sleeve opening have a circular cross-section such that the earhook can be forced to rotate around the boom 20. Alternatively, the boom 20 and the sleeve opening could have a non-circular cross-section in order to avoid rotation of the earhook 2 completely.
The invention is not limited to the disclosed embodiments.
The phrase "attachment means" covers all possible means of attaching the ear hook to the headset body, the essential feature being that the distance between the attachment point of the earhook and the speaker can be varied. Thus, the phrase "attachment means" could be replaced by the term "fastener", "holder" or the like.

Claims

A headset (1) comprising a headset body (15, 20) and an earhook (2), wherein the headset body (15, 20) includes a microphone (4), a speaker (3) and attachment means (5, 6, 21, 22) for attaching the earhook (2) to the headset body (15, 20) between the microphone (4) and the speaker (3) at an attachment position (25) that lies at a distance (d) from the speaker (3), characterised in that the attachment means (5, 6, 21, 22) are adapted such that the distance (d) between the attachment position (25) and the speaker (3) can be varied in order to adapt the headset to the user.
A headset according to claim 1, wherein the headset body (15, 20) has a first end (16) and a second end (17), wherein the microphone (4) is arranged at the first end (16) and the speaker (3) is arranged at the second end (17).
A headset according to claim 2, wherein the headset body is an elongate body (15, 20) extending between the first end (16) and the second end (17).
A headset according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the attachment means (5, 6, 21, 22) are adapted such that the earhook (2) can be held at two or more distinct distances (d) from the second end (17).
A headset according to claim 4, wherein the attachment means comprise at least two holes (5, 6) for receiving a portion (7) of the ear hook (2).
A headset according to claim 5, wherein the holes (5, 6) extend essentially perpendicular on an axis running between the first end (16) and the second end (17).
A headset according to claim 6, wherein the holes (5, 6) are through holes.
A headset according to one of the claims 5-7, wherein the portion (7) of the earhook (2) is held in the holes (5, 6) by friction.
A headset according to any of the claims 5-8, wherein the earhook (2) comprises a first linear portion (7) to be received by the holes (5, 6), which first linear portion of earhook (2) is connected by a hinge (10) to the remainder of the earhook (2).
A headset according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the earhook (2) at least partly is made of material making it plastically deformable in order to adapt it to the user.
A headset according to any of the claims 1-3, wherein the attachment means comprises a slider (21; 22), that can slide along the headset body (15; 20).
A headset according to claim 11, wherein the slider (22) is arranged inside the headset body (15) and the earhook (2) extends from the slider (22) through a slot (23) in the wall of the headset body (1) to the outside.
A headset according to claim 11, wherein the slider (21) is in the shape of a sleeve, which is arranged around the headset body (20).
A headset according to claim 13, wherein the headset body is shaped as an elongate boom (20).
A headset according to claim 14, wherein the boom (20) has a circular cross-section.
A headset according to claim 14, wherein the boom (20) has a non-circular cross-section.
A headset according to any of the claims 11-16, wherein the slider (21; 22) is held by friction, when no external force is applied.
A headset according to any of the claims 11-17, wherein the contacting surfaces of the slider (21; 22) and the headset body (15; 20) are provided with inter-engaging teeth and/or indentations (18, 19).