JP2001045586A - Earphone cable - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an earphone cable that facilitates handling. SOLUTION: The earphone cable comprises a cable body 3 that is freely connected to a device body 2 at one end of which an input section 1 outputs a voice signal and an earphone 4 connected to the other end of the cable body 3. The cable body 3 is freely restored elastically to a winding attitude where the cable is wound in spiral or in a swirling state in its free state, freely deformed elastically for contraction/elongation and a width H1 of the cable in a winding axial center direction in a winding attitude is selected smaller than the maximum width H2 in the diametrical direction in the winding attitude when it is viewed from the winding axial center direction.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an earphone cable having an input section on one end side which is connectable to a main body for outputting an audio signal and an earphone connected to the other end side of the cable main body. .

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art An earphone cable as described above is used by connecting an input section at one end of a cable body to a device body such as a mobile phone or a portable radio. In many cases, the main body of the device is put in a pocket such as clothes or a bag, and the earphone is worn on the ear. And the cable main body part in the above-mentioned earphone cable is constituted by a linear material which is freely bent and stretched and maintained in the bent and stretched state.

[0003]

However, in the above-mentioned earphone cable, the cable main body part is obstructed or entangled in a use state in which the earphone cable is connected to an apparatus main body such as a mobile phone or a portable radio to listen to sound from the earphone. Also, even when the device body and the earphone cable are not used, such as being stored in pockets such as clothes or bags, the earphone cable may be entangled, making the earphone cable difficult to handle. By the way, when the earphone cable is stored in the non-use state, it is possible to wind and store the cable main body portion, however, there is a disadvantage that the earphone cable is entangled.

The present invention has been made in view of such a point, and an object thereof is to provide an earphone cable which is easy to handle.

[0005]

In order to achieve this object, according to the first aspect of the present invention, a cable main body whose one input side is connectable to an apparatus main body that outputs an audio signal is provided. An earphone cable comprising an earphone connected to the other end of the cable body, wherein the cable body is elastically returned to a winding posture of being wound in a spiral or spiral shape in a free state, and is elastically deformed for expansion and contraction. Freely, and the width in the winding axis direction in the winding posture,
It is formed to be smaller than the maximum width in the radial direction in the winding posture when viewed in the winding axis direction.

That is, in a use state in which a user connects to a device such as a cellular phone or a portable radio and listens to sound from an earphone, a force acting to return to the winding position acts on the cable body that expands and contracts while being elastically deformed. As a result, the length of the earphone cable in the direction of the winding axis of the cable main body is maintained at the minimum length. Further, in a non-use state such as storing the device body and the earphone cable in a pocket such as clothing or a bag, the cable body has a width in the winding axis direction in a free state, and the winding posture in the winding axis direction. The cable body is elastically returned to a shape smaller than the maximum width in the radial direction in the above, that is, a shape that is thinner in the winding axis direction, so that the cable body has a shorter length in the winding axis direction. Will be maintained.

Therefore, in the use state, the length of the earphone cable in the direction of the winding axis of the cable main body is maintained at a minimum length, and the cable main body portion of the earphone cable does not become a hindrance. In the non-use state, the cable main body is maintained in a thin and flat shape with a reduced length in the winding axis direction, and the earphone cable is stored in a pocket such as clothes or bags. The earphone cable can be easily stored and hardly entangled, so that it is possible to provide an earphone cable that is easy to handle in both the use state and the non-use state.

According to the second aspect of the present invention, the cable main body is configured to be able to communicate the audio signal of the microphone attached thereto to the device main body, and to be capable of transmitting and receiving. In other words, it is possible not only to listen to the audio signal from the device itself with the earphone, but also to transmit the audio signal from the microphone to the device itself. It is possible to easily adapt, and it is possible to widen the selection range of the device main body.

According to the third aspect of the present invention, when the cable main body is wound around the outer peripheral portion of the device main body, the cable main body is elastically deformed to a larger diameter side than the winding posture in the free state. It is formed to be wound in a state. That is,
When the cable body is wound around the outer peripheral portion of the device main body, the device body is not used because the cable body is formed so as to be elastically deformed to a larger diameter side than the winding posture in the free state. Sometimes, by winding the cable main body around the outer peripheral portion of the device main body, the cable main body is held in a state of being wound around the outer peripheral portion of the device main body. Therefore, when the device main body is not used, the cable main body is held in a state wound around the device main body, so that the device main body and the cable main body can be stored integrally, and stored in a pocket such as clothes or bags. When the device itself is used again, the device itself and the cable body can be housed integrally.
Compared to the case where the device main body and the cable main body are separately housed, there is no need to perform an operation such as connecting the input unit to the device main body, so that the device can be more easily handled.

[0010]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS [Basic Embodiment] An earphone cable according to the present invention will first be described with reference to the drawings as a basic embodiment in which the earphone cable is connected to a mobile phone as a device main body. This earphone cable is
As shown in FIG. 2, a plug 1 serving as an input unit at one end is connectable to a mobile phone 2 serving as a device main body that outputs an audio signal, and an earphone 4 is connected to the other end of the cable main body 3. It is composed of The cable main body 3 is configured to freely communicate an audio signal of the microphone 5 attached thereto to the mobile phone 2, a signal line for transmitting an audio signal from the mobile phone 2 to the earphone 4, and an audio signal from the microphone 5. Is provided to the mobile phone 2 so that transmission and reception can be freely performed. And microphone 5
May be of an electret condenser type, for example, and the mounting position is such that the earphone 4 is positioned as close as possible to the mouth of the user when the earphone 4 is worn on the user's ear.

The cable body 3 is capable of elastically returning to a winding position in which it is spirally wound in a free state, elastically deformable for expansion and contraction, and having a width H1 in the winding axis direction in the winding position. Is made smaller than the maximum width H2 in the radial direction in the winding posture as viewed in the winding axis center direction. More specifically, in the free state, the cable body 3 is resiliently returned to a winding position in which an intermediate portion from the plug 1 to the microphone 5 is wound several times in an elliptical spiral shape and is in a winding position. It is elastically deformed elastically while the force acting to return is working, and the width H1 in the winding axis direction in the winding position is smaller in the radial direction in the winding position as viewed in the winding axis direction. It is formed so as to be smaller than the maximum width H2.

That is, since the cable body 3 expands and contracts while being elastically deformed, a force acting on the cable body 3 to return to the winding position acts, and as a result, the direction of the winding axis of the cable body 3 in the earphone cable. Is maintained at a minimum length. Furthermore, the cable body 3
However, in the free state, the width H1 in the winding axis direction is smaller than the maximum width H2 in the winding direction in the winding posture as viewed in the winding axis direction, that is, a shape that is thin in the winding axis direction. As a result, the length of the cable main body 3 in the direction of the winding axis is reduced to a thin and flat shape.

The cable main body 3 is formed so that when it is wound around the outer peripheral portion of the portable telephone 2, it is elastically deformed to a larger diameter side than the free winding posture. . That is, the cable main body 3 is formed such that the inner circumference of the ellipse in the winding position in the free state is shorter than the outer circumference of the mobile phone 2 by the set length. When wound around the outer peripheral portion, the mobile phone 2 is formed so as to be wound in an elastically deformed state so as to maintain the state of being wound around the outer peripheral portion.

The cable body 3 is formed so that the width in the winding axis direction in the winding position is smaller than the maximum width in the radial direction in the winding position as viewed in the winding axis direction. The cable body 3 can be formed by a method such as a method in which the cable body 3 is spirally wound several times around an elliptical straight cylindrical body by a heat treatment at about 100 ° C. or a method of pouring into a predetermined shape at the time of casting. As a material of the cable body 3, for example, a vinyl chloride-based material or a dihard wire having a relatively high hardness can be used. In addition, by making the outer peripheral length of the elliptical straight cylindrical body around which the cable main body 3 is wound shorter than the outer peripheral length of the mobile phone 2 by a set length, the cable main body 3 is attached to the outer peripheral portion of the mobile telephone 2. When wound, the cable body 3 can be formed so as to be wound in a state in which it is elastically deformed to a larger diameter side than the winding posture in the free state.

The usage of the mobile phone 2 will be described. When making a call with the mobile phone 2, as shown in FIG. 2, the plug 1 of the cable body 3 is connected to the mobile phone 2, the mobile phone 2 is put in a pocket of clothes, the cable body 3 is extended, and the earphone is extended. 4 to the ear and microphone 5
And the other party through the earphone 4. Then, in the use state of talking as described above, since the cable body 3 expands and contracts while being elastically deformed, a force acting to return to the winding posture acts, and the length of the cable body 3 in the winding axis direction is increased. As a result, the length of the cable body 3 in the direction of the winding axis is maintained at the minimum length, and the cable body is not obstructed. In addition, it is possible to prevent the cable main body from becoming entangled.

When the call with the other party is completed and the telephone is not in use, the cable body 3 is connected to the outer periphery of the portable telephone 2 with the plug 1 connected to the portable telephone 2 as shown in FIG. The portable telephone 2 and the cable main body 3 are integrated into a pocket for clothes or a bag. Then, as described above, the mobile phone 2
When the cable body 3 is housed, the cable body 3 is wound in an elastically deformed state so as to maintain the wound state on the outer peripheral portion of the mobile phone 2.
Is held in a state of being wound around the outer peripheral portion of the mobile phone 2, so that the mobile phone 2 and the earphone cable can be easily stored in clothes, a pocket of a bag, or the like, and the earphone cable can be hardly entangled. It becomes possible.

When the mobile phone 2 and the cable main body 3 are stored, the plug 1 may be removed from the mobile phone 2 so that the cable main body 3 and the mobile phone 2 are stored separately. The main body 3 is in a state where the width H1 in the winding axis direction in the free state is smaller than the maximum width H2 in the winding direction in the winding posture as viewed in the winding axis direction, that is, in the winding axis direction. The cable body 3 is elastically restored to a desired shape, and the cable main body 3 is maintained in a thin and flat shape in which the length in the winding axis direction is shortened, so that the earphone cable can be easily stored and hardly entangled. Become.

As described above, when the mobile phone 2 is used for talking, the length of the cable body 3 in the direction of the winding axis is maintained at the minimum length, and the cable body 3 is not obstructed. In addition, it is possible to prevent the cable main body 3 from being entangled, and when the telephone is not used after the call is finished, the cable main body 3 is maintained in a thin and flat shape in which the length in the winding axis direction is shortened, Earphone cable is easy to store in pockets such as clothes and bags and it is hard to get entangled,
Thus, the earphone cable is easy to handle in both the use state and the non-use state.

[Other Embodiments] (1) In the above basic embodiment, the cable body 3 is spirally wound in a free state, but the shape at the time of winding can be changed as appropriate. For example, as shown in FIG. 3, it may be spirally wound. In the above-described basic embodiment, it is wound in an elliptical shape. However, the shape can be changed as appropriate, such as a circle or a polygon.

(2) In the above basic embodiment, the mobile phone 2
FIG. 1 shows an example in which the cable body 3 is connected. For example, the cable body 3 may be connected to a portable radio, an MD, a music player for playing a CD, a cassette tape, or the like. For example, when the cable body 3 is connected to a music player, as shown in FIG. 4, the earphone side of the cable body 3 is branched and connected to two,
The earphone 4 may be connected to each of the two branched ends, and the earphone 4 may be attached to both ears.

(3) In the basic embodiment, as shown in FIG. 1, the cable body 3 is spirally wound at a certain interval in the winding axis direction. As shown in FIG. 5, the cable body 3 may be spirally wound in a state where the cable body 3 is in close contact with each other. In this case, the cable body 3 is wound in the free winding posture.
Can be made thinner in the winding axis direction, and the storage of the earphone cable in the non-use state becomes easier. In other words, the width H1 in the winding axis direction in the winding posture in the free state and the maximum width H2 in the radial direction in the winding posture as viewed in the winding axis direction can be appropriately changed. However, any configuration may be used as long as the width H1 in the winding axis direction in the winding posture is smaller than the maximum width H2 in the radial direction in the winding posture in the winding axis direction.

(4) In the above-described basic embodiment, when the cable body 3 is wound around the outer peripheral portion of the mobile phone 2, the cable body 3 is wound in a state in which the cable body 3 is elastically deformed to a larger diameter side than the winding state in the free state. The main body of the device can be selected as appropriate, such as a portable radio or a music player, and the cable main body 3 is free to be wound around the outer periphery of the main body of the device to be used. What is necessary is just to be formed so that it may be wound in a state where it is elastically deformed toward the diameter increasing side from the winding posture in the state.

(5) In the above-described basic embodiment, only the microphone 5 is mounted on the cable body 3. In addition to the microphone 5, a call command switch for instructing the mobile phone 2 to start a call. May be assembled to the cable body 3 or the microphone 5 may not be assembled to the cable body 3 and only the earphone 4 may be connected. As described above, when assembling the microphone 5 and the call command switch to the cable main body 3, the call command switch is built in the casing of the microphone 5, and the microphone 5 with the switch is formed integrally with the microphone 5 and the call command switch. May be assembled to the cable body 3. In addition, a hook for hanging on a breast pocket or the like of clothes is attached to the cable body 3, and the mobile phone 2
When making a call, the mobile phone 2 may be put in a pocket of clothes or a bag, the hook may be hung on a breast pocket of the clothes, and the earphone 4 may be worn on the ear. That is, in this case, the weight of the mobile phone 2 can be received by the hook by hanging the hook on the breast pocket of the clothes, and the weight of the mobile phone 2 can be prevented from being applied to the earphone 4. The weight of the telephone 2 can prevent the telephone 2 from falling off the ear.

(6) In the basic embodiment described above, the earphone 4 is connected to one end of the cable main body 3, and the microphone 5 that converts sound emitted from the mouth of the user into an audio electric signal and outputs the signal is connected to the cable main body 3. Although it is assembled, the types of the earphone 4 and the microphone 5 can be appropriately changed. For example, a microphone that converts bone conduction sound transmitted as vibration from the vocal cords to the ears into a sound electric signal and outputs the sound,
An earphone using a bone conduction sound and a microphone including an earphone that converts a sound electric signal input from the outside into sound and transmits the sound to the ear may be used.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is an overall configuration diagram of an earphone cable according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram of a usage pattern according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is an overall configuration diagram of an earphone cable according to another embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is an overall configuration diagram of an earphone cable according to another embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is an overall configuration diagram of an earphone cable according to another embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 input section 2 device body 3 cable body 4 earphone 5 microphone

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. An earphone cable comprising: a cable main body having an input portion on one end side connectable to a device main body for outputting an audio signal; and an earphone connected to the other end side of the cable main body. Can be elastically returned to a winding position of spirally or spirally winding in a free state and elastically deformable for expansion and contraction, and the width in the winding axis direction in the winding position is set to An earphone cable formed to be smaller than the maximum width in the radial direction in the winding posture as viewed in the direction of the rotation axis. 2. The earphone cable according to claim 1, wherein the cable main body is configured to be able to freely communicate a voice signal of a microphone attached thereto to the device main body and to be capable of transmitting and receiving. 3. The cable body is formed such that when wound around an outer peripheral portion of the device body, the cable body is elastically deformed to a larger diameter side than the winding posture in the free state. The earphone cable according to claim 1 or 2, wherein: