WO2005020384A1

WO2005020384A1 - Headset connection plug

Info

Publication number: WO2005020384A1
Application number: PCT/GB2004/003638
Authority: WO
Inventors: John Howard Gilbert Amor
Original assignee: Globe Audio Ltd
Priority date: 2003-08-26
Filing date: 2004-08-26
Publication date: 2005-03-03
Also published as: GB0319873D0; GB0419034D0; GB2405537A

Abstract

A headset connection plug is provided which is adapted to engage with a headset socket arrangement, such as is provided in an aircraft seat. The connection plug comprises at least one connection pin for engaging with a socket a plug body for housing the electrical wiring from the connection pin(s) body having a base surface and a top surface, the base serving as a mounting for the connection pin; and wherein the cross-sectional area of the base surface significantly greater than the cross-sectional area of the connection pin(s). By giving a wide surrounding base, the plug body offers significant support to the inserted pin, and spreads any load applied to it over a far greater area around the socket, than with a conventional arrangement.

Description

HEADSET CONNECTION PLUG

The present invention relates to a plug for connecting a device to a socket, and particularly, but not exclusively, to a headset connection plug for connecting a pair of headphones to a socket such as is provided in passenger seat on an aircraft .

Airline seats generally comprise a socket for receiving a headset or headphone connection plug, to connect a headset or headphone to the socket so that passengers can enjoy the sound of the in-flight entertainment system. The seat sockets are generally provided on the inside edge of the seat armrest. At the end of the flight, the headsets are collected by the cabin crew, and are cleaned and prepared for re-use by other passengers during subsequent flights. However, it is found that the headsets and connection plugs are fairly fragile, and therefore become unusable after just a few flights .

Conventional connection plugs comprise a housing and one or more connection pins which are inserted into the socket. The housing comprises an L-shape which extends from the socket when the plug is placed therein.

These conventional plugs are prone to breakage as the protruding plug housing snags on the clothing of the passenger as he sits down or stands up, which causes the connection pin to break when the cable is stretched to its maximum. Also, it is common for seated passengers stand up, without removing their headset, and this also results in breakage of the connection pin when the cable is stretched to its maximum.

Broken connection members prevent further use of the socket until the connection member is removed. In certain circumstances, the whole aircraft has to be taken out of service in order for broken pins to be mechanically removed, which often requires complete disassembly and then reassembly of the arm rest by maintenance staff.

Over the past years, the seat space provided for each passenger has been reduced to offer greater seating capacity, whilst at the same time, the average size of passengers has increased. In view of this, the problem of breakage of the connection pins has become more pertinent, as it is now a more frequent occurrence. In addition, as the airline industry becomes more competitive, it is becoming more important to minimise aircraft downtime.

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide improvements in relation to headset connection plugs; and/or to provide improvements generally.

In this respect, existing designs of headset connection plugs are still largely based upon the headset connection plugs which were first used in personal stereo systems over 20 years ago, and the design has remained unchanged, apart from minor cosmetic changes, over this period. These headset connection plugs were designed to be as small and as light as possible whilst providing a sufficiently robust enclosure for containing the connection pins and associated wiring. Therefore, the particular requirements of a connection plug for use with an airline seat have not been given due consideration, until now.

According to the present invention there is provided a headset connection plug adapted to engage with a headset socket arrangement, such as is provided in an aircraft seat, the connection plug comprising: at least one connection pin for engaging with a socket; a plug body for housing, or containing, the electrical wiring from the connection pin(s), the body having a base surface and a top surface, the base serving as a mounting for the at least one connection pin; wherein the cross-sectional area of the base surface significantly greater than the cross-sectional area of the connection pin(s).

The connection plug of the present invention thus provides an important improvement over the conventional connection plug, because it has been designed for the in-flight environment. Because the base of the plug housing upon which the connection pin is mounted has a large cross-sectional area, when the pin is inserted into the socket, the base surface makes contact with the area surrounding the socket. By giving a wide surrounding base, the plug body offers significant support to the inserted pin, and spreads any load applied to it over a far greater area around the socket, than with a conventional arrangement.

It has been found that this reduces the forces on the pin, when the headset is moved or knocked in use, and prevents the pin from bending or breaking. Any load exerted on the plug housing is transferred to the area surrounding the socket by virtue of the contact between the base surface of the plug and the area around the socket.

Conventional plugs offer no support to the connection pin, and therefore, any force exerted by the passenger on the plug housing is absorbed by the connection pin. This results in breakage of the pin, or in damage to the internal wire connections to the connection pin, which also renders the headset unusable. In an embodiment, the cross-sectional area of the base of the housing is at least double the cross-sectional area of the connection pin(s) . In a preferred embodiment, the base radius is about four times the radius of the connection pin.

In an embodiment, in which the base area is generally circular in shape, the minimum effective base diameter may be calculated approximately as being a base which has a radius which is not less than 75% of the pin length, measured from base to tip i.e. where the radius of the base is "r" and the length of the pin is "p" the following minimum size calculation applies : r = 0.75 x p, or p = 1.33 x r.

A base with a radius larger than 2 x the pin length (r = 2 x p) appears to be the maximum at which the effect of the increasing base size has a measurable effect, although such an arrangement may be chosen for, for example, aesthetic reasons .

In an embodiment, the cross-sectional area of the plug housing reduces from the base surface to the top surface, such that the plug body has a low profile shape. It has been found that by adopting such a design, the housing protrudes less from the connection pin, when compared to a conventional connection plug.

It is preferred that the top of the plug body has a smooth and/or curved profile. The avoidance of sharp edges prevents the plug from interfering with a seated passenger, and the plugs are prone to snagging on the passenger or passenger's clothing, and as such are far less prone to breakage, than existing designs of connection plugs.

In another embodiment of the invention, the plug and/or socket are adapted to be approximately flush with the seat surface or armrest surface. In this embodiment, no parts of the connection plug extend from the armrest and this further reduces the risk of the connection plug being damaged by inadvertent contact with the plug.

In a further embodiment of the invention, the housing may comprise at least one finger grip for assisting the user to hold the plug for insertion or removal from the socket. The grip may comprise a recess or serrated section which is adapted to receive one or more of the user's fingers.

Preferably, the grip is located in a region below the outer surface perimeter of the plug housing. This ensures that the housing retains the general curvature and smoothness required to avoid catching and fouling of clothing, and also ensures that the housing does not extend too far from the base so as to reduce the overall height of the connection plug.

In a further embodiment of the invention, there is provided a headset connection plug for a passenger seat adapted to engage with a socket provided in the seat, the headphone connection plug comprising a housing, the housing being configured to prevent the seat connection plug from interfering with the passenger's comfort whilst seated in the seat. To that effect, the housing has a generally smooth and low-profiled external surface. The inside edges may be champhered to allow the passenger to grip the inside edge of the plug for removal from the socket.

In a further embodiment, the connection plug may comprise a cable protection member for protecting the cable. The cable connection member may be provided inside the housing. Alternatively, the cable protection member may be provided on the housing. In an alternative embodiment the cable connection member is provided on the base. In a further embodiment of the invention, the plug body may define a cavity, the cavity being adapted to receive/protect the cable. In a preferred embodiment, the cable protection member is provided in the cavity. This embodiment has the advantage that the plug body is as smooth as possible without the cable protection member forming an obstruction. In addition, as the cable is less exposed, the risk of the cable snagging or damage is further reduced.

In an embodiment, the cable may comprise a breakaway cable, which has the advantage that if an excessive force is exerted on the cable, the cable can break off, not only protecting the passenger, but also enabling the connection pin to be removed easily from the socket.

In an embodiment of the invention, there is provided a connection plug comprising a base extending, in use, over and around the socket, the base being in contact with the socket area, such that forces exerted on the connection plug are transferred to the socket surrounding area, thereby preventing forces exerted on the connection plug from acting directly on the connection pin, to prevent damage to the connection pin.

The invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the following accompanying illustrative drawings, in which:

Figure la shows a diagrammatic perspective view from above of connection plug according to a first embodiment of the invention;

Figures lb and lc show diagrammatic perspective side views of the connection plug of Figure la; Figure Id shows a diagrammatic perspective view of the underside of the plug of Figure la;

Figure 2a shows a diagrammatic perspective view from above of connection plug according to a second embodiment of the invention;

Figures 2b and 2c show diagrammatic perspective side views of the connection plug of Figure 2a;

Figure 2d shows a diagrammatic perspective view of the underside of the plug of Figure la;

Figure 3a shows a diagrammatic perspective view from above of connection plug according to a third embodiment of the invention;

Figures 3b and 3c show diagrammatic perspective side views of the connection plug of Figure 3a;

Figure 3d shows a diagrammatic perspective view of the underside of the plug of Figure 3a;

Figure 4a shows a diagrammatic perspective view from above of connection plug according to a fourth embodiment of the invention;

Figures 4b and 4c show diagrammatic perspective side views of the connection plug of Figure 4a; and

Figure 4d shows a diagrammatic perspective view of the underside of the plug of Figure 4a. be seen in Figures la to Id, a connection plug 100 according to a first embodiment of the present invention comprises a connection pin 102 for engaging with a receiving member of a socket located in the armrest of an aircraft passenger seat (not shown) .

The plug 100 comprises a plug body, or housing 106 having a base region 104. The plug body 106 provides a mounting for the connection pin 102, on a central raised boss. The base 104 is adapted, in use, to contact the socket and its surrounding area. As can be seen in Figure lc, the surface area of the base is significantly greater than the cross- sectional area of the connection pin 102. In turn, base 104 of the plug body 106 has a greater cross-sectional area that is top surface, such that the plug body has a smooth taper from base to top, giving the connection plug a "button" shape .

The connection plug further comprises a cable 108 which extends from the housing 106. The plug body 106 forms a annular cavity 110 which comprises a radial rib providing a cable protection member 112. This serves to house and protect the cables 108 from the connection pin 102. The cable 108 is connected to the connection member 102 by means of suitable wiring which is soldered to the connection member 102 (not shown) .

The surface of the housing 106 is curved and is smooth so as not to form an obstruction to the user and to keep the overall intrusiveness of the connection plug 100 to a minimum. This avoids that the comfort of the passenger is compromised.

In use, the connection plug 100 is inserted in the socket which is usually located in the armrest and the user provides the headset on his head. After use the connection plug 100 is removed from the socket by pulling the plug 100 out the socket. Damage to the connection plug and the contact member 102 is prevented by reducing the overall intrusiveness of the connection plug 100 and by allowing loads exerted on the plug 100 to be transferred to the area which is contacted by the base 104 thereby preventing damage to the contact member 102.

An alternative connection plug 200 is shown in Figures 2a to 2d. This plug 200 comprises two connection pins 202 and 204. The connection plug 200 comprises a housing 206 which extends from a base 208 and the headset is connected to the plug by means of a cable 210. The base 208 is enclosed to provide greater contact surface between the socket or armrest and the connection plug 200.

In addition, a cable protection member 212 is provided on the surface of the base 208 to protect the cable 210 and to further reinforce the contact pins 202 and 204 to prevent damage .

The cable protection member 212 contacts the socket in a recess which is specifically provided in the socket to further increase the contact surface of the connection plug 200 thereby further minimising damage to the contact pins 202,204. The cable protection member 212 also prevents the plug 200 from rotating which could otherwise damage the connection pins 202,204.

The connection plug 200 is inserted into the socket and released from the socket in a similar way as described in relation to the connection plug 100. The dual contact members 202 and 204 have the advantage what they allow a stereophonic signal to be fed to the headset.

Figures 3a to 3d illustrate another connection plug 300 according to the present invention. The plug 300 comprises a single connection pin 302, a base 304 and a housing 306 extending therefrom. The housing has a smooth surface so as to prevent interfering with the passenger's comfort.

To facilitate removal and insertion of the plug 300, recesses 308 forming finger grips provided. These recesses 308 are situated below the outer contour of the housing 306 so as not to form an obstruction. The cable 310 extends from the housing 306 thereby obviating the need for an additional cable protection member to protect the cable.

In a similar way to the embodiment of Figure 2 above, the closed contact surface of the base 304 allows forces exerted on the connection plug 300 to be transferred immediately to the surface surrounding the contact receiving member of the socket, thereby preventing excessive forces from being exerted on the connection member 302.

In use, the plug 300 is inserted and released from the socket by gripping the plug 300 in the appropriate recesses 308. The surface characteristics and overall dimensions of the plug prevent the contact member 302 from being damaged.

A further embodiment of the present invention is shown in Figures 4a to 4d. The connection plug 400 is essentially similar to the plug of Figure 3. The plug has a base 403 and a housing 404 which extends from the base 403. The width of the housing 404 is less than the width of the base 403. The plug 400 further comprises additional raised ridges providing grip ribs 408 which are provided in one of the finger recesses 406.

The plug 400 further comprises a cable protection member 410 for protecting the cable 412. The cable protection member extends from and is provided on the housing 404. The plug 400 is operated in a similar way as the plugs of the earlier described embodiments, whereby the ribs 408 in combination with the cable protection member 410 and the recesses 406, 407 facilitate removal and insertion of the plug in the socket.

As will have become clear from the above description, although the connection plug of the present invention has been designed and is particularly applicable for use in aircraft, the connection plug has a wide range of other applications, where it is advantageous to provide a robust plug and whereby damage to the internal structure and/or connection members of the plug is reduced to a minimum.

Although in the embodiments illustrated, the plug body is generally circular in cross-section, other body shapes, including ovoid, would be equally effective. For body shapes having a rectilinear cross section, it is preferred that the edges are contoured or shaped, so that any sharp edges are minimised.

Claims

1. A headset connection plug adapted to engage with a headset socket arrangement, such as is provided in an aircraft seat, the plug comprising: at least one connection pin for engaging with a socket; a plug body having a base surface and a top surface, the base serving as a mounting for the at least one connection pin; wherein the cross-sectional area of the base surface is significantly greater than the cross-sectional area of the connection pin(s) .

2. A connection plug according to claim 1 wherein any load exerted on the plug housing, in use, is transferred to the area surrounding the socket by virtue of the contact between the base surface of the plug and the area around the socket.

3. A connection plug according to claim 1 or claim 2 wherein the cross-sectional area of the base is at least double the cross-sectional area of the connection pin(s).

4. A connection plug according to claim 3 wherein the base radius is about four times the radius of the connection pin.

5. A connection plug according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the base area is generally circular in shape.

6. A connection plug according to claim 5 wherein the minimum effective base radius is calculated as a radius which is not less than 75% of the connection pin length.

7. A connection plug according to claim 6 wherein the base has a maximum radius twice the connection pin length.

8. A connection plug accords to any one of the proceeding claims wherein the cross-sectional area of the plug housing reduces from the base surface to the top surface, such that the plug body has a low profile shape.

9. A connection plug according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the top surface of the plug body has a smooth and/or curved profile.

10. A connection plug according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the plug and/or socket in use are adapted to be approximately flush with the seat.

11. A connection plug according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the housing comprises at least one finger grip for assisting the user to hold the plug for insertion or removal from the socket.

12. A connection plug according to claim 11 wherein the grip comprises a recess or serrated section which is adapted to receive one or more of the user's fingers.

13. A connection plug for a passenger seat adapted to engage with a socket provided in the seat, the headphone connection plug comprising a housing, the housing being configured to prevent the seat connection plug from interfering with the passenger's comfort whilst seated in the seat .

14. A connection ply according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the connection plug comprises a cable protection member for protecting the electric cable.

15. A connection plug according to claim 14 wherein the plug body defines a cavity.

16. A connection plug according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the cable comprises a breakaway cable.

17. A connection plug substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.