US 11,985,462 B2
Headphones
Edward Siahaan, San Francisco, CA (US); Daniel R. Bloom, Alameda, CA (US); Lee M. Panecki, San Francisco, CA (US); Phillip Qian, San Jose, CA (US); Benjamin A. Shaffer, San Jose, CA (US); Christopher J. Stringer, Woodside, CA (US); Eugene A. Whang, San Francisco, CA (US); David H. Narajowski, Los Gatos, CA (US); Scott Y. Oshita, Los Altos, CA (US); Dustin A. Hatfield, Los Gatos, CA (US); Zachary G. Segraves, Redwood City, CA (US); and Sean J. Docherty, Mississauga (CA)
Assigned to APPLE INC., Cupertino, CA (US)
Filed by APPLE INC., Cupertino, CA (US)
Filed on Aug. 1, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/878,767.
Application 17/878,767 is a continuation of application No. 17/061,098, filed on Oct. 1, 2020, granted, now 11,477,558.
Application 17/061,098 is a continuation of application No. PCT/US2019/025384, filed on Apr. 2, 2019.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/651,634, filed on Apr. 2, 2018.
Prior Publication US 2022/0369015 A1, Nov. 17, 2022
Int. Cl. H04R 1/10 (2006.01); H04R 5/033 (2006.01)
CPC H04R 1/1008 (2013.01) [H04R 1/1066 (2013.01); H04R 1/1075 (2013.01); H04R 5/0335 (2013.01)] 18 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. Headphones, comprising:
a first earpiece;
a second earpiece; and
a headband assembly extending between the first and second earpieces, the headband assembly comprising:
a headband frame having first and second opposing segments extending between first and second frame ends defining a central opening, the frame including a central frame region between and elevated relative to the first and second frame ends;
a signal cable electrically coupling the first and second earpieces and extending through an interior volume defined by the headband frame, and
a mesh extending across the central opening between the first and second opposing segments and having a curved profile between the first and second frame ends with a U-shaped cross-section between the first and second opposing segments such that a central region of the mesh is elevated above the first and second frame ends and below the first and second opposing segments;
wherein the first earpiece is coupled to the headband frame by a first pivot mechanism operable to enable the first earpiece to rotate separate from the headband frame along roll and yaw axes and the second earpiece is coupled to the headband frame by a second pivot mechanism operable to enable the second earpiece to rotate separate from the headband frame along roll and yaw axes.
 
7. Headphones, comprising:
a first earpiece;
a second earpiece; and
a headband assembly extending between the first and second earpieces, the headband assembly comprising:
a headband frame defining a central opening and having first and second frame ends and a central frame region between and elevated relative to the first and second frame ends;
a signal cable electrically coupling the first and second earpieces and extending through an interior volume defined by the headband frame, and
a mesh extending across the central opening and having a curved profile with a U-shaped cross-section such that a central region of the mesh is elevated above the first and second frame ends and below the central frame region;
wherein the first earpiece is coupled to the headband frame by a first pivot mechanism operable to enable the first earpiece to rotate separate from the headband frame along roll and yaw axes and the second earpiece is coupled to the headband frame by a second pivot mechanism operable to enable the first earpiece to rotate separate from the headband frame along roll and yaw axes;
wherein each of the first and second pivot mechanisms comprises an actuator having a housing defining an aperture sized and shaped to receive the first frame end of the headband, and a first compression spring positioned to compress relative to the aperture while opposing rotation of the pivot mechanism about the roll axis.
 
9. Headphones, comprising:
a first earpiece;
a second earpiece; and
a headband assembly extending between the first and second earpieces, the headband assembly comprising:
a headband frame defining a central opening and having first and second frame ends and a central frame region between and elevated relative to the first and second frame ends;
a signal cable electrically coupling the first and second earpieces and extending through an interior volume defined by the headband frame, and
a mesh extending across the central opening and having a curved profile with a U-shaped cross-section such that a central region of the mesh is elevated above the first and second frame ends and below the central frame region;
wherein the first earpiece is coupled to the headband frame by a first pivot mechanism operable to enable the first earpiece to rotate separate from the headband frame along roll and yaw axes and the second earpiece is coupled to the headband frame by a second pivot mechanism operable to enable the first earpiece to rotate separate from the headband frame along roll and yaw axes;
wherein a density of a region between the central region and a peripheral region is higher than the central region and lower than the peripheral region.
 
10. A portable listening device, comprising:
a first earpiece;
a second earpiece; and
a headband comprising a headband frame, the headband having left and right ends extending between the first and second earpieces, the headband frame defining a central opening and having a channel positioned around a periphery of the central opening; and
a mesh assembly, comprising:
a flexible mesh material covering the central opening, and
a locking feature extending around a periphery of the flexible mesh material and engaged within the channel causing the flexible mesh material to have a curved profile with a U-shaped cross-section such that a central region of the flexible mesh material is elevated above the left and right ends of the headband and below the central opening of the headband frame;
wherein the first earpiece is coupled to the headband frame by a first pivot mechanism operable to enable the first earpiece to rotate separate from the headband frame along roll and yaw axes and the second earpiece is coupled to the headband frame by a second pivot mechanism operable to enable the second earpiece to rotate separate from the headband frame along roll and yaw axes;
wherein the locking feature has a tapered geometry that facilitates insertion of the locking feature into the channel.
 
17. Headphones, comprising:
a first earpiece;
a second earpiece; and
a headband coupling the first earpiece to the second earpiece, the headband comprising:
a frame defining a central opening and having first and second frame ends and a central frame region between the first and second frame ends; and
a mesh coupled to the frame and forming a U-shaped cross-section such that a central region of the mesh is elevated above the first and second frame ends and below the central frame region;
wherein the first earpiece is coupled to the headband by a first pivot mechanism operable to enable the first earpiece to rotate separate from the headband along roll and yaw axes and the second earpiece is coupled to the headband by a second pivot mechanism operable to enable the first earpiece to rotate separate from the headband along roll and yaw axes;
wherein each of the first and second pivot mechanisms comprises an actuator having a housing defining an aperture sized and shaped to receive the first end of the headband, and a first compression spring positioned to compress relative to the aperture while opposing rotation of the pivot mechanism about the roll axis; and
wherein each of the first and second pivot mechanisms further comprises a second compression spring positioned to compress relative to the aperture while opposing rotation of the pivot mechanism about the roll axis.