Ear muff and headgear

Abstract

An ear cup for a headset for wearing on a head of a wearer is provided, the ear cup including a housing to be supported on an ear of the wearer, the housing including a housing attachment feature, and a cover releasably attachable to the housing. The cover includes a first portion coupled to and rotatable relative to a second portion, the first portion including a cover attachment feature to engage and disengage with the housing attachment feature by rotation of the first portion relative to the housing.

Description

Background Technology

[0001] Earmuffs used in headbands are typically complex, multi-part components that are not intended to be disassembled after initial assembly. This means that the appearance of the earmuffs is usually fixed for the life of the product. Summary of the Invention

[0002] In a first aspect, earmuffs are provided for a headband for wearing on the head of a wearer, the earmuffs comprising:

[0003] A housing that is supported on the wearer's ear, the housing including housing attachment features;

[0004] A cover, releasably attachable to the housing, the cover comprising:

[0005] A first part, which is coupled to a second part and is rotatable relative to the second part, includes a cover attachment feature for engaging and disengaging with the housing attachment feature by rotation of the first part relative to the housing.

[0006] Earmuffs can be referred to as earmuff components.

[0007] An earmuff with a housing having a cover that is attachable to and detachable from the housing by rotating a portion of the cover relative to the housing (e.g., by the wearer). The wearer can remove a given cover from the housing to replace the given cover with a different cover, for example, to customize the feel and / or appearance of the earmuff by attaching different covers to the housing.

[0008] In other words, a means is provided to remove the cap from the housing by rotating the first portion of the cap, while the second portion of the cap does not rotate relative to the housing at all or not rotates by the same degree. In this way, the first portion of the cap (rather than the second portion) performs the function of attaching the cap to the housing. The second portion of the cap serves as a cover for the housing rather than performing the attachment function, meaning that the second portion is subject to minimal handling and is therefore less likely to be damaged during assembly (e.g., by the wearer). This can help maintain the appearance of a removable cap that might be easily damaged.

[0009] In other words, a cover with a detachable arrangement is provided, wherein a portion of the cover (e.g., a top portion) is rotatable relative to a housing to selectively engage the cover with the housing or selectively lock the cover to / unlock the cover from the housing. This portion of the cover can remain rotatably fixed relative to the housing when another portion of the cover (e.g., a bottom portion) is rotated. When the first portion of the cover rotates to attach / remove the cover from the housing, the second portion can move toward / away from the housing along the axis of rotation of the first portion.

[0010] By providing a cover with an attachment device that can be operated without directly moving the portion of the cover that contacts the housing, the second portion of the housing and the cover can have any shape without the second portion being able to rotate relative to the housing.

[0011] The first and second portions combine to form a cover, such as most or all of it. In other words, the first and second portions can form 50% to 100% (and include both 50% and 100%) of the cover. For example, the first and second portions can form 50% to 100% (and include both 50% and 100%) of the outer surface of the cover, which is configured to form the appearance of an earmuff when the cover is attached to a housing. The first portion can be concentric with the second portion. The first portion can have a circular cross-section, and the second portion can be annular. The second portion can partially overlap with the housing, i.e., the second surface can cover more than one surface of the housing. For example, the second portion can include a main annular surface and a flange (or collar or edge) projecting from the periphery of the main annular surface, wherein the flange overlaps with the housing. The first portion can be rotatably coupled to the second portion about an axis of rotation.

[0012] The first part may include a first member and a second member, wherein the first member is a covering member, and wherein the second member is a connecting member including cover attachment features. The second member may be received within the first member. For example, the second member may be overmolded onto the first member.

[0013] When the cover is attached to the housing, the housing attachment features are covered by the cover. When the cover is detached from or removed from the housing, the housing attachment features are exposed. The housing attachment features can be outward-facing, i.e., away from the axis of rotation, and the cover attachment features can be inward-facing, i.e., facing the axis of rotation.

[0014] A cover can be referred to as a facade, such as a housing facade. A cover can be understood as a component used to cover the outer surface of a housing. A cover can be any suitable overlay, finish, or shell used to cover the outer surface of a housing. A cover may not contain active components related to the electronic functionality of the earcups and / or headband; for example, it may not contain electronic components. In other words, a cover can be a non-powered feature of the earcups. A cover may provide shock / surface damage protection for other components of the earcups.

[0015] The lid can be attached directly to the housing. In other words, the lid can be attached to the housing without the need for any intermediate parts between them that do not form part of the lid or the housing itself.

[0016] The housing may be a base for housing a speaker driver used to drive a loudspeaker. When supported on the wearer's ears, the housing may cover the wearer's ears. The housing may also include earmuffs adapted to contact the wearer's head around the ears. The earmuffs may be made of flexible or resilient materials.

[0017] The first part may include a plurality of cover attachment features, and the housing includes a plurality of corresponding housing attachment features. The housing attachment features may be spaced equidistantly, for example, the housing attachment features may be arranged around a ring at regular intervals.

[0018] By providing multiple attachment features on the cover and housing, the stability of the attachment between the cover and housing can be improved. Multiple cover attachment features can simultaneously engage and disengage with multiple housing attachment features.

[0019] The plurality of cap attachment features can be arranged in a circular array. The cap attachment features can be spaced equidistantly, for example, the cap attachment features can be arranged around the ring at regular intervals.

[0020] The plurality of cover attachment features can be arranged in a ring array, and the plurality of shell attachment features can be arranged in a concentric ring array. The ring array can be centered on the rotation axis of the first part.

[0021] Each cap attachment feature is arranged around a circular array at at least 90° to each adjacent cap attachment feature.

[0022] By distributing cover attachment features and corresponding housing attachment features around the axis of rotation of the cover, the attachment features flatten the cover when it is attached to and removed from the housing. In other words, when the cover is attached to and removed from the housing, the multiple cover attachment features keep the second part of the cover substantially parallel to the outer surface of the housing.

[0023] Multiple cap attachment features can be evenly arranged in a ring array.

[0024] In this way, the stability of the attachment between the cover and the shell can be further improved.

[0025] The first part may include three cover attachment features, and the housing includes three corresponding housing attachment features.

[0026] The stability of the attachment between the cover and the housing can be further improved by providing three attachment points between them.

[0027] The cover attachment features and the housing attachment features can form a bayonet fitting.

[0028] The bayonet fitting may include a protrusion and a track adapted to receive the protrusion, the track having an opening, wherein the track is adapted to receive the protrusion at the opening, and wherein the protrusion moves along the track from the opening by rotating a first portion of the cover relative to the housing in a first direction in order to attach the cover to the housing.

[0029] In other words, the housing may include a track adapted to receive a protrusion disposed on the connecting element of the cover. The track is adapted to receive the protrusion at one end and releasably secure the protrusion at the other end after the wearer has rotated a first portion of the cover in a first direction and thus rotated the connecting element.

[0030] The cover attachment feature may include a protrusion, and the housing attachment feature may include a track.

[0031] The track can be angled to bring the cover closer to the housing when the cover engages with the housing.

[0032] In other words, the track is angled such that when the protrusion is received at the opening of the track, the first part of the cover is farther from the housing than when the cover engages with the housing after the protrusion has traveled along the track in the first direction.

[0033] For example, the track can be at an angle between 30° and 60° relative to the base of the housing, such as 45°.

[0034] In other words, as the protrusion is received at the opening of the track, the housing and the cover move closer together as the first part of the cover rotates in the first direction, for example, measured along an axis perpendicular to the outer surface of the housing or the axis of rotation of the first part of the cover. Similarly, as the protrusion travels toward the opening of the track, the housing and the cover are forced apart as the first part of the cover rotates in the second direction.

[0035] In this way, the interaction between the track and the protrusion can guide the wearer to place the cover correctly when attaching it to the housing, and can also help the wearer remove the cover from the housing when removing it.

[0036] Protrusions may include:

[0037] A rigid portion, which is rigidly attached to the first portion; and

[0038] The elastically deformable portion is attached to the first portion via an elastic element.

[0039] The rigid portion is adapted to guide the protrusion along the track, and the track includes a ridge connected to the base portion, and the rotation of the first portion in a first direction (i) causes the elastically deformable portion to deflect such that the elastically deformable portion passes over the ridge, and (ii) allows the elastically deformable portion to return to a stationary state when it enters the base portion, so as to releasably rotatably suppress the rotation of the first portion in a second direction.

[0040] In other words, the protrusion can be divided into a guiding part (e.g., a rigid part) and a flexible part (e.g., an elastically deformable part), wherein the guiding part is used to guide the movement of the cover as the protrusion passes through the track, while the flexible part is used to releasably fix the protrusion within the track to prevent the cover from accidentally detaching from the housing.

[0041] The elastic element can be an elastic arm or a spring. When entering the base section, the elastically deformable portion does not need to return completely to a stationary state, but can partially spring back / deflect / deform. That is, in a stationary state, the elastically deformable portion can deform partially, but to a lesser extent than when pushed by the ridge. The base section can be defined by a single ridge or two ridges on either side. The ridge can be a flange or lip between the track and the base section, and can be a recess or raised portion of the track. The ridge can be located in the base or sidewall of the track.

[0042] The track may include a base having two opposing sidewalls extending therefrom, the base of the track being parallel to the axis of rotation of the top portion of the cover, and wherein an elastically deformable portion is offset in a direction at an angle to the track.

[0043] In this way, vibrations from the movement between the housing and the cover can be suppressed by the elastic arm. In some examples, the elastically deformable portion is biased in a direction perpendicular to the base of the track and toward the base of the track (e.g., toward the axis of rotation).

[0044] The track may also include a stop structure spaced apart from the opening, wherein the protrusion moves from the opening to the stop structure by rotation of the first portion of the cover relative to the housing in a first direction.

[0045] The stop structure may include a stop surface adapted to contact the rigid portion of the protrusion to inhibit rotation of the first portion of the cover in a first direction.

[0046] In this way, excessive rotation of the first part of the cover in the first direction can be prevented.

[0047] The earmuff may also include a vibration damper disposed between the cover and the housing.

[0048] In this way, vibrations from movement between the housing and the cover can be suppressed. The vibration damper can comprise any elastic, flexible, or resilient material. For example, a vibration damper can comprise foam. The vibration damper can be mounted on the cover or the housing.

[0049] The housing may also include a protrusion, and a first portion defines a socket for receiving the protrusion. A second portion may include a hole through which the protrusion of the first portion protrudes.

[0050] In this way, the housing may include protrusions that can accommodate various components, while also providing positioning features for positioning the cover in the correct position when the cover is attached to the housing.

[0051] The housing attachment features can be provided on the protrusion, and the cover attachment features can be provided inside the socket. The housing can be generally cylindrical. The housing attachment features can be provided on the inner, outward-facing cylindrical wall of the housing.

[0052] The housing may include one or more outer surfaces, and the cover covers most of one or more outer surfaces of the housing.

[0053] The outer surface may include surfaces exposed to the environment surrounding the earmuffs and / or headband during use. The outer surface may not include surfaces covered by the wearer during use. The outer surface of the housing may be any surface of the housing arranged to contact the cover. The outer surface of the housing may also be any surface of the housing arranged not to contact the wearer's ears. The housing may include one or more inner surfaces facing a space at least partially surrounded by the housing, and the walls of the housing may include one or more inner surfaces on one side and one or more outer surfaces on the other side.

[0054] The cover may cover a majority of one or more outer surfaces of the housing, such as more than 50% of one or more outer surfaces of the housing. A majority of one or more outer surfaces of the housing may be more than 50% of one or more outer surfaces of the housing, such as more than 60% of one or more outer surfaces of the housing, such as more than 70% of one or more outer surfaces of the housing, such as more than 80% of one or more outer surfaces of the housing, such as more than 90% of one or more outer surfaces of the housing.

[0055] The second part of the cover may include a gap portion, and the housing includes a protrusion adapted to protrude through the gap portion when the cover is attached to the housing.

[0056] The gap may include a notch for exposing the housing through the cover. The notch may be any shape of indentation, cut, hole, window, opening, hole, etc., in the cover, through which at least a portion of the housing is exposed. The notch may be formed at the edge of the cover.

[0057] The protrusion can substantially fill the gap portion, such as a notch. For example, when the cap is attached to the housing, the protrusion can occupy at least 90% of the area or volume of the gap portion, which is the area or volume required to achieve rotational symmetry of the cap.

[0058] In this way, unwanted movement and vibration between the cover and the housing can be reduced. In other words, the size and shape of the perimeter of the protrusion can be set to substantially match the boundary of the gap portion.

[0059] In a second aspect, a headband including the earmuffs of the first aspect is provided. The headband may further include a head strap adapted to contact the wearer's head and to support the shell on the wearer's ears.

[0060] The headband may include a speaker housed in the housing.

[0061] Headbands may include:

[0062] A pair of housings, which are supported on the wearer's ears; and

[0063] A pair of covers, wherein each cover is adapted to be removably attached to a corresponding housing in the pair of housings.

[0064] In a third aspect, a cover is provided that is releasably attachable to the housing of an earmuff for a headband worn on a wearer's head, the cover covering the housing, the cover comprising:

[0065] A first part, rotatably coupled to a second part, the first part including a cover attachment feature for engaging and disengaging from the housing to secure the cover to the housing by rotation of the first part relative to the second part and the housing.

[0066] The first part may include:

[0067] Covering elements; and

[0068] A connecting element, wherein the connecting element is adapted to rotatably connect the cover element to the second portion, and wherein the connecting element includes the cover attachment feature.

[0069] In a fourth aspect, a method of manufacturing a cover is provided, the cover being releasably attached to the housing of an earmuff for a headwear for wearing on the head of a wearer, the cover being used to cover the housing, the method comprising: rotatably connecting first and second portions of the cover using a connecting element including a cover attachment portion for releasably attaching the cover to the housing.

[0070] In a fifth aspect, an earmuff is provided for a headband for wearing on the head of a wearer, the earmuff comprising:

[0071] A housing that is supported on the wearer's ear, the housing including housing attachment features;

[0072] The cover includes a cover attachment feature for releasable engagement with the housing attachment feature.

[0073] The cover attachment feature and the housing attachment feature define a magnetic connection.

[0074] An earmuff with a housing having a cover attached thereto, wherein the cover is magnetically attached to the housing and detachable from the housing. The wearer can remove a given cover from the housing to replace it with a different cover, for example, to customize the appearance of the earmuff.

[0075] By providing a magnetic connection as a means of releasably attaching the cover to the housing, the process of attaching the cover to the housing is greatly simplified for the wearer. For example, to attach the cover to the housing, the wearer can simply bring the cover close to the housing, so that the housing attachment features and the cover attachment features are close to each other, in order to engage the magnetic connection without the need for separate rotation or actuation of the locking mechanism. Similarly, to remove the cover from the housing, the wearer can simply pull the cover off the housing to disengage the magnetic connection without the need for separate rotation or actuation of the locking mechanism.

[0076] Furthermore, because magnetic couplings do not require direct contact for attachment, the cover can be attached to the housing in various orientations, such as the angle at which the wearer places the cover and housing together, without reducing the attachment strength of the magnetic coupling. Additionally, magnetic couplings do not require any relatively rotating parts for engagement / disengagement.

[0077] For example, a magnetic connection may include two magnets, one in the housing and one in the cover, which attract each other to form a magnetic connection.

[0078] When the cover is attached to the housing, the housing attachment features are covered by the cover. When the cover is detached from or removed from the housing, the housing attachment features are exposed.

[0079] A cover can be referred to as a facade, such as a housing facade. A cover can be used to cover a housing, such as an outer surface of the housing, when the cover attachment feature is releasably engaged with a housing attachment feature (e.g., by a wearer of the headwear). A cover can be understood as an element used to cover the outer surface of a housing. A cover can be any suitable overlay, finish, or shell used to cover the outer surface of the housing. A cover does not contain active elements related to the electronic functionality of the earcups and / or headwear, such as electronic components. In other words, a cover can be a non-powered feature of the earcups.

[0080] The lid can be directly attached to the housing. In other words, the lid can be attached to the housing without any intermediate parts between them that do not form part of the lid or the housing itself.

[0081] The housing may be a base for housing a speaker driver used to drive a loudspeaker. When supported on the wearer's ears, the housing may cover the wearer's ears. The housing may also include earmuffs adapted to contact the wearer's head around the ears. The earmuffs may be made of flexible or resilient materials.

[0082] In other words, the magnetic strength of the magnetic connection between the cover and the shell is such that when the wearer pulls the cover away from the wearer's ear, the shell moves away from the wearer's ear before the cover separates from the shell. This prevents the wearer from accidentally removing the cover from the shell when they want to easily remove the headband from their head.

[0083] The cover attachment feature may include a cover magnet and / or the housing attachment feature may include a housing magnet to form part of a magnetic connection.

[0084] In other words, the lid and / or housing may include a magnet that forms part of the magnetic connection between the lid and the housing. The lid / housing magnet can be any suitable type of magnet, such as a push-button magnet. The polar axis of the magnet may be aligned with or parallel to the longitudinal axis of the lid and / or the longitudinal axis of the housing.

[0085] The cover attachment feature may include multiple cover magnets and / or the housing attachment feature may include multiple housing magnets to form part of a magnetic connection.

[0086] In other words, multiple magnets can form part of a magnetic coupling between the cover and the housing. The magnetic coupling can have a given magnetic strength, and the number of magnets forming part of the coupling can be adjusted to achieve a desired magnetic strength. For example, for a magnetic coupling comprising a large number of magnets, each magnet can have a smaller individual magnetic strength, and for a magnetic coupling comprising a smaller number of magnets, each magnet can have a larger individual magnetic strength. Providing multiple magnets can improve the strength and intensity distribution of the magnetic coupling between the cover and the housing. Furthermore, providing multiple magnets allows for multiple different attachment points and / or orientations between the cover and the housing. Additionally, the multiple magnets can comprise multiple magnets of the same type or multiple magnets of different types.

[0087] The cover attachment feature may include a plurality of cover magnets arranged in a circular array and / or the housing attachment feature may include a plurality of housing magnets arranged in a circular array to form part of a magnetic connection.

[0088] In other words, multiple magnets can be arranged in a ring array within or on the cover and / or housing. The ring array can be a complete ring or a partial ring. The ring array can include gaps or spaces in an array without magnets, for example, in an alternating arrangement. The ring array can be substantially ring-shaped and can include one or more concentric ring arrangements of magnets. The magnets in the ring array can be uniformly spaced from each other. Multiple magnets can be arranged in an alternating array, wherein each magnet has the opposite polarity to its adjacent magnets in the array.

[0089] A ring array may include:

[0090] The first part, having a first magnetic field strength; and

[0091] The second part has a second magnetic field strength.

[0092] The strength of the first magnetic field is greater than that of the second magnetic field.

[0093] In other words, the magnetic field strength of the multiple cover magnets may be unevenly distributed around the ring array, causing the detachment of the cover from the shell to occur in a preferred direction. In this way, the wearer can be encouraged to remove the cover from the shell with the desired movement, for example, to limit wear on the cover and / or shell. Furthermore, the first part can be positioned near a portion of the earcups of the headband, which the wearer interacts with more frequently, such as when removing the headband from the head, to prevent accidental removal of the cover.

[0094] The cover attachment feature may include one or more ring magnets and / or the housing attachment may include one or more ring magnets to form part of a magnetic connection.

[0095] In other words, the magnets can be arranged in a ring. In this way, one or more ring magnets can be arranged in a concentric array together with the substantially circular features or components of the cover and / or housing.

[0096] The cover attachment features may include cover ferromagnetic elements and / or housing attachment features may include housing ferromagnetic elements to form part of a magnetic connection.

[0097] In other words, a magnetic connection can include elements that can be attracted by a magnet and / or housing disposed within the cover and / or housing. Therefore, a magnetic connection can include a magnet-ferromagnetic element connection.

[0098] The housing may include a protrusion, and the cover includes a socket for receiving the protrusion.

[0099] In this way, the housing may include protrusions that can accommodate various components, while also providing positioning features for positioning / aligning the cover in the correct position when it is attached to the housing.

[0100] The housing attachment feature may be provided on the protrusion, and the cover attachment feature may be provided inside the socket.

[0101] In this way, the attachment features can be set around the positioning features to position the cover in the correct position when attaching the cover to the housing, thereby improving the ease with which the cover can be attached to the housing.

[0102] The earmuff may include a cover insert arranged to engage with a cover within a socket and to receive cover attachment features.

[0103] The force required to separate the cover insert from the cover may be greater than the force required to separate the magnetic connection.

[0104] In other words, the magnetic field strength of the magnetic connection between the cap and the housing is such that when the wearer pulls the cap away from the wearer's ear, the cap separates from the housing before the cap insert separates from the cap. This prevents the wearer from accidentally removing the cap insert from the cap when intending to simply remove the cap from the housing. The cap insert can be attached to the cap using a suitable adhesive.

[0105] The protrusion may include an inclined surface arranged to contact the surface of the socket.

[0106] In this way, the protrusion can be used as an alignment feature to guide the wearer into the proper position to attach the cap to the housing.

[0107] The housing may include a housing attachment seat arranged to receive the housing attachment feature.

[0108] In this way, the housing attachment feature can be provided with a base to ensure that the housing attachment feature is held in the optimal position for engagement with the cover attachment feature. The housing attachment base can be provided in the inclined surface of the protrusion.

[0109] The housing may include one or more outer surfaces, and the cover covers most of one or more outer surfaces of the housing.

[0110] The second part of the cover includes a gap portion, and the housing includes a protrusion adapted to protrude through the gap portion when the cover is attached to the housing.

[0111] In one embodiment, the gap includes a notch for exposing the housing through the cover. The notch can be any shape of indentation, cut, hole, window, opening, hole, etc., in the cover, through which at least a portion of the housing is exposed.

[0112] The protruding part can basically fill the gap.

[0113] In this way, unwanted movement and vibration between the cover and the housing can be reduced. In other words, the size and shape of the perimeter of the protrusion can be set to substantially match the boundary of the gap portion.

[0114] In a sixth aspect, a headband including the earmuffs of the fifth aspect is provided. It may further include a headband adapted to contact the wearer's head and to support the shell over the wearer's ears.

[0115] The headband can be arranged to apply a clamping force to the wearer's head to hold the headband on the wearer's head, and the force required to disengage the magnetic connection is greater than the clamping force.

[0116] The headband can be configured to apply a clamping force to the wearer's head to keep the headpiece on the wearer's head.

[0117] The headgear may also include a speaker housed in a housing.

[0118] Headgear may include:

[0119] A pair of housings, which are supported on the wearer's ears; and

[0120] A pair of covers, wherein each cover is adapted to be removably attached to a corresponding housing in the pair of housings.

[0121] The lid can be left or right, meaning each lid can be attached to only one of a pair of housings, or it can be right or left, meaning each lid can be attached to either housing.

[0122] According to a seventh aspect, a cover is provided that is releasably attached to the housing of an earmuff for a headband for wearing on the head of a wearer, the cover covering the housing, the cover including a cover attachment feature arranged to be magnetically coupled to a housing attachment feature of the housing.

[0123] The earcups may include a speaker driver housed in a housing, and the cover may be arranged to cover part of the housing housing the speaker driver.

[0124] In an eighth aspect, a method of assembling a cover is provided, the cover being releasably attached to the housing of an ear cup of a headband, the headband being worn on the head of a wearer, the cover being used to cover the housing, the method comprising:

[0125] A cover insert is inserted into the slot of the cover, the cover insert having a cover attachment feature or being arranged to receive the cover attachment feature, the cover attachment feature being arranged to be magnetically connected to a housing attachment feature of the housing; and

[0126] The cover insert is attached to the socket.

[0127] In an embodiment, inserting the cover insert into the cover socket includes snapping or pressing the cover insert into the socket.

[0128] In one embodiment, attaching the cover insert to the socket includes applying an adhesive to the cover insert and / or the socket to adhere the cover insert and the socket to each other.

[0129] According to a ninth aspect, earmuffs are provided for a headband for wearing on the head of a wearer, the earmuffs comprising:

[0130] A housing that is supported on the wearer's ear, wherein the housing includes a protruding portion;

[0131] A cover, releasably attached to the housing, wherein the cover includes a gap portion, and wherein a protruding portion of the housing protrudes through the gap portion; and

[0132] A control interface adapted to generate control signals for inducing control of operation of the earmuffs and / or headband, wherein the control interface is disposed on the protruding portion.

[0133] An earmuff is provided having a cover that is releasably attached to a housing including a control interface. The control interface is disposed on a protrusion of the housing that protrudes or extends through a gap in the cover. The housing may be generally cylindrical. The control interface may be disposed on an outwardly facing cylindrical wall of the housing.

[0134] The gap portion in the lid can be defined as part of the lid, through which the protrusion can be received in the originally solid, uniform, or unperforated surface of the lid. The gap portion can be a closed hole with a covering material surrounding the gap portion, or an open hole without a covering material on one or more sides of the gap portion. The gap portion can include a notch for exposing the housing through the lid. The notch can be any shape of indentation, cut, hole, window, opening, hole, etc., in the lid, through which at least a portion of the housing is exposed.

[0135] The protrusion can extend away from the wearer's ear. In other words, the protrusion can extend away from the base of the shell along its longitudinal axis.

[0136] The wearer can remove a given cap from the case to replace it with a different cap, for example, to customize the appearance of the ear cup.

[0137] By providing the control interface on the housing rather than on the cover, attaching and removing the cover is simplified, as the wearer does not need to disconnect any electrical connection between the cover and the housing or manipulate any protruding controls.

[0138] In this way, one or more covers can be interchanged without burdening the user. Furthermore, the ease of manufacturing the cover assembly can be improved by eliminating any electronic components.

[0139] In addition, the ease of access to the control interface is improved by providing a control interface on a protrusion that extends through and across the cover.

[0140] A cover can be referred to as a facade, such as a housing facade. A cover can be understood as an element used to cover the outer surface of a housing. A cover can be any suitable overlay, finish, or shell used to cover the outer surface of a housing. A cover may not contain active elements related to the electronic functionality of the earcups and / or headband; for example, it may not contain electronic components. In other words, a cover can be a non-powered feature of the earcups.

[0141] The lid can be directly attached to the housing. In other words, the lid can be attached to the housing without any intermediate parts between them that do not form part of the lid or the housing itself.

[0142] The housing may be a base for housing a speaker driver used to drive a loudspeaker. When supported on the wearer's ears, the housing may cover the wearer's ears. The housing may also include earmuffs adapted to contact the wearer's head around the ears. The earmuffs may be made of flexible or resilient materials.

[0143] Control signals can be used to initiate pairing between the earcups and / or headband and an external device, such as a smartphone or smartwatch. Pairing can be Bluetooth pairing, enabling the earcups and / or headband to perform data communication operations, such as transmitting data (e.g., audio data), to the wearer. The audio data can be used for audio output from the speaker drivers to the wearer.

[0144] The housing may include one or more outer surfaces, and the cover covers most of one or more outer surfaces of the housing.

[0145] In this way, the cover is placed on the housing in order to change the appearance of a prominent part of the housing.

[0146] The outer surface of the housing can be any surface of the housing arranged to contact the cover. The outer surface of the housing can also be any surface of the housing arranged not to contact the wearer's ear. The housing may include one or more inner surfaces facing the space at least partially surrounded by the housing, and the walls of the housing may include one or more inner surfaces on one side and one or more outer surfaces on the other side.

[0147] The cover may cover most of one or more outer surfaces of the housing, such as more than 50% of one or more outer surfaces of the housing.

[0148] The protruding part can basically fill the gap.

[0149] In this way, unwanted movement and vibration between the cover and the housing can be reduced. In other words, the size and shape of the perimeter of the protrusion can be set to substantially match the boundary of the gap portion.

[0150] During use, the protruding part can be positioned towards the back of the wearer's ear.

[0151] In this way, the ease of use of the user access control interface can be improved. In some implementations, the protrusion may be positioned towards the lower part of the wearer's ear. In some implementations, the protrusion may be located behind and below the wearer's ear.

[0152] The control interface can be located near the periphery of the protruding part.

[0153] In this way, the ease of user access to the control interface can be improved. In one embodiment, the control interface may be located on or near the periphery of the protrusion. In another embodiment, the control interface may be located on the peripheral surface of the protrusion. The control interface may protrude radially from the protrusion, for example, in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the housing.

[0154] The control interface may include one or more sensors.

[0155] In this way, control signals can be generated based on sensor signals generated by one or more sensors in response to external stimuli.

[0156] One or more sensors may include one or more microphone sensors.

[0157] In this way, control signals can be generated based on sensor signals produced by one or more microphone sensors in response to external audio input, such as monitoring ambient sounds for active noise cancellation or voice for telephone calls.

[0158] The control interface may include one or more user input interfaces.

[0159] In this way, control signals can be generated based on user input (e.g., physical input from the wearer, such as the wearer of the headpiece). The user input interface may include one or more of the following: buttons; dials; sliders; switches; joysticks; etc.

[0160] The control interface may include one or more input and / or output ports.

[0161] In this way, control signals can be generated based on external control signals. Input and / or output ports can be input / output (I / O) ports, such as USB ports.

[0162] The housing may include a housing attachment feature, and the cover may include a cover attachment feature adapted to releasably engage with the housing attachment feature to releasably attach the cover to the housing.

[0163] The cover may include a first part and a second part, wherein attachment features are provided on or attached to the first part, wherein, in use, when the headgear is worn on the wearer's head, the first part is away from the wearer's ears, while the second part is close to the wearer's ears. The first part and the second part may be connected to each other.

[0164] The length of the perimeter of the first part can be less than the length of the perimeter of the second part.

[0165] In this way, the wearer has a tactile difference between the top part and the control interface, which improves the ease of locating the control interface or the top part of the cover according to the action they wish to perform, thereby removing the cover from the housing.

[0166] The first portion may be spaced apart from the protrusion, for example, such that the periphery of the first portion does not overlap or contact the periphery of the protrusion. The first portion may be located at the center of the cover, while the protrusion may be positioned toward the periphery of the housing and thus aligned with and away from the first portion.

[0167] The height at which the first part protrudes from the second part can be greater than or equal to the height at which the protruding part protrudes from the second part.

[0168] In this way, the wearer has a tactile difference between the top part and the control interface, which improves the ease of locating the control interface or the top part of the cover according to the action they wish to perform, thereby removing the cover from the housing.

[0169] The height of the protrusion in the first part and the height of the protrusion in the protruding part can be measured from the outer surface of the second part.

[0170] The housing may include a protrusion, and a first portion may define a socket for receiving the protrusion.

[0171] In this way, the housing may include protrusions that can accommodate various components, while also providing positioning features for positioning (e.g., aligning) the cover in the correct position when it is attached to the housing.

[0172] The protrusion can be a central protrusion, for example, aligned with the central axis of the housing. The protrusion can house the speaker driver.

[0173] The housing attachment feature may be located on or near the protrusion, and the cover attachment feature may be located inside the socket.

[0174] In this way, the attachment features can be set around the positioning features to position the cover in the correct position when attaching the cover to the housing, thereby improving the ease with which the cover can be attached to the housing.

[0175] The first part is connectable to and rotatable relative to the second part, wherein the cover attachment feature is adapted to:

[0176] The first portion engages and disengages from the housing attachment features by rotating relative to the housing.

[0177] In other words, a means is provided to remove the cover from the housing by rotating a portion of the cover while the rest of the cover does not rotate relative to the housing.

[0178] In other words, a cover with a detachable arrangement is provided, wherein the top portion of the cover can rotate relative to the housing to selectively engage the cover with the housing, while the bottom portion of the cover remains rotated and fixed relative to the housing.

[0179] By providing a cover with an attachment device that can be operated without moving the portion of the cover that contacts the housing, the base of the housing and the cover (e.g., a second portion) can have any shape without the base being able to rotate relative to the housing.

[0180] The cover attachment features and the housing attachment features can form a bayonet fitting.

[0181] The cover attachment features and the housing attachment features can define the magnetic connection.

[0182] By providing a magnetic connection as a means of releasably attaching the cover to the housing, the process of attaching the cover to the housing is greatly simplified for the wearer. For example, to attach the cover to the housing, the wearer can simply bring the cover close to the housing to engage the magnetic connection, without needing to separately rotate or actuate the locking mechanism. Similarly, to remove the cover from the housing, the wearer can simply pull the cover off the housing to disengage the magnetic connection, without needing to separately rotate or actuate the locking mechanism.

[0183] Furthermore, since magnetic connections do not require direct contact for attachment, the cover can be attached to the housing in various orientations without reducing the attachment strength of the magnetic connection.

[0184] In a tenth aspect, a headgear is provided, which includes the earmuffs of the ninth aspect. The headgear may also include a headband adapted to contact the wearer's head and to support the shell on the wearer's ears.

[0185] The headgear may include a speaker housed in a housing.

[0186] Therefore, a pair of headphones can be provided for the wearer to use.

[0187] Headbands may include:

[0188] A pair of housings, each of which is supported on the wearer's ear; and

[0189] A pair of covers, wherein each cover is adapted to be removably attached to a corresponding housing in the pair of housings.

[0190] The protruding part can be bow-shaped.

[0191] The protrusion may extend around the perimeter of the shell. For example, the protrusion may extend for one-quarter of the length around the perimeter of the shell.

[0192] The outer edge of the protruding portion may follow the curvature of the outer edge of the cover. In one embodiment, the outer edge of the cover is at least partially or completely rounded.

[0193] According to an eleventh aspect, a cover is provided that is releasably attached to the housing of an earmuff for a headband, the headband being worn on the head of a wearer, the cover being for partially covering the housing, the housing having a protrusion, the earmuff including a control interface disposed on the protrusion, the cover comprising:

[0194] A gap portion, the gap portion being used to accommodate the protruding portion of the housing.

[0195] Any feature of any of the foregoing aspects may be combined with any feature of any of the other aspects mentioned above. Attached Figure Description

[0196] Figure 1 A schematic representation of the earmuffs is shown;

[0197] Figure 2 A perspective view of a headpiece for wearing on a wearer's head is shown;

[0198] Figure 3 A perspective view of the cover removed from the casing is shown;

[0199] Figure 4 A perspective view of the casing is shown, with the cover removed;

[0200] Figure 5 It shows Figure 3 The cross-section of the lid;

[0201] Figure 6 It shows Figure 3 A perspective view of the lid;

[0202] Figure 7 It shows the attachment to Figure 4 The shell Figure 3 The cross-section of the lid;

[0203] Figure 8 A perspective view of the cover removed from the casing is shown;

[0204] Figure 9 A perspective view of the casing is shown, with the cover removed;

[0205] Figure 10 A perspective view of the casing is shown, with the cover removed;

[0206] Figure 11 It shows Figure 4 Two front views of the shell;

[0207] Figure 12 It shows Figure 2 The rear front view of the headgear shown; and

[0208] Figure 13 It shows Figure 2 The headgear shown is a bottom view. Detailed Implementation

[0209] Figure 1 A schematic representation of an earmuff 100 including a housing 110 and a cover 120 is shown.

[0210] The cover 120 is releasably attached to the housing 110 by means of a cover attachment feature 130 disposed on the cover 120 and a housing attachment feature 140 disposed on the housing. Various embodiments of the cover attachment feature 130 and the housing attachment feature 140 are discussed in further detail below.

[0211] Figure 2 A perspective view of a headband 200 for wearing on a wearer's head is shown. Figure 2 In the example shown, the headband 200 is a pair of headphones having a pair of earcups 310, 315 supported on each ear of the wearer by a headband 210. Each earcup 310, 315 is covered by a corresponding cover 320, 325 (each cover may be referred to as a cap). Each earcup 310, 315 includes a corresponding housing, each housing being covered by one of the corresponding covers 320, 325, such that, except for a protrusion 312 in one of the housings, the corresponding housing is... Figure 2 Not visible in the center, the protrusion 312 protrudes through the cover 320. The protrusion 312 is described in further detail below.

[0212] Each earmuff 310, 315 includes a corresponding pad or ear cushion 220, 225 disposed between the earmuff 310, 315 and the side of the wearer's head.

[0213] exist Figure 2In the example shown, the headgear includes a pair of speakers ( Figure 2 The image shows one of the speakers (320), each speaker pointing towards the wearer's corresponding ear. Each speaker is housed in one of the respective housings of earcups 310, 315. The speakers are driven by speaker drivers housed in earcups 310, 315.

[0214] Figure 3 A perspective view of the cover 320 removed from the housing 311 is shown. Figure 4 A perspective view of the housing 311 with the cover 320 removed is shown. Figure 5 A cross-section of cover 320 is shown, and Figure 6 A perspective view of cover 320 is shown.

[0215] The cover 320 includes a first portion 321 coupled to the second portion 324. The first portion 321 is rotatable relative to the second portion. Additionally, the second portion 324 of the cover 320 includes a gap portion 326 through which a protrusion 312 of the housing 311 protrudes when the cover 320 is attached to the housing 311. The protrusion 312 and the gap portion 326 are dimensioned such that when the cover 320 is attached to the housing 311, the protrusion 312 substantially fills the gap portion 326, as shown below. Figure 2 As shown.

[0216] The length of the perimeter 327 of the first part 321 is less than the length of the perimeter 329 of the second part 342. Figure 3 In the example shown, the first part 321 and the second part 324 are coaxial cylinders, wherein the first part 321 has a smaller circumference / diameter than the second part 324.

[0217] When the cover 320 is attached to the housing 311, the height by which the first portion 321 protrudes from the second portion 324 is equal to the height by which the protruding portion 312 protrudes from the second portion 324 of the housing 311. In other examples, the heights may be different. For example, when the cover 320 is attached to the housing 311, the height by which the first portion 321 protrudes from the second portion 324 may be greater than the height by which the protruding portion 312 protrudes from the second portion 324.

[0218] like Figure 5 and Figure 6 As shown, the first portion 321 of the cover includes a covering element 322 and a connecting element 323. The connecting element 323 snaps into the covering element 322 to form the first portion 321 of the cover 320. The connecting element 323 rotatably connects the covering element 322 to the second portion 324 of the cover 320.

[0219] The connecting element 323 includes three cap attachment features 330 arranged in a ring array, which engage / disengage with corresponding housing attachment features 340 of the housing 311. Figure 4 , Figure 5 and Figure 6 In the example shown, the cover attachment feature 330 and the housing attachment feature 340 define a bayonet fitting. The housing attachment features 340 are arranged in a uniformly spaced annular array. It should be noted that any number of housing attachment features 340 and corresponding cover attachment features 330 can be provided for attaching the cover 320 to the housing 311, and they do not need to be uniformly spaced; however, the three attachment features provide a stable connection between the cover 320 and the housing 311 without unduly complicating the manufacture and design of both the cover 320 and the housing 311. The three housing attachment features 340 are arranged around the protrusion 350 of the housing. The cover attachment features 330 are arranged in a corresponding uniformly spaced annular array. The cover attachment features 330 are located within the latch 360 of the cover. The latch 360 is defined by the first portion 321 of the cover 320. When the cover 320 is attached to the housing 311, the protrusion 350 is received in the socket 360.

[0220] Each of the cover attachment features 330 includes a protrusion 334 divided into a rigid portion 331 and an elastically deformable portion 332. The elastically deformable portion is attached to the first portion 331 via an elastic element 333 in the form of a flexible arm, and specifically to the connecting element 323. The curved profile of the rigid portion 331 facilitates the alignment of the cover attachment feature 330 with the housing attachment feature 340.

[0221] Each of the housing attachment features 340 includes a track 341 for receiving a rigid portion 331 and an elastically deformable portion 332 of a protrusion 334. The track 341 has an opening 342 for receiving the protrusion 334 as the cover 320 is brought toward the housing 311. By rotation of the first portion 321 of the cover 320 relative to the housing 311 in a first direction, the rigid portion 331 and the elastically deformable portion 332 of the protrusion 334 move from the opening 342 along the track 341 to attach the cover 320 to the housing 311.

[0222] When the protrusion 334 is received at the opening 342 of the housing attachment feature 340, the rigid portion 331 guides the protrusion 334 along the track 341 as the first portion 321 rotates relative to the housing 311.

[0223] The track 341 includes two ridges 343 and 344, which are connected to a base portion 345 disposed therebetween. Rotation of the first portion 321 in a first direction causes the elastically deformable portion 332 to deflect, such that the elastically deformable portion 332 passes over the first ridge 343 and enters the base portion 345. Then, as the elastically deformable portion 332 enters the base portion 345, it returns towards a stationary state, which releasably suppresses rotation of the first portion 321 in a second direction opposite to the first direction. The second ridge 344 helps prevent excessive rotation of the first portion 321 in the first direction.

[0224] The elastically deformable portion 332, for example, protrudes further than the rigid portion 331 toward the axis of rotation 328 of the first portion 321. Therefore, when the protrusion 334 passes the first ridge 343 and the second ridge 344, the rigid portion 331 does not engage with the first ridge 343 and the second ridge 344. Instead, the rigid portion 331 is guided by the sidewalls of the track 341.

[0225] like Figure 4 As shown, track 341 includes a base having two opposing sidewalls extending therefrom. Ridges 343, 344 and a base portion 345 are disposed thereon. The base is parallel to the axis of rotation 328 of the first portion 321 of the cover. An elastic element 333 biases the elastic portion 332 toward the base of track 341 (i.e., toward the axis of rotation 328).

[0226] like Figure 4 As shown, the track 341 includes an angled portion 346, which is adapted to bring the cover 320 closer to the housing 311 when the cover 320 is engaged with the housing 311, and to move the cover 320 away from the housing 311 when the cover 320 is disengaged from the housing 311.

[0227] Additionally, at the end of track 341 opposite to opening 342, there is a stop surface 347 forming part of a stop structure. When the first portion 321 of cover 320 rotates in the first direction, the protrusion 334 of cover attachment feature 330 moves toward stop surface 347. Stop surface 347 contacts rigid portion 331 of protrusion 334 to prevent the first portion 321 from rotating excessively in the first direction.

[0228] like Figure 6 As shown, the cover 320 may also include a plurality of vibration dampers 335 adapted to absorb / eliminate vibrations between the cover 320 and the housing 311. One or more vibration dampers 335 may be provided according to the desired embodiment.

[0229] like Figure 2 As shown, when with Figure 4In contrast, the cover 320 covers most of the outer surface of the housing 320, except for the protrusion 312. In use, the protrusion 312 is located below and behind the user's ears.

[0230] like Figure 4 As shown, the protrusion 312 and the corresponding gap 326 are arc-shaped and extend around the periphery of the housing 311, such that the outer edge of the protrusion 312 follows the curvature of the outer edge of the cover 320.

[0231] Figure 7 A cross-section of the cover 320 attached to the housing 311 is shown, as is the resilient portion 332 of the protrusion 334 received within the base portion 345 of the track 341.

[0232] Figures 8 to 10 A housing 410 and a cover 420 are shown that are suitable for releasably attaching to each other via magnetic coupling. It will be understood that any of the features of the headgear, cover, or housing described above can be equally applied to those described below, such as the gap portion 426 in the cover 420 and the protrusion 412 in the housing 410.

[0233] exist Figure 8 In the example shown, the cover attachment feature includes a plurality of cover magnets 430 arranged in a circular array within a socket 460 of the cover 420. The plurality of cover magnets 430 are held within the socket 460 by a cover insert 470, which includes a plurality of cover magnet seats 472 adapted to receive one of the plurality of cover magnets 430. The cover insert 470 is coupled to the cover 420 within the socket 460 with a coupling strength greater than the magnetic field strength that binds the cover 420 to the housing.

[0234] exist Figure 9 In the example shown, the housing attachment feature includes a plurality of housing magnets 440 arranged in a uniformly spaced annular array on the inclined surface 452 of the housing protrusion 450. When the cover 420 and the housing 410 are attached, the housing magnets 440 are received within the socket 460 of the cover 420. Each of the plurality of housing magnets 440 is received in a corresponding housing attachment seat 442, which is integrally formed in the inclined surface 452 of the protrusion 450.

[0235] When the cover 420 is brought toward the housing 410 for attachment, the inclined surface 452 serves as a positioning feature by contacting the inner surface of the socket 460 of the cover 410 and guiding the cover magnet 430 to align with the housing magnet 440. Additionally, the gap portion 426 and the protrusion 412 also serve to align the cover 420 with the housing 410 when the wearer attaches the cover 420 to the housing. The gap portion 426 and the protrusion 412 can distinguish between left- and right-hand attachment arrangements, i.e., by providing different sizes or shapes of protrusions 412 and gap portions 426 for different housings 410 and covers 420. In left- and right-handed arrangements, the protrusions 412 and gap portions 426 are uniform across multiple different housings 410 and covers 420.

[0236] exist Figure 2 In the example shown, the headband 210 of the headgear 200 is adapted to apply a clamping force to the wearer's head to hold the headgear on the wearer's head. When the cover 420 is attached to the housing 410, the cover 420 is held to the housing 410 with a given magnetic field strength, determined by the strength and number of cover magnets 430 and housing magnets 440. When the wearer wants to remove the headgear 200 from their head, they will apply a force against the clamping force to remove the headgear. When the cover 420 is on the outside of the housing 410, the wearer can grasp the cover 420 to remove the headgear 200 from their head. To prevent the cover 420 from accidentally detaching from the housing 410 when the wearer removes the headgear 200 from their head, the magnetic field strengths of the cover magnets 430 and housing magnets 440 are adjusted such that the force required to disengage the magnetic connection is greater than the clamping force.

[0237] exist Figure 10 In the example shown, housing 420 includes a ring array of housing magnets 440 arranged in a non-uniform manner. It should be understood that the corresponding cover 410 will have a similar configuration to... Figure 9 The array shown is similar to the distribution of cover magnets 430.

[0238] The annular array of housing magnets 440 is divided into a first portion 442 with a first magnetic field strength and a second portion 444 with a second magnetic field strength. The first magnetic field strength is greater than the second magnetic field strength. Figure 10 In the example shown, a greater first magnetic field strength is achieved by providing more housing magnets 440 in the first portion 442 and more empty housing attachments 445 in the second portion. The positioning and relative strength of the first portion 442 and the second portion 444 can be varied according to the desired preferred orientation of removing the cover 420.

[0239] The magnets in each array of the cover magnet 430 and the housing magnet 440 can be arranged with alternating polarities. If the cover 420 then includes something similar to the above reference... Figure 3The rotatable first part, when rotated to align similar magnetic poles, allows the alternating polarity of the magnet to be used to eject the cover 420 from the housing 410.

[0240] Figure 11 It shows Figure 4 Two front views of the housing 311. The front views show the same housing 311, with the right front view showing the housing 311 mirrored and rotated 90° relative to the view shown in the left front view. The left view shows the rear side of the housing 311, which faces approximately rearward when worn (i.e., away from the wearer's front) (see, for example, [reference needed]). Figure 12 The right view shows the rear side of housing 311, which faces generally downwards (i.e., toward the wearer's shoulder) when worn (see, for example, [reference needed]). Figure 13 ).

[0241] Each front view shows a portion of a control interface 500 disposed on the peripheral surface of the protrusion 312 of the housing 311. The control interface 500 is adapted to generate control signals for inducing control of the operation of the headgear.

[0242] exist Figure 11 In the example shown, the control interface includes a microphone sensor 510, a button-type user input interface 520, an LED 530, and an input / output port 540.

[0243] Figure 12 and Figure 13 They are shown respectively Figure 2 Rear and bottom views of the headgear 200. Figure 12 and Figure 13 The relative positioning of control interfaces 500 and 501 on the earcups 310 and 315 of the headband 200 is shown. Figure 12 The front view shown illustrates the rear side of the headgear 200, which faces approximately backward (i.e., away from the front of the wearer) when worn. Figure 13 The front view shown illustrates the bottom of the headband, which faces roughly downwards (i.e., toward the wearer's shoulders) when worn.

[0244] Figure 12 and Figure 13 Each earcup 310, 315 of the headband 200 shown includes a corresponding control interface 500, 501. The control interface 500 includes... Figure 11 The control element shown is shown. An additional control interface 501 may include an additional button 521 and two additional microphones 511, 512 (one for active noise cancellation, similar to microphone 510 on another earcup 315, and the other for communication).

Claims

1. An earmuff for a headband, the headband being worn on the head of a wearer, the earmuff comprising: A housing that is supported on the wearer's ear, the housing including housing attachment features; A cover, releasably attachable to the housing, the cover comprising: A first part, which is coupled to a second part and is rotatable relative to the second part, includes a cover attachment feature for engaging and disengaging with the housing attachment feature by rotation of the first part relative to the housing.

2. The earmuff of claim 1, wherein the first portion includes a plurality of cover attachment features, and wherein the housing includes a corresponding plurality of housing attachment features.

3. The earmuff according to claim 2, wherein the plurality of cover attachment features can be arranged in a circular array.

4. The earmuff of claim 3, wherein each cover attachment feature is arranged at least 90° around the annular array with each adjacent cover attachment feature.

5. The earmuff according to any one of claims 3 to 4, wherein the plurality of cover attachment features are uniformly arranged in the annular array.

6. The earmuff according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the cover attachment feature and the housing attachment feature form a bayonet fitting.

7. The earmuff of claim 6, wherein the bayonet fitting includes a protrusion and a track adapted to receive the protrusion, the track having an opening, wherein the track is adapted to receive the protrusion at the opening, and wherein the protrusion moves from the opening along the track by rotation of the first portion of the cover relative to the housing in a first direction to attach the cover to the housing.

8. The earmuff of claim 7, wherein the cover attachment feature includes the protrusion, and wherein the housing attachment feature includes the track.

9. The earmuff according to any one of claims 7 to 8, wherein, The track is angled to bring the cover closer to the housing when the cover engages with the housing.

10. The earmuff according to any one of claims 7 to 9, wherein the protrusion comprises: A rigid portion, which is rigidly attached to the first portion; and The elastically deformable portion is attached to the first portion via an elastic element. The rigid portion is adapted to guide the protrusion along the track, and the track includes a ridge connected to the base portion, and rotation of the first portion in a first direction (i) causes the elastically deformable portion to deflect such that the elastically deformable portion passes over the ridge, and (ii) allows the elastically deformable portion to return to a stationary state when it enters the base portion, so as to releasably and rotatably inhibit rotation of the first portion in a second direction.

11. The earmuff of claim 10, wherein the track includes a base having two opposing sidewalls extending therefrom, the base of the track being parallel to the axis of rotation of the top portion of the cover, and wherein the resiliently deformable portion is biased in a direction at an angle to the track.

12. The earmuff according to any one of claims 7 to 11, wherein the track further comprises a stop structure spaced apart from the opening, wherein the protrusion moves from the opening to the stop structure by rotation of the first portion of the cover relative to the housing in a first direction.

13. The earmuff of claim 12, wherein the stop structure includes a stop surface adapted to contact a rigid portion of the protrusion to inhibit rotation of a first portion of the cover in the first direction.

14. The earmuff according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the headband further comprises a vibration damper disposed between the cover and the housing.

15. The earmuff according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the housing includes a protrusion, and wherein, The first portion defines a socket for receiving the protrusion, and the second portion includes a hole through which the protrusion protrudes.

16. The earmuff of claim 15, wherein the housing attachment feature is disposed on the protrusion, and wherein, The cover attachment feature is disposed within the socket.

17. The earmuff according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the housing comprises one or more outer surfaces, and wherein, The cover covers most of one or more outer surfaces of the housing.

18. The earmuff according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the second portion of the cover includes a gap portion, and wherein, The housing includes a protruding portion adapted to protrude through the gap portion when the cover is attached to the housing.

19. The earmuff of claim 18, wherein the protruding portion substantially fills the gap portion.

20. A headband comprising earmuffs according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein, The headgear also includes a headband adapted to contact the wearer's head and to support the housing on the wearer's ears.

21. The headgear of claim 20, wherein the headgear includes a speaker housed in the housing.

22. The headgear according to claim 20 or 21, wherein the headgear comprises: A pair of housings, which are supported on the wearer's ears; and A pair of covers, wherein each cover is adapted to be removably attached to a corresponding housing in the pair of housings.

23. A cover releasably attachable to the housing of an earmuff for a headband, the headband being worn on the head of a wearer, the cover covering the housing, the cover comprising: A first part, rotatably coupled to a second part, the first part including a cover attachment feature for engaging and disengaging with the housing by rotation of the first part relative to the second part and the housing, to secure the cover to the housing.

24. The cover of claim 23, wherein the first portion comprises: Covering elements; and A connecting element, wherein the connecting element is adapted to rotatably connect the cover element to the second portion, and wherein the connecting element includes the cover attachment feature.

25. A method of manufacturing a cover releasably attached to a housing of an earmuff for a headband, the headband being worn on the head of a wearer, the cover being used to cover the housing, the method comprising: The first and second portions of the cover are rotatably connected using a connecting element, the connecting element including a cover attachment portion for releasably attaching the cover to the housing.

Images