Water-resistant earcup for a communication headset

Abstract

A water-resistant earcup for a communication headset, the earcup includes an earcup housing, a plate with a front side and a back side coupled to the earcup housing, an audio exciter mounted to the back side of the plate, and a cushion coupled to the earcup housing. The audio exciter is configured to receive a transmitted signal, vibrate at the frequency of the signal, and transmit the vibration through the plate. Vibration of the back side of the plate causes emanation of the signal as sound from the front side.

Description

Docket No. 063758-02-5174-WOTITLE

[0001] Water-Resistant Earcup for a Communication HeadsetCROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0002] This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 63 / 701,782 filed October 1, 2024 entitled “Water-Resistant Earcup for a Communication Headset”, which is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety.TECHNICAL FIELD

[0003] The present disclosure generally relates to a water-resistant earcup for a communication headset and, in some embodiments, to a water-resistant earcup for a communication headset that is capable of water submersion at increased depths, pressures, and lengths of time.SUMMARY

[0004] In one embodiment, there is a water-resistant earcup for a communication headset, the earcup including an earcup housing, a plate with a front side and a back side coupled to the earcup housing, an audio exciter mounted to the back side of the plate, the audio exciter configured to: receive a transmitted signal, vibrate at the frequency of the signal, and transmit the vibration through the plate, and a cushion coupled to the earcup housing. In some embodiments, vibration of the back side of the plate causes emanation of the signal as sound from the front side.

[0005] In some embodiments, the audio exciter is configured to operate in a frequency range of 10 Hz to 14 kHz. In some embodiments, the audio exciter is mounted to the back side of the plate with adhesive. In some embodiments, the back side of the plate is coupled to the earcup housing with a watertight seal such that the audio exciter is encompassed by the earcup housing. In some embodiments, the watertight seal is a gasket. In some embodiments, the watertight seal prevents leakage up to an earcup submersion depth of 2 meters.

[0006] In some embodiments, the plate has an outer diameter smaller than a diameter of the earcup housing. In some embodiments, the cushion is coupled to the earcup housing by a water- resistant bonding creating a watertight seal. In some embodiments, the plate is an oval shape. In some embodiments, the plate is less than 10.5 cm in length and less than 8.5 cm in width. In some embodiments, the plate has a thickness less than 3 cm. In some embodiments, the audio exciter is positioned at 1 / 3 of the length and 1 / 2 of the width of the plate.

[0007] In some embodiments, the audio exciter comprises a voice coil, a suspension, and electrical connection terminals. In some embodiments, the plate includes a rubber backing positioned between the back side of the plate and the audio exciter.

[0008] In another embodiment, there is a water-resistant earcup for a communication headset, the earcup including an earcup housing, a plate with a front side and a back side coupled to the earcup housing, an audio exciter mounted to the back side of the plate, the audio exciter configured to: receive a transmitted signal, vibrate at the frequency of the signal, and transmit the vibration through the plate, a cushion coupled to the earcup housing. In some embodiments, the back side of the plate is coupled to the earcup housing with a watertight seal such that the audio exciter is encompassed by the earcup housing. In some embodiments, vibration of the back side of the plate causes emanation of the signal as sound from the front side. In some embodiments, the audio exciter is configured to operate in a frequency range of 10 Hz to 14 kHz.BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0009] The foregoing summary as well as the following detailed description of embodiments of the water-resistant communication headset will be better understood when read in conjunction with the appended drawings of an exemplary embodiment. It should be understood, however, that the invention is not limited to the precise arrangements and instrumentalities shown.

[0010] In the drawings:

[0011] Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a water-resistant earcup mounted to a headband in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention;

[0012] Fig. 2 is an exploded side view of the water-resistant earcup of Fig. 1;

[0013] Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional side view of the water-resistant earcup of Fig. 1;

[0014] Fig. 4 is a side view of a plate of the water-resistant earcup of Fig. 1, showing an audio exciter mounted to the plate; and

[0015] Fig. 5 is a top view of the plate of the water-resistant earcup of Fig. 1, showing placement of the audio exciter on said plate.DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0016] Communication headsets, such as over-the-ear headsets with a padded earcup, can be critical in numerous applications; for example, communication headsets that provide both protection and communication are particularly important for defense forces, emergency responders, and industrial personnel who are operating in high performance environments. These communicationheadsets are often mounted to a helmet or a headband for wearing beneath the helmet or without a helmet.

[0017] Referring to the drawings in detail, wherein like reference numerals indicate like elements throughout, there is shown in Figs. 1-5 a water-resistant earcup, generally designated 100, for a communication headset in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. The water-resistant earcup 100 allows for water submersion of the headset at increased depths, pressures, and lengths of time, providing the user increased immunity to environmental elements. For example, users may need to swim while deploying the headset or may encounter high-rain environments in which maintaining communication via the headset is critical. If water penetrates the barriers and compromises the earcup speaker, the user may be able to drain the water out, but the sound quality and communication abilities will be greatly reduced.

[0018] Typical loudspeakers need their cone / diaphragm to be directly coupled to open air in order to create sound waves. This is accomplished by creating physical openings or holes in the loudspeaker so that access to open air can be achieved. By creating holes within the loudspeaker, environmental elements such as water are able to penetrate the loudspeaker and potentially damage the internal electronic components. The water-resistant earcup 100 instead utilizes an audio exciter as a loudspeaker. The audio exciter’s voice coil is directly coupled to the back side of a mounting surface in the water-resistant earcup 100, imparting vibration of the voice coil into the mounting surface. The vibrations propagate through the mounting surface and cause movement of the surrounding air particles such that sound waves emanate from the surface. The use of an audio exciter as the loudspeaker in the water-resistant earcup 100 allows for the internal electronic components of the water-resistant earcup 100 to be fully enclosed and protected from environmental variables; because audio exciters vibrate the rigid mounting surface (e.g., plate 104) to which they are directly coupled, and are capable of producing sound waves without needing access to open air, the water-resistant earcup 100 can be fully sealed from the environment.

[0019] Referring to Fig. 1, the water-resistant earcup 100 may include an earcup housing 102 and a mounting surface, such as plate 104, with a front side 106 and a back side 108. In one embodiment, the water-resistant earcup 100 is configured to provide at least one-way audio communication between the user and an external device such as a radio or intercom system. In another embodiment, the water-resistant earcup 100 is configured to restore natural hearing with the outside environment for improved situational awareness while also providing hearing protection. The water-resistant earcup 100 may be a circumaural earcup. In another embodiment, the water- resistant earcup 100 may be a supra-aural earcup that rests on the user’s ear without completelyencompassing the ear. In the embodiment that is illustrated in Fig. 1, the water-resistant earcup 100 is coupled to a headband 110. In other embodiments, the water-resistant earcup 100 may be coupled to a mount arm that attaches to a helmet. In another embodiment, the water-resistant earcup 100 and headset may be integrally formed into the helmet. In some embodiments, the water-resistant earcup 100 may be selectively attachable between mount arms for attaching to a helmet and a headband for use under or separately from the helmet. The water-resistant earcup 100 may include a cushion 112 that is configured to contour the geometry of the user’s head and provide a better seal and proper attenuation.

[0020] In one embodiment, the back side 108 of the plate 104 is coupled to the earcup housing 102. The plate 104 may be coupled to the earcup housing 102 by a watertight seal. In some embodiments, the watertight seal is a gasket. The gasket may be an O-ring made of rubber. In some embodiments, the gasket has an outer diameter of approximately 10.5 cm and an inner diameter of approximately 8.86 cm. In other embodiments, the watertight seal may be achieved via welding, adhesive, or the like. In some embodiments, the watertight seal seals the water-resistant earcup 100 from water leakage up to a submersion depth of at least 0.5 meters, at least 1 meter, at least 1.5 meters or at least 2 meters.

[0021] Referring to Figs. 2-3, the water-resistant earcup 100 may include an audio exciter 114 mounted to the back side 108 of the plate 104 such that the audio exciter 114 is encompassed by the earcup housing 102. This allows for the audio exciter 114 to be protected from environmental elements like water as the audio exciter 114 is fully enclosed within the earcup housing 102 and sealed by the watertight seal. In one embodiment, the audio exciter 114 has an impedance of approximately 32 ohms. In other embodiments, the audio exciter 114 has an impedance of at least 4 ohms, at least 8 ohms or at least 32 ohms. In the embodiment that is illustrated in Fig. 2, the plate 104 has a diameter smaller than that of the earcup housing 102. In some embodiments, the audio exciter 114 may be mounted to the plate 104 with adhesive. In other embodiments, the audio exciter 114 may be mounted to the plate with a mechanical mount, mechanical bracket, or epoxy. Water- resistant earcup 100 may include a microphone 116. In one embodiment, water-resistant earcup 100 may include a boom arm 118 that may be flexible such that the user can bend the boom arm 118 and place the microphone 116 at a desired distance from the user’s mouth.

[0022] Referring to Fig. 4, audio exciter 114 functions as a loudspeaker without the use of a cone / diaphragm by vibrating a rigid surface to create sound. The audio exciter 114 mounted to the back side 108 of the plate 104 may be connected via electrical connection terminals on the audio exciter 114 to receive audio input. When the input audio signal is transmitted to the audio exciter114, the audio exciter 114 imparts vibration from the audio exciter’s moving mass into a rigid surface such as the plate 104 shown in Fig. 4.

[0023] In some embodiments, the plate 104 has a thickness, defined as H, that can alter the frequency response of the audio exciter 114. The thickness H may be at least less than 3 cm. For example, in some embodiments, thickness H is 1.5 to 2 cm, 2 to 2.5 cm, or 2.5 to 3 cm. In some embodiments, the audio exciter 114 operates at a frequency of at least 10 Hz to 14 kHz. The limited frequency, due partially to the smaller surface area of the plate 104, may not be ideal for music but can be ideal for communication purposes. The audio exciter 114 vibrates in such a way that the sound waves 124 are created as planar sound waves meaning that the audio exciter 114 has a linear frequency response.

[0024] Referring to Fig. 5, the audio exciter 114 placement on the plate 104 can affect the uniformity of vibrations 122 across the plate 104 surface and how widely the sound waves 124 are dispersed. In some embodiments, the audio exciter 114 is mounted to the plate 104 at a position that is about 1 / 3 of the length, defined as L, and 1 / 2 of the width, defined as W, of the plate 104. In some embodiments, the audio exciter 114 is centered on the length L of the plate 104. In some embodiments, the audio exciter 114 is centered on the width W of the plate 104. In other embodiments, the audio exciter 114 may be mounted at a different position on the plate 104.

[0025] The material and size of the plate 104 can also impact the frequency range and efficiency of the audio exciter 114. In some embodiments, the plate 104 has a material composition comprising plastics. In other embodiments, the material composition comprises metals, polymers, or wood. In another embodiment, the plate 104 may have a rubber backing that is positioned between the audio exciter 114 and the plate 104 to dampen higher frequencies. In some embodiments, the plate 104 comprises a generally flexible material. In other embodiments, the plate 104 comprises a generally rigid material. The density and porosity of the plate 104 material can also impact the sound waves 124 produced by the audio exciter 114 and affect how the plate 104 absorbs or reflects sound. In some embodiments, the plate 104 has a density and porosity that would avoid dampening of the sound waves 124 that are being created. A higher-density material may reflect more sound, resulting in dampening of the sound waves 124. A lower density material may absorb more sound, and the sound waves 124 may be transmitted through the plate 104. Similarly, a highly porous material may be used for plate 104 to better absorb the sound waves 124 because the sound waves 124 get trapped within the pores of the material and dissipate. The material of the plate 104 is also capable of withstanding harsh environmental elements, including high rain environments.

[0026] In the embodiment illustrated in Fig. 5, plate 104 is an oval shape. In other embodiments, plate 104 may have a different shape. In some embodiments, length L of plate 104 is less than 10.5 cm. For example, in some embodiments, length L may be at least 6.5 to 7.5 cm, 7.5 to 8.5 cm, 8.5 to 9.5 cm, or 9.5 to 10.5 cm. In some embodiments, width W of plate 104 is less than 8.5 cm. For example, in some embodiments, width W may be at least 4 to 5 cm, 5 to 6 cm, 6 to 7 cm, or 7 to 8 cm. In other embodiments, plate 104 may have a different length L and width W.

[0027] The term “about” or “approximately” is used herein to provide literal support for the exact number that it precedes, as well as a number that is near to or approximately the number that the term precedes. In determining whether a number is near to or approximately a specifically recited number, the near or approximating unrecited number may be a number that, in the context in which it is presented, provides the substantial equivalent of the specifically recited number. It should be appreciated that all numerical values and ranges disclosed herein are approximate values and ranges, regardless of whether “about” is used in conjunction therewith. It should also be appreciated that the term “about,” as used herein, in conjunction with a numeral refers to a value that may be ±0.01% (inclusive) of that numeral, ±0.1% (inclusive) of that numeral, ±0.5% (inclusive) of that numeral, ±1% (inclusive) of that numeral, ±2% (inclusive) of that numeral, ±3% (inclusive) of that numeral, ±5% (inclusive) of that numeral, ±10% (inclusive) of that numeral, or ±15% (inclusive) of that numeral. It should further be appreciated that when a numerical range is disclosed herein, any numerical value falling within that range is also specifically disclosed.

[0028] It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that changes could be made to the exemplary embodiments shown and described above without departing from the broad inventive concepts thereof. It is to be understood that the embodiments and claims disclosed herein are not limited in their application to the details of construction and arrangement of the components that are set forth in the description and illustrated in the drawings. Rather, the description and the drawings provide examples of the embodiments envisioned. The embodiments and claims disclosed herein are further capable of other embodiments and of being practiced and carried out in various ways.

[0029] Specific features of the exemplary embodiments may or may not be part of the claimed invention and various features of the disclosed embodiments may be combined. Unless specifically set forth herein, the terms “a”, “an” and “the” are not limited to one element but instead should be read as meaning “at least one”. Finally, unless specifically set forth herein, a disclosed or claimed method should not be limited to the performance of its steps in the order written, and one skilled in the art can readily appreciate that the steps may be performed in any practical order.

Claims

CLAIMSWhat is claimed is:

1. A water-resistant earcup for a communication headset, the earcup comprising: an earcup housing; a plate with a front side and a back side, wherein the back side is coupled to the earcup housing; an audio exciter mounted to the back side of the plate, the audio exciter configured to: receive a transmitted signal; vibrate at the frequency of the signal; transmit the vibration through the plate; and a cushion coupled to the earcup housing, wherein vibration of the back side of the plate causes emanation of the signal as sound from the front side.

2. The water-resistant earcup of claim 1, wherein the audio exciter is mounted to the back side of the plate with adhesive.

3. The water-resistant earcup of claim 2, wherein the back side of the plate is coupled to the earcup housing with a watertight seal such that the audio exciter is encompassed by the earcup housing.

4. The water-resistant earcup of claim 3, wherein the watertight seal is a gasket.

5. The water-resistant earcup of claim 4, wherein the watertight seal prevents leakage up to an earcup submersion depth of 2 meters.

6. The water-resistant earcup of claim 1, wherein the plate is less than 10.5 cm in length and less than 8.5 cm in width.

7. The water-resistant earcup of claim 6, wherein the plate has a thickness less than 3 cm.

8. The water-resistant earcup of claim 7, wherein the audio exciter is positioned at 1 / 3 of the length and 1 / 2 of the width of the plate.

9. The water-resistant earcup of claim 1, wherein the plate has an outer diameter smaller than a diameter of the earcup housing.

10. The water-resistant earcup of claim 1, wherein the cushion is coupled to the earcup housing by a water-resistant bonding creating a watertight seal.

11. The water-resistant earcup of claim 1, wherein the plate is an oval shape.

12. The water-resistant earcup of claim 1, wherein the audio exciter is configured to operate in a frequency range of 10 Hz to 14 kHz.

13. The water-resistant earcup of claim 1, wherein the audio exciter comprises a voice coil, a suspension, and electrical connection terminals.

14. The water-resistant earcup of claim 1, wherein the plate includes a rubber backing positioned between the back side of the plate and the audio exciter.

15. A water-resistant earcup for a communication headset, the earcup comprising: an earcup housing; a plate with a front side and a back side, wherein the back side is coupled to the earcup housing; an audio exciter mounted to the back side of the plate, the audio exciter configured to: receive a transmitted signal; vibrate at the frequency of the signal; transmit the vibration through the plate; and a cushion coupled to the earcup housing, wherein the back side of the plate is coupled to the earcup housing with a watertight seal such that the audio exciter is encompassed by the earcup housing, wherein vibration of the back side of the plate causes emanation of the signal as sound from the front side,wherein the audio exciter is configured to operate in a frequency range of 10 Hz to 14 kHz.

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