Headphone Cable Routing via Pivotable Coupling Loop
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing headphones with pivoting stowable earphones and extendable sliders face challenges in managing conductive cables, as they require slack to accommodate adjustments and storage, which can lead to bunching or pinching when earphones are pivoted or folded.
Innovation Solution
The solution involves a conductive cable management system where the cable is held at a first anchor location with slack on each side, maintained by a rigid loop at the end of the yoke that pushes the cable into the slider when transitioning from stowed to deployed positions, and pulls it out when reversing, using a coupling member with a pivotable joint and a detent assembly for controlled folding.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If the cable is given slack to accommodate slider extension and earphone pivoting, then the cable can move freely during adjustment and storage, but the cable may bunch or pinch when earphones are pivoted or folded
Solution Approach 1:
The cable path is segmented into distinct zones: a first portion running through the slider with sufficient slack for extension, and a second portion running through the coupling member with controlled routing for pivoting. This segmentation allows each segment to handle specific movements independently, preventing cable bunching while maintaining flexibility.
Solution Approach 2:
The coupling member acts as an intermediary between the slider and earphone, providing a dedicated cable routing path. The cable passes through this intermediate structure which guides and constrains the cable during earphone pivoting, preventing it from bunching or pinching while still allowing the required range of motion.
2Ease of operation
If the cable is routed through the coupling member and slider with slack management, then smooth cable movement is achieved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The coupling member serves multiple functions: it connects the earphone to the slider, enables pivoting motion, and provides a cable routing channel. By combining these functions into a single component, the cable management system achieves smooth operation without proportionally increasing overall device complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The cable is nested within the structural pathways of existing components (slider and coupling member) rather than requiring separate cable management structures. This nesting approach allows the cable to be guided smoothly through the mechanism it already passes through, minimizing additional complexity.
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3A
Figure 3B
AI summary
A coupling member is located between earphone and a headband, pivotably mounted to the headband, such that the earphone can be moved from a deployed position to be worn by the wearer to a stowed position in which the earphone is located closer to the headband. A cable runs from the earphone to the headband through the coupling member. The cable is held in place at a first anchor location in the headband, proximate the coupling member. There is slack in the cable between the first anchor location and the coupling member when the earphone is in the deployed position. The coupling member comprises a rigid loop overlying the cable and located adjacent to the slack in the cable, extending away from the first axis. When the earphone is moved from the stowed position to the deployed position the rigid loop pushes the slack in the cable into the headband.