Pivotable Headset Fork With Locking Slider

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional headsets and earphones lack effective mechanisms for secure earpiece attachment, sound isolation, and efficient noise reduction, particularly in active noise reduction applications.

Innovation Solution

The design incorporates a pivotable fork with a locking mechanism, a slider with multiple receiving positions, and a capsule mounting with elastic material for the microphone, along with a cover element to screen useful sound, ensuring secure fit, sound decoupling, and improved noise reduction.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If the fork is made pivotable to allow adjustment, then the adaptability is improved, but the stability of earpiece attachment deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveadjustability of earpiece positionVSAvoidsecure attachment of earpiece

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The fork is designed to be pivotable about a pivot axis, allowing dynamic adjustment of the earpiece position to adapt to different user preferences and ear shapes. This dynamic capability enables the headset to transition between different configurations while maintaining secure attachment through the locking mechanism.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

A locking member is introduced as an intermediary element between the fork and the earpiece support. This locking member can engage with the support to lock the fork in a selected position, thereby mediating between the need for adjustability and the requirement for stable, secure attachment during use.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Ease of operation

If the slider is made accessible from the interior of the head band, then the ease of operation is improved, but the device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveaccessibility of slider for adjustmentVSAvoidinternal structure of head band

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

Instead of placing the slider on the exterior of the head band where it would be easily accessible, the slider is inverted and placed on the interior side. This allows users to adjust the headset by reaching inside the head band, providing ease of operation while maintaining a clean exterior appearance and reducing external complexity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

3Object-affected harmful factors

If the microphone is decoupled using elastic material, then the sound isolation is improved, but the manufacturing precision requirements increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvestructure-borne sound interferenceVSAvoidmicrophone positioning accuracy

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-affected harmful factorsVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

An elastic material is introduced as an intermediary element between the microphone and the receiving portion. This elastic material acts as a decoupling medium that isolates the microphone from structure-borne sounds while still allowing precise positioning and secure mounting of the microphone capsule.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

4Object-affected harmful factors

If the cover element is added to screen the microphone, then the noise reduction capability is improved, but the device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveuseful sound interference with microphoneVSAvoidearpiece structure

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-affected harmful factorsVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

A cover element is added as an intermediary structure between the electroacoustic reproduction transducer and the microphone. This cover element screens the microphone from useful sound produced by the transducer, preventing the microphone from picking up playback audio and improving active noise reduction performance.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

The solution provides a secure and adjustable fit, effective sound isolation, and enhanced noise reduction capabilities, allowing for both interference sound detection and external noise capture.

Implementation Method 1

The capsule mounting has an elastic material so that the microphone is provided in the receiving unit in structure-borne sound-decoupled relationship

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectVibration isolation: Damping

Data Source

PatentUS9277039B2Headset and headphone

Publication Date: 2016.03.01 SENNHEISER ELECTRONICS GMBH & CO KG

AI summary

There is provided a headset having a head band, at least one fork for receiving an earpiece and a receiving portion between an end of the head band and one of the forks. The fork is arranged pivotably about a pivot axis. The fork has a first end having a support element. The receiving portion has a slider having at least two receiving positions. The support element engages into one of the at least two receiving positions of the slider and thus limits the maximum deflection of the fork about the pivot axis.