GB2282796A

GB2282796A - Earphone storing reel

Info

Publication number: GB2282796A
Application number: GB9321299A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Bun Lai Maria Ng
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1993-10-15
Filing date: 1993-10-15
Publication date: 1995-04-19
Anticipated expiration: 2013-10-15
Also published as: HK1002535A1; GB9321299D0; GB2282796B

Abstract

An earphone storing device has a casing 2 with a lid 34, and incorporates a partition 4 dividing the casing 2 into a lidded container 6 for the earphones 40 and an enclosed housing 8 for a drive mechanism for a storage reel 10 mounted for rotation in the container 6. In its upper surface, the storage reel 10 has shaped recesses 16 for receipt of earphone ear pieces (39). Initially the drive mechanism is arranged such that a coil spring 30 is wound around a driven shaft 18 in the unstressed condition of the spring. In this condition, the earphone flex 40 is wound around the reel 10. The earphones 40 may be obtained for use by pulling them from the reel 10. When it is required to restore the earphones 40, a locking device or pawl 32 is released so that the coil spring 30 is able to rotate to wind up the earphone flex 40 onto the reel 10. <IMAGE>

Description

EARPHONE STORING DEVICE The present invention relates to an earphone storing device.

Earphones are now used with various devices, for example, with the entertainment system in an aircraft, to listen to personal tape recorders, and to listen to the tapes of dictating machines. More and more, the earphones are becoming standardised and therefore interchangeable.

However, earphones are not readily portable because they have a long length of flex. If the earphones are to be kept in a container such as a bag or box, the flex has to be wound or folded manually in some manner.

It is an object of the invention to provide an earphone storing device which facilitates the storage of such earphones, and hence enhances their portability.

According to the present invention there is provided an earphone storing device comprising a container in which a reel is mounted for rotation, a set of earphones arranged to be stored in the container and having a flex which, when the earphones are stored, is wound around said reel, and drive means coupled to said reel for selectively rotating said reel, wherein said reel is arranged to be rotated in a first, unwinding direction, by pulling the flex from the reel, but can only be rotated in a second, winding direction, by said drive means.

In the use of a storing device of the invention, a set of earphones is received for storage in the container simply by powering the drive means to wind up the flex on to the reel. The storing device then provides an easily portable container for the earphones. If it is wished to use the earphones it is only necessary to pull the flex from the reel until the earphones are released.

In an embodiment, a free surface of the reel is provided with recesses in which earpieces of the earphones are received.

In an embodiment, the earphone storing device further comprises releasable locking means for locking the reel against rotation in the second, winding direction.

The storing device may be incorporated in the housing of a commercial dictating machine, or of a personal radio or tape player. However, it is currently preferred that the storing device be provided as a stand alone unit.

If required, the storing device may be provided with connecting means, for example, for facilitating the connection of the storing device to an electrical device with which the earphones can cooperate. Additionally and/or alternatively, the storing device may be provided with connection or attachment means for attaching the storing device to a belt or other article of clothing to be worn by a person.

The drive means may comprise any suitable means for rotating the reel when required. For example, the drive means may comprise a clockwork mechanism. Additionally and/or alternatively, the drive means may comprise a coil spring.

It is also possible, for example, for the drive means to comprise an electric drive motor. In this case, it is generally preferred that the storing device also contain an electric battery to power the motor.

The drive means may be coupled directly to the reel.

For example, the reel may have a substantially central axially extending bore keyed to a drive shaft of the drive means. In an alternative construction, said reel has a driving shaft which is directly connected to said drive means.

In an alternative embodiment, the drive means may be coupled to said reel by way of transmission means, for example, comprising gear means, or a drive belt.

In a particularly preferred embodiment, the container is defined on one side of a partition, and on the other side of the partition there is defined a housing for the drive means. Preferably, the housing for the drive means is enclosed. An on/off switch, or a release mechanism for the drive means, may be provided externally of the housing.

In a preferred embodiment, the container in which the reel is mounted is provided with a releasable lid.

Embodiments of the present invention will hereinafter be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 shows a longitudinal section through an earphone storing device of the invention, Figures 2A to 2C illustrate schematically a drive mechanism of the storing device of Figure 1 illustrating the winding and unwinding of earphones, Figure 3 shows an alternative embodiment of a drive mechanism of a storing device having transmission means, Figure 4 shows an embodiment of a drive mechanism with alternative transmission means, Figure 5 shows an enlargement of locking means for a drive mechanism of a storing device of the invention, Figure 6 shows an alternative locking device, and Figures 7A to 7C show schematically embodiments of a storing device of the invention utilising an electric motor as the drive means.

The drawings illustrate various alternative embodiments of an earphone storing device of the present invention. Figure 1 illustrates a longitudinal section through a first embodiment of an earphone storing device from which the earphones have been removed for clarity.

The device of Figure 1 has a casing, generally indicated at 2, which has an openable lid 34 and incorporates a partition 4 dividing the casing 2 into a lidded container 6 for the earphones and an enclosed housing 8 for a drive mechanism of the storing device. In the container 6, a storage reel 10 is mounted for rotation. This storage reel 10 has end flanges 12 defining a substantially cylindrical storage area 14 therebetween. The end flanges 12 define the upper and lower surfaces of the reel 10. In its upper surface, the storage reel 10 is provided with a shaped recess 16 for receipt of earphone pieces, not shown in Figure 1.

In the embodiment illustrated in Figure 1, the drive mechanism is coupled to and arranged to rotate a driven shaft 18 which is integrally formed with, and projects downwardly with respect to, the lower flange 12 of the storage reel 10. This driven shaft 18 projects through a bore provided therefor in the partition 4. At its lower end, the driven shaft 18 has a stub shaft 20 which is rotationally fixed in a key hole 22 provided through a ratchet wheel 24 of the drive mechanism. This ratchet wheel 24 is mounted for rotation with the driven shaft 18, and hence with the reel 10.

The ratchet wheel 24 is provided on its lower surface with an annular protrusion 26 which is received within an appropriate annular track in the housing 8 to support the drive mechanism and afford stability thereto during rotation. In this respect, it will also be seen that the lower flange 12 of the reel 10 is also provided with an annular protrusion 28 which spaces the flange 12 from the partition 4 and acts as a bearing to facilitate rotation of the reel 10 relative to the partition 4.

The driven shaft 18 has a coil spring 30 wound therearound. It is this coil spring 30 which, as discussed below, provides drive power to the reel 10. Furthermore, and as discussed below, the reel 10 is arranged to be rotatable in an unwinding direction, but only rotatable in a winding direction under the power of the spring 30.

Accordingly, a releasable locking device, as indicated at 32, and which is described further below, is provided.

Figures 2A to 2C illustrate the operation of the earphone storing device of Figure 1. In this respect, initially the drive mechanism is arranged such that the spring 30 is wound around the driven shaft 18 in the unstressed condition of the spring. Earphones 40 are wound around the reel 10, and earpieces 39 thereof are received in the recesses 16 therefore in the top surface of the upper flange 12 of the reel 10. This is the condition in which the earphone storing device will generally be supplied to the public. When in this position, the earphones 40 may be obtained simply by pulling the earphones from the reel 10 in the unwinding direction as indicated by the arrow A in Figure 2A.

Pulling on the earphone flex to remove the earphones 10 rotates the reel 10, and hence the ratchet wheel 24, in the direction indicated by the arrow B in Figure 2A.

During this rotation, the locking device 32, which is normally spring biased into contact with the teeth of the ratchet wheel 24, is selectively moved out of contact with the ratchet wheel 24 by the rotation thereof so that unwinding is enabled. However, if the pull on the flex of the earphones is released, the locking device 32 is immediately urged into contact with the teeth of the ratchet wheel 24 by the spring force to hold the reel 10 in the position attained and to prevent manual rotation in the winding direction. The operation of the locking device 32 is described further below.

The ends of the coil spring 30 are attached to the driven shaft 18 and to a fixed post 36 within the housing 8. It will be appreciated that the unwinding rotation of the driven shaft 18 causes the coil spring 30 to be wound tightly thereon, as shown in Figure 2B, so that the coil spring is stressed and thus stores strain energy. If the ratchet wheel 24 were not held by the locking device 32, the coil spring 30 would immediately unwind.

At the condition shown in Figure 2B, the earphones 40 have been released from the storing device for the use.

When it is required to restore the earphones 40, the earpieces 39 thereof are located in the recesses in the reel 10. The locking device 32 is then released, and the coil spring 30 is thus able to rotate to release its stored energy. This rotation, in the opposite direction to that of arrow B in Figure 2A, causes the rotation of the driven shaft 18 and hence the winding up of the earphones 40 on the reel 10.

Figure 3 shows an alternative embodiment of a drive mechanism for a storing device as illustrated in Figure 1.

In this respect, the function of the drive mechanism shown in Figure 3 is substantially identically to that shown in Figures 2A to 2C, but in this case the lower flange of the reel 10 is formed as a gear wheel 24A which is in driving engagement with a further gear wheel 24B. This gear wheel 24B, which is positioned to the side of the gear wheel 24A, carries a drive shaft 18B on which the coil spring 30 is supported and is wound and unwound. It will be appreciated that, in this embodiment also, unwinding rotation of the reel 10 stresses the coil spring 30 by way of the interconnecting gear wheels 24A and 24B, whilst unstressing rotation of the coil spring 30 rotates the reel 10. The releasable locking device 32 engages with the gear teeth of the gear wheel 24A.

Further 4 shows a storing device incorporating a drive mechanism which is very similar to that of Figure 3 except that the coil spring 30 is housed within the gear wheel 24B. In this embodiment, the casing 2 defines only a single container with a lid 34 in which both the reel 10 and the driving mechanism are stored. In this particular embodiment, the releasable locking mechanism 32 engages the gear wheel 24B rather than the gear wheel 24A as in Figure 3.

The locking mechanism 32 may have any required construction. In this respect, it is preferred that the locking mechanism be released automatically when the reel 10 is rotated in an unwinding direction, but that it holds the reel 10 against rotation in the winding direction until required.

Figure 5 shows one embodiment of a releasable locking mechanism 32. In this embodiment, the releasable locking mechanism 32 comprises a pawl 50 urged by way of a spring 52 into engagement with the teeth of the ratchet wheel 24.

The pawl 50 has a pawl tooth 54 for engagement with the ratchet wheel teeth. The pawl tooth 54 is shaped such that rotation of the ratchet wheel 24 in the unwinding direction B causes a camming action between the teeth of the ratchet wheel 24 and the tooth 54 whereby the pawl is moved against the action of the spring 52 to enable the rotation of the ratchet wheel. However, there is no camming action in the reverse direction of rotation and hence spring action keeps the tooth 54 in engagement with the ratchet wheel 24 and prevents rotation thereof in the winding direction.

The pawl 50 is mounted in the casing 2 by way of projections 56 slidable in appropriate recesses (not shown) in the casing. When it is required to enable rotation of the ratchet wheel 24 in the winding direction, that is in the opposite direction to the arrow B, the pawl 50 is pushed upwardly supported by the projections 56. This moves the tooth 54 out of engagement with the ratchet wheel 24 and enables the winding movement required. In this respect, movement of the pawl 50 out of the locking position may be by way of a release button (not shown) which protrudes relative to the casing 2 and is coupled to the pawl 50.

An alternative embodiment of the locking mechanism 32 is illustrated in Figure 6 in which a spring lever 60 carries a pawl tooth 64 which is appropriately biased into engagement with the ratchet wheel 24 by way of a spring 62.

The lever 60 is pivoted about a pivot pin 66 and can be removed from engagement with the ratchet wheel 24 by applying and holding pressure to one end of the lever 60 as indicated by the arrow C.

For most applications it will generally be preferred that the storing device of the invention be powered by a mechanical and/or clockwork drive mechanism. This makes the storing device truly portable.

However, it is also possible to power the reel 10 by way of an electric motor 70 as schematically indicated in Figures 7A to 7C. In this respect, and as indicated, the motor 70 is powered by batteries 72 and its operation is controlled by an on/off switch 74. In Figure 7A the drive motor 70 is mounted beneath the reel 10 and could be housed within the housing 8 as shown in Figure 1. In this embodiment, an appropriate coupling 76 is provided to couple the drive motor 70 to the driven shaft 18 of the reel 10.

In the arrangement of Figure 7B, the reel 10 has a gear wheel 24A forming its lower flange, for example, as in the embodiments of Figures 3 or 4, and this gear wheel 24A is arranged to engage a gear 84 directly carried by a drive shaft of the motor 70.

In the embodiment of Figure 7C, the motor 70 is coupled to the driven shaft 18 of the reel 10 by way of a bevel gear assembly 90.

In the description above, details have been given of various alternative constructions of an earphone storing device of the present invention. However, it will be appreciated that further modifications and developments of the device are possible within the scope of this application.

Claims

1. An earphone storing device comprising a container in which a reel is mounted for rotation, a set of earphones arranged to be stored in the container and having a flex which, when the earphones are stored, is wound around said reel, and drive means coupled to said reel for selectively rotating said reel, wherein said reel is arranged to be rotated in a first, unwinding direction, by pulling the flex from the reel, but can only be rotated in a second, winding direction, by said drive means.

2. An earphone storing device as claimed in Claim 1, wherein a free surface of the reel is provided with recesses in which earpieces of the earphones are received.

3. An earphone storing device as claimed in Claim 1 or Claim 2, further comprising releasable locking means for locking the reel against rotation in the second, winding direction.

4. An earphone storing device as claimed in any preceding claim, further comprising connecting means for facilitating the connection of the storing device to an electrical device with which the earphones can cooperate.

5. An earphone storing device as claimed in any preceding claim, further comprising connection or attachment means for attaching the storing device to a belt or other article of clothing to be worn by a person.

6. An earphone storing device as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein said drive means comprises a clockwork mechanism.

7. An earphone storing device as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein said drive means comprises a coil spring.

8. An earphone storing device as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein said drive means comprises an electric drive motor, and said storing device further comprises an electric battery to power said motor.

9. An earphone storing device as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein said drive means is coupled directly to the reel.

10. An earphone storing device as claimed in Claim 9, wherein said reel has a substantially central axially extending bore keyed to a drive shaft of said drive means.

11. An earphone storing device as claimed in Claim 9, wherein said reel has a driving shaft which is directly connected to said drive means.

12. An earphone storing device as claimed in any of Claims 1 to 8, wherein said drive means is coupled to said reel by way of transmission means.

13. An earphone storing device as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein said container is defined on one side of a partition, and on the other side of the partition there is defined a housing for the drive means, and wherein a release mechanism for the drive means is provided externally of the housing.

14. An earphone storing device as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the container in which the reel is mounted is provided with a releasable lid.

15. An earphone storing device substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

16. An electric sound reproducing device having a housing, and an earphone storing device as claimed in any preceding claim incorporated in said housing.