GB2455141A - Earphone optionally providing sound to the environment - Google Patents

Abstract

An earphone 2 having an ear speaker 6 for providing sound discretely into the ear of a user and a loudspeaker 14 for selectively providing sound to the surrounding environment. A means 24 of conveniently standing the device on a surface may also be provided. A control switch 16 may be provided to switch between three modes, a first where sound is only produced by the ear speaker 6, a second where sound is produced by both speakers 6, 14 and a third where sound is only produced by the loudspeaker 14. Other features could include a battery-powered amplification means, and a light-producing device.

Description

Earphone The present invention relates to earphones of the type worn on or in the ear to hear or listen to sound from a sound producing unit. Such sound producing units include, but are not limited to portable and non-portable music players, radios, game consoles, DVD players, walkie-talkies, mobile phones, personal computers etc. Conventionally an earphone is usually worn in or on the ear and has a speaker which protrudes into or covers the ear canal in order for the user to discretely hear sound from a sound producing unit.

The object of the present invention is to provide an improvement by way of an enhancement which extends the function of the earphone beyond that which is presently known.

In accordance with the present invention there is provided an earphone having a first speaker in the form of an ear speaker adapted to provide sound discretely into the ear of the user, characterised in the provision of a second speaker in the form of a loud speaker selectively operable to provide sound to the surrounding environment.

This has the advantage that when a user is listening to for example music from their personal music player using an earphone it is possible to additionally switch on the second speaker to enable one or more friends to listen at the same time. Also it is possible to remove the earphone from the ear, place it on a supporting surface and listen to the music through the second speaker, thereby providing an integral portable loud speaker system.

The first and second speakers may be oppositely disposed.

The first and second speakers may be independently operable. This enables the ear or loud second speaker to be switched off or both speakers to be operated at the same time.

The earphone may have means to mount the earphone to a surface. This enables the earphone to be removed from the ear and used as a stand alone speaker.

The mounting means may be in the form of a substantially planar exterior surface of the earphone. This provides a simple means to place the speaker on a surface.

There may be two earphones at least one of which has said second speaker.

A band may be provided to interconnect the earphones.

In a preferred embodiment at least one earphone is pivotably connected to the band. This enables the earphone to be rotated when placed on a surface to direct the sound from the loud speaker. Stabilising means may be provided which is selectively operable to flex the band to move the earphone further apart when mounting the earphones on a surface. This enables the loudspeakers to be placed further apart. A power pack may be provided which may be rechargeable.

A limiter may be provided to limit the sound provided via the earphone.

Amplification means may be provided to boost the sound provided through the second loud speaker. This enables the volume produced by the loudspeaker to be further increased. A control may be provided to switch the earphone between three modes, a first where only the ear speaker is operable, a second where the ear and loudspeaker are operated at the same time, and a third where only the loudspeaker is operated.

In a preferred embodiment a sound producing unit is provided comprising a light producing device, which may be operable to provide a light show and may ( -3-comprise a plurality of coloured lights producing a display in time with sound from the sound producing device.

By way of example only specific embodiments of the present invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:-Fig 1. is a schematic view showing an earphone constructed in accordance with the present invention; Fig. 2 is a side view of the earphone of Fig. ito show both speakers; Fig. 3 is a schematic view showing one use of the earphone; Fig. 4 is a schematic view of earphone constructed in accordance with a second embodiment of the present invention; Fig. 5 is a view of the earphone of Fig. 4 showing one use thereof.

As illustrated in Figs. I to 3 a first embodiment of earphone 2 comprises a housing 4 having a first speaker 6 or ear speaker on a first face 8 which is adapted to be inserted into an ear canal (as best illustrated in Fig. 3) of an ear 10 of a user to provide sound from a sound producing device 12, outwardly from the housing 4, directly and discretely into the ear 10 of the user. The housing 4 comprises electronics and a speaker drive (not illustrated) to convert a signal from the sound producing device 12 into an audible sound for transmittal through the ear speaker 6 at a sound level suitable for listening via the ear speaker 6. The earphone 2 also comprises a second speaker 14 in the form of a loud speaker and which is located on a second face 15 of the housing 4, located opposite the first face 8, and which is adapted to transmit the sound from the sound producing device 12 outwardly from the housing 4 to the surrounding environment. The housing 4 further comprises a second drive, in the form of a loudspeaker drive and electronics (not illustrated) for converting the ( -4-signal from the sound producing device 12 into an audible sound for transmittal through the loud speaker 14 at higher sound level than that of the ear speaker 6 enabling the sound to be clearly heard at a remote location from the loudspeaker 14.

The housing 4 further comprises a control 16 which is operable by the user and provides a three-way selection switch which can be actuated to enable three separate modes of operation, a first mode in which sound is only transmitted through the ear speaker 6, a second mode where sound is transmitted via the ear speaker 6 and the loudspeaker 14, and a third mode whereby sound is only transmitted via the loudspeaker 14. In the first mode the earphone 2 can be used as a standard earphone.

In the second mode the user can select to additionally transmit sound through the loudspeaker 14 enabling a friend, for example, to listen at the same time without use of an additional earphone, plugged in through an adapter. In the second and third mode the earphone 2 can be placed on a support surface, such as a desk, and sound from the loudspeaker 14 can be heard without the earphone 2 being inserted into the ear, in short as a free standing speaker. In the third mode switching off the ear speaker 6 can conserve power and reduce interference between the speaker 6, 14 outputs; in this mode the sound from the ear speaker 6 will provide some external noise since its sound is not shielded by the user's ear from the that of the loudspeaker 14.

The sound transmitted by the ear speaker andlor loudspeaker may be adjusted by adjusting the sound level on the sound producing device, or alternative or in addition a separate sound control may be provided on the earphone enabling independent adjustment of the ear and loud speaker volumes. A limiter may be provided to limit the sound through the ear speaker to a safe limit. The earphone may additionally comprise an independent power supply and amplifier to power and adjust the volume of the sound outputted, thus augmenting, powering or replacing the power and control supplied by the sound producing unit.

In the illustrated embodiment the ear speaker 6 is shown as being in the form of an ear plug which is inserted into the ear canal. However, the ear speaker 6 may alternative comprise an ear pad which sits over the ear canal. The earphone 2 has also been illustrated as being connected to the sound producing device 12 by a lead 18, it is to be understood that the connection could be wireless, for example B1ue-Tooth' or Wi-Fi, in which case the earphone may additionally comprise a power pack to power the electronics and drives and a switch for switching the power on and off.

The earphone may have means enabling it to be recharged.

Although the earphone has been illustrated as being a single earphone 2 a pair of earphones 2 may be provided, one for each ear and each may comprise an ear speaker and/or a loudspeaker 14. Although the earphone 2 has been illustrated as being mounted by placing the connecting line 18 around the ear, the earphone 2 may be provided on a headset in the form of a head or neck or ear band. The earphone may have means for mounting to a surface.

In a second embodiment of earphone 2, the earphone 2 is provided in the form of a pair of headphones 20 which is essentially two earphones 2 interconnected by an arcuate headband 22 which is adapted to rest over the head of the user placing a respective earphone 2 over each ear 10. As in the previous embodiment each earphone 2 comprises an ear speaker 6 and an oppositely disposed loudspeaker 14, with associated electronics and drives and control to enable the three modes of operation. In this embodiment the headphone comprises a pair of stands 24. Each (. -6-stand 24 comprises a substantially planar surface adjacent the earphone 2 and located remotely from the headband 22. The 24 stand enables each earphone 2 to be placed on a flat surface 30 to facilitate use of the headphones when operated in the second or third modes as a stand alone pair of speakers. The headphone 20 further comprises a bridge 26 which interconnects the two earphones 2 and fits to the head beneath the headband 22. The bridge 26 has a living hinge 28 which is used to move the earphones 2 of the headphone 20 further apart as illustrated by arrow A when the bridge 26 is pressed downwardly as illustrated by arrow B towards a surface 30 upon which the earphones 2 are mounted via their stands 24. The headphones 20 are returned to their normal, or original position by moving the earphones 2 closer together and returning thereby the living hinge 28 and thereby the bridge 26 to its original position.

In a further embodiment (not illustrated) the headphones 20 could comprise a pivotal (not illustrated) connection between each earphone 2 and the headband 22 enabling the earphones 2 to be at least partially rotated about the headband 22 to enable the loudspeakers 14 to point in a respective preferred direction.

Although two earphones have been illustrated, the headphone may only comprise a single earphone, or two earphones only one of which comprises a loudspeaker. Although a headband has been illustrated, the band connecting the earphones may be a neckband.

In a further embodiment (not illustrated) the earphone 2 or headphones 20 could incorporate at least one light producing device, in the form of for example one or more LED's which can be selectively switched on to provide a light display. The light may be sound sensitive and provide a pulsation of the light or a sequential or t -7-random operation of the lights in time to the music being played through the speaker(s). The light or lights may comprise a number of different colours and can be adapted to provide a display for example a mini disco effect. The on/off switch for the lights could be provided on the earphone or on the sound producing device.

Although a control 16 has been shown on the earphone, the control could instead be provided on the sound producing device andlor a separate unit connectable to the earphone or headphones.

Claims (17)

1. Claims 1. An earphone having a first speaker adapted to provide sound discretely into the ear of a user, characterised in the provision of a second speaker selectively operable to provide sound to the surrounding environment.
2. 2. An earphone as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first and second speakers are oppositely disposed.
3. 3. An earphone according to claim I or 2, wherein the first and second speakers are independently operable.
4. 4. An earphone according to claim 1, 2 or 3 comprising means to mount the earphone to a surface.
5. 5. An earphone according to claim 4, wherein the mounting means is a substantially planar exterior surface of the earphone.
6. 6. An earphone as claimed in any one of the preceding claims comprising two earphones at least one of which has said second speaker.
7. 7. An earphone as claimed in claim 6 comprising a band interconnecting the earphones.
8. 8. An earphone according to claim 7, wherein at least one earphone is pivotably connected to the band.
9. 9. An earphone according to claim 7 or 8, comprising stabilising means which is selectively operable to flex the band to move the earphone further apart when mounting the earphones on a surface.
10. 10. An earphone according to any one of the preceding claims comprising a power pack. t
11. 11. An earphone according to claim 10, wherein the panel pack is rechargeable.
12. 12. An earphone according to any one of the preceding claims comprising a limiter to limit the sound provided via the earphone.
13. 13. An earphone according to any one of the preceding claims comprising amplification means to boost the sound provided through the second speaker.
14. 14. An earphone according to any one of the preceding claims comprising a control to switch the earphone between three modes, a first where only the first speaker is operable, a second where the first and second speaker are operated at the same time, and a third where only the second speaker is operated.
15. 15. An earphone according to any one of the preceding claims comprising a light producing device.
16. 16. An earphone according to claim 15, wherein the light producing device is operable to provide a light show.
17. 17. An earphone constructed and adapted to operate substantially as described herein with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.