US3798393A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Headphone construction
Assignee: AKG Acoustics GmbH
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Filing: 1972-03-03
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Granted: 1974-03-19
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Expires: 1992-03-03
Abstract
Abstract A headphone construction includes freely radiating sound converters whose diaphragms, when the earphones are attached, are not loaded by the impedance of the wearers'' ear. The diaphragm of the electrostatic converter is primarily mass-inhibited and damped by acoustic or mechanical friction resistances. Supporting elements are provided between the head and the earpiece which provide minimum spacing distance between the diaphragm and the inlet of the ear which corresponds practically to the contactfree wearing of the sound converters. The supporting elements may advantageously comprise a pair of ring members which are concentrically arranged one within the other around the ear and which support the earphone at a spaced location from the ear. The rig members include openings which may be aligned and enlarged for varying the opening space defined between the diaphragm and the ear opening.
Inventors
- 👤 R Gorike
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-28 16:33
CPC Classifications
H; H04; H04R; H04R1/00; H04R1/10; H04R1/1008
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 9
Claim 1
Independent Claim
270 words
A headphone having a completely free sound radiation, and including a sound converter with a diaphragm which, with the headphone mounted adjacent a wearer''s ear, is free of loading by the impedance of the ear, said headphone comprising, in combination, a housing; an electro-acoustic converter in said housing having a freely radiating, primarily mass inhibited and damped, diaphragm, with a natural resonant frequency in the range of the lowest sound frequencies; said housing having an opening on one side of said diaphragm for sound transmission from said diaphragm to the entrance to the auditory canal of the wearer''s ear; and rigid supporting means extending from the periphery of said housing opening for supporting said housing at the wearer''s ear, free of engagement with the ear at and around the auditory canal, with the opening of the housing spaced a fixed distance from the wearer''s ear to provide a minimum distance between the diaphragm and the entrance to the auditory canal of the wearer''s ear corresponding to completely contact-free wearing of a sound converter, and defining a large air volume cavity between said diaphragm and the entrance to the auditory canal providing a loose coupling between said electroacoustic converter and the auditory canal; said supporting means defining a plurality of open spaces providing communication between said large air volume cavity and the outside air, and also providing unhindered circulation of ventilating air between the headphone housing and the wearer''s ear; said low frequency resonant diaphragm compensating for the loss of low frequencies resulting from such loose coupling between said electro-acoustic converter and the wearer''s auditory canal due to said supporting means.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
270 words
A headphone having a completely free sound radiation, and including a sound converter with a diaphragm which, with the headphone mounted adjacent a wearer''s ear, is free of loading by the impedance of the ear, said headphone comprising, in combination, a housing; an electro-acoustic converter in said housing having a freely radiating, primarily mass inhibited and damped, diaphragm, with a natural resonant frequency in the range of the lowest sound frequencies; said housing having an opening on one side of said diaphragm for sound transmission from said diaphragm to the entrance to the auditory canal of the wearer''s ear; and rigid supporting means extending from the periphery of said housing opening for supporting said housing at the wearer''s ear, free of engagement with the ear at and around the auditory canal, with the opening of the housing spaced a fixed distance from the wearer''s ear to provide a minimum distance between the diaphragm and the entrance to the auditory canal of the wearer''s ear corresponding to completely contact-free wearing of a sound converter, and defining a large air volume cavity between said diaphragm and the entrance to the auditory canal providing a loose coupling between said electroacoustic converter and the auditory canal; said supporting means defining a plurality of open spaces providing communication between said large air volume cavity and the outside air, and also providing unhindered circulation of ventilating air between the headphone housing and the wearer''s ear; said low frequency resonant diaphragm compensating for the loss of low frequencies resulting from such loose coupling between said electro-acoustic converter and the wearer''s auditory canal due to said supporting means.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
44 words
A headphone, according to claim 1, wherein said supporting means comprises a radially narrow ring member connected to said housing and spacing said opening and said diaphragm at a fixed distance from the auditory canal, said ring member having plural openings to the atmosphere.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
44 words
A headphone, according to claim 1, wherein said supporting means comprise a plurality of individual elements spaced around the periphery of said housing opening, and including a dampening material located adjacent said opening between the diaphragm and the ear and spaced from the ear.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
48 words
A headphone, according to claim 1, wherein said supporting means comprises radially narrow ring means holding said housing opening and the diaphragm at a spaced location from the ear and including one apertured ring member movable relatively to another for defining openings to the atmosphere of varying size.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
47 words
A headphone, according to claim 1, wherein said supporting means comprises a radially narrow ring-shaped supporting element engaged around said housing around the opening thereof, said supporting element having a bulging annular edge portion of soft material on its narrow outer edge for fitting against the ear.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
56 words
A headphone, according to claim 1, including a sound damping material disposed over said diaphragm between the diaphragm and the ear and spaced from the ear, said supporting means comprising a radially narrow ring member having openings, and means associated with said ring member for varying the size of the openings and for closing the openings.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
50 words
A headphone, according to claim 4, wherein said supporting means includes first and second ring members each having a slot therethrough, said ring members being relatively rotatable for aligning at least a portion of the slots of each ring member, the aligned slots being enlargeable to vary the opening size.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
27 words
A headphone, according to claim 6, wherein said sound dampening material comprises a foam cushion, and a guard extending over said diaphragm and supporting said foam cushion.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1977-03-18 | 1977-09-17 | 1978-03-19 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1981-03-18 | 1981-09-17 | 1982-03-19 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1985-03-18 | 1985-09-17 | 1986-03-19 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |